July 1, 2011! OMG. Really? Already? For this year of perpetual winter, it rained an unheard of inch last week, I think we should be allowed to turn back the calendar at least one month, like turning back the clocks, except with months instead of the one hour. In my little summer back-winter forward adjustment, I suggest we reboot the year on December 1st to January 1st. That would be perfect; I’d get an extra month of summer, still hang on to Halloween and Thanksgiving, and we’d completely skip over those dreaded days of Christmas Eve, Christmas day, and New Years Eve. Hey, this could work!
No matter how many summers I’ve experienced as an adult, the season just isn’t right since it doesn’t include a couple of months of summer vacation. Thongs, shorts, bikini top, and a baby-oiled brown tan are not a part of my summer this year; however, I have gotten out of the house to play.
Vox Populi I had a rockin’ night with friends at the Sebastiani Theater when Vox Populi sang a bunch of Paul Simon songs, as well as songs by several other rock and roll greats, music I grew up with. Vox Populi is Latin and means “voice of the people.” They’re an amateur singing club of more than sixty men and women who put on a concert once a year. Because the singers are all local, I knew many of them on stage, which added to the toe-tappin,’ head-boppin,’ shoulders-swayin’ good time.
Vox Populi singers
Wicked Plants A trip to The Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park included seeing an exhibit of “botanical rogues & assassins.” I hadn’t been to The Conservatory in many years. Its permanent greenhouse collection is outstanding, but add to it the theatrical installation of a dilapidated Victorian house draped in sickening and deadly weeds, and it was unforgettable. Did you know that raw cashews sold at health food stores are not actually raw? Their shells are so poisonous that contact with them can be fatal; they must be steamed off before the seed (they’re not nuts I learned) can be handled.
Wicked Plants on exhibit until October 30th
Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton Nothing says summer like a county fair, and this one is the best. It runs until July 10th. Some of my favorite exhibits include the gardens, the bunnies and birds, the antique farm equipment, the model trains, and the 4-H livestock. The art pavilion is worth strolling through, and so is the hall of terrariums filled with insects and reptiles— if you’re into some creep factor. There are two huge exhibit halls that house hundreds of miracle products and their carnie sales folk. Step right up ladies and gentlemen. Behold…the mop-o-matic, the five-in-one knife, the blender-ific, the mans-best-friend bed, the stains-be-gone wonder solution, the revolutionary new shoe insert sensation, and much more. This year I didn’t visit the rides and games midway, although there was a time when that was the main attraction. I’d come home with bags of assorted water glasses and ashtrays that I’d successfully tossed dimes into, stuffed animals, and colorful spin art. I might even end up with a goldfish or two. My afternoon wouldn’t have been complete without fair food. It’s only once a year, so I indulge in whatever strikes my fancy. There’s sausage on a stick, one-pound, candy encrusted apples, salt-water taffy, funnel cakes, BBQ turkey legs, burgers, hot dogs and fries, Mexican and Chinese, Greek gyros, snow cones and cotton candy; it’s all there.
The Epic Ride Lutrell and I road our mountain bikes from Hwy 1 up and over the coastal mountain range to the Pacific via the Five Brooks fire road. On the ocean side, it’s really steep, which is a blast going down, but coming up from the beach, it’s a sweaty first gear spin for about fifty minutes. The grind is so worth it though—cool ocean air, lush forest, drifts of wild flowers, and the trees are filled with chirping loons, jays, sparrows, blackbirds, crows, wrens, and towhees. We are so lucky.
Five Brooks trail to Wild Camp
Tour de France Speaking of epic rides, the epic ride of all epic rides begins tomorrow. Over two hundred pro-cyclists will spend the next three weeks competing to win the world’s most famous bike race. They’ll cover over 2100 miles on roads that pass through stunningly picturesque regions of France including several high mountain stages in the French Alps. Some of the super stars to watch include our local Santa Rosa, CA hero, Levi Leipheimer and the Radio Shack team, last years winner, Alberto Contador, Fabian Cancellar (a.k.a. Sparticus) and the Schleck brothers (Andy and Frank) and their whole Leopard Trek team, Mark Cavendish hopefully will pull off some thrilling sprint finishes, and George Hincapie and Cadel Evans are two sentimental favorites; they’ve been in the sport a long time and are true warriors for the cause. This event will not disappoint. Set the Tivo.
Short Stories I’m still reading lots of short stories, but I’ve also started listening to them on The New Yorker’s fiction podcasts. Try clicking on or copying this web address into your browser to get to the site: http://www.newyorker.com/online/podcasts/fiction. The stories have all been fabulous, but The Swimmer, by John Cheever (see “Voices Over Water,” Anne Enright reads) took the prize. I loved it. The pacing, developments, characters, and atmospheric shifts were brilliant. It’s about 45 minutes of listening, but you wont be sorry you took the time.
7/11/2011 Mark your calendar for Monday July 11th at 6:00. My Sonoma friend, fellow Left Coast Writer, and fellow self-published author, Tami Casias, and I will be presenting at Book Passage in their San Francisco Embarcadero Ferry Plaza store! Were calling it “Crystals and Pearls at Book Passage.” Tami’s young adult novel is titled Crystal Bound, and mine, of course, is Pearls My Mother Wore. We think it’s going to be a great summer evening event. Come early to the Ferry Building to do a little shopping and sight seeing. Plan for dinner. You can’t go wrong at The Slanted Door for divine Vietnamese food, or Gott’s Roadside for delicious burgers, fries and diner faire. Not far from the waterfront is another great place. If you already know about Kokkari on Jackson then I don’t need to say more. If you haven’t heard of them or been, let me just say “kali orexi,” which means “bon appetit” in Greek. It’s Greek food like you’ve never tasted before (unless you’ve been fortunate enough to spend time in Greece.) They’re open on Mondays from 5:30-10:00.
Well, I guess this is enough summer fun for one day. Have a great week, and I’ll post again next Friday.