Compass Rose Design on Haight St.

Yesterday was a great Sunday. I headed over to Haight St. in the afternoon and after searching for parking for almost 30 minutes (I don't miss city parking) made my way to Distractions, at 1552 Haight Street. The owner, Jimmy, had approached me at the Alamo Square Indie Mart and asked me to come in for a visit to see if we could get some Compass Rose Design treasures into his shop. Distractions, which Jimmy started in 1976, is nearing the end of its existence as a psychadelic institution and is going to be reborn as a STEAMPUNK BOUTIQUE!!!

Since while not hawking psychedelia on the weekends, Jimmy does Victorian house renovation, deconstruction and reconstruction on the side - he'll clearly have no problem with the design aesthetic. He showed me photos of a Victorian he numbered, took apart, moved and reconstructed in the Russian River area. Needless to say, impressive. After a few minutes of sentimental loitering (I got my first Grateful Dead tie dyed tapestry there when I was 16), Jimmy came in hauling a large old stained glass window, just as when I had first met him at Alamo Square - I get that he often has a window or some other unwieldy architectural gem in tow.

It was a great interaction, and even though the full Steampunk theme does not begin until January, my designs are helping blaze the trail!