Archive for the 'Neighborhoods' Category
Levees at Don Edwards in Alviso. You can ride for miles.
Oh, to be out again in the early morning and on such a beautiful day. After a long break from routine due to my recent visit to England and a series of wet and cold weekends, we were ready for some exercise.
The bikes were loaded onto the car the night before and at 6:15am we were on the road. Alviso was our destination and the salt marsh and the miles of easy riding on the levees were our goal.
Alviso gets better each time we drive through it and the Marina area has really improved. An area of 18.9 acres near the car park is now called the Alviso Marina County Park and there is an easy walking trail around it with lots of information boards along the way. Today though we are riding on the Alviso Slough Trail which starts from the car park and the first part of the trail is along the the short circular trail around the marina. Just past the first observation platform we turned right.
At this time in the morning, there is nobody else around. In fact the rabbits outnumber us. They sit in the middle of the trail and then turn tail and lope off to the side as we approach. Tom stops to take photos and a couple of American Avocets take exception to him being there, even though we were on the trail. They screeched and screamed and attempted to scare him off. I remember a few years back being dive bombed by terns on the other side of Don Edwards as we were riding the trail.
Last time we where here at Alviso, there was a dredger working and mounds of fresh clay lined the levees. The mounds are still there but they
Avocet. This guy didn't want his picture taken.
have rounded off and are beginning to be covered with pickleweed.
The water level appears to be lower because there are more mud islands out in the slough which I have never seen before. Either that or it is a very low tide.
We follow the trail over the railroad and stop to look north at the inaccessible ghost town of Drawbridge in the distance. As I have said before, it’s very tempting to walk the rails and to actually visit the town but I understand it is not safe at all because Drawbridge is slowly sinking into the marsh.
We pass a sign which says this trail is closed for duck hunting between October 18 and January 25, so it’s OK to ride it now. We don’t go too far because there are just too many bugs around. They were getting in our eyes, mouths and noses and we were covered in them.
Back over the rail tracks, we turn right. There are no trail markers out here so I have no idea which trail we are on. We just keep cycling and eventually we will either go round in a loop and arrive back where we started or we will have to turn back and try to remember which way we came. The levees seem to go on and on for miles.
Lone Egret
Tom stopped in front of me and seemed to be pondering something so I stopped too. Then he pointed out the power lines overhead. I hadn’t noticed them at all but now Tom had pointed them out, it did seem strange to have them out here in the middle of nowhere with not a house or any sort of building in sight.
It was very peaceful out there with just the sound of the gulls and marsh birds. The American Avocets are making the greatest noise but the most common bird around is the Western Gull. A Red Kite passed overhead and circled over the slough.
We came to another junction and discussed which way to go but off to our right we spotted a flock of white pelicans, so the decision was made. There were about 15 of them and, to begin with, they were close to the levee but they moved off and were soon in a feeding frenzy. Pelicans are an unusual bird to look at with their long beaks with the big pouch underneath. Brown Pelicans are more common in California so it is always a rare treat to see white pelicans.
While Tom was taking photos, another couple on bikes came towards us. It was only after they had gone by that I realized I should have asked them if they were on a loop trail. We cycled on for another couple of miles but seemed to be moving further away from the start. As the hunger pangs were beginning to gnaw we decided to turn back. (I checked a trail map when I got home and it is actually called the Alviso Slough Trail Loop and it is 8.9 miles long so we could have carried on.)
The ride back was pretty uneventful until we were on the final stretch. Tom spotted a Red-tailed
White pelicans feeding
Hawk sitting on a log beside the levee eating a rat. I’d ridden right past and had not noticed. I did hear Tom, who was several yards behind me, say ‘Whoa’. By the time I had stopped and turned, the hawk had flown away, clutching the rat in his talons. But he didn’t fly too far and I was able to watch through my binoculars. Tom didn’t have time though to get off his bike and set up his tripod and camera before the hawk had moved out of view.
There is nothing like getting up early and taking a bike ride before breakfast to get you into the right mood for the day ahead.
May 15 2009 | Neighborhoods and Special Places | 2 Comments »
Real nice cars
Today we didn’t want to go too far so we decided to drive to Los Gatos, have breakfast and then take a walk round the town.
After having breakfast at the Los Gatos Cafe on Los Gatos Blvd, we drove towards Los Gatos, parking on Main Street near the library. As soon as we started walking towards the town center, we felt a sense of this being a nice place to live but we know how expensive the houses are. On our right was a small park, with a fountain and several sculptures.
One of the first businesses we passed had a mouth watering display of Lamborghinis, Bentleys, Farraris and other exotic sports cars. Originally the company was called Ferrari Los Gatos but now goes under the name of Silicon Valley Auto Group. Outside was parked a handsome, white, Rolls Royce. We pressed our noses to the window and stood on tiptoe to see over into the yard. They were all sleek, glossy and oh so beautiful.
Not far along we passed the Garden Inn Hotel. We could see their shady courtyard with inviting patio furniture. I understand Los Gatos is a favorite place for a romantic weekend and this looks just the right place to stay. The town center is within easy walking reach.
I don’t intend to list all the shops and businesses we passed but only those which caught the eye. I can tell you though that there numerous day spas, beauty salons, bars, coffee houses and restaurants along the way. The town is very pleasant to amble around with plenty of shady benches around to sit and chat or to watch the world go by. I even saw one guy reading a book, completely oblivious of everything going on around him.
Main street crosses Highway 17 but just before it does there is an entrance to the Los Gatos Creek Trail which runs for just over 9 miles from Lexington Reservoir, through Vascona Park, through Campbell and beyond. It is used by pedestrians and cyclists and is very popular. Los Gatos attracts a lot of joggers, walkers, and cyclists and we saw lots of Lycra clad people around.
At the other end of the bridge is an old building. The front is on the street and looks like a normal shop front, though closed and obviously soon to be remodeled. The back though, which can be seen from the bridge, is a different story. It is constructed from corrugated iron, which is years past its best and rusty, and is supported by rickety looking wooden posts. On the front window is a potted history of the building. It was built in 1905 by John A Hicks. Over the years it has been a second hand furniture shop, a tailor, a shoe repair shop, a sporting goods shop and a plumbers. It was bought in September 2008 and is now called the Flick House.
The next interesting shop was Gina’s. At first I thought it was an antiques shop but then realized it sold objects made out of rush, wood and gourds – all very colorful. As I passed the door there was a lovely smell of wood and other aromas which somehow made me think of Africa.
Then we came to the Lost Gatos Coffee and Roasting Company. This is definitely the place to be, judging by the number of bikes tied to every available tree, lamppost and seat, and the mass of people congregating outside, chatting and drinking coffee. We sat for a while outside, petted a large golden retriever who was patiently waiting for it’s master and listened to the conversations going on around us as friends greeted each other enthusiastically and spoke about everything except the economic situation. It also gave me a chance to catch up on my writing.
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March 09 2009 | Neighborhoods | No Comments »
We planned to go and see a movie and wanted to see ‘Milk’ with Sean Penn, which opened on Wednesday, but it is not in local movie theaters yet. It is playing in San Francisco though so, on the spur of the moment, we decided to go up to the city. It was playing in several locations up there but we picked The Castro Theater on Castro Street – the very place which is featured heavily in the film.
For those of you who have never heard of the main character – Harvey Milk – (and I certainly hadn’t heard of him until I came to live in California), I will enlighten you. Harvey Milk was the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in the USA. He, along with Mayor George Moscone, were assassinated by another elected official named Dan White in 1978. It was a very sad and painful time for San Francisco. The Castro is the center of the gay movement in San Francisco.
The first showing was at 10 a.m. and we arrived in Castro Street at 9.30. Already there was a line outside the theater and it took us ages to find a parking place. We bought tickets for the later performance at 1 p.m. and decided to explore the neighborhood. First of all though we found somewhere for breakfast.
After breakfast, we returned to Collingwood Street where we’d parked the car to get Tom’s camera. From there we continued up the hill and turned left on 20th. No two houses look the same and most of them are really pretty. Two smaller houses had gardens instead of the usual flight of stairs up to the front door and these gardens had flowers in them. The first of them had several different types of roses and one of them smelt gorgeous.
At the junction with Castro Street, we turned left and walked down the hill. Here we were still walking past residential houses. One on the other side of the road particularly caught my attention as it was painted a lovely shade of navy with the windows painted white. Opposite though was a semi detached in need of a little care and attention but they had one endearing feature – each had three front doors.
The shops started when we crossed 19th. The very first one was the Buffalo Whole Food and Grain Company and was a grocery store with brightly colored fresh fruit on display outside. I don’t intend to list every shop but I will mention those which caught my eye. I did go into Pro Plus – which is mini post office and sells stationery – to buy a small notebook because I’d left mine at home. Now at last I could start writing notes. On this block is Luna where Tom and I had breakfast earlier. One interesting shop further along, called Whatever, had an eye catching window display of retro toys, especially super heroes like Superman, Wonder Women, Hulk and the Flesh Eating Zombies, to name but a few.
As this is The Castro, there are a lot of shops displaying sexually explicit items and clothing. It all adds to the charm of the place.
Dolma, which sells Himalayan gifts and handicrafts, confused me a bit. I thought the window display contained sweets. What confused me were some smooth pebbles in a basket which looked like candy to me at first glance and in the basket nearby were some orange packages which looked just like a brand of nougat I’m fond off. On closer inspection they turned out to be incense! Under One Roof had a marvelous display of brightly colored fish, jelly fish and sea horses suspended from the ceiling.
Between 18th Street and Market the only shops which made me stop and look in were A. G. Farrari – fine Italian grocer since 1919 and Louie’s barber shop.
I waited at the end of Castro Street for Tom to catch me up and looked around. Market Street was bustling
and an old green trolley squealed round 17th onto Market. Behind me the huge rainbow flag fluttered in the breeze. I noticed the gas station across the street was selling gas from $1.87 a gallon, To think that two months ago it was selling for over $4 a gallon. It was fun to watch everybody walking by. This is really a nice neighborhood and it is a pleasure to walk around it. I don’t feel threatened at all.
When Tom caught up with me and taken a few photos, we crossed over and walked down the other side of Castro Street. On the corner is Twin Peaks which is a cocktail bar. Here it is only 11.10 and already the place is crowded. Further down is The Bead Store with some beautiful beaded model statues in the window. Next door but one is Castro Cheesery. Even though I pressed my face to the window and glanced in the door I could see no sign of any cheese for sale. There was lots of coffee though.
Then we came to the Castro Theater. This is a wonderful building built in 1922 and still going strong. It fits in so well with the area with its huge highly decorated awning and it’s enormous neon sign. It is the last remaining single screen movie theater in San Francisco and proud of it. More about the inside later though.
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December 07 2008 | Neighborhoods | 1 Comment »
Today promises to be bright and sunny so we decided to drive to San Francisco and do one of the staircase
walks from’ Stairway Walks in San Francisco’ by Adah Bakalinsky. I picked an area neither of us has ever been to – Diamond Heights. We set Molly (our nickname for the GPS) to get us onto Diamond Heights Blvd and, apart from one small misunderstanding on our part, she did it.
(Click on the image for a larger version)
There were few people around when we set off on the walk, heading south on Diamond Heights Blvd. We soon came to a view over Noe Valley to the Bay Bridge and the San Francisco skyline. A sharp turn left onto Diamond Street still took us downhill but we started to climb when we turned right onto Beacon. Beacon skirts an open space area called Billy Goat Hill and the views over the bay and the Bay Bridge were outstanding.
Halfway along Beacon we came to our first stairway called the Harry Stairway. Without our guidebook we would have missed it. It is a long stairway, wooden at the top and concrete at the bottom. It is an actual street much like Filbert Stairway, so we passed the front doors and along the sides of residential gardens. It is one of the more interesting stairways in the city.
At the bottom we turned right on Laidley and passed some interesting houses. One the locals call the Sandcastle House and one called the Owl House. The guidebook tells the history of 192-194 Laidley. It is called the Bell Mystery House. As Adah Bakalinsky explains ‘The death of the owner……. occurred under mysterious consequences’. While we stood opposite looking at the house, a local lady, who has lived in the area since 1957 and who was out walking her dog, stopped to talk to us. She told us the white house next door is called the Bank of America building. I guess the nickname is given for the shape rather than the color as the real Bank of Ameria building is dark brown and black.
Following directions from the book, we turned left on Fairmont and descended a steep hill to Whitney, where we turned right.
I read in the book that a slight detour along Chenery would bring us to a couple of coffee houses. As we hadn’t had anything to eat or drink, we decided to investigate.
After a fortifying breakfast at Tyger’s Coffee House (see previous blog) we returned to our walk. When we returned back on our stairway walk we turned left on Miguel. Just as well we had some sustenance inside us as it was a very steep climb up the street to Bemis. There was no stairway here but there could have been. On Bemis we turned left and almost immediately right up the Amista Stairway. This was also a steep climb up an uninspiring concrete stairway but we turned to enjoy the view every now and then.
At the top we found ourselves on Everson. As we walked along Everson we greeted and were greeted by the locals who were either working in their front yards or walking their dogs. Everybody is really friendly. We passed another large open space with views south towards the San Bruno Mountain.
We turned right on Addison and walked past the fire station. The two engines had just returned from a
‘shout’, as we would say in England, and the firemen were beginning to clean their engines.
On our right was the Walter Haas Park. It was a very lovely park with a basketball court and a really nice childrens’ playground. Next to the playground is another good view of the city. The staircase was made out of concrete and as the guidebook said it was made out of railroad ties I’m guessing it had been constructed recently.
At the top we were back on Diamond Heights Blvd and could have turned right to take us back to the car but we decided to walk a little further. The guidebook said to turn left along Diamond Heights Blvd and turn right onto Berkeley but we took a small detour by crossing over and walking along Gold Mine to the Onique Stairway. It was another steep climb up a concrete stairway and we could see the Sutro Tower not too far away.
We continued along Topaz. passing more houses. We saw a young girl, probably about 10 years old, washing the family car out in the road in bare feet. Tucked away behind a bush two women sat in deckchairs keeping their eyes on her. I remarked that they had her well trained and they laughed. The girl looked like she was having fun, lathering away and getting thoroughly soaked in the process. I just hope she got a bit extra in her allowance for all her hard work.
Soon we were back on Gold Mine and it was just a short distance back to the car. Tom and I really enjoyed our walk in the sunshine today. We saw some wonderful views and meet quite a few of the locals. All in all, it was good fun.
November 26 2008 | Neighborhoods | No Comments »
At 6 we hit the road. It is light already but also cloudy and the rising sun is not visible. I don’t
know what makes this time of the morning so magical. The flowers look bright and fresh; the trees green and even the grass looks golden and not brown. Then we hit Highway 101 and nothing can make that freeway beautiful. Rank weeds and litter decorate the edges; numerous pylons tower within view; power lines are draped everywhere and idiot drivers abound. The state of the pavement is pretty good now, especially between Sunnyvale and San Mateo. There is always something interesting to catch the eye, like a new construction or the solar panels near Palo Alto. At Moffet Field the police stop the traffic for five minutes. When we eventually pass there was no sign of a wreck, just two vehicles pulled over and several police cars. At Millbrae there were flares laid down as they were cleaning the left shoulder.
As we approach the city, it is shrouded in fog. Parking in San Francisco is always a problem. With the bikes we could not park in a multi story and there are parking meters along all the main streets. In the end we found some street parking without parking meters at Brannan and Delancey. It is cold and there is a slight drizzle and here Tom is with his cycle shorts on. After our last cycle ride I took the precaution of wearing leggings on top of my cycle shorts. Ah well, here we go again!
Our ride starts on the The Embarcadero just to the south of the Bay Bridge. I asked Tom whether we could ride over the bridge but there is no bike lane on the section between the city and Yerba Buena Island although there will be one on the new section between the island and Oakland.
The Embarcadero sidewalk is wide and we are able to ride on it. Along the way there is much to be seen. We meander along, stopping frequently to gaze at something different – the fire boats moored at the end of a short peer; a small rowing boat tied up but barely afloat; the Bow and Arrow sculpture which is half shrouded while maintenance work is carried out and the Crouching Spider sculpture which replaced the two enormous females made out of scrap metal (we much prefered the latter).
We are both in need of a hot drink but the Java Coffee House is closed and padlocked. I hope it is because it is too early and not permanent. Two women and a boy walk towards us holding cups of coffee so we stop and ask where they’d got it from (the Ferry Building) and had an interesting chat. They were interested to know where we came from when they heard my accent.
Soon we hit the Ferry Building where it is a hive of activity with storeholders setting up for the farmers market which is held in the Ferry Plaza from 8 am to 2 pm every Saturday. Even though is it only 7.30 a lot of people are already busy buying the fresh produce. I guard the bikes while Tom goes into Peets and spent my time people watching.
We sat on a bench looking out over the bay and the ferry terminal while we drank our coffee. Then we were on our way again, exploring each pier along the way.
Not so long ago the Ferry Building and the buildings on the piers were abandoned and dilapidated but a lot of work has been done to restore them. As we cycled past, we peered into windows. In one we spotted a series of color photos hung on a wall showing views of the old buildings.
A lot of fishermen were about and it appears to be a good day for fishing. We saw a recently caught, good sized, striped bass panting on the ground. The angler told us it would make a decent meal but I’m not so sure I would want to eat anything caught in the Bay, especially so soon after the recent oil spill.
Pier 3 is where the Hornblower Cruise ships are moored -the California Hornblower, the San Francisco Belle (a paddle boat) and the Santa Rosa – all huge but very different. The Santa Rose was sporting a big advert advertising three Dinner Wine Cruises, which look exciting.
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June 05 2008 | Neighborhoods and Special Places | No Comments »
A stroll up and down California Street is a wonderful experience. It has a very relaxed feel about it and the number of opportunities to stop and take it all in are many, either on one of the benches or sitting outside one of the many cafes.
California Street is about two miles from the main shopping street in Palo Alto and the Stanford Shopping Center. It used to be a separate town altogether called Mayfield, which was here before Palo Alto even existed. The founder of Stanford University, Leland Stanford, wanted to build his university in Mayfield but it was on condition that alcohol be banned from the town. The residents were not happy with that condition as they had over a dozen saloons doing a roaring business. So Leland Stanford went two miles north to build his university. Palo Alto came into existence at the same time and eventually became larger than Mayfield. In 1925 Mayfield was annexed by Palo Alto and the town of Mayfield was no more.
There are lots of places to eat, ranging from the ubiquitous Starbucks and bagal shops to cafes like Cafe Brioche and Joanie’s to slightly pricier venues like Bistro Basia and Illusions (with belly dancer) right up to Spalti Restorante and Bistro Elan. But my favorite (apart from Joanie’s for breakfast) is Printers Cafe. Ideal for a quick snack and a drink, sitting outside and watching the world walk by. Also it has the Gallery House opening from the main room. This is owned and operated by a co-operative of artists and there are regular exhibitions there. It is open on Tuesday from 11-5 and from 11-9 on Wednesdays to Saturdays.
There are two natural food markets – Mollie Stone’s at the station end and Country Sun, which is nearer to El Camino. Other businesses include a cobblers, hair and nail saloons, a florist, several opticians, a yoga center, a massage therapy center, a second hand bookshop with a very original name – Know Knew Books, an art supplies shop, a stationers which sells a variety to goods and Keeble and Shuchat Photography has two shops almost opposite each other. Tom disappeared into one of them for about an hour which gave me the opportunity to really explore the neighborhood.
Watch out for the art as well. There is an interesting statue on the corner of Ash which is called ‘Go Mama’ by Marta Thomas. On the other side of the street is a sculpture entitled ‘Love Spoken Here’ by William Wareham which is four large chairs and a small table made of of metal. I wonder if it is OK to sit on them? Hmm, maybe I’d better not. In the median on either side of Birch there are two more sculptures, one of metal and one of wood. There are also quite a few wall murals. On a wall to the side of Starbucks are three and on the side of Country Sun there is a huge picture of a volcano with a field of California poppies in the foreground. On the corner of California and Ash there is the Hotel California with several murals, one of them very amusing.
All in all, a wonderful neighborhood. Check it out.
March 27 2008 | Neighborhoods | No Comments »
If you want to be far from the maddening crowd, head for Alviso. This small town, at the south
end of San Francisco Bay, used to be a bustling port until the San Franciso to San Jose railroad opened in 1865. Now the marinas are silted up and all that remains are the entrances to the docks and lots of weeds.
Alviso itself is a sleepy little town with the railroad running through it and several good Mexican restaurants. A lot of the new houses are built on stilts because this place has flooded several times. The last major flood was in 1958. Since then the sloughs and creeks have been improved so hopefully it won’t happen again.
The Marina car park has had a face lift recently and it is much improved. More footpaths, information boards and seats. This is an important wetlenad area with several large salt ponds. There are always a lot of marsh birds to be seen – American Avocets, Black-necked Sandpipers and Plovers. (Once Tom and I saw a Black Skimmer here but that was very unusual.) They nest on the levees and in the sedges, salt grass, rushes and cordgrass. Around the salt ponds are levees which are ideal for walking and cycling. You can go for miles and miles and see very few people.
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December 07 2007 | Neighborhoods | No Comments »
Today we decided to go up to the city. A drive of about 60 miles.
Our first stop was Warm Cove. Not many people in San Francisco would even know where that is I guess. I do not recommend it as a place to spend the day. We had never heard of it either until we stumbled across it. We were investigating Hunters Point, which is a not very nice location near the docks. It is full of warehouses, some dilapidate and very run down.
Warm Cove is a small and very scruffy park on the edge of the bay with a huge power plant looming over it. Am I tempting you to visit? There are a lot of signs around forbidding graffiti and saying “do not deface” which gives you some indication of the regular clientèle. (Tom interrupting: spending some time here could yield some great photos. I’d kind of like to explore this area a little more). At this time of the morning though it was abandoned, only the accumulated litter giving evidence that other people use it.
But it was not without its beauty. There were a few flowers around and some cacti and the fragrance of wild fennel. We spent some time watching the egrets looking for food as the tide came in and enjoyed the sight of the sun as it rose over Oakland.
October 28 2007 | Neighborhoods | No Comments »
Fortified by our excellent breakfast at Duarte’s Tavern, Tom and I took a walk down Stage Road. Pescadero is described as a New England town on the San Mateo coast and many of the buildings were built over a hundred years ago. There are a few unique shops to browse around but, be warned, most of them are only open Friday to Monday and they don’t open until 11. So today all we could do was browse.
Behind Duarte’s is The Old Rock Guy. This place is a hidden treasure. Located in a small trailer, it is also Clark Hansen’s home. Whether you are looking for a little gift or a handsome present, you will find it here.
Back to the main street, the next building is Made in Pescadero. This is a wonderful furniture shop with original designs. They also craft custom pieces. From the outside though you can’t see anything. It’s just a huge, padlocked building. We have been here when it is open though and it is well worth a walk round. Several times I have been tempted to buy something but have not succumbed yet – and it’s not going to happen today!
Set back from the road is Stage Road Shops, selling hand picked gifts old and new. Then comes Luna Sea which is a converted house set in a garden. Outside in the garden is a variety of unusual stone sculptures of pelicans, sea horses and dolphins and large decorated paving stones. Inside they have a wide range of unique crafted items but on the expensive side.
Next door is a vacant lot which is up for sale. Along the fence there are some wonderful blackberries which I couldn’t resist sampling.
Before the next shop there are a few dwellings but none of them have interesting gardens and they are a bit ramshackle.
In a converted blacksmiths shop is Country Roads, selling antiques and collectibles. I’ve visited this shop several times and it is fascinating. In the window today, amongst other things, was an old Underwood typewriter, a Grieg shorthand book and a collection of lettering stencils.
If you continue to the end of the road, past the turn off for North Street, you come to the cemetery on a hill. It’s worth a visit.
Walking back on the other side of the road, the first building is the Pescadero Community Church which has stood on the same site without major renovation since 1867.
Along this side of the streets the houses are a little better kept and there are some very nice gardens.
The only two stores on this side are food markets. The first one is Arcangeli Grocery or Norms Market. They bake over 20 varieties of bread and just walking past the door and smelling the aroma of fresh baked bread makes your mouth water (and I’ve just eaten breakfast!). It’s been open since 1934. Almost next door is Pescadero Country Store, formerly Muzzis Market. There is a large garden at the side with tables and chairs where they have a BBQ every Saturday and Sunday from May to October (weather permitting). I must mention here that along the fence is a wonderful smelling syringa or mock orange bush.
The only bank in town is the First National Bank of Northern California and it is right opposite Duarte’s Tavern.
And that’s it. Not a lot of shops but a wonderful collection in a unique little town and well worth a visit. After all the walking, don’t forget to visit Duarte’s Tavern for a drink at the original 1894 bar and to sample their artichoke soup and olallieberry pie.
August 26 2007 | Neighborhoods | 2 Comments »
We were on our way to UC Berkeley Botanical Garden and stopped for breakfast at Bette’s at 1807A 4th Street – see Breakfast Log.
After breakfast we ambled round the three blocks which make up this neighborhood. None of the shops were open so we came back at 11 a.m. when they opened. The first thing that struck me this morning was the many and varied seats and benches all the way along this section of 4th Street. On the corner of 4th and Hearst is a bronze statue of a seated man and someone had put a cigarette between his lips!
We visited Gallery 4th Street - (formerly 4th Street Gym). When we peeped through the windows early this morning, we were impressed with the sheer size and number of original paintings hanging on the walls, so this was our first stop.
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July 22 2007 | Neighborhoods | No Comments »
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