text:
Amazing Hidden Gems in San Francisco | 40 Secret Spots in San Francisco (That Even Locals Don't Know About!)
Looking for the best San Francisco hidden gems? Look no further, I'm here to introduce you to 40 super secret spots in San Francisco – that even locals don't know about!
One thing I absolutely loved about living in San Francisco was that the city was full of surprises – even after living there for over a decade, I always came across cool things to do, and kept finding so many hidden gems in San Francisco!
Sure, it isn't hard to find world-class tourist spots (like the Golden Gate Bridge), amazing food, and incredible views (especially at sunset), but if you look beneath the surface, there are so many San Francisco hidden gems to be found as well.
I spent my 11 years living in the city trying to find as many secret spots in San Francisco, and now that I've moved away (to Orange County), I'm finally sharing 40 of them with you!
From hidden beaches, secluded forests, secret viewpoints, secret photo spots, mysterious labyrinths, and more, there are so many hidden gems in San Francisco waiting to be discovered. Here are all the best hidden gems in San Francisco that are waiting to be uncovered by you!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase or booking, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Pictures & Words is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliated sites at no cost to you.
40 Amazing Hidden Gems in San Francisco
Marshall's Beach
If you are looking for a hidden beach that also happens to have one of the best views of the Golden Gate Bridge, then Marshall's Beach is just the place for you! This is one of my absolute favorite spots in San Francisco, because it's got such a secluded feel, and that view simply cannot be beat.
You'll see some people at the main part of Marshall's Beach right next to the stairs (but far less people than at nearby Baker Beach). For a truly secluded feel, keep walking on the sand towards the bridge.
You'll eventually encounter a little cove and will have to climb through some rocks – but once you get to the other side, you'll seriously feel like you've stumbled upon one of the truly secret spots in San Francisco!
The best time to come to Marshall's Beach is for sunset – it is absolutely breathtaking here!
To get to Marshall's Beach, look for a series of stairs just off the Batteries to Bluffs trail. Yes, they are kind of killer on the way back up – but trust me, it's absolutely worth it for that incredible view and the fact that you've uncovered one of the best hidden gems in San Francisco.
You can also access Marshall's Beach by getting onto the California Coastal Trail from Baker Beach, but you will have to climb up the sand ladder which is quite the workout!
For another secret beach with a beautiful view of the Golden Gate Bridge (but without a hike!), also check out China Beach. The tiny beach, which many people overlook making it one of the best hidden gems in San Francisco, is tucked into the Sea Cliff neighborhood, in between Lands End and Baker Beach.
You'll find secret little coves here, as well as gorgeous views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands. At low tide, you'll see tide pools form with creatures such as starfish, anemones, and mussels.
Legend says that the beach was named after Chinese fishermen who anchored their boats on the cove and camped out here long ago. There is a monument near the parking lot to commemorate the early inhabitants of the beach.
Corona Heights Park
Corona Heights Park not only boasts one of the best panoramic views in San Francisco, but hilly terrain and interesting red rock formations. While you can see the rocky crags from many points in the city, many people do not realize that the small park exists.
The park was formerly named Red Rock Hill, and was named after the distinctive red rock, which once formed on the ocean floor millions of years ago. At the turn of the 20th century, the site was once home to a quarry and brick factory that exposed much of the rock.
On the northeast side of the park is a giant rock face called the Beaver Street Wall, which was once a favorite of local climbers. While climbing freely was once allowed, you must now secure a permit to climb the rock today.
A one-mile network of trails will lead you up to the viewpoint, from which you can enjoy 360 degree views of downtown San Francisco, the surrounding neighborhoods, Twin Peaks, and the East Bay.
You can also spot various wildlife in the park, from native reptiles, red-tailed hawks, and various butterfly species. In the spring, the park is beautiful as many wildflowers bloom on the hillside.
"Seward Street Slides" by Franco Folini is licensed under
CC BY-SA 2.0 // edited by Caroline Ikeji
Seward Street Slides
Nearby Corona Heights Park are the Seward Street slides, tucked into the tiny Seward Mini-Park.
Signs reading "no adults unless accompanied by a child" are posted in front of the two steep, slippery concrete slides. The slides originated as a community activism project in the 1960s – the area was slated to be developed into apartment units, and the neighborhood rallied to protest the development and change the zoning laws.
Some tips for going down the slides: it will be much easier to slide down if you sit on a piece of cardboard (there is usually some lying around in the area), and keep your arms in to avoid scraping your elbows!
The slides were designed by a local teenager, who won a design competition for the park. The slides are the main attraction of the park, but there is also a native plant garden and a little flat area at the bottom.
Mount Davidson
Standing at 928 feet high, Mount Davidson is the highest natural point in San Francisco. However, it is often overshadowed by Twin Peaks, which many mistakenly believe is the highest peak in the city. Therefore, you will find that Mount Davidson is one of the hidden gems in San Francisco.
While Twin Peaks may technically have a better view (the main caveat of Mount Davidson is that, well, Twin Peaks blocks part of the view), you'll find far fewer people at Mount Davidson. You'll also walk through a beautiful eucalyptus forest on the way up to the summit – this is especially beautiful in the fog (although you won't get much of a view on a foggy day).
You'll also find a 103 foot tall concrete cross at the summit. Many people don't realize that it's actually there, further making Mount Davidson one of San Francisco's hidden gems. The cross commemorates the victims of the Armenian genocide, and is meant to symbolize peace, reflection, and rememberance.
Billy Goat Hill
The thing with San Francisco is that there are so many viewpoints tucked into all corners of the city, and many people have no idea they exist. Billy Goat Hill is a tiny green space and viewpoint tucked into a little hill in between the Noe Valley and Glen Park neighborhoods.
Many people, even locals, have no idea it exists, making Billy Goat Hill one of the true San Francisco hidden gems. I had no idea it existed, or that it had one of the best views in San Francisco, until a blogger friend suggested it as a location for a photo shoot.
The park has a bit of a rustic feel, with wooden fences and golden grass. You'll get beautiful views of not only the downtown skyline, but also the surrounding hilltop neighrborhoods.
California Street Cable Car
While riding on a cable car is one of those iconic experiences that belongs on everybody's San Francisco bucket list, most visitors flock to the Powell-Hyde and Powell-Mason lines, which runs between the tourist hotspots of Union Square and Fisherman's Wharf.
Many people forget that there is a second cable car line – the California Street line, which starts in the Financial District just outside the Embarcadero BART station, and goes through Chinatown and Nob Hill, ending on Van Ness Street.
Not only is the California Street line much less crowded (meaning you'll avoid those super long waits), the views are arguably better because you'll be riding along one of the hilliest streets in the city.
My favorite view along the California Street line is when it goes up the hill in between Grant Ave. and Stockton St. – if you look in between the skyscrapers, you'll find that they perfectly frame the Bay Bridge in the background!
And if you want to learn more about the history and technology behind cable cars, be sure to also check out the Cable Car Museum. The museum is one of the lesser-known ones in the city, and one of those San Francisco hidden gems. Here, you will find displays of several examples of old cable cars, as well as exhibits that provide a unique insight into how the cable cars work.
Hamon Observation Tower at the de Young Museum
While the de Young Museum is one of San Francisco's premier museums, many people do not realize that there is an observation deck sitting on the top floor of the museum's tower. Even many locals do not know that it exists (I certainly didn't for a looooong time), making this one of the true hidden gems in San Francisco.
The Hamon Observation Tower has panoramic views of Golden Gate Park, Ocean Beach, the Presidio, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Marin Headlands, and the downtown skyline. There's even a topographical map here so you know exactly what you're looking at.
The best part? You do not have to pay museum admission to access the observation deck, making this one of the best free things to do in San Francisco! Simply make a right as you enter the museum to access the elevators and go up to the ninth floor.
"Giant Camera (Obscura)" by RuggyBearLA is licensed under
CC BY 2.0 // edited by Caroline Ikeji
Sitting on the cliffs near Lands End and the Sutro Baths ruins in the Outer Richmond neighborhood is the Camera Obscura, also known as the "Giant Camera."
The large-scale installation and tiny museum features a working camera obscura, one of a few in the world. The device uses technology dating back to the Renaissance to reflect images of the beachfront outside.
The Camera Obscura was built in the 1940s as part of the Playland at the Beach amusement park which once stood on these grounds. It was almost shut down twice – once when the amusement park shut down, and again when the Cliff House restaurant was slated for renovations.
Public support has kept the Camera Obscura open, and in 2001, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, saving it from destruction.
Ina Coolbrith Park
This tiny little park is tucked into the Russian Hill neighborhood, and boasts one of the best views of the San Francisco skyline and the bay. Because you have to make your way up one of the steepest streets in the city to get to Ina Coolbrith park, it is one of the best San Francisco hidden gems.
To get to Ina Coolbrith Park, make your way up the Vallejo Street steps. They are super steep and your thighs will burn, but the surrounding gardens are beautiful. Besides, once you get to the top, you will be rewarded with a stunning view that is also one of the most beautiful hidden gems in San Francisco!
From here, you get an epic view of the downtown skyscrapers, Coit Tower, the Bay Bridge, and beyond. My favorite time to come here is for sunset – seeing the twinkling lights of the skyline against the pink sky is such a magical sight.
You'll never see very many people here, so you'll really feel like you've uncovered one of the best San Francisco hidden gems!
Lands End Labyrinth
You may have already heard of the Lands End trail (after all, it is one of the best hikes in San Francisco), but did you know that there is a stone labyrinth tucked away on a side trail? Many locals don't know that it exists either – I certainly didn't until a few years ago.
The labyrinth was built by local artist Edward Aguilera, who was inspired to create it after learning about other historic labyrinths. He had hoped to keep it secret and anonymous, but the labyrinth was eventually discovered by hikers. His creation was destroyed twice, but he rebuilt it both times.
To reach one of the most secret spots in San Francisco, follow the signs for the trail leading to Mile Rock Beach. Once at the bottom of the stairs, do not turn left to get to Mile Rock Beach; instead, go right and follow the trail under the trees.
The stone labyrinth follows the design of a classic seven-circuit Chartres labyrinth. You'll find it set against a view of the dramatic coastline and the Golden Gate Bridge. One of the most beautiful hidden gems in San Francisco!
Balmy Alley
The Mission district has no shortage of vibrant and interesting street art – just walk down the streets and you'll be sure to find a mural that catches your eye.
There are several alleys in the Mission that have a collection of murals, with Clarion Alley being perhaps the most well-known. Further south in the neighborhood is Balmy Alley, which is less visited and one of the hidden gems of San Francisco.
The one-block long alley is located in between 24th and 25th streets, and contains the most concentrated collection of murals in San Francisco. A variety of styles and subject matter are represented here, but many of the pieces are an expression of outrage over human rights issues and political issues, such as local gentrification.
Mount Sutro Forest
Mount Sutro Forest is one of those San Francisco hidden gems where it feels like an escape from the city – it's so peaceful and quiet here that you forget that you are right in the center of a major city.
Mount Sutro sits behind the UCSF Medical Center and School and it's one of those places where you almost forget it exists in the city because it seems like worlds away, making it one of those perfect San Francisco hidden gems.
The 80 acre forest is located below the summit of Mount Sutro, one of the highest points in the city. It is what remains of the eucalyptus forest planted over 100 years ago by Alfred Sutro, a former mayor and one of the most eccentric characters in San Francisco's history.
Personally, I think the best time to come here is on a super foggy day – the kind where it's so foggy that you don't even want to leave the house – because it gives the forest a mysterious, mythical vibe. You'll have no problem finding fog here though, because it is located in one of the foggiest parts of the city!
Bernal Heights Park
While Bernal Heights Park is a favorite spot of locals, many visitors do not know of its existence, which is why I've included it on this list of hidden gems in San Francisco. Every time I take one of my out-of-town friends here, they end up thanking me for introducing me to this spot, which they otherwise would not have known about.
You absolutely cannot go wrong with the view here, where you can see 360 degrees around the city. You can see the downtown skyline, Bay Bridge, Golden Gate Bridge, and beyond here.
Bernal Heights Park is especially beautiful in the spring months, when the wildflowers are in bloom. It's also a favorite spot of bird watches – over 40 species of birds can be spotted here.
What many people (locals and tourists alike) don't know is that there is a wooden swing at the top – one of the best secret spots in San Francisco!
Sure, Musee Mechanique is located at Fisherman's Wharf, which is by far one of the most touristy spots in the city. But many people do not realize that one of the best San Francisco hidden gems exists there.
Musee Mechanique houses one of the largest privately owned collections of coin-operated antique arcade games and musical instruments. You'll see some unique (and sometimes downright creepy) finds here. Some of the games were brought over from the old Playland at the Beach amusement park.
You'll also find the best old-school photo booth machines in the city here – not the crappy digitally-printed kind, but the real, vintage kind!
Salesforce Park
Salesforce Park is one of the newer additions to the city and many people have yet to catch on to its existence (yet), making it one of the best hidden gems in San Francisco (for now). The urban park spans four blocks and is attached to the Salesforce headquarters building and transit center.
Over 600 trees and 16,000 plants live within Salesforce Park, creating an oasis in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the Financial District. There are also fountains, green spaces, an amphitheater, and a walkable glass floor that is the largest of its kind in the United States.
To me, Salesforce Park seems like San Francisco's answer to the Highline in New York City. Still, it is a beautiful park to hang out in, and has some of the best views of the downtown skyscrapers.
Lincoln Park Steps
San Francisco has no shortage of beautiful staircases, and the Lincoln Park Steps may just be my personal favorite. These steps have sat on the western edge of the city, near the Legion of Honor and Lands End, and date back to the early 1900s.
After years of neglect and decay, the stairs underwent a complete makeover in 2007. The result is a breathtaking mosaic design, built in the Beaux Arts style.
You can find them where California Street dead ends, near 32nd Avenue, next to the parking lot of the Katherine Delmar Burke School. They are kind of hidden unless you know to look for them (I'd definitely have not known of their existence by just passing through), making them one of the best hidden gems in San Francisco.
The 16th Avenue Steps
These steps in the Sunset District have become a popular Instagram spot in the last few years. But because they are tucked into a residential area (where most tourists never venture) and you wouldn't know that they existed unless you were specifically looking for them, they are still one of the hidden gems of San Francisco.
The steps were a collaboration between local artists and the residents of the neighborhood. If you look closely at the tiles, you can see the names of the people who contributed to the project!
The project took two years to complete, and consists of 163 magnificent mosaic steps that portray a shimmering path from sea to sky.
At the top of the steps, keep going up the stairs across the street to reach Grandview Park, from where you can enjoy one of the best views in the city!
The Secret Garden Steps
Just a few streets over from the 16th Avenue Steps stands a second mosaic staircase. Hardly hardly anyone knows of the existence of the Secret Garden Steps, making it one of the most secret spots in San Francisco.
Like the 16th Avenue Steps, the Secret Garden Steps were the result of a community arts collaboration project. The colorful steps are adorned with butterflies, plants and flowers in a psychedelic design.
Sutro Baths Ruins and Cave
The ruins of what once used to be the world's largest indoor swimming pool is now one of the most unique and fascinating hidden gems in San Francisco.
In 1894, self-made millionaire Adolph Sutro designed the lavish swimming complex, which housed six saltwater tanks (during high tide, the ocean could fill the 1.7 million gallons required in just one hour), 500 private dressing rooms, restaurants, and arcades that were enclosed with 100,000 feet of glass.
Unfortunately, the baths were not commercially successful in the long-term. After Sutro's death, his family managed the complex, but they were shut down during the Great Depression, after which the facility was converted into an ice skating rink as an attempt to be profitable.
When that attempt failed, the Sutro Baths was sold to developers who, in 1964, started demolishing the complex to convert them into apartment buildings. The structure was destroyed in a big fire in 1966 – what remains of it is now one of the most fascinating and somewhat eerie hidden gems in San Francisco. It is also rumored to be haunted!
This has always been one of my favorite places in the city, and I always ended up taking out-of-town visitors here because it is such a unique place that they may not necessarily have known about.
Catching the sunset here is an absolutely magical experience – if you can actually happen to be here on a sunny day, since the area tends to be covered in fog most days. Still, I love the mysterious vibe that the fog adds to an already mysterious place that the Sutro Baths is.
Be sure to also check out the sea cave, which many people do not realize is there!
San Francisco POPOS (Privately Owned, Public Open Spaces)
Did you know that there are over 50 privately owned, public open spaces throughout the city? These are publicly accessible gardens, atriums, terraces, and plazas that are maintained by private developers and are some of the best hidden gems in San Francisco.
These POPOS are the result of the city's 1% Art Program, which requires all new building projects over 25,000 square feet to provide public art equal to at least 1% of the total construction cost.
Many of the POPOS are within the office buildings in downtown San Francisco and SOMA, but you can find some in the Mission and Dogpatch as well.
Some of them, like this space in front of the 100 California building, change with the seasons – they dress this one up for the holidays! It's one of my favorite places to see Christmas decorations in San Francisco.
You can see a list of all the POPOS in the city here.
Buena Vista Park sits smack dab in the middle of the city, not far from the tourist hotspots of Haight-Ashbury and Golden Gate Park. While the park is a favorite of locals, very few visitors actually venture out there, making it one of the hidden gems in San Francisco.
This is San Francisco's oldest park and features secluded walking paths that make you forget that you are right in the middle of a big city, and one of the city's last remaining oak groves. It also has an incredible view from the top, which should be no surprise as the park is named Buena Vista after all.
If you are looking for another one of the San Francisco hidden gems within Buena Vista Park, the western trails on the park are lined with broken, unclaimed headstones from Victorian cemeteries in the past, but have found a new purpose within the park.
Treasure Island is just one of those places that even most locals overlook as that man-made island sitting in the middle of the bay. Few people make it out to Treasure Island unless it's to go to the monthly flea market or the annual music festival, which is really too bad because it's one of the best hidden gems in San Francisco!
The island boasts one of the best views of the Bay Bridge and San Francisco skyline, especially in the evening when all the lights come up on the skyscrapers.
For one of the most secret spots in San Francisco, check out the view from Blue Park – which actually has been made famous because it's been used in several car commercials, but is actually one of the best hidden gems in San Francisco because hardly anyone (locals included) knows exactly where they were shot from.
Other fun things to do on Treasure Island include kayaking or stand-up paddling (or just sunbathing) at Clipper Cove; wine tasting at Treasure Island Wines or The Winery SF; or biking around the island on a rented beach cruiser from A Tran's Bike Shop.
The Parrots of Telegraph Hill
You may not associate San Francisco as a city where you'd find wild parrots, but hey, the city is full of surprises. While you'll find most of the parrots congregated in the Telegraph Hill neighborhood, around the Filbert Street Steps, they have been known to be spotted all around the city, and have even been seen as far south as Brisbane.
How did there end up being a flock of wild parrots in a major metropolis such as San Francisco? No one knows for sure, but a common theory says that the flock was started by wild-caught birds that were imported from South America.
The flock grew as other escaped birds joined the flock, and by 2005, there were over 200 of them flying over the city.
Urbano Sundial
Would you believe that I lived just a few blocks away from the Urbano Sundial for YEARS without ever actually knowing that it existed? I guess that really does make it one of those secret spots in San Francisco, doesn't it?
The massive sundial measures 28 feet tall and 26 feet high. While some theories suggest that it was built as a cosmic calendar built on a power spot (much like the Mayan and Egyptian pyramids), the most likely reason for its existence is as a decorative centerpiece of what used to be the Ingleside Racetrack (what is now the Urbano Drive circle).
Eventually, the racetrack was painted over and 750 houses were built around it, eventually becoming a middle-class neighborhood – all that remains of it is the massive sundial.
You can find this hidden gem in San Francisco at the end of Entrada Street, off Borica Street, off Urbano Drive.
Lovers' Lane and Andy Goldsworthy's Wood Line
The 0.6 mile Lovers' Lane is the Presidio's oldest footpath, originally used in the 18th century by Spanish soldiers and missionaries as a shortcut to get from the Main Post to Mission Dolores. What remains of the trail today connects the Presidio Gate to the Main Post.
Walking along the enchanting trail is one of the most romantic things to do in San Francisco, but you don't necessarily need to be coupled up in order to enjoy it! The picturesque path leads you through a eucalyptus forest, a valley dotted with historic homes, and a charming footbridge.
What many who walk through Lovers' Lane don't realize is that the trail is also home to one of the most iconic works by one of the world's most renowned artists, Andy Goldsworthy. As you walk through the eucalyptus forest, notice the curvy lines of branches snaking along the floor – this is Goldworthy's iconic Wood Line installation.
The iconic work is quiet and subdued, inviting visitors to contemplate where the life of a tree begins – in the fertile earth. The Wood Line is meant to blend into the forest, making it easy to miss unless you were looking for it, making it one of the best hidden gems in San Francisco.
"Andy Goldsworthy Spire in the Presidio" by mcgrayjr is licensed under
Andy Goldsworthy's Spire
Did you know that the Presidio is home to not one, but two iconic works of the legendary artist Andy Goldsworthy?
Whereas the Wood Line subtly snakes along the forest floor, the Spire towers over 100 feet high on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. Goldsworthy was inspired to create the sculpture after visiting the Presidio in 2006. The piece uses 37 Monterey cypress trunks from trees felled at the site and meticulously fastened together.
While the Wood Line invites visitors to contemplate the origin of trees, the Spire encourages them to look up. The sculpture does a silent "call and respond" with other tall landmarks that are visible from the site – the Transamerica Pyramid and Sutro Tower, to name a few.
Psst…did you know that the Presidio is home to even more Goldsworthy pieces? In addition to the Spire and Woodline, you can also see the artist's Tree Fall and Earth Wall installations in the Presidio, making the park home to the largest collection of Goldsworthy's works on public view in North America.
San Francisco is full of interesting historic sites, many of which are some of the city's best hidden gems. One of these is Fort Point, which was built in the Civil War era, and has defended the city through the Gold Rush and World War II.
Fort Point stands directly underneath the southern span of the Golden Gate Bridge, but is one of the best hidden gems in San Francisco because many people don't realize it exists (or never actually make it all the way down the waterfront to pay it a visit). That's too bad because there is so much history there – and one of the most unique views of the Golden Gate Bridge!
You'll get such a unique perspective of the bridge here, because you're basically standing right underneath it. You also get up close and personal to the bridge's arch, which was designed in an effort to save the fort from being demolished when the bridge was constructed.
Fort Point has beautiful brickwork and arches, with three tiers of arched brick casemates to hold 126 cannons and seven-foot thick walls. The fort was revered for its strength and beauty, and was the only fort of its kind west of the Mississippi.
The fort has a series of exhibits about San Francisco's military history, and also offers tours (including a candlelit evening one), cannon drills, Civil War reenactments, and more. It has limited hours (probably one of the reasons it remains one of the hidden gems in San Francisco), so check accordingly here!
Bison in Golden Gate Park
Did you know that Golden Gate Park is home to a herd of bison? Well, now you know. Many locals also don't know they exist (it took me nearly a decade of living in SF to find out about them!), making them one of the true San Francisco hidden gems.
In 1890, a bison cow and a bison bull were transported to Golden Gate Park from the Great Plains. At first, the bison lived near where the Academy of Sciences is today, but were eventually moved to the Buffalo Paddock, where they currently live.
At one point, the herd grew to 30 bison, but eventually dwindled over the years because of a bout with bovine tuberculosis. Only a few bison live in the Buffalo Paddock today – these are actually a descendant of the bison given to then-mayor Diane Feinstein in 1984.
When the bison first arrived in Golden Gate Park, the species were on their way to extinction. Over the years, over 100 bison calves were produced from the calves residing in the Buffalo Paddock due to a captive breeding program that was put into place. Fortunately, the species in North America grew to over 200,000 as of 1998.
The Dutch Windmills and Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden
Situated on the far west end of Golden Gate Park sits an authentic Dutch windmill. You can see the 75-foot tall windmill from the street and Ocean Beach, but many people don't realize that it is also home to a tulip garden, one of the most beautiful hidden gems in San Francisco.
The Dutch Windmill (formerly known as the North Windmill) was completed in 1902, and was originally built to serve as an irrigation system for the park. The windmill is inoperable today, but still stands surrounded by a vibrant garden named after the Dutch queen who originally gifted the structure to the city.
While you should definitely visit while the tulips are in bloom if you can (usually in March), there are still so many other flowers that are in bloom year-round, making any time a great time to visit!
Did you also know that there is a second windmill in Golden Gate Park? After the North Windmill was declared a success, the city decided to build a second one. The Murphy Windmill (or South Windmill) was once the largest of its kind in the world, but many people do not know its existence, making it one of the true secret spots in San Francisco.
You can find the Murphy Windmill also on the western edge of the park, towards its southern end bordering Lincoln Avenue.
Huntington Falls and Strawberry Hill
Standing on an island situated in the middle of Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park stands the 110-foot tall Huntingtown Falls, one of the prettiest hidden gems in San Francisco. The man-made waterfall is surrounded by lush greenery, which makes you feel like you've transported into the tropics.
You can also climb to a bridge at the top of the falls and watch the water cascade down by going up the trail on the side.
Following the trails leading to the top of the island will bring you to Strawberry Hill, which at 430 feet, is the highest point in the park. From here, you can enjoy sweeping views of the city, the Golden Gate Bridge, and on a clear day, as far as Mt. Tamalpais.
Some other San Francisco hidden gems that are nearby include the Golden Pavilion, a Chinese-style pavilion which was a gift from Taipei, San Francisco's sister city; and Rainbow Falls, a second man-made waterfall, next to which there is a trail that leads up to a giant 64-foot Celtic cross.
"File:Shakespeare Garden.JPG" by Burkhard Mücke is licensed under
This tiny but pretty little garden is one of the best San Francisco hidden gems located within Golden Gate Park.
The garden contains more than 200 plants and flowers that are mentioned within the works of William Shakespeare, transporting visitors to the pages of his sonnets, comedies, and tragedies.
An intricately designed gate and brick pathway welcome visitors to the garden. You'll see a chart that identifies the plants contained within the garden, as well as some of the most famous passages about flowers inscripted on the wall.
"File:San Francisco Wave Organ.jpg" by Frank Schulenburg is licensed under
Wave Organ
Sitting on a jetty near Crissy Field, the Wave Organ is essentially a musical instrument that is played by the waves of the bay. This is one of the most unusual hidden gems in San Francisco. Built in 1986 in collaboration with the Exploratorium, the Wave Organ is an acoustic sculpture that amplifies the sound of the waves in the ocean.
The jetty that the Wave Organ sits on is constructed with granite and marble taken from a demolished cemetery, and the instrument itself is built from 20 PVC and concrete pipes that extend into the water at different lengths.
When the waves roll in, the pipes create sound. The effect is similar to the sound that is created within a conch shell, but the pitch and sound change based on the amount of air in the pipes. The sounds are only created when the tide is in, and you will hear the most "music" at high tide.
Transamerica Redwood Park
At the base of the iconic Transamerica Pyramid stands a small forest of about 50 redwood trees. The half-acre mini-park provides a serene space in the middle of the busy Financial District and is one of the hidden gems in San Francisco.
The redwoods were originally transplanted from the Santa Cruz Mountains. The park also contains ferns, boulders, sculptures, and a fountain honoring Mark Twain.
"Grace Cathedral Labyrinth" by jay galvin is licensed under
Grace Cathedral Labyrinth
The iconic Grace Cathedral stands tall in the Nob Hill neighborhood, and is one of the largest Episocpalian churches in the United States. At first glance, the ornate facade almost looks like the famed Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
The church contains a replica of the famed "Gates of Paradise" doors from Florence, numerous murals, as well as two labyrinths – one inside the church, and one outside. The labyrinths invite visitors to experience walking meditation, engage in spiritual practice, or simply calm the mind.
Grace Cathedral also hosts monthly candlelight labyrinth walks with live music, as well as weekly yoga classes on its indoor labyrinth. Check the events calendar here to see what's coming up.
Neptune Society Columbarium
The Neptune Society Colombarium is one of the more offbeat hidden gems in San Francisco. It's a mystery to even locals – the impressive baroque and neoclassical building is tucked away on a cul de sac in the Richmond District, but no one actually knows what the building is used for.
The structure was originally built as a complement to the existing crematorium, but was abandoned once the city banned cemetery burials and cremations in 1902-10. The building changed ownership several times over the year before the Neptune Society took ownership in 1980.
The interior features beautiful stained glass windows and other gorgeous details. Some of San Francisco's most famous characters have their remains housed in the Columbarium, including Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California; Chet Helms, the founder of the Summer of Love movement; and Jerry Juhl, muppeteer and writer for The Muppets.
Stern Grove
Stern Grove is well known for its annual concert festival series, but few people venture there aside from that, making it one of the hidden gems in San Francisco.
The beautiful park features a recreation area, picnic areas, eucalyptus and pine trees, as well as a beautiful redwood grove. At the western end of Stern Grove is Pine Lake, the second largest natural lake in the city.
It's a great spot to soak in nature, and to go for a walk or run.
Cottage Row
This tiny street hidden in the Pacific Heights neighborhood features a row of remarkably intact Victorian homes, dating between 1870 and about 1885. Cottage Row is easy to miss and hardly anyone knows that it's there, making it one of the best secret spots in San Francisco.
A mini park stands in front of the Victorians, with a tiny green space and beautiful gardens.
You can find Cottage Row off Bush Street, surrounded by Bush, Webster, Fillmore, and Sutter Streets, just half a block from the bustling Fillmore Street commercial corridor.
"Macondray Lane" by jrover is licensed under CC BY 2.0 // edited by Caroline Ikeji
Macondray Lane
This small pedestrian lane is tucked away in the Russian Hill neighborhood, and is the quintessential hidden garden. The beautiful cobblestone walkway is covered in flowering plants and trees, and is lined with beautiful Edwardian cottages.
A flight of stairs leads you to Taylor Street, from which you can enjoy some beautiful views of the city and bay!
Macondray was added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1988.
Seem vaguely familiar? Macondray Lane is said to have served as the inspiration for Barbary Lane in Armistead Maupin's Tales of a City series.
Hawk Hill
While Hawk Hill is technically outside of the city (across the bridge in the Marin Headlands), it has such a unique view of the Golden Gate Bridge that it had to be included on this list of San Francisco hidden gems.
While hordes of tourists and photographers flock to the nearby Battery Spencer (for good reason – it's got perhaps the best view of the Golden Gate Bridge), far fewer people make it further up the road to Hawk Hill.
That's a shame because those who make it here are rewarded with a beautiful view of the Golden Gate Bridge, the bay, and the entire city of San Francisco. What makes the view unique here is that you're higher up so it almost seems like you're standing on top of the bridge.
You'll only find a few other people here, and at times you almost feel like you have the view to yourself!
What to Pack for San Francisco
A jacket: San Francisco tends to have some schizo weather – one minute it will be warm, and then the fog will roll and it becomes freezing cold in a matter of minutes. Dressing in layers and keeping a jacket on you at all times is a must!
Consider a lightweight, packable jacket that you can roll it up and keep in your bag while you explore these free things to do in San Francisco. Weatherproofing is also handy as drizzle is common when it's foggy, and it gets rainy in the winter. For the warmer months, pack a jacket like this one for women, and this one for men.
It can get chilly and rainy in the winter, so a packable down jacket is a must! I love this jacket for women, and this one for men.
Comfortable shoes or boots: You will want to wear comfortable shoes because let's face it – getting up those hills is a lot of work!). Definitely get a pair of comfortable flats like these or these – they are stylish but won't slow you down as you explore the city to tackle this list of free things to do in San Francisco!
In the winter, you'll want boots that keep you warm and dry. I wear these boots almost every day in the winter – they are comfy even when walking around the city all day, waterproof, and help me stay warm because they are tall boots!
A power bank + adapter: You'll want to stay connected to help you get around the city, and this power bank will help ensure that your phone never runs out of juice! I never leave home without mine, and it is a MUST on every single trip that I take – both in the US and internationally! If you're from abroad, you may also need a power adapter to charge your devices – I always travel with this one.
Reusable water bottle: Staying hydrated during all that walking and exploring is essential! Be nice to the environment and avoid buying plastic bottles of water – in fact, you won't even be able to buy plastic bottles of water at the SFO airport. Be sure to carry a reusable water bottle – this is the one I carry with me at all times. I love that it is screw top but has a spot so it's easy to take quick sips without spilling all over yourself. The great thing is that San Francisco has excellent tap water quality – our water comes from the Heth Hetchy Reservoir up in the Sierras, near Yosemite and doesn't have that chemical aftertaste that is so common in tap water in other cities.
Where to Stay in San Francisco
Here are some choices for where to stay as you explore these hidden gems in San Francisco. I have personally stayed at all of these hotels and can vouch that they are all great places to stay on your San Francisco adventures.
Le Meridien San Francisco: This may be your standard chain hotel, but it's definitely got everything you need for a comfortable stay as you tackle this San Francisco bucket list. It's centrally located and has easy access to public transportation so you can get to all these San Francisco hidden gems. The hotel is located in the Financial District and is catered towards business people, so rates tend to be lower on the weekends, which is a plus!
Harbor Court Hotel: This boutique hotel is located on the waterfront and offers excellent views of the bay, and is also conveniently located with easy access to public transportation. The staff here is super friendly and always willing to go the extra mile to ensure that you have the best stay. They also have a nightly complimentary wine happy hour in the lobby, as a plus.
Yotel San Francisco: Yotel strips down the hotel experience to the essentials, and skips the rest. It is friendly on the wallet, but the rooms are still comfortable and super modern! Yotel is also centrally located on Market Street, with easy access to public transportation for exploring these secret spots in San Francisco.
Have you been to San Francisco? What are some of your favorite hidden gems in San Francisco?
The Ultimate San Francisco Bucket List
25 Incredible San Francisco Views
Best Views of the Golden Gate Bridge
120+ Free Things to Do in San Francisco
50 Best San Francisco Instagram Spots
Sunset Spots in San Francisco
Like this post? Save these San Francisco hidden gems on Pinterest for later!
Categories California, USA
The Best Views in San Francisco | 25 Epic San Francisco Views
The Ultimate Joshua Tree Day Trip Guide: How to Plan the Perfect One Day in Joshua Tree Itinerary
Sunday 6th of September 2020
I've only been to San Fran once before and can't wait to go back and explore some of these spots one day! There are so many hidden gems away from the main tourist spots and I love that! :)
I've never been to San Francisco, but your beautiful photography & descriptions makes me want to com for a visit!
SHANY
I was just about to plan a trip to San Fransisco! Pinned for later :) Thanks for sharing
Rachel Hall
Saturday 5th of September 2020
Wow. I've visited San Francisco a few times and I have never seen most of these places, you just gave me a reason to return so thanks! Gorgeous photos too!
Rachael Brown
Amazing suggestions!
I've been to San Francisco twice but mostly stuck to Union Square area and the second time I really didn't like it but this list of things that are further out of the city really makes me want to go back. I had no idea most of these things even existed, I love it!


text:
Stuart Grieve
Associate Solicitor
9 years qualified
My PA is Alison Appleby
Stuart joined the Corporate Team at Muckle in September 2017. After qualifying as a commercial lawyer and practising at an international law firm, Stuart made the transition to corporate law whilst working at a regional firm based in the North East. At the 2019 Insider North East Dealmakers Awards, Stuart led two deals that were shortlisted for awards including the ultimate winner of the "Deal of the Year under £2.5m" category.
Stuart's experience includes a range of corporate and private equity transactional work such as company acquisitions, disposals and investments. Stuart also has considerable experience in advising management teams and shareholders in University spin-out transactions. A particular career highlight of Stuart's has been providing continued advice to these spin-outs in a number of cases when they have gone on to receive follow on venture capital or private equity investment. Stuart also advises on share option and management incentivisation schemes and company reorganisations.
In his spare time, Stuart regularly attempts to take on a variety of home DIY projects, most of which ending with a frightening degree of success!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


2019-04-10 11:30:54 done Log events to all pages and users.
2019-04-09 19:38:38 done All pages, current versions only.
2019-04-04 07:22:23 done Articles, templates, media/file descriptions, and primary meta-pages.
2019-04-10 11:22:57 done Namespaces, namespace aliases, magic words.
2019-04-02 18:56:03 done Metadata on current versions of uploaded media/files.
2019-04-02 18:56:18 done This contains the SiteMatrix information from meta.wikimedia.org provided as a table.
2019-04-02 18:57:15 done Base per-page data (id, title, old restrictions, etc).
2019-04-02 18:58:16 done User group assignments.
2019-04-02 18:58:52 done Nonexistent pages that have been protected.
2019-04-02 18:57:27 done Category information.
2019-04-02 18:57:01 done Tracks which pages use which Wikidata items or properties and what aspect (e.g. item label) is used.
2019-04-02 18:56:10 done Wiki external URL link records.
2019-04-02 18:58:25 done Name/value pairs for pages.
2019-04-02 18:56:25 done A few statistics such as the page count.
2019-04-02 18:59:01 done Wiki page-to-page link records.
2019-04-02 18:56:49 done Wiki category membership link records.
2019-04-02 18:55:48 done Wiki media/files usage records.
2019-04-02 18:58:07 done Newer per-page restrictions table.
2019-04-02 18:57:50 done Wiki template inclusion link records.
2019-04-02 18:56:41 done Wiki interlanguage link records.


Figures when I come back from hiatus, WaM is a little late. xD But only by 20 minutes~ So not that bad.
I'm back~ Had a nice break, but I suppose I'm ready to get working again.
I'm not sure if I want to do it this year or not. We went 5 years in a row, so if I was going to stop, that's a good spot. Hmm.
Let me know if you want to see it for a 6th year, and I'll let you know my final decision on Wednesday's update.
I love the Pair-a-Thon! So I think it should continue this year.
I actually had an awesome idea for pair-a-thon. Now I just need to learn to draw.
I'm the middle of the see-saw in that I'm not worried either way. if t happens then there's something fun to look forward to. If not, I won't be heartbroken.
I vote for having another Pair-a-Thon.
Keep Pair-a-thon! I really want to enter this year!
i want to see it always. i always look forward to it.


Wonderful Hassen Transitional Reclining Living Room Collection By Latitude Run is necessary have in virtually any house. You desire to get the best pieces, and you also want to actually by no means pay too much on their behalf. Appears to be a little complex, correct? Properly, this post is in this article to assist. Keep reading and discover some great expert techniques for seeking the deals on furnishings items you can expect to really like. Prior to buying any cabinets, wide open all of the drawers and appear within. You're not only making sure that every one of the storage are made to very last and open up without the hitches, you also want to be sure that the inner from the compartments have some type of doing as well. When searching for Hassen Transitional Reclining Living Room Collection By Latitude Run, calculate your master bedroom prior to going buying. There exists practically nothing worse than selecting the perfect set of Hassen Transitional Reclining Living Room Collection By Latitude Run only to find out that it will not easily fit in your master bedroom as soon as you get it house. Rather, correctly calculate your rooms measurements prior to going remembering in which front door and windows are located.
Everyone wants to possess a bar within their home! Getting a drink in your individual club is more thrilling than sitting on the sofa. The sofa doesn't provide the exact same sensation! There are several individuals, who build the club of the dreams but they are uncertain about the type of bar stools they should purchase. If you request us, you should buy the correct club feces. It ought to be aesthetically appealing, useful and comfy. You may decide to purchase barstools for the restaurant or your houses club. You need to keep few things in your mind before choosing the perfect bar stools. These days, we will cover the tips for purchasing for leather bar stools. Also, we've created a summary of Top Ten Leather Bar Stools. This list has evaluations of every bar feces which will help you to choose the perfect one. Continue reading to discover and decide. Searching for the right bar feces for your home? Well, you must go through the list to obtain an idea. We're sure that you will find what you are looking for within this list! We have covered the key functions to help you make a decision. The good thing is that you can buy these bar stools online! These can be sent to your house within few days. So, go through the checklist and pick the right.
You cant discuss this couch with out referring to its impressive style, sturdiness, and luxury. If you ever needed an appropriate chair, then move fast and get yourself Coaster Samuel Collection Cream Leather Couch. You will love it. This 3 seater sofa has thoroughly clean outlines and excellent soft cushions. The cushions are attached to the chair and at the back. It is made of leather and that is a certain wager that its durable. It also functions tufted back and seats that certainly contributes to its remarkable look. More to the point, it has a springtime base that gives it the required comfort and durability. Its wooden body causes it to be really sturdy. The lengthy and the short of it is that this couch is remarkable in each and every aspect. You might or might not accept this. But the only way you are able to understand why is to buy and try it.
The word this is actually the comfort and ease and complicated appear. This established includes a tufted back rest and toe nail head highlight that gives it the sophisticated look. Its grey color contributes to its remarkable look. It can fit up to 8 inches bed mattress. That alone lets you know how comfortable the set could be. Particularly, it doesn't include a mattress. So you may need to purchase one. The trundle includes a castor to enable quick access. You may also draw the trundle that people take a seat on. Just to point out, it may need assembling, but again its very easy to assemble.
Whilst the rear of this sofa shows the Chesterfield, with its series of tufting, a tux sofa has cleaner, more angular lines. It is said to possess been the bellwether more modern styles in the 20's. Although some say this sofa design took its title from Tux Recreation area in New York, it is also considered named after the traditional fancy mens suit. You can determine a tux couch by its hands that are identical height as the back. The tufting on the rear of the couch and its rectangle-shaped silhouette are also traditional qualities. Cushions add comfort to this high-armed design. Also, while the sofa above from Upcountry is upholstered in leather, this well-liked design is often done in fabrics of all kinds, such as the really stylish purple velvet.
When it comes to purchasing living room furniture, leather is always a good choice. Not only does it look great with most styles, but its extremely long lasting (its the perfect materials for any household with children or animals) and it is extremely-easy to thoroughly clean, too. The down-side of leather Cifuentes Coffee Table? It may have a much higher price tag than fabric, microfiber or fake leather furniture. This reclining loveseat stays a budget-friendly option because of one genius technique: its seating area is upholstered with leather, while the attributes are upholstered with increased affordable fake leather. Which means you receive the look and feel of a full leather-based loveseat without the significant cost. Use the handle on the loveseats equip to relax and take it easy on its high-density foam filling up, and think about the money held on. This specific loveseat comes with an additional bonus: professional set up is available in numerous locations of the country for the next charge.
If youre searching for some serious rest, this loveseats strong pillow back and rolled hands will deliverbut at a higher cost. Every chair cushioning consists of 30 individual pocketed circles for spring and assistance, and strength seat froth for an extra layer of plushness and sturdiness. In addition, the foam soft cushions are topped with super gentle, combined lower down. For your additional comfort, there are 3 regular positions: sitting, a slight recline with an elevated footrest, along with a complete lie down by having an elevated foot rest. It does not hurt that this lying loveseat appears lux, possibly. Its all-leather furniture and decorative toe nail mind trim provide a classic appear that can function with a lot of house dcor designs, from traditional to country to crafts and arts. Plus, leather-based stands up nicely against daily use, kids and dog locks and fingernails. Just be sure you condition the leather every 6 to twelve months.
The word here is the comfort and ease and complicated appear. This established includes a tufted back rest and nail mind accent that provides the subtle appear. Its grey colour contributes to its impressive look. It may match up to 8 inches mattress. That on your own lets you know how comfy the established can be. Particularly, it doesn't include a mattress. So you may need to buy one. The trundle includes a castor to allow easy access. You may also pull the trundle for people to sit on. Just to point out, it should take putting together, however its super easy to assemble.
This sofa is worked with the bell-formed shape along with the higher armrest from the cushion. In addition, the top is supported by blocked part edges. The thighs, nevertheless, have joined the fake wooden covering. The couch gives a comfortable and lavish feeling. This is the immediate result of extremely flexible cushioning inside the rayon upholstery. You can take a seat effortlessly for now to relax. Each one of the tones provided with this couch demonstrates its significant component, Flexible style. The red tone would be ideal for both topics with light and dark shades. That remains continuous for various shades that it offers too. The couch is located in space. Regardless of whether its Thanksgiving holiday or a large family reunion, you can rely on it. Marathon-viewing yet still time collapsing on your couch with your buddies is really a genuine choice.
This RTA loveseat provides various kinds of furniture depending on the materials. That significantly incorporates bed linen and velvet. Advanced tones, Marzipan, Stoneware-Beige and Rye-Dark brown improve the style of the sofa. Select the covering and also the materials that depends around the stylistic style of your living space. Not just the shading, the material can also mirror the difference in style. Make sure that the fabric you select matches the concept of the space. This loveseat votes in favor of mixing the current design by having an excellent style. It's been increased by the hands that begin to pass through the couch. With this particular blend, you only witness enhanced comfort and ease and stylish design when lights the pads.
This set is upholstered in a drive and comfy distinctive cushioned velvet. This provides it the incredible comfort and ease that it is loved for. Again it facilitates chaise style seats for adequate comfort and ease. Furthermore, the sinus springtime base increases the comfort and durability. Additionally, the couch has hardwood structures that increase its toughness and sturdiness. The couch has soft cushions on both the chair and the back. Yet still, the sofa can change from a seated placement to a reclined placement effortlessly. Having said that, simply to replicate, the sofa is extremely soft and gives exceptional comfort and ease.
This set features a one remaining equip sofa set, two armless sofa models and something corner couch set. This provides sufficient room to support your friends and relations. The fabric is 100Percent rayon for enough comfort and durability. The advantage of this sofa set is the mixing and matching of chairs in the space within the room for any ideal shape. And also allows for fitted even in small areas. It takes just mild putting together.It also functions push cushions for maximum comfort. You may want to try this established. It works nicely.
Copyright © Hassen Transitional Reclining Living Room Collection By Latitude Run in Coffee Tables Sets All right reserved.


Suntegrity is a favorite brand of mine! I was so excited when they came out with an organic, Broad Spectrum, SPF 30 lip color range. They contain Konjac root, Wrinkle Feeling Spheres, to visibly reduce the look of any fine lines. The formulas are infused with organic shea, jojoba and cocoa butter. The colors are so flattering and they are as wearable and rich looking as they can be! They use pure pigment- no dyes! They are light reflective and absolutely yummy, with a hint of stevia to sweeten them. I love them so much that I ordered the collection for my skincare studio -Facials By Pearl! If you're in the SF Bay Area come and take a look! I will post more photos when I have a little more time to play with them, but here is a sneak peak of the gorgeous shades! To add to the beauty of this brand, both inner and outer, Suntegrity also donates a portion of each sale of the lip colors to Lipstick Angels!
This entry was posted in MAKEUP, PEARL'S FAVORITES and tagged beauty, Esthetician, facials by pearl, green beauty, healthy, Lip color, lipstick angels, makeup, organic, organic beauty, SPF 30, Suntegrity on April 11, 2017 by Pearl.


text:
James Russell Garth (1 May 1922 – 1 June 1972) was a Scottish footballer who played for Drumchapel Amateurs, Greenock Morton, Preston North End, Clyde, Raith Rovers and Inverness Caledonian.

Garth died in Detroit, Michigan on 1 June 1972, at the age of 50.

References

External links

1922 births
1972 deaths
Scottish footballers
English Football League players
Drumchapel Amateur F.C. players
Greenock Morton F.C. players
Preston North End F.C. players
Clyde F.C. players
Raith Rovers F.C. players
Scottish Football League players
Caledonian F.C. players
Association football forwards
People from Bridgeton, Glasgow
Footballers from Glasgow

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
The ROE to Nowhere
by zen | Dec 23, 2015 | Monitor |
[by Mark Safranski, a.k.a. "zen"]
Many of you have seen the controversial NRO essay by David French on absurdly restrictive rules of engagement that enlisted men and their NCO's and junior officers have been forced to wrestle with in Iraq, Afghanistan and miscellaneous conflict zones. This is a problem that began under the Bush II administration as the Army and Marine Corps wrestled with pop-centric COIN theory, but ROE became increasingly self-defeating under the Obama administration's philosophy of micromanaging the world from the White House staff conference room. If you have not read the article yet, here it is with a blurb:
How Our Overly Restrictive Rules of Engagement Keep Us from Winning Wars
….This evening, however, our troopers believed that the car ahead wasn't full of civilians. The driver was too skilled, his tactics too knowing for a carload of shepherds. As the car disappeared into the night, the senior officer on the scene radioed for permission to fire. His request went to the TOC, the tactical operations center, which is the beating heart of command and control in the battlefield environment. There the "battle captain," or the senior officer in the chain of command, would decide — shoot or don't shoot.
But first there was a call for the battle captain to make, all the way to brigade headquarters, where a JAG officer — an Army lawyer — was on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. His job was to analyze the request, apply the governing rules of engagement, and make a recommendation to the chain of command. While the commander made the ultimate decision, he rarely contradicted JAG recommendations. After all, if soldiers opened fire after a lawyer had deemed the attack outside the rules, they would risk discipline — even prosecution — if the engagement went awry.
Acting on the best available information — including a description of the suspect vehicle, a description of its tactics, analysis of relevant intelligence, and any available video feeds — the JAG officer had to determine whether there was sufficient evidence of "hostile intent" to authorize the use of deadly force. He had to make a life-or-death decision in mere minutes. In this case, the lawyer said no — insufficient evidence. No deadly force. Move to detain rather than shoot to kill. The commander deferred. No shot. Move to detain.
So the chase continued, across roads and open desert. The suspect vehicle did its best to shake free, but at last it was cornered by converging American forces. There was no escape. Four men emerged from the car. American soldiers dismounted from their MRAPs, and with one man in the lead, weapons raised, they ordered the Iraqis to surrender. Those who were in the TOC that night initially thought someone had stepped on a land mine. Watching on video feed, they saw the screen go white, then black. For several agonizing minutes, no one knew what had happened. Then the call came. Suicide bomber. One of the suspects had self-detonated, and Americans were hurt. One badly — very badly. Despite desperate efforts to save his life, he died just before he arrived at a functioning aid station. Another casualty of the rules of engagement.
Such a system, where brigade headquarters must be consulted by low level patrols or checkpoints before any combat action can be taken is essentially organizational paralysis of the fighting force, an fundamental principle of the art of defeat. What to do?
If we are to take the premises of the domestic-politics driven ROE imposed on front-line troops by the Obama administration and a pliant senior leadership because they believe that our soldiers and Marines cannot be trusted with even the smallest decisions, the solution is obvious: we could field platoons composed entirely of lawyers. At least until robot soldiery becomes fully autonomous.
Our newly established ObamaCorps Lawyer-Infantry units would have troops all certified as JAG officers in charge of supervising themselves in decisions to fire. No officers or NCOs will be required since they are effectively expected to defer to a lawyer over the radio anyway, they no longer serve a useful purpose in modern battle.
We will save time, save money on radios and radio operator positions ( we will have lawyer-pilots to do CAS and lawyer-artillery men to decide on when to bombard the enemy). We can also save money on general officers by drafting retired Supreme Court justices to serve as a Board of Appeal in place of a theater or combatant commander. Should work better than what we do now at least.
[End rant]
JAG officers are not to blame for this situation, they are inserted where commanders and politicians demand they be inserted and they must follow orders in interpreting ROE as best they can. You could remove the lawyers entirely from this process and a SSG or LT having to call up a 24 hour "hot line" to brigade headquarters (!) to talk to staff officer colonels of infantry before letting privates fire their weapon in a normal combat situation remains equally ludicrous and ineffective.
What the Obama administration has done by incremental steps, aided by a careerist and risk averse leadership, is put American troops under unworkable "police model" warfighting constraints without openly admitting this is their policy goal. Moreover, the longer these constraints and procedures remain in place, the more institutionalized they become as the new "American way of war" and legal Catch-22 for low level troops is the normal way of doing business.
Without serious pushback, the risk to troops and tactical harm becomes likely to endure long after the Obama staff apparatchiks leave office.


text:
Q: How to assign a double value to a double pointer within a struct? I am trying to read 8000 double values from a file, then set a data field in two struct arrays equal to those values so that I can pass the arrays into an FFT function. Whenever I try to do this equalization, I get a Segmentation Fault.
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include "simpleFFT.h"
#include "simpleFFT_data.h"

extern void testPrint(void);
extern double readFile(void);
extern void emxInit_real_T(emxArray_real_T);

int main() {
    FILE *fp;

    emxArray_real_T *Timeptr;
    emxArray_real_T Time[4000];
    emxArray_real_T *gFzptr;
    emxArray_real_T gFz[4000];

    Timeptr = &Time[0];
    gFzptr = &gFz[0];

    emxInit_real_T(*Timeptr);
    emxInit_real_T(*gFzptr);

    printf("Timeptr = %p\n", Timeptr->data);
    printf("gFzptr = %p\n\n", gFzptr->data);

    double fValues[8000];       //This array will hold all numbers from the foo.txt file
    int timeCount = 0;
    int gFzCount = 0;
    int n = 0;
    int i = 5;
    double fmax;

    fp = fopen("foo.txt", "r");

    if (fp == NULL) {
        printf("FAILURE");
        return 0;
    } else {
        printf("SUCCESS\n");
    }

    printf("File Opened!\n\n\n");

    while (fscanf(fp, "%lf", &fValues[n]) != EOF) {
        if ((n % 2) == 0) {
            fscanf(fp, ",");
            Timeptr->data[timeCount] = fValues[n];      // SEGMENTATION FAULT HERE
            timeCount++;
        } else {
            fscanf(fp, "\n");
            gFzptr->data[gFzCount] = fValues[n];       // SEGMENTATION FAULT HERE IF LINE ABOVE IS COMMENTED OUT
            gFzCount++;
        }

        n++;
    }

    fclose(fp);

    //fmax = simpleFFT(Time, gFz);

    printf("fValues[5] = %lf", fValues[5]);
    //printf("Time->data[%d] = %lf, gFz->data[%d] = %lf\n", i, Time->data[i], i, gFz->data[i]);
    printf("fPeak = %lf", fmax);

    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}

Here is the struct that I am using:
struct emxArray_real_T {
    double *data;
    int *size;
    int allocatedSize;
    int numDimensions;
    boolean_T canFreeData;
};

Here is the fault message from the debugger in CLion:

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
ASEE Prism
Welcome to Prism Online
Prism Podcast
Power Hitters
From Hotline to Front Line
Digital Lens
JEE Selects
Sponsored Content: Fighting the Big C with the 3 C's: Curiosity, Connections, Creating Value (JAN)
ASEE Today
Tough Fiber
Sturdy, fast-growing, and Earth-friendly, bamboo is proving ideal for homes in disaster zones and celebrity bungalows in Hawaii. Will it catch on in the continental U.S.?
As a construction material, bamboo possesses almost action-hero qualities: Tougher than concrete! (BAM!) Grows three feet in a single day! (WHOOSH!) Stronger than steel! (CRUNCH!) OK, so that last one is overblown; bamboo has about half the strength of mild structural steel. It's still an ideal substitute for steel in many situations, and good design as well as promising bamboo composite materials expand its potential. The other claims are actually true. Bamboo's compression strength is more than twice that of concrete and the fastest-growing bamboo can reach 35 inches daily. That makes it a renewable resource par excellence. In fact, bamboo is the most environmentally sound building material there is.
Ecological benefits alone would commend bamboo to engineers, architects, and builders at a time when production of cement and steel contribute heavily to greenhouse gas emissions, aggravating climate change. They're one reason Vo Trong Nghia, a Tokyo-trained Vietnamese architect who specializes in green buildings, calls bamboo "the steel of the 21st century." Technically a grass, it photosynthesizes year-round, continuously breathing in carbon dioxide and expelling oxygen. The leaves it drops fertilize the land around it, promoting healthier soil and a more robust ecosystem. Plants reach maturity in five to six years, compared with timber's 25-30 years (depending on whether it's soft wood or hardwood). And it takes up much less land—building a 1,000-square-foot home requires only 1.9 acres of bamboo compared with 13.77 acres of loblolly pine. Unlike timber, bamboo is most commercially viable when it's not clear-cut because it needs the intact rhizome root system around it to regenerate, which has the added benefit of staving off erosion.
But bamboo is also particularly well-suited to construction in zones prone to extreme weather and natural disasters, such as earthquakes, where structures built of conventional concrete can become death traps. As engineers in the Philippines, Nepal, and Ethiopia have shown, flexible, lightweight bamboo can bend with the earth's fluctuations without snapping, whereas heavy, rigid concrete is likely to crack and collapse. And even if a bamboo structure collapsed, it's safer to have lightweight walls and ceilings fall inward than walls made of concrete and steel.
Luis Felipe Lopez saw how bamboo homes defied earthquakes in the coffee region of Colombia called Sevilla, where he grew up. "It was coffee farms and bamboo," he recalls. "The coffee and the bamboo in Colombia have close relations. I grew up in a bamboo house." Studying civil engineering at the University of Colombia in Manizales for undergrad and the Los Andes University in Bogotã for his master's, Lopez decided early on to research bamboo as a construction material. "I thought that the houses I grew up in looked very nice and performed well in earthquakes," he says.
Lopez decided to dedicate his research to bahareque (pronounced "bah-hah-ray-kay")—an ancient Central American form of traditional architecture that uses bamboo or timber framework covered in mud or clay, after a magnitude-6 earthquake hit the Colombian coffee region, killing at least 1,185 people and destroying 60 percent of the buildings. The bahareque structures remained standing with minimal damage.
With the assistance of the Colombian government and the Colombian Association of Seismic Engineering, Lopez helped establish the first official Colombian Bahareque building code in 2002. Then, in 2009, he helped publish the Colombian Code—a new chapter to the bamboo building standard that related to large-scale construction and has served as the basis for several countries' building standards.
Lopez has since moved to the Philippines, where he is confronting an image problem bamboo faces there and elsewhere in the developing world. Bamboo is shunned as a poor person's material in areas where it grows best–areas that include some of the most geologically volatile places on Earth. These places are where cheap, light, sturdy, flexible, and quickly built housing is the most important.
No Longer Temporary
In the Philippines, there is a Tagalog creation myth dating back a thousand years or more, in which the first man and first woman were born from two halves of a split bamboo stalk. Named Malakas and Maganda, they represented dual halves of strength and beauty, just as bamboo does to the culture. Malakas at Maganda is a popular image that still pervades the culture. For many Filipinos, bamboo is not just an integral part of life; it is the source of all life. Younger bamboo is used for everything from food and clothing to a wide array of musical instruments and art, while more mature bamboo is used for housing. Filipinos built traditional nipa or bahay kubo houses from bamboo on stilts and moved around whenever the inhabitants wanted to move. But when the monsoon seasons came, the houses would be blown away and the people would rebuild in the following year.
For this reason, bamboo houses are seen as old-fashioned and flimsy. As lead engineer at the Base Bahay Foundation, which concentrates on sustainable construction, Lopez demonstrates what a difference formal engineering training can make. Most indigenous structures built with bamboo are created informally, without the help of building plans or trained professionals. Lopez's houses incorporate bahareque technology as well as traditional indigenous and European timber techniques to withstand the unique weather challenges that Filipinos face: namely, an average of 20 yearly typhoons in addition to earthquakes.
He calls his homes "CBF" houses, for Cement Bamboo Frame. "The local people don't understand 'bahareque,' " he says. "You can't see the bamboo from outside the house; you can only see it from the inside." Lopez notes that the wind and rain conditions are so extreme that even bamboo, which is strong and water resistant, needs some protection from the elements. "With mortar protection, the bamboo will last 30-40 years."
He first had to prove that his houses could withstand the force of the wind. "We already knew from Colombia that these houses were good in earthquakes, but what happens in typhoons?" Lacking a local wind tunnel lab, Lopez wanted to fund research at a European university, but the cost proved prohibitive.
Instead, he and his team built a trio of houses for a test that he called the "Three Little Pigs" on the peninsula of Bicol, an eastern coastal region that is "the most dangerous part of the Philippines for typhoons. Every year, one or two of the biggest touch down there." He outfitted them with external weather stations and sensors. Each house was built to different specifications—one with the highest quality, most expensive materials; one with a mixture of experimental materials; and one with fewer materials at a lower cost—but all in the CBF style. They ended up directly in the path of 2014's category five super typhoon Glenda.
The weather stations recorded wind speeds of 115 mph before they were damaged by the gust ("we don't know if it was higher than that," Lopez says), but the houses remained undamaged. They soon after withstood Typhoon Ruby, which reached sustained wind speeds up to 109 mph, according to local news reports. "This was our confirmation that the houses would work," Lopez said.
The Base Bahay Foundation now has a series of ongoing projects in Iloilo, Tacloban, Estancia City, and Bagong Silangan. Eighty-six houses have been completed this year, with 251 projected to be finished in the coming year. After that, Lopez says that he will be able to complete 300 houses per year. "The houses in Bagong Silangan are the most important," he says, because the district is in the heart of metropolitan Manilla, the capital. "We're not experimenting just in rural areas anymore."
A Refuge for Children
Like the Philippines, Nepal and Ethiopia are two countries where bamboo grows prolifically but is not thought of as a permanent construction material. Following last year's earthquakes in Nepal, much of the region has remained devastated. According to the United Nations, more than 8,700 people lost their lives and hundreds of thousands of people were displaced from their homes with an estimated $3.3 billion in damage to houses.
"More than 14,000 schools were damaged or destroyed," says Nripal Adhikary, founder and director of ABARI, a design and architecture firm that applies modern engineering to vernacular Nepalese architecture to produce affordable, eco-friendly, and disaster-resistant housing. With no place—school or home—for children to go during the day or night and families broken up or thrust into poverty, many people have fallen prey to human trafficking, which has spiked to new levels since last year's earthquakes. The Nepali police report that children are lured by traffickers (or given away by their families) with promises of jobs or free education in India or other parts of Nepal. They are instead either sold into slavery or brothels. While hard data are difficult to come by due to the secretive nature of trafficking, the police estimate that human trafficking in post-earthquake Nepal (an area already prone to trafficking) is up by 15 percent.
Stable houses and schools are imperative for human health and safety. To that end, Adhikary works with bamboo and earth. Nepalese bamboo suffers from the same stigma as in other countries: It's thought of as a poor material. Timber has been preferred in the past, but it's becoming more scarce, so Nepalese have turned to imported, expensive concrete. "Now people are thinking more about bamboo again because of eco-consciousness—I'm working on changing the perception of bamboo into something modern," he says.
Adhikary considers bamboo the "material of the future." He cites an example of the Shanghai Pavilion at the World Expo. "In that expo, most of the world nations used bamboo in their expressions. When you look at it, 100 to 150 years ago, in the same expo, [countries] were using steel."
Nepal's geography ranges from Mount Everest to tropical lowlands. These elevation changes create many different ecosystems and are responsible for Nepal's biodiversity. "We have earthquakes every 80 to 90 years. Everyone kind of forgets about it and they recently went to cement. Last year we had a big earthquake and people's confidence [in cement] was shaken."
Adhikary is modernizing a traditional "rammed earth" building system that had fallen out of favor architecturally. It combines tamped clay, sand, and aggregates with rebar and polypropylene to ensure stability in natural disasters.
"We use bamboo mostly for the roof. It's light, it looks nice; and it's earthquake resistant." They're building schools, monasteries, and cafes out of bamboo to combat the idea that the material is only capable of producing quick, ugly structures. Adhikary happily notes the amount of confidence his new buildings are inspiring. "Years ago when I suggested bamboo to people, they would say, 'Oh, you can build me a garage or a cow shed,' but we're showing them that we can do more."
Nepal's earthquakes highlighted the devastating consequences of too-heavy reliance on traditional steel and concrete. "All of the [rammed-earth] structures that we put up remained. Ironically, the concrete buildings of our government cracked and collapsed." Since then, the government has adopted Adhikary's design to rebuild the schools using a rammed-earth technique with bamboo trusses and passive solar design. His firm is currently building six schools, using those building projects to train local people in the same methods. "We're giving them schools, but we're also giving them techniques and machines so they can know how to do it themselves and teach others." They have taught more than 200 people in towns their rammed-earth technique. "We can build hundreds of schools using these materials. The best part is, 89 percent of the money remains in the country by using local materials and labor."
The government has yet to adopt standard housing designs "for any technique—not just our technique," Adhikary says. This has stalled home construction and left hundreds of thousands of Nepali families living in tents during the current monsoon season. "It's pretty desperate. It's pretty bad. People don't have places to go."
A consolation for Adhikary – indeed, his pride and joy – is an elegant two-story public library that he's building in downtown Kathmandu predominantly with bamboo and rammed earth. It's called the Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya (MPP), and will house and archive tens of thousands of Nepali language monographs, periodicals, and photos. "It's building confidence in people," he says. "It's not like before the earthquake, where people were questioning our materials and techniques. They've seen our buildings survive the earthquakes, and it's great to see them have confidence in local materials."
In Ethiopia, official acceptance of bamboo is proceeding, although change takes time. A nexus in building awareness is the Ethiopia Institute of Architecture and Building Construction at Addis Ababa University, where Ph.D. candidate Denamo Addissie Nuramo established the National Bamboo Construction Center (NBCC) in 2012. The NBCC aims to fill what Nuramo found was void in teaching and widespread ignorance of bamboo in industry.
"Architects, the construction industry, and the students—their awareness about this miraculous material is very low. It's almost none, I would say. Students learn about concrete, they learn about steel and aluminum and all other materials, but almost no information about [bamboo]."
Since its inception in 2012, the NBCC has recruited and trained about 200 undergraduate students in the construction, architecture, and engineering disciplines. What has surprised him most is the number of women clamoring to participate. "In Ethiopia, such hands-on and practical assignments are dominated by boys," he says. "But here the girls were highly involved. I would say that more than 30 percent of our club were women." NBCC puts on an annual competition. The most recent one, sponsored by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, had students design transitional housing for Sudanese refugees. UNHCR has said it will adopt the winning design.
A Push for Standards
Nepal's housing problems are an extreme example of a larger issue inhibiting potential bamboo builders: There are few formalized plans in place, and those that exist aren't cutting it. In May, engineers, construction experts, teachers, and students from 14 different countries and territories, all with a passion for building with bamboo, gathered at the University of Pittsburgh to put together the Pittsburgh Declaration. It is "a global call-to-action that seeks to increase international recognition of the benefits of bamboo," according to the introduction.
This call-to-action requires the support of INBAR (the International Network for Bamboo & Rattan) to lead the way in developing and revising existing ISO (International Organization for Standardization) standards. ISO standards are the rules that govern how bamboo-based materials and structures should be tested and come together—how they are joined or assembled, how they have to act in a fire, allowable levels of stress, basic design concepts and calculations, and many other calculations that go into the testing of the materials and the construction of structures. They make sure that all builders are on the same page when it comes to material and structural quality.
"An engineering material needs some form of standard on which we can call it an engineering material. We have them for timber, for steel, for concrete, for plastics, for every other material. We need to have standardization," says Kent Harries, associate professor of structural engineering and mechanics at the University of Pittsburgh. He is a founding member of INBAR's construction task group and author of the new ISO standards. INBAR is an intergovernmental network appointed by the United Nations that includes 41 countries and territories, most of which include bamboo-heavy regions.
While ISO Standards currently exist for both materials testing and design, they range from "inadequate" to "unusable" says Harries, pointing out that the old standards were based on flawed methodologies and limited study sizes. "The original standard was based essentially on the work of one man. Today, with greater interest, we have a much larger pool of experts from which to establish a practical consensus."
The Colombian Code that Lopez helped form would be a useful "version one," Harries says, a considerable step up from what currently exists. "But it only accounts for one species of bamboo, and it's only written in Spanish." International codes must be accessible in major languages and account for the various species that would be prominent in various regions. "There as many as 1,200 different species of bamboo," Harries says. "We have to find some way to apply it across the board."
Harries, along with Chris Papadopoulos of the University of Puerto Rico – Mayaguez, and current chair of ASEE's Mechanical Engineering Division, was recently awarded a National
Science Foundation grant to research the structural properties of full-culm bamboo for the purposes of enacting these standards. "There have been one or two [awards] for bamboo composite materials, but never for full-culm," Harries says, referring to the plant's hollow stem. The research will focus on analytic modelling of bamboo and developing lab and in-the-field surrogate tests that farmers can use to test bamboo properties such as flexure, shear, and compression strength. "[The farmers] need to see if what they're harvesting, what they're cutting right there, is what they think it is."
Bamboo in the U.S.
Harries says the NSF grant would signal that the United States is starting to see bamboo as a legitimate, mainstream material with a future in this country.
Andrew Linn sees that future clearly. A structural engineer who helps run Becker Linn designs, a sustainable architecture firm, he is an ambassador for both the World Bamboo Organization and the American Bamboo Society. His turquoise home and office sits in Anacostia, a neighborhood in southeast Washington, D.C., in sight of the Frederick Douglass house. "This house was built in 1892, back when Frederick Douglass was still alive," Linn says. Fusing bamboo and historic preservation, he and his wife, Hannah, and business partner, Jack Becker, have converted the house into a model of sustainable architecture.
Standing in the small entrance foyer, he gestures to the wider room beyond. "Someday, this will become a classroom of sorts. We'll replace this wall with clear plexiglass so you can see through to the main house where we kept the exposed rafters from the original construction." Linn's classroom-in-progress has been developed with bamboo throughout, either locally hand-culled or collected from abroad (although he is somewhat proud of the bamboo pieces purchased from Ikea, excited about their obvious commercial success). A kitchen screen uses bamboo collected from a Silver Spring, Maryland farm and heat-cured by hand. The wine rack is bamboo; so are the window blinds, tapestries, and hats on the walls. Each section of the garden houses a different variety of bamboo engineered by Susanne Lucas, a horticultural specialist who specifically selected plants for optimal growth in the southeastern United States. It also showcases different plants such as fruiting vines and flowering trees from different environments that work in different weather conditions. It's a colorful outdoor lab experiment to see how the different plants work best together.
Driving a visitor through Southeast Washington, Linn points out three forlorn commercial properties he hopes to purchase: a boarded-up building and adjacent salon and convenience store. He's not sure what will fill that spot, but he can imagine a bamboo restaurant with a bamboo grove out back where people could dine al fresco under a leafy canvas.
From Weed to Status Symbol
Chances are, cultivation of bamboo in the United States will be limited. Many jurisdictions consider it an invasive weed. Linn admits that some of the spreading varieties can easily take over a yard if not well tended. Otherwise, it grows well only in certain parts of the country—mostly semi-tropical areas that are either protected or have high property values, like southern Florida, which would render it nearly impossible to plant on a commercial scale.
Hawaii is the exception that could–just possibly–signal an emerging trend. There, bamboo is abundant, commercially viable, and, thanks in part to architect David Sands, has acquired a certain glamor. Since 1995, Sands and his Bamboo Living USA firm have built several hundred homes in the Hawaiian Islands, including off-the-beaten-path bamboo wonders for celebrities. His clients include a rock star, an academy award-winning actress, and a Hollywood producer. In so doing, as he told the University of Pittsburgh symposium, he has "given panache to bamboo in the U.S."
As more people recognize bamboo's style and substance, these trends are likely to shoot up, up, and away! (KERPOW!)
By Jennifer Pocock
Jennifer Pocock is assistant editor of Prism.
Design by Nicola Nittoli
Cover image courtesy of Jennifer Pocock.
Get your hands on a copy TODAY
Sponsored Content: Fighting the Big C with the 3 C's: Curiosity, Connections, Creating Value
Copyright © 2020 American Society for Engineering Education. All rights reserved.


The last couple of days were perfect to shoot some photos of the plants, flowers and kitties.
I have to admit I was apprehensive having two kitties in Ecuador. They provide lots of entertainment and there is never a dull moment in the house.
Full disclosure. Up until these two kitties I was not a fan of cats. Maybe its because I had dogs or maybe my life was too hectic in the U.S. In any case let me say publicly that I'm crazy about these two darling kitties. Sharon, my wife rescued these two. Saffron is a 9 week old male and Curry is a 4 week old female. Both are orange kitties and both are adorable. Adorable kitty!. Isn't that redundant.


text:
namespace operations_research {

bool IsSubsetOf0N(const std::vector<int>& v, int n) {
  std::vector<bool> mask(n, false);
  for (const int i : v) {
    if (i < 0 || i >= n || mask[i]) return false;
    mask[i] = true;
  }
  return true;
}

}  // namespace operations_research

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


In February 2011, the Domestic Fire Safety (Wales) Measure 2011 was passed by the National Assembly for Wales. It makes it compulsory for automatic fire suppression systems to be provided in certain new and converted residential premises and enables the Welsh Ministers to introduce regulations setting out the technical requirements for such systems.
The Measure will make Wales the first country in the world to have legislation making it mandatory to install sprinklers in all new build homes.
The following footage supplied by Jersey Fire and Rescue Service shows a live sprinkler demonstration where two compartments were constructed to modern building standards in an old pottery building and identically furnished to simulate a living room. The only difference between the two rooms is that one is protected by a sprinkler system.
The next clip is a short movie titled 'Megan', courtesy of Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service again showing the life-saving advantages of sprinkler systems.