Hiking

Bryan and I have been hiking lately.  We joined the Lenten Interest Hiking Group up to Mt. Hollywood, looking down on the Griffith Observatory.  

Then last Monday we grabbed our poles and hiked just south of Brackett Field in La Verne.  The mustard flowers were in bloom.

Sunday afternoon we went back to Griffith Park and hiked back up Mt. Hollywood.  We took some different paths this time.  I cannot believe how many people hike that trial on a Sunday afternoon.  

It was hot and we stopped at Dante's View.  All the benches were taken so I headed over for a tree stump cut like a bench.  Just before I sat down a little boy ran over and showed me the snake resting by the stump.  I was grateful for this Good Samaritan.

When we got home Bryan told me he would like to hike in Laguna so I spent time on Sunday evening plotting our hike.  We parked in a residential area and climbed up and up and up until we were rewarded with a most amazing view.

We hiked about four miles.  We had hoped to have lunch and maybe see a movie while we were there....but after our hike we just came home and took showers.  I am already planning our next hike.

A Perfect Day

Bryan and I agreed that we would get up early and head for a hike in Griffith Park.  I took this hike on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, but Bryan had to work.  I have wanted to take this hike with Bryan on a day when it was unusually clear.  So I have been trying to find a day when Bryan and I were off together and it had just rained.  Today was as close as I could get.  Yesterday would have been better but I am not off on Sundays!

We parked near the Trails Cafe and headed up the hill.  It wasn't perfectly clear as you can tell in the pictures but it was still beautiful.

There was snow on the mountains to the east and yet it was in the 70s.  There were very few people up there today.

There were doing maintenance on one of the telescopes so we got to see it.

We came back down a different way.  Our plan was to stop and have lunch at the Trails Cafe but it turns out that they are closed on Mondays.  So I used Yelp to find a restaurant in Pasadena.  We ate a La Grande Orange.  I think I found my restaurant.  Bryan had chicken mole tacos and I had short rib tacos.  They make their own tortillas on site.  The guacamole is outstanding.  The kale salad tastes great on the tacos.  As we were leaving the hostess said, "Be sure and take a cookie as you leave."  We had a chocolate chip cookie with sugar and salt sprinkled on the top.  It was perfect.  

We headed back to La Verne for a matinee.  We were the only people in the movie theatre.  What a treat.  

Chopped

Yesterday the youth of the church had a Chopped event.  Over a dozen youth were divided into four teams for a re-enactment of the reality TV show Chopped.  They were given a certain number of minutes to create three courses with pre-determined ingredients.  For the appetizer course they were given:  oranges, green onions, almonds and tofu.  For the second course they were given spam, frozen vegetables, asparagus, tortilla chips and a can of fire roasted tomatoes.  Dessert had to include red licorice, popcorn, strawberries, and pie dough.

I had the pleasure to be one of the judges.  I admit that I went assuming that I would have to taste some food that was hard to eat.  Our youth wowed me.  The food was outstanding, creative and beautiful.  I was supposed to just taste what they made us but I wanted to eat the whole plate of food.  Needless to say, I didn't need to eat dinner on Sunday night.

I wish I could show you some of the amazing pictures I took of our youth hustling around the kitchen in their varied aprons making delicious food. But I don't have permission to show the pictures of all the minors in attendance. Suffice it to say, it was one of the coolest events for youth I have ever seen.  They displayed amazing teamwork.  They were undaunted and they showed such originality.  I hope it becomes an annual event. I would love to be a judge again!

The End of Vacation

We got up early to go hiking.  We parked next to the beach and hiked up to Morro Rock and back.  

We sat on a park bench and watched the surfers.   It was hard to leave and know that our vacation was almost over.

We stopped in Ventura and ate lunch on the pier.  There is a restaurant there that serves the best shrimp and chips.  We sat outside on the second story porch of the restaurant.  We watched the fishers on the pier and the nun in blue habit sitting on the beach with friends.

We left in time to beat the worst of traffic; got our groceries; picked up the mail; got the car washed; and made it home by 4 p.m.  Now it's laundry time!

St. Gregory of Nyssa

It was our last day in San Francisco. Matt had to work so he came over to our hotel for an early breakfast. We got a view of San Fran from our table.

After Matt left we checked out of our hotel and headed for church at St. Gregory of Nyssa. Once a month I meet a Catholic friend for breakfast. I consider her a soul friend. For Christmas she gave me a book called "Take This Bread" by Sarah Miles. It changed the way I think. The book is based on one lay woman's experience at St. Gregory's when she started a food ministry.

St. Gregory's is an Episcopal church with a different kind of liturgy. The walls are covered with dancing saints. Some of them you would expect -- Jesus and St. Gregory. Most of them are unexpected -- Lady Godiva, Malcolm X, Anne Frank, William Shakespeare.

The worship space is twofold. In one area you stand and dance. In the other place you sit and pray. We started by standing around the communion table and singing. Then we moved to seats for scripture reading, incense burning, sermonizing, praying, and more singing. Then we literally danced back to the other area. We took communion and then danced to the hymn "Rock of Ages."

This congregation believes in inclusion and that was very obvious. This congregation believes in welcome and that is obvious. This congregation believes in art and that is obvious. This congregation believes in feeding people and that is obvious. I love it when what a church believes is obvious.

After worship we were genuinely welcomed by laypeople and priests alike. One layman teared up as he described how he found this church. Before each dance congregation members strategically placed themselves to help the guests. I was smitten with this congregation and her people.

We returned to Oakland and met Brett and Brendon for lunch at a Mexican restaurant. It is hard to leave family but we finally kissed them good-bye and headed down the 101. We got off the highway at Salinas for gas and decided to find John Steinbeck's childhood home.

We are spending the night in Morro Bay again. We love this place!

Good Food

Right next to our hotel is a restaurant our family frequents when Bryan and I come to the East Bay. We walked over at 10:30 for brunch and Brett & Brendon met us there. We waited over an hour to get seats. The food is excellent and meets the various diets of our family.

After breakfast...which had turned into lunch...we went to Brett and Brendon's home. They took us up the hill to a nearby cemetery because of the awesome view....it was awesome. It was clear enough to see downtown San Fan and the Golden Gate Bridge. On the way back to the car I stepped into a hole and went down hard. I am a little bruised but mostly embarrassed. I will have a purple knee for awhile and I will need to get my glasses tightened but I will survive.

Matt returned from work and joined us for a stroll down Piedmont Avenue. When we returned to Brett and Brendon's apartment, Brett was working on preparing us dinner. It was four courses made with expertise, creativity and love: bruschetta made with Brett's freshly baked bread, beet salad with blood oranges and cherry blossoms, egg plant tempura over noodles and a rhubarb galette. We gave him a standing O.

We ate...we laughed...we played games...we teased each other...we enjoyed being family. I will find it very difficult to drive away tomorrow.

In Oakland

Our plan was to get up early this morning for another hike on the cliff's edge but the marine layer made the hike less than doable. We ate breakfast in the restaurant, watching the cliffs below us appear and disappear in the fog.

I rolled down the car windows for the drive south along the 1. At one point we came upon a group of cows on the road. I could live along this road.

I had bid on the Claremont Hotel in Berkeley on Priceline. We arrived in the early afternoon and checked into our room. (I am not a big fan of hotels where it takes two bellhops -- and two tips to get to your room.) The rooms are not outstanding but the historic hotel is lovely. The art gallery in the lobby with African masks caught our attention. I am not sure if I can get Bryan home without one.

We headed for Oakland and met Brett at a restaurant for appetizers. Then on to Brett and Brendon's apartment where we got a tour of their vegetable garden and Brett demonstrated the fine art of peeling a blood orange. He fed us tidbits from his refrigerator and we made friends with the cats.

Matt commutes to Sacramento for work. He managed to make it back to Berkeley by 8 pm so we met for dinner.

Sonoma Coast

The hotel where we spent the night works diligently at being earth friendly. The breakfast buffet used no plastic or paper. The yogurt was served in mason jars, for example. After we ate breakfast we checked out the hotel bikes and helmets and went on a ride through some local vineyards. We rode past deer and fields of yellow. The weather has been fabulous the whole time we have been here.

We strolled through downtown Healdsburg. We walked through art galleries; checked out the bookstore; and tasted the free tastes in the Oakville Grocery. After lunch we headed for the Sonoma Coast. We drove through redwood forests and turned north at Jenner and headed up Highway 1. We arrived at Timber Cove Inn at 4 and the view from our window enticed us to get our walking poles and head outdoors. We walked along the cliffs for over an hour, watching the tide come in and crash against the rocks. It was cold, windy and very dramatic. We sat on our porch for a gorgeous sunset.

Dinner at the Timber Cove Inn requires reservations. It is fine dining in jeans with a gorgeous view. We got plates of small tastes: citrus prawns, Brussels sprouts, short ribs, lavender lemon Creme Brûlée. I can see why people love Sonoma County.

Time with Family

We got up slow today, ate some breakfast bars in the room and then took a hike in the vineyards above our hotel. At the top of the hill was a large statue of a wine pressor.

Then we headed up Hwy. 29 to Calistoga. From there we headed down Petrified Forest Road towards Windsor. Bryan's sister-in-law lives in Windsor. She is club member at Francis Ford Coppola Winery. We toured the movie props and then had an excellent lunch, sitting outside above the vineyards. We went back to her home and looked through family photos.

We are spending the night in Healdsburg. When we arrived we went for a walk around the downtown plaza. We had excellent burgers and shakes and headed back to our hotel -- described as Eco chic and with the most comfortable bed! The check out bikes to their overnight guests. We are hoping to go for a bike ride in the morning.