Yes, reader: It’s winter, right now. But bring back this era of San Francisco seaside regalia ASAP, please.
With how chilly it’s been as of late, it’s hard to remember that earlier this year, the mercury climbed to over 90 degrees in some parts of San Francisco. (For example: San Francisco reached 92 degrees Fahrenheit on June 21st, with Oakland reaching 98 degrees Fahrenheit; San Jose beat them both with 102 degrees Fahrenheit recorded that day.)
But the current seven-day forecast for SF couldn’t be more of an albatross to those aforementioned burning temperatures. The highest temperature the seven-by-seven is expected to see is 60 degrees over the next few days — and there’s now a potential for light rain early next week.
Alas, Hot Vaxx Girl Summer 2.0 is now something of a figment in our collective imaginations. But, in an exercise of historically-rich nostalgia, remember that you don’t need to don skimpy swimsuit attire — or any type of clothing meant for aquatic leisure, tbh — to enjoy beaches in San Francisco. Perhaps take a cue from this unknown man pictured relaxing on Ocean Beach sometime in 1902 and make an excuse to get dressed to the nines and just vibe.
And yes, he (of course) is nuzzling a small dog (for effect).
The OpenSFHistory.org-sourced image uploaded by Western Neighborhoods Project, a local nonprofit dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of western San Francisco neighborhoods, the incredibly detailed shows a man — dressed in upscale regalia, his hair hidden beneath a brimmed fedora — contemplatively gazing out toward the horizon at Ocean Beach. Under his left arm sits a small, white dog looking right at the photographer. It, too appears a small gasoline-powered buggy passed on the beach based on the thin tire lines
Curious observers will also notice an unusually large house in the background near Sutro Heights. The massive home in question was apparently part of Adolph Sutro’s 22-acre estate that was located on the then-underdeveloped outskirts of SF, between 47th and 48th avenues.
Who knows: Maybe this cooler weather will actually elicit us to wear such a confident beach-day look, so we can stay relatively warm while pondering the cosmos. But unlike the pictured male biped… we’d at least bring a beach towel or large blanket to lay on (because having sand granules inside your dress shoes makes for a rather unpleasant experience).
