Fairmont Theory

[choice]

Did you guys notice the windowpanes and similarity to the woman in the painting?
When it comes to the rationality of cask locations you get into the connectivity of the puzzles and the secret of the secret. It's all about "peace".
The bookend puzzles have UN connection. UN building in NYC and Fairmont Hotel in SF where UN charter was signed.
Look up all synonyms for peace i.e. "tranquility" (Houston) and "silence" (hush).

[kwendall]

Is there any potential story line for Fairmont that could start to tie in the multitude of other clues in the painting? The dragon, the moons, the rocky cliffs, JFK silhouette, Japanese immigration? It just starts to feel like a dead end imo, but would be happy to hear something better/deeper/intriguing than, "yep, here's a window, some flags, and clever court name."

[diceycat]

No mention of Fairmont in Wiki.

[choice]

I already explained most of the points. Here's a CliffsNotes version:
Cliffs/water/woman = Siren
table leg = cable car + fire call box/fire alarm
Alarm clock bell = cable car bell + fire alarm bell
Rose stem = Fairmont logo
Rose flower = Angel Island to the north OR Fairmont Garden Room. UN logo may be in rose.
Cable car track below rose
Woman = Windowpanes
Round table top = Powell St. cable car turn around
X = Cable car crossing
3 balls = Balls finial on top of cable car signal house
Phone drawing = Call box
Rectangle/cross = Grace Cathedral
Up/down arrows = maps.app.goo.gl/qGFTFoJBLExdJXry8   OR the outside elevator that flag is on top.
Two half circles = Turnarounds at each end of Powell cable car route OR Pacific Union Club
Dragon/yin yang = China town to east
Lincoln = Lincoln Park/Lands End cliffy area to west (someone's idea!)
Dragon's nose = Knob of dragon's nose is distorting the border line to form the shape of a hill. The word "hill" is spelled out by it. Knob Hill lol.
Symbols around her shoulders: Flip image and you get:
h i square circle. square = 4 = D. Circle = treasure. So "hid treasure".
Triangle square I G. Triangle = step or corner. So "DIG corner or step".
Silver moon may be a flagpole ball way up high; giant pole.
The other 11 moons may represent the other 11 casks since this is the 1st image, hinting to a connection to all.
Blue blob is map of bay area.

Theme is Chinese and their contribution to building the Central Pacific railroad. The Four Nobs of Central Pacific Railroad, all had their mansion built on Nob Hill, location of Fairmont. They all burnt down after 1906 quake and fire.

In 1945, the Fairmont hosted international statesmen for meetings which culminated in the creation of the United Nations. Finessing of the United Nations Charter was conducted in the hotel's Garden Room and a plaque at the hotel memorializes the event. The charter was signed at Herbst Theater. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairmont_San_Francisco

[kwendall]

Checks out, imo it's a plausible theory. But for some reason wouldn't get me convinced enough to dig for. There are other very plausible theories out there. I can't shake the feeling that BP and JJP designed more than just a simple misdirection here.

[diceycat]

It could very well be the cap of a trolly conductor on the dragon’s nose and tied to Nob hill area. I keep all options open.
If one flips the image then “Gill hill”…… kind of fishy , like Spreckels lake on a hill

[kwendall]

Gill,nice. The bubbles around the dragon definitely seem like little air bubbles coming out of your stereotypical fish. Fits with the overall water theme

[choice]

Didn't Byron's wife say in the video that they were on a date at the Tonga room (Fairmont), and he left for a few minutes to bury the cask?
Look at the shadow of the pearl. Looks like the floating elevator at the Fairmont. It's decommissioned now.

[kwendall]

That's the conversation that opened all the recent discussion on the Fairmont. But nobody seems to have a recording or direct knowledge of that conversation. Nobody really knows if it was 15 minutes, or an interview that was edited. Or if somebody remembers correctly

[kwendall]

Total speculation, but I think I can imagine Byron ditching out of the date to go collect information to concoct the diversion plan for the puzzle. And coming back, boasting that he buried the cask, when in reality that was basically a fib meant to impress her. Unless it was in the planter, I have a hard time believing he could go anywhere to bury a cask.

[choice]

It's very plausible that IF they met at Fairmont bar, he's most likely parked at the Ace Garage, now Fairmont Garage. He goes to his car, walks out of the garage, buries the cask in the planter below the square blocks and back to the bar in a few minutes.
I don't know of any diversion plan! You guys pull stuff out of air. Must be near water, must be fun, there must be a diversion.
Who know, he might've been abducted by reptilian aliens!

[kwendall]

From what I heard, the entire planter had been dug up and resurfaced due to a massive flooding in the '90s. So any speculation on my part comes with a heavy dose of speculation and optimism

[choice]

How do you dig up a 20 foot high (at highest), 1 foot wide (at narrowest) planter?

[kwendall]

who knows, but when the garage is flooding causing massive damage, you find a way I'd assume. maybe they borrowed Byron's ladder he used to get to said planter?

[choice]

It's a giant step planter so it's lower at one end, a couple of feet high.