Blooming art scene in the Richmond

Park Life, an eccentric independent retailer and art gallery on Clement Street, debuted a new show this month called "You knew this was coming", featuring Southern California artists.

The store was full of locals coming to see the show that featured artists: Sahar Al-Sawaf, Sadie Barnette, Rich Bott, Mike Calway-Fagen, Thomas Helman, Vincent Manganello, Clare Parry and Louis Schmidt.

I was actually impressed by the size of the crowd. There were at least 15 to 20 people in the building at all times--random stragglers came in and out, mostly to step outside and get their nicotine fix. I'm sure the bucket of ice-cold free beer helped keep people in the gallery.

The art show itself was an interesting mix of media. Six paintings of eerie blob-faced individuals, painted using opaque out-of-the-tube colors by Rich Bott, demanded my attention when I walked in the door. The artists' work clashed together in the gallery, but individually, each piece was something to be appreciated.

Sadie Barnette's work also caught my eye. Cut-up photographs, glitter and detailed ink work delicately covered several white pieces of paper that were strewn about on the wall in the left hand corner of the gallery. I was admittedly confused about the concept of the piece, but then again, sometimes that's half the fun of art.

I haven't found many places like Park Life. Park Life

definitely fills a void in the Richmond District: a place in the community where you can shop, socialize and see local artists' work. You can also talk to the artists and owners of the store which makes Park Life more approachable and user-friendly compared to other galleries and independent retail stores in the area.

Community centers, gems of the Richmond

The Richmond district offers more community programs than I expected. With a large residential area, several programs for children and adults are available, many of which are a lifeline for parents who want a safe learning environment for their children.

The best place to learn about community is the Richmond police station. I was a little intimidated to go in; the unfriendly police officer working the desk didn't help to ease my apprehension. Once I looked around I found a wealth of information. The local newsletter I picked up there included every help hotline, support group and crime meeting in the area. It also highlighted upcoming events and classes available at community centers.

Two important centers in the district are they YMCA and the Richmond Recreation Center. Both centers offer similar programs including: yoga, karate, gardening, sewing, English classes and tutoring. The gymnasiums are also popular, especially for teens who like basketball. It made me happy to know they had a safe place to play in the community, especially with the limited amount safe basketball courts in San Francisco. Seniors in the area also have a safe place to congregate and be active through special programs tailored to the elderly.

Got traffic?

Have you crossed the Golden Gate Bridge lately? If yes, then you probably noticed the massive Doyle Drive construction project taking over the Presidio. The Doyle Drive project seems to be a big improvement for San Francisco, as well as a supply of jobs for locals. It's aimed at improving eroding structures and adding a more environmentally friendly roadway. However, commuters are bearing the load of this new project by driving in traffic and on dangerous roadways.

In order to build Presidio Parkway, the new design for Route 101, they closed the ramp from northbound Park Presidio and Highway 1 to southbound Doyle Drive. Park Presidio includes new lane changes and configurations. The part that seems to cause most of the traffic, however, is the constant changing of Nineteenth Avenue exit and entrance lanes, and sometimes their complete closure.

The lanes change each time a new phase in construction occurs. Sometimes commuters don't realize it's changed until they drive through--or in some cases, almost crash. Speed limits have been reduced to help prevent crashes, but lowering speeds add to the traffic. My advice: get on the road before peak commute times and stay alert for lane changes.