📷 The pier at Seacliff is going to be demolished.
The pier at Seacliff is going to be demolished. I know a lot of people grew to dislike the pier. I get it. It’s old. It’s decrepit (esp. post-being-cloven-in-twain earlier this year). It literally stinks up the neighborhoods around it. The SS Palo Alto, a cement ship, intentionally grounded and taking on water since 1929, apparently was once a swanky place to eat. But no one really remembers that anymore. It’s just another disappointment of The Ugliest Pier.
But despite its shortcomings, I’m going to miss the pier. Years of beach days with the church, weaving in and out of its wooden legs. Walking barefoot on its planks and feeling each splinter tug at my skin, like a friendly pinch. Chatting with its pigeons and seagulls, and eyeing the water for a glimpse of a shark in the shallows.
At the end of the pier it felt like you could see the whole bay extend beyond you over the waters. You could hear the sounds of birthday party barbecues, and, cutting past the noise of the breaking waves, the soft sound of that one guy who plays the trumpet at Rio Del Mar.
It was a beautiful, messed up wreck. Maybe that’s why I liked it so much.
Attached are some snaps I took of the pier last year with my Canonet.
🍿 Matilda, 1996 - ★★★★
Trunchbull is a beast in this. It’s just so fun to watch her stomping around with the dust lifting off the floor, the sweat and steam blowing out her nostrils, the pure speed and ferocity. Easily the best part of a movie that has a lot of great parts. Can’t believe I never saw this as a kid.
🍿 Groundhog Day, 1993 - ★★★★½
Today is… tomorrow! What words to live by. I need to start waking up being thankful for the day ahead.
Hynden Walch and Michael Shannon as the newlyweds honestly kind of steal the whole movie.
🍿 Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, 2022 - ★★½
Really just makes me want to watch Phantom Thread. Thing on plot, thin on dialogue. Feels made for TV in an odd way. The kind of movie that would be looked back on nostalgically if it had a bit more texture.
🍿 Original Cast Album: Company, 1970 - ★★★★
I have no prior experience with this show or recording, but this was still an entrancing watch. Seeing these performers pull off ridiculous feats of vocal talent just for Sondheim to be like “🚬 eh” is really something.
🍿 Robin Robin, 2021 - ★★★½
(guess I didn’t log this way back when! cute, songs aren’t the strongest, but how can you fault it when the bird looks like that)
🍿 Sing Street, 2016 - ★★★★
The songs in this are so well done. Really believable that they would be written in that time and place. The story’s second to the music, but it’s still alright! Just fun. Makes me want to be in a band!