San Francisco

I got a little behind in my posts so this blog is going to catch you up from the last few days.

Saturday morning I left the Santa Rosa area of California and headed south for San Francisco. I had a tour scheduled for the San Francisco Armory at 3:00 pm, so I would have a little time to kill.

When I came up through San Francisco the first time it was very foggy. I crossed the Golden Gate Bridge but couldn't see much of it through the thick, low fog. The day was absolutely brilliant on Saturday, but I had been told by locals that fog is often the case in San Francisco so I had little hope of seeing the bridge again on Saturday. When I got closer to the bridge I recalled reading a sign that told me I would have to pay a toll when going over the bridge from north to south.

Drat!! No cash in the car, I took the last exit before the bridge and made the choice that always puts me in the wrong place, left or right? I decided left and I started climbing, parked the car and kept climbing and climbing and eventually saw the top and thought... "I have to get all the way up there!!!"

I did, and this is what I saw.



I could see forever.



And it was beautiful.
I climbed down a bit and found a better path to the bridge.



And got about as close as I could.






Really lovely day I felt peaceful, and thought maybe a few more days in California would be nice.



So I found the ATM went over the Golden Gate bridge and went for my tour.



I went to see the San Francisco Armory. They make movies here. And it shattered all my illusions.



The "wood" floor is spongy so no one gets hurt.



All fake.



Fake padded cell.



Fake bar.



Prop department.



Robot from that Short Circuit movie back in the 80's.



Mission Creek runs under the armory. They used the basement for target practice so it is pretty creepy down there.



Just after I took this picture my camera battery died.

I took the rest of the photos with my phone.



By contrast the upper floors are beautiful.



There are two black cats that follow you around the whole time making it even creepier.


After this I went to Chowchilla, Ca...which is near the federal prison. It is also where I left my camera battery charging in the wall... :(

On Sunday I drove south to Pasadena, I read somewhere that it would be a nice stay, but it wasn't...everything was in Chinese. I took the day to rest and do my laundry.

Monday came and I decided to run around Forest Lawn Cemetery and look for dead stars. I found Clark Gable, Sammi Davis jr, and Ted Knight.

I was looking for Michael Jackson, Andy Gibb or Liberace...so I asked...and of course I'm in the wrong cemetery...There is a Forest Lawn in Glendale AND Hollywood...so much for that...save that for another trip...the Hollywood one is the one with the people you know, and I just didn't want to battle the traffic.

So I headed for Victorville to perch myself at the edge of the desert and prepare myself for the trip home.

I was supposed to stay in California until July 2nd to see Barry Manilow at the Hollywood Bowl. But when I came through Southern California the first time I sold my ticket. I missed my kitties.

I regret that. But the ticket is gone. I hope whoever has it enjoys the show and the fireworks.

I'm hoping besides tonight, I have no more than one more night without Cecil and Boo Boo snuggled up with me.



My inspiration for tomorrow's drive.

Charles Schultz Museum.

Sitting in a Starbucks in Windsor, CA eating oatmeal and drinking coffee.

My three favorite places to visit in all the world are libraries, laundromats and museums. So yesterday after my Half Moon Bay rejuvenation I decided to head north to Santa Rosa and see the Charles Schultz Museum.

The museum is a celebration of Charles Schultz's life and his comic strip. Although the museum does have a few coloring areas for children, it is truly an adult museum.

Charles Schultz was passionate about a lot of things, but he was very passionate regarding the equal treatment of women in sports and hockey.

The museum is filled with Peanuts character art that has been produced by other people.




This mural is made up of peanuts daily comic strips.



I took a close up shot so you can see.



There are wood carved character plaques and the instructions tell you to decide which character you most identify with. I suppose I am some combination of Peppermint Patty and Marci.




This comic struck me, as this is how I think I look and it's certainly how I feel when I try to dress up.



Even Lucy doesn't understand men.



Billy Jean King's tennis outfit.



His daughter's wall in her bedroom, this is before he started his comic strip.



Original music to Christmas Time is Here.


Sketch book from the war.


The desk and chair where he drew the comic strip


This entire room was preserved exactly as it was the day he died.



Lots of books on Lincoln. Among the record albums, ABBA's Greatest Hits and Ricky Skaggs.



Snoopy art.



Teacher stuff.



This is by a famous artist. It's Snoopy's dog house. I don't get it???



There is a cafe on the property called the Warm Puppy Cafe. You can sit and have lunch and watch the ice skaters. I thought it was appropriate to have a grilled cheese.

Wasn't that the lunch they were always having in the comic strip?

Half Moon Bay

Wow, again...too wonderful for words.

Half Moon Bay is a beach community in Northern California. I decided to stay at The Ritz Carlton and do a spa day. I arrived at the hotel about an hour early for my appointment. I figured I would have to wait in the lobby and have them store my luggage.

But not at The Ritz Carlton. They treated me like gold from the moment I walked in the door. I'm not used to having someone do stuff for me. Open the door and take my bags, I mean I know I am paying for this, but, all the while smiling. I was so worried I would walk in the place and be made to feel like I didn't belong. NOT TRUE AT ALL!

Eric took me to my room and turned on the fire and told me he would be up later to check on me. The bed was a giant marshmallow with 6 poofy pillows. The bathroom was too much. I couldn't find the toilet. Silly me, it had its own room. The ocean right outside my sliding glass door.




Bathroom entrance.



Marble shower, door to the toilet.



View from the hall.

So I went to my spa appointment and again...words don't do it justice. I was in a robe the whole time going from treatment to treatment and lounging on big poofy couches drinking lemon water. I kept thinking, where are my clothes, where are my keys...oh that's right, it doesn't matter.

I got a massage, a facial (which was out of this world), a manicure and pedicure.

The facial and the pedicure stand out. I could not imagine how they were going to spend 90 minutes on my face, but it was my head, face, neck, chest, arms, hands and upper back. My face is now as smooth as butta!

The pedicure was almost embarrassing. I admit I don't take care of my feet. They are too small for me. They hurt all the time. They don't like shoes. I always buy them the wrong shoes. I work on them, run on them and do nothing for them.

God bless this woman. She was pulling stuff out of the corners of my toe nails with a dental instrument. She filed and sanded and cut and picked and scrubbed my feet. You could now eat off my feet. My feet have never been so clean and soft. I swear she picked out dirt that has been in there since I was 10.

5 hours later I emerged. Sparkly and brand new. Like the cowardly lion and all in the Wizard of Oz, ready to meet the wizard.

I came back upstairs to find that Eric had left my wine and my s'mores kit. They brought my dinner to my room and I gobbled it down.




Dinner ready for gobbling.

Later I sat by the fire toasting marshmallows and drinking my wine, sounds of the ocean off in the distance.




Marshmallow roasting.



Wine on "tall dark handsome strangers" chair.

After a peaceful and dreamless night of sleep, I ran along the ocean trails in the morning. No need for music. Very solitary, the way I think a beach should be. Very moody scene as well, which I also like, certainly not ordinary.




Trails.




Beach early morning.




They brought me breakfast, and eventually gave me back my car keys.




The only minus was that they don't have packages for ONESIES...so the package I purchased was for two...one half of it going unused...fools!

But I enjoyed myself :)

Goat Farm

The goat farm was incredibly cool.

I attended the summer solstice dinner at Harley Farms Goat Dairy. I can't do this experience justice but I will try.

Imagine the most beautiful farm setting that you can. Harley Farms is it.





The weather was absolutely perfect. Not a cloud in the sky. The experience started with iced tea and cheese in the English style garden. They served three kinds of goat cheese with homemade bread. The cheese was so incredibly fresh and wonderful tasting. I can't do it justice with words.







After "snacks" we were taken on a tour of the farm. The farm is well over 100 years old and was originally owned by two Portuguese brothers. It was originally a cow dairy farm. The woman who owns it now, rebuilt the farm as a goat dairy. Her herd started with 6 goats and now there are TONS. She used to milk them twice a day by hand.

Then we got to meet the goats and the llamas. The llamas are there to protect the goats. They apparently herd the goats and get them in a corner and then the coyotes are intimidated by the size and spitting of the llamas.













One of the goats goosed me...and llamas are really soft.

We then were taken into the place where they milk the goats. The goats happily line up to be milked because this is when they are fed. Machinery does the milking now that there are so many goats.




Goats coming in to be milked.



Milking goats.



Milk (which is warm...even though it looks cold)




Then they took us in to see how the cheese is made and more cheese tasting. The feta was so good...it was UNREAL.




Yes we had to wear hairnets. But I looked good in mine.







After that we were taken back to the garden and they explained to us the history of the table and the chairs where we would eat. They were made by three legged Billy.




Picture of three legged Billy.




They then served more snacks, and then course after course of wonderful food. The husband of the woman who owns the farm is a chef. The owner explained each dish to us before we ate it.







This was sea bass, tomatoes, cheese...



These were goat cheese stuffed ravioli...I don't know what to say...clouds in brown butter.




Lamb, lentils and veggies...the lamb was fresh...so good.




Desert...local berries...warm goat cheese made from the milk we watched being pumped. Yes, that fresh!!!




A wonderful day!