Progress on the Courtyards

Progress on the courtyards is moving along. We posted a few weeks ago about the palm trees being craned in, as were the concrete benches and tables in the center of the courtyard.

More paving and landscaping is underway, but the courtyard is already really taking shape. Yesterday we enjoyed the warm weather for a few minutes by relaxing on the benches.

The third courtyard, which we'll post about soon, is just as serene but with a very different feel. Slatted-wood pathways warm that third courtyard, creating a contrast to the stone pathways in this Living Room courtyard.

In the spirit of Bike to Work Day

In the spirit of Bike to Work Day, which is coming up on Thursday, I want to give a quick kudos to Topeak Cycling products. I've long been using their JoeBlow Pro floor-pump, which up until last week has been great. Last Monday morning when my car was in the shop and I decided to ride my bike into work, my pump broke. The head of the pump was leaking air, and I was left with two flat tires.

I had no idea what the warranty information was, but I was able to open a support ticket online saying that air was leaking from the head of the pump. I had a respone within 3 minutes saying that a new head was in the mail, and by Wednesday my pump was as good as new. No questions, no proof of purchase, no shipping and handling charge, just an immediate fix....pretty impressive in my book (and now on bike to work day I won't have flat tires).

I'm now thinking we might need to have one of these installed in the bike lounge at the Pacific Cannery.

511 Bike Mapper

This is directly from the BIKE MAPPER website that is part of bicycling.511.org.

What a great tool for getting around on a bike and figuring out your route for Bike to Work Day on May 15th. Check it out and go for a ride.

Welcome to the Bay Area’s resource for bicycling information. Here you’ll find the new 511 BikeMapper, route maps, locations of lockers and racks, information on how to take your bike on public transit and across Bay Area toll bridges, how to ride safely in traffic, tips on commuting, bicycle resources and more.

New to biking? Register with the 511 Ridematch Tool to find a Bike Buddy and start today!

Rosanna Anson Vazquez, Photographer

You will be treated to a number of Rosanna's surrealistic photographic works in the new Pacific Cannery Lofts model, a Signature Loft, opening next week. Rosanna comes to us on a full scholarship to the MFA program at the Art Academy from Barcelona Spain. Growing up in an artistic family Rosanna began her college studies in advertising but followed her artistic passion and switched to graphic design where she explored the world of shapes , colors, and drawing both by hand and on the computer. Moving on to study at the Llotja School of Arts in Barcelona she found work with a fashion photographer and was fascinated more by the photo shoot itself than the art. Shooting with a "point and shoot" camera she entered her own work into the El Pais Photography competition and won first prize which was a Canon 30D camera. Since then she has not stopped shooting. Winning the scholarship to San Francisco has allowed Rosanna to live her dream. She wishes to entertain people with her surrealistic photos and to get their minds off hard times. The actual photograph is only the first step in her art form. The image is later manipulated in order to create different dreamscapes. Changing color, and applying additional images all come together to create the incredible surrealism of her work. You can view her work at her flickr site and of course at our new Signature Loft Model at Pacific Cannery Lofts.

One Huge Crane

What kind of crane does it take to lift palm trees over tall buildings? Well they have what you need at Hatton Cranes.
The crane pictured here, which is the one used to move trees at Pacific Cannery Lofts, is the largest mobile crane made and a permit is needed every time it is moved. This is a 500 Ton Hydraulic All Terrain Crane with a
197' Main Boom
276' Luffing Boom
With "All Wheel steer"

The tires on this rig were as tall as I am(just over 5') and there were at least 10 of them. The people from Hatton were amazing with their precision and placement of the trees. Although it was a very windy day the trees were lifted over the building and placed bulls eye into 4' x 4' holes that the crane operator could not even see. (He had a 40ft tall building in between himself and the holes.) Standing in the courtyard was another Hatton team member with a walkie talkie directing the crane operator's every move. Hats off to the Hatton/Miller team. "LIKE BUTTA!"