A Ffortissimo Valentine's in Half Moon Bay

For Valentine's Day, G had something great planned, something epic! It was also something I knew nothing about beforehand, but with the discovery of two potential obstacles to the plan came his insistence that it MUST be done, due to its ephemeral nature. Hmm.. intriguing.

Before sunset, we drove to Half Moon Bay, about 25 miles south of San Francisco. Armed with a picnic and a small bottle of Julian hard apple cider (a shout-out to one of our favorite weekend destinations in SoCal), we parked then walked to the coast, where a lone baby grand piano was installed upon on a bluff overlooking the ocean, facing the setting sun. 

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The Story Behind "Sunset Piano":

Argentina-born local artist Mauro Ffortissimo is known for taking apart pianos and reconstructing them into unusual sculptures. He recently acquired a 1917 baby grand piano, but no longer had room to add to his collection. He decided to drag the piano out to the nearby bluff to perform outdoor concerts nightly, playing Chopin, Debussy, and Schumann to see how the elements would affect the sound and the tuning of the already deteriorating piano. The experiment, dubbed "Sunset Piano," was cut short when a city code enforcement official informed him that he was encroaching on public land without a permit. He was given a brief grace period (until the 14th) to continue the concerts, which had begun just before sunset on February 1st.  As a final farewell, Ffortissimo's intention was to burn the piano on private land, as he never meant for the concerts to go on forever. "You know the bottom line it's about the impermanence of all things," he says. "Things are always changing. And it's good to basically be a bit loose about things."

It felt like a spontaneous combustion of happy people, magnetically congregating to enjoy the music as the sun set over the Pacific. There was a barefoot interpretational dancer who weaved in and out of the crowd, an upright bassist played along, a poet spoke to the beat, videographers documented the event, a wonderful older lady welcomed us to her community (and even introduced us to Mauro himself!), and around 200 adults, children, and pets united to appreciate this special, singular, fleeting moment that ended simply, not long after the sun was below the horizon. Here are some cell phone photos I took, edited on Instagram.

The view. Courtesy of G.

Mauro and his entourage.

The crowd.

A close-up.

Happy Valentine's Day! Courtesy of G.

And here is my short video of the concert. Forgive the sideways shot in the first few seconds - I forgot that my camera doesn't adjust for angle. If you listen closely, you can hear through the loud melodica to the quiet, slightly off-key serenade of the antique piano. 

What a romantic, thoughtful Valentine's Day surprise, don't you think? Nice work, G!

Oakland Museum of California & Gift Shop

The Oakland Museum of California is a gem of a museum. I'm sure I use that word a lot, but that's what I'm on the hunt for these days. GEMS - precious and rare. It was established in 1969 as a "museum for the people" and it tells the story of California, through art, history, and natural sciences. The museum's mid-century modern architecture alone is unique, designed by Kevin Roche as a "museum that also serves as a vibrant urban park and public space."

Open daily 11-5, except Wednesday 11-9, closed Monday and Tuesday. One block from Lake Merritt BART in Oakland, East Bay. Check out their website here.

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On Fridays from 5-9 PM, they host the "Off the Grid" food truck party, with half price museum admission, live music, and extended museum store hours. Also, they have an upcoming exhibit named "we/customize" from Feb. 9th- June 2nd. It's about maker culture and how "people are customizing mass-produced objects," along the lines of IKEA hacks or DIY projects. How very on-trend of them! That's what I love about this museum - the innovation and quest for relevancy as well as the focus on local culture and history! Needless to say, I can't WAIT to go to "we/customize."

I'm aiming to become a Museum Ambassador, twice a month, so today I went to a volunteer info session, where I had the pleasure of learning more about the museum and even got to participate in a short mock tour for our "fourth grade group." Here are some pics I took - again, with my camera phone and Instagram. I need to start brining my camera with me.

The short tour related to the Gold Rush of California, where we could spin a "wheel of fortune" to see what our fate was, after the gold was gone. Most involved dying or going broke, but it was a fun, interactive way for kids to learn about California's history.

Along the way was an original miner's cabin, with an interactive woman seen on a screen through the open cabin door. Children could pick up a phone and speak with her, to hear her story. 

There was also a John Hook street sign, introducing the modern controversy of immigration to California, as well as a "garage" exhibit, in homage to the birth place of much technological innovation in California.

At the entrance/exit:

Here's one half! Vive la France!

I could have visited this gallery alone ALL day. In order to motivate myself to move on, I decided to visit the museum gift shop. I ADORE museum gift shops - you can always find the most creative gifts there, although you usually pay the price. This shop was great. Of course, they had a very unique selection of locally made gifts (hooray!) as well as a great deal of SALE items. (Did you say SALE??)

Everyone at the museum was very kind, personable, and helpful. The attendants in the museum shop were interested in my story and went the extra mile to help me. They even forgave me for breaking a porcelain origami crane ornament... I bought another, I promise! But goodness, I don't know what's wrong with me these days, breaking ornaments left and right. 

Some particularly neat gifts I found were:

A print of Oakland's neighborhoods, $24.00

Grow your own mushroom kit. Another inspiring local story. Reminds me of the Tom's story, too. Post a pic with your fully grown kit on their Facebook page and they'll donate a kit and sustainability curriculum to an elementary school classroom of your choice! 

They had several DIY camera kits - a twin lens camera that you assemble yourself that takes lovely flare and saturated low-fi images. HOW COOL IS THAT? One was $11.00, the other $42.00. 

Finally, a sweet $8.00 birthday music box. You turn the handle and it plays "Happy Birthday" to you.

Better, and more original than a card, I think!

I made it out of there, SCATHED, with the aforementioned ornament, a Dios de los Muertos shirt from 2012 (I love local tees and hope to participate in this year's celebration at the museum), and a California flag necklace from the Yellow Owl Workshop, based in the Mission in San Francisco.

A Walk Down Maiden Lane

There is nothing that makes you feel more like a San Franciscan version of Carrie Bradshaw than taking a walk down Maiden Lane. I had the great fortune of doing this yesterday, sans legitimate camera. When I walked by the street, it beckoned me to linger, with its gorgeous lighting and serene atmosphere, and I knew I had to share! I also decided to take my first dip into the Instagram album pool. Forgive my doggy paddle skill with these low-res cell phone photos.

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Located in downtown San Francisco, adjacent to Union Square between Stockholm and Kearny streets, this cute two-block pedestrian street is most easily accessed by the Montgomery Street or Powell Street BART Stations.

MAIDEN LANE FACING UNION SQUARE

The poor reputation of old Morton Street (now, Maiden Lane) as a red light district was eradicated by the 1906 earthquake and now posh, upscale boutiques and art galleries are the only sins you'll find here. Upon street renovation, a jeweler (with a keen sense of marketing) changed the street's name in order to evoke the cheerfully intimate Maiden Lanes of New York and London.

The lane even has its own website! And there's nothing more posh than that.

From 11-5 daily, the street is blocked from traffic with Chanel-funded wrought iron gates, which are reopened in the evenings. I've seen an opera singer singing at the gate entrances before. Click here for a short blurb about that.

SHOPS:

Some particularly up-scale shops can be found on this street, including, of course:

CHANEL

Note the vishies working in the window. NOT akin to my visual merchandising experience, I'm sure.

Open 10-6 daily, Sunday 12-5.

This San Francisco institution's website says it all, "The legendary destination for unique gifts, fine jewelry, luxurious home decor, and one of a kind decorative objects. Since 1861." I once accidentally broke a $50 glass ornament there while trying to make my way through the chaotic holiday crowds. Needless to say, they were absolutely charming about it. Check out their website for adorable stories submitted by Gump's enthusiasts. Also check out their shop for unique San Francisco souvenirs.
Open 10-6 daily, Sunday 12-5.

BRITEX FABRICS

"The latest styles in fabrics can be found here: yet the atmosphere of this independent business is a throwback to an era when service was as important as value."

Since 1952, this is another San Francisco institution, with four breathtaking floors of merchandise.

FLOORS

4.) remnants, faux fur, felt & fleece, net & tulles, vinyl & leather

3.) notions & accessories, buttons (over 75,000!) & bridal, ribbons & trims, buckles & tassels, patterns & books

2.) home decor, cottons & linens, rayons & polyesters, velvets & lycras, metallics & sequins

1.) woolens, silks, brocades, couture laces, linings

What really stood out to me is that the staff is from another time - impeccably professional and expert. I went into the store looking for bow tie fabrics and immediately became consumed in the quantity and quality of options, gawking and drooling like a kid in a candy shop. The sales staff had to put me back on track. At the checkout desk, they offer free Britex post cards, with the outline of famous San Francisco landmarks including the Britex sign. Yes, I will, thankyouverymuch.

Open 10-6 daily, closed Sunday. www.britexfabrics.com

BRITEX INDOORS

ALLSAINTS SPITALFIELDS

Also on the lane is British fashion retailer AllSaints Spitalfields, with its ubiquitous vintage Singer sewing machines in the window. Where did they get them all?

Open 10-8 daily, Sunday 11-7. 

HERMÈS

Hermès' interesting window display, combining a red, simplistic wooden human mannequin portraying a security guard (?) with several cups of coffee and a security system aimed at the merchandise.
Open 10-6 daily, closed Sunday. 

CHRISTOFLE

This store reminds me of my grandmother and her high regard for this manufacturer of fine silver flatware and home accessories, based in France since 1830.

Hours not listed online.

OTHER CUTE SHOP WINDOWS OF NOTE:

Very "Black Swan," to me, yet cheerful.

Apparently there are Super Bowl fans on Maiden Lane!

... and the next fabulous boutique space can be yours! 

ARCHITECTURE OF NOTE:

XANADU GALLERY

San Francisco's only Frank Lloyd Wright building is located here, at 140 Maiden Lane. It was originally designed in 1948 as the V.C. Morris Gift Shop, and it now houses the Xanadu Gallery, selling fine Asian antiques. Inside, there is a spiral ramp reminiscent of the Guggenheim Museum. The entrance is an updated Romanesque arch, which beckons the passerby rather than vulgarly displaying merchandise on the sidewalk, according to Wright. The interior has a very prominent bubble theme, which I failed to take pictures of, although the kind doorman allowed me to. 

As I took the above picture from across the street, the doorman opened the door for me, invited me in, showed me the informational booklet located at the front desk, and was overall very generous and polite. This store is accustomed to admirers and welcomes them inside, which was an unexpected and wonderful service. 

Courtesy http://www.xanadugallery.us/

From the informational booklet, I learned that the wooden built-ins shown above are original. I also learned the significance of Frank Lloyd Wright's signature red tile on the wall outside the front door. The architect began placing a signed, single red tile on the outside of his buildings whose final outcome met his standards. He began this practice after completing the V.C. Morris Gift Shop, but came back and added it because he was so proud of the space.

Open daily 10-6, closed Sunday and Monday.

F.LL.W'S SIGNATURE RED TILE OUTSIDE XANADU

DINING OPTIONS ON MAIDEN LANE:

If you want to dine at an outdoor cafe as though you were sitting in a hidden, quaint street in a chic European city, well then this is the place to be. 

I saw two cafes on the street, Mocca and Bistro 69.

MOCCA - Cafe and Italian Restaurant - Counter service, cash only, tri-tip sandwich comes highly recommended.

Open 10:30-5:30 daily. No website listed. $$. 3.5 stars out of 5, on Yelp.com.

BISTRO 69 - Eclectic menu. I think I walked by during their 16th anniversary free cheeseburger and fries lunch celebration, unbeknownst to me. Drat.

Open 8:00-3:45 daily, closed Sunday. www.bistro69sf.com. $$ 3 stars out of 5, on Yelp.com.

ME

All in all, this fantastic hidden-yet-magnificent European-style fairy tale street is just another reason why I love this new city. I can sympathize with Carrie when she says, "If you can only have one great love, then the city may be mine. And I don't want nobody talkin' sh*t about my boyfriend."

Hansel and Gretel and the Dog

Once upon a time, there was a happily married couple who spent a long weekend in a far-off magical land known as the Monterey Bay Peninsula... 

But seriously, I love to travel and I live for weekend trips! I also prefer to do it on a budget. Since we moved to the Bay Area, my husband and I hadn't taken one of our token (and beloved!) weekend trips. The triumverate of my birthday/Inauguration Day/M.L.K. Day was enough reason to celebrate!

Our Trip Requirements:

1.) Reasonable driving distance from home so as not to waste valuable time driving. (2-3 hrs)

2.) Something to do/see. A lighthouse, for instance...

3.) DOG-FRIENDLY. Always a blessing and a curse.

Off we go!! says Maggie

So, we chose to stay in Pacific Grove while also visiting Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea. The weather was gorgeous, there was a plethora of Cinderella-friendly wildlife as well as some surprisingly good thrifting! The entire peninsula is dog-friendly. I also think of this area as a pretty spot-on West Coast equivalent to the quaint towns of coastal New England.

(Map copied from HERE)

And we got our lighthouse! The Point Pinos Lighthouse in Pacific Grove - the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the West Coast. We missed the opening hours, sadly. 

OPEN 1-4 PM Thurs - Mon

The Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau has a pretty fantastic informational website, I must say. We found a list of pet-friendly lodging options here.

We chose to stay at the Butterfly Grove Inn in Pacific Grove because:

1.) it's dog-friendly

2.) continental breakfast is included

3.) it's affordable

4.) FIREPLACE INCLUDED - BONUS!!

The Inn also happens to be home to a Monarch Butterfly habitat. The best time to view the butterflies in the green-orange trees is October to March. They were a beautiful sight to see, although the zoom on my camera wasn't able to adequately capture it.

Along with the normal Inn-style layout, there is a vintage, two-story Victorian House with suites on the property - perfect for a family reunion or wedding. Although the Inn keepers seemed slightly disorganized (they tried and failed three times before giving us a room that had been cleaned), they also were kind enough to not evict us for causing a dog barking complaint. (It was brief, I promise!)

Our first order of business was to walk to Lovers' Point Park. As a clarification, Pacific Grove used to be a Methodist retreat camp, and according to local legend, the park was originally "Lovers of Jesus Point"- not referring to teenagers' nocturnal activities. We had barely stepped outside when we came across a small pack of coastal black-tailed deer, grazing on someone's prized roses by a street corner stop sign! What a funny sight to see this local resident in full comfort cohabitational mode. Again, my camera (and the deers' fright from seeing Maggie) did not allow for a proper picture. 

G snapped a pic of me snapping a pic of the coastline. Artsy!

After a reasonable stroll, we decided on a place for dinner. I had done some reading through Yelp.com, the New York Times' 36 Hours In... column, Frommers.com, and came upon The Forge in the Forest in Carmel-by-the-Sea. It serves American cuisine, with a California-only wine list. They have the distinction of being the only employee-owned restaurant on the Monterey Bay Peninsula (I'm a huge fan of that). They also have three fire pits and extensive outdoor patio heating, plus a special patio for patrons who bring their dogs to dinner, dog menu included. Maggie missed out on the 8-oz. grilled and sliced new york steak for $12.95, but instead she got a handful of Milk Bone treats, which she enjoyed with equal enthusiasm, I'm sure.

At the Forge, I had lobster tacos with polenta and a sangria and G had a delicious arroz con mariscos/paella dish and a dark n stormy. We could have split the paella - the portion size was huge! - and I liked his dish best. 

The next morning, we pulled out our walking shoes again, this time to discover Monterey's Path of History, a two-mile self-guided walking tour of 55 historic sites in Monterey. This is where Hansel and Gretel come to play. The path is marked by little yellow tiles in the sidewalk, allowing you to know your way to the next site. (This reminded me of Boston's Freedom Trail, where red tiles mark the path.) I LOVE DIY!! So, we dutifully followed an abridged version of the trail, because the two miles were probably too much for the puppy. We had our own robo-guide by using this free (carrier charges apply) cell phone tour of ten sites. The part that I found really fascinating was that, despite the hoards of visitors to Fisherman's Wharf and Cannery Row, we were the ONLY ONES on the walking tour! (Although we did take a detour to Fisherman's Wharf, where we saw a floating dock's worth of sleeping Maggies-of-the-sea/sea lions, schools of jellyfish, and our fair share of sea gulls.) We were walking in the footsteps of California's forefathers, seeing and learning lots of new things, FOR FREE, and we seemed to be the only ones who had discovered this hidden gem! Lucky us!

The cell phone walking tour brought us to California's First Theater, the Custom House, the Pacific House, the First Brick House, the Old Whaling Station, Casa Soberanes, the Larkin House, the Cooper-Molera Adobe, the Robert Louis Stevenson House, and the Casa de Oro (Joseph Boston Store).

Call me a geek, but one of the coolest facts I learned on the walking tour was that the Custom House in Monterey is recognized as the oldest government building in California and it is State Historic Landmark #1 !! California started counting historic landmarks here in Monterey!

California's First Theater also served as an ale house at one point. The plaque on the door reads:

"Many a miner passed through the door, 

Who swore he would never come in any more.

T'was here they eased him of nuggets of gold,

For this was the place where the booze was sold. 

One drink was enough to make him want more, 

and pretty damsoon he was flat on the floor.

On sobering up he would always swear off, 

Then come the next day for a drink for his cough."

 


On the left, the adorable Mayo Hayes O'Donnell Library, originally the Saint James Episcopal Church, built in 1876.
On the right, the front walkway of the Old Whaling Station, made entirely of whale vertebrae! The bone was cut into diamond patterns, which gave the sidewalk a unique look.

One of the secret gardens of Old Monterey, with lemon trees.

Keeping an eye out for "dad" at the Cooper Molera gift shop.

Towards the end of our walk, we found the Cooper Molera gift shop, which ranks pretty high on my list of all-time favorite gift shops. It has the ambience of a 19th-century general store complete with a volunteer behind the desk wearing a period costume. There was a large vintage-style whale print on the wall and they sold TREASURES, such as books, greeting cards, games from the past, with an extensive inventory of locally created gift items. My favorites were the childrens' books and historical garb and the Mexican crafts, including silver dancing skeleton earrings (thank you G!). I could have spent hours in there.

Soon, it was time for dinner again, and we had a reservation at the Monterey Fish House, a GREAT, casual, budget-friendly seafood joint in Monterey. This was our culinary highlight on the Peninsula! Reservations are essential, because even on a Sunday night, with a reservation, there was a long line outside the door and we had to wait. The restaurant is basically an older wooden home, and there isn't a ton of seating.
We started with their specialty appetizer:

1/2 dozen oak grilled oysters - YUM!

We then split an order of their house-made pasta with wood-fired artichokes (a local specialty!), clams, mussels, and shrimp. It was pretty heavenly and the portions were huge, so I'm glad we decided to split the meal. We also had the most adorable trilingual 2-year-old sitting next to us, with mommy and daddy singing to her in Spanish and German.

Apart from eating and walking, we found these great thrift/benefit shops:

MONTEREY:
St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store
AFRP Treasure Shop
American Cancer Society Discovery Shop
Second Chance Thrift Store
Spirals Alliance on Aging
St. Mary's Thrift Shop

CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA (all on the same street):
Yellow Brick Benefit Shop
S.P.C.A. Benefit Shop
Deja Vu
Joining Hands

And THESE were our finds!

A COOL 1940's-1950's Revere Model P-90 8mm projector for cheap! Not working at the moment, but we hope to fix it up. Did you know that this guy holds a 750 watt bulb? WHOA!

For $1.00, we found an authentic Royal Copenhagen decorative plate of the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen. It has a tiny chip at the top, but since we've been there, we decided to add it to our great wall of plate art! 

We also found a $5.00 clean hunter green tackle box with "Sue '54 '55" etched on the bottom. How cute! It also will come in handy as a storage solution. 

 We picked up some great fabric fat quarters from a fabric shop (which G spotted!) and some patterned 1850's-style fabrics from the great Cooper Molera gift shop.

Other recommended to-dos in the area. Maybe next time for us!

1.) Biking the 17 Mile Drive - free and athletic. 

2.) Not missing the lighthouse hours. Not missing some of the thrift store hours.

3.) Wine tasting - either in downtown Monterey at A Taste of Montery or at the local wineries' tasting rooms.

4.) Visit the free Monterey Maritime and History Museum

5.) Complete the rest of the Path of History Tour

The hardy VW Passat reached a new milestone during this trip!

Finally, Hansel and Gretel and the dog followed their trail of crumbs back home, 

after another successful weekend trip.

Do you have any off-the-beaten path, hidden-gem, hole-in-the-wall finds in the Monterey Bay Peninsula? If so, please share!