Thursday, April 9, 2015

left my heart in san francisco {palace of fine arts}

Dress: Preen; Shoes: Manolo Blahnik; Clutch: Charlotte Olympia

While I visited San Francisco pretty often with my family when I was growing up (it's only about a 3-4 hour drive from Reno), I'd have to say some of my most vivid memories of the city came much later when I would trek back with friends in college for different concerts. We would make big weekends out of it, leaving early on a Friday afternoon after our last class and pile into a car, armed with lots of iPod playlists (ah, remember those?!), ready for far too many pit stops at In N Out (animal style, please!). Outside Lands. Kings of Leon. Cat Power. Smashing Pumpkins. Feist. The list goes on and on. 

My favorite concert from this part of my life would have to be when Devendra Banhart played at the Palace of Fine Arts (the amazing building you see above here). My boyfriend at the time surprised me with tickets and true to form, we probably missed a class or two to make it out for a long weekend in San Francisco. We booked a small bed and breakfast just off Lombard Street (The Edward II!) and spent most of the evening just strolling around the Marina, getting lost in (and tumbling down) San Francisco's  many hills.

As for the concert itself, if you ever get the chance to see anyone perform at the Palace, I highly recommend you go! Naturally the acoustics inside the building are nothing short of amazing, but walking around the Palace grounds and surrounding park are actually what made me fall in love with it that very night. Simply put, it's beautiful. The sheer height and scale of the columns and overhead dome are humbling -- we actually were some of the last concert goers that evening milling around, mainly because we couldn't stop looking up while we were strolling. And we did just that. For hours, well into the night after the concert ended. The city grew still and quiet, the fog coming in like a blanket overhead, and yet there we were, roaming around this beautiful building like our own private playground. I may not quite remember the songs that were played that night and that boyfriend is no longer in my life, but something about it has stuck with me -- a very tangible memory of an evening that felt so alive and full of possibility. 

And to this day, I can't help but think of that night whenever I visit the Palace. 


19 comments:

  1. The dress is so pretty. The orange details are so unexpected and fresh :) x
    http://www.wllwproject.com

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  2. Wow the grounds are amazing! It doesn't look like it's in America. It looks like England or something!

    COOCOO FOR COCO

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  3. Such a beautiful palace - so grandiose and majestic! Looks like you are somewhere in Italy. Also love your dress


    Happy Medley Blog

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  4. Breathtaking photos, stunning location and such an amazing and unique dress!

    http://lartoffashion.com

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  5. Stunning, stunning images, gorgeous dress too. Love the story about your memories of the Palace, hard to believe I've never been. SF will miss you, enjoy NY. ;)

    xo Carlina
    AllergicToVanilla.com

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  6. Love this on you Krystal! And the photography is stunning too!

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  7. so amazing!!

    xoxo

    new post
    www.live-style20.blogspot.com

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  8. Omg why did I not go here when I visited SF? This place is gorgeous! I need to go back

    www.littleblackshell.com

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  9. such a pretty dress

    http://hashtagliz.com

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  10. Such a beautiful ode to SF. What truly magical pictures! Magic hour indeed. Love the dress, love the story.

    Jenny
    www.ruedemoi.com

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  11. STUNNING photographs! That dress is a dream *_* and the heels! AH! Just perfect!

    Kisses from Hungary xo

    Csenge | Csenge's Point

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  12. Such a stunning location. I don't think I would forget anything that happened there - especially not a concert.

    -M
    www.violetroots.com

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  13. Love this post!
    The dress is absolutely stunning and the pictures are amazing!


    Xxo

    Jessi Malay

    http://www.mywhitet.com/

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  14. I love san francisco! My sister just moved to Emeryville right across the way and I can't help but visit her and SF as much as I can. She says the Palace of Fine Arts is definitely an amazing place to visit. I will have to make sure I go one day! And take some incredible pictures while I'm there. Love these pics and that dress!

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  15. I will come back to this place, its huge and open, and have really tall ceilings. Wait staff was also pretty good. Bartender was awesome and personable. I was really pleased with private parties Los Angeles. Ha! I highly recommend these guys.

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