Then & Now: Land Your Plane and Get Your Mail at Marina Green

× Like us and you'll find top breaking news in your Facebook newsfeed. Sign up for our daily email newsletter and get top stories and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Friday, November 9, 2012, by Alex Bevk

Public spaces change fast here in San Francisco, and for better or worse, it can be pretty crazy when you see what the City used to look like. Every week, we'll bring you Then & Now, a comparison of historic photos of the Bay Area with current views from the same perspective. Have a suggestion for a photo comparison that looks totally different (or shockingly the same)? Drop us a tip in the Curbed Inbox or leave a comment after the jump.

Quick note: See that vertical green bar in the middle of the then and now photos? You can move it horizontally to see the photos side by side.

[Then photo: SAN FRANCISCO HISTORY CENTER, SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY/ Now photo: Google Maps]

Marina Green, the ever popular place to walk your dog, take your Boot Camp class, and generally be seen looking beautiful, was once nothing more than a tidal marsh, until the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition transformed it. Before it was used for watching fireworks and flying kites, it was an airfield and the terminus of the transcontinental air mail route.

After the 1906 Earthquake and Fire, rubble from the damage was dumped here. The site was filled in for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, and since it was situated in front of the fair's Transportation Palace, the "North Gardens" as it was called was used as an airfield for flight shows. By 1920 city the city used it as an aviation field & Air Mail terminal, launching transcontinental postal airplanes, and referring to it as Marina Field. By 1924 the Postal Service had moved on to another field, and the city considered establishing the area's airport on the site. But eventually the leased land south of the city (where the current airport is) and Marina Field was retired by 1930. The park is now operated by the Rec & Park Department, but a plaque commemorating the air mail service is on a pole along the jogging path.
· Montgomery Field / Marina Airfield [airfields-freeman]

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Renters Week 2011: The Holidays Are Quickly Approaching... Take a Vacation That Doesn't Require a Plane Ticket

× Like us and you'll find top breaking news in your Facebook newsfeed. Sign up for our daily email newsletter and get top stories and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Wednesday, November 9, 2011, by Sally Kuchar

Vacation rentals: something the greater Bay Area is rich with. And with the holidays quickly approaching, we thought we'd offer up some seriously swoonable vacation rentals that will make you want to get the hell out of town, Thanksgiving or not. Here now, a small sampling of our favorites. As expected, Tahoe listings were plentiful, as were Napa Valley abodes. Let's start with Tahoe.

The really expensive:

Where: West shore of Lake Tahoe
The skinny: This villa's rates are across the map, so choose your dates wisely. Nights start at $2,500 and top out at $8,286. The minimum stay is at least 3 nights in the off season and a week during the busy months. There are nine bedrooms and the entire abode sleeps 18 folks, so if you and 17 of your closest friends would like to crash here while you hit the slopes, you're looking at $973 per person for the week (lowest rate). Property highlights include 12,000 square feet of "glamourous yet relaxed lakefront living;" 145-foot pier with one of the "few cribbed slips on the lake;" full-bar and a "spacious wine cellar and tasting room."

The reasonably priced:

Where: North Upper Truckee
The skinny: Weeknight rates start at $200 and weekend rates at $500. It can be as high as $700 for the weekend during the Winter. You can nab the place for the week from $1,250 to $1,500. There are four bedrooms but the 2,300 square foot cabin sleeps 10 total. Not a bad rate at all if you and a few of your besties want to take a weekend getaway. We're talking a couple hundred bucks for your own cabin in South Lake Tahoe.

The "we're on a tight budget:"

Where: Heavenly Valley
The skinny: This property's within "walking distance from Heavenly Valley Ski Resort." The cottage has two bedrooms and sleeps six. There's a minimum of a two day stay and the weekly rate is $400. If you want it for the weekend, it'll run you $150 for the whole abode. That's $38 per person for two couples. You can also rent it per week night at $65 per day.

The beautiful Napa Valley

The really expensive:

Where: RustRidge Ranch in St Helena
The skinny: $7,000 for the week or $3,500 for the weekend. This working ranch with a vineyard and a winery on the premise has five bedrooms and sleeps 14. The ranch is located on a lot of six hundred acres of "accessible natural land." You can take a yoga class on the tennis court, a dip in the pool, or a host a picnic under the grapevines.

The opulent and decadent deal:
Where: Napa Valley
The skinny: Peak weekends are $325, midweek is $250, and it's $1,500 for the week. During the holidays, there's a 3 night minimum. The Stoddard house was built in 1898 and has mature gardens, vaulted ceilings and a double parlor. It's a quick drive to St Helena Hwy and just a 10 minute walk up historic First Street to the heart of downtown Napa.

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