Interview: Myleen Hollero
SFist interviews are a great way to gather even more reasons why you’ll never sell out and move to the Midwest and buy some palatial rambler where the mortgage payment is even less than the rent you now split with your craigslist found roommates. Today, Myleen Hollero reminds us of yet another reason why living here is so fabulous. Despite the fact that rent is obscene, you at least get some space for what you’re paying. Not necessarily a lot of space, but enough so that you can actually have friends over. Unlike that other -ist, your hard earned rent check may well be supporting the best local hangout in town. Being glad for our pricey rents? That’s a new one, right?
And yet, Myleen, for various reasons has moved to the -ist down south, LA! Understandably, we begin our questioning of her there:
What has been the hardest thing about moving to LA from SF?
The lack of public transportation and the urban sprawl. it pretty much forces one to have a car...it takes getting used to the fact, that it may take you an hour to drive from one end of town to the other...in a city with over 3 million people, here everyone drives, traffic truly SUCKS. (and the air can get really nasty) and I have to mention the goddamn strip malls. Predictable corporate crap everywhere you go...I guess most people find this comforting. I find that one has to really go out of their way to support what's left of their local "mom and pop" shop. Thank goodness for taco trucks.
True or False: All people in LA are inherently superficial and way too image conscious?
True and false. I have indeed, met plenty of flakey assholes. But I’ve also met some Angelinos that have a soul and care about more important shit, other than what kind of car I drive, where I work, where I live and how much my jeans were. It’s a constant process...like weeding out your garden.
What do you find to take pictures of in LA?
When I'm not in my car, I love walking around or riding my bike...street photography...it's different way see the city and discover all the microcosmic communities in LA that are really appalling, funny, fascinating...and you get to actually "interact" with people.
Thing you miss the most from SF?
The knowing nods from familiar faces in the community, the dive bars, my friends and my loved one.
Name
Myleen Hollero
Introduce yourself in one sentence
Hi nice to meet you, my name is Myleen..."My-leen".
Age and Occupation
25. photographer and sometimes designer.
Home Town
Los Angeles, CA the neighborhood I grew up in is now called "Little Armenia"
How much time have you spent in the Bay Area?
I lived in the bay area for almost 6 years...like a lot of San Franciscans I moved a lot, I think every single year that I lived there...due to scary crack-head roommates/landlords and the search for the perfect (rent-controlled) room... most of my time was spent in the inner Richmond working at a bookstore...the rest of the time was spent making pals, going to shows, playing with my camera and enjoying the city.
Favorite website
www.wikipedia.org this web site rules...good for "brain sex"
Favorite local business
That car share program sounds pretty darn cool. City share? I forget.
What I'm currently Reading
"Book of Disquiet" Fernando Pessoa
Best Deal in San Francisco
The happy hour special at the World Sausage Grill on Market and 14th. You get 1 amazing juicy grilled sausage, a side and a beer for like 6 bucks. Quality.
Favorite mode of transportation
My feet! It’s the best way to see the city.
Best Band or Musician to come out of the Bay Area
Deerhof
Favorite local hangout
Wherever friends live...
SF has the BEST: people
You've never lived in SF until:
You've had tamale from the tamale lady at 2:00 in the morning.
Favorite Bay area politician of past or present:
Frank Chu
Now that Gavin Newsom is single, who are you going to set him up with?
Ann Coulter
You can tell someone is a local here IF:
They step over someone lying in front of their building to get into their apartment.
SF would be soooo much better if only:
The bars were open until 4.
Best Burrito:
Super Veggie burritos with avocado instead of Guacamole at El Castillito. yum.
Best Restaurant:
Mai's Vietnamese on 4th and Clement. The owners are lovely people.
Best movie scene filmed in or about SF:
When Dustin Hoffman drives the wrong way on the Bay Bridge towards Berkeley in "The Graduate"
Best thing to do in the city in the summer:
Go to Zeitgeist
Favorite artist to come out of the bay area:
Twist and Margaret Kilgallan. sorry that's two.
Favorite author to come out of the bay area:
Dashiell Hammett
Place you always tell visitors to check out:
The tenderloin. or the suppenkuche in Hayes valley...they have the "boot" a 2 liter glass boot filled with beer...ideal for passing around the dinner table...
Favorite Bridge in the area:
The Golden Gate 'cause you can walk on it.
You have two hours and $15 bucks to kill in SF, what are you going to do?
Go to the inner Richmond and hit up Green Apple and the dim sum spots.
I have found/sold/bought the following on craigslist:
I posted my sidewalk sale and I got rid of a lot of stuff. If you're ever going to have one I suggest posting "no early birds"...or they will come EARLY.
I want all the SFists out there to know:
You are pretty. And so very lucky to live the greatest city in the world.
Tell us a San Francisco Story:
I was 18 when I first moved to the city. I had no friends. I was taking photo classes at City College of San Francisco and I met my first friend, Malachy. Malachy lived in the Tenderloin with his two Lovers and their 3-legged dog...We would hang out in his apartment, listen to records, chain-smoke cigarettes and laugh a lot...it was the first of many friendships in sweet 'ol San Francisco.
Question you'd ask if you were doing this interview:
Have you ever used one of those fancy porta-potties that you have to pay money to use?