Even though Burning Man long ago decamped to Nevada, it has always been a quintessentially Bay Area thing; in its intent and focus, proclivity for nudity and drugs, and its appeal to techies. Attendance at the festival is now global, but Burning Man still provides an opportunity for our locals to shine. SFist knows of locals who save all year to buy hundreds of light sabers, who married people they met there, and well, people who can’t remember it at all.
Barb Traub has been going to Burning Man for a long time. Her book, Desert to Dream: A Decade of Burning Man Photography, chronicles a changing festival over the last decade. If you need some visuals to jog your memory of festivals past or won’t be able to attend this year, her book provides a visual exploration of Burning Man, which after all, began as an art exhibition, of sorts. In her interview with SFist, Barb provides insights to the festival and the bay area.
What is the most incredible thing you've seen at Burning Man?
A hail storm that appeared in the shape of a mushroom cloud followed by a triple rainbow.
What year was the best and why?
1997 - close proximity to the hot springs
Who would you most like to see become an attendee?
President Bush
Who is the most surprising person you’ve seen there?
A movie actor
Why should people who have never been go?
It can be a life changing experience.
Any tips for first timers?
Leave no trace
Introduce yourself in one sentence
Photographer and multimedia artist currently residing in SF Bay Area.
Age and Occupation
forties/author
Home Town
Baltimore
How long have you lived in the Bay Area and Where?
Since 1994/downtown/because it feels like Manhattan
Favorite place to spend time online
youtube/riverbend/boingboing
Favorite local business
Clif Bar
What I'm currently Reading
Bob Dylan -- The Essential Interviews
Best Deal in San Francisco
The climate
Favorite mode of transportation
BART
Best Band or Musician to come out of the Bay Area
Grateful Dead Kennedys
Favorite Bay Area Stereotype, and whether or not you buy into it
FOG
Favorite local hangout
Embarcadero
SF has the BEST
Cable cars
You've never lived in SF until
You've had a pint of Anchor Steam
Favorite Bay area politician of past or present
Emperor Norton
Now that Mayor Gavin is single, who are you going to set him up with?
Sister Kitty
You can tell someone is a local here IF
They remember the 1989 earthquake.
SF would be soooo much better if only
wooooohoooooooooo
Best Burrito
Mission
Best Restaurant
French
Best movie scene filmed in or about SF
Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
Favorite artist to come out of the bay area
Isadora Duncan
Favorite author to come out of the bay area
Dashiell Hammett
Place you always tell visitors to check out
Alcatraz
Favorite Bridge in the area
The movie theatre on Geary
You have two hours and $15 bucks to kill in SF, what are you going to do?
Camera Obscura at the Cliff House
I have found/sold/bought the following on craigslist
yard sale/battle mixer/plane ticket
I want all the SFists out there to know
The Future
Tell us a San Francisco Story
I once photographed a group of naked people on Baker Beach who spelled out "Make Love Not War" with their bodies.
Question you'd ask if you were doing this interview
Favorite SF landmark
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Well that was dull. Is her book as exciting?
The whole thing was fairly satifying - much like a burrito. However, the book is truly da bomb!