Relaxation and Recreation at Crissy Field

It’s where Will Smith swept his son Jaden gleefully off of his feet and into a rare moment of joy as the father and son pair acted in the film, The Pursuit of Happyness. It’s where Charlize Theron showed the Salvatore suit wearing Keanu Reeves, that even the simplest thing, like playfully running with a group of dogs, can amount to a greater degree of happiness than any success found in a business boardroom, in the film, Sweet November. And it’s where I, Carly Perez, have spent countless afternoons sunning, barbecuing, and exercising. What is this wondrous place? Crissy Field, a park that has become a favorite amongst film directors but even more so with me, as the backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge, cool bay breeze, and clean soft sand come together to create a rare treat in the urban chaos of San Francisco.

Best enjoyed on a sunny day when time is not of the essence, Crissy Field, is a 100 acre park, that is right below the Presidio, situated along the shoreline between the Golden Gate Bridge and the marina that is right before Fort Mason. The park is outfitted with picnic tables, barbeque grills, a public restroom, large overgrown grass fields, a running/walking path, café, and a beach, but best of all is the jaw dropping views of the bay, which is often crowded by numerous sailboats and the occasional sea lion. Before all of this existed, Crissy Field was where the Panama Pacific International Exposition occurred in 1915, and in following years, was one of the country’s top airfields and part of a U.S. army post. “Crissy Field played an important role in the pioneering years of military and commercial aviation as one of the earliest army air bases on the West Coast,” says Stephen A. Haller, National Park Service Historian on the Golden Gate National Recreation Area website.
Due to Crissy Field’s historical significance, the park, along with the Presidio, became a National Historic Landmark in 1962. Since then, restoration efforts have occurred which have helped Crissy Field add a community center and natural vegetation that make up the majestic setting we see today. The Crissy Field Center offers many amenities including a media lab, resource library, arts workshop, science lab, bookstore, café, gathering room and a teaching kitchen. The next event being held at the Crissy Field Center is an Internet workshop for older adults taught by Dr. R. Wood Massi on April 13th at 1:10pm.

So whether you are utilizing the educational aspects of the Crissy Field Center, barbecuing some burgers for a family picnic, or bravely donning a bathing suit in the cool San Francisco climate, take advantage of all that Crissy Field has to offer. Or at the very least, get out and explore the city, take a day to get lost (how I stumbled upon Crissy Field), and who knows you may stumble upon a favorite place of your own.

The Secret Garden

Nestled on the eastern slope of Lone Mountain, and overlooking the Presidio and San Francisco's famed Golden Gate Bridge, is a little known part of USF's campus, the Loyola House. Few students have ever been inside the building, and fewer still have walked around the gated garden housed therein. Father Tom Lucas, one of the Jesuits who lives in Loyola and a caretaker of its garden, drove home the obscurity of the garden when he admonished students, "Pull the gate closed, because we have to keep the secret garden secret."

Built between 1998 and 1999, Loyola houses 25 Jesuit priests, including Father Lucas and Father President Stephen Privett. The Jesuits used to live in Xavier Hall, now Fromm Hall, but Lucas said the building was too large for their needs. Several locations were scouted for a new home, and Lone Mountain was chosen both for the size of the available space and the spectacular view.

The garden attracts animal life from around the Bay, including 28 different kinds of birds, from hummingbirds to Red-tailed hawks, and often draws in raccoons at night. The raccoons, who have no salivary glands, are attracted to the garden's fountain because they need water to digest their food. Lucas seemed happy to host the raccoons, in spite of their tendency to knock over the papyrus plants growing in the fountain, and their penchant for eating the goldfish he occasionally places inside.

The garden attracts more than just animal life. When it first opened, the stairs going up the north side of Lone Mountain had not yet been completed, and students would sometimes stumble upon the garden when trying to scale the mountain. Lucas also related the story of a man who walked his terrier along the garden wall, and complained when Lucas asked him to stop.

When explaining the fact that the garden is closed to the public, Lucas asked students to remember that Loyola House is the priests' private home. "Think of this place like your backyard," Lucas said. "This is our backyard. Your neighbors don't just stroll into your backyard, do they?"