My last day in California. Not forever, I’ll be back! I got a late start today, but the sun was shining through the windows beckoning me onwards. I walked to Bernal Heights, enjoying leisurely window-shopping along Cortland Avenue. It reminded me of downtown Winslow, actually, complete with cute gift shops, casual dining spots, a friendly, [...]
With all the unseasonably good weather I’ve been having, it was only a matter of time before I got rained on. On my way to Civic Center, I had the good fortune to hit upon the Farmer’s Market — free samples galore from the friendly farmers under their white or blue tents! But I lingered [...]
I am a mochi machine! I woke up, took the bus up to Japantown, and went to the mochi shop Ron Chun recommended so highly: Benkyodo. The man who runs it is well-aged and a bit thin, with glasses and a kind, articulate way of speaking. “I hear you have the best mochi around. Which [...]
After another day of hiking and relaxing, I said my farewells and took the Caltrain to the big city of San Fran. Am I the only one for whom San Francisco and Rice-A-Roni are inextricably intermixed? Anyhow, I met Jamie, my old neighbor on Bainbridge, who has had a fabulous career as an environmental engineer [...]
Ted and Barbara’s place is like a spa. There is the forest, with miles of well-kept trails and clean air, filtered and oxygenated by the moss-covered redwoods and the energetic creek. I spent hours hiking there today, once the mist burned off a bit. There is the infrared sauna, which makes my skin glow but [...]
After a day of doing absolutely, blissfully nothing, reading and listening to the rain, I had a day jam-packed with adventure. I finally got in touch with my uncle’s friend, Ron Chun, a tax lawyer, disaster-preparedness card-holder, amateur guitarist, and honorary lesbian, and he picked me up bright and early. We introduced ourselves over coffee [...]
Yep. I’m in love. Today I got a ride with Ted into town early, and hiked up to the Arboretum. Filled with flora from California, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa, I could barely take two steps before finding some exotic succulent, or a bench nestled among rare red-flowering eucalyptus, or scurrying rabbits and quail. [...]
With the promise of making it down to Santa Cruz in the afternoon and the weather miraculously clearing up, Ted took me on his daily hike in the nearby redwoods. Clearcut a century ago to quarry lime, you would neve guess you could have seen much sky, the place is so lush. The rainfall made [...]
Travel day. Jessica and her mom spent the morning struggling furiously to get everything packed, including gaggles of gifts for their family. Jessica’s sister, Jennifer, and I hugged and waved them on their way, then we made our own way to the Caltrain station, and I headed off to Santa Cruz. It was not a [...]
Jessica’s mom rules the day! She decided to take me out to Golden Gate Bridge, and after days of gloom and the occasional doom, we got clear blue skies to play the backdrop to the structure’s vermillion towers. After a photo-op and a great view of the harbor, we continued on to Sausalito in the [...]
