San Fran-tastic

Saturday, February 27. News about the earthquake in Chile and possible tsunamis as well as the sad news that Phil's mom had suffered a mild heart attack made it hard to decide whether to drive into San Francisco or not, especially with rain likely throughout the day. But after Phil had talked to several members of the family and learned that his mother was resting in stable condition in a hospital, we decided to go for it. Drew and Tony have visited San Francisco several times on their own and are familiar with BART as well as the MUNI mass transit options. Based on their past experience, we decided to drive in to the western part of the city near San Francisco State University campus and then take the MUNI into downtown.

On the drive in, the rain was hard and heavy, but Phil guided us through the torrents over the steep and winding Highway 17. By the time we got to the train, we had to get all our change together for the $2 fare ($8 for the 4 of us). A fellow passenger explained to us that we had to board the first car in order to pay the driver the fare and then it was smooth sailing all the way to downtown. Most of the trip was underground so when we emerged into the cold wind of nearly deserted downtown, it was a little bit discouraging.

Things heated up considerably once we got to Chinatown. There was a huge street fare underway in advance of the Chinese New Year Parade scheduled to take place that night. Throng is not intense enough a word to describe the masses of people shouldering their way up and down and sideways along the streets and sidewalks of a four or five square block area, happily queuing up to spin wheels of fortune for prizes large and small and grabbing fistfuls of handouts from vendors. I got a refreshing towel and the boys got festive red "good fortune" envelopes with free passes to a local horse race track. Everyone was enthusiastic and even giddy, and it reminded me of the happy anticipation in a public park on the Fourth of July.

Some of the Chinese restaurants were tempting, but all of them were packed, so we walked over to North Beach. Since we knew we were making a pizza that night, we stayed away from Italian restaurants and picked a small sandwich shop called Justa Bite. The service was attentive and the variety of sandwiches was surprising. I was a little distracted by a large monitor that flashed news bulletins every couple of minutes, but I enjoyed my avocado and cheese sandwich very much, and everyone felt fortified for a climb up Russian Hill. At the summit, we met a young Englishwoman who had just flown in from Richmond, VA the day before. She was as delighted with the clear blue sky and panoramic views as we were and got advice from Phil and Drew about using public transportation. Everyone was snapping photos like crazy except me because I forgot my camera and cell phone.

We continued on up Hyde Street to get a close up look at that crazy curving Lombard Street. Before we got there, we walked by a nearly deserted public tennis court with spectacular views of the bay and particularly the Golden Gate Bridge. Phil took several photos that he said he was going to send to a tennis magazine. We walked down the sidewalk beside Lombard Street watching the nervous faces of the drivers making the tight turns down the super steep block. One woman stood up looking out the sun roof of an SUV with her video camera. From the foot of the hill, I was struck at how the hedges along the road concealed the cars, making it look like a rose garden on a very steep incline. Maybe they should design all street in San Francisco like this.

Another four blocks downhill brought us to Fisherman's Wharf. Phil and I showed Drew and Tony the Argonaut, a former cannery building refurbished as hotel. We had coffee at a cozy coffee shop called Coffee Adventures, and then boarded a streetcar along the Embarcadero jampacked with riders. We got a transfer along with our $2 fare which let us transfer to the MUNI back to where our car was parked. So we practically circled the city for $4. Whatever else I have to say about San Francisco, its public transportation system is Fran-tastic. Even on a day snarled with traffic from the Chinese New Year Parade, we got everywhere we wanted to go quickly and easily.

We hit a couple of rain squalls and had a pretty scary skid on Highway 17, but Phil's nerves of steel got us through unscathed. We stopped at Trader Joe's for wine and some pizza fixings and the full moon beamed down on us serenely from a clear sky.

Retiring retirement and Good Times in Santa Cruz

Friday, February 26. Drew and Tony made it to Aptos safe and sound at about 9:30 Thursday night and we celebrated with some chocolate cherry soy ice cream. We discovered the flavor because Steve had half a carton in the freezer, and then we bought another so we had plenty to go around. Friday morning was cloudy and the weather forecast promised rain. We walked Dixie and then the four of us walked down to the Seascape clubhouse for a nice breakfast. The place was practically deserted because of the storms brewing.

Back at Steve's house, we kind of settled in. Drew and Tony decided to take the bus to Santa Cruz, and we promised to drive in and meet them for coffee later. The weather held for another hour or so, and Phil and I thought they'd made it to the bus by the time the rains came, but they missed the one they'd planned on getting and took shelter in a grocery store before making a run for the bus in a downpour.

Phil had an interview to transcribe, but I found myself at loose ends. It occurred to me that this kind of down time is something I'd need to get accustomed to as a retired person. No one waiting for you to call the shots, no one really affected one way or the other what you do or don't do. A humbling thought, but hey a little humility deepens one's perspective. I did a Sudoku, listened to my recorded book, and then curled up under Steve's cream puff of a down comforter and listened to the raindrops clatter against the bedroom window. Doing nothing can be just the ticket on a rainy day, even if it does cramp the ego just a little bit.

By the time we set out for Santa Cruz at 4 pm, the rain had just about let up. We had to circle the downtown area to get to the one way section of Pacific Avenue where Bookshop Santa Cruz is located. Undaunted by the rain, Drew and Tony had visited the Santa Cruz Mission and a few shops before they settled in for a good read at this exceptionally well stocked independent book store. We headed over to Lulu's at the Octagon. The building, on the National Register of Historic Landmarks, was built in 1882 and served as the county hall of records into the 1960s, and yes, it is a perfect octagon made of bricks. Now the shape makes for a cozy coffeehouse and the vacuum press coffee is dee-lish if somewhat expensive.

After the coffee, we headed over to Carpo's to pick up some sandwiches to take to Phil's aunt's house for supper. We had a good time joking about their hamburgers being so good that everything else on the menu tasted like burgers too. Very silly and very fun. Drew and Tony hadn't visited her for almost a year, so there was lots to talk about and lots of joking too. We were happy to see that Sammy the cat was not too shy around us and shared stories about our remarkable cat Fuzz and her unquenchable curiosity.

Here Comes the Sun

Thursday, February 25. At last, the sky is bright blue and everything below is rain-washed and sparkly. As usual, the morning was quiet and full of work. I'm almost caught up with my diary of the trip and I did a load of clothes so there won't be much housework while Drew and Tony are here. I went up and fixed lunch while Phil talked to people at work as he walked around the backyard.



Phil suggested we sit out in the sun on the deck to eat our lunch and Dixie came out to join us. She seems much friendlier this morning than she has before. I called Phil's aunt to confirm that we were coming over on Saturday and she seemed very happy to hear it. Dixie continued to be attentive and Phil suggested we take her with us on our after-lunch drive. To our surprise, when Phil opened the door of the Honda Fit, Dixie jumped right in and then curled up in my lap, happy and excited.



We drove south on Highway 1 to check out Pajaro Valley Golf Club. Phil's on the lookout for a driving range and was also happy to see the low greens fees are there. Then we drove over to Sunset State Beach but didn't stay because there's a $10 fee and we weren't sure dogs were allowed. We drove along a windy country road with the coastline just out of sight, which reminded me of my family's trips to beach when I was a girl before interstates and franchises. The region south of Aptos is refreshingly undeveloped and agricultural. La Selva Beach seems prosperous and not as congested as the Rio Del Mar area.



We came home and I did a little more blogging. The day was so beautiful, Phil decided to head out to golf the back nine and I took Dixie for a long walk down to Hidden Beach. She still resists me when I hook her up to the leash, but after she gets out and starts to sniff all the exhilerating doggy smells, she forgets and lets herself go. We came across a few other dog walkers, but everybody made nice with no incidents. Both Dixie and I were tuckered out by the time we got home, and it wasn't long before Phil came in and we got started on dinner--veggie burgers and oven roasted potato skins. We talked to Drew and Tony just approaching Paso Robles and decided it would be 10 pm or so before they arrived.

Dog Days

Wednesday, February 24. After heavy rain during the night, the clouds began to let up around 9 am and it was clear by the end of day. We worked around the house all morning. Dixie had a surprise for us in the morning, so I mopped the floor while Phil worked upstairs. He had an hour-long chat about Toyota recalls sponsored by the Washington Post before lunch and an article to finish writing. Housework is so much more pleasant with a book to listen to. I started the Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, a thriller based on the Salem witchcraft trials.

After lunch, we headed out for another foray north to buy a book on meditation recommended by a friend -- Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat Zinn. I've listened to CDs of yoga sequences by him so I was interested in reading it as well as Phil. First, we stopped at Capitola Book Cafe. They didn't have the book but we had some excellent coffee and a yummy apricot scone and enjoyed reading the witty quotes on posters all around the store. Next, we returned to Capitola Mall and checked a Borders, but they didn't have it either. The very helpful clerk called the "downtown store" and reserved one for us.

As we drove into the business area of Santa Cruz, I realized I had never been to this part of town before. I've walked the boardwalk plenty of times and visited the UC Santa Cruz campus, but the rest of the city is pretty unfamiliar territory. We walked down Pacific Avenue and I admired how the older buildings had been maintained in the midst of newer shops. I particularly liked how the New Leaf Market had been integrated into the old Bank of Italy building. Homeless people were apparent on the street, and many people had wild uncombed hair bringing to mind the old hippie hairstyles. I said to Phil that I hadn't seen so many men with ponytails in a long time. We happened upon a drum circle and then saw the tents of an open air Farmers Market. Lots of spring greens and citrus fruit of all kinds were a feast for the eye. We picked up the book at the big Borders store and headed for home.

Phil had another teleconference from 6 to 7 and then we had dinner. I'm enjoying having a leisurely glass of wine while I put dinner together. It's much simpler to make meals for two than for four. We watched a DVD and talked to Drew and Tony about their car trip to visit us tomorrow. Tony will have to skip a class on Friday, but hopefully he can make up the work before the end of the semester. I had the clever idea to take Dixie out to the backyard to try to encourage her to relieve herself out there instead of on the tile floor. Unfortunately, it upset and confused her and it took us almost an hour to get her settled in her crate for the night. I am gaining a lot of respect for dog owners and all the patience and perseverance they need to get through each day.

Another rainy day

Tuesday, February 23, started with drizzle and went downhill from there. We hunkered down all morning. Phil had a radio interview with KNX and right in the middle of it Dixie got excited and started barking up a storm. Right in the middle of giving his expert advice, Phil had to admit that he was pet sitting but the radio announcer thought it was funny. I worked some more on blogging about the weekend and finished listening to a audio book download of People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. It's a fascinating survey of several periods of European history centered around people who had been affected by an illustrated Hebrew manuscript interwoven with a contemporary story of a book historian and archivist.

After lunch, we braved the downpour and went for a drive. First we attempted to find the entrance to the Forest of Nisene Marks, but overshot it by a quartermile and ended up on a dead end in front of a gated community. We drove around back streets for a while and finally ended up at the Aptos branch of the Santa Cruz County Library. It's a large branch and busy for a rainy day. We were impressed with the local history collection and the number of documentaries on DVDs. We stopped off at the Aptos Coffee Roasting Company again and read for awhile as we sipped our coffee. It's an interested mix of young and old customers, but the baristas do seem to have their favorites and we felt a little snubbed by their brisk treatment.

We came home to a cold house and Phil got busy building a fire in Steve's state of the art cast iron stove. By supper time we were snug and warm and enjoyed some yogurt and blueberries as we finished the National Parks DVD.

So Cool, So Soquel

Monday turned out to be relatively clear and warm after a rainy Sunday, so we promised ourselves a little outing after lunch once Phil got his teleconference meetings taken care of. I did some wash and got a list together for shopping at Trader Joe's. I've been trying to maintain a low cholesterol diet with some consistency, but it's challenging to find all the items in just one store.

We decided to avoid Highway 1 and take Soquel Drive instead, which must have been the main drag between all these little beach towns sometime in the past. Phil said it's kind of like driving around in a state park with all the tall trees and deep ravines and I know what he means. You get more of a sense of where one town starts and the other one ends, although we did get kind of turned around looking for Capitola Mall and had to backtrack from Santa Cruz. Getting sidetracked can have its advantages though. We passed a lovely art deco movie theater called the Rio that has been refurbished into a performance space and an interesting looking organic market called Staff of Life. Both Aptos and Soquel refer to areas as Aptos Village and Soquel Village and there are still some vestiges of commercial centers, but they're slowly getting eroded by the franchises and minimalls along the highway.

Once we got to Capitola, we stopped at a Goodwill to pick up some warmer clothes. I got a thermal shirt and Phil got a fleece jacket for wearing around the house. I thought I might learn something about the area from the kinds of things in the thrift store. It was very clean and well organized and had more sports brands like Nike and Adidas in good condition than I had expected, and less furniture and big ticket items than the stores around Long Beach.

The shopping trip at Trader's was a little hectic because Phil had to get back for another teleconference, but we got most of the items on the list. Later, we stopped at Aptos Coffee (Steve very generously bought us a card for 14 cups of coffee). While Phil did a little more work on his laptop, I got more stuff for the diet from the Safeway. While shopping, I noticed many students (from nearbyCabrillo College) and retired people. At the Safeway, I was struck by how many young families (four or five) were shopping together, and throughout the mall, I noticed several homeless people. With as much rain as we've been having, I don't know how they cope. Phil had yet another conference call so we hurried home as soon as I finished shopping.

I got a little blogging time in before supper. We have chicken and tomato sauce with rice and after supper some yummy chocolate cherry soy ice cream as we watched one of Steve's Netflix DVDs, an episode of the PBS series on the National Parks.

Things to Do Around Santa Cruz

On a rainy Sunday afternoon, I put together a list of possible excursions for the next two weeks.

Walk to the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park – Clubhouse, Dorsey, Rio Del Mar (left), Aptos Beach Drive (right then sharp left, Spreckels Drive (right and right again), Soquel (sharp right)

Yoga Within – Intro class Mondays, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 7:15-8:30 pm, Sunday, Yoga for Meditation, 7-8:30, $12, 8035 Soquel Drive 831-687-0818, Aptos Village Shopping Center

Safeway – 16 Rancho Del Mar, take State Park Drive exit (near library)

Aptos Branch Library – 7695 Soquel Drive, Closed Sunday and Friday, Monday to Wednesday 11-7, Thursday and Saturday 1-5

Visit Audey – Don’t forget the rent

Goodwill – sink stopper, dish drain, mugs, shirt, sweater

Farmers Market at Cabrillo College – 6500 Soquel, Saturdays from 8 am to noon

Capitola Beach – Bus 55 (Rio Del Mar) catch bus at Rio Del Mar and Clubhouse, 17 minutes, arrive at Stockton and Capitola

Santa Cruz – shops: Bookstore Santa Cruz (1520 Pacific Avenue), Pleasure Point (shops and cafes) between Santa Cruz and Capitola (41st Avenue and Portola Drive)

Natural Bridges State Beach – take Swift Avenue west from Highway 1or follow West Cliff Drive north; view monarch butterflies from the observation deck; $10 day pass

Tai chi class

Pigeon Point Lighthouse – Tours Friday to Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm, 27 miles north of Santa Cruz on Highway 1

Ano Nuevo State Reserve – Elephant seals, 2 ½ hours guided walks, 8 am to 5 pm, $7, make reservations online or 1-800-444-4445, 18 miles north of Santa Cruz

Carmel Mission – 3080 Rio Road, Carmel, CA 9:30 am to 5 pm Monday-Saturday, $6.50, 38 miles south

Tor House – 26304 Ocean View Avenue, tours hourly on Friday and Saturday between 10 am and 3 pm, $7, make reservations at 831-624-1813

San Jose attractions – Winchester Mystery House -- $31, tours 9 am to 3 pm, 523 Winchester Boulevard, 36 miles away, 408-247-2101; Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, $8 (with AAA) 1664 Park Avenue

Big Sur hike, wine at Nepenthe


Hot tubs at Esalen – Open to general public by reservation only from 1 am to 3 am for $20, payable by credit card, call 831-667-3047

San Francisco – Chinese New Year Parade, Saturday, February 27 along Kearney from Sutter to Washington, begins 5:30 pm until 8:00 pm; also a Street Festival in Chinatown on Saturday and Sunday

Aptos History Museum – Monday to Friday 10 am to 4 pm 831-688-6961

Mission Santa Cruz – Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm, 831-426-5686; and Mission Santa Cruz State Historical Park, Thursday to Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm, 831-425-5849

Neary Lagoon – 110 California Street, Santa Cruz

Soquel Village – Soquel Drive and Porter, Center Street (antique row)

Good bye vacation, hello pretirement

Sunday, February 21. Wet, wet, and more wet. After Phil prepared a wonderful breakfast of raisin bread French toast, the rain really started to pour. The plans for a long run had to be changed to a walk, and when they got back Phil and Peter were soaked and had to change before we got ready to go to the airport. While he did the finishing touches on his packing, we put together a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for him.

The grey grim weather made it easier to say good bye to Peter. After all, vacations quickly become as dreary as the weather, and the weather reports warned of lots of rainy day in the future. Phil and I drove away from SFO thinking that Peter only had only about an hour to wait before his flight back to Boston, but it turned out the plane was delayed because the crew got in late from Long Beach.

We drove back in the downpour and agreed that this rain was beyond anything we were used to in Southern California. There was so much water in on the freeway, the cars created their own little cocoons of spray as they sped along. Phil pointed out a minivan with a mattress and a box spring stacked on its roof at an alarming angle and secured with just one rope. The driver cruised along with this soggy load, zipping between lanes and casually chatting with his passengers like they were on a trip to the beach in a convertible on a sunny day. We laughed but I felt relieved when he passed the minivan. Better to be in front of it if that mattress began to slip.
That crazy minivan passed us a couple more times and became funnier every time it crossed our path. With tears in my eyes from giddy laughter, I thought what better way to switch from vacation to our brief experiment with retirement than a good laugh.

Back in Aptos, we quickly settled in to a quiet Sunday afternoon. Phil got his hair clippers and went right down to the bathroom to give himself a buzz cut. Now his hair is about a quarter inch all over. After the initial shock, we decided it looked kind of European and a little military. He's decided to grow a goatee as well. I'm tempted to cut my hair short too, but don't have the nerve to do it myself. Taking an extended stay opens the door to experiment with things you might not do at home with friends around that might be puzzled or even upset by radical changes.

The rain let up in the afternoon and Phil set out with his GPS hiking device and walked part of the golf course, measuring the holes and plotting the best way to shave a few strokes off his score. I went for a short walk with Dixie and came home to think about what I was going to do with the next two weeks. We had a nice spaghetti dinner and finished up some dark chocolate left over from Peter's visit. (We discovered that we all shared a preference for extra dark chocolate.) Later, we had a long Skype conversation with Drew and Tony back in Long Beach, sharing photos of our visit with Peter and their bike ride along the Los Angeles River. I began to see how easy it would be to become a couch potato in this comfortable home.

Beyond Darkest Carmel-by-the-Sea

Saturday evening, February 20. After leaving Point Lobos, we continued toward Big Sur. Phil had no trouble taking the Fit through the steep twists and turns of the two lane road high above the ocean. It's always fascinating to me to get glimpses of the houses just off the road perched precariously on cliffs, some of them luxurious and some of them tumbledown, and wonder what it's like to live with your back turned firmly to the entire continent. I'd love to give it a try for a month or two as long as it's not too rainy.

We drove just past the Bixby Creek Bridge, the impressive, much photographed span that embodies the Big Sur drive for most people. We pulled over to have a better look and take some photos. Peter had lots to tell us about the engineering of the bridge and he seemed especially energized by seeing it.

Phil has a Carmel restaurant in mind for dinner. He had eaten there before with a golfing buddy and had taken me and our sons once on a rainy day several years ago. Jack London's Grill and Taproom has the comfortable wood-panelled feel of a gentleman's study. It used to be sort of a burger place, but now it is more of a sports bar with big screen televisions and the menu items are more sophisticated and more expensive. We enjoyed steak and shrimp fajitas and wine and beer. Our waiter was a little erratic, which put a damper on things. On the whole, the narrow cobbled streets of Carmel-by-the-Sea embellished with BMWs and countless art galleries do not appeal to me. The lack of street lights seem self consciously precious and inconvenient to the lowly tourists who dare to breech the hyphenated little enclave of the rich and filthy rich. It was a relief to leave the opulence and head for home.

Old Dog Tricked Out a New Way

Friday afternoon, February 19. Although they faced some showers, Phil and Peter soldiered through all 18 holes at nearby Seascape Golf Club. Phil had brought enough clubs for both of them so Peter didn't have to lug his on the plane. When Phil set a tee time in the pro shop, the attendant pulled up his record from Phil's local Parks & Rec membership, saving a lot of time. They also saved money by playing twilight rates, about $30 apiece. Neither of them was familiar with the course; it was hillier and narrower than they were used to and the ground was saturated. The towering eucalyptus trees that frame nearly every hole don't help either. But Phil felt good about transplanting his favorite pastime into his new location, and got in some quality time with his brother who he hasn't seen since last summer. Phil hopes to play the course again before we leave and maybe meet some local golfers with advice on Seascape and other courses in the area. It may be the same old dog, but playing with new people in a new location, tricks it out in a new way.

TIP: Play sports you're familiar with from home. It's easier to meet people and gives perspective on the new area.

When they got home. Phil called his (and Peter's) aunt who lives in Santa Cruz. We ordered some take out sandwiches and fries from one of our cousin's favorite restaurants, Carpo's. It's located in Soquel, a little town between Aptos and Santa Cruz, which made picking up the food convenient, even though we were running a little late after the post golf showers and dressing. It didn't make it any better that the Tomtom GPS didn't give directions once we were inside the rather large trailer park where Phil's aunt lives. After a couple or wrong turns we finally located her.

TIP: Don't depend on GPS if you're traveling in the dark to a place you're unfamiliar with. Bring a map or get directions online before you leave as a back-up.

Phil and Peter had a great time talking about old times with their aunt, and I had a few memories of the family too. Peter hadn't seen her since 1980 so he had a lot of catching up to do, and we all had a good time joking about other people getting older while we all stayed the same.

TIP: Be sure to look up family and friends of the family early on in your trip. Bringing food to their place can be an easy way to visit a residential area you would never visit otherwise without imposing on your host or hostess.

That night we used Skype to talk to our sons back in Long Beach. The online telephone service which incorporates a visual link through video cameras attached to the computer is a great way to stay in contact with friends or family you leave behind during a long trip. Peter talks to his son in Japan using Skype, and we hope to set up a call between Phil's aunt and his mother using Skype, allowing two sisters over 80 who haven't seen each other in over a year and don't expect to make any more cross country flights to share some face-to-face conversation. You can even share screen images (like a photo slide show) between your computers.

Putting Down Roots

Friday, February 19, our second full day in Aptos, was pretty laid back. We settled into the house and started doing some foundation work for the vacation, discovering some tips to make the long stay more pleasant. The day was cloudy and chilly, alien to our Southern California sensibilities. We took our time over breakfast, raising our spirits by talking with Peter over steaming hot coffee. We discussed things we might like to do in the next couple of days and then went grocery shopping.



TIP #1: In this land of chain stores, if you have a favorite grocery store, see if there's one convenient to your new location. We found a Trader Joe's a couple of miles away and headed straight there. The arrangement of the shelves was different, but we found our favorite items like pita crackers and Just Chicken and brought them back to make the house just a little homier. Be aware that some big chains have affiliates in other parts of the country. For instance, I was able to use my Vons grocery card at the Safeway.



We cruised around the Capitola Mall for a while. It's a somewhat confusing conglomeration of shopping complexes separated by parking lots and city streets (some even busy enough to have traffic lights). There's just about every kind of store you can imagine there, but it may take time to find it. Phil and Peter had decided to take a chance and play a game of golf despite the threatening storm clouds, so we pulled into a Big 5 Sporting Goods store for Peter to buy some spikes for his golf shoes. The manager was impressed by Peter's East Coast driver's license. "We don't see many of those around here."



TIP #2: Don't be shy about letting people know you're from out of town. Many people tell you about places to eat and things to do, not only in the vicinity but sometimes even places they've enjoyed in your hometown too.



After unpacking the groceries, we had a lunch of sandwiches and nice hot soup and P & P headed off to the golf course. I stayed home and tried to bond with Dixie, our canine companion for the next too weeks. She is very homesick for her owner, but we hope she will settle in soon. We went for a little walk and met a doggie friend of hers, which picked up her spirits for a while.



TIP #3: Find some excuse to walk around the neighborhood and say hello to a neighbor or two. Explain that you're house-sitting, pet-sitting or whatever so they won't be concerned that a stranger is lurking in the neighborhood. Again, you can pick up a lot of advice on places to go, places to avoid and even pet care advice.



I photographed the contents of all the kitchen cabinets and drawers and put post its up to remind me of the main things that were inside as I described in a previous post. I emptied the shelf of one cabinet and put our food there so it was easy to find those things in a hurry. The refrigerator has also been rearranged for my convenience. We also have a lot of packaged items on the kitchen counter since it's wide enough to store things and still have plenty of work space.

TIP #4: As soon as possible, take some time to get to know the kitchen. It saves a lot of time (and money) to know where the coffee is and how much is left as well as to take stock of items that you take for granted which are missing in this new place. Start a shopping list of things you need or brainstorm ways to improvise. We rigged up a towel to serve as a dish drain and I bought a stopper for the kitchen sink after using a large pot to do the dishes proved to be too much of a hassle.

And While We're on the Subject of Tours

There's a Hop-On, Hop-Off tour on a double decker bus over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito, including the Presidio and Fisherman's Wharf. The Goldstar price is $10.75. Great if it's sunny.

What's so Funny about the Haight?

Flashback, a walking tour of San Francisco's Haight Ashbury district, is coming up this Saturday, February 27 at 1 pm. With a Goldstar discount, it costs $15 and lasts about 2 hours. The promo says the tour is lead by a comedian, which made me wonder what kind of laughs they'd get out of those wild and crazy times. Weather predictions warn of rain that day, so I'm still on the fence, but it's in the hopper for my next foray into San Fran.

A Coast in Wolf's Clothing

Saturday, February 20, was cold and cloudy, but the sky gleamed blue behind to clouds. We had a leisurely morning, working on email and Sudokus, except for Phil and Peter, who had a run along the beach. I'm still trying to build a rapport with Dixie, who mopes around hoping her master will show up. After lunch, we piled in the car and headed south toward Monterey. Peter especially wanted to see Point Lobos, but since we got off to a late start, we weren't expecting to have much of a hike.

We stopped for coffee in Cannery Row at Cafe La Strada overlooking Monterey Bay. It's an upscale cafe attached to the Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa, and we enjoyed the comings and goings of the well dressed crowd over elegant white cups of delicious coffee and a sweet roll shared between the three of us. A bride posed for wedding photos with the ocean as her backdrop, which reminded us of Peter's daughter's wedding last summer and got us to talking about all our children and how they'd grown up before our very eyes. We looked out over the bay and watched the waves mark time.

We drove south and stopped again at Lover's Point in Pacific Grove. We got a great parking place and walked out to the rocky point with a great view of another wedding in progress, or was it the same one -- the bride's gown did look awfully familiar. The men went right to brink of the rugged outcropping, and I stayed behind watching a couple with their pants turned up to their knees standing in a tide pool and eagerly studying whatever the waves brought their way. The water eddies and swirls around the rocky point with beautiful, almost translucent aqua patches brightening the dark surf. When we got back to the car, the windshield was doused with sea gull poop. Now we know why we got such a good place to park.

Riding past the cypress shrouded campus of Asilomar Conference Grounds, I remembered staying here with Phil when we visited Mark Anderson over 30 years ago. It was such a magical place and we were so young and ready to believe in magic. The area has been developed since then with several well appointed ocean view homes, but the insistent rush of waves remains the same, bringing the power and the secrets of the Pacific deep up to the stony beach. There always seem to be people here strolling on the boardwalks looking out toward the horizon absorbing those secrets -- conference goers, kite fliers, and kids with plastic pails.

The land rises as we approach Point Lobos State Natural Reserve with tall eucalyptus and evergreens making the ridge seem even more foreboding. I've read somewhere that Robert Louis Stevenson used this area for inspiration for the pirates' lair in Treasure Island, and even now the demarcation between the minimalls of cozy suburban Pacific Grove and the wild abandon of the nature reserve is very clear. A deer crossed the winding road on the approach to the entrance, but luckily the car in front of us braked in time for the graceful creature to clamber up the bank and disappear into the underbrush.

Many cars huddle along the road just before entrance. Tourists walk into the park to avoid the $10 entrance fee. Peter generously paid for us, but I still resented the price until I saw how patchy the asphalt road was and later how eroded the footpaths were. Then I felt the money to maintain this place was well worth it. We had to drive in a ways past Whaler's Cove and the cypress grove before we found a parking place near the piney woods.

As we walked along the path above the rocky shore, I thought of the subtitle of the Point Lobos website -- "the greatest meeting of land and water in the world." The water catches your attention first as it writhes and twists, forced by opposing currents into frothy swells far offshore. As the water crests and billows toward the land, it crashes against dark ragged rock, sometimes breaking into explosions of salt spray reaching up a hundred feet and sometimes disappearing into unseen hollows with supernaturally deep booming sounds. The eroded land formations are almost as fascinating as the everchanging water. Gradations of many colors -- from goldenrod to brick red to coal black -- make beautiful patterns on the rock, and every now and then, weird eroded shapes loom up, pocked with smaller stones embedded in the surfaces.

Peter had read about the Devil's Cauldron and we searched the shore for it. Finally, we saw what appears to be steam emerging from a hole in the rock about ten feet above the water level. A larger wave rolled in, and after a few seconds delay, we heard a boom and then water gushed out of the hole like gigantic insolent spittile. We watched the show several times and Peter got a good video. We moved on toward the sea lion rocks, but were disappointed to find that the path was closed to get a close look even though we could hear the barking and make out the sleek black bodies lumbering around on the small group of islands about fifty yards out in the ocean.

Soon we turned back and Phil and Peter climbed up on a high overlook. Peter got soaked when one of the waves splashed high enough to reach him. Both men took lots of pictures of the moody sea, now made even more dramatic as the setting sun broke through the clouds from time to time and made bright patches in water and shadows in the craggy rock. We were all quiet on the drive out, a little drained by the walk in the cool weather and full of images of the beautiful scenery.

San Francisco -- Not Quite My Kind of Town

Thursday, February 18, Phil's cousin left for Bangalore, India. We took Highway 1 along the coast north from Santa Cruz, trying to convince ourselves that the dense fog was sure to burn off by lunchtime. The rugged hills and lonely beaches had a mysterious appeal to me. What would it be like to spend time in one of the weather-beaten cabins overlooking the steel grey ocean?

After dropping Steve off at SFO, Phil, Peter (his brother here for a long weekend), and I headed up to "the city" as Steve advised us that locals call San Francisco. With the help of a Tomtom GPS, we limped through a few traffic jams and then past the Golden Gate Park and into the heart of the Presidio. Phil turned our trusty Honda Fit at just the moment to land us in the parking lot adjacent to the Golden Gate Bridge. The fog varied from dense to pea soup thick as we walked halfway across the bridge's nearly two mile span. The poor visibility frustrated me, but I was pleased to see that the pedestrian walk is wide enough to accommodate walkers and bikers heading in both directions.

We got back in the car and headed crosstown to North Beach, but hunger set in and a parking space appeared as if by magic on Union Street. We hurried into Crepes A Go Go, a tiny place with a funky ambience and great service. The coffee, served by a friendly young woman with a convincing French accent, was strong and the crepes were tender. I had nutella (hazelnut chocolate sauce) and bananas and the two gentlemen had heartier fillings followed by a crepe with butter and sugar. Before we left, Phil and Peter had a friendly chat with a young man double parked and blocking us in, but in no particular hurry to move his car. He was waiting for his ex-girlfriend to buy chocolates. Oh those inscrutable San Franciscans! We'll never know why the woman couldn't have found his bright red pickup if he backed up three or four feet.

We parked at one of the piers at the Embarcadero and walked up the overgrown gardens along the stairs climbing up Telegraph Hill. Phil and I are great fans of the film called The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill and have made this trek before in hopes of spotting the parrots and for the view from Coit Tower in Pioneer Park. The fog had let up a little. We could see Alcatraz Island, but the bridges were still elusive. We didn't pay to go to the top of the tower, but enjoyed the depression-era murals on the ground level. We descended into North Beach and then climbed Russian Hill, where the flock of wild parrots swirled by us with a flurry of swawks and glinting feathers. At the summit we looked in wonder at the cars perched head in on the steeply pitched residential when a man came roaring up the incline and then just as quickly retreated (in reverse) down the roller coaster steep slope. Note to self: don't drive on Russian Hill.

We had a little trouble finding the Cable Car Museum, a favorite of ours not only because it's free but also it has lots of fascinating information on the 1906 earthquake and how cable cars work including the huge power wheels that drive the few existing cable cars. Then we plunged into the frantic crowds shopping in Chinatown. Fish of every size and color flapped their fins in shallow tanks in one shop while next door shelves rose up the wall twelve feet or higher, full of see-through bins filled with exotic herbs and roots. As we struggled to make our way along the crowded sidewalks, vendors popped out of every door, extolling the quality of their wares in loud, insistent Chinese.

After the hubbub of Chinatown, the hushed hipness of the City Lights Books was a welcome relief. I love the hodge podge of shelves here, placed at odd angles so close together, and the wild assortment of fiction from around the world, but there's a sort of smug intellectualism that can only be rivalled by Harvard Square. Night had fallen by the time we left, so we searched North Beach for an Italian restaurant that matched our appetites and wallets. Calzone's Pizza Cucina fit the bill perfectly. The decor combined the traditional -- black and white tiles and shelves lined with pasta tins and olive oil bottles -- with cutting edge modern --triangular plates and exposed light bulbs hung over every table. We had no trouble finishing off an arugula salad with walnuts and cranberries and asparagus orzo.

The conversation turned to what a magical city San Francisco is. Try as I might, I cannot agree wholeheartedly. Despite the hills upon hills and the charmingly impractical citizens, San Francisco seems like a New York City wannabe -- not quite as culturally diverse, not quite as culturally aware, not quite as culturally rich. But as I massaged my aching feet on the car trip home, I had to admit that however lacking this city may be, it easily had me whupped up and down the block.

Esalen in the Moonlight

Ever on the lookout for romance on the cheap, we may try the recently refurbished hot springs at Esalen, now featuring bathrooms and changing rooms. With an awe-inspiring view 50 feet above the Pacific from the remote Big Sur coast, the tubs are available to the general public by reservaton only from 1 am to 3 am at a cost of $20, payable by credit card. So we need to check the weather to find a cloudless night and get some extra sleep the day before. To make reservations, call 831-667-3047

Santa Cruz City Guide

While looking for thrift stores in the area, I came across an attractive and easy to use online city guide for Santa Cruz. It lists thrift stores, yoga studios, farmer's markets, movie times, hiking trails and lots more. Unfortunately, no festivals are listed during the time we're here. Next time, we're have to schedule our stay to take in the Fungus Festival in January.

We're been Spotted

I'm so happy and proud to that we have a follower! Erik's Delicafe, offering fresh sandwiches and other goodies throughout the Bay Area, has spotted us and we will definitely return the favor. There are shops in Aptos and Santa Cruz and prices run between $5.99 and $6.49 and they offer half-sandwiches two. A good sandwich shop can be a day-tripper's spare time, supplying an easily transportable lunch or a quick dinner while you're on the road. The website claims you get a free sandwich for signing up to their e-mail promotions. We'll see how that turns out.

Hit the Beach Running

My husband and I are planning to get to know the area better by checking out free or inexpensive leisure activities in the area. Right now, he's out for a round of golf at Seascape Golf Club, only a few minutes away from the house. The twilight rates run about $30. He's also going to check to see if his sports center pass will be honored by any of the local gyms. I'm on the lookout for a free yoga class, but may have to settle of a 4 class for $40 series at Yoga Within in Aptos Village. A great way to keep healthy and meet people as well as get some perspective on the area by comparing it to something you're familiar with in your own hometown.

More Larks in Parks

I found another handy website with good information about the state parks in Santa Cruz County--14 of them in all. Helpful information like recreational opportunities, natural resources, historical significance and volunteer events(great way to meet people) with maps, prices and at least one telephone number

Save time and money

One quick way to get a sense of what kind of sports, music and other entertainment events are on tap in an area you're staying in is to check an online ticket agent. Some, like Goldstar, not only offer discount prices to lots of amusements including walking tours. It quickly presents the events happening during a certain time period and the addresses and websites of popular local venues based on zip code or city name.

Have you photographed your drawers lately?

One way to lighten the financial load of an extended stay is to housesit. In our cases, we're getting the mail and walking the dog for a cousin who has a long business trip, and in exchange, we have the run of a lovely three bedroom in a quiet neighborhood graced with towering eucalyptus and the occasional redwood and just a few minutes walk from the beach. One of the first things I did was photograph the kitchen cabinets to get a good visual of what was inside and to document how they were placed on the shelves so I can leave them in a close resemblance to the way they were when we arrived.

Aptos, Wiki Style

A few factoids from Wikipedia about Aptos, CA, soon to be our base of operations. Locals pronounce the name Ap-toss. It's an unincorporated area of several communities with a combined population of 25,000, situated on the San Andreas fault. The area is very hilly and largely residential. There are two state parks -- The Forest of Nicene Marks State Park and Seacliff State Beach. The population is 95% white and mainly couples and singles. For entertainments, there's an independent movie house, the Aptos Cinema. Restaurants include Erik's Deli Cafe, Taqueria Sofia's, the Brittania Arms, Manuel's Restaurant, Ma Maison, Bittersweet Bistro, Palapas, Sanderlings, and Cafe Sparrow. The Wiki article has links to the Aptos Community site, the Aptos Chamber of Commerce site, the Santa Cruz Wiki and the Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitors Council.

Larks in the Parks

What better way to understand the lay of the land in a new location than visiting a few parks? Just a few state parks within driving distance of Aptos are Mount Diablo State Park (spectacular view from the summit), Point Lobos State Natural Reserve (dramatic rocky promontory and seals galore), Sonoma Coast State Park (great for a drive along the shoreline or a walk on the beach), Ano Nuevo State Park (breeding ground for elephant seals). Nearly all parks offer hiking trails and scenic vistas and sometimes even chances to spot wildlife. The visitor centers and pull-off exhibits offer a feast of information about the geography and history of a region and often there are flyers and brochures about other inexpensive places to visit.

Wine Country Dreaming

Napa Valley is another extended day trip from our home base in Aptos. If we do make the trek, here's a few names to remember, culled from an old Conde Nast Traveller article. The best strategy seems to be to call ahead and make appointments where possible for midweek trips.

Carneros
Artiesa Vineyards & Winery (chardonay, pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, merlot)
Carneros Inn -- Boon Fly Cafe (elegant sandwiches and signature hot doughnuts)
Bouchaine Winery ( pinot Noir and chardonnay)
Ceja Vinyards (sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir, syrah, merlot, cabernet sauvignon)
The Farm (restaurant with San Francisco chic)

Napa and Yountville
Above the West Ballooning
Villagio Inn (sparkling wine breakfast)
Frazier Winery (merlot, sauvignon blanc)
Patz & Hall (tasting room in a corporate suite)
Oxbow Public Market (artisanal food stalls and farm stands)
Bouchon (Thomas Keller restaurant)

Rutherford
Swanson Vineyards (rococo salon with merlot, pinot grigio and dessert wines)
Round Pond Estate (cabernet sauvignon, nebbiolo
Napa Valley Grapevine Wreath Company
Redd (five course tasting menu and scrumptious desserts)

Northern Napa Valley
Beringer Vineyards (oldest operating vineyard in the valley)
Martini House (mushroom dishes)
Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park (organic fresh ground flour)
Bothe-Napa Valley State Park (towering redwoods)
St. Helena (shopping on Main Street)
Kuleto Estate (cabernet sauvignon, sangiovese, zinfandel)
Kelham Vineyards (lavish food and wine pairings)
Auberge du Soleil (expensive, but maybe a glass of wine)

Capitola by the Sea

The surf, the sand, and the quaint cottages snuggled on the hillside add up to another perfect California day at the beach in Capitola. The town has a long history of luring tourists with its Mediterranean charm and awesome waves. Walk along the Esplanade or explore the idyllic beach houses on the back streets. Paradise Beach Grille, Gayle's Bakery and Roticceria, Cava Wine Bar, and the Shadowbrook Restaurant are eateries to try.

A few points on Point Reyes

Taking an extended vacation gives you opportunities for a few far flung day trips. Point Reyes National Seashore is about 3 hours by car from Santa Cruz, the epitome of far flung, but it does have its good points. (ouch) Check out the seasonal attractions of area parks for the time period you're visiting to help you decide on long road trips. In this case, late February is kind almost off season for whale watching and elephant seals, but there's still tule elks, raptors, and deer. The weather could be dicey. Fog is practically guaranteed, but storm lashed beaches on this dramatic finger of land are also quite likely.

Things to know about if visiting Point Reyes (from Sunset Magazine, January 2010):

Bear Valley Visitor Center -- Catch shuttle bus from here on weekends; get maps of hiking trails (over 150 miles of them)

Drakes Beach -- must take shuttle bus to the lighthouse on weekends for whale-watching

Chimney Rock -- best place to see elephant seals from overlook

Tomales Point Trail -- best place to spot tule elk

Restaurants -- Nick's Cove (water view; expensive); Osteria Stellina (upscale Italian); Tomales Bakery (great pastries; open Thursday-Sunday); Tomales Bay Foods (sells picnic goodies)

Pizza Pie-sibilities

What makes a place more like home than finding a dependable pizzeria? Sunset Magazine listed a bunch of San Francisco restaurants with tempting pizzas.

Pizetta 211 -- 211 23rd Avenue; only 4 tables; less busy at lunch; order Margherita

Flour + Water -- 2401 Harrison Street (Mission District); opens at 5:30; order blistered radicchio with chiles and pancetta

Tony's Pizza Napoletana -- 1570 Stockton Street; order deep-fried meatball calzone or Margherita

Pizzeria Delfina -- 3611 18th Street AND 2406 California Street; order broccoli rabe plus black olives and fresh mozzarella or order a ball of dough and make one at home

Gialina -- 2842 Diamond Street; order wild nettles with pancetta, provolone, mushrooms, and red onion with cappucino Italian ice for dessert

Pulcinella -- 641 Valeho Street; closed Monday; order eggplant and zucchini; you can make reservations

Tune in February 15 to March 9

Phil and I will launch another action-packed blog of our travel adventures. This time we'll be out and about in the Santa Cruz area with jaunts to San Jose, San Francisco, Monterey and maybe even the wine country. Our he said/she said blog will definitely add perspective and at times a bit of contradiction to the places we see and the things we do. For instance, I want to see lighthouses; he wants to see clubhouses. How will we resolve our differences? Unlike our blog Glacier Googles, the posts will be shorter, the pictures more plentiful and maybe, just maybe, there'll be more helpful information about how to make yourself feel at home on an extended vacation. Tune in in two weeks as our adventure begins -- the road trip.