Pickles and Persimmons

I recently took a business trip to Saratoga, California for the day. While there, it turned out to be a lovely day and I had some extra time to poke around and explore. I visited two great sites, the Montalvo Arts Center and the Hakone Japanese Gardens.

The Montalvo property is comprised of 175 acres of land on which the former vacation villa of Senator James Duval Phelan stands. He donated the property and the villa to the state for the purpose of fostering both local and international arts and culture. The property has expanded and now houses the oldest artist-in-residency program in the country as well as two theaters, an art gallery, a culinary residency program, and vast gardens and grounds. According to Wikipedia (not the finest source I know), “Phelan named Villa Montalvo in honor of the popular 16th century Spanish writer Garci Ordonez de Montalvo. Montalvo coined the name “California” in one of his fables. In it he described an island rich with gold and jewels, peopled by Amazons ruled by a queen named Calafia. The Amazons in the fable rode griffins, mythical winged guardians of precious treasure. Griffins can be found throughout the arts center grounds, standing guard over Phelan’s precious gift.”

The Hakone Gardens were really amazing as well. They are the oldest Japanese and Asian Estate gardens in the Western Hemisphere. After viewing the Pan Pacific Exposition of 1915, Isabel Stine, wife of philanthropist Oliver Stine, traveled abroad to Japan to research Japanese garden retreats. With the information she gathered, she returned to Saratoga to establish a family retreat in the Santa Cruz hills for her family and for entertaining guests and friends. From 1932 until the mid 60’s, the estate passed in and out of the hands of family members and wealthy buyers until it was sold to the City of Saratoga in 1966. Kyoto-trained landscape professional Tanso Ishihara took charge of the estates restoration. However, again in 1999 the future of the gardens became cloudy. High maintenance and operating costs threatened the survival of the property. A charitable donation from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation established a fund for the continual preservation of the gardens. Since then, several large-scale events have been held on the grounds. Hakone also served as one of the primary filming locations for the movie Memoirs of a Geisha.

The City of Saratoga is well worth the trip is you are looking for something easy to do within a short driving distance. Here’s to hoping business will take me back there soon!

Best, Lauren

*I apologize in advance for the poor quality of these photos (iPhone cam). As previously mentioned, my free time was unexpected and I didn’t bring my usual camera.

The Sutro Baths - Neither Ancient nor Roman but Intriguing Nonetheless

Short of Chicago, a weekend at most is enough to cover what other Midwestern cities have to offer. You can drive for hours and your surroundings will virtually looks as they did at your starting origin. This was a constant frustration of mine and one of the foremost reasons I moved to San Francisco. I have spent the vast majority of my free time since moving to the Bay Area exploring. And on just such a day, I discovered the Sutro Baths. 

Saturday afternoon, per my birthday request, Leah, Lauryn and myself ventured to the far Northwest corner of San Francisco to walk the Lands End Trail (my sense of adventure has been piqued lately due to the fact that I’m currently reading Into Thin Air and have recently finished a two-part mini-series on the Louis and Clark Expedition. Short of climbing a mountain without supplemental oxygen this would have to do…but I digress). The trek was littered with interesting landmarks and views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Pacific Ocean that really were breathtaking. At the Southern-most end of the trail, just before the Cliff House (known for its amazing brunch and views), lie the ruins of what once were the Sutro Baths, and what I considered to be the most interesting part of the entire hike.

I use the use the words “ruins” and “baths” loosely as those two terms usually conjure thoughts of Ancient Rome and Caracalla’s capacious structure on the outskirts of the city. However, the Sutro Baths (http://www.sutrobaths.com/) have been labeled “modern ruins” - this is California after all. Nothing is older than a century.

Built literally upon the coastline, the project was the brainchild of somewhat aberrant San Francisco mayor, Adolph Sutro. Upon their completion in March of 1896 they featured an amphitheater that could seat 3700, six salt water tanks each with over a 1 million gallon capacity, one fresh water plunge tank, seven tobaggan slides into the baths, swinging rings, diving boards, and private dressing rooms. The tanks, which were continuously replenished by the rising and receding ocean tides, could fill in an hour. The structure also featured the makings of a natural history museum where Sutro displayed his eccentric collection of oddities.

Over the years, the baths fell in and out of use having been re-appropriated as an amusement park and an ice skating rink. However, in the 1960’s, as the structure was being demolished, it burned down leaving only the visible architectural footprint of the original structure.

I love history…I love history even more when you are allowed to walk amongst its ruins. The Sutro Baths are a real treat to visit. Visiting on a misty, morose day I think would be particularly apropos. I highly recommend.

Best, Lauren 

*All information/facts used in the post were acquired from the official Sutro Baths website

I’m heading up to Tahoe for the first time this winter. I couldn’t be more excited or ready to get on the road. I won’t be making skiing vids from a flip cam because…well it wouldn’t be worth watching. This guy however made an amazing video that I have been watching for inspiration. Check it out. It was posted on the Wend Mag blog.

Best, Lauren

View high resolution

The next person to try their hand at the P&P Questionnaire happens to be my mother, a one Margaret Dickerson aka Margarita, Margaret the Great, and Madge. Her favorite sayings are “don’t you just loooove Caleeforniaaa?”, “don’t bite the hand that feeds you,” and “I’m your biggest advocate!”. She has been a radiologist in the Chicago area for longer than she would like to admit, has a propensity for micro-managing, and is a tough woman to to crack. However, I couldn’t imagine having anyone better to call my mom. Here’s what she had to say…

1. What is the first song on your iTunes Recently Added playlist?

Teenage Dream - Katy Perry

2. What is the last book you read or are currently reading?

Here at the End of the World We Learn to Dance

3. What has been your favorite Halloween costume you have dressed as?

Can’t remember - haven’t dressed up for Halloween in over thirty years.

4. What is one thing you love that everyone else hates or one thing you hate that everyone else loves?

I HATE reality shows.

5. In your opinion, which are the best years of your life: college or your 20’s?

20’s

6. Name two things you are extremely skilled at and two things you are very bad at

Skilled: Breast Biopsies, reading mammograms

Unskilled: making dough of any kind and math

7. Which do you prefer: sweet or savory?

Savory

8. What do you collect?

Purses, scarves, handbags, shoes and ceramic birds

9. What is your motto?

Buck it up!

10. What is your idea of perfect happiness?

An exotic vacation

11. If you had to pick one song to be the theme song for your life, what would be it?

“We are Family”

12. What would you do if you didn’t have to work?

Volunteer

13. Who would you call with your one phone call in jail?

A lawyer

14. Is there anything you absolutely refuse to do?

Yes

15. If your house was on fire, and you could only take three things, what would they be?

My family members, personal files and my computer

Best, Lauren

This weekend I traveled to Carmel and Big Sur (about 140 miles South of San Francisco). Although it rained on and off the entire weekend, I still managed to get out and do some hiking and exploring. While around the area I was made aware of some really interesting facts.

- Clint Eastwood has been a long time resident and former mayor of Carmel. He now owns the Mission Ranch which I never made it to but heard good things.

- Big Sur is not an actual location. It is about a 100 mile stretch beginning at the outer boundaries of Carmel and the Eastern foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains.

- Both Henry Miller and Jack Kerouac have lived in and written famous books about the Big Sur region.

- Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth owned a retreat in Big Sur in the 1940’s. The location is now the restaurant Nepenthe (amazing cheeseburger!)

- Big Sur is not a national park.

- I have made it a personal goal to learn how to surf in the next six months!

Best, Lauren

This week in San Fran…

Since I don’t start work until next week, my first week in San Francisco has been spent exploring the city and the surrounding attractions. I haven’t felt really inspired to write about a lot of things lately. However I do want to share some of the sites I’ve been taking in since I’ve been here. I promise I will find something wonderful and interesting to share with all of you very very soon!

Best, Lauren

More San Fran shots.

Best, Lauren