March 4, 2010
Well this time it’s a little different. Normally Margaret does the writing and I do the photos but this weekend she’s attending a class in Sausalito so I tagged along. This will be more photos and less talking.
I was kind of bummed because it looked like rain for Saturday however after an overcast start the sun came out . I explored Sausalito, Fort Baker and the Marin Headlands. It turned out to be a beautiful day and these came out pretty nice. Check out the small gallery below. When viewing the photos clicking on the image will take you back to this post.
March 04 2010 | Special Places | No Comments »
February 25, 2010
Mama's Royal Cafe, Mill Valley
This weekend I am on a course in Sausalito and Tom came along for the ride. Of course he brought his camera along but so far has not been able to use it because of the rain. I do not know how he is going to entertain himself today while I am working.
Once again, I checked out Anna’s Cool Finds to see where to eat and she came up trumps. Mama’s Royal Cafe is an absolute treasure but how to best describe it is going to be a challenge, but I’ll do my best.
The cafe is set back from the road but look out for the brightly colored sandwich board on the sidewalk. Parking is minimal so get there early (they open at 7.30 am.) Outside are few tables under cover and on a sunny day or even a dry one, it would be nice to sit outside but the inside is not to be missed.
There is just one booth and no stools at the counter so not your normal diner. All the tables are covered with a thick, plastic cover which sounds dreadful but every one is different and patterned with vibrantly colored fruit. The chairs are a complete mishmash – Tom and I sat on garden benches.
But the biggest impact to the eye is the walls, which are literally covered with a huge assortment of paintings, photos, posters and curios. For instance, within touching distance of where we sat were a photo of an old boat; paintings of a mermaid, an ocean liner, James Dean, a huge swan with a woman on its back, an elephant and a green plant. At the end of the table is a mural of an idyllic sandy beach with palm trees. There is more! A huge wooden mask, a wooden parrot on a swing and an oversize white cup and saucer.
One wall on the other side of the cafe is dedicated to Marilyn Monroe. Nearby is a cutout of a nun with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth and a sign which says ‘Nun Smoking Area’. Other curious objects which caught my eye – a four foot giraffe with a lei around its neck and above our booth, fixed to the ceiling, four place settings decorated with pineapples and flowers complete with knives and forks.
Must mention the pillars – each one is painted differently - palm tree, pencil, Egyptian hieroglyphics (plus Charlie Brown) and a red, white and blue striped one which I thought represented a stick of rock (you’ve got to be English to understand that) or a barber’s pole but probably meant to be patriotic.
I could go on and on but the primary reason we are here is for the food. The menu is an art form all of its own. The Benedicts looked tempting but I asked about oatmeal – which was not on the menu. The server, who was the only person we saw, though I’m sure there must have been someone in the kitchen cooking, said they did have oatmeal. I asked for it with raisins and banana ($6.95). Tom ordered a bacon and cheddar omelet (8.25).
It didn’t take long before the food arrived but that was probably because I was so fascinated at looking at my surroundings. The oatmeal came in a large, deep, round bowl on a decorated plate. The sliced bananas and raisins were on top. Milk was already on the table. Tom said his omelet was good with lots of bacon and my oatmeal was great and hot into the bargain. The oatmeal was coarse cut, so nice and hearty.
Now my trip to the restroom. On the way there I passed a very nice secluded booth. The thee walls were covered with a mural depicting Rick’s Café Américain from the movie, “Casablanca”.
The bathrooms are down a rather gloomy passage. I had high expectations that it would be as richly decorated as the restaurant but was hugely disappointed. The room was large and rather tatty and it was completely bereft of any adornment whatsoever. Even the pillar in the center of the room was painted a stark white.
For a real funky experience, we would highly recommend Mama’s Royal Cafe.
Mama’s Royal Café
393 Miller Ave
Mill Valley, CA 94941
(415) 388-3261
February 25 2010 | Breakfast Log | No Comments »
February 22, 2010
One of the San Juan Bautista feral roosters
San Juan Bautista is one of our favorite towns and it is only forty five minutes from home. It is a place we will be visiting more often in the future because Tom’s father, Don, and his wife Arlene have bought a home there. Normally we visit San Juan (as it is affectionately called) early in the morning and we are back home in San Jose by lunch time. This time we stayed overnight so were able to spend more time there.
(Click on the photos for larger versions)
Our first stop today was to visit the home of Dmitri and Kathy Fridman. In 2007 Dmitri posted a comment on our first San Juan entry. At that time he invited us to come and have a look at his roastery and sample some coffee. Several times I tried to set up a visit but could never get the timing right. This was the first time we have been able to arrange a meeting.
Dmitri and his wife Kitty live about 5 miles outside of town and Dmitri gave us directions on how to find their place. Don and Arlene came with us and the road we traveled was completely new territory for all of us. It was a stunning ride along Salinas Road, with wonderful views of the surrounding countryside. The road climbed steadily uphill and soon we had a marvelous views back towards San Juan. When we arrived at Dmitri and Kitty’s home, the view was spectacular with Monterey in one direction and Salinas Valley and Hollister in another.
Top Dog was the first to greet us, closely followed by Dmitri. We admired his sheep. They only have a
Vertigo Coffee's roaster
few and they are a breed which do not need to be sheared. (Forgive me Dmitri I don’t remembering the name of the breed – I knew I should have written it down.) Dmitri built a separate building to house his roasting business, which is called San Juan Bautista Roasting Company and the coffee is called Vertigo. Check out Vertigo Coffee. Inside was his pride and joy, a German built cast iron roaster he bought on Craig’s List. He told us of his journey to becoming a passionate roaster of coffee. He started out by experimenting at home with a small roaster as he was dissatisfied with the taste of the locally brewed coffee. Friends who sampled it liked it so much he roasted more for them and over the years his roasters became bigger. Now he has a flourishing business in the area, selling to local restaurants and online.
Kitty came out to join us and the six of us spent a wonderful couple of hours talking, listening and watching Dmitri roast some coffee beans. It is a very hands on operation and Dmitri cannot wander very far while the forty minute process takes place. First the roaster has to be brought up to the correct temperature before the the green coffee beans are placed in the hopper at the top. The temperature was closely monitored the whole time. At one stage he extracted a small sample for us to smell. The beans smelt of fresh baked bread and nothing like coffee at all. When the roasting process had finished, the beans were emptied onto a revolving screen and channeled down a shoot into the bag. I’m sure there was a lot more to the process but I was enjoying chatting to Kitty.
Dmitri then started to brew some coffee and I was amazed at the meticulous way he went about it. Brewing coffee is a serious business for Dmitri and everything from the equipment he uses to the temperature of the water is important to him. The coffee we saw being roasted was an espresso called Monks Momentum. It was not ready to be drunk but we were given some to take home with us. We sampled some other coffee and I was very proud of myself for drinking it almost black. Normally my coffee has to be a half milk/half coffee.
Dmitri and Kitty are soon going to open up a coffee shop on 4th Street in downtown San Juan, almost next door to the Post Office. We wish them all the best and will certainly pop in every time we visit San Juan. We all thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Thank you Dmitri and Kitty for making us welcome and for giving up so much to your time.
Clam chowder cook off. We tasted several and they were all good.
Time to get some lunch so we drove back to San Juan. Downtown was busier than I’ve ever seen it but considering we are usually long gone by lunchtime, that was to be expected. There are several places to eat but we decided to try out one of the saloons. There are two to choose from, Mom and Pops and Daisy’s. There are very close to each other but we chose Daisy’s because a lady stopped us outside and said if we were hungry they were having a clam chowder cook-off and for $5 each we could eat as much as we wanted. Well, who could resist such a tempting offer, especially when you are hungry.
Inside it was buzzing. The judging of the 12 entries had just ended so we had arrived at the right time. I never realized how many different ways you could cook clam chowder and I sampled three of them, steering clear of the spicy ones of course. I spoke to a couple of the cooks and they were very pleased to talk about their entries and what was in them but both had ’secret ingredients’ which they kept to themselves. A table was found for us at the end of the bar and we were well looked after and all of us enjoyed our lunch. We stayed to hear the results and the commentaries were very funny. This group of people hold many different cook-outs during the year and all monies go to charity. Today’s went to the local firehouse which is manned by volunteers.
We spent a quiet afternoon pottering around the house but in the evening we walked into town for dinner. Our choice was the Cutting House Steakhouse on 3rd Street. We had to wait for a table but that was OK. On the walls are individually designed, quirky cattle brands. The building itself is made of brick and over the last 150 years has been a grocery store, a brothel and, from the early 20th century, a bank. It is reputed to be haunted by several ghosts, the most colorful being “The Lady in White’ or Deanna, who ran the brothel and died when when she fell down the stairs on her wedding day.
After a pleasant meal we sauntered back to the house. Another interesting day in great company and we looked forward to being woken by roosters in the morning.
February 22 2010 | Neighborhoods and Special Places | 3 Comments »
February 18, 2010
Old "Cool" bus
After breakfast at Bette’s Oceanview Diner, we took a short drive over the railroad tracks and around an industrial part of town. The UC Botanical Gardens do not open until 9, so we had some time to kill. This being Berkeley, we saw a couple of avant garde traveling homes. One was an old school bus, now painted many different colors, and renamed ‘Cool Bus’. Nearby there was a small RV covered in profound statements.
With ten minutes to spare, we drove past the gardens and continued uphill to the Lawrence Hall of Science. Although the sun was shining up there, the whole of San Francisco City on the other side of the bay was shrouded in fog. We could see Berkeley below us and the Sutro Tower poking out of the fog in the distance.
At 9, we returned to the botanical gardens and parked the car. Parking has to be paid for. I put fourteen quarters in the machine for three hours. The entrance fee to the UC Botanical Gardens is $7 for adults. Seniors are $5 but you have to be over 65. Tom and I are not quite there yet so we paid the full amount. We were given a color brochure with a map showing the layout of the gardens.
Just inside the gate there were plants for sale. One particularly caught my eye – a Californian native named Ceanothus Wood Blue. It looked pretty healthy and I wanted it for our garden. Problem being I did not want to buy it and then have to carry it around with me, so I decided to buy it on the way out.
The first section we entered was the New World Desert. Tom was soon engrossed taking photos. He was using a new 50 mm prime lens today and this was his first chance to use it. I hasten to add it was no where near as large as the ones we saw at the Sacramento NWR a couple of weeks ago.
I wandered off. The night before at my firm’s annul company dinner we were all given Flip videos and I was having fun using it. I can take short movies on my camera but this little gadget is so much simpler to use. When I saw the results at home they were OK but not good enough to post. I will have to practice a bit more first.
From the New World Desert region I crossed the roadway into the California Section. As I walked under a large Foothill Pine tree. I heard a
Secluded bench in the UC Botanical Gardens
noise. It sounded like a bird nibbling on a pine cone. I stopped and looked up. There was a squirrel darting around but the noise didn’t come from him and the nibbling sound continued. For ten minutes I searched but had to give up. Not far away I found a bench so sat down to write in my journal.
There was nobody else around at all and it was glorious sitting there in the sun. From where I sat I could see the tree and still hear the nibbling sound. Unfortunately my binoculars were left in the car but I kept checking the tree to see if I could see any movement. A small covey of quail ventured out of the undergrowth, pecked around for a bit and then disappeared into the shrubbery on the other side of the path.
Eventually I decided to return to the car to get the binoculars. On the way there I bought the plant by the entrance, just in case it was gone when we finally left. Very soon I was back on the bench and concentrated on checking out the pine tree. Still I could not detect what would be making the noise. Tom found me and we sat and chatted. He had visited a lot of other regions whilst I had spent my time in just two. He couldn’t work out what bird could be making the noise but deduced it could be two branches rubbing together. If that was the case, I’d spent a lot of time over nothing but it was a pleasant way to spend half an hour.
I decided to take a wander and left Tom in California while I walked back through the New World Desert section and climbed up hill passing through the Asia region. This time of the year I had not expected to see much color around but I was pleasantly surprised. Some of the Blue Dicks were showing pink flowers and there were blue flowers on the Island Ceanothus in the California area and in the New World Desert there were several Coast Prickly Pears which had lots of red fruit on them – called cactus figs. The Asia region had a lot of camellias and there were white flowers on the Camellia Crapnelliana and a few red flowers on the Sasanqua Camellia. On the Rhododendron Arboreum there were large red blooms.
Just one of the thousands of plants at the UC Botanical Gardens
Almost at the top of the hill is the Garden of Old Roses and even here there was some color – white blooms on the Tea Roses, rose hips on the Noisette Rose and a couple of yellow flowers on the Modern Shrub Rose. Of course this is not the best time of the year to see the roses in bloom. May/June they should be in full flower.
On my meandering way back down the hill I walked through the Australasia region and over the lawn to the Herb Garden. Even though there was not a riot of color around, I kept getting wafts of unidentified frangrances as I walked around. The herb garden is separated into several categories, including culinary, medical and fragrant. I was particularly looking for a sage whose leaves have a wonderful smell. I saw one in Redding at the Botanical Gardens but didn’t write the name down – silly me!
There were so many paths all over the gardens here. You feel you are miles from anywhere but they all eventually meet up with wider paths and there is no way you could get lost for long.
One last place to visit before meeting up with Tom again near the entrance and this was to the Tropical House. As soon as I walked inside my glasses steamed up so writing was a slight problem. There was even a little color around in there – leaves on the Flowering Lily, purple flowers on the Sweet Potato, a white flower on the Amazon Lily and flowers on the Costus Igenus and the Fiery Costus.
After a very pleasant two hours at the Berkeley Botanical Gardens it was time to make our way home.
February 18 2010 | Special Places | No Comments »
February 9, 2010
Bette's Oceanview Diner
It was a very foggy day and driving was difficult in places. It was a ‘Spare the Air’ day – no wood burning allowed in the Bay Area until midnight.
We are returning to Bette’s Oceanview Diner in Berkeley as it has been a couple of years since we were last here (here’s our take on the place from 2007). The lights outside were a beacon and very welcoming. Inside it was bright and cheerful with music playing softly in the background.
There were people waiting so we thought there would be a wait but we were in luck as there were two places at the counter. They were the best seats in the house as we had a ringside seat of the chefs in action and it was a pleasure to watch them. The two chefs coordinated well. Everything was very organized.
Coffee was soon served and our orders taken. Apart from one thing, nothing much has changed with the decorations since our last visit. The color scheme, the pictures and the small jukeboxes on the counter and tables were the same. The one thing missing was the huge slice of pie hanging from the ceiling. In its place were Christmas decorations. Tom asked the cashier about the pie and was told that it would be going back up the next day when the decorations were taken down.
To actually see our order being prepared was a novelty. Tom had crab cakes with poached eggs and country fries (this was on the specials list and we didn’t make a note of the price). Instead of an English Muffin he ordered a blueberry muffin. I could have nothing else but oatmeal of course ($4.95) because they use steel cut oats here. The oatmeal was ladled into the bowl (the same large shallow bowl with a green rim as before) then brown sugar and raisins were sprinkled on top. By the time it arrived in front of me, the sugar had melted and the raisins glistened.
The food was delicious and satisfying.
The one uni-sex restroom is straight off the diner. Over the door is a fish sculpture and a sign which says Toiltten. Inside the same pink tiles and chrome strip but no pictures. Where were the pictures taken on the moon and Mars?
Our conclusion – definitely a great place for breakfast but get there early.
Bette’s Oceanview Diner
1807 Fourth Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
February 09 2010 | Breakfast Log | No Comments »
February 1, 2010
Pescadero State Beach
We walked up the creek for about 100 yards and then came across a trail which headed north. Maybe we could walk this way to get back to the car. There was an information board about Steelhead Trout which I found very interesting and further along another sign which said ’Pescadero Marsh Preserve ‘. A little further on we came on some water. I wasn’t sure whether it was a small creek or the the south edge of the pond opposite where we were parked. We sat on a wooden fence and contemplated where to go from here. From where we sat, we could see Highway 1 to our left and almost spot our car in the car park. Should we go back the way we came; could the trail to the left get us back; or was there a way round the marsh? We decided on the last option. After all, it was a lovely day and at the worst we could always retrace our steps.
The marsh was very tranquil and there were a few birds on the water. Walking along the sandy path was no effort and we came to a wooden bridge over a marshy bit of lands. The path curved to the left, so maybe we had made the right choice.
Along the way there were lots of signs with information on the preserve and what to look out for – garter snakes, red legged frogs, poison oak and stinging nettles. It was an interesting walk but we could not see a way across to the other side. Up in front I saw a group of walkers and two of them were wearing yellow docent coats, so they were the ideal people to ask. They were a charming couple of ladies who assured me there was no way through. The path just led to an overview of the marsh.
So we turned round and went retraced our steps – back to the creek, under the bridge to the beach. Here we found some steps up to the road and decided it would be quicker to walk along the road. There was no sidewalk and most of the way we were walking on the hard shoulder but we did make it safely back to the car.
(When I got back home I checked online about the Pescadero Marsh Preserve . From this page I went to the trail map and could see exactly where we went wrong – we should have walked up to Highway 1, where the path continued around the North Pond, which would have taken us back to the car park.)
There was no time to explore the southern part of Pescadero State Beach on this occasion. We will have to pay another visit. We went via Pescadero on the way home and stopped off at the Country Bakery to get some of their wonderful artichoke, garlic and herb bread. The smell as we entered the shop was intoxicating and when we picked up a loaf in its white bag it was warm to the touch. We also bought a bottle of water. When we returned to the car, we immediately pulled chunks off the loaf and wolfed them down with generous amounts of water.
We decided that some cheese would go very nicely with the bread so we drove to Harley Farms on North Street. It’s easy to find, just follow
Harley Farms
the signs of the little girl and a goat. The girl points the way.
At the farm, we went into the shop where their cheeses are displayed and sold along with olive oil. The cheeses are very pretty. The white Monet is decorated with flower petals from the garden. Sampling them is great fun. It is always difficult to know exactly what to buy. In front of each basket of wrapped cheeses is a board on which is a large round of the cheese covered in cling film and with a handy knife to cut it with. There is also a large container with small chunks of bread. Mmm… In the end we chose some feta cheese which tasted divine ($10) and a small button of Monet cheese with yellow petals and a pansy on top.
Afterwards we took a wander around outside. In the distance we could see the goats grazing in the field and climbing on the chicken houses. We also took a peek inside the milking parlor. I noticed that they do goat tours at the weekends – $20 per person - so that may be worth doing one day. But for now it was time to head home after another wonderful trip.
February 01 2010 | Special Places | 2 Comments »
January 29, 2010
Mail Boxes heading towards San Gregorio
Back in November last year we set out to investigate the beaches and coastal access points on the San Mateo Coast. We didn’t have time to check out Pescadero State Beach so today that is our mission.
(Click on the photos for larger versions)
At 7.30 we set off from home, driving first along Interstate 280 and Highway 84 to Alice’s Restaurant on Skyline Blvd (see previous post). The weather forecast said it was going to be a nice day but we were driving through low fog up to 280. As we joined the freeway, the fog was gone. Ahead the Santa Cruz Mountains were clear, bright and bathed in early morning sunshine.
After breakfast we continued on 84 towards San Gregorio. I don’t think we have ever driven to the coast this way before. We either drive to Santa Cruz and turn north on Highway 1 or we take 280 to Highway 92 towards Half Moon Bay and then drive south on Highway 1. It is amazing how different everything looks driving the other way. It is a glorious day so that makes things look new and exciting. At San Gregorio we turned right on Stage Coach Road. We stopped so Tom could take some photos. The view looking east, with rolling green hills, grazing cattle and distant hills was magnificent.
When we hit Highway 1 we turned south, driving past San Gregorio Beach and headed to Pescadero. The ocean looked stunning. At this time of
San Gregorio valley
the year the whales are heading south on their yearly migration and although they are long way out, I kept my eyes skimmed for the odd water spout on the far horizon.
There are three car parks for Pescadero State Beach and we stopped at the first one. From here, by crossing the road, there is a nice little trail round the lagoon and up the hill. Today though we started by checking out the beach. Ours was the only car in the car park. Before we set off for the beach we filled out the self registration form and paid our $7 fee. Normal price is $8 but we both can take advantage of the seniors rate.
As we walked towards the beach the sound of the surf was music to our ears. Tom told me that there is a high surf warning at the moment and he advised me not to turn my back to the ocean if I was near the water. A young girl was swept out to sea on the Sonoma coast recently. Fortunately her parents saved her but it must have been a frightening experience for the family.
The beach is sandy and would be perfect for young children. One word of advice though, the nearest place to buy refreshments is two miles away in Pescadero so take everything you need with you. We had the place to ourselves. Tom was busy taking photos and I wandered around. There was a tiny lagoon and just one structure made from driftwood. I found a handy log to sit on and sat in the sun enjoying the view. The only thing disturbing the peace and quiet was its proximity to Highway 1 and the sound of passing cars.
We started walking south down the beach and rounded a small headland to a long stretch of sandy beach. Still nobody else around, not even a dog with its owner. There were lots of footsteps in the sand above the high watermark so there must have been plenty of visitors over the last couple of days. As we walked we smelt something rather unpleasant. Tom thought we might have walked through something a dog had left behind but the source soon revealed itself. It was a dead seal. It had been there some time and the only way we could tell it was a seal was by its flipper and the shape of the head.
There were a few more driftwood structures here. One was not very high but it covered a largish area and was open. Logs had been placed round in a sort of circle facing a bower like structure so obviously had been some sort of meeting place. It is so beautiful here. I can sit or stand, gazing out to sea for hours and hours watching the surf breaking just offshore and rolling in, with the sun catching and highlighting lots of different colors and shades in the water and watching the pelicans skimming the surface of the ocean. There are no surfers here today but I’ sure this would be a great place to come. Maybe they are all a bit further north at Half Moon Bay taking on the Mavericks. It is usually at this time of the year the famous Mavericks meet takes pace.
I noticed there were a few other people around. A group had arrived at the north end of the beach and to the south I could see a couple standing on the headland looking out to sea.
Further down the sand was strewn with driftwood. What an adventure playground this would be for children. They could spend hours building to their hearts content. I’ve always wandered where the logs come from. Some pieces are huge. Are they carried in by the tide or are they washed downhill from the mountains by the streams and creeks which flow into the ocean?
I thought we could walk all the way to the most southerly car park but it wasn’t possible. The Butano Creek empties into the ocean and it is too wide to wade through. At this point, Highway 1 is a bridge across the creek. It is possible to climb up to the highway but from where I stood it looks a bit dangerous to cross the bridge safely by foot. What we did discover in the rocks of the headland was a small archway and we watched in fascination as the surf crashed and surged through it.
End of Part 1
January 29 2010 | Special Places | 3 Comments »
January 26, 2010
Alice's Restaurant at the Corner of Hwy 84 & Skyline
We have often passed Alice’s Restaurant but never ventured inside. Normally we see it on our way home from the coast, when the car park is packed with motor bikes. This time we decided to have breakfast there and as it doesn’t open until 8, we set out a bit later.
After an exhilarating drive up 84 to Skyline Blvd, we arrived at Alice’s. There were a few motorbikes already in the car park but cars outnumbered the bikes. It is a wooden building and probably has not been altered much since it was built. There are steps up to a wooden deck on which picnic type tables and benches had set out. The outdoor heaters were being started up but too cold for me outside at the moment. On the edge of the deck, attached to a pole and overlooking the car park and the first thing I saw as I got out of the car, was a wonderful metal owl with outspread wings.
Inside we were greeted and told to sit where we liked. We picked a booth next to the window, which overlooked the deck and car park. What struck me most about the seat was its cover. It was originally hide but most of the hair has been worn away with use. The tables was very narrow. Tom and I played footsie the whole time. At the counter were seven low stools which were also covered in hide but these had obviously been recovered in the recent past because the hair had not been worn away.
Tom ordered a Joe’s Special $8.95 and I asked for the oatmeal with fruit $5.50. On the front of the menu was a short history of Alice’s. It was constructed in the early 1900’s. At the time it was a general store to support the local logging industry. The area was called Four Corners. In the 1950’s it became a restaurant. Alice Taylor bought it in the 1960’s and named it after herself and the Arlo Guthrie song. It has been a favorite stop for bikers, cyclists and hikers for many years. Alice’s Restaurant and adjacent buildings were bought in the 1970’s and has been family run ever since.
I then had time to take a look around and it was very pleasing. Looking closer at the windows I realized they were also doors. Presumably when the days are warmer they can all be opened. To the side of the restaurant is a covered deck with a view over the garden. The whole wall behind the counter is covered with photos, adverts (mostly biker orientated) and several comic signs. One said:
‘Drink Coffee
Do Stupid Things Faster with More Energy’
and yet another:
‘Beauty is in the Eyes of the Beerholder’
Music was playing in the background. I half expected to hear ‘Alice’s Restaurant’ being played at some point but it didn’t happen. The place was vibrant with lively chatter and everybody looked relaxed and cheerful.
My oatmeal was served on a large shallow bowl on top of a blue and white paper plate inside a green plastic basket. The bowl was filled to the brim with oatmeal with very little room for milk. The top was covered with sliced strawberries and bananas. It came with no milk but a jug was brought to me when I asked for it. The Joe’s Special came on a large round plate and looked really good – plenty of cheese and spinach. Everything tasted great. Tom said it was a good breakfast and I agreed with him.
The restrooms were outside in a separate block and can best be described as basic. Originally the ladies’ restroom had a shower in it because there was a raised area at one end and a pipe sticking out of the wall near the ceiling. Now the baby changing facilities are situated in that area. There were white net curtains at the window and they were filthy. On the walls were several pictures including one of a girl on a motor scooter. There were also things written on the wall and one of them caught my attention. It said – ‘I took the road less traveled….now where the hell am I?
Our conclusion on Alice’s Restaurant – a great place to go for breakfast and we will visit again.
Alice’s Restaurant
Corner of Hwy 84 & Skyline
January 26 2010 | Breakfast Log | No Comments »
January 22, 2010
Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge
We were on our way to Lake Shasta to spend Christmas with the Husband/Tischer family. Every two years we get together and each time it has been at a different spot. Along the way we took our first detour to have breakfast at Babs Delta Diner in Suisun. To think, this is the second time in ten days!
Our second stop was north of Williams on I5 at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge. Once again, our thanks to Tom Stienstra, who featured this wildlife complex in the San Francisco Chronicle a month ago.
It was a beautiful day, but with a chilly breeze. Must remember though that it is December so colder weather is to be expected. The Sierras were visible off to our right and to the north we could clearly see the peak of Mount Lassen which is in the Lassen Volcanic National Park. What was more exciting though was spotting the tip of Mt Shasta before we even reached Williams. I remember my first trip north on I5 back in 1999. I was on my own and several people had told me to watch out for this volcanic peak. When I approached Shasta Lake I kept my eye peeled for Mt Shasta, assuming it was near the lake. I drove for miles before I actually saw it. And here we were nearly 100 miles from the lake and we could see the top of the mountain.
At Exit 595 we turned off on CR 68. Turning left on Highway 99W, we drove 1.5 miles to the entrance of the Sacramento NWR. Just inside the entrance, we pulled in to pay the fee of $3 at the pay machine. A sign saying ‘Visitors’ pointed to the right and the start of the the 6 mile autotour was just ahead.
The road was gravelly and narrow and soon we were passing reeds and small lakes. Along the way were several signs telling us to drive slowly – 20 mph is the speed limit. We spotted our first birds – American Coots or Common Moorhen. The only way I can tell the difference between them is by the color of their feet.
Ahead of us a car was stopped so we pulled up and waited as well because we couldn’t get by. The passenger was taking photos and he had an enormous lens. Tom was instantly jealous. When they moved off we took their place but moved over so that other cars could pass. Officially the only stopping places are the designated Park and Stretch areas. Today it is very quiet with not too many cars around. Tom got some good shots of the birds with Mr Lassen in the background. Suddenly a mass of birds took flight at the same time and hopefully Tom managed to catch them.
I glanced out of of my window to the right and spotted a coyote a couple of hundred yards away. At first I thought it was a dog but when I looked through the binoculars I saw its tail and knew it was a coyote. A little later I saw another one, this time much closer but lost sight of it when some tall reeds got in the way.
Further on we saw a hawk like bird but I could not identify it. It was very dark with a white band at the base of its tail. It swooped and glided close the ground and we could not see what color the underparts were. Could it have been an osprey? Somehow I doubt it.
We came to the first Park and Stretch area. Here we could get out of the car and walk onto a wooden platform. At the top there were a couple of scopes through which it was possible to get a better view of the birds but there were not too many to see at this spot. Tom spotted another photographer with a large lens. This one was camouflaged and on a stand attached to the car window. Tom felt his lens was inferior. Never mind darling, you get great photos.
Further on we saw thousands of Snow Geese – or they could have been Ross’ Geese. There were some morphs amongst them. In the far distance
Sundial Bridge in Redding
near I5 we could see a large flock of white birds take flight. That’s when a large lens would be invaluable.
All too soon the auto tour was over and we were back on I5 head for Redding. Our detour via the Sacramento NWR was a great treat. Next time Tom said he would rent a large lens for the visit.
Christmas with the family at Shasta Lake was good fun. The house we rented was not quite what we expected but the deck and view were spectacular. One fly in the ointment – we had no water at all from 6 pm on Christmas Eve to 3 pm on Christmas Day. Things were a bit difficult with 12 people in the house and a baby but we coped somehow. The problem was caused by a mouse chewing through insulation and a wire on the pressure pump.
We had three expeditions while we were there. One to the Sundial Bridge (awesome), the second to the ‘Poop Scoop exhibition at the Turtle Bay Exploration Park (fascinating) and the last to the McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens (interesting) – all in Redding.
January 22 2010 | Special Places | No Comments »
January 18, 2010
Sign outside Babs Delta Diner. Our favorite breakfast place.
Rob, my son, was visiting from the UK. As he had never been to Locke we decided to take him for a day visit. The weather was not kind to us at all, in fact it rained for most of the time.
We also had a task to do. Cathleen made a comment on our Delta Eco Tour asking about an abandoned building on Ryer Island. We have never noticed any such building on the island but decided to see if we could find it.
(Click the images for larger versions)
Our first stop as ever was for breakfast. As Babs Delta Diner in Suisun City is the best breakfast place we have been to, we decided to take a detour and introduce Rob to their wonderful breakfasts. Babs didn’t let us down. I went for the oatmeal again and Tom, who has always had the corn beef hash in the past, went for the sour dough French toast. Rob, on the other hand, ordered the Short Haul which was two hotcakes, 2 eggs and 2 slices of bacon served with country potatoes. When he was asked how he would like the eggs he said ‘fried’ but of course over here that is not enough information. Did he want them sunny side up, over easy, over medium or over well? Rob was speechless and didn’t know what the server was talking about. After we explained he opted for the sunny side up. We were all amazed when Rob’s meal turned up on three plates – potatoes on one, bacon an eggs on another and two enormous hotcakes on a third plate served with butter and hot syrup. He was so impressed he even took a movie of it. And he very nearly ate the lot!
To reach Locke we took the scenic route by crossing the river on the Real McCoy Ferry over to Ryer Island. We were hoping to ask the ferry operator about any abandoned buildings on Ryer Island but he never ventured out of the cabin. Who could blame him as the rain was coming down hard. Once on Ryer Island we turned left. Usually we turn right and go round the southern tip of the island to reach the next ferry but decided to take a different route to look for any old buildings. We drove across the island on Route 220. At one point I thought we’d struck gold. Ahead was an abandoned building and it looked like there was a wooden cross on one end. Cathleen mentioned she thought the building could be a church or a school. But I was deceived. When we got a little closer I realized that what I thought was a cross turned out to be the top of a telegraph pole. So we were unsuccessful in our endeavors Cathleen.
In Locke we parked on Main Street. There were a lot of cars but nobody was walking around. None of the shops were open so where was
Al the Wop's in Locke
everybody? We walked up and down Main Street, peering into shop windows. Some had signs saying there were open but the doors were locked.
Outside Al the Wop’s bar a man was smoking. He called across to us from the other side of the road and made some comment on the weather and then said it was the only place open and if we’d never been inside (which we hadn’t) it would be a good way to warm up. Nothing daunted we ventured inside. Al the Wop’s history goes back a long way. When the building was originally built it was a Chinese restaurant. In 1934 it became the first non Chinese business in town when Al Adami bought the building. He opened a bar and restaurant and called it Al’s Place, which became affectionately known as Al the Wop’s. Inside it has a long bar and tons of memorabilia on the walls. The biggest novelty were the dollar bills hanging from the ceiling. I asked the barman how they got there and he said it would cost a dollar to find out. Tom handed over a dollar bill and the barman stuck a tack through the bill and folded the bill in a specific way. He then put a Tahoe slot coin (in the past they used a silver dollar) and covered it with the folded bill with the sharp end of the tack sticking up. The next step was to throw the whole lot up to the ceiling. Tom went first but it all fell back to the ground. Then Rob tried and failed and so did I. Rob had another go and he succeeded. The tack attached the bill to the ceiling and only the slot coin fell to the floor. The guy with the cigarette said that once a year all the bills are taken down and donated to charity. It’s a very special occasion when this happens and the bar serves a liver and onion supper and they have a big fundraiser at the same time.
I did ask the only other group of people in the bar if they knew of any old buildings on Ryer Island. They were not locals but came regularly to the area on their boats. None of them knew of any abandoned buildings at all.
Tom and I had Irish coffees to warm ourselves up. Rob declined as he was still full from breakfast. At the back of the bar is a small restaurant where the food is apparently very good. The boaters recommended the cheeseburgers.
Rob inside Al the Wop
When we left the bar the rain had eased off a bit. Rob found a shop open and so we all went inside. It was a sort of antique shop though most of what was on sale would be classed as collectibles. This sort of shop is always interesting to browse around. I was absorbed in the books and found a small book of very short one act plays. Tom was perusing the old vinyl records where he discovered albums by Earth Wind & Fire, The Mamas and the Poppas, Joan Baez and many more. Rob was searching for license plates or old tin advertising signs but he drew a blank.
We then took a walk to the back of the town and showed Rob the toilet bowl garden. This is where Connie King, the unofficial mayor of Locke, used to live. She died a couple of months ago. Our last stop in Locke was to the museum in the old boarding house. We were the only visitors and the docent on duty was very interesting to listen to. He told us that most of the people living here now are not Chinese. Most of the Chinese moved away from Locke as soon as they earned enough money to move on. The museum has only been open eighteen months and it cost over a million dollars to bring it up to code. In the 1940’s it was owned by a Japanese family. They lived downstairs and the upstairs was turned into small bedrooms which had two beds in each. It is difficult to say how many bedrooms there were because I’m sure some of the rooms have been made into larger rooms but there must have been at least 8 bedrooms. There was just one tiny bathroom. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Japanese family, along with thousands of other Japanese families, were forced to leave their homes to live in isolated concentration camps. They were never able to return to their property (a shameful bit of American history).
Before starting the long journey home we stopped off at Mel’s Mocha and Ice Cream for a vanilla malt. We can’t bring Rob all the way here without giving him the pleasure of tasting one of the best malts around. I got talking to another customer there and asked her if she was a local. She said she had live here for ten years. I asked her about any abandoned buildings on Ryer Island and she couldn’t think of any but she suggested I go next door to the realty office and they might be able to help. I did just that but the office was closed.
It was great to visit Locke again but such a pity the weather was not perfect. We could have done so much more if it had not been raining so hard. And sorry Cathleen we could not solve the mystery of the abandoned building. Maybe if you let us know exactly where it is we can have a look next time we are in the area.
January 18 2010 | Special Places | No Comments »
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