Native Sons and Daughters

Erol Efendioglu – San Francisco Botanical Garden

Erol Efendioglu – San Francisco Botanical Garden

The next portrait from an ongoing personal project.

Native Sons and Daughters is a photo series that tells a story of the people that live in the city in which they grew up. Each subject chooses a portrait location that is meaningful to them in some way and represents their own connection to the city.

Erol chose to take his portrait at the San Francisco Botanical Garden. He recalled to me how he used to sneak in after hours with his friends to meet at the benches in the Redwood Grove.

Located in Golden Gate Park, Strybing Arboretum opened in 1940. The Garden encompasses 55 acres and contains nearly 9,000 different kinds of plants from around the world. In 2004 the name was changed to San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum.

 

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

 

I grew up in the Inner Sunset district, and live in Polk Gulch now. I attended Montessori pre-school, Town School for Boys from Kindergarten to 8th grade, Lowell High School, and then UC Santa Cruz.

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

 

I chose the Botanical Garden because it was the best secret hang out spot for me and my friends in high school when we wanted to get out of the house. We developed a great game of “King of the Hill” on the benches. Basically, the last person left standing on a bench won.

 

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

 

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Katie Innes – Noe Valley/Sally Brunn Branch Library

Katie Innes – Noe Valley/Sally Brunn Branch Library

The next portrait from an ongoing personal project.

Native Sons and Daughters is a photo series that tells a story of the people that live in the city in which they grew up. Each subject chooses a portrait location that is meaningful to them in some way and represents their own connection to the city.

Katie chose to take her portrait at the Noe Valley Branch Library. According to the SF Public Library website, this branch building opened in 1916 with a Spanish-style facade of brick and terra cotta. It was most recently renovated in 2008.

joseph fanvu photography san francisco 150318
joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

 

I grew up in Noe Valley, back when there were barely any kids in the neighborhood. From there I traveled to the Mission to attend Children’s Day School, then Katherine Delmar Burke School in Sea Cliff, and finally the Urban School in the Haight. After four years away in Walla Walla, WA for college, I returned to SF to live in the Richmond, then the Castro, and now the Marina.

 

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco
joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

 

I chose the Noe Valley Library because I spent so much time there as a toddler at lapsit, as a kid eagerly participating in the summer reading program, as a teenager doing research for school papers, and as a recent college graduate trying to figure out what to do with my life. The building is nearly 100 years old and it’s so beautiful from the outside and inside. I always felt so lucky that it just happened to be a block from my house and that I could read and learn in such a historical space.

 

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco
joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

 

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Josh Workman – On Broadway sign, Broadway and Montgomery Sts.

Josh Workman – On Broadway sign, Broadway and Montgomery Sts.

The next portrait from an ongoing personal project.

Native Sons and Daughters is a photo series that tells a story of the people that live in the city in which they grew up. Each subject chooses a portrait location that is meaningful to them in some way and represents their own connection to the city.

Josh chose to take his portrait with the On Broadway sign located at Broadway and Montgomery Sts. According to its website, the building was constructed in 1919 as “Garibaldi Hall” an Italian Men’s Club. Since that time, it has been used as an events venue and among others has been the home of Mabuhay Gardens, On Broadway Theater, and Broadway Studios. To see an early photo of this building and read about the impressive list of acts to play here, go to the website at http://broadwayvenue.com/?page_id=39

With the help of the ownership, we were able to get the lights turned on for his portrait. (some of the lights at least) Since we weren’t able to get inside, we took some more shots in the alley adjacent to the club.

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

 

I moved around the city quite a bit when I was a kid. We began out in the Excelsior, hit Glen Park for a few years, migrated to Noe Valley, out to the Sunset then back to a couple of spots in Noe Valley again. My father, Bill Workman, wrote for the SF Chronicle. My mother, Sanna Craig, wrote for Mother Jones and other publications.

Since I moved around a bit while growing up, I jumped from school to school, as well. My grammar schools were Longfellow, Glen Park, and Lakeshore. I attended Aptos Middle School, went to Lowell High for two years then graduated from McAteer/School of the Arts (SOTA).

 

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

 

My stepfather’s family home since the 1950s, located on Pacheco near 30th Avenue in the Sunset district, has been “command-central” for quite a few years now. I work in music production as a composer, arranger, and sound editor on the Peninsula several days a week, teach in Marin, and perform on guitar in San Francisco and other cities around the Bay Area. I love being able to walk down to Ocean Beach and feel the mist on my face or simply stand out in front of the house and watch the Sun disappear behind the mighty Pacific. Equally enjoyable is being able to walk or run around the reservoir, just up the hill from the house and catty-corner from Lincoln High School, which is where my stepfather graduated from.

 

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

 

I picked the On Broadway sign located at 435 Broadway street which is now the home of Broadway Studios. It is so iconic and it bookends Broadway st. with The Condor sign on the other end. My first band spent countless nights on Broadway, playing in little dives, such as The Chi-Chi Club and Mabuhay Gardens, also known as The Fab Mab. We sometimes had to hide in the back room of the Chi-Chi when the cops would come around, since we were way underage. The owner, Miss Keiko, used to come down and hear us play and I remember a faded picture of Eddie Money that they had proudly displayed on their front window. I guess he had played there in the early days. I also remember showing up to play a matinee show at the On Broadway once when I was about fifteen but it had caught fire the night before and so it was boarded up.

After living for seven years in Boston and New York, I moved back to San Francisco and spent many more nights playing on Broadway during the Swing Revival of the 1990s with Indigo Swing. I ended up marrying Nicole Vigil, the second singer in that band! I also used to play at the Hi Ball Lounge, which had been home to the legendary Jazz Workshop from the late ’50s to late ’60s. I still play at various spots in North Beach but the music scene just isn’t the same as it once was on the actual Broadway strip. Funny enough, back in the 1960s, my stepdad Larry Vuckovich spent six nights a week playing at the Hungry I, which is still located on Broadway.

 

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Edith Salvatore – 17th Hole, Lincoln Golf Course

Edith Salvatore – 17th Hole, Lincoln Golf Course

The next portrait from an ongoing personal project.

Native Sons and Daughters is a photo series that tells a story of the people that live in the city in which they grew up. Each subject chooses a portrait location that is meaningful to them in some way and represents their own connection to the city.

Edith chose to have her portrait at the Lincoln Park Golf Course at the 17th Hole. Lincoln Park Golf Course, named after President Lincoln, is known by locals for its reasonable fees but also for its majestic views of the Pacific Ocean and Golden Gate Bridge. Golf has been played at this San Francisco location since 1902 and expanded into a full 18-hole course in 1917.

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

I grew up in the Outer Richmond, right on the Geary bus line. This is why I think I hardly ever feel earthquakes – my bedroom shook every fifteen-to-twenty minutes from the bus passing by my whole childhood. I’m used to it! With the exception of the three years I lived on campus at UC Santa Cruz, I have never left my zip code – my childhood was spent on Geary and 35th and I attended all neighborhood schools – Lafayette Elementary on Anza, Presidio Middle School on 30th, and Washington High School. My first grown-up apartment was on 34th and Clement, followed by a flat on Fulton and now a house out by the beach on 45th. I am a fan of the fog, Chinese food, and ample parking – who could ask for anything more?

I loved growing up in the Richmond District – it had all the advantages of the City (diversity, great food, Golden Gate Park, Ocean Beach, easy access to City attractions via Muni) while retaining some suburban appeal of decent parking and parks and playgrounds. When I found out I was pregnant with triplets, I hoped to be able to raise them in that same environment and, so far, I have. I love that they squeal for the bridge whenever they catch a glimpse of it out a car window or see it depicted on a sign and that they think their house is called “San Francisco”. A second generation of “natives” who love where they’re growing up!

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

I chose the tee and green at the 17th hole of the Lincoln Park Golf Course because I have always considered this my secret spot to impress tourists. Whenever anyone came to visit and we took them for a drive around town, we’d make sure to stop by and show them this “secret” perfect view of the Golden Gate Bridge. In school, we would walk our dog down to Lincoln Park, down the hidden walkway along the side of the golf course, and across El Camino del Mar to run around at the vista point (which has changed so much over the past four decades!)

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

It’s also a great spot to see fireworks without the crowds of the waterfront. Of course, that is subject to San Francisco weather. I remember being told the story growing up that in the summer of 1976, when my younger brother was just two weeks old, my father took me out to this spot to watch the big bi-centennial fireworks in typical July fog. While my mother and the baby stayed home and watched spectacular fireworks on TV, my father held me on his shoulders as I oohed and ahhed at the “pink fog” and “green fog” and “blue fog”. Growing up in the Outer Richmond, that’s what fireworks are supposed to look like, right?

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

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Sabrina Adler – The War Memorial Opera House

Sabrina Adler – The War Memorial Opera House

The next portrait from an ongoing personal project.

Native Sons and Daughters is a photo series that tells a story of the people that live in the city that they grew up in. Each subject chooses a portrait location that is meaningful to them in some way and represents their own connection to the city.

Sabrina, a 2nd generation San Franciscan (and 4th generation Bay Area native), chose the Opera House for a portrait. The War Memorial Opera House was completed in 1932. It was the first publicly funded opera house in the United States. Since it’s opening it has been the home of the San Francisco Opera. Along with Louise M. Davis Symphony Hall and Herbst Theatre it is a part of the San Francisco War Memorial And Performing Arts Center. Sabrina’s father, Kurt Herbert Adler, served as General Director for the San Francisco Opera from 1953 until 1981.

Special thanks to Jon Finck, Director of Communications and Public Affairs at SF Opera, for helping us gain access inside.

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco
joseph fanvu photography native san francisco
joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

Neighborhood she grew up in: “Cow Hollow, then Marin (Ross), then back to Cow Hollow.”

Neighborhood she lives in now: “Duboce Triangle (but I’ve also lived in Noe Valley, the Mission, and the Castro).”

Schools attended: “Ross School (in Marin), Burke’s (for part of middle school), and University High School.”

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

Sabrina in front of her father’s bust.

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

I chose the opera house because it was such an important part of my childhood. I spent a lot of time there growing up. Even though my dad retired as General Director of SF Opera when I was a toddler, he continued to conduct and work on other projects there, so we would attend a lot of rehearsals and performances. I used to pretend that the lobby was my own personal palace when I was really young. When I got a bit older and joined the San Francisco Girls Chorus, I was fortunate enough to perform on stage in several operas (Wozzeck, Boris Godunov, La Boheme, and Macbeth). I always loved being backstage and spending time at rehearsals and in our dressing rooms. During high school, I worked for the Merola Program one summer, which brought me to the Opera House for various projects. Then, when I was in college, I spent a summer interning in the Artistic Administration department. Most of the time I was in the offices upstairs, but I also got the chance to sit through some tech rehearsals and watch other things happen behind the scenes. Now I’m usually at the Opera house during performances, as an audience member, or for dress rehearsals. But I still have so many fond memories of all my time spent there, in so many different capacities, that it seemed like a fitting place to take photos. It’s particularly meaningful to me given the connection with my dad and the role he played in civic life in San Francisco, mostly before I was born!

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco
joseph fanvu photography native san francisco
joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

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Nate Tico – The Historic Balboa Theatre


Nate Tico – The Historic Balboa Theatre

The next portrait from an ongoing personal project.

Native Sons and Daughters is a photo series that tells a story of the people that live in the city that they grew up in. Each subject chooses a portrait location that is meaningful to them in some way and represents their own connection to the city.

Nate is a 7th generation San Franciscan and is Vice President at Stars, the Agency. He chose The Historic Balboa Theatre for a portrait. The Balboa Theatre was originally built in 1926. In 2011, to help preserve one of the city’s last remaining neighborhood theaters, ownership of the theater transferred to the San Francisco Neighborhood Theater Foundation. The theater now operates under CinemaSF, which also runs the Vogue Theater. In 2013, the Balboa Theatre successfully completed a kickstarter campaign to convert its projectors from film to digital. As a gift for his donation, Nate has his name engraved on one of the seats inside the theater.

Special thanks to Adam Bergeron and Joel Goulet for allowing us inside the theater between showtimes for a photo.

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

Neighborhood he grew up in: “I grew up in the Outer Sunset on 41st Avenue and Lincoln. Right near Golden Gate Park and Ocean Beach. It was cool growing up so close to those special places. They were really my backyard. During summer vacation growing up we used to walk to the beach and swim in the ocean or climb trees and play stupid war games in the park almost daily. In retrospect it’s amazing how much fun could be had for free so close by. We’d also go the the ice skating rink on 48th avenue or play video games at the Musee’ Mechanique when it was still at The Cliff House. All that stuff was walking distance from where I lived.”

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

I like your project because half the people that have come here don’t even know there are any real natives (I mean born and raised in San Francisco). Thanks for helping remind people that we’re here – that we’ve been here.

I chose The Historic Balboa Theatre because I love movies and it’s my favorite movie theater in The City. I like the character it has. I used to cut class in high school and just walk down the street and watch a matinee. I’ve seen tons of movies there over the years. I like that it’s been there since 1926. In many ways it’s like a native itself and those multiplexes are the newbies to town. I like to support the Balboa because I enjoy seeing movies there and I want it to thrive. It’s a beautiful landmark for the area.

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

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Kevin – Marina Green


Kevin and Garvin

The next portrait from an ongoing personal project.

Native Sons and Daughters is a photo series that tells a story of the people that live in the city that they grew up in. Each subject chooses a portrait location that is meaningful to them in some way and represents their own connection to the city.

I met Kevin about a year ago. Our daughters were entering the same Kindergarten class at our local elementary school. It was my first time as a Kinder parent but it was his third time around so it was great to chat and learn the ins and outs of what was going on. Of course, once we learned that we were both native San Franciscans the next immediate question was, “Where’d you go to school?” It turns out we both went to the same elementary and high school (St. Brigid, Lowell HS) and actually grew up less than a block away from each other in the Russian Hill neighborhood of San Francisco. He has a few years on me and so our paths never crossed, but we immediately bonded over our past experiences attending Catholic school and then public high school. Kevin chose to take his portrait with his dad, another native San Franciscan, at the Marina Green.


joseph fanvu photography native san francisco
joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

  • Neighborhood his dad, Garvin, grew up in: Chinatown
  • Neighborhood his dad lives in now: Russian Hill
  • Schools attended: Commodore Stockton, Francisco Jr High, Polytechnic High School, Golden Gate University
  • Worked with the city for 36 years as accountant with the Water Department and Muni


joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

  • Neighborhood Kevin grew up in and lives in now: Russian Hill
  • Schools attended: St. Brigid, Lowell High School, UCLA


joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

San Francisco is the best place on earth. After living overseas post college I came back and felt like this was Oz.

I’ve lived overseas and traveled to over thirty countries in the world. There are many great cities out there… Paris, New York, Hong Kong, Sydney, Vancouver, London, Singapore, but nothing comes close to San Francisco.

I love the fact that you can be anything here and, for the most part, people accept you. I want my kids to work hard to be successful yet be compassionate toward those around us. One day I went with my kids to the local hardware store to get popcorn. They have it there for 25 cents. This particular day, the employee working there gave the kids the popcorn and let them keep the 25 cents. My oldest son asked me if he could do what he wanted with the quarter. When I said yes he walked over to a homeless guy and gave him the quarter. That made me feel happy, lucky, and proud all at the same time.

I chose the Marina Green for my portrait partly because of the beauty of the environment but really it is a place my father and I go for walks. After our walks we always say to each other, “Best part of the day.” I plan to walk there with my kids and hopefully, someday, my grandkids and great grandkids. hahaha!


joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

Emily – Muni

Native Sons and Daughters is a personal project that tells a story of the people that live in the city that they grew up in. Each subject chooses a portrait location that is meaningful to them in some way and represents their own connection to the city.

My good friend and coworker Emily chose to take a portrait on Muni – on the 22 Fillmore bus line.

 

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco joseph fanvu photography native san francisco joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

 

  • Neighborhood she grew up in: Richmond and Sunset
  • Neighborhood she lives in now: Duboce Triangle (in the middle of the Castro, Lower Haight, and the Mission)
  • Schools attended: Argonne Elementary, Herbert Hoover Middle, High School of the Arts, San Francisco State University, and Holy Names University

 

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

I’ve lived in San Francisco my entire life. All the time I’ve been in the city, it’s never made any sense to have a car. Try parking in my Duboce Triangle neighborhood. Pshh.

Public transit has always taken me to where I needed to go. So when asked to think of something that represented my life in the city, I thought of MUNI. Crazy MUNI. Ugh. As much as I complain about it (don’t we all?), it’s still a huge part of my life every day. I decided it would make sense to take some pictures on the 22 Fillmore. It’s my line. On its route from Potrero Hill to the Marina, it drops me off right at my boyfriend’s apartment, my apartment, my old apartment, my old church choir job, and my current church choir job.

So, here I am on my line, the 22, a little cramped and a little late, but knowing I’m still getting where I need to go.

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

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Gary – Guardino’s at Fisherman’s Wharf

Native Sons and Daughters is a personal project that tells a story of the people that live in the city that they grew up in. Each subject chooses a portrait location that is meaningful to them in some way and represents their own connection to the city.

To start off this project my good friend Gary chose Guardino’s at Fisherman’s Wharf – a place where he held his first job in high school.

 

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

 

  • Neighborhood he grew up in: Ingleside Terraces.
  • Neighborhood he lives in now: Ingleside Terraces.
  • Schools attended: St. Emydius and Holy Name Elementary Schools, Riordan High School, SF State, Golden Gate University

 

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

One of my favorite memories is working at Guardino’s. Guardino’s is a fish stand that is still there today at the corner of Jefferson and Taylor. I worked that job as a senior in high school. What I used to do is crack crab and sell clam chowder and french bread and calamari cocktails. I would not have been exposed to calamari if I didn’t have that job and I was exposed to it here in San Francisco. Same thing with the ice skating rink. I got turned on to the ice skating rink because we went to a [San Francisco] boys chorus party there. Who knew we had an ice skating rink here? That was on 48th and Lawton and that was a really great memory. I learned something that I thought was only done on the East Coast and that I only saw on TV. Later in college, I worked there for about 3 or 4 years as an ice guard. I still have my jacket. The rink is no longer there. They tore it down. There are apartments there now.

joseph fanvu photography native san francisco

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