ROAD TRIP! The End....

Even though there's disappointment sometimes, it's better to know. My fantasy, or I should say, my idealized version of southern Oregon as a possible refuge has been greatly modified. There was a lot to be said for all the places we visited. It IS beautiful country. The shifting light, flowing mist, wild rocky shore, peaceful farms - the neat, sweet small towns of Albany and Ashland; the towns in general are smaller than the megalopolis of San Sacramento Jose, with much less traffic, and less stress. The people are so darn nice! Approachable, helpful... It all just seems much more unspoiled than here, though I don't know how long that will last.

Albany Library

AND, it was gray a lot of the time. Not Bay Area-gray, which seems back-lit, but a much darker shade. When I woke up to the light of a California morning, I was...grateful. I didn't realize how addicted I am to that brilliant golden light. Since I lived briefly in England when I was young, I didn't think this would be a concern. Wrong again.

image: A.N. Smith-Lee

 I think the biggest issue for me was made real when we drove into the Cascades along the Willamette River. It doesn't take a genius to predict that water is the next big issue in central and southern California. I hoped that wouldn't be the case farther north. It may be true MUCH farther north, but southern Oregon doesn't look to be better off than we are here in terms of aridity AND flammability. Western Oregon is burning too. It's downright sad to see what we've done to our beautiful planet.

image: A.N. Smith-Lee

I'm sure the great state of Oregon will be delighted to hear that there is one less family coming to Californicate them.

When Psychedelic was More than a Word - The Summer of Love Redux

It's the 50th Anniversary of the Summer of Love (remember that? Or at least heard of it?). It was a great time to be alive, when for a brief period--less than two years--it seemed as though things might be all right. People were actually interested in each other, believed in the goodness of all, and welcomed new ideas and possibilities. We could sure use a bit of that attitude now.

All posters and images are from the Summer of Love exhibit at San Francisco's DeYoung Museum.  The exhibit will be available until August 20, 2017. Oddly, the posters and clothes seemed sterile and overly formal, as if put together by someone who recognized the outward trappings of the Love children, but didn't participate. Perhaps that what we all do with past eras we tend to romanticize. There was a light show room with squishy bean bags for lazing about that felt just like home.






It's hard to imagine a time when creativity touched every part of life, from art to clothes to food, and especially to music. Every night was a party, and everybody experimented with everything. And then the heavy drugs came in and ruined it all. It was over in a flash, and now it seems like a dream. But it was a beautiful one.














Black Light was our neon. Tower records had a section dedicated to it and album covers were designed with it in mind. Bright white clothes made people glow like angels on the crowded dance floors.

 The Conservatory of Flowers (aka the Glass House) in the middle of Golden Gate Park was home to an amazing light show and concert on June 21 (light show will be on until October 21--see it!) that featured some of the old local rockers themselves: Country Joe MacDonald (Country Joe and the Fish), Jack Casady (Jeffferson Airplane) and a few others, plus sons and daughters. A good time was had by all, and the smell of skunk wafted over the crowd just like in the old days...

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Richmond 2 – A Hidden Park, A Lighthouse, An Island

On my second day in Richmond, I returned to some of my old “secret places”—the haunts every travel writer has but usually doesn’t write about, either to keep the space from being overrun or the knowledge that it just wouldn’t be that interesting to visitors. I haven’t been there in years, and I was pleased to see a positive transformation.

The last western access to the east bay before the Richmond Bridge is Stenmark (aka Western) Drive, leading out to Point Molate (which I always used to call Moh-Laht, but it’s Moh-Lahtteh, according to our guide Craig). This area always fascinated me because of the seeming remoteness of this piece of land on the opposite side of the hill from the big bad Chevron refinery, and the almost complete freedom from fog that washes over the bay from the golden gate. 

What was once a fenced-off area is now a pleasant little park with a beach (no swimming, alas), picnic tables and barbecue stands—the big draw here, beside the peaceful surroundings, is the spectacular view of the bay, Marin, Mt. Tamalpais and the Richmond Bridge.

Farther down the road, there’s an enormous brick warehouse with crenulated castle-like turrets: Winehaven, once a storage and shipping facility for most of the wine produced in central California since before the last century. Rumor has it that barrels of wine were swum out to waiting ships in the bay, towed by children who worked in the winery. Across the road are homes for workers and navy personnel (the area was once controlled by the US Navy) that have gone unused for decades. The county is trying to figure out what to do with the property.

A boat home in San Pablo Bay

Years ago, the rough and narrow road over the top of the hill was my path to a houseboat community that had created a magical garden. The garden was a little wonder, made from flotsam and jetsam that had washed up there, succulents and flowers. The houseboats remain, though the lovely garden is no more. In its place is a small launch that takes visitors to an even greater garden: the East Brother Light Station B&B. The East Brother Light, a California and National Historic Landmark built in 1873, sits atop an island in the strait that separates San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay. 

The innkeeper’s “cottage” is a multilevel Victorian with five rooms available for overnight stays, all meals provided. This is the ultimate relaxing get-away: no phone, no TV, no Internet, just the calls of gulls and gentle lull of water lapping at the edge of the island…. and the teeth-rattling foghorn, which can be heard on request (Richard, seen in the video, shares innkeeper duties along with his wife Jude):

(To see a better quality version of this video, go to my vimeo page)

This is a beautiful, nearly untouched part of the bay most people don’t know about. Development here is inevitable. Go before it disappears.