Little Walk, Big View

Daily Doodle

My favorite thing about Facebook is an application called Graffiti. Every night before I go to bed I draw something. Usually when I wake up in the morning, there are some remarks about the doodle. This one made me laugh out loud:

Gina Pera 

That is EXACTLY how my eyeglasses fit since Dr. Goat crushed the case (with them in it).

Friends, Food, Wine

Tom and I met Anne and Peter a few years ago down on the beach below the Cliff House. This evening the 4 of us decided to meet at the Cliff House for dinner and to gaze down upon the spot where we met.

Anne brought all kinds of treats; she even packed a bottle of wine. But then, can you believe it? We discovered that on Tuesdays, every bottle of wine on the menu is half price. We had two wonderful Zinfandels. One was from Artesa, which happens to be the most fun winery to visit in the Napa Valley.

It was a magical night.

That's No German Shepherd

On the Coastal Trail near Land's End there happens to be a golf course. (Sigh.) This evening as we walked past, something seemed odd. All the golfers were standing stock still. It was as if the golf course had turned into a wax museum.

Then I saw what I thought was a little German Shepherd nosing around looking for golf balls. But Tom said, "That's no German Shepherd, that's a coyote!" So I snapped a picture for you.

Shower, Beach, Trail

Clothing Swap

I was always the one at the lunch table in high school and college who hoovered up anyone's leftovers.

And I've always been the one who encourages her friends to let me go through their Goodwill bags before they set them out on the sidewalk.

The best clothes come from Anne. Once she gave me a cashmere sweater that belonged to her grandfather. Once she gave me a black silk cardigan that was too big for her.

She recently gave me the shirt in the photo and it's torturing me. It's one of those French sailor shirts. A real one. It didn't fit her, and it doesn't fit me either. I've tried it on over and over and still it doesn't fit.

Do you happen to have 23-inch hips, maybe a 24-inch chest, and really fat arms? If so, I will send this shirt to you in exchange for a pair of striped socks.

My Mother

Here are three little things that meant a lot.

1. When I was 3 or 4, our church had a beauty pageant for girls of that age if you can imagine such a thing. Mom spent weeks making me a dress. I dreaded the event. And I hated dressing up. But I was scared to say how I felt, because I knew it was such a big deal.

The day came and we drove to the church in downtown Baltimore. The pageant was in the gym in the basement of the church, and there were bleachers where people were sitting and there were bright lights and a photographer. My mom took my hand but I couldn't walk over to the lineup of little girls all dressed up and smiling. I waited til then to tell my mom I couldn't do it; I didn't want to be in it. I looked down at my dress. I remember feeling that she understood, and we went home.

2. Around that same time–age 3 or 4–one afternoon I wanted a present so badly. Something mysterious wrapped up in paper with a ribbon that I could unwrap. I remember being on my rocking horse in the kitchen and wishing so much for a prize of some kind. We took naps, and when I woke up, there was a tiny box wrapped up in wrapping paper and tied with a bow for me on the washing machine by my horse. I was delighted! I unwrapped it. It was a pack of gum. It was wonderful to have wished for a present and then to have had one to unwrap. Obviously it didn't matter what the hell it was. She just understood that I wanted a treat to unwrap.

3. Around that same time Mom took me to my first movie. It was a Walt Disney movie. Snow White or Sleeping Beauty. After 10 or 15 minutes I was ready to go. I wanted to go outside and PLAY. So we left.

I signed up for the best writing class. It began yesterday. You're given a prompt every day, then you write for 10-12 minutes. Every week you're assigned a different partner. You exchange writing with your partner through e-mail. Today's prompt was "My mother."

Street Find

From: Janet
Subject: Street Find
Date: April 18, 2010 8:05:28 AM PDT
To: Linda

Hello Linda,

I am impressed with all the neat things you find on the beach. Now hear this: One evening, while Nicole and her family were here during Easter break, Lester made an emergency trip to the supermarket to get a bottle of ketchup (something we do not use) for Max's French fries. About three minutes after he left he returned laden with treasures he had found in a box across the street from our apt. in front of a brownstone. There were 8 beautiful Innuit soapstone sculptures of walruses and seals and whales. Some were mounted on small pegs that had been bored into pieces of bone and caribou antler. Now you have to know that everytime we visit Nicole in Toronto we pass a highend Innuit gallery and I drool over the pieces in the window, all of which are very expensive. So finding these pieces was indeed serendipitous. One of them looks like it could have been made by Brancusi. Also in the cache was a stone, possibly quartz, sculpture of a buffalo (I think) that I presume is southwest Indian. These all are now nicely displayed on one of our dining room bookshelves, right in front of the travel book section.

But that's not all. Two modern and rather funny abstract cows (or maybe pigs?), quite small. These are Lester's favorites. A cudgel! It's a real weapon, a piece of very worn, old looking tree branch about two feet long with a big knotty "ball" on the end. It is now residing in our umbrella strand near the front door to take care of Islamic terrorists who may want to do us harm.

Still more. . .a very dusty old book about World War I that it turns out our son-in-law, Rob, whose academic speciality is WW 1, has been trying to find in out-of-print online sources! And last but not least, something for Max who is crazy about trains: a wooden sign or plaque that has a picture on it of an old fashioned steam engine and passenger car. It's the sort of sign that you see hanging in pubs that try to look olde timey. I am told it is now hanging in his bedroom.

Quite a haul, wouldn't you say? In the past we have found some neat things on the street--an Eames chair and a good semi-antique Windsor chair. . .

(Janet lives in New York City. I begged her to take some photos for me and she sent these two straightaway.)

One Photo Says It All

1. I didn't find such good glass today as you can see . . .

2. But look what I found at Nordstrom Rack. Wool socks (size large) marked down from $21.95 to $10.97. Eat your heart out, Lucille!

3. Apple's Flash ban bewilders web site designers and animators as well as developers. I love all things Apple and find it discombobulating* that one of my favorite applications isn't being supported on the iPhone or the iPad. It hurts my feelings. I never would be so childish of course, but it makes me want to call Steve Jobs names. Crabby Appleton! Rotten to the core!

*technical brain term

Happiness:

Getting outside after two days of being cooped up, and coming home with this. Look look look at the beautiful light green piece at the upper right.

Dr. Seuss!

Today I saw an exhibit of Ted Geisel's work–all kinds of it–at the Dennis Ray Gallery on Geary Street. Children's book illustrations, bronze sculptures, and "unorthodox taxidermy" of his creatures. . . also, prints of his "secret art"–pieces he did for personal pleasure.

Apparently Bennett Cerf's son had just been in and was telling about the terror felt when Ted Geisel would attend a press OK for one of his books. If one color was slightly off . . .

I loved reading this: Despite some financial hardship due to Prohibition, Ted enjoyed a fairly happy childhood. His parents were strict, but very loving. His mother, Henrietta Seuss Geisel, had worked in her father’s bakery before marrying Ted’s father, often memorizing the names of the pies that were on special each day and ‘chanting’ them to her customers. If Ted had difficulty getting to sleep, she would often recall her ‘pie-selling chants’. As an adult, Ted credited his mother “for the rhythms in which I write and the urgency with which I do it" (Dr. Seuss & Mr. Geisel: A Biography, by Judith and Neil Morgan).

IRS Finesse

We filed for an extension early this year–two days before the deadline! We stopped by the P.O. and mailed the form on our way to the beach.

We took a long walk to celebrate our tax proficiency. It was low tide and lots of glass had washed up. When we got home, I opened a can of Sofia and ripped into a bag of Kettle brand spicy Thai potato chips.

Kowabunga!

Today between 5:30 and 6:30

Beach Find Saturday

Beach Find Friday

I found another one of these 2 weeks ago–this one looks like it was made by a different person.

Brain Slug

Brain Slug Cupcakes by Alicia Policia


I signed up for a 5 week mini medical school series given by the Institute for Health and Healing about the brain. It started last night. But when the time came to go, I was no longer interested in my brain. I was interested in eating a snack and going out on the beach.

My sister Aggles is very interested in the brain and has sent me lots of brain books. Every time we share a hotel room, she spends the evening doing brain exercises while I drink wine and do situps.

Just yesterday morning Aggles e-mailed me an article about how it's been discovered that some people with Parkinson's who can't walk are able to ride bikes, and she was really excited about it. So when I told her I was too brain dead to go to the first brain session, she e-mailed me:

Since you're playing brain hooky tonight I thought I would e-mail you the first lesson: Brain Slug Cupcakes

Speaking of brainless, this is the state of the Easter Rabbits Deb sent. The ones she sends are called Assorted Rabbits. They're made by molding an assortment of candies into solid chocolate rabbits. But they come with a map, so it's easy to see that the brains of the rabbits are the best part (almond butter crunch).

Lucky Charms

Found on the beach, after the storm.

Thank You

Tyger, Tyger (Verse 1)

© Linda Davick

You'll want to turn on your sound. Do you have any suggestions for me after seeing Verse 1?

Beach Find of the Day

Have you ever thought about having a party, only to be scared silly by the thought of food preparation and entertainment? Problem solved. Look what we discovered at the beach today: a kitchen on wheels called Sunny Vibrations.

It's powered by solar panels on the roof (see photo below). While you wait on your order, there's an industrial-sized solar-powered vibrator  to keep you entertained.



A few items from the menu:

• Veggie Stir Fry Taco with roasted red peppers and avocado
• Vegan Sausage with peppers, onion, marinara and mushrooms
• Spinach Artichoke Salad w/ herb vinaigrette
• Grilled soy cheese with tomato
• Garlic fried Plantain with toasted almonds
• Coco Fresco made with fresh young coconut

Qué le gusta?

Te gusta la manzana?

No, no me gusta la manzana.

Te gusta el zanahoria?

No, no me gusta la zanahoria.

Te gusta la cerveza y del queso?

Si, si me gusta la cerveza y del queso!

Happy Birthday, John!

When it comes to next door neighbors Tom and I won the lottery. That's no April Fool's joke. John and Emmy's house is a foot and a half away from ours on the uphill side.

Here we are at Pacific Cafe celebrating.