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Volume 136, Issue 3



Features

Escape
Discover what lies just outside your classroom

By Asiana Ponciano
Guardsman Staff Writer


Fall semester is here and that means Indian summer will be rolling in and fog will be rolling out.

Photo by Lan Citowski
Rich Henry reclines on the pastoral front lawn of the Science building.

There are no better reasons to justify missing your next class than lapis lazuli skies and warm gentle breezes, and several spots on the Ocean campus allow you to enjoy the weather in a more personal setting.

The first location is considered a shortcut from Judson Avenue to Batmale Hall and the rest of the campus. To those in the Environmental Horticulture and Floristry Department it's simply known as "The Path".

Behind the Visual Arts building and Batmale Hall, "The Path" begins as a narrow trail of wooden planks. It continues as a meandering ribbon of bricks, stone and cement that end with circular stepping stones leading to Judson Avenue.

Patricia Morgan, an instructor in the Environmental Horticulture and Floristry Department, says the pathway is 30 to 40 years old and has been used as practice ground for landscaping classes.

"They (people who use the trail) have to watch their step," warns Morgan. "Just be mindful because it evolved over time."

The trail offers several wooden benches, shade, and a quiet environment for those who want some time to relax from a stressful day.

"A few years ago," said Morgan, "people would stop and say 'this is so nice, we walk here all the time.'

The next two spots may not seem like typical places to sit and relax, but they do offer unique qualities.

Between the Lunch Box and the Rosenberg Library is a walkway leading to a semi-circular enclave. This tranquil quarter is like an eddy to the rushing traffic of students commuting between classes. It's an ideal area to sit and have a cup of coffee before tackling an intensive research project in the library.

While sitting in this cement crescent, you can observe the football team working out in the stadium below. If you're not a sports enthusiast, take in the view, a classic San Francisco portrait of rolling hills adorned with pastel houses.

When thinking about the B-lot, (the parking lot off Ocean Avenue adjacent to the soccer field) a woodsy outback probably doesn't come to mind.

A neighbor to the B-lot is the mini-forest behind the Student Union where you can imagine yourself sitting in the midst of Golden Gate Park. The area has a slight hill but the birch chips and dried leaves that blanket the ground offer optimum bum support.

Between the second floors of the Creative Arts building and Art Extension is a place that has outdoor furniture similar to that of Disneyland's Tomorrow Land circa 1950. The Jetson-like planters also function as seats, giving this spot flair, and the accessibility to both art buildings comes in handy if you want a quick outdoor break or still need to read last night's assignment.

"On hot days it gets a nice breeze," said Danielle Andrews, who comes to this quad to read before class.

If going to Tomorrow Land is not your cup of tea, then the small courtyards of Science Hall are perfect for you. On either side of the east entrance to the Science building are two quaint grassy squares facing Cloud Hall. The squares have many benches and are blocked in on three sides providing a secluded hideaway. Plus, it is ideal for science and math students who need a quiet place to work but don't want to be inside. These secret gardens make you feel like you're on the grounds of an English manor.

The west lawn of the Science building is the only grassy hill not populated with students and offers a spectacular view.

Molly Leung has been sitting under the same tree on the hill ever since her discovery of this spot almost a year ago. "I had a break between two classes," said Leung, "...and I would just chill under this tree right here."

"I like that not many people are out here," said Leung. "It's a really big, grassy field and you can see the ocean ..."

Soaking in the warm rays of Indian summer should be a mandatory assignment for every City College student. Be adventurous and discover what lies just outside your classroom.



The Ferry Building Marketplace
Photos by Carol DiBenedetto
After ten years of renovations spurred by the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the Ferry Building at Market and Embarcadero has grandly reopened as the new Beaux Arts home to an array of top-notch gourmet food companies and its traditional outdoor farmers markets.

The tower (left), about 230 feet tall, was inspired by the bell tower design of the cathedral in Seville; its 22 foot-diameter clock dials are purported to be the largest in the U.S.

A venus fly trap (above) lunches at the Green Market on Sunday, while (below) shoppers enjoy a dizzying choice of produce at the Farmer's Market each Thursday and Saturday.

In the 1920s, the Union Depot and Ferry House was the busiest transportation terminal in the world, a depot for pre-bridge ferries and cable cars. After years of decline, the Ferry Building (below right) resumes its role as a hub of water transit. After 50 years of neglect, the majestic two-story, 660-foot-long hall of the skylit Grand Nave (below left) has been restored to its previous grandeur.