August 2013 – dsoderblog

Of Mice And Men

August 31, 2013
by Dan Soderberg

An ongoing series illustrating the diary of my grandmother Helen Hussey. Current entries: The San Francisco Sojourn 1939-1940. Courtesy of Bjorn Palenius

Saturday April 29, 1939. “Another bad day! In bed most of the day-got up in late afternoon. Sam and I drove to the beach and Presidio. Jeanne went to the Fair. Ruth sent $100. Nite at Apt. 6. Reilly’s.

Reilly’s is listed in the 1939 San Francisco directory under Restaurants at 200 Market Street. The Google Street View indicates whatever was there in 1939 is long gone.

Sunday April 30, 1939. “Drove to the beach and the Presidio and to Fisherman’s Wharf-to Chinatown for dinner Old Chinatown-Magic Kettle. Nite: radio and read.” Couldn’t find anything on the Magic Kettle.

Before and after pictures of the Geary Theater following the 1989 Earthquake.
Monday May 1, 1939. “Jeanne and I to the Golden Gate Theater to see Maureen O’Sullivan picture. Nite to Chinatown for dinner with Sam. Then Jeanne and I went to the Geary to see “Of Mice And Men.” Splendid.

The English and Belgian version of the Spring Madness poster

Friday May 5, 1939. “Walked in the park early. Picked up Jeanne after school, watch street broadcast. Met Sam and stopped at Fisherman’s Wharf for crabs. Delicious! Nite to the Library.”

Saturday May 6, 1939 “Went to town with Jeanne. In the afternoon to see “Our Town.” Fine! Met Sam and Marc, Skimmy and Eve-To Vanessi’s, John’s Rendezvous, etc. Home at 6 AM.

John’s Rendezvous was at 50 Osgood Place, on the left. It’s a good bet in 1939 it looked a lot more like it is on the right hand side of Osgood Place.

Sunday May 7, 1939 “To The Fair with Tony-met Gert there. To a Fashion Show, the Press Club,Â and Dinner at Island Club. Sam went over but couldn’t find me.”

The Press Club Building, right, is listed in the 1939 Directory as 449-453 Powell.

Monday May 8, 1939. “Lazy Day. Over to Reilly’s at nite.”

Diary of Helen Hussey

Fireman Brought Me Home

August 22, 2013
by Dan Soderberg

An ongoing series illustrating the diary of my grandmother Helen Hussey. Current entries: The San Francisco Sojourn 1939-1940.

Sunday April 16, 1939. “Jeanne and I to the Fair. Very Windy. Saw redwood boxes at the Redwood Empire section. Listened to marimbas. Saw Juan Mertins for a short time. Home about ten.

Monday April 17, 1939 “Reported an accident. Two cops came-made it a lot of bother. Picked up Jeanne after school. Nite: Joe Lewis knocked out Jack Roper after 2 min + 20 seconds in first round. ”

Thursday April 20, 1939 “Received $50 from Santa Monica. Went downtown. Paid phone bill. Bought hat, gloves, hose + a girdle. To the library and Clement Street. Heavy fog. ”

Friday April 21, 1939 “Quiet day. Wrote letters and sent money orders. Apartment agent here-will try to locate us a place. Phoned Tony. Sam gone to the store for wine. Foggy day.”

Saturday April 22, 1939 “Jeanne and I to the Fair. Free coffee at Brazil pavilion. Jeanne to the dance at nite with the Salvidor Commissioner. Met Pete Brescido from Santa Monica. Sam and I sat up wining.”

Sunday April 23, 1939 “Sam and I to the Park. Saw the W.P. A. art exhibit. Marvelous! Nite: Jeanne, Sam, and I up late drinking Collins.”

Monday April 24, 1939 “Nice day. Walked to the beach. Back to school for Jeanne. Letters from Gen + Francisco. Pete Breceda over at nite.”

Tuesday April 25, 1939 “Letter and money from Ruth. Went to town and bought a sweater, etc… Nite to Tony’s. Home + wine.”

Wednesday April 26, 1939 “Jeanne and I to the fair. To the Chinese Village and Fortune Telling Bird. On the ferry home sat with Juan Mertins and Carlos. Met the Guatemala Commish. Home About 9:30.”

Thursday April 27, 1939 “Met Sam at Marcs. then met Ruth + to Vanessis. After several drinks met Jerry + Marie there. Later Sam and I to Sinaloa + Izzy’s. Total blank after, until coffee in the fire station.”

Friday April 28, 1939 “Fireman brought me home. In bed most of the day. Felt horrible.”

Diary of Helen Hussey

We Met Juan Mertins

August 20, 2013
by Dan Soderberg

An ongoing series illustrating the diary of my grandmother Helen Hussey. Current entries: The San Francisco Sojourn 1939-1940.

Monday April 10, 1939. “Jeanne and I to the Fair. Saw an exhibit at the Palace of Fine and Decorative Arts. Marvelous!”

Palace of Decorative and Fine Arts (N)

“To El Salvador to see ‘the Goats.’ Then to the Guatemala Bldg.”

Latin America Court (8): Mexico, El Salvidor, Panama, Guatemala, Peru, Columbia, Chile, Ecuador.

“We met artist Juan Mertins, most charming. Met him on the ferry and then had scotch with him. It was a grand day, but cold.”
The piece shown has all the characteristics of Juan Mertins early paintings and was exhibited at the Golden Gate International Exposition. His real name was Hans Mertins but he used to sign his paintings under his artistic name: Juan Mertins. He was a known artist in the San Francisco area during the 1920’s. He also painted backgrounds for Hollywood films. Since Helen had also worked in Hollywood studios, they may have had a lot to talk about. He is mentioned repeatedly in the diary, so clearly they struck up a friendship.

Tuesday April 11, 1939. “Quiet lazy day. At nite met Sam at Marc’s. Went with Palmer, Marion, and Ruth to celebrate Palmer’s birthday. Drinks at the office + then to Izzy’s for dinner. Got a dent in the fender on the way home.”

Thursday April 13, 1939. “Went to the Fair alone. To the Palace of Fine and Decorative Arts and the Guatemala building. Saw the Horticulture Palace and then to the Guatemala Building. Juan Mertins gave me a drink: Creme de Menthe. Listened to both Marimbas -Fun! The Berkeley gal and Juan Mertins waited for me, then home. Nice day.”

Florence Cafe was at 1968 Lombard. It’s Thai Cuisine in the Google street photo.

Friday April 14, 1939. “Met Sam and went to dinner at Florence Cafe. Then to Izzy’s-also Villa Turin. Fun!”

Located at 800 Montgomery Street the building survives and is a Historic Landmark.

The Sherman Bank is part of Jackson Square Historic District.

Saturday April 15, 1939. “I met Sam at noon after taking Jeanne to the ferry. Lunch at Villa Turin. Then to Izzy’s, Chinese cocktail bar, then back to Izzy’s. Then…”

Google view of Hang Far Low site, 723 Grant Avenue.

“…Dinner at Hang Far Lows. Back to Izzy’s again. Met Englishmen…”

“…To Sinaloa. Home about 10:30”

1416 Powell Street Today

Architecture

Went to the RKO Golden Gate

August 3, 2013
by Dan Soderberg

An ongoing series illustrating the diary of my grandmother Helen Hussey. Current entries: The San Francisco Sojourn 1939-1940.

Wednesday April 5, 1939. “Jeanne and I to the RKO Golden Gate to see Rogers + Astaire in the Castle picture.” The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939), would be their final RKO film together, although they would reunite in 1949 for MGM‘s The Barkleys of Broadway. The film was unique for Astaire and Rogers. The characters in it are more realistic than usual in an Astaire-Rogers film, it is the only Astaire-Rogers musical biography, the only one of their musicals with a tragic ending, and the only one in which Astaire’s character dies.

The RKO Golden Gate Theater.

Built in 1920, the Golden Gate Theatre was a movie theater for over 50 years until it closed in the 1970s. By the time it was shuttered, the Golden Gate Theatre had already been converted into a two screen theater in the 1960s, with the balcony theatre known as the Penthouse Theatre. With the twinning it suffered little permanent damage as it was restored to a single auditorium by the Shorenstein Hayes Nederlander group.

When it was finally renovated and reopened in 1979 into a performing arts center, the original detail and look of the theater was restored as well. Although the neighborhood has remained a little seedy, the theater is still very grand, with a marvelous Art Deco vertical sign that is nearly 4 stories high. Today, the Golden Gate Theatre is still a premier venue for travelling broadway shows and a visual journey into San Francisco’s gilded past. Contributed by Juan-Miguel Gallegos. Cinema Treasures. org

“Afternoon walk in the park. Jose over and took Jeanne for Tea at Japanese Tea Garden. Nite: Took Sam to the library. Wrote to Irene. It was a beautiful day.”
Mom took me for my first trip to San Francisco in 1967. I remember she made a point of visiting the Japanese Tea Garden. One other note – Sam Hussey never drove; Helen did all the driving.

Friday April 9, 1939. “Jeanne and I to the fair. We won telephone calls. Jeanne phoned Mercedes, but not home. I called Irene + talked to her. We went to listen to the marimba. Home about Ten P.M.”

Friday April 8, 1939. “Met Sam and we all went to the Fair. Saw many exhibits. Drank at Happy Valley. Saw Carlos and met most of the marimba players. Back to Izzy’s-fiesta, etc. Got a ride home with the Italians. Hazy ending to the day.”

Sunday April 9, 1939. “Easter Sunday. Went to Oakland for dinner with Gen and Jess. Drove to Berkeley and Alameda. Saw an interesting big house, also an old home on Central Avenue. Home about 6:30” Certainly similar interests through the generations in this family!