Saturday Afternoon and Evening
We took a break from visiting artists’ studios by driving into Point Reyes Station. There were four things we wanted to do. The first was to find
Tamales Bay at Point Reyes
an ATM. Buying the bowl wiped us out of cash. Our second errand was to buy some cheese. Point Reyes has many dairy farms and cheese, along with oysters, are what the area is famous for. On Third Street is the Tomales Bay Food Company. It is a small selection of shops selling food from the area. At 1.30 on the Saturday it was packed. There were many cheeses to choose from and I could not decide which one to buy. In the end I chose a small selection from Cowgirl Creamery an a bag consisting of their Original Blue, Matos’ St George, Mt Tam and a goat cheese called California Crottin. The bag also contained bread and butter pickles but I misread it assuming there was bread and butter inside not knowing that there was such a thing as bread and butter pickles. I still have a lot to learn.
Tom and I sat outside on a bench and sampled the Matos’ St George cheese and watched what was going on. There were lots of people sitting on the grass eating their picnics and children were playing. More and more people were arriving to shop. Amongst all this, a young man was balanced on top of a four foot post performing some sort of Kung Fu exercise. For about fifteen minuts he carried on totally engrossed while people walked past, just giving him a casual glance. Hey, this is Marin and that’s what folks do round here. Just another day in Point Reyes Station.
Our next task, and the most important some would say, was to get a drink. Opposite Toby’s Feed Barn, where they hold a farmers market every Saturday, is The Western Saloon and this is where we headed. Outside Osteria Stellina – where we will be eating tonight – there were people waiting for tables but The Western had only a few customers. We took a seat at the bar and ordered a couple of beers. The lady who served us didn’t appear very friendly at first but she warmed up when we asked if she was serving when Prince Charles and Camilla came into the bar four years ago. She certainly was and told us all about it. Tom and I were in Point Reyes Station that day and were standing in the crowd outside the bar. It was a big occasion for us. It is the first time Tom had ever seen any of the Royals and I got to shake hands with both the Prince and his Duchess.
Our last visit was to the Pelican Gallery on the main street. A lot of people were walking round clutching the Point Reyes Open Studios brochure but the Pelican Gallery was not part of it and therefore not very busy. Inside the gallery were lot of large photos printed onto canvas and there were quite a few I would not mind hanging on my wall.
Back on the road again and there were just two more studios to visit today. They first was to Bruce Mitchell, the wood sculpture, who we missed earlier on. His studio was located in Sherwood Road. Bruce specializes in large sculptures and bowls. In the garden outside were a few of his bigger pieces. They are nice but not for us. Where would be put it if we bought one? Also outside he had a large work area with a sawpit. Inside there were more large sculptures and a lot of bowls. I circled the studio studying his bowls and some of them were really nice. There are made out of many different types of wood. It was interesting to observe the different grains in them. I had the urge to pick them up just to run my hands over their surface and to bury my nose inside to smell them, but resisted.
Our very last studio visit was right opposite our B&B so we parked the car and walked across the footbridge over the creek in the middle of Inverness Way. Abbie Durkeee uses mixed media in her paintings. Her studio is also her house so you walk straight into her front room. Several of Abbie’s paintings are displayed on the walls of her sitting room and every one of them told a story. One told the story of her grandmother and displayed a photo of Abbie as a young girl, a loaf of bread, a jar of bread and butter pickles (what a coincidence) and lots of butterfly wings fixed to the bottom third. Abbie collected the wings when she was cycling on the Big Island in Hawaii. Monarch Butterflies migrate to Hawaii and a lot must perish. She said there were millions of wings lying around and in a car they would not have been seen but when you are are riding a bike you see much more. Abbie picked up a discarded Marlborough cigarette box and placed the wings inside. The box protected the wings form being damaged as she continued her ride. Butterfly wings represent family and community to Abbie. Just off the living room is Abbie’s workroom and there was a canvas she was working on and other projects in works. Everything looked highly organized. As we were leaving she us she has a completely different display each day.
Another view of Tamales Bay
Next door to Abbie at 2 Inverness Way we noticed a sign which said ‘Shaker Shops West’ so we went inside to have a look. There were many Shaker items and gadgets like kitchen utensils, coat hooks and children’s toys plus Shaker chairs, tables and a chest. The furniture is well designed, functional and appealing but also very expensive.
Back to the B&B for a spot of relaxation before heading back to Point Reyes Station for dinner. The fresh cookies were out in the sitting room and I picked up a couple as we walked past. They were delicious.
At 5.45 we turned up at Osteria Stellina only to be told our reservation was for 6.30. It was a very busy place with all the tables occupied and people waiting, so we went off to find some amusement before returning at the appointed time. For ten minutes we browsed the books in Point Reyes Books but it closed a 6. There was nothing else to do but to return to the car and listen to the radio for half an hour.
At 6.30 we tried again and only had to wait five minutes before our table was ready. It was not the best table in the house because people were constantly knocking the back of Tom’s chair when they walked past and every time the door opened I got a blast of cold air but these are the only negatives of the whole experience. The chef and owner is Christian Caiazzo. Originally he worked in high profile restaurants in New York and San Francisco but had to give up when he was in a bad car accident. After some painful rehabilitation he moved to Point Reyes Station where he first work at Cowgirl Creamery and then opened a coffee bar before opening Osteria Stellina.
To start with Tom had half a dozen sweetwater oysters. They were served in their half shells on a bed of ice with a cocktail sauce and a lemon flavored dipping sauce. I had roasted brussels sprouts and walnuts. Both were lip smackingly good. For Tom’s main course he had braised goat and I had Osso Buco with mashed potatoes and kohlrabi and broccoli rabe. Tom said the goat was very good. Mine was delicious. To finish Tom had the flourless chocolate desert and I had the cheese selection which consisted of three local cheeses – a soft goats cheese and two from the Cowgirl Creamery (Mt Tam and Red Hawk) served with a membrillo (quince preserve) and bread & butter. It was all washed down with a couple of carafes of house red. We both came to the same conclusion – it was the best dinner we’ve enjoyed for some time.
We were in the restaurant for nearly two hours but never realized it had been that long as we were having the time of our lives. The end of another perfect day.
January 13 2010 | Special Places | No Comments »
Another of that boat. There's something about Point Reyes that's magical.
Part 2 (Saturday Morning)
Tom was up very early. It was just after 5 and still dark but he was eager to get out and take some photos. I turned over and went back to sleep.
He returned, very cold, two hours later. I asked whether he had been able to take any photos in the dark. He had tried taking some long exposures shots of the stars but he didn’t think they were too successful When it started to get light he went down to the old wood boat marooned on the mudbank just a few minutes walk from our B&B. The tide was in and he hoped he had managed to get some good shots of the boat and its reflection in the water.
Coffee is available down in the sitting room from 7.30 but breakfast is not until 8.30. We went down for coffee – well Tom had coffee and I had tea – and we read the paper. There were already a few guests there and we chatted sporadically with them. One couple were from Mountain View, which is quite close to where we live. At breakfast we shared a table with Craig and Jenny who were from Campbell which is only a couple of miles from our home. Breakfast consisted of cereal, fruit, orange juice, yogurt and a cooked dish. It was very tasty.
After breakfast we went out for a short walk. We set out to find a trail but ended up walking up
A little windy but still a beautiful day.
Inverness Way and around a few blocks and then alongside the bay before making our way back to the B&B to change into our walking shoes. Then we set off in the car, driving north along Sir Francis Drake Blvd. It was only 10.30 so once again had time to kill. We parked on a gravel pull-in by Chicken Ranch Beach and took a walk along the beach. The tide was ebbing but it was still pretty high. Last time we came here we were able to walk north along the beach and under the numerous piers that have been built into Tomales Bay. Today we had to content ourselves by walking south. There were several fishermen along the edge of the water and though we didn’t see anybody catch anything, we noticed the tail of a fish sticking out of a bag. It looked like a tiger shark. Near three fishermen was a very wet black lab with a tennis ball in its mouth. He came up to me and dropped the ball at my feet. I asked if it was OK to throw the ball and one replied that it wasn’t their dog, it had just appeared. So I threw the ball a couple of times to please him. At one point he was stood on a slope and when he dropped the ball, it rolled into the water. When he looked down and saw the ball had gone he looked at me as much as to say, “well, how did you manage to throw the ball without me seeing you?” It didn’t take him long to find it again.
At 11 we returned to the car and set off for our first studio of the day. This was at the home of Philip Loring Greene and his wife. His speciality is Ilfochrome photography. Egrets and herons are his passion and he has some stunning photos of them. There were a couple of other people there and while his wife – who plays the harpsichord by the way – served us hot apple cider, Philip demonstrated how he developed his photos. It sounded very long and tedious and one has to admire his patience. It can take two weeks to produce one print.
The next studio we missed altogether, though not intentionally. It was difficult to find. I should have looked at the brochure more carefully because it said that access was through the Inverness Valley Inn.
We drove on to the next studio which belonged to Molly Prier. She makes functional ceramics and Pueblo style vessels. Molly’s studio is not very large and only half a dozen people could fit in at any one time. Her burnished bowls were very beautiful and felt smooth to the touch. She fires them by digging a trench and covering them with cow dung. When the fire dies down, the pit is covered with soil. It takes a long time to finish the pots. Though we were tempted to buy one, we didn’t succumb. Just down the road was the joint studio of Shari Miler, who makes creative jewelry – which we were not interested in – and Peter Sheremeta, who makes stoneware pottery and garden vessels. Outside were some of his garden pots. They were round and the bottom is shaped into three legs. The legs are open at the bottom to allow water to drain away – what a novel idea. Inside were the studios were his bowls. They were mostly round and in vibrant colors. Tom fell in love with one so he bought it. It is a Christmas present for his daughter. Peter demonstrated it’s perfect construction by tapping it and it gave the sound of a bell being struck. He showed us one which didn’t make that sound and he said it must have a crack in it but it didn’t now where it was.
A winding road through the woods to another studio.
The next studio on the list belonged to the wood sculptor, Bruce Mitchell but we missed the turning, so we carried on to the next one. We turned up Drakes View. It is a private road but as the sign definitely pointed that way, we carried on. The road climbed up and up and there were some really sharp horseshoe bends. We really thought we had taken the wrong road but then we saw a sign for the studio, so we knew we were headed in the right direction. On and up we climbed, passing some really nice houses. The Richard Blair and Kathleen Goodwin studio is right at the top of a hill and it was one that was badly damage by the 1995 Bolines Range fire. In fact Richard and Kathleen only had a cabin then and it burned down. Now they have built a lovely home which is also their studio. They are both photographers b ut Kathleen also does paintings and Richard produces books. I particularly liked some of Kathleen’s photos. One was of the raft moored offshore at Shell Beach and the other of a group of men in a bus shelter in Alysham.
We walked out of the studio, crossed the road and walked down a short track between some trees to look at the fabulous view down over Tomales Bay. It was a lovely sunny day but there was a chill in the air and the wind could be heard soughing through the trees. Tom pointed out how far the fire had travelled down the hill. You did distinctly see the break between the old and new growth of trees.
We returned to the car and drove down the hill again but turned on onto Upper Robert Drive where we visited the studio of Ed Stetson. This was the only place we stopped at where we were the only visitors. The studio was in the beautiful home of Ed and his wife with a commanding view of Tomales Bay. Ed is a photographer and uses a digital camera to shoot wildlife. He has captured some amazing shots – one of a Marsh Hawk carrying a vole in its talons; one of what he calls ’sand trees’ taken on Limator Beach and one of a pelican trying to get friendly with a wooden statue of a pelican. Tom and Ed had a long conversation about printing techniques, Photoshop and matting. It is interesting to pick up hints and tips from other photographers.
More to follow…..
January 09 2010 | Special Places | No Comments »
Tom and I are off to Point Reyes for the weekend to celebrate our anniversary. We have booked into a B&B in Inverness for two nights. The main
Old fishing boat, "Point Reyes".
reason for choosing Point Reyes is to tour the Open Studios of the local artists. Twenty studios will be open over the weekend and we printed a list of them. I also printed a copy of the map but it was far too small to read.
We left at 7. A wet weekend was forecast but that’s OK. In fact it rained pretty heavily during the night and the roads were wet. We don’t mind the rain, except for the fact that Tom doesn’t like to take photos in the rain. Lots of rain is what we need here in California after several years of drought.
It was Black Friday – the day after Thanksgiving – and the official start of the holiday shopping spree. The roads were not too busy but all the car parks surrounding the shopping malls we passed were full. Some shops opened their doors just after midnight. The last place you will ever see Tom and I is fighting the masses to get that one object which we ‘must’ have at a ridiculous price. For us it is the open road, traveling to new places and meeting new and interesting people.
We stopped off in San Anselmo for breakfast at Comforts Cafe – see previous post. When we stopped outside the cafe there was a slight drizzle but the sun was shining.
After breakfast we continued along Sir Francis Drake Blvd, driving through San Geronimo, Forest Knolls and Lagunitas. It was a scenic drive with many trees showing off their autumnal colors. On our way home we plan to take a detour along the San Geronimo Valley Drive.
We pulled into Point Reyes Station at 10. Already there were a lot of cars around and we had to park on a side street. Point Reyes station is a nice place to browse the shops. There are no big stores but lots of funky little artsy craft shops. We went first to Toby’s Feed Barn where the Group Show is for the Open Studios. At the back of the store were exhibits from each of the studios which are open this weekend and here we picked up a brochure. I marked the ones we particularly want to visit. There were 17 crosses so we are going to be busy. The map in the brochure was very good I’m pleased to say.
We had time to kill as none of the studios opened until 11, so we took a wander around town. We passed the restaurant where Tom has booked for tomorrow night – Osteria Stellina. It looks really good.
As I was walking past a shop which had a large map of the the area displayed outside, I heard a woman asking two men what was there to do in the area. Of course I stopped to look at the map because I can’t resist them and the woman went on to say she was from San Jose. One of the men suggested Stinson Beach so I chimed in that Bolinas was also a nice place to visit. The same man replied that the tide was too high there. I then turned to him and asked if he lived in Bolinas and he admitted he did. I explained to the woman that Bolinas folk remove all road signs pointing to Bolinas to discourage people from visiting and that’s why it was worth a visit.
When in Point Reyes Station we always visit Point Reyes Books. Their range of books is fascinating and diverse. We idled away the time there until 11.
The first open studio we visited was Todd Pickering and it was one block over from where we were. Todd specializes in black and white photography so right up Tom’s alley. Todd and his dog met us at the door and welcomed us. He had a lot of very nice prints to look at and buy. Todd also told us he runs courses, either for groups or one to one. In February I am attending a weekend course in Sausalito and suggested to Tom it would be a good idea for him to do a photography course whilst I attended my course. We could always spend a night somewhere between Point Reyes and Sausalito, thereby saving me a trip back to San Jose in the evening or me spending a night on my own in a hotel. Todd was an interesting person to talk to. He also plays a guitar and had a CD of his music for sale.
Next door was Carolyn Mean’s porcelain and stoneware studio. She had bowls and vases on display. There were several ceramic teapots which were very decorative but impractical. There was also a selection of her seconds for sale which were very inexpensive.
As we walked back to the car there was a heavy drizzle. We were pleased to get back into the car as we were not wearing our jackets or carrying the umbrella. They were of course in the car but that was little use to us outside braving the elements.
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December 31 2009 | Special Places | No Comments »
Pine Cone Diner, Point Reyes Station, California
After our walk along the Limantour Trail, we were ready for breakfast. I had noticed that the Olema Farm House Restaurant at the junction of Sir Francis Drake Blvd and Highway 1 in Olema had a sign saying ‘Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner’ so we decided to try it out. We were out of luck though as the restaurant wasn’t open. We inquired at the Deli next door where we could get breakfast and were told that we could get an breakfast egg muffin there. We decided against that as we wanted something more substantial so drove back into Point Reyes. (Click on the photo for a larger version)
We normally eat at the Station House Cafe in the heart of Point Reyes Station on Highway 1 but today we drove around town to see if there was anywhere else. On a side street we discovered the Pine Cone Diner and decided to give it a try.
It’s a cute place and obviously been here for some time and is not very big. There are just five four seater booths and a couple of tables – one for six and one for two. There are 8 round stools up at the counter. There is also some seating outside. The tables and chairs were the old fashioned chrome type with yellow tops and upholstery.
Our server was not very welcoming at all, which was a pity. I expected a real friendly welcome so was disappointed. Service is neither slick or fast.
Tom ordered the Chorizo Scramble $9.75 and I ordered the oatmeal (made from Red Mill Oats) with bananas, walnut and raisins for $6.95 plus a side of toast for $2.00.
The decoration is quite charming. At the windows were bright and colorful curtains, which, on close inspection, depicted maps of all 50 states showing their main attractions and landmarks. One wall is devoted to a mixed collection of plates of all sizes, shapes and colors. Over the counter is a shelf displaying decorated glasses and a cut out frieze of farm and household animals. Also on the walls is a varied collection of paintings, prints, a map, awards and newspaper cuttings. The pine cone theme is echoed in a couple of tin trays, half a dozen containers and also hand painted onto the pelmets over the windows. Fresh flowers were on the tables but had obviously been there for a few days. All the decorative objects look genuine as if placed there by a caring family and not obtained by a corporation.
The food was good. My oatmeal came in a deep round bowl on a non matching plate. The walnuts (small and crumbly), brown sugar and golden raisins were served on the side. The milk was in a small, blue ceramic jug. Tom’s Chorizo Scramble was tasty and had beans in it.
The restroom was clean and cutesey. No complaints there.
We would go there again for the food and the cuteness of the place but the service leaves a lot to be desired.
April 27 2009 | Breakfast Log | 4 Comments »
Station House Cafe is another one of our favorite eating places. Normally we stop here for lunch. Today
though, at 10.45, it will be brunch so, technically, I can include it as a breakfast blog. As it is Labor Day the cafe opened at 8 a.m. and served breakfast until 3.30 p.m.
(Click the image for a larger version)
We asked for a table outside in the shade and that is just what we got. Almost touching the table were the branches of a large shrub with sharp thorns. The hostess promptly went to find a pair of pruners and cut back the branches. How’s that for service?
What a glorious day to sit outside. There are 15 two seater wrought iron tables and chairs and five marble topped tables for 4 with wrought iron chairs. In the middle is a large shady arbor covered with vegetation. Umbrellas shade the rest of the tables. There is a small fountain and pool but there are no fish in the water, just coins. Around the outside of the patio are many flowering shrubs and rose bushes. It is a very popular restaurant and there are very few empty tables.
Hey, they do oatmeal so, of course, I ordered that. I chose a bowl with nuts and raisins for $4.75. I could have ordered a cup for less. Tom ordered corn beef hash ($9.95). All the fish served here is local and wild caught and the beef is from Niman Ranch.
My writing was brought to a conclusion by the timely arrival of our food. My oatmeal came in a small, deep bowl on a large plate. There was a mountain of oatmeal, rising at least half and inch above the top of the bowl; hence it was far from runny. Also on the plate were three small stainless steel bowls; one with brown sugar, one with golden raisins and one with walnuts. The milk came in a mid size glass and was warm and frothy. The only drawback though was in trying to pour it over the oatmeal. I tried dribbling it slowly but it made a mess. Tom was all for tipping it up quickly. The problem with that method was the lack of space in the bowl due to the generous amount of oatmeal and he made a mess as well. A jug would have caused no problems at all. It was good oatmeal though.
Tom thoroughly enjoyed his corn beef hash and sourdough toast. His eggs were done to perfection. He asked for over medium and they came with crispy white edges and runny yolks. For the rest of the day he waxed lyrical about them. The hash was also extremely tasty with large pieces of corn beef, cubed potatoes, onions and peppers. Tom normally orders English muffin but today he had he had his favorite toast – sourdough. I guess that is because he was brought up with it. I don’t like the taste and particularly dislike the crusty outside which scrapes the roof of my mouth.
Note from Tom – Margaret, you are now a US citizen and especially a Northern California citizen. You must learn to like sourdough. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.
Almost forgot my visit to the restroom but it was really boring. Not one touch of decoration inside at all. The water eventually ran hot but I almost gave up. Right next to the restroom is a small, separate area, obviously used for private parties. I took a look around while waiting to use the restroom and admired the black and white photos of Point Reyes on the walls. The photographer was Marty Knapp, who is a well known resident of Point Reyes. He has a showroom further down the street from the cafe on the opposite side.
Our verdict – great food, wonderful surroundings and at $15.84 quite reasonable as well. We can heartily recommend the Station House Cafe.
September 01 2008 | Breakfast Log | No Comments »
We have been to this restaurant many times but this will be the first time for breakfast. Usually we sit outside in their lovely garden and have lunch but it is too cold at this time of the morning though I did notice a couple of smokers braving the weather.
They open at 8 and we arrived shortly afterwards so it was not crowded at all.
It is a large restaurant but there is nothing really different or outstanding about it. There are no booths at all, just table and chairs.
I ordered oatmeal with nuts and raisins ($4.75) and Tom ordered bacon and cheddar omelet with sourdough toast ($9.25). He also had coffee of course. The oatmeal was very good. It was served in a fair sized deep bowl. The sugar, golden raisins and walnuts were served in stainless steel cups which were much better than the normal plastic containers. The milk was served in a glass, which was very difficult to pour. Tom enjoyed his omelet. The potatoes were crispy, just how he likes them and the sourdough toast was great. The jam was very good and fresh – not your normal jam in plastic containers.
There were separate restrooms for men and women. The ladies was a single room with a very small sink in the corner. On the wall was a framed poster of local varieties of fruit from Tuscany. The towel dispenser was awkward to operate, especially with my broken wrist.
Verdict – food was very good but the interior was rather bland. Service was not brilliant.
November 08 2007 | Breakfast Log | No Comments »
