Now, you’re asking, “What does that mean?” Well, every now and then I post something that isn’t San Francisco, and isn’t vintage. The pictures in this post aren’t San Francisco vintage, but they are then and now photography, and that’s, in part, what this blog is about. Also, a blogger friend of mine named Tony may be interested in the fall and summer horticulture in this set, to which he’ll be familiar with, whereas I’m not. Late November last fall, I was watching the rare autumn horse racing in Pleasanton, CA. It always seems kind of lonely walking around the empty fairgrounds when the fair isn’t going on; no crowds, no corn dogs, no ice cream, no turkey legs, no oysters-on-a-stick, (I can do without those anyway) no deep fried Oreos, just horse racing. I enjoy taking pictures around the empty fairgrounds and matching them up when the Alameda County Fair is open. The fair opened this weekend, and everything is back, except the horse races. The County Fair is always a major part of the summer for me, but without the horse racing it’s kind of like going to Disneyland with Tomorrowland closed. (Thumbnail images)
The Green Entrance, where most visitors enter the fair: I’m a little farther back than my November photo, but I wanted to get the overhead sign in.
Looking toward where, last November, the Midway of the fair would be this June:
The Sky Tram between Buildings B and C:
The area between Building C and Q: I’m not sure what they call this area, but it’s pretty fall or summer.
I had a hard time finding this spot again; I had to go by the tree on the left. It’s between Buildings C and F.
Heritage Park: This used to be about the only place for shade and relaxation in the fair long ago.
San Francisco Film Locations Then & Now 
Horticulture?! Almost all of the trees are either Modesto ash or London plane (sycamore). I suppose they qualify as horticulture. (Actually, I happen to be fond of Modesto ash, even if it is old fashioned and passe. Perhaps that is what I like about it.) The before picture of the last pair seems to show ‘Schwedleri’ Norway maple, but it is probably something else. (That particular cultivar was passe in the 1950s.) The after picture of the fourth pair looks interesting, but I can not zoom in closely enough to see much.
Yeah, I get my expressions like horticulture and arboriculturist misused at times. If I stick to “trees” it’s safer, but there is more than trees in the pictures.
Arboriculture is a specialized horticulture, so “horticulture” is not incorrect. I was merely mocking the passe ash and sycamore. The second of the fourth pair of pictures seems to show some sort of horticultural exhibit, like a landscape competition, which is common at some county fairs.