Okay here's a more standard picture of the painted ladies

photo: © 2007 Eric W. Hiss   camera: Rollei 6008AF / P20 back /110mm

Definitely a better shot would be earlier in the day when  its not misty/foggy and the sun is shining on both the wonderful old Victorian homes along Steiner St by Alamo Square park and also on the buildings downtown but hey you'll have to come to SF to take your own!    Even though I live just across the park, I never manage to get over here early enough to get that shot.    

One thing to know about Alamo Square Park is that its a great place to take your dog out for a run. Notice the black dog in the grass on the picture above?   More than 2/3rds of the park is open for dogs which can run around and play off leash.    We don't actually have a dog - we were thinking about one but decided to have kids instead when we learned how much time and energy you really need to give a dog.  In some ways San Franciscans seem to love dogs more than kids since most of the parks are more dog friendly than kid friendly.  Most of the dog owners are pretty good about keeping their dogs out of the way of kids/babies but a few just don't understand why parents might be concerned if their dog knocks over their kid.   Most of the dog owners pick up after their dogs too, but not all.  I guess the dogs are still doing better than the homeless anyhow.  But weighing in for the children's side, the city just built a beautiful playground for kids here that has an awesome view. There's two tennis courts too if you like to play.     Its a great park and the park is at the crest of a hill so you get good views of the city in all directions.  There's several great places to go get a coffee, beer or food actually in all directions.  The lower Haight is just a 4 blocks to the South, and Hayes Valley is just down the hill to the East, and then there's what's being labeled by real estate people as the Divisadero corridor just a block to the West of the park.   The shops on Fillmore St. to the North are a bit further but still an easy walk, maybe 10-15 minutes?  Probably if you start anywhere you want in the city and you head off in one direction you'll come to some place cool, but Alamo Square is tops in my book.   Good food/drink to be quickly found in every direction.