Concert Time in LA

(And What We Ate)

For the first time in a very long time, we took a weekend trip. Six months ago, Jonathan saw a video of Anna Lapwood playing the organ. He found she’d be on tour playing in Los Angeles on May 3, 2026. We bought tickets and planned to use the weekend as a test to see whether we can still travel.

We put off planning the details until a couple of months before the concert. By then, the low-cost carrier between Arcata and the Los Angeles area changed from Avelo to Breeze. We wanted the low cost airline for price, but also to fly direct to Burbank rather than the huge and busy LAX. Our flights on Breeze would be an experiment, as the service was set to begin just a week or two before our trip. They don’t fly every day, so we’d be in LA from Thursday afternoon until the following Tuesday morning with the concert on Sunday night. Once in Los Angeles, we chose a hotel located between Disney Hall, the concert venue, and our daughter Lyra’s apartment. We looked forward to seeing her during our stay.

We decided not to rent a car, but to use Uber or other services. We got lucky, when my son-in-law’s mother put us in touch with a man who drives for her at a discount from Uber rates. We were able to use Anthony for all our travel except the very first trip from the airport (he was already booked). It was a big help to have the same person come to pick us up for each ride, and Anthony got to know us, and became adept at stowing Jonathan’s walker.

Anna Lapwood at Disney Concert Hall

Our concert was Sunday evening at 7:30 pm at Disney Hall. Neither of us had been there, and we looked forward to seeing the building designed by Frank Gehry. We were impressed by the swooping curves of the high facade.

The concert hall has amazing construction. For example, the ceiling in the performance space is curved and looks a bit like fabric suspended from above. In fact, it is solid, shaped of wood, and is among the features that contribute to the excellent acoustics.

Anna Lapwood is a phenomenon. At age 30, she has won awards and held the most prestigious positions possible in her field (first woman organ scholar at Magadalen College, Oxford; at age 21, youngest music director of an Oxford or Cambridge College, etc. etc.). She plays a dozen instruments, sings, and has put organ performance into the world of social media.

Anna bounds onto the stage, grabs the microphone and launches into an introduction of the music, it’s themes (singing several), and the story behind them. She says, “I’m going to tell you about The Lord of the Rings as quickly and compactly as humanly possible.” And she does. Between her British accent, the handheld mic, and the audience groans and cheers, it’s a bit hard to follow, but her energy is unmistakable. She wears her hair in a long blonde braid, with black slacks, a sparkly jacket and pink organ shoes. She is a sprite flown out of the organ to entertain us. Between pieces, she bounces up and grabs the mic for more commentary. At the end of the concert, a full two hours and four encores after it started (and a half hour after the scheduled end time), she bows, waves her flowers, and skips, really, skips off the stage. Anna Lapwood loves her work.

The pieces played in our concert were music from films: The DaVinci Code, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Pirates of the Caribbean. A single piece, Limini Luminis, by Olivia Belli, was not related to the movies. Some audience members were familiar with every note, starting the applause as she played the first chords. The lights changed throughout each piece, adding drama to the performance. My favorite was the star-like pattern of light that accompanied one of the final encores.

It was a wonderful concert, great music, very entertaining, lots of visual interest, and a dynamic performer.

I’d recommend Anna Lapwood to anyone who has a chance to see her perform. She has huge talent and a performer’s heart. I am sure she always presents a memorable concert. I would go to see her again any time.

Eating and Drinking in Los Angeles

Much of our time in LA was spent in restaurants, to enjoy the company of our daughter, and the great variety of dining options in the metropolis.

Our flight arrived Thursday afternoon, and we had no plans until the next day. Our hotel turned out to be located in Koreatown, so our first goal was to have Korean barbecue. We rested for a while, then set out down the street toward a restaurant recommended by the front desk. Part way there, we passed a restaurant that was full of people. Let’s try there, we agreed. Inside, we were seated at a table and noticed we were the only non-Asians in the room–a good sign.

The barbecued ribs were good, and so was the vegetable pancake suggested by the server. I did discover that in Korean restaurants, it is customary to wait after your ribs are served to let the waiter come to your table. Using the scissors and tongs that arrive with the dish, he cuts the meat from the bones, and then into small squares so that you can eat them neatly with chopsticks. I even saw a man chewing on a bone, with chopsticks! A newcomer, I did not wait for our ribs to be dismembered, I didn’t even notice the scissors and tongs until later, when I realized we were the only people diving into our pile of ribs and eating them with our hands. And asking for more napkins. Barbarians! I’m not sure I can show my face in Koreatown again, they might remember me.

On Friday, Lyra had arranged a haircut for me at the salon she goes to. We met at 1 pm at All Seasons Brewery, right across the street from the salon. While I got my haircut, Jonathan and Lyra would have lunch and I’d have a bite afterward. It was fun to get a haircut in a new place and I was happy with the outcome. Back at dog-friendly All Seasons Brewery, Lyra and her two dogs and Jonathan were eating pizza and sipping their beer.

We dropped Jonathan at the hotel to rest while Lyra and I took the dogs for a walk around Silver Lake. It was a sunny afternoon and the path around the lake is wide. More people watching and lots of dogs later, we finished our walk and headed back to the hotel to collect Jonathan. We looked forward to seeing Lyra’s current apartment. That evening we relaxed at Lyra’s and ate takeout sushi from Orange Door.

Saturday, we met Lyra at The Grove shopping mall to see Project Hail Mary. Afterward, we had a delicious late lunch at Sogno Toscano (Tuscan Dream). Jonathan had a truffle topped pizza and I had an excellent salad.

After our meal, Lyra and I dropped Jonathan at the hotel to rest, while she and I took her dogs for a walk around Silver Lake. I hadn’t been there before, and it’s a lovely location. Lots of people were out on a Saturday afternoon, so there was excellent people- watching.

Sunday again started with lunch. We met Lyra and our nephew Cy to go to the Peruvian restaurant near Lyra’s apartment. In Peruvian style, it was closed. No note on the door, no one around, opening hours posted, but no one was there. It was May 2, so there was no holiday that we know of, so we found a nearby restaurant, Fuegos.

A small, corner space, there was an old pickup truck parked by the door, with a charcoal grill built into the back. This was where all the grilling took place at this Argentine restaurant. One of the owners was there and greeted us. The rest of the staff was enthusiastic, capable, and friendly. We all enjoyed the workout for our Spanish skills. The grilled meat was delicious, with plenty for everyone to take a bit home.

We could have lounged around all afternoon, but this was the day of our concert, and we already had plans for an early dinner before the concert, so we returned to the hotel to rest for the remainder of the afternoon. I’d revisit Fuegos any time, the atmosphere was delightful and the food was very good.

Cy, Jonathan, and Lyra at Fuegos

Our early dinner on Sunday took us to Girl and the Goat for another delicious meal. Some of their specialties are goat related and we tried the goat pate, excellent, and Jonathan had the goal belly. It was utterly unlike pork belly, and much more like a light version of pulled pork. Wonderfully delicious. I had a salad, considering our sizeable lunch, but saved room for dessert. The building that houses the restaurant is lovely, a nicely restored older structure. We sat in a dining room with high arched windows and lots of light. Another great meal finished in time for us to get to the concert hall.

Jonathan at Girl and the Goat

Monday we got a late start, but it didn’t matter because we had a single goal, visit Chinatown. We had lunch at Yang Chow, highly recommended to us. We strolled around looking for a stone mortar and pestle. We didn’t find one, but enjoyed the walk.

We spent one last evening with Lyra. The next morning, we took one last ride with Anthony to the airport. We returned home by mid-afternoon.

Riding the Bus

My latest experiment!

I began seeing a retina specialist in Santa Rosa, CA in June 2022, to get my monthly eye injection, as I was unable to get in to see either of the two doctors who give the injections in the Eureka area. It’s a four hour drive each way, and after one trip, we decided not to drive both ways in a single day.

For the next year and a half, Jonathan and I drove to Santa Rosa every 4-6 weeks for my treatment, staying overnight in a hotel and returning home the next day. Finally, in January, 2024, I was able to see a Dr. Mastroni in Eureka, and spent the next two years without making the long drive. In December, 2026, Dr. Mastroni and his partner Dr. Gibb, both retired and were unable to find anyone to take over their practice, and it closed.

North End of the Route: Redwood forests and the Eel River

By January 2026, however, Jonathan had stopped driving. That means that I would drive to Santa Rosa and have an eye appointment and injection on one day, rest over night, and drive home the next day. I looked for alternatives. I have a friend whose husband goes to the same doctor in Santa Rosa. We could drive together! No, he is on a different schedule than I am, and the dates don’t work out.

Next up was the bus. I wondered whether it would even be possible. When I looked into the Amtrak bus (!), I could leave Eureka at 7:40 am and arrive in Santa Rosa at 12:55 pm. It took some planning to get an appointment that started between 1:30 and 2:30 pm, but that was necessary in order to get home in a single day. The morning bus arrives at 12:55 pm and the afternoon return leaves Santa Rosa at 4:15 pm. There’s not a big window to do things if you are going to make the trip in a single day.

(On the Bus: Flashing past groves of redwoods, state and national parks, souvenir stops)

The day arrived and I left for the bus stop at 7:20 am, found street parking nearby, and waited with a couple other passengers. The Amtrak bus stop is just a metal sign above the sign “Bus Stop” beside a metal/glass shelter, like many other bus stops. The bus pulled up right on time at 7:40 am. The drive through the redwoods is lovely if all you have to do is look out the window. I looked at the scenery, finished up some sewing, and read my book. The bus made its way south, stopping in Fortuna and a few other small towns along the route. We pulled into Ukiah where the bus stops for 30 minutes, enough time to visit the McDonalds or take a short walk, but not much else. The final leg crosses wine country, Hopland, Cloverdale, and Healdsburg, arriving at the Coddington Mall in Santa Rosa right on time at 12:55 pm.

There’s no stop in Laytonville, where Pour Girls Coffee awaits. Now over the divide, we’re in the watershed of the Russian River.

It was a cool, sunny day in Santa Rosa, so I chose to walk to the doctor’s office. I doubt I will be able to do that again, because Santa Rosa gets 90 degree heat pretty soon and the walk would become unbearable.

My appointment was at 1:50 pm and I arrived with time to spare, checked in and waited. I was completely finished by 3:15 pm. I called an Uber and got back to the Coddington Mall bus stop, then visited the Whole Foods at the mall to get something to eat on the ride home. The northbound bus pulled up at about 4:10 and left at 4:15 pm. It’s not a long drive to Ukiah, and there we had another 30 minute break. I was anxious to get home, but we got going again on time. There were only 3 other passengers on this trip. The driver explained that north of Ukiah, the bus only stops where people are getting off, so there would be no more stops until Eureka. We arrived a few minutes early, at about 8:40 rather than 8:50 pm. I was home by 9 pm.

The last stretch to Santa Rosa runs through wine country: Hopland, Cloverdale, & Healdsburg

It’s a long day of riding the bus, but much preferable to driving that same eight hours. On the ride home, I was able to rest, take a nap, listen to a book, and eat my dinner. I was not exhausted from the trip, and plan to do it again next time, another five weeks from now.

The biggest problem is getting my appointment at the correct time. The doctor recommended I return in five weeks, but there was no appropriate open appointment until six weeks will have elapsed. I hope my eye stays stable, and plan to talk to the eye doctor about my scheduling issue at my next visit.

Riding the bus was a worthwhile adventure.

Ashland without the Shakespeare

Ashland, OR is famed for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF), but there is an off-season, roughly New Year’s through early March, when there are no plays on. Jonathan and I visited in this interval, and we had an excellent time, even with the Bard and company in hibernation. We spent a weekend eating and drinking, and it was just right for us.

       We were headed to a wine-tasting fundraiser for the public radio station, Jefferson Public Radio (JPR) based at Southern Oregon University. JPR reaches us in Eureka, and is a valuable source of news and programming. Ashland is about halfway between us in Eureka and my sister Paula in Portland, so we recruited Paula and her partner Wayne to meet us for the weekend.

internet photo.

       We left Eureka on a dry and sunny Friday morning,  perfect for a drive through the redwoods. Stands of trees were interspersed with views of the ocean. There are few towns or gas stations, only an occasional tourist stop. We passed Trees of Mystery with its huge models of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox.

At Elk Prairie, we pulled over to watch a herd of elk grazing in a front yard.

      In Crescent City, we stopped so I could do some beachcombing. It wasn’t low tide, or particularly good conditions, but I had a chance to wander around the high tide line and had a break from driving. 

internet photo.

         Back on the road, we headed inland through more forests into Oregon. The road shifted from two to four lanes and back, demanding driving, but the views were gorgeous trees, wooded hillsides, and meadows. At Grants Pass, the interstate reappears (I-5) and the final stretch into Ashland went quickly. 

        We stayed at the Ashland Hills Hotel & Suites, where the JPR fundraiser took place. We arrived around 4:30 pm, with time to rest and change then head to the ballroom. What a spread! We weren’t sure what to expect, and found a ballroom full of tasting stations including about 30 wineries, as well as restaurant samples, a couple of cider and beer brewers, cheesemakers and chocolatiers. And we were wondering whether we’d need dinner after the event (Hah!).

         There was a “cork pull” that I hadn’t heard of before. For $20 you picked a numbered cork from a bag and were given the bottle with that number. When you opened the bag and took out your wine, you could check a list to see the normal price of the bottle, anywhere from $29 to $99 values. Jonathan had gotten each of us a cork.

Even sticking to white wines and pouring out a lot of the more generous tastes, I could not taste everything on offer. Some wineries brought two or three whites or roses. I had to take a break and find a place to sit for a few minutes.

          The food was very good. My favorites were wagyu meatballs, tomato basil soup, and the raw oysters. There was a kale salad that was, dare I say it, delicious, and several varieties of pizza. The strangest food I tasted was a savory blue cheese/chocolate butter that I liked, but comparing notes with my group and a few random people, it’s not for everyone.

          A small combo played, accompanied by a very good singer in a very sparkly form-fitting dress that was admired by many. I am waiting to hear how much of a success the fundraiser was for the radio station, but judging by the size and enthusiasm of the crowd and the number of people leaving with wine purchases, they did well. It wasn’t until the very end that I discovered this year was the 46th annual wine tasting fundraiser for JPR. Maybe we’ll be back next year.

The next day we started with brunch at The Breadboard, where I had a marionberry scone with extra marionberry sauce on top. Marionberries are an Oregon specialty, and I wanted to take advantage. Others had biscuits and gravy, waffles, eggs, and bacon, and it was all good. Next up was a walk around Ashland to window shop and see what was new. Afterwards, it was overcast and getting chilly, so we drove around beautiful Lithia Park rather than taking a walk. The park goes up the hill from the grounds of the Shakespeare Festival complex and offers spectacular views over the city.

Back to the hotel to rest for a while, then we met up for late afternoon beverages and a few rounds of gin rummy. Each of us play a few hands of gin at the end of the day, and when we are together, we play a round robin until one person wins three hands.

Dinner was at Cocorico, recommended by a friend. I had some doubts, because it’s not an extensive menu, but it was a real treat. The starters alone could have been dinner. We shared manila clams, grilled octopus, olives, and garlic bread, accompanied by cocktails and a bottle of 2009 cabernet sauvignon from Simoneau, one of our prizes from the cork pull. It was delicious. My mushroom bolognese was one of the best mushroom dishes I’ve had, while Paula tried their carbonara. The men had lamb shanks, despite each of them having made lamb shanks just a week ago when they each cooked their birthday dinners (on nearly the same date) in different states.

Full of conversation and good food, we slept well and were ready for the drive home on Sunday. We said our farewells to Paula and Wayne, set off and then immediately stopped to have breakfast at Morning Glory. We arrived just before 9 am, and were seated almost immediately, though a line formed right after that. Reviews mention how crowded it gets on the weekend, but we got there relatively early for a Sunday. I had the lemon ricotta stuffed french toast they are known for, and Jonathan had a mushroom crepe that was among the day’s specials. Portions were very large and we took more than half of each home with us. The lattes were good sized, and we’d happily eat there again.

NB: This restaurant is particularly difficult for people with mobility issues. The tiny parking area in the rear has one handicapped parking space not visible from the street. Even if you know it’s there, the driveway is very steep and you must walk up to the front door, where there are still two steps. The rear entrance is up a flight of stairs. We parked in the neighborhood, as most people must, and found the sidewalks cracked and uneven up a slight hill. At the top the sidewalk is banked to tilt you toward the street, making it difficult for a walker or wheelchair. Inside the restaurant, tables are close and the waiting area is small. The host looked doubtfully at Jonathan’s walker, but we agreed we could find a spot for it that would not block others access to tables. It’s difficult enough to get around with a walker, and Morning Glory does not make your visit any easier. On the other hand, the food is good.

Having enjoyed beautiful weather on our drive to Ashland, on the return trip it rained the entire drive back to Eureka. The weather didn’t seem to bother the elk, who were still sitting by the side of the road at Elk Prairie.

You can have an excellent weekend in Ashland, even when it’s the off season.

NB: The banner photo of the area called “The Bricks” at OSF is an internet photo.

Eureka’s Distinctive Look

I enjoy walking through the neighborhood and around Eureka looking at houses and public buildings. This is a community with many vintage and historic structures, especially houses. Eureka was founded around 1850, as a port for shipping supplies to goldfields further north, and later as a port for shipping logs. Humboldt County was the source of a tremendous amount of the wood used in rebuilding San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake.

Starting from simple structures Eureka, Arcata, and Ferndale gradually filled with Victorian and Craftsman style homes. What differentiates these communities from others around California is that the original architecture endured, much of it to the present day. Why the housing stock in Eureka hasn’t turned over seems to be the outcome of the boom and bust economy, first supplying the gold rush, then the lumber industry, and later, illegal cannabis. Each industry brought an influx of cash that was often used in construction. The town centers grew slowly around resource extraction industries. Rapid growth and expansion seems to have been in logging, converting marsh to pastureland, or planting new crops. There was no call for rapid production of housing concentrated within communities (short term housing was built for miners, loggers, and farmhands, but in dispersed, rural, and largely short term bursts. As a result, towns like Eureka are full vintage houses, with their pluses and minuses.

Not all houses are kept up, and I include a few of overgrown and somewhat ramshackle places.

It’s enjoyable to see a house before and after a new coat of paint.

Sometimes I wish owners could see their house from another person’s viewpoint. There is a house I like very much, but it is barely possible to see the interesting circular details because of overgrown plantings around it.

Today, strolling Eureka to admire the houses is part of my routine. Many vintage homes are in excellent repair. Here are some of my favorites.

Fall Days in the Finger Lakes

I haven’t been posting. There are many reasons, but let’s skip to today and my new post on a recent trip to New York.

October in upstate New York can be a riot of color as the last of the leaves change from green to yellow, orange, and red. October also lifts the curtain on winter. Warm, sunny days mix with rain, gray skies, and wind. Once or twice we could feel that cold breath of winter approaching.

A mid-month visit to my mother was the occasion of my recent short visit. I met up with my sister Paula from Portland, OR, and we spent a few days with mom who is very well for a centenarian. She’s a resident of The Nottingham, in Jamesville, NY. We chatted, ate lunch, and sat on her outdoor patio on one fine day. On a chilly afternoon, mom bundled up in her warmest coat and we took her wheelchair for a spin outdoors.

When we weren’t visiting mom, we were taking a quick look at the local scenery. There is a lot to appreciate in the region of New York State just south of Syracuse. My brother Tim and sister-in-law Margaret live on Otisco Lake, a beautiful, small lake about 30 minutes drive southwest of Syracuse.

(L) Otisco Lake in the fall; (R) View over the lake from Tim & Margaret’s house

A bit further west is Skaneateles Lake, 16 miles long and less than 1 mile wide. It’s said to be the cleanest water in the US, rivaled only by Crater Lake, OR (Wikipedia). Margaret and I drove over one afternoon. Overcast skies couldn’t spoil the view of colored leaves, and colorful small communities along the way.

We had dinner the previous evening at the Amber Inn, in Marietta, NY, a hidden gem for anyone near Otisco Lake. Our dinner companions told us about finding beach glass along Skaneateles Lake. After Jonathan and my success beach combing along the shore of Lake Erie, I was happy to look for Finger Lakes beach glass. We found some!

It was a good visit, and though short, makes me want to return another time.

Wild Blackberries

Berries are in season, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, thimbleberries, tayberries, boysenberries, blueberries, huckleberries, and even the everywhere-invasive Himalayan blackberries. You can pick your own berries along the roadside, you can buy them at the farmer’s markets, or in the Safeway. Even better, the last Saturday in July, you can visit the Westhaven Fire Department outside Trinidad, CA, and eat blackberry pie at the Wild Blackberry Festival.

I read that to actually purchase a pie, it would be good to arrive on the early side. We turned up in Westhaven about 10:30 am and found the road to the fire house was lined with parked cars and barely room to get through. Still, we had some parking karma and found a spot not too far from the entrance.

First things first, we got in the long line to purchase a pie to take home. When we got inside the sale room, pie boxes were piled high. We had our choice of blackberry or huckleberry, and since we rarely find more than a few huckleberries on bushes in the forest, a pie sounded terrific. I stowed the pie in the car while Jonathan got us slices of pie to eat right away. There’s nothing like pie and ice cream for breakfast. Sure enough, by 11:30 am, the only whole pies left for purchase were bake-at-home frozen pies.

Booths selling jam and jelly were next, and booths selling local crafts. We browsed around, and stopped for a photo with Smokey the Bear, and chatted with the Six Rivers Forest rangers in the adjacent booth. We said hello to the Westhaven Volunteer Fire Fighters, the sponsors of the fair. At this time of year, fire is on everyone’s mind.

By then, we’d sampled what the fair had to offer, bought a t-shirt, listened to the music, eaten pie, and were ready to move on. We didn’t go straight home, because we were so close to Trinidad. It’s a lovely, tiny, waterside community, with imposing Trinidad Head jutting into the ocean. A path to the top has spectacular view of the boats in the harbor and the offshore rocks. After a short walk around the beach we were ready to head home.

The day was sunny and warm with blue sky and none of the late morning fog that has been common around us. It was the best possible Saturday morning.

That Magical Weekend

Memorial Day weekend is one of the best moments of the year in Humboldt County, CA. The Kinetic Grand Championship takes place on this weekend every year. It’s a three-day race of human-powered contraptions that emphasizes joy, creativity, and problem-solving. It’s a festive, fun, and largely free of charge weekend, my absolute favorite time to be here.

When I took this photo at the starting line, I didn’t know that Fly t Less (above) would be the eventual winners of the race. Many, many prizes are bestowed, for everything from first crash after the starting line, to biggest splash entering Humboldt Bay, to best supporting crew.

Clockwise from upper left: Rainbow Man; Deep Sea Disco; Brown Trout, Brown Chicken; Cadaver-pult; Clusterduck; ? ; Ghoul-Scouts; Reno Cowsino; Moos Brothers

On Saturday morning, racers park around the plaza in Arcata. When they start moving, the vehicles circle the plaza and then take off down the hill in the southwest corner and head out of town. We watched them take off, and then went home. It’s possible to follow the racers along the back roads, though it’s easiest by bicycle. Racers stop in Samoa, a small community along the dunes, then continue along the spit of land that forms the margin of Humboldt Bay, and ride back across the bridge into town, ending day one after about 13 miles of pedaling.

Sparkle and Rhinestones at the start of the race

Sunday begins at the city marina where the racers form a long line awaiting their turn to pedal down the ramp into Humboldt Bay. Spectators can walk along the lineup taking pictures and chatting with the drivers and crews of supporters. A compliment may get you a bribe, a small token with the name of the device, a drawing, or motto. Many of us wear the bribes we received in previous years on our hats and vests. Last year’s “Ham-Tastic Glory” has been transformed into this year’s “Ghoul Scouts,” complete with black and purple uniforms and lots and lots of merit badges.

Brown Trout, Brown Chicken may have won the award for biggest splash

Among the many categories of racers are those who travel with the ability to enter the water at any time (Ace) and those who stop and strap on pontoons or flotation devices so that they can pedal their way the 500 yards or so downstream. When the vehicles emerge from Humboldt Bay, they follow a course of back roads that take them by Eureka Natural Foods, where they have lunch, then zig and zag to the coast, ending the day at Crab Park, almost 20 miles down the coast.

The fun doesn’t stop after two days. On Day three racers head for the finish line but to get there they have to cross the Eel River. This is another hilarious part of the race. Again, some racers have all their equipment on board and head into the river. Others take some time to attach pontoons and flaps and things. Once in the river, the pilots pedal like mad, as there can be counter-currents and countervailing wind. Most of the vehicles that entered the water made it across. Ironically, the point of greatest difficulty is exiting the water, when wheels seem to either get stuck in the mud, or fail to get any traction at all.

The finish line is in Ferndale, a small town with lots of Victorian storefronts. There’s a band, people in costumes, cheering friends, families, and spectators. The first finisher, Muffintop Barbie, arrived before the finish line was even officially open.

We were at the finish too early to see most of the finishers. I’ll give you some summary coverage of the event. Overall, it was a great weekend.

Enjoy!

Halcyon Days

Flowers are in full bloom and the weather is cooperating, giving us warm days and cool nights. Memorial Day weekend is upon us, and with it the official start to summer tourist season. Every weekend from now through October has a major event. There will be three or four farmers markets each week, festivals, and craft fairs everywhere you turn. The switch to high season is fine. It’s different, there is lots to do, but it is also busy, busy. Today, let’s look at the flowers.

Rhododendrons are the local feature. The Rhododendron Parade took place in late April, though blooming continues through May. First come the red blossoms, then pink, then purple. Unusual colors like yellow and rust tend to bloom late, as well. Some houses are engulfed by a single color, like the house in the banner photo. Others try to have a bush of every color.

Large rhododendrons obscure a residence, including pink, purple, red and fuschia colored blooms

A Gallery Opening For Me

North Coast Open Studios takes place over two weekends in June when studios all over Humboldt County are open to visitors. I participate in Open Studios, opening my garage, moving out the car, vacuuming, dusting, setting out tables with all the things I’ve made during the year, and hoping for a sunny weekend. People trickle in and out all day Saturday and Sunday, having a look, asking questions, and chatting. I even sell a few things, usually at least enough to cover the registration fee. I enjoy it a lot.

The Brenda Tuxford Gallery in Eureka, CA, hosts an annual preview show for Open Studios during May. It’s always fun to contribute a piece, because on drop-off day people are friendly, showing which item they brought, comparing notes on which days they’ll be exhibiting, and generally chatting.

The show opened during Arts Alive, the gallery-hopping and dining event that takes place in Eureka on the first Friday of each month (May 3). Some of the visitors to the gallery were downtown for Arts Alive and others were participants in the preview show and Open Studios. The guidebook for Open Studios listing each venue, type of work on display, locations, and dates was available, too. Local businesses sponsored refreshments including my favorite treat from Beck’s Bread, black shortbread (super chocolaty).

During the first half of the reception, I handing out name tags, catalogues, and posters. Jonathan and I revisited the gallery a few days later to get a better look at the show. The contributed works are arranged thoughtfully around the gallery. I particularly like the way my pieces were displayed beneath other three dimensional works. My part of the show is a shadow box of flowers made from sea glass and recycled china. I haven’t abandoned jewelry-making, but I decided to put something different in the show. I am working on three new necklaces that will be finished before the Open Studios event.

This exhibit will be in place for the month of May. Open Studios takes place the weekends of June 7-8 and 14-15. I am participating on the first weekend so that I can visit studios around the region during the second weekend. There are painters, ceramicists, jewelers, metal workers, and all kinds of other media. I can’t wait to go through the catalogue and map out my visits.

The poster for the preview show is on a repurposed political sign in my front yard.

This is one of my favorite events of the year.

Visiting with Julia Morgan and a stay at the Benbow Inn

Our first out of town adventure in ages was a visit to Redwood Grove, a house designed by Julia Morgan, the first woman architect in the state of California1. Morgan is best known for designing much of Hearst Castle, the estate overlooking the coast in San Simeon, CA. Her work at Hearst Castle spanned much of her career, though she had other clients, and in 1926 she accepted a commission to construction a summer home for Margaret Stewart as part of an extensive resort planned for Benbow, in far northern California.

Morgan designed Stewart’s property to harmonize with the Benbow Hotel, demonstrating her interest in the Craftsman movement, the Arts and Crafts style that preceded it, and the eclectic designs of her mentor Bernard Maybeck.

Entry to Julia Morgan Redwood Grove (see banner for Morgan’s drawing of the house).

We met owner Tanya Musgrave at the end of the long driveway to the property. She arrived in a golf cart to give a lift to those who weren’t ready for a hike before the site visit. Arriving at the property, we entered a large reception room that looks very much like a chapel. Morgan designed it to have the air of a chapel, with a peaked roof and stained glass panel, though it was not specifically used as a religious space. I sat in one of the outrageous chairs (Egyptian Revival?) while Tanya told us the story of the house. After Margaret Stewart, the house passed through several owners and gradually fell into disrepair. By 2000, the house was at the point of abandonment when it was taken on as a personal restoration project by Allison Huegel and Jim Sergi, a couple from the Bay area, who put time, effort, and a lot of money into restoring the structure.

From the reception room, we toured the open portion of the house with the woman who manages the house while her husband manages the outdoor portion of the property.

The house has been remodeled, and the elements of Julia Morgan’s design that remain are the overall structure, the redwood beams in the chapel, the built-in shelves and structural details that are hallmarks of the Craftsman style. Rosettes are carved along a number of beams; these were a hallmark of Morgan’s work. Birds appear in a number of details, such as the tile around a fireplace, and in wallpaper. Period details are part of the property’s charm.

We were impressed by the lengths the various owners have gone to reproduce some of the home’s original details. The “leaping gazelle” fabric was used in curtains found hanging in tatters. Tanya and her husband Greg tracked down the original maker, a German company based in Italy, and had new fabric woven. Panels of wallpaper painted with birds were restored and placed in a conservatory that looks out over the Eel River. The entire conservatory had to be shored up so that it would not fall into the river.

I’m looking out of the conservatory, standing on its new mint green carpet.

The grounds include seating areas and flower gardens between the different living spaces. The orchard overlooks the river, and has become a popular wedding spot. We roamed the outdoor spaces admiring the pond and the plantings.

Entrance to the orchard

At the end of the tour we rode and walked back to the entrance gate, and were let out to collect our cars. It’s just over an hour’s drive to Eureka, but Garberville is only a mile to the north, providing a stop for lunch.

A Stay at the Benbow Inn

L: The Benbow Inn today. R: Vintage sign for the Hotel Benbow

The night before our tour of the Julia Morgan Redwood Grove estate we stayed at the Benbow Inn. It was planned as the anchor for an extensive resort, and though the entire resort was not completed, the Benbows were visionaries in believing that the valley surrounding a bend in the Eel River would be an ideal vacation spot. Since completion of the hotel in 1926, and later campgrounds, the area has been popular with summer visitors who hike among the redwoods and swim in the river.

Benbow Inn from Julia Morgan Redwood Grove estate

The estate Julia Morgan designed is just across the river from the hotel, and the two structures are similar in overall design.

The Benbow Inn retains the vintage style of its origins. When we arrived, we entered the ground floor reception area. While Jonathan checked us in, I admired the library.

Renovations a few years ago included creating the ground floor lobby and added an elevator, which we appreciated, as reception is on floor 0, the lounge and restaurant are on floor 1, and our guest room was on floor 2. We had windows over a courtyard and the Eel River.

I laugh at myself, as the entire Inn is a tribute to “brown furniture”. While I’m not sure my children and their friends would agree, I liked the decor, old-fashioned and comfortable. I was ready to carry off one of their nightstands for myself.

We had a drink and played cards in the large lounge and then had dinner in the restaurant. It was very good. I was concerned about the restaurant, as guests are a captive audience. The menu was not large, but we each found things we enjoyed. I had a dinner salad with shrimp, and Jonathan had three different appetizers, one of which was truffled french fries. We enjoyed our choices, and shared a slice of chocolate cake, too.

A few details:

The lounge has information about the history of the hotel, and their web page has a list of the Hollywood celebrities and political figures who have stayed there, from Douglas Fairbanks to Eleanor Roosevelt.

We slept well, and were ready for our tour the next morning, delighted that we turned our field trip into and adventure.

1Morgan was a woman of many firsts. She was the first female graduate of UC Berkeley with a degree in Civil Engineering (1894). She was the first woman to receive a certificate in architecture from the Ecole des Beaux Arts, Paris (1902). She worked on several buildings on the UC Berkeley campus. Her first reinforced concrete structure, the bell tower on the Mills College campus (1904), withstood the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. That success and her knowledge and interest in reinforced concrete and earthquake-resistant construction launched her career, resulting in her designing and building more than 700 structures, mostly in the state of California https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Morgan (Wikipedia).