Fresh mornings // a pedant's ramblings on architecture
Checking out Cole Valley and the defining differences between Victorian and Edwardian homes
For those of you who don’t know, October is the heart of San Francisco’s second summer. After a cool and foggy summer proper, the city warms again to a beautiful sunny and 75 weather pattern. It is paradise with an ocean breeze. Tuesday and Wednesday, though, we saw the highest temperatures of the year, with the heat of the day reaching near 90. While the surrounding Bay Area sees these temps on the regular, this is extreme heat for SF. In the city, highs are typically in the 70s, so for a couple of days it felt more like I was back on the east coast in NYC. Safe to say I do not miss that humidity!
This morning brought relief in the form of a crisp breeze. Stepping outside, my lungs welcomed the fresh air back and my body moved with greater ease now that the oppressive heaviness of the atmosphere was lifted. It never ceases to amaze me how connected our bodies are to the natural world surrounding us. With this change in weather, my energy and sense of self was revived.
Our day began with a lovely venture to check out SF’s Cole Valley neighborhood. Situated in the center of the city, this small neighborhood is known for its quiet, family-friendly atmosphere and beautifully maintained Victorians. We stopped in at Wooden Coffeehouse on the corner of Cole & Carl for our decaf Americanos– caffeine no longer tolerated by either of our bodies– where we were greeted by a friendly barista and a creepy automaton butcher, wearing a pig’s head. I was immediately filled with glee to patronize a business with Halloween spirit on full display!
As I took in the coffeehouse, I found that there were plenty of Halloween decor colorfully arranged around the space, with a particular emphasis on horror films. One bookshelf showcased a nearly-vintage 2005, silver Toshiba tv, complete with a built-in VHS! Situated on either side of the tv were some great Halloween and horror classics on VHS. It made my born-in-the-90s heart happy to see. There were also horror movie posters to be found and a cat shrine appreciating the feline magic of the season. Overall, a fun and spooky spot to enjoy a coffee.
The coffee itself was good. They used the popular SF brand, Ritual, for their brews. Personally, Ritual is not my favorite espresso, but it can be counted on for consistency. I am currently on the hunt for the best croissant in the city, so I ordered one of those along with my drink. These croissants were not made at the establishment from what I could tell. I’m not sure where Wooden orders from, but I can say it did not make it to the top of my list so far. It was acceptable, but the flake was not flaking as they say. Or to paint a clearer picture, the croissant was too dark, thick, and dry.
After taking a few moments to enjoy our refreshments in the coffeehouse, we transitioned outdoors to stroll through the neighborhood. One thing about San Francisco– the architecture is unmatched. There is a reason over 23 million people visit the city every year! Historic houses and buildings line the streets in every shade of color. As we were making our way to Wooden, we even stumbled upon a jungle green house with a magnificent tiger painted on the front of it. This is not my own style, but I appreciated the creative artistry and individuality.
Now, as a bit of a pedant myself, I will point out that the picturesque houses are all famously lumped together as Victorians. This is technically incorrect. While there are quite a few gorgeously preserved Victorian (1837-1901) homes, a number of the great houses are actually Edwardian (1901-1910). You may shake your head and say, “Well, Cassie, didn’t the Edwardian era come directly after the Victorian era? What’s really the difference?” And I will answer you, “My friend, you are correct. The Edwardian era followed that of the Victorian and style does not suddenly flip on a switch. But, there is a visible difference in the architectural style preferred during the reign of Queen Victoria to that in the time of King Edward.”
So, what is the difference? Well, during the Victorian era, opulence was the name of the game. The relics of this time are asymmetrical beauties ornately decorated with trims, brackets, and spires. One can guess it’s a Victorian if it includes gothic inspired features, turrets, and towers. Edwardians, on the other hand, leaned on the style of elegance and simplicity. They are symmetrical in build and popularized the use of bay windows. No longer were the embellishments of the previous era desired. At this time, people were looking for practical, open, and bright homes. This also made it easier to streamline the design and building process.
Of course, as I said before, style does not flip on a switch. Some characteristics will bleed through to the following era. Even many of the recognizable era defining attributes of these two periods are revivals in architectural style from different ages in history. The truest way to define a Victorian or Edwardian is by the date it was constructed. With that in mind we can assume that some Victorian appearing homes may technically be Edwardian and vice versa. At the end of the day, my pedantry is fun but not required in enjoying the step into the past offered to viewers by these grand houses. For more information on Victorian and Edwardian architecture, click on the hyperlinked words included in these paragraphs.
As I was busy living in the moment during our walk this morning, I didn’t get any snaps of the houses we saw. Instead, here is a photo taken at Alamo Square Park, as a modest representation of the aforementioned architecture of San Francisco.
Well friends, thank you for joining me today! Tomorrow promises to be another day of new experiences as Harvey takes on his new veterinarian and we check out some fun vintage stores. Until then, I wish you serenity and delight in your life.
Cheers!