Playland Books & DVDs
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Playland at the Beach: The Golden Years
James R Smith's most recent Playland release provides a cornucopia of Playland Photos, history and Information. Staring with Playland in the Mid-40's, it's a visual trip down memory lane, ending with the parks demise. Golden Years could stand on it's own historically, considering Jim briefly takes us back to Playlands origins and history within the text. Don't let that statement fool ya! His first full-length Playland books is equally as grand and completely immersive.
This book is a must for anyone who wants to relive or even bring back those childhood memories of Playland at the beach.
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Playland at the Beach: The Early Years
James R. Smith's first full-length Playland book is a true treasure! Take it from a guy who spends hours a day looking for Playland Photos and history.... Jim has dug and dug deep into dusty archives to find some of this info. That said, the history and photos bring to life a time and era long gone. I personally find Playlands origins fascinating and engaging. It's a story of vision, commitment and success. Photos are are amazing quality....
If you enjoyed Playland and want to see where it all started.... THis is the book you need.
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San Francisco's Lost Landmarks
James R Smith's Lost Landmarks is fun walk through San Francisco's LOST Past. Jim covers quite a bit in the book. Bay to Breakers, so to speak. Poodle Dog Cafe to Worlds fairs.
(Amazon) With long-forgotten stories and evocative photographs, this collection showcases the once-familiar sites that have faded into dim memories and hazy legends. Not just a list of places, facts, and dates, this pictorial history shows why San Francisco has been a legendary travel destination and one of the world's premier places to live and work for more than 150 years.
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San Francisciana - Playland
Marilyn Blaisdell. I'd love to meet her! I bet she has some fun stories about the Whitney's. She has a series of these little square photo flip books. Playland, Sutro's, etc. Marilyn worked for the Whitney's. She categorized and sold their collections. She had a first hand view of some great nostalgic photos. She purchased many photos from the Whitney's. This book displays some of her Playland photo collection. the photos are wonderful. Many have found their way onto the Internet. Some are on this web site.
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'Remembering Playland at the Beach'
DVD
History and Interviews with past Playland Workers, Attendees and Personalities. Nice Video clips and great Photos. It's a fun romp through Playland History. A must have for any Playland fan.
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San Francisco's Ocean Beach
(Amazon) Where the waves of the Pacific Ocean wash up against the quiet neighborhoods of San Francisco, Ocean Beach has endured as a popular destination for tourists and San Francisco residents alike. At water's edge is the Cliff House restaurant where visitors can look down upon the remains of the Sutro Baths, a 19th-century indoor pool complex. Just south is the famous Golden Gate Park with its two stately windmills, followed by the well-loved San Francisco Zoo. But a century of change has altered the landscape and the attractions of Ocean Beach, making way for new developments and reflecting the evolution of the city of San Francisco itself.
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