Post by Dante on Apr 27, 2010 7:08:39 GMT -5
Vistas - Corona Heights Park - A Writer With a View to Share
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Several times a week, Daniel Handler and his 5-year-old son, Otto, walk from their home in Ashbury Heights to the Randall Museum, which sits on Corona Heights with spectacular views of San Francisco. Mr. Handler, the author of the best-selling series of children’s books, “A Series of Unfortunate Events” (under the pen name Lemony Snicket), has also written three novels. His current projects include a fourth novel, a children’s picture book titled “13 Words,” and the script for the second Lemony Snicket movie. His words have been edited and condensed. TRACEY TAYLOR
Daniel Handler, who sometimes uses the pen name Lemony Snicket, at Cororna Heights Park.
OFF LEASH This is my son’s favorite place to run amok. We go to the museum and to “lawsuit park” nearby — a playground which hasn’t been given the nervous-parent treatment yet. There are two dog parks. My son loves dogs but we don’t have one, so he gets to “rent” one here and frolic with it. It feels like he’s a dog, as he runs off energy while I drink mint tea and make chitchat.
ANIMAL BEHAVIOR It’s not unusual for us to stroll down very early and stand around with other hung-over owners of small creatures.
ALL SENTIMENTAL I grew up coming to this museum — they used to have a huge taxidermy bear in the lobby, it was up on its hind legs. I would do rock-polishing classes here after school. One of the joys of revisiting old haunts is that it makes you feel younger and older at the same time. I remember being here as a kid, and now I come here with my son, but I wish I could make that sound less “Hallmarky.”
BLOWING OUT THE COBWEBS I sit at a bench and table with my back to the view, like Gertrude Stein. Otto runs around while I feign interest. I have a fantasy that I’ll bring a pen and write like Lord Byron, but it can get quite windy. So I come here when I feel like a blithering idiot and need to empty out my head.
TEEN SPIRIT I used to climb up to the rocky outcrops on the top of the hill with my high-school girlfriend. I remember wonderful midnight conversations, but also anxieties. It was an excellent libido controller as it was always freezing up there.
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Several times a week, Daniel Handler and his 5-year-old son, Otto, walk from their home in Ashbury Heights to the Randall Museum, which sits on Corona Heights with spectacular views of San Francisco. Mr. Handler, the author of the best-selling series of children’s books, “A Series of Unfortunate Events” (under the pen name Lemony Snicket), has also written three novels. His current projects include a fourth novel, a children’s picture book titled “13 Words,” and the script for the second Lemony Snicket movie. His words have been edited and condensed. TRACEY TAYLOR
Daniel Handler, who sometimes uses the pen name Lemony Snicket, at Cororna Heights Park.
OFF LEASH This is my son’s favorite place to run amok. We go to the museum and to “lawsuit park” nearby — a playground which hasn’t been given the nervous-parent treatment yet. There are two dog parks. My son loves dogs but we don’t have one, so he gets to “rent” one here and frolic with it. It feels like he’s a dog, as he runs off energy while I drink mint tea and make chitchat.
ANIMAL BEHAVIOR It’s not unusual for us to stroll down very early and stand around with other hung-over owners of small creatures.
ALL SENTIMENTAL I grew up coming to this museum — they used to have a huge taxidermy bear in the lobby, it was up on its hind legs. I would do rock-polishing classes here after school. One of the joys of revisiting old haunts is that it makes you feel younger and older at the same time. I remember being here as a kid, and now I come here with my son, but I wish I could make that sound less “Hallmarky.”
BLOWING OUT THE COBWEBS I sit at a bench and table with my back to the view, like Gertrude Stein. Otto runs around while I feign interest. I have a fantasy that I’ll bring a pen and write like Lord Byron, but it can get quite windy. So I come here when I feel like a blithering idiot and need to empty out my head.
TEEN SPIRIT I used to climb up to the rocky outcrops on the top of the hill with my high-school girlfriend. I remember wonderful midnight conversations, but also anxieties. It was an excellent libido controller as it was always freezing up there.
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