Growing up in the Haight was an interesting whirlwind of people, energies, and occurrences. Most folks probably expect me to write about all the peace and love, which was part of it, but there’s always two sides to every story. I’ll start with the good stuff.
I have wonderful memories of going to The Red Victorian, Coffee to the People, Amoeba, Rasputins. The Haight had every store you could possibly need, from groceries to shoes to smoke shops — everything. When I was a kid, my mom would take me to Mendels art store and I would run through all the fabrics in total LaLa Land! Fuzzy fabrics were my favorite to touch and wrap myself in because they felt so elegant. The vibrant rainbow colors of tie dye and glitter and shiny bubbles in the air was very exciting. It felt like a party, with so much to touch, smell, and look at. Of course, growing up here influenced my taste in music greatly, the Beatles, Bob Marley, Grateful Dead, all on repeat in our home. Art was and is always abundant here, the murals change periodically decorating the streets with various artists’ masterpieces. The Haight is a place of colors and sounds, which makes the energy high and enticing. Walking through the Haight, everything is alive, the energy feels like it’s buzzing with neon excitement. So many people and stores to explore, the smell of Nag Champa incense wafting down the block to gently greet you.
On the flip side, the Haight has had serious drug problems over the years, and I don’t mean psychedelics. More like meth and heroine. When the McDonald’s was still at Stanyan, it was a hot spot for drugs, shootings, and fights, every day. Alvord Lake was riddled with needles, trash and people completely out of their minds. There were many times people attempted to break into our apartment, or slept on our doorstep and left all kinds of objects, like knives and bags of drugs.
I am grateful to have grown up here but just like anything in life, it’s yin and yang. These days it seems like the Haight has mellowed out some. Compared to a while ago, it’s not nearly as bad.
The Haight being an epicenter of psychedelic experimenting, I grew up to be a psychedelic substance lover and advocate. I believe if everyone in the world would try just a little bit, humans would know more peace. Shrooms give you wisdom. My first trip, I was in GG Park on a bright and sunny day. The grass had been freshly cut giving off that crispy, sense-awakening smell. As the shrooms began to work their magic, I gazed up at the massive Eucalyptus trees, their lanky branches looked as if they were waving at me, welcoming me to the psychedelic realm. Tree bark turned into old men with beards, smiling warmly and laughing. The trip ended around 8pm in front of the Conservatory of Flowers, where a light show was on display. The building was lit up with fast-moving animated bugs and booming bright colors. Perfect way to end a trip.
