Dolores Park: Hipsters and Homeless in the Hills of SF

There are few things better than a great city park on a Sunday afternoon.  They are, in contrast to the grinding hustle of the city, oases for the body and mind.  Places where you can sit only five feet from your closest neighbor but still be a world away.  Sumie and I love them.  

In NYC, we made the most of our parks.  It was a rare weekend that we didn't hit Riverside, Carl Shurz, or Central park in spring and summer.  So, when San Francisco presented us with a 65+ degree Sunday in January, we figured we'd make the most of it.

We considered taking the short walk over to Golden Gate Park, our current back yard, but then held off.  The park is genuinely breathtaking in both acreage and beauty, but the massive scope of the park tends to make it a bit impersonal.  We wanted a place where we'd be rubbing shoulders and sharing sod with our urban neighbors.  A place where people watching outweighs peace and quiet.  And so we hit Dolores Park. 

Dolores Park, nestled between the Mission and Castro neighborhoods, is famous for its city views, sloping lawns, and permissiveness.  As we circled the park looking for a parking spot (we eventually found one atop what must be the third steepest hill in San Francisco) we noticed a light haze hanging over the lawns.  "Must be moisture evaporating off the grass," we thought.  It wasn't until we settled down on our picnic mat that we realized we were only kind off right.  Grass was causing the haze, only not the type we were sitting on. 

We found a relatively quiet spot overlooking the city and the children's playground (under construction, unfortunately) and got down to the business of relaxing.  Mimi followed suit.  For about 7 minutes.  Just as the sun was really beginning to soak in, Mimi decided it was time for soccer. 

Her ball control has really improved over the past several months.  We've turned to working on throw-ins as well.  These are Mimi's favorite.  I think she deliberately kicks to ball out of bounds just to throw it back in again.

Tiring of soccer, Mimi joined us back on the mat and people watched.  Well, Sumie and I people watched while Mimi dog watched.  I haven't seen that many dogs here in San Francisco - nothing like the Upper East Side - but I got my fill at Dolores park.  There were at least 20 dogs of different breeds, from dachshund to doberman, circling our small plot of lawn.  And they were all off leash.  This led to one ecstatic little girl.  It also led to a few anxious owners who'd lost track of their pooches - they were the ones walking alone with a leash in one hand, a doggie treat in the other, and a squinty look of "Where's that damn dog?" on their faces - and one man who, having lost his dog, had inadvertently gotten lost himself. 

The mix of people in the park was considerable.  The lawns were dotted with families, couples (of all iterations), bleary-eyed students, unshaven hipsters, the ever-shuffling homeless, singles with books, singles with drugs, and the occasional wide-eyed tourist.  Everyone was out enjoying the sun and fresh air - though I think half were doing so to escape the house and the other half to nurse a hangover.  Speaking of nursing hangovers, about halfway into our stay a man came walking down the hill yelling out, "Cold beer!"  This was fantastic.  I didn't partake, but I loved the man's approach.  Other substances were being sold at the park "under the table," so to speak, but here was a man who had cold beer and just wanted to know if you happened to want one.  It reminded me of being at a ball game.  Unfortunately, a burrito guy never came by. 

After about 2 hours of lazing about, it was time for Mimi's nap and for us to head home.  As we walked up the slope toward our car we snatched a final snapshot of the Dolores Park's awesome views. 

This is definitely a great city park.  One of San Francisco's best oases and one we'll be coming back to soak in soon.