It's been awhile since a High 5s has been posted. Wrap up art, hang art, build out FFDG, host openings, and other art gallery related whatnots.

Misc imagery as we continue the settling process here at Fecal Face. Who knew a fire and a medical issue could upset so much in so much time.

A bit behind on the photo journal. Playing catch up with a few posts in the coming days.

... we look forward to the new year.

Had to drive to LA last Saturday and drive back to SF on Sunday. A hectic short trip, but we got to hang out with the wonderful Mel Kadel & Travis Millard. We had ourselves a little look-see at their Echo Park home/ studio before the 6 hour drive back home.

Had a crazy ass summer/ fall. The building our new apartment is now for sale. My wife is getting surgery to get a tumor taken out of her head/ neck. The building FFDG was in caught fire and it remains unclear how long till it's repaired... No worries though. FFDG has a temporary home. We have health insurance and business insurance (insurance is a good thing). SF is experiencing summer, finally. My cat is fluffy. The Fecal Face softball team is playing better (our record is 0-8). The Tigers are still in it (barely). The Mario Martinez (Mars-1) show opening Nov 10th at FFDG is still on track (note: it'll be at the temp space- 248 Clement). Got our taxes done in time. The art season is back on with lots of great shows to check out here in San Francisco and many more to enjoy online...

Random facts: When you die your hair still grows for a couple of months. - The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every year because when it was built, engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building. - A skunk's smell can be detected by a human a mile away. - When snakes are born with two heads, they fight each other for food. - Charlie Brown's father was a barber. - Cats can hear ultrasound.

On Tuesday at around 4pm we were working away on the site/ answering emails when a crazed lady pounds on our door and yells, "the building is on fire. Get out!". Unfortunately, this is the second time we've heard this yelled at us while working at Fecal Face.

Thinking it was going to be another similar grab a few things, stand back while the SFFD do their thing, and in 30 minutes, we're back inside and back to work. Not this time. Not this time at all. We're out of the gallery and space there at 248 Fillmore for who knows how long till we're back in our beloved space next to our friends at Estela's and Three Twins.

Me on NBC channel 11 news Tuesday night. I was also on KTVU as well.

Anyone got a empty store front we can rent till ours in back and running? Please feel free to let us know: john(at)fecalface.com

Thinking we were possibly over reacting, we grad Damon Soule's paintings from the gallery walls and quickly try to figure out where we can take them as screaming fire trucks race to the scene. Luckily, our friend Mike Midden lives across the street and let us store the paintings there while we figure things out... Weird bangs and explosions above our heads/ breaking glass around us, we frantically grabbed art, laptops, cameras, etc.

Flames were shooting 6 feet out the corner apartment's window. Distant/ nearby sirens continued to descend to our corner of Haight and Fillmore. At one point, it became clear there was no going back inside as firemen broke down the door next to ours that leads to the stairway. A healthy crowd builds behind the yellow caution tape. We stand nervously watching the fire rage and build. Thick black smoke billows from the roof as the late afternoon breeze begins sweeping the flames across the building from one side to the next.

Pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?

Watching the flames lick the next building over, we hope that the massive amounts of water would somehow filter away from our ceilings as gallons and gallons of toxic fire water make their way down from the top floors.

After holding our breath for 30 minutes, we know there's nothing we can do but fret. It's determined that a strong beer is needed to calm frayed nerves. We had beers at Cafe Soleil where next to us sat a resident of the building also calming his nerves with a beer. We chat and hope that the fire/ smoke/ water damage escaped our places. It wasn't the case, at least for us.

Tip toeing around a web of fire hoses we avoid the raining water and enter the gallery where a rush of heat and smoke stink past our noses. Water is poring down in umpteen places from the ceiling as we trek across a foot of water on the floor in search for items/ art that may still be safe. Our cabinet contents were dry. Travis Millard's and Mel Kadel's work, which was probably in the only part of the back area that avoided water, was untouched, thank God (we built those shelves where the work sat just a month ago saving us from having to claim their art as a loss).

Thanks to Harley and everyone at Upper Playground and neighbors who formed a human chain to move items and art from the drenched gallery to Upper Playground's back room. A lot was saved and items that were ruined by the water damage can be replaced. Our disappointment by having to work from home is nothing compared to those who not only lost their apartments but their personal items as well. Thankfully no one was injured.. Animals were rescued and all will move on. We just hope that the contractors are building ninjas so we can get back in soon and we can get back to hosting shows.

Hopefully we're going to back in 248 Fillmore very soon... Anyone got a empty store front we can rent till ours in back and running? Please feel free to let us know: john(at)fecalface.com Thankfully we purchased a good insurance plan when we moved in which covers fire damage like this. SO glad we kept up with the payments.

That night My and Adam took our gallery plant Stretch home while the dust settles.

Back in the next day to see what was lost.

Natty and Jessica taking inventory.

More on the bummer here.

Been working 6 days a week since getting back from Brazil. Labor Day Weekend left us with an extra day off. With two days off, we headed onto the San Francisco Bay aboard our 27 foot Catalina Augusta for some sailing, anchoring, beer drinking, sun-getting time relaxing.

Get on your lab coats because we're about to get all Mr. Wizard up here at Fecal Face... Well, sort of. Mr. Wizard was way more entertaining than a water test blog.

If you live in San Francisco you most likely live and work in a pretty old building with absolutely no knowledge of its plumbing. If you're also like us you drink the tap water because, all those plastic water bottles are a complete waste and, we here in San Francisco have some of the nation's best water... But is it? I mean we use a Brita here @FFDG, but shit, we have no idea if the pipes contain lead or something. After we started getting some headaches, we thought it might be a good idea to buy a little kit and test the water. ~exciting conclusion.

The last blog from our glorious trip to Brazil features the last few days spent at the beach.

Many thanks to Carmo Marchetti, one of the owners of Sao Paulo's Logo Gallery, for letting us stay at her beach home. We planned on busing up the coast to stay at some resort which would have sucked as the buses are super slow. Instead, thanks to Carmo's generosity, we could afford to rent a car and got a place with tennis courts, wet and dry saunas, a garage filled with all sizes of surfboards, a kayak, a heated swimming pool plus a private beach. Thanks again, Carmo! You helped to make our last few days in Brazil glorious ones!

Day 2 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. More from the massive city down south. We visit an art toy studio where each peice is created by hand. Visit Culture Shock Gallery and are invited to a pizza party in lovely, Sao Paulo.

Logo Gallery features work by important players in the new Brazilian street art movement, such as Bruno 9li, Sesper, Flávio Samelo, Luis Flávio Trampo, Alex Hornest, Rimon Guimarães and many others.

Since moving apartments closer to FFDG's newish space on Fillmore St, our commute got totally perfect. Thought we'd share our daily morning nature hike through Buena Vista and down Haight St en route to work.

Last Friday we were trying to plan our post work plans that wouldn't cost too much $$ and also involve moving about on the ol' bicycle. Some water time in there would be a bonus. So we checked the ferry schedule and planned our attack which was ferry to the closed Naval Air Station in Alameda, bike around the sprawling empty base for an hour while enjoying two buck chuck along the way. Total cost per person was $12. Two buck chuck included, throw another dollar in the pot.