a neighbor of mine, just around the corner, has been transforming a tired-old regular apartment building into something unique, quaint, floral, and all-too-beautiful for the last several years. he's always out there painting and putting together potted flowers and plants and just completely transformed the block. today he was profiled in the chronicle with some great photos of what he's done. good4him!

he once said to me that one of the things that prompted him to beautify the place was that he was near death many years ago and couldn't leave his apartment building. he decided then that once he got better he would fix it up because if he was ever near death again and couldn't leave the apartment he at least wanted everything to look beautiful around him. smart and really nice guy