Archive for October, 2009
Alma's River Cafe on a foggy Sacramento Delta morning
After a wonderful night’s sleep, Tom was up at 6 to walk round Locke to take some early morning photos. When he returned he mentioned he saw lots of bats flying back to their day time roosts in the attics of houses. Unfortunately he didn’t manage to get any photos of them.
One of the questions we had asked Deborah yesterday was where we could get breakfast I had looked online and had found nothing. She told us of Alma’s in Walnut Grove, which is only a mile away. So that’s where we headed to at 8 am. In the half an hour since Tom had got back from his walk, fog had descended but we are both convinced it won’t be here for long. The river looked really pretty in the fog though.
Alma’s was easy to find, just a few steps away from Mel’s Mocha & Ice Cream and overlooking the river, hence the name. On the window were painted bold palm trees with a swirl of blue and white underneath each to represent the sea, so the place is easy to spot.
Inside it was small, clean and inviting. A pretty, young girl greeted us and told us we could sit anywhere. She also took our order and served us.
There was just one other customer when we arrived but several more locals turned up while we were there. The place has a really friendly feel about it. As I said, it is small with only five tables seating four people and one with seating for two. Lots of room at the long counter though with a total of 10 stools.
On our way to Alma’s, Tom asked if I was hungry, especially after our big meal last night, I said I could eat a bowl of oatmeal. It has been some time since we have been anywhere where oatmeal has been offered but I got lucky today. I ordered it with bananas $5 and toast for $1.20. Tom ordered the chorizo scramble $6.75.
The decor is understated with just a couple of photos of skiers and some advertising plaques. One painting is hidden behind the cold cabinet so have no idea what the subject matter was.
Our food was served promptly. Tom asked for his hash browns to be extra crisp and that is what he got. My oatmeal came in a pretty round bowl and there was plenty of oatmeal inside. The sugar, raisens and sliced bananas came in individual ceramic bowls and the milk in a large stainless steel jug with a lid. The oatmeal was hot too – just as I like it. Excuse me while I enjoy this delicious breakfast.
Of course, no breakfast would be complete without a trip to the restroom. The restroom itself was unadorned. The water was nice and hot though. The restaurant may not have had a lot of decoration but the corridor leading to the restroom was a different matter. There was plenty to look at: a large oil painting of the sky (I think); black and white photos – 3 of Marilyn Monro, one of a car and a motor cycle near the San Francisco auto ferry (long since defunct) and one of nine children and a dog from the early ’50s I’m guessing; plus two lst place speedway trophies on each side of a color photo of the winning car.
Summing up our visit, Tom said his scramble was not spectacular but enjoyable. I thought my oatmeal was great. Would we go again? The answer is more than likely. Alma’s is friendly, the service could not be faulted and the food was good. Another plus factor was the price which turned out to be very reasonable.
Alma’s River Cafe
14147 River Rd
Walnut Grove, CA 95690
October 29 2009 | Breakfast Log | No Comments »
I have been planning this weekend for some time but at the last moment I thought it was not going to happen. It is Tom’s birthday next week and, as
Downtown Locke, California
a surprise, I booked two nights in Locke at a vacation rental. It is described as - ’A Delta Gem – Unique Loft – Historic Chinese Locke’. Check out the website. Doesn’t it sound idyllic?
Also on the agenda was a meal at Giusti’s, Saturday in Sacramento and a canoe tour on Sunday. Tom knew we were going somehwere in the Delta but did not know exactly where.
Locke is a wonderful, small Chinese town just south of Sacramento. We last visited in March. I thought it would be great to actually spend a couple of days there instead of driving all the way up and back in a day.
Work though nearly ruined the whole weekend. Without going into too much detail, I had to work on the Friday, which is usually my day off, with a chance that I would have to go in on Saturday and maybe even Sunday. We had planned to get away at lunchtime on the Friday. Fortunately I was able to get away from work at 2.30 so Tom picked me up and off we went.
There is always such a lot of traffic making its way out of the Bay Area on a Friday and we did not want to get caught up in the rush (or rather the crawl) out of town. We did have a couple of slowdowns on 680 but managed to avoid the bad jams which were bound to occur later on in the afternoon.
Old building in Locke, California
I must say it made a big difference traveling north on 680 in the afternoon instead of our usual time of 6 am. Then it is always dark but in the middle of the afternoon there is so much more to see. Our route took us over the Antioch Bridge and it was amazing how quickly we left the rat race behind us as we crested the bridge. Ahead of us the Delta was holding out its arms, ready to embrace us and we readily succumbed to the peace and utter tranquility of the area. It was a lovely warm day and there was no wind at all. There was not a cloud to be seen in the sky. The water was calm with only the occasional small fishing boat to ruffle the surface.
We followed Highway 160 all the way to Locke, passing through Isleton and Walnut Grove. Tom was surprised when I told him to turn right into Locke. We passed the end of Main Street, which did not appear to be busy at all, and turned right onto Key Street. Our destination was right at the end.
Ten minutes later we were inside our home for the next two days. The couple who own and refurbished it are Deborah and Russell. Inside it is marvelous and much bigger than we expected. There is a cozy sitting room with a corn burning stove, a large, well equipped kitchen, a bathroom big enough for a party with a laundry room off of it and a wonderful loft bedroom upstairs with a small seating area as well. Outside is a well screened porch and a garden. Deborah was a mine of information on where to eat in the area.
After a quick wash and brush up, we took a walk around town. It was was only a block away and to get to it we walked down a narrow ally between tall, flimsy, wooden buildings. A couple of days ago there was a huge storm in the area – some people called it a 30 year storm – and there was a slightly damp smell in the air. On Main Street I noticed a newspaper clipping stuck on the inside of a shop window. It was an obituary for Connie King who died just a month ago. I was very saddened because on our last trip here in March I met and spoke to her. She was a legend in her own time and was affectionately called the ‘unofficial mayor of Locke’. A wonderful character who will be greatly missed. In fact the house we are staying in is very
Rental cottage where we stayed in Locke, California
close to Connie’s house with its toilet bowl garden. I wonder who will tend it now.
We wandered down the both sides of the street. Not too many shops were open. Tomorrow will be busier I expect. At the end of the street we turned right, passing Locke Garden Chinese Restaurant and then turning right again and walked back along the highway, passing the back of the the houses on Main Street and turned right again into Locke. Then we kept walking to the back of the town, passing a huge walnut tree and a bit further on in the Community Garden, a pomegranate tree. We were looking for a footpath which will take us to the levee at the back of the town where we have to report on Sunday for our canoe trip.
Earlier Deborah mentioned that Russell would be working in the Wood Shop which was on the footpath. As we approached the Wood Shop we saw someone outside so, guessing it was Russell, we went over to introduce ourselves. He was most welcoming and showed us around his little factory. He uses recycled wood only and he had an amazing collection of many different types of wood af all colors and grains. He introduced us to his colleague, Alfredo, and they both showed us what they do with the wood. At the moment they are making cutting boards, each one made out of strips of multicolored wood. They are glued together, planned, smoothed and varnished. Each one is signed with Russell’s name. They are definitely a ‘must have’ article. Not only functional but extremely decorative. An ideal gift for any kitchen. He showed us one he was in the process of finishing which had a distinctive green strip in the middle. Russell turned on a machine and demonstrated how they are planned. I immediately put our name on it. Russell promised to have it ready by Sunday. What a memento of our weekend and it will be even more precious because we actually saw it before it was finished. Alfredo showed us some little wooden picture frames he makes. He paints pictures on them and gives them as gifts to people. Russell is also a cabinet maker so he is a really busy guy.
Our walk down the footpath resumed. It was not a very long path and we were soon climbing up the levee. At the top was a gravel roadway which was also a car park for the boat ramp. This is where we have to meet for the canoe trip on Sunday. We clambered down the other side of the levee through trees and bushes to a beaten path next to the water. This is the Railroad Slough and very peaceful it was too. We heard a lot of splashes and saw ripples so the fish were rising. This must be a good spot for fishing and in fact we did see one girl trying her luck.
Time to go to dinner. Tonight we decided to try out Giustoi’s. Thank goodness Deborah explained exactly where it was. For some reason I thought it was over the bridge at Walnut Grove on the far side of the Sacramento River. When we arrived there was a lot of cars in the car park and we thought we would have to wait for a table but there was space for us. We both ordered filet mignon with blue cheese sauce. Here they served a ‘family style’ dinner – all meals come with a tureen of soup to share, bread & butter and a salad with salami, garbanzo beans, kidney beans and a lovely dressing. We were nearly full before our steak was served. The steak was really tasty. Although Giusti’s is a no frills restaurant they do serve really good food. They don’t accept credit cards though so I’m pleased I brought my check book along this weekend.
We walked back to the car and found our way to Locke and our little house. No television but we were content to write (me) and read (Tom) before sinking into the wonderful bed. What bliss to be somewhere where there is no noise from aircraft approaching San Jose airport, trains blowing whistles a quarter of a mile away or cars passing down the street.
October 27 2009 | Special Places | No Comments »
Our choice for breakfast was the Irving Street Cafe. Leaving The Spire in the Pesidio, we drove along Aguello Blvd, through the Gold Gate Park and
Irving Street Cafe, San Francisco
somehow found ourselves on Irving Street.
Irving Street Cafe has a rather grand green awning over the sidewalk but the interior is far from grand. In fact it is dimly lit, tiny and basic. Not only that but it was packed. We did manage to find one empty table. There are just two tables in the window, six sets of tables and chairs along the wall and 9 stools at the counter. It was bustling and lively though and obviously a favorite of the locals.
There was no oatmeal on the menu. When did I last have oatmeal when we were out for breakfast I wonder? Moan, moan. The menu is also basic and the specials are under the glass top of the table. This is a typical greasy spoon so I went the whole hog and ordered Chicken-Apple Sausage Omelet ($5). Tom ordered the Ground Sirloin Egg Platter ($6). Tom had water to drink and, for a change, I ordered hot chocolate (without the whipped cream).
While we waited (and waited and waited) for the food to arrive, I studied the surroundings. There were pictures on the walls but it was an odd assortment – two of vases of flowers; three Ansel Adams black and white prints; five signed photos, one of Chewbacca from Star Wars (presumably signed by Peter Mayhew), one of two boxers fighting in the ring, one of two unidentified twin girls, one of Robin William and the last but not least of Chris Isaak; and a large poster of a pop star who we did not recognize.
After half an hour our food finally arrived. By then I had long finished my hot chocolate which, by the way, was not that tasty and I guess it came straight from a sachet. I must say though that it was worth the wait as the food was good. The hash browns were really crispy and Tom said his eggs were done just right. The proof of the pudding, as they say, was that there was nothing left on our plates but a coating of grease and, in Tom’s case, a smear of egg yolk.
The restroom though was a different matter. I was not expecting much and that it what I got. To get to it, one has to walk through the prep area. Inside it is extremely grubby so I just washed my hands. There was one interesting article in there and that was an old 8oz container of sour cream which, on investigation, contained a dried up dish sponge. The only other bit of decoration was the plunger on the floor in the corner.
Would we come here again. Yes definitely. The food was wonderful and the prices unbelievable. I just won’t venture into the restroom again.
Irving Street Cafe
716 Irving Steet, San Francisco, CA 94122
October 23 2009 | Breakfast Log | No Comments »
It’s not far from Crissy Field to the Presidio – just follow the signs for Main Post.
(Click on the photos for larger versions)
The Presidio in San Francisco, California
Within no time at all we were in the main square of the Presidio. In the middle is a large car park, which used to be the parade ground when the Presidio was at its zenith. On one side of the parade ground is a row of handsome brick buildings which used to be the Montgomery Street Barracks. The plan is to convert the parking lot into a green park and to refurbish the barracks into restaurants, galleries and cultural spaces. One of the buildings has been completed and is the Walt Disney Family Museum which opened its doors on October 1 this year. One day we will come and view it, but that will have to wait until the crowds have died down; although at 8 a.m. on a Saturday morning all was quiet and peaceful.
Tom parked the car and wandered off to take a few photos of the buildings while I stayed in the car and wrote my journal. Not much seemed to be going on around us. Even the Visitors Center was not open.
We then drove up the hill to The Spire. We last visited in January this year and were keen to check it out again. At the Inspiration Point car park we indicated to turn into it but it was closed off. There was a sign saying it was temporarily closed today. I wonder why? We drove a little further and turned into the Presidio Golf Club car park. Fortunately there were no signs saying we could not park there.
From there is was a short climb up to The Spire. The area is known as Aguello Gate and the path leads to the Bay Area Ridge Trail. Alongside the path were a stack of enormous felled Monterey Cypress trees. A sign nearby said the they had been felled as they were decaying. They will be replaced by young Monterey Cypress trees next year. It is all part of a well planned restoration project. The smell of resin from the felled trees was intoxicating.
Andy Goldsworthy's, "The Spire" in The Presidio
Further on there was another stack of felled trees and they formed a convenient bench. I sat in the sun and looked around me. In front of me, towering high into the sky, was The Spire which was the inspiration of Andy Goldsworthy. Around the base of the spire were 100 young Monterey Cypress trees. On our visit in January they had just been planted and the area round the spire was clear apart from the tiny seedlings and the sticks supporting them. Today the view was different. The small trees and sticks were still there, although some of the seedlings had not survived, but weeds have sprouted all around each sapling completily hiding the tiny trees. I guess that was bound to happen. Hopefully on our next visit the trees will be higher than the weeds.
Tom had wandered off to take photos so I sat on my comfortable perch writing up my journal. I must say it was a great place to be. I leaned back and rested against another felled tree. The view was magnificent, not just of The Spire but I could see Alcatraz sparkling like a jewel out in the bay. What with the warmth of the sun and the resiny smell, surely this was the place to be on this fine Saturday morning. I could have stayed there for hours just drinking in the sights sounds and smells all around me and watching runners jog past but Tom beckoned so I went to join him.
He had explored further up the path to where it joined the Bay Ridge Trail and he thought there would be a good view ahead of the bay as we were quite high there. The trail skirted the golf course. The reason I knew this was because I spotted a golf cart. The view never materialized and the path we chose came to a dead end at the base of a disused tower – probably a fire look out – next to a covered reservoir. The tower was defended by an impenetrable barrier of barbed and razor wire. The main intention was that nobody should be able to climb the tower.
We turned back and returned to the car and set off to find somewhere for breakfast.
October 13 2009 | Special Places | No Comments »
Tents, tents and more tents at the 3-Day Event at Crissy Field
Another expedition to San Francisco but this time by car. As usual we left early, with a full moon shining brightly in front of us for most of the way up Highway 280. Once again, we are not quite sure what the weather will be like. We know it will be cooler than the last few days but will it be foggy?
Our first stop today was at Crissy Field. At this time of the morning we were expecting to have the place more or less to ourselves. Boy, were we wrong! The first thing which told us there was something going on was the sea of pink tents pitched on the grass near the fitness center. Then we spotted a large marquee beyond the tents with a smaller awning nearby. In the early morning gloom we could people, mostly ladies in pink tops and shorts walking about. We passed a huge trailer which was a mobile shower and another trailer which proclaimed it to be the Command Center for the Breast Cancer 3 Day Event. The place was a hive of activity with a long lines in front of the porta potties and outside the smaller tent where breakfast was being served onto paper plates. Loud music came from the big marque where hundreds of people were seating eating their breakfast.
I wandered past the breakfast tent and the food smelt good. There was scrambled egg, bacon, cereal and, would you believe it, oatmeal. I glanced into the marquee and they were just starting the warm up routine. Over the loudspeaker they were being encouraged to bend and stretch in time with the music. Now all of this was at 7 a.m. When I got home I checked The 3-Day site and learned that they were walking 20 miles a day over the three days. I silently wished them good luck.
Tom and I walked towards the Warming Hut, leaving the bustle behind us. But we were not alone. Also on the path were the usual motley
Golden Gate Bridge from Crissy Field
assortment of dogs with their owners, walkers and joggers. The Golden Gate Bridge towered in front of us, dwarfing Fort Point which is beneath the southern end of the bridge.
Just opposite the Warming Hut, which is a beacon of rest and refreshment but unfortunately doesn’t open until 9 a.m., is a small jetty. Already positioned on it were several anglers and a few photographers. We wandered along it and while Tom took photos I observed what was going on. One fisherman was emptying a couple of large, plump starfish onto the ground. I didn’t stay around to see what he did with them. Did he throw them back into the water I wonder or did he take them home? The view from the jetty was quite outstanding. In one direction the bridge, in front was Angel Island and to the right Alcatraz and the city. A line of brown pelicans flew overhead and then swooped to pass under the bridge.
Then it was back to the car so we could make our way to our second stop of the day – The Presidio.
October 10 2009 | Neighborhoods | 2 Comments »
Upstairs on Caltrain
For a variety of reason, we have not been doing much traveling lately. On Sunday though we had tickets to go and see the SF Giants play the Chicago Cubs in the last game of a four game series. The Cubs had won the first three games. The game started at 1.05 and Tom and I were pondering how we were going to get to AT&T Park. We normally drive all the way up and park next to the stadium in a parking lot but the charge is $30. There are several alternatives. We could have driven up to Millbrae and caught BART to Market Street and then taken Muni; or we could have driven up to 3rd and 16th, found some on-street parking where there are no parking meters; or we could have driven up to Oakland and caught the ferry across to AT&T Park. In the end, we did none of those. Instead we drove into San Jose and caught Caltrain all the way up to San Francisco.
(Click on the images for larger versions)
We caught the 10.00 am train and sat upstairs. I have been on Caltrain before but never upstairs. I thought there were only single seats upstairs but there is one double on each side in every carriage and we were lucky to snag one of those. I spent most of the time looking out of the window and very little in reading my book.
Obviously I can’t recall everything I saw but I can recount the highlights. My first impressions were not what you would call highlights though. Rusty rails strewn alongside the tracks, rank weeds, fences with razor wire on the top and lots of graffiti. The houses which backed onto the railway were a bit mean as well with piles of rubbish in some places which had been tipped over the fence. But raising my eyes over the mean houses gave me a view of the mountains in the distance and they were a far better sight.
Just before we came to the Sunnyvale Station we passed the apartment block Tom and I lived in for the first year of our marriage. It was a lovely
Out front of AT&T Park waiting for Tom's Brother
apartment, the only problem being the trains that passed close by. In the middle of the night a freight train would lumber by which rocked the place but the most annoying feature were the whistles which some drivers sounded very enthusiastically as they passed our apartment.
From Sunnyvale to San Bruno the scenery changed to be very pleasing, apart from the fact that we passed lots of our old haunts. At Mountain View they hold a farmers market on a Sunday morning and that was in full swing as we passed by. It is one of the best farmers markets in the area. The best has to be Sunnyvale on a Saturday because of the shady street with the cafes on the sidewalk where you can sit and have breakfast or drink a cup of coffee while drinking in the sights and smells. There are no cafes near the farmers market in Mountain View and no shady trees to sit under.
Passing San Antonio reminded me of a trip I took on Caltrain from Sunnyvale to Stanford shopping center with my daughter a few years back. The railway conductor had a very distinctive way of talking and when she announced the name of the station it came out as ‘Saaaaaaaan AAAAAntOOOnio’. Every time I see a sign for San Antonio I mimic her rendition.
At California Street we saw the Farmers Market down the main street. This is one we have not been too but we must go some day. Next stop was Palo Alto. From the train we could see the entrance to Stanford University and some of the palm trees lining Palm Drive but the distinctive buildings of the university could not be seen. From the train station it an easy walk to the fabulous Stanford Shopping Center.
Between the California Street and Palo Alto stations is a bike track, which was being well used. I wonder how far it goes. The original station building at Menlo Park Station is the oldest station in California. It has been refurbished over the years but is still a charming building.
Atherton was our next stop and this is a really nice location. It was once described as a “plain of oaks” and it still is. Looking down into the gardens of the houses we passed, they all had large shady trees and many of them were well established. Redwood City is an interesting place. From the train we could see a large painting on the side of a building. It depicted a lady in medieval dress sitting in a boat. I’m not 100% sure but I’m guessing it was from the ‘Lady of Shalott’ which was a poem by Alfred, Lord Tenyson. Here is a short quote:
‘Down she came and found a boat
Beneath a willow left afloat,
And around about the prow she wrote
The Lady of Shalott.’
Just past the station, near the railway crossing, is an old sign which used to be on El Camino. It boldly proclaims ‘Redwood City – Climate Best By Government Test’. To read why the town claims this distinction check out this website.
San Carlos station was next. Here the tracks are raised and below, on the station forecourt, there was another farmers market. Tom pointed out the unusual station house building which was more or less hidden by the raised tracks. This one was almost as old as the one at Menlo Park but completely different architecture. San Carlos station is built from gray stone blocks unlike the conventional wooden structure at Menlo Park.
Margaret, Tom's Step-Mom, Arlene, Tom's Dad and Brother Jeffrey
Yet another farmers market was being held at Belmont station. Tom used to live in Belmont when he was a little boy and remembers driving with him Mum to collect his Dad from the station in the evening. The next few stations are unimpressive. Hillsdale used to be the station for Bay Meadows racetrack but that closed down in 2005. There is, of course, the big shopping mall at Hillsdale.
Burlingame has a very impressive station building. It’s architecture is Mission-Revival style and is painted bright yellow and is now a museum. Tom was born in Burlingame.
The next few stations are OK but not outstanding apart from the clock at Milbrae which showed the wrong time and the date as January 2, 1995! Once passed San Bruno things began to deteriorate again. The only thing which impressed me was the graffiti. OK I know graffiiti is a blot on the landscape and taken as a whole really gives a neglected look but some of the individual paintings are very artistic and far more colorful than the specimens displayed near San Jose.
Just before 11.45 we arrived in San Francisco and joined the merry throng walking down King Street to the AT&T stadium. Most of the fans were dressed in the Giants colors but there were a good few Cubs fans in amongst us. And it was a beautiful day. We stopped at Starbucks for a cup of coffee as we had at least half an hour to wait before we met up with Tom’s Dad and Arlene and his brother Jeff by the Willie Mays statue outside the stadium. It was an invigorating experience being a part of the hustle and bustle outside the station. Of course there were the scalpers selling tickets and parking passes for the game, street performers and the occasional homeless person with their handwritten signs. There were also stands selling programs and memorabilia. More interesting TV cameras were set up to televise the pre-game show. The majority of movement though came from the fans pouring into the stadium not only from the train station but also from the car parks on the other side of the Lefty O’Doule Bridge and the muni station on King Street.
Eventually the five of us all found each other and we made our way into the stadium. We went through the wrong entrance but we didn’t find out
Batter Up!
until we left the stadium. Our tickets were in Field Club and we entered through the Willie Mays Plaza entrance and walked up the ramp to the Promenade level. From there we were directed to an section but we had to walk all the way down to the bottom, back through a tunnel and into the right section. We almost gave up but eventual we found our seats in Section 109, Row O. They were great seats midway between home plate and first base.
There is nothing more American than a baseball game. All the razzmatazz of the game beforehand and then the music, exhortations to shout, stand and make a loud noise during the game; the large scoreboard giving a wealth of information including replays of each ball; the seventh inning stretch and then of course there is the game itself. Being so close to the action we saw more of the expressions from the players and the occasional comments. We were also in line to catch a foul ball although none came close enough to attempt a catch. It was a great game and both sides played very well but the Giants won so that put the cherry on the cake as far as our day was concerned. We sat there enjoying ourselves immensely, eating hot dogs and ice creams (though I made a mess with mine when it melted all over my jeans and sweatshirt) and drinking beer and lemonade. We clapped every good hit and catch, no matter which side executed it, and groaned whenever a home run was never quite achieved. We stayed right to the end and stood, clapped and cheered as the teams left the field.
Then we made our way out of the stadium through the food court entrance without having to climb any stairs. Tom and I made our way back to the station, crossing the roads with hundreds of others and taking up the whole of the sidewalk. At the station we were lucky to get onto the non stop to San Carlos train which cut the journey by half an hour. It was the end of a perfect day.
October 04 2009 | Special Places | No Comments »
