Kings Mountain Art Fair - Labor Day Weekend

For those of you who aren't in Black Rock City this weekend, here's an alternate way to get your art fix. It's a little less Tribal Vegas and a little more Fine Art in the Redwoods. There are some hand-carved rocking chairs that are expensive, but worth a visit to the fair just for the chance to sit in one.

Don't know Kings Mountain? You've probably been here without even realizing it - hiking, mtn biking, etc. It's the area along Skyline Blvd. just south of 92 (the road that goes to Half Moon Bay). It's a gorgeous spot of redwoods and ocean/Bay views.

This is our community fundraiser. Not being part of a town, we don't get tax revenue, but we have to fund our own fire department that is the first responder to forest fires and scraping motorcyclists off the pavement. It also helps supplement funding for our 3-room elementary school, which the state has repeatedly tried to shut down despite high test scores. Small schools don't make cents.

Details:

WHAT: Kings Mountain Art Fair
WHEN: 10-5 Saturday Sept 1 - Monday Sept 3. An outdoor breakfast starts at 8AM
WHERE: 13889 Skyline Blvd. Above Woodside.
WHY: Top juried arts and crafts in a redwood forest setting. Completely non-commercial.
And it is for a good cause, local fire protection
MORE INFO: www.kingsmountainartfair.org

The Coyote Question: what's going on?

Two coyotes attacked two large dogs walking on leash in Golden Gate Park recently. This was interesting because coyotes are generally thought to only go after small animals; the theory is that the coyotes were probably defending a den with pups.

I've seen or heard coyotes in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space (which is by my house), the Phleger Estate, Huddart Park, and in the San Carlos hills (Pulgas Open Space). My dog, interestingly enough, has refused to hike up here, and I have assumed that she knows something I don't know. I thought maybe it was the scent of mountain lions that was spooking her, but maybe it was just the coyotes. Who knows?

One thing I know after the reading the article in the Chronicle is that I'm going to be careful with my dogs and my kids hiking around. (The article mentions a coyote attacking a toddler in New Jersey.)

Amusement park geared at preschoolers: Gilroy Gardens

My article on Gilroy Gardens appeared in the SF Chronicle on Sunday...

You can check it out if you're interested in a kick booty amusement park for the littlest of kids. But adults might be more interested in the bit about eating incredible Vietnamese food and staying at a posh, boutique hotel in San Jose that gives you apple martinis upon check in.

Green thumb resources

We've been doing a little planting this spring, and I'm very excited about one plant in particular that I found tucked deep into the folds of a nursery in Half Moon Bay. It's called Gunnera, and it looks like dinosaur food: huge green leaves on tall stalks. On a recent trip to the de Young, Jacob and I discovered that their landscape designer had a crush on this plant, too. It is a main theme around the modern building.

My plant research has taken me in and out of many local nurseries. You don't even have to own a plot of land to enjoy browsing the digs of local plant purveyors. You get to see all kinds of varieties of plants, with the names attached right there. Here's a quick review of some of my favorite local nurseries.

We'll start with Bongard's, right on Highway 92 in Half Moon Bay. This is where I found the Gunnera, and it just might be my favorite nursery. They have a lot of trees in particular. You can easily spend an hour wandering around through there, and find the most interesting specimens tucked way back, hidden in maze-like rows, shrouded by other plants. That's how I found the Gunnera, in fact. First, I found some mature plants that blew my mind with their over-sized, prehistoric looking foliage, then down the row a bit, I found the young plants and knew that they were destined to come home with me. The people at Bongard's are really nice, too, and will chat with you about what the plants need.

Then there's the more popular Half Moon Bay Nursery down the the road a little ways. I like this nursery a lot, too, and spend a long time browsing the Japanese maple and bamboo selections. But as Jacob pointed out to me one day, you don't ever feel like you're gonna chat with the owner there. Most of the employees are busy running around, catering to the crowds of people who show up on any given day. I don't mean to put the place down. I still enjoy going there, and the fact is that I find some plants there that Bongard's doesn't have (like wild ginger, on a recent trip). This is one of the things about plant hunting that's so exciting. There are certain predictable plants (can you say petunias?), but then there are the surprise plants that elicit a little intake of breath at their beauty. And these plants are likely to be anywhere.

A delightful, very out-of-the-way native plant nursery is located off Skyline Blvd south of the the Four Corners (the intersection of 84 with Skyline, where Alice's Restaurant is located). It's called Yerba Buena, and the long dusty road that takes you there is located just across the street from the Fogarty vineyard. Yerba Buena's charm is partly that it deals in native plants. But it also has a 50-year-old test garden that exhibits mature specimens of many plants, so you can see what these trees and bushes will look like years down the road. Wandering around the test garden is great, because you can recognize many plants you see hiking around Skyline and actually look at a sign that tells you what they are. But this is no discount plant store. I've found the prices to be significantly higher than other nurseries.

I know that Sloat (located on Sloat in SF) has opened a Millbrae outpost, but I haven't had the chance to check it out yet. Maybe later this summer I'll get around to blogging about it. Which reminds me, Bay Area Traveler will be taking a break for the end of May and most of June. I'm going to be a European Traveler for a while. Happy plant hunting while I'm away.

Two more condors found dead

What's going on with the condors at Pinnacles? Two more were found dead this week. I suspect that these deaths are connected in some way, but there's little information in the press releases. One of the birds apparently died after hitting a power line , but lead poisoning can also slow a bird's reflexes and cause a bird to hit a power line. I suspect that lead is the culprit here, but no one is saying anything for sure yet. Here's the press release that Pinnacles issued for the second and third deaths:

Ventana Wildlife Society  Pinnacles National Monument

News Release


May 18, 2007
For Immediate Release
Carl Brenner, PNM (831) 389-4485 x 265
Kelly Sorenson, VWS (831) 455-9514



Two Additional California Condors Found Dead in Last Three Days


A four year old male California condor, #301 was found dead in Big


Sur on May 15, 2007. Ventana Wildlife Society biologist, Sayre Flannagan,


found 301 below a span of power lines and with a laceration on his leg.


“The way 301 was found suggests he had collided with the power line”, said


Sayre Flannagan. Pacific Gas and Electric had installed top-of-the-line


marking devices on this same power line last year after two condors had


previously collided with it and died. “If this is the cause of death, a


total of three condors have died after colliding with this particular line


and something more effective needs to be done”, said Kelly Sorenson,


Executive Director of Ventana Wildlife Society.


A second juvenile California condor from the Pinnacles National


Monument flock has also been found dead and was recovered in Big Sur,


California. On the evening of May 17, Ventana Wildlife Society biologists


received a ‘mortality signal’ from Pinnacles California condor #307 in the


Big Sur area. The signal comes from the bird’s radio transmitter which


activates a signal automatically after eight hours of no movement. The


next morning, Ventana biologists found Condor 307 dead of no obvious


cause. She is being transferred to the San Diego Zoo for a necropsy to


investigate the cause of death.


The last contact with 307 at Pinnacles was Saturday, May 5, 2007.


She arrived in Big Sur on Tuesday May 8 and their last visual sighting was


Monday, May 14.


“Condor 307 was a member of our oldest cohort, and has been tracked


routinely flying between Pinnacles and Big Sur,” National Park Service


(NPS) Superintendent Eric Brunnemann said. “Although the death of any


condor is a heartfelt sadness, the reintroduction of California condors is


a proven success as demonstrated by the birth of a wild-hatched condor


chick just last April in Big Sur,” Brunnemann continued.


From a population low of 22 birds in the mid 1980s, California


condors are making a slow, but steady recovery through intensive captive


breeding efforts and public education programs. As of April 30, 2007, 138


California condors are in the wild from a total population of 286. The


initial goal for California is to have 150 free flying condors in the


state. “Not including the wild nestlings, Central California had 40


free-flying California condors as of May 1, 2007, but we just lost three


birds”, said Kelly Sorenson. Pinnacles currently has 13 free-flying


California condors that are routinely visible at the monument, which hosts


the only public condor release in California.

Hetch Hetchy paintings

Some months ago, I wrote about the hike you can do in the Crystal Springs Watershed. The gorgeous blue water in Crystal Springs comes from the Hetch Hetchy and supplies San Francisco as well as other Bay Area communities with water. The story behind the damming of the Hetch Hetchy is fascinating as a case study of environmental conflicts, but following the narrative of Yosemite's sister valley simultaneously tells you the story of John Muir, a man who still haunts the Bay Area with an almost palpable presence. Just take a walk in Muir Woods.

Well, in reading about the fight over the Hetch Hetchy, I found out that William Keith, a painter of the time (late 1800s, early 1900s), had captured the valley on canvas before it was flooded. I went to the de Young museum hoping to see it, but was disappointed. I thought that surely the de Young had one of the canvases, but just wasn't displaying it. Sure enough, I discovered these photos on their web-based gallery. Now you can see what you're missing.

Upscale Italian Bay Area deli chain - AG Ferrari

On the run, I grabbed a sandwich at A.G. Ferrari in Belmont for lunch today. Jacob and I have popped in there once or twice before, and have always been pleased with our purchases. Among other things, I've found really nice dark chocolate, excellent dried pasta, dried porcinis, canned tomatoes, and prepared deli foods. Curious, I finally got online to check out the company.

It's a Bay Area chain with 13 stores in Oakland, San Francisco, Marin, Belmont, and Palo Alto, among other places. The owner, Paul Ferrari, travels to Italy several times a year to find artisanal oils, vinegars, pastas, etc., for the store. This isn't a cheap Italian deli. But from the products that I've tried, it's the good kind of upscale (as opposed to the simply overpriced upscale). The Belmont store has some tables and chairs so you can grab a bite and enjoy it there, or get it to go. The Belmont store is located just south of Ralston on El Camino Real.

Condor found dead at Pinnacles

It's a sad day. One of the newly released condors at Pinnacles has been found dead, lying on its back in a field. The juvenile bird had been feeding and roosting normally since it took its first flight into freedom less than a month ago. They don't have any clues as to why the bird died, but presumably they'll find something out in the autopsy.

So hats off and a moment of silence. These birds may not have any ecological value, but they are symbolic for our wilderness. When one of them dies, it's a step in the wrong direction.

Burmese food in San Bruno

It appears I have a food theme running these days, but I have to admit that I get so excited over food now that I'm learning the little mom and pop restaurants outside of San Francisco. We've been digging a Burmese restaurant in San Bruno lately. It's not as hip or happening as Burma Superstar on Clement Street in San Francisco, but the food is delicious, there's never a wait, and prices are very reasonable. The restaurant is called Inya Lake, and it's located on San Mateo Ave. The ginger salad is particularly yummy.

Sam's Chowder House - Half Moon Bay

Last weekend, we tried out the newest restaurant in Half Moon Bay, Sam's Chowder House. Although it bills itself as "authentic New England style seafood," it's a pretty Californicated version, if only due to the militia of young, attractive California kids serving the food, placing a plate in front of you with statements like, "Here's your seafood goodness."

I have to say that overall, we were pleased with our experience there. The ocean views are incredible. It's a huge place, and already has the feel of a well established institution, which I'm sure it will be. One of the things I liked best was how kid-friendly it was. There were dozens of little ones running around, and the hostess hands out quality crayons with multiple pages of big, simple designs for coloring. Although there were no changing tables in the men's room (no excuse for that in a modern restaurant!), the women's room was a nice enough place to change a diaper. Come to think of it, I guess Jacob maybe have been lying about the absence of a changing table in the men's room. ;-)

The food was good. We had the New England clam chowder, which tasted not as thick as the real New England versions I've had, but like a fresher, richer California version, with a top quality cream, good potatoes, and lots of clam. I had a fish sandwich and Old Bay seasoned fries. The fries were thin, frozen fries, but they came with aioli, which made me pretty happy. And they claim to use sustainably farmed seafood whenever possible, which is nice to see (and also very Californian of them).

Prices were reasonable if not cheap. The music was horrid - REO Speedwagon and such - but luckily the volume was low enough that we could tune it out. Overall, I say we'll be back. It's a nice alternative to Barbara's Fish Trap if you're paying by credit card (if you've been to Barbara's, you know they only take cash).

Incidentally, Sam's was opened by the same folks who brought us Cetrella, a fancy schmancy Half Moon Bay restaurant that consistently gets rave reviews. I have to admit that the one time we ate there, I wasn't much impressed, but I've been meaning to give it another try.

Vietnamese food in San Jose

So I've been meaning to try out some of the Vietnamese food in San Jose for a while, and finally got around to it earlier this month. And I have to say that it was unequivocally the best Vietnamese food I've ever had. Taking the recommendation of the concierge at the Moorpark Hotel, we went to Vung Tau downtown. The atmosphere was nice - tastfully done and very clean. The service was attentive. And the food! Delicious. Fresh. Yummmmmmmy. I can't decide which dish was my favorite: the shredded green papaya salad, the rice salad with beef and lemongrass, the sea bass cooked in a clay pot, or the tamarind shrimp soup.

What was I doing staying at a hotel in San Jose? Oh, you'll have to wait for the story in the Chronicle to read all about it.

Condors go back into the wild at Pinnacles National Monument

My story on the condors at Pinnacles National Monument is out - in both the Santa Cruz Sentinel and the SF Chronicle. The stories give visitors an idea of what to expect when going to Pinnacles to see California condors during a release of 5 young birds that are joining the already existing Pinnacles flock. The release date of April 21 will mark almost to the day the 20th year anniversary of the capture of the last wild condor. To get tips on viewing them, read the article.

I wasn't able to go into as much detail as I would have liked in the articles simply because of word count and scope, but the story of the condor is fascinating. It is generally accepted to be an ecologically unimportant species, and yet we have spent millions of dollars and incredible effort trying to save it. It has been a hot button issue for environmentalists, many of whom (particularly David Brower) thought that the last wild condors should never have been captured in the first place, even though there were only 22 birds left and the species was facing almost certain extinction. Those extremists believe that the species died when the last one was captured, because they officially ceased to be wild.

Then there is another camp of people, led by Noel Snyder, who believe that the birds in captivity should never have been released back into the wild, since whatever it was that was killing the birds is still out there in the environment. We now know with near certainty, thanks to a UCSC study, that the leading killer of condors is lead from ammunition, which shatters when it hits the bones of hunted animals, whose carcasses are then fed on by condors. Lead poisoning first dulls the birds' reactions (which might be leading them to their second most lethal habit: flying into power lines), then makes them more and more lethargic until they eventually stop eating, stop moving, and die. In spite of the facts that lead is a threat to many animals, including humans, and that there are safe, equally effective, non-lead alternatives, hunters continue to use lead bullets. So we are releasing the birds into an environment that is continuing to poison them.

The condor recovery program is succeeding in its growth of the species thanks in large part to captive breeding (which through a process called double clutching allows the birds to reproduce faster than in nature), but whether the birds will continue to prosper when humans stop tracking them and treating them for lead poisoning remains to be seen. If you're interested in the topic, I highly recommend reading John Nielsen's book: Condor, to the Brink and Back. Not only is it a comprehensive study of the condor recovery program, but it is beautifully written, narrating the tales of the individual people working with individual birds to save the species.

Native garden tour on the Peninsula

I just got my newsletter from the Yerba Buena Nursery. If you're not familiar with Yerba Buena, it's a native plant nursery located up here on Skyline just south of the Four Corners (where 84 intersects Skyline). Not only do they have a wide, albeit pricey, selection of native plants, but they also have a 50-year-old native garden that showcases the mature plants in a landscaped setting. It's a great place to visit just to walk around the garden and look at the signs on the plants, educating yourself about the flora of the Bay Area.

At the bottom of their events listing in the April newsletter is a note for a Going Native Garden Tour of 30 Peninsula gardens, to be held on Sunday, April 29 from 10 am to 4 pm. It's free, and will include opportunities to speak with the garden owners about their native garden experiences. This seems like a great opportunity for all of you environmentally conscious gardeners out there.

If you're not familiar with the native garden movement, a quick summary of benefits include:
- easier care of the plants (they naturally thrive in this environment, so they shouldn't need a lot of supplemental care, like extra watering or fertilizer)
- healthy ecosystem (native plants are necessary for native animals - including bees, butterflies and hummingbirds)

If you're interested in going on the free tour, you simply go to their website and register.

The New San Mateo City Library

I was working at my office away from office, the San Mateo library. It's a new building, and I love working there because I can go through stacks of magazines or consult the OED as I'm researching. There are comfortable desks set up with outlets for my laptop, and it's a quiet place to work. But I usually don't get past the second floor, where the reference books are. Yesterday, I wandered on up, motivated by nothing but curiosity. What I found astounded me.

On the third floor, there was a coffee shop and a "Teen Area." It was after school hours, and the joint was hopping! There were clusters of teens scattered about the place, talking and giggling and having a great time. Did their parents know that when they said they were going to the library after school, this is what they were doing? Who cares? This was awesome! I would have dug this place as a teen.

It made me realize that our libraries have been changing to face a new world. They no longer just lend books. Modern buildings are architectural destinations in and of themselves, with auditoriums, fun kids furniture, computer centers, lounges, and even coffee shops. They are becoming culturally relevant again. Look out Barnes and Noble, you've got competition.

Driving to Pinnacles

Yesterday, I got up at 5am to drive down to Pinnacles National Monument to meet with a condor biologist. Leaving the house at 6:30am, I took Kings Mountain Road down the hill, hugging the hillside on this narrow road (a remnant from logging days) and devouring occasional glimpses of the valley as the sun was rising, a sliver of a crescent moon hanging in the corner of the sky just over San Jose or Palo Alto or somewhere in between the two. The camera itched at my side in the passenger seat, but I couldn't allow myself to scratch it. I had an appointment to keep.

South of San Jose, as Highway 101 narrowed and became less interstate-like, the urban sprawl gave way to open space. The sun was higher, but it was still casting that golden, early morning glow over everything. The hills were rumpled sheets of green velvet, shimmering in the sun in some places with shades of darker green on the west slopes that the sun hadn't touched yet.

Turning off Highway 101 and onto Highway 25 towards Hollister, I drove through a cherry orchard that was just this side of its peak bloom. The white petals fluttered in the breeze of trees in perfectly symmetrical rows that seemed to go on forever and ever. Hollister appeared like a remnant of the past, with its downtown storefronts, now offering quinceanera dresses that billow out like gowns that Southern belles wore before the war. Then the new Hollister stretched out to meet me, wider roads with fast food and the usual suspects of chain stores.

But beyond Hollister, as I got closer and closer to Pinnacles, the road got narrower and windier. The country got more country, with windmills and cattle and more remote velvet hills. Birds of prey soared above me, some type of hawk I've never seen before, larger than the redtails I know closer to home. I pulled into Pinnacles with a feeling of the most pleasant kind of anxiety building up in my chest. I was going to be looking for a California condor, a bird that had dwindled to some 20-odd specimens just 20 years ago and had almost disappeared from the face of the earth.

You'll have to wait and find out later what I discovered there, though. I'm still writing the articles. ;-)

Kayaking with the otters - Elkhorn Slough

If there is one outdoors activity you're going to do in the Bay Area this year, this is the one I'd recommend: Kayaking Elkhorn Slough.

Elkhorn Slough is located between Santa Cruz and Monterey, and it is worth the drive for you San Franciscans. You can rent a kayak at Kayak Connection and hit the water without a guide. If you are into the birds (and there are over 340 species that live and/or stop by here on their migration path), you can take a birding tour through KC or on a pontoon boat with Elkhorn Slough Safari. I'd say just renting the kayak by yourself or with a friend is a great way to start, though.

You're supposed to keep a distance from the wildlife, but there is so much wildlife that it is hard to do. The otters come swimming up to the kayaks to check out the paddlers, then they just float there on their backs nibbling on crabs and looking ridiculously cute. There are also harbor seals aplenty, but they are usually sleeping on the beach in the sun, resting up for their nocturnal adventures. Along the muddy shore, watch the clams squirt water up through holes, making their presence known, as various birds go diving for them with long, pointy beaks.

After kayaking, head to the Whole Enchilada in Moss Landing for some delicious Mexican food in a lively atmosphere.

If you'd like to read more about Elkhorn Slough, check out my past stories on the subject:
The SF Chronicle
The Santa Cruz Sentinel

Filoli in bloom

The Filoli Estate is a mansion and formal garden located in Woodside and maintained in much the same state that it was in the early 20th Century. The 16-acre formal garden is incredible. I often walk around there just to get inspiration for my own plot of land. The horticulturists and volunteers work extra hard to create a spring show of flowers that is something to behold.

To find out more, you can read my article in the Santa Cruz Sentinel from Friday. Click on the drag down menu at the top right of the page and scroll to Page 24.

Chez Shea in Half Moon Bay

Last summer, the owners of one of our favorite Bay Area restaurants - Cafe Gibraltar in El Granada - opened up this small, organic cafe on Main Street in downtown Half Moon Bay. As expected, the food is incredible. I took Jacob there for the first time yesterday, and he was duly impressed. We shared the Ugalde torta sandwich, which comes with their signature handmade potato chips, and the chile relleno (from the weekend brunch menu). It may have been the best chile relleno I've ever had, and I've made it a point to try them all over Mexico. No joke.

I haven't been for dinner yet, but the dinner menu looks tempting, with dishes from all over the world - Spanish, Thai, Greek, even Irish.

The prices are oh so reasonable at a little under $10 for a sandwich. It's a cafe, which means you go to the counter and order, and they bring the food to you. But since there's usually someone standing there to greet you, and they appear rather hostess-like, it's a little confusing at first. Don't be confused - and don't expect full service. They'll tell you where to get your glass for water and they'll bring the food to you. And really, that's all they need to do, because it's the food that you come for.

So next time you find yourself at the beach and looking for a great place to eat lunch, look no further. This is it. (A bit of trivia, by the way: Shea is the name of the owners' daughter.)

Chez Shea 408 Main Street

Half Moon Bay, CA 94019

(650) 560-9234

Welcome to the Bay Area Traveler

Driving through Half Moon Bay and wondering where you should eat? Want to know the best place to try out kayaking or bird watching? Wondering where you can take your dog other than Fort Funston? This is the place to look. I will be linking you to my Bay Area travel stories as they're published in the San Francisco Chronicle and the Santa Cruz Sentinel, with additional stories that aren't being published anywhere else.

So check back in for tips on the best restaurants, hiking spots, dog friendly trails, playgrounds, kayaking spots, museums, and more. I love this place, and I love my job as a travel journalist specializing in the Bay Area.