A Bit of Ann Arbor in Berkeley, and a Possibility for Next Year

Well, this was a really busy day, didn't expect it to be. I actually got brave and got a hair cut here, which i needed so desperately, i didn't care how it turned out! Well, it turned out fine, though the hairdresser was slow and late, and i was rushed. I was rushed because my friend, Judy K, was in Berkeley, visiting her son and daughter in law and new baby, Elias, and i had a lunch date with them. So i zoomed home. But oh yes, i forgot to put in here that on my morning walk, i saw someone i knew, who told me about a possible short term rental for next year. It's a couple who are away in the winter, so i thought i'd just leave a note. But the neighbor saw me, a delightful man named Phil, who called the people for me, showed me his identical unit, and took all my information.
so after my hair cut, i really, really had to shower, you know how your hair looks after they "do" it. i did that, raced to Berkeley because Judy didn't have much time. But oh, it was so great to see them all! David is a long term friend of my son, Matt's, probably his best friend, and such a delight. So is his wife, Mya, and their baby boy, Elias. We went out to lunch, and as we're eating, Phil called to tell me that the couple with the condo were interested, so we made a date for him to show me their condo later.
I then left the K's, to go off to see their cousin, and i did a few stairways in the hills of Berkeley. Berkeley is so unique and beautiful. Up in the hills are narrow, steep hills and streets. i was afraid to drive on them, though i did. It is so beautiful. The houses are unique and wonderful--some are dark wood, some are modern, all have character different from any other area of Northern California. I found a stairway designed by Mayback, the architect i have read about in other stairway walks. Some of the stairways had a history, talking about the Berkeley fire of 1923, of which i had never heard. The stairways arent' long, i did about 3 of them before heading back, but they all have character in this wonderful area.
i came back and toured the condo, i will call the owners tomorrow. And, they are psychologists, fellow therapists!
Oh, Phil mentioned that he has "acted" on the stage, played Thoma More in "A Man for All Seasons" on stage. So i mention this because so many of the people i've met have acted in one form or another. A guy who owns a bookstore in Mill Valley, Lindsey's Aunt Rae, this guy today, they all have acted! I guess i really am in California!

Back to that feeling of freedom and confidence and adventure! i went to jazzercize, where i really do feel comfortable now, though it isn't MY group, or LINDA, but it was fun. I should mention here, if Jane reads this, or anyone from my class, that i totally love a new song, "She Knows", by Justin Timerlake. Jane, listen to it, it's great! And LInda, i know you won't read this, but it's also a great routine!
Anyway, afterwards i drove into San Francisco to bring Trudi her suitcase. She is staying with her cousin, who is a photographer. He used to be the photographer for Smith and Hawkins catalog. He has a great apartment, in one of my favorite areas of San francisco, Pacific Heights. He lives near Fillmore and Washington, in a really cool apartment. He is an artist of course, and has an amazing apartment, the way it's decorated and accessorized. He is such an artist, i wish i'd had my camera in there, but it's hard to capture all the little collections and the big collections he has. One thing he collects, so i shouldn't forget, are Spode "profiles." vases with profiles on the lip, i never would have noticed.
We went to lunch, and of course, he brought his beloved dog, Rufus. I felt very San Francisco, sitting in Pacific Heights with the dog on the leash, eating outside at a nice restaurant. He regaled us with many stories, he is very outgoing, and charming. He made a movie with Twiggy, actually directed it. It was made in Sweden, PER, take note of that! It was made for Vogue magazine, to show off fashions. But he knew her well, and also, Ken Russell ("Women in Love") and when he lived in Bolinas, Jerry Garcia and Jefferson Airplane. He said that Paul McCarthney wrote "Back in the USSR" for him and Twiggy because they were supposed to do that shoot in Russia, but did it in Sweden instead.
Whatever, he was very, very nice, and bought my lunch. Trudi was very nice too, she insisted on paying for the parking ticket i got when i was maybe 3 minutes late!
After that, i did a staircase walk. It was very near, which was necessary, as i was on a parking meter, and obviously, they check! i went to Alta Plaza, near Steiner and Washington, in Pacific Heights. The stairway i did was mostly in a park, and i couldnt' do the whole walk because of time. But the views from this park were amazing. There were stairways up on all four sides, and you could see the entire area from each of the 4 areas. A beautiful area, boy, i wish i were rich and could live around here!
I then shopped a little in the area on Fillmore Street, which is one of my very favorite streets in San Francisco. But, very, very costly, so just window shopping. Although it's ritzy, it's interesting and nice to know there are few chains, and in fact, Steve, the cousin, told me, the neighborhood doesn't want any more chains to come in. I noticed that about many areas of San Francisco, maybe that's one of the things that makes it so unique nowadays. Trudi and i noticed it in Sonoma and Napa as well, and it's a good thing.
i then tried to find parking, street parking, in Union square because i'm now obsessed with Rance perfume that i had tried in St. Helena, but i gave up, and drove back. The good news about that is that i didn't need a map, i didn't need my GPS, i knew how to get back. Yeah for me!
i stopped at Corte Madera on the way to go to a Safeway and a great Italian market, Ferrari, to get some wonderful breadsticks. Most of this was while talking to Matt on the phone, and listening to baby Isaac, who i shall babysit for next week!

Beginnings of Leaving Where the Deer Roam

a busy day, but some of it routine. Walked in the morning, then did routine stuff, and then took Trudi to the ferry so she could stay with her cousin in San Francisco. I will bring her big suitcase in on friday.
I then did the leukemia phone support group, lazed around. later, went to Kathleen's for a real good talk. It was really meaningful for both of us, and brought us closer. i didn't take a picture, so i am including one of us taken in Italy. I won't see her again on this trip probably.
Oh, i bumped into the deer that roam around here, so i got a shot of them too.
Well, i am having computer trouble, so i don't know when this will be updated.

Bake Sale Betty, Berkeley Bowl, and a Beautiful Day with a Break with Jay and a Break with Lindsey

Trudi and I went to Berkeley today. No stairway walks, but alot of food and company.
Met Jay for lunch, and we went to "Bake Sale Bettys" where the menu is simple---fried chicken sandwiches and homemade baked goods! Betty wears a purple wig, though we didn't see her today, and used to work at Chez Panisses, now has her own little restaurant in Oakland. It is a very little place, and the line forms around the corner for her great food. If you eat outside and can find a "table", you eat at brightly colored ironing boards! It was wonderful food! Fried chicken is one of my favorite foods, and hers did not disappoint. And, i splurged on a chocolate cupcake that was the best!
We then dropped Jay off at his office, and met his boss and his cohorts. it was really fun, his office is pretty fascinating. All kinds of toys and stuff around, and strange video computer stuff. he showed us the "3D copier" , a device that copies the figures from the game he is working on. They have layers of material on them , becoming solid entities. Very different.
We then went to this store that Trudi had heard of, called "Lacis", a fascinating fabric store. "It's hard to define it that way, so whoever is reading this, should look it up on-line. Has alot of vintage things, but really interesting sewing and quilting and fabric books. They had a book called "Crafts of the 50's", which i know Jay and Linsdey would love.
Then, we went to the Berkeley Bowl, the most unique grocery store i've ever been to. i had been to it before, so i knew what it had, but i wanted Trudi to see it, plus i needed some produce. O.k., so produce is an understatement--they have an entire room of produce, aisles and aisles. here is a sampling:
many tomatoes, including Rosso Bruno
5 kinds of coconuts
6 types of eggplant
10 kinds of apples
32 kinds of mushrooms
edible flowers and edible orchids
nagaimo
nopales
and this is just a small sampling. And NO, i don't know what all those things are!

Oh, and i got some Meyer Lemons, which is becoming my quest. i had a meyer lemon cheesecake last night, it is so light and tasty that i really like the flavor. i hear they are in season now, so i am buying some. Trying to figure out how to get some home, or to see if i can get them at home.

After this, we met Lindsey at Ikea, where she works as a designer. She was chosen to design the entryway, so we wanted to see it. It is really creative! We went out with her for coffee, and had a great visit.

We then came home, ate here, played with Ella, and bore, yawn, yeah, watched "American Idol"!

Over Hills and Over Dales to Grandparents Wine Country We Did Go

Trudi and i took a morning walk, then began our journey to Sonoma and Napa County. First stop was Oakmont, the "Adult" community, to see another potential rental. Only it isn't a possibility, because the self described "clean freaks", a really nice, really friendly couple, don't want a dog, and we do plan to have Gus with us next year. But who knows, and it was good to go back out there, plus Trudi might be interested.

i decided i feel like i'm in an alternative universe there. No one is young. We didn't even see many people out at all at first, which was a little eerie. But hey, it was 12:30 p.m., they were probably napping! The strange thing is, everyone i have talked to there absolutely LOVES it, they wouldn't leave for anything, except in the winter. But, we saw no diversity with age, ethnicity, or anything else. As i was talking to Dan about it on the phone, we did notice a somewhat large group playing lawn bowling, that was exciting, although they all did have white hair.

We then drove to Healdburg for lunch. What a charming town! we had a nice lunch, and spent time looking in the cute shops. We then drove on road 128 to get over to Napa, and headed for St. Helena. This is another really cute town, with a sort of French accent to it.

Lastly, we headed to Cafe Le Haye in Sonoma to meet Kathleen and her friend, Linda for dinner. We had alot of fun, we all really hit it off. The 3 of them really like to travel in similar ways, esp. Linda and Trudi, so they exchanged emails and it all went really well. Dinner was good, and i liked the place, although Kathleen asked me to rate it, as well as the other places we've been to together, and i gave it a 7 1/2.

So on the way over to Sonoma, i did take one stairway shot---a stairway i walked nearby a few years ago, for Matt and Rachel's wedding. The staircase is Viansa, the winery they got married at!

A work day, and a friend to visit

i did not have any adventures today! i had to do some computer work for the Bone Marrow Transplant Symposium; i am coordinating all the Speakers, so I had to email many of them with various instructions. It took quite a while, but felt good to accomplish it, though i find being on the computer that much very tiring.
i did go to jazzercize, feels good to be reved up. Then, waited to Trudi to come in. She took a transporter from the airport out to Novato, and i picked her up around 3:30. She was exhausted, so she napped, while i read. We went to dinner at Boca, for salad and empanadas. Came home and relaxed.
nice to have a day like this.

sunday is for dim sum

We met Jay and Lindsey for Dim Sum today, they took us out for lunch, before Dan had to leave. We were up early, however, so we left Novato early and went to Golden Gate Park. Ended up at the Botanical Gardens, which were so peaceful and beautiful! i actually found a little stairway there, down to a quiet little pond with rocks and fronds. The weather was glorious.
Our Dim Sum was delicious, and we ate alot!
I then had to drive Dan to the airport, and it was sad to say goodbye. I'll see him soon, except i don't want to leave, i want him to come here!
Anyway, afterwards, i picked up Jay and Lindsey and we car-pooled down to Noe Valley, to a pottery place where you paint your own. Lindsey was making a birthday gift for her father, she did a beautiful job. i don't have a picture of it because it's not finished. Jay and i made some things too, mine is not so good, his is good!

i have to add three pictures----Jay and Lindsey's kitties, Ivan (the black one) and Jack.

AND, the stairway that started it all! This is near Jay and Lindsey's house, and after we took it back at Thanksgiving, Jay mentioned the book about stairways, and when i got my inspiration.