Treasures from San Francisco

A few weeks ago, my dad went on holiday to San Francisco to visit some relatives. About half way through his trip it occurred to me that he must have been staying quite close to the legendary City Lights Bookstore & Publishers - where one of my favourite Beat writers Allen Ginsberg published his most famous collection of poems, Howl and Other Poems. So, seizing any opportunity for a glimpse inside the store, I asked my dad if he'd be so great as to look for the bookstore and take a few pictures of it for me. He actually did find it, which surprised me because I didn't think he'd have time. So at around 3am BST one morning I received a lot of pictures on my phone from my dad of City Lights. Here are my favourite two:

After taking and sending those pictures, my dad decided to be even more brilliant by buying me a copy of Howl. So I now have a copy of one of my favourite poetry collections from the actual bookstore in which it was published. He also bought me a City Lights T-shirt (which I love, it's so cosy), some postcards with the bookstore, John Lennon and Andy Warhol on them, some pens and a badge; aka the best collection of gifts he could have gotten me.

I hope that, one day, I will be lucky enough to go to San Francisco and see City Lights for myself, but for now I am very much more than happy with all of this! Thanks Dad!