A golden anniversary
Happy 70th birthday to my favorite piece of steel that I can't clip inside my pocket: the Bay Area's most magnificent manmade landmark, the Golden Gate Bridge.
After 30 years of living here — and despite the fact that, during my last two years of college, I crossed the span five days per week — I still gasp a little every time I exit the Waldo Tunnel southbound and the Golden Gate Bridge rises into my view. It's a truly awe-inspiring work of engineering mastery combined with unparalleled artistic majesty.
People have designed and built plenty of cool things all over this planet, but the 'Gate is assuredly near the top of the "cool list."
My most dramatic memory involving the GGB: Ten years ago this August, my family and I were northbound on the 'Gate (we'd just left a performance of the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus at the Cow Palace) when we learned via a radio news report of the death of Princess Diana. Because Diana was KJ's personal heroine — she remains Diana-obsessed to this very day — the bulletin struck our car with an overwhelming tsunami of emotion. I can't imagine a more powerful place to hear such tragic news.
May the local paper-shufflers never mar the aesthetic grace of this incredible structure by installing an anti-suicide barrier.
After 30 years of living here — and despite the fact that, during my last two years of college, I crossed the span five days per week — I still gasp a little every time I exit the Waldo Tunnel southbound and the Golden Gate Bridge rises into my view. It's a truly awe-inspiring work of engineering mastery combined with unparalleled artistic majesty.
People have designed and built plenty of cool things all over this planet, but the 'Gate is assuredly near the top of the "cool list."
My most dramatic memory involving the GGB: Ten years ago this August, my family and I were northbound on the 'Gate (we'd just left a performance of the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus at the Cow Palace) when we learned via a radio news report of the death of Princess Diana. Because Diana was KJ's personal heroine — she remains Diana-obsessed to this very day — the bulletin struck our car with an overwhelming tsunami of emotion. I can't imagine a more powerful place to hear such tragic news.
May the local paper-shufflers never mar the aesthetic grace of this incredible structure by installing an anti-suicide barrier.
Labels: Cool Stuff, Hero of the Day, My Home Town, Reminiscing, Ripped From the Headlines
SwanShadow was randomly pounding the keyboard at 3:28 PM
3 insisted on sticking two cents in:
Happy Birthday to my favorite bridge decked out in a magnificent coat of international orange!
It's been nearly 31 years since I made my first trip across the Golden Gate Bridge and I remember it like it was yesterday. I was in awe as I crossed the mighty span. It's still an awesome experience each time I'm able to drive across the bridge; I'm just geographically challenged these days and can't do it as often as I'd like.
My prized possession, a 35mm Canon AE-1, and I have most assuredly taken more photographs of the Golden Gate Bridge than of anything else in the world.
My most memorable experience on the bridge would be in the summer of 1982 when my dear friend Jo and I made the trek roundtrip across the bridge. There's nothing quite like the feel of the concrete and steel rumbling under your feet as you cross from the southern end at the toll plaza and step over the joint where land and bridge connect.
When I chose to leave the Bay Area and my favorite bridge in 1983, I can truly say that I left my heart in San Francisco.
If money grew on trees and I could afford to fly whenever I wanted, you can be assured that I and my camera would catch a westbound jet for SFO just so I could shoot a few rolls of film of this marvelous bridge. Every time you drive across this bridge, think of me!
Donna: Now that Voices in Harmony rehearses in Santa Clara instead of in the East Bay, I get to traverse the 'Gate every Tuesday evening on the way home. (Sometimes, if rehearsal runs long, it's Wednesday morning by the time I get there.) It's always spectacular at night.
Hey, I read your blog about the Golden Gate Bridge and thought it was
really cool! Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Clark and I work for Ariel
Publicity. We represent an artist named Noah Griffin who has recently
recorded the Official Ballad of the Golden Gate bridge. The purpose of
this song is to honor the 70th Anniversary of The Golden Gate Bridge. Noah
Griffin pays homage with an eloquent tribute of verse and song alongside a
breathtaking documentary of this architectural marvel. Noah is widely considered the unofficial singer of his hometown; prior to the Golden Gate Bridge Ballad, he performed at the Opening of BART, the 100th Anniversary of the Cable Cars, the 80th, the 90th, and the 100th anniversary of the 1906 earthquake, and the Opening of PacBell Park.
If you might be interested, Noah would be pleased to do an interview with you so you can feature it in your blog or we'd love to contest/giveaways to reward your readers. Please get back to me if you'd like to discuss this further.
Clark Starace
Clark@arielpublicity.com
(212) 239-8384
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