My long-time supporter Michael Roberts sent an email several months ago that absolutely made my day:

After listening to your podcasts for the last six months, I couldn’t wait any longer and took a trip to the city so that I could experience some of your “brand” of history.

He’s in good company. This isn’t the first time a listener has been inspired by the show to book a flight and visit San Francisco. But Michael actually toured the city using his favourite Sparkletack episodes as a kind of audio guidebook. Attached to his email to me was a batch of photos from the trip — he’d documented the site of each episode with a digital snapshot.

This is just plain cool — thanks to Michael for letting me share this with the rest of the Sparkletack world.


Sparkletack Inspiration

#23: the Wave Organ
view towards the Marina

#52: Adolph Sutro
Sutro Baths at Lands End

#16: San Francisco Pyramid
Trans-America Pyramid

#35: Birth of San Francisco
Portsmouth Square

#13: Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
Julius Castle - Telegraph Hill

#55: Caruso, the Palace, and the 1906 Earthquake
Palace Hotel - Market Street

#56: Lotta Crabtree
Lotta’s Fountain - Market Street

#42: Alexander Leidesdorff
grave marker - Mission Dolores

#15: Golden Gate Bridge and Suicide
Golden Gate Bridge

#46: San Francisco Fortune Cookie
Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory

#18: Lillie Coit
Coit Tower - Telegraph Hill

#33: Andrew Hallidie
Cable Car Museum - Nob Hill

#19: San Francisco Burrito
Taqueria Cancun - Mission Street

#20: Fog City
Golden Gate Bridge