Guerilla art afoot at the Night Market

Last night, a friend and I were searching an industrial neighborhood in San Francisco for something called the Guerilla Night Market. I felt a bit like Harry Potter, looking for train platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross Station. But there, between the fog and the warehouses, dozens of moving vans had rolled in for the evening.

Each van had a different offering: an upside-down ball pit (a moving van loaded with helium balloons, crowded with people, creating the effect of actually being upside down in a ball pit, an uncomfortable sensation), the Dream Library (where you could deposit or check out dreams, as you wish), the Grope a Clown truck ('nuff said), the bowling van (hands down the coolest one to stand next to and listen to: rooooooolll, boom!), the Mac-n-Tude truck (set up like a Jersey Diner, with gum chewing waitresses fully in role, serving - yes - Mac-n-Cheese), and even a fine dining truck (3 course meal with wine pairings, white tablecloth and all).

There was a moving van converted into a bar, serving cheap, peaty Scotch while a gaunt woman half-heartedly swung on a dancing pole, and then there was the van with the live punky jugband-inspired music including a raunchy accordian player, a woman with prominent piercings bowing a saw, a hipster lanquidly playing a washtub bass, another girl clacking away with spoons. There were a few cushy chairs for listeners, and empty bottles and cans of PBR littered the space.  I caught them on video and posted it on YouTube here. 

The Night Market isn't an SF original idea. As I understand it, the first one took place in Brooklyn, but this was the SF premiere. It kind of devolved into a Burning Man hipster block party at some point, after visiting many of the trucks, or deciding the lines were too long to wait. But it was inspiring, I have to admit, as guerilla artwork often is.

This is the kind of cultural movement, though, that I admire. Good job, to everyone who made it happen.

Dickens Fair gets all steampunky

I am a fan of the Dickens Fair. It could be because I have spent countless hours escaping into Victorian novels, or that I love dressing up, but whatever it is, the Dickens Fair calls me back every year.

If you don't already know about the Dickens Fair, well, it's like a Renaissance Fair, only the setting is Victorian London, and the characters roaming the "streets" (created inside the Cow Palace with false storefronts, bars, dramatic stages, etc.) are literally characters from Dickens' novels, with a few from Jules Verne tossed in for good measure. It takes place every weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and it's great fun for children and adults alike.

Last year, I was lucky enough to show up on the official Steampunk day. I had to pick my jaw off the floor, some of the costumes were so incredible. Elaborate gadgets, funky Victorian style. I was in heaven, but I was also in lust. I wanted a cool steampunk costume, too!  Well, I haven't made it yet, but it's in the works. Unfortunately, it won't be done in time for this year's steampunk day, which is taking place this Saturday, Dec. 11. But I'll be there with my girlfriends to oogle away.

Here's my tip on things not to miss: the living mannequins in the window of the Dark Garden corset shop, the safari carousel for children (a gorgeous, safari animal mechanical carousel - no electricity! - operated by a charming story-teller), and the Adventurer's Club. 

If you want to check out the Dickens Fair, go to the Cow Palace any Saturday or Sunday before Christmas. It's open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., but be sure to bring plenty of money. Admission is $25, parking is another $10, and the Artful Dodger's spirit is alive and well among the various food, drink, clothing, and random Christmas kitsch purveyors inside.

For more info, visit the website: www.dickensfair.com

Rancho Siempre Verde, best tree farm in the Bay Area

Since having kids, Christmas/Winter Solstice/Hannakuh has rekindled that magical glow it had when I was a kid. Watching Emil's chubby toddler body bounce up and down as we put up the tree floods my body with endorphins.

There are a few traditions around the Bay Area that we have adopted as our own, beginning with where we get our tree.

Rancho Siempre Verde is a cut-your-own tree farm 10 miles south of Pescadero. Out of the way? Yes. Worth the drive? Most def.

Forty foot swings that fly beneath towering trees with the ocean spread out in the distance, bottomless bags of marshmallows to roast at the bonfire, tractor rides around the ranch, wreathe-making, and the chance to pick your tree out from a wide variety of species. This year we picked an incense cedar, native to California, and as the name implies, gorgeously fragrant.

The only things you pay for are trees ($60, regardless of size, type, weight, etc.) and wreathes ($20 pre-made, $6 or $8 to make your own).  No other charges. Period. Not for parking, not for the fun activities, and not for picnic areas. And did I mention that dogs are totally welcome here? Cleo ran around like the wild mutt she is, sniffing other dogs and having the time of her life. Several families made use of the abundant picnic areas and set up camp for hours.

Rancho Siempre Verde is open 9am to 5pm, every weekend until Christmas, plus on Monday, Dec. 20. To learn more, check out their website: www.rsvtrees.com.

Bicycling your way through organic farms on the coast

I often run or hike along the blufftops at Wavecrest in Half Moon Bay with my dog Cleo. This is an incredibly beautiful place to run: cliffs, ocean, and if you're lucky a blue sky. It's a locale that never gets old. But one day last week I noticed an increased number of bikes traveling the normally scarce trails. What was going on?

It turns out the bikers were on an organic farm tour, and I have to say, they all looked quite happy.

The event, organized by Wheeled Migration out of Chico, was called the Slow Coast Bicycle Tour. It lasted four days/three nights, and included live music, tours of eight organic farms, and camping along the coast (a van carried all the gear, making the biking easy).

The farms toured included:

• Bike Hut / Potrero Nuevo Farm
• Harley Goat Farm
• Blue House Farm
• Fat Cabbage Farm
• 5th Crow Farm
• Pie Ranch
• Swanton Berry Farm
• Free Wheelin Farm

They aren't repeating the tour until next year, but I think I'll line up for it when it comes around. Then I can join the steady stream of smiling bikers.

Hike, Spa, Eat: Costanoa offers a perfect coastal daytrip

I'm finally recovered from the Kings Mountain Art Fair, which was an incredible success this year. Thanks to everyone who came and enjoyed the fine art and majestic redwoods. 

Today, I'm giving you a preview of an article that's coming out in October's CoastViews Magazine. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed researching it.

Costanoa: the perfect coastal daytrip

I emerged from a Eucalyptus grove to find a black-tailed deer grazing in the coastal scrub. He looked at me, curious. When I took a step, he hopped away leisurely through the chapparal. I imagined one of the Ohlone people, who once populated this area, coming across this deer’s ancestor centuries ago.

The path rose until I had a panoramic view of the ocean. My muscles were a little tight, so I was looking forward to the massage that was scheduled for later in the afternoon.

Welcome to Costonoa. This eco-resort located 25 miles south of Half Moon Bay may offer the perfect California daytrip. Bordered by three major state parks – Big Basin and Butano to the east, and Año Nuevo to the west – the resort offers access to a variety of stunning trails. 

One of the most popular trails is the three-mile Ohlone Ridge Lookout loop, where I encountered the deer. This trail climbs through the coastal scrub in and out of small patches of Douglas Fir, and offers a cluster of well-placed Adirondack chairs about half-way through the trail from which you can enjoy striking coastal views.

For those who want to get closer to the water, the three-mile Franklin Point loop is the ticket, sweeping down along the dunes and offering a bench retreat from which to view the Pigeon Point Lighthouse.

After a hike, there’s nothing quite like a massage. The Costanoa Spa isn’t a five-star spa by any means, but considering that this is an eco-resort with accommodations crossing the spectrum of tent and RV campsites, luxury tent cabins, rustic wood cabins, and lodge rooms, I didn’t expect top-of-the-line luxury.

The spa only offers massages, and the massage rooms were perfect. They smell nice and are generally well-equipped. No one offered me water or tea as I checked in, but there was water in the lobby of the lodge.

 Other amenities that spa guests may enjoy include the sauna in the “comfort station,” which is also where the showers are located, and the hot tub, located right outside the lodge. The landscaped grounds are peppered with Adirondack chairs that invite you to sit and enjoy the scenery with a good book, or perhaps to doze off in the sun.

I have to admit, the 50-minute integrative message ($90) I enjoyed was fabulous. Gina, my therapist, got the amount of pressure I requested just right, and worked out the kinks in my left shoulder. I was jello as I walked away.

The only thing more you could want after a day of hiking and a massage would be a good meal, and Costanoa has you covered here as well. Cascade, the on-site restaurant, offers California cuisine using mostly local, organic produce.

And when they say local, they mean local. There is a working farm on the property where they grow about 70% of the produce that they use during peak season. Dinner entrées include dishes like the sautéed vegetables with lemon herb quinoa ($18) and buttermilk fried chicken ($24). The restaurant is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

There are a number of special offers that coastsiders can take advantage of this fall. First of all, there is the local coastsider’s rate, which offers 20% off accommodations and spa treatments Sunday through Thursday. Other deals include ride and relax, which gives two 50-minute massages and two horseback rides for $299, and the day spa special, which offers two 50-minute massages for $150.

Oct. 16 and Oct. 23, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., families can stop by and enjoy the Costanoa Pumpkin Carving Extravaganza, which not only includes pumpkin carving (at a charge per pumpkin, large: $7, medium $5, and small $2), but also offers face painting, apple bobbing, and other games.

The resort also offers free, guided hikes on Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. A naturalist leads these hikes, discussing native plant and animal life, ecology, and the area’s human and natural history.

Between the hiking, spa treatment, and food, this is the California coast at its best.

Costanoa is located at 2001 Rossi Road at Hwy 1, Pescadero. Phone: (650) 879-1100. Website: www.costonoa.com

I didn't know Jack

It's right across the bay. So close, and yet somehow in the ten plus years I've lived in the Bay Area, I haven't spent much time in Oakland. Until recently, that is.

Jacob and I decided to enjoy a mini-vacation with the kids this past weekend, so we booked rooms at the Waterfront Hotel on Jack London Square in Oakland. Our main prerequisite in choosing a hotel was that it have a swimming pool, and the Waterfront has that and more. Other perks include a fun nautical theme, a cozy fireplace in the lounge, and a much better than average hotel restaurant, Miss Pearl's Jam House.

We swam in the heated pool, enjoying our harbor-side location. It almost felt as if we were swimming with all the docked boats. We shared the pool deck with a bunch of tattooed hipsters from San Francisco who were celebrating a friend's birthday. I guess some people might not have enjoyed that, but we did. It made us feel like we were part of the party.

Dinner at Miss Pearl's was solid: cheese grits and shrimp, a catfish po-boy (which the waitress unfortunately called a "poor boy"), and jumbalaya. And we enjoyed the live music from a distance, since it was in the bar area and we ate in the dining room.

But my favorite food experience of the weekend had to be The Fat Lady. Just a block from the hotel, this classy, dark restaurant/bar has a definite New Orleans vibe. The decor alone sucked me in - carved architectural details, nooks and crannies galore, gorgeous bathroom tiles. But the food was also great, especially the crispy spicy potatoes served with lemon and sour cream. I'm sure the kids would say that Ben and Jerry's, which was practically next door to the hotel, was their favorite food experience of the weekend, but to each her own.

We spent the morning at Fairyland, the children's theme park that will celebrate it's 60th anniversary this year. It was just a hop, skip and a jump down the road, on the shores of Lake Merritt, and it provides a refreshingly old fashioned entertainment experience, with classic story tales brought to life in little play areas.

For lunch we headed up to the village area of Montclair, getting a feel for the Oakland hills. Although we had hoped to try Amba, a Mediterranean restaurant, we discovered it was closed on Saturdays. So we wound up at Flippers for burgers at the kids' request. Lunch wasn't a highlight, but we did enjoy strolling the neighborhood, a jumble of mom and pop shops nestled into the heavily wooded hilly terrain.

All told, we had a charming weekend in Oakland, and especially at Jack London Square. The square itself provided lots of play opportunities for kids and adults, even if there were a disturbing number of empty storefronts. They set up a dance floor and host dance lessons every Friday night in the summer. The DJs aren't stellar, but it's free and if you don't take it too seriously, it's also fun.

The kids scrambled all over a giant anchor from a real ship, which they thought was super cool. And Emil educated me on the log cabin with the grass roof: "Mommy, mommy! That house belongs to a man who's been dead for a real long time!" He was so serious as he said this I could hardly keep from laughing. Apparently, this was the take-away he had from Jacob's attempt to describe the replica of Jack London's Alaskan cabin.

Sunday morning, just before loading the car and heading home, we strolled the weekly farmer's market and picked up some fresh produce. It was a pretty near perfect stay-cation. And now I can say I know Jack, or at least Jack London Square.

A Tale of Two Water Temples

I recall the first time I ever heard someone say the words "Hetch Hetchy" blissfully as they drank down a glass of water straight from the tap. It was 1997, I had just come to San Francisco, and I didn't know what Hetch Hetchy was. Now, 13 years later, I am teaching my children about the great battle that John Muir waged and lost for Yosemite Valley's twin sister: the Hetch Hetchy Valley.

Our lesson started just yards down the road from Filoli: The Pulgas Water Temple. It's a Roman renaissance structure (round, with grand columns) built by a French stone mason named Albert Bernasconi. A reflecting pool stretches at the temple's feet, with blue gurgling water in a formal rectangular shape.

"This is where our drinking water arrives all the way from the Hetch Hetchy reservoir," I explained to Esme and Emil. I told them - in simple language - how there was a big disagreement about whether we should dam the Hetch Hetchy Valley for our water or not. I described what the Hetch Hetchy looked like and what animals lived there before it was filled with water. I also said that millions of people live where we do, and that we use a lot of water, and that the water has to come from somewhere.

We were standing behind the temple, listening to the water bubble up from the aqueduct as we watched the water shoot down a concrete half pipe towards the lake.

Although I wrote about Filoli last week, I didn't go into great detail about the estate's first owner, William Bourn. He was the president of the Spring Valley Water Company, one of the last remaining private water companies in the country at the time. I had once assumed that he was John Muir's natural enemy - fighting for the right to fill the majestic Hetch Hetchy Valley, harnessing the water of the Tuolomne River for San Francisco use.

In reality, though, Bourn was opposed to the Hetch Hetchy plan, arguing that the Spring Valley Water Company could supply San Francisco's water needs fine without it. In 1910, Bourn contracted Willis Polk - the same architect who designed Filoli - to build a water temple designed after the one in Tivoli, Italy. This was not the water temple at Crystal Springs, however. This was the Sunol Water Temple, located in the East Bay, at the foot of the Alameda watershed.

Meanwhile, the battle raged over Hetch Hetchy, continuing even through the building of the aqueduct that ran from Yosemite to the Bay Area. The public had approved the project to bring fresh Sierra Nevada water to the city, but the Raker Act required that the city use Spring Valley Water Company water until either the city bought the company or there wasn't enough water to supply the city's needs.

It wasn't until 1934 - after an aging Bourn had sold the Spring Valley Water Company to the city for $41 million - that the Pulgas Water Temple opened to the public, commemorating the arrival of the Hetch Hetchy water from 167 miles away. The public gathered and watched the first of the water trickle and then roar into Crystal Springs Lake.

Once I learned about the Sunol Water Temple, I knew I had to visit it. A quick search online led me into the drama of its more recent history. Old newspaper articles came up, describing how the temple had fallen into disrepair. The structure was damaged and apparently abandoned after the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989. But succumbing to pressure from members of the Sunol community, the San Francisco Public Utility Commission finally agreed to renovate it and open it to the public once again.

A Chronicle article from September 2000 describes the re-opening of the Sunol Water Temple, but hints at further disagreements. The SF Public Utility Commission had plans at the time to use the surrounding land as a huge gravel pit, while members of the community wanted vineyards, microfarms, and a wildlife preserve instead. Nothing I could find online told me what the outcome of the debate was.

So yesterday, Jacob and I headed east with the kids. The community of Sunol is tiny and rural. We drove through Niles Canyon, marveling at the steep green hills all around us. When we arrived at the Sunol Water Temple, I was disappointed to find the gates closed and locked, with a sign that said "Open Monday through Friday, 9am to 3pm."

But I could see that there was no major gravel pit surrounding the temple, and there was a sign on the gate that read "Sunol AgPark".  A quick online search explained this program "to provide public education about sustainable agriculture and natural resource stewardship, and promote a connection between urban residents and their regional watershed lands."  Apparently, the people of Sunol won their battle.

Emil and Esme talk about Hetch Hetchy often now, especially since we drive past the Crystal Springs Reservoir everyday. Emil recently said, "It's too bad they didn't make the right decision, Mommy. Isn't it?" I answered that I didn't know what the right decision was. And Esme, who fell in love with Yosemite the first time she visited it, asked, "Couldn't they have found someplace not so beautiful as Hetch Hetchy to fill in?" I still don't know. 

But I'm glad my kids are asking the questions.

 

Practical info, if you want to visit:

Pulgas Water Temple
Open Monday through Friday, 9am - 4pm
To get there: Take 280 to Edgewood Road Exit, go West on Edgewood Road, and then turn right (north) on Canada Road. The entrance to the water temple is about 2 miles from Edgewood Road on the left.
For more info, click here.

Sunol Water Temple
Open Monday through Friday, 9am - 3pm
To get there: Take Highway 84 (called Niles Canyon at this stretch) towards Sunol. Pass the exit signs for Sunol, until you get to Paloma Way on your right, which is the entrance to the water temple.
For more info, click here.

If you're interested in learning more about Hetch Hetchy, and the history of San Francisco's water sources, I highly recommend the book "The Battle over Hetch Hetchy" by historian Robert W. Righter.

Rediscovering Filoli

The Filoli Estate is an early 20th Century American mansion that sits at the bottom of the hill from my house, near the Crystal Springs Reservoir. But in spite of it's proximity I hadn't been there in years, not since I wrote about it for the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Finding myself with a few free hours the other morning, I decided it was time to rediscover Filoli.

The 36,000 square foot home was designed by architect Willis Polk, and is in a style the PR folks for the estate call "Modified English Georgian Country House." Only the first floor is open to the public, and the self guided tour includes the ballroom (which Esme and Emil designated the princess dancing room), library, flower room, trophy room, dining room, and a kitchen that could accommodate a legion of cooking and serving staff for parties.  

There is currently a very cool temporary installation at the entrance of the main house: a vertical succulent garden which also serves as a dovecote. It was a highlight of our visit, making me want to replicate it at home.

But the estate is probably most well known for its formal gardens, which make me feel like I should be wearing a Jane Austin-era dress, or maybe a 1920s day gown as I wander around.  What is it about a walled garden that creates such a romantic atmosphere?

Unfortunately, the estate has become more commercial since the last time I was there. Now the room that adjoins the kitchen of the main house is an extension of the gift store, giving me the feeling that the store aspect to the estate is slowly growing and taking over the historic aspect like a weed, but oh well. I guess it does take a lot of money to run the place.

Filoli's 12th Annual Botanical Art Exhibit is currently on display through Aug. 1, and that is reason enough to make this the time to get acquainted - or reacquainted - with Filoli. While the exhibit isn't extensive, being housed in the Admission and Visitor's Center, it is impressive for it's quality. The detail and artistry in these original botanical drawings is stunning. It's a juried event, and is recognized as one of the finest examples of botanical art available.

And of course, you can buy botanical art prints and note cards to take home. Maybe Filoli, a name which comes from the original estate owner's credo "Fight for a just cause, Love your fellow man, and Live a good life," should become Filolise, with the addendum: "Sell your fellow man whatever you can."

But all joking aside, the Filoli Estate is a national treasure. It's located at 86 Cañada Road in Woodside. Admission: Adults: $15, Seniors: $12, Students and Children: $5, Children 4 and under: Free. 

The estate is open:
Tuesday - Saturday:
10:00 am–3:30 pm
(last admission 2:30 pm)
Sunday:
11:00 am–3:30 pm
(last admission 2:30 pm)

For more information, visit their website.

The search for mala ends in Chinatown

Ever since we returned from China, I've been craving Chinese food. I don't mean chow mein from the local take out place. I mean real Chinese food, the spicy goodness that we ate from street vendors and in little hole-in-the-wall restaurants all over Beijing. 

We wanted spice. We wanted Szechuan.

With that in mind, Jacob and I did a little bit of research and ended up in Chinatown at an unassuming restaurant called Z & Y.  It was packed, and we eyed a dish that looked like a huge plate of chili peppers. I had a strong feeling we had come to the right place.

The very first dish we ate (spicy numbing beef tender) surprised us with the tongue-tingling Chinese spice called mala. This little peppercorn-like nugget doesn't pack the typical heat. It's more of a tingling and numbing sensation that can be overwhelming at first. I'll confess, the first time I tasted it in China I wasn't so sure. By the end of our visit, though, I was hooked. I was thrilled to find it again in the US.

At the waitress's suggestion, we also tried the spicy fish with flaming chili oil,  and we had to go for the chicken with the explosive chili pepper, that dish we had seen on other tables that lived up to its name, being indeed an explosion of chilis. We also had the house cold noodle, another pleasantly hot dish.

We had some people in the party who don't eat meat and weren't into the intense spice, and they were more than happy with the vegetables - the dry sauteed string beans, the bean curd family style, and the spicy eggplant in a clay pot. A few people actually thought the vegetables stole the show.

I am very happy now that I've gotten my Chinese food fix, although I think I'll continue to seek out authentic Chinese restaurants in the Bay Area.

Here are the details:

Z & Y
655 Jackson St.
SF, CA 94133
Phone: 415-981-8988

Stern Grove Festival opens it's 73rd festival season

I know I just said that the Mountain Winery was the best place in the Bay Area to see an outdoor concert. But it has a close second or tie for first in Stern Grove. This eucalyptus grove nestled into the outer reaches of the Sunset District has been providing a summer concert series since 1938. And best of all, it's free. 

The season kicks off today with Angelique Kidjo, a world music diva with reggae/Latin/African influence. The show starts at 2pm, but because it's free and the seating is a free-for-all, I recommend getting there as early as possible to stake out a good spot.  You can buy food there, or bring your own picnic.

The rest of the season includes the usual appearances by the SF Ballet, SF Opera and the SF Symphony (a fabulous way to experience these cultural treasures gratis and in a gorgeous outdoor setting), as well as popular acts like Maceo Parker.

For more information, visit the Stern Grove website.

The Mountain Winery, music with a view

On your way to the Mountain Winery in Saratoga, you begin to suspect you're in for a treat. The road starts out normal enough, but then it curves more, the trees get denser, the houses spaced further apart, and the road lifts up and up until you feel yourself leaving the valley and heading solidly into the hills.

Even as you begin to suspect what's in store, the reality of it still takes your breath away. It's one hell of a view. A panoramic vista of San Jose and Silicon Valley stretches out at your feet. And there's a glass of wine in your hand.

Welcome to the Mountain Winery. It's about as California as a concert experience can get.

The winery has been hosting concerts since 1958, and the stage is set in front of a dramatic facade: a Gothic church entrance, moved there from St. Patrick's Church in San Jose, after the original church collapsed in the 1906 earthquake, set amid sandstone bricks.

We saw Zakir Hussein, Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyers play there, along with Chick Corea, and it was an amazing show. Particularly the trio - take the tabla, the banjo and a classical cellist, and the result is musical alchemy. I felt like I could have ridden to heaven on the waves of that music. And I can't imagine a better setting for it.

There are restaurants that serve dinner on the premises, but we were pretty happy bringing a picnic dinner and enjoying the tables near the parking lot. Get there early to enjoy the setting.

For more information, visit the Mountain Winery website.

San Mateo County Fair on the cheap

We went to the first day of the San Mateo County Fair yesterday, and let me tell you, the carnies are still well rehearsed in the ancient art of parting you from your money.

We walked around, the children making us easy targets, as the games people called out to us non-stop, "Guaranteed to win! Get the ping pong ball in the bowl, win a goldfish! Come on, the kids will enjoy this!"

What with parking ($10), entrance fee ($10 adult, $8 child), carnival ride tickets ($3-$5 per ride), lemonade ($6), it all adds up. But it doesn't have to. I was scoping out ways to enjoy the fair without feeling like I was spending a fortune to be there.

The first tips come before you walk in the gates. Tip #1, arrive early (it opens at noon) and find street parking. It's not that hard, but you're out of luck if you get there late. Getting there early also avoids the big crowds.

Tip # 2, buy your tickets online. You can save $17 on a family of four by getting the Family Fun Pack for $19, admitting two adults and two juniors. Children five and under are always free. Individual tickets are also discounted if you purchase them online first.

If you're going to go on lots of the carnival rides, go ahead and get the carnival pass for $21. That's like 5-7 rides, if you're paying individually. There's plenty of free entertainment, with live music, livestock displays of fatted 4-H cows, pigs, turkeys, etc.

There are also lots of fun, free activities for children. Near the Livestock Arena is an area called Rancho California. Several little booths allow the kids to experience California's agricultural legacy, from tossing a lasso around a stuffed horse to riding little tractors. Kids can pan for gold, saddle a pretend horse, milk a pretend cow, or play dress up, and all for free.

Inside the Shopping Hall, there is a room with tons of legos, perfect for allowing creative children to go to town constructing something. Near the kids' carnival section, there is a free art zone and a free kids' karaoke stage.

One of the most fun free activities, though, has to be the pig races. Those little piglets squeal and run while the crowd cheers them on, and the man from Arkansas makes an entertaining host. It's good for all ages. For more details, visit the San Mateo County Fair website.

Journey to the Great Wall and the battle of the trolls

Sorry it's been a few weeks since I posted.  I went to China, so today I'm going to write a little about that trip. I should say in advance, though, that this story is not indicative of my time in China. I spent most of the time in Beijing, and fell in love with that city. The people were incredibly kind, the food was amazing, and I loved riding a bike everywhere I went.

But this is a story from our one-day excursion away from Beijing. This is the day we went to the Great Wall.

From the beginning, I was filled with foreboding. First of all, I knew that Seth and Jordan were going to be late. And they were. By about two hours. Secondly, I myself was hung over. We'd gone out for Peking duck the night before, and the wine hit me like a ton of bricks. I was nervous about the taxi ride, but somehow managed to pull it together. Then I discovered we were taking a bus.

I had to trust that Jordan, who had been staying up all night every night drinking until dawn with Seth all week long, would be able to get us to the right place. Normally, I trust Jordan. But I think his judgment might have been impaired by this point.

We navigated buying a ticket and got on a bus, which I was praying was the right bus but since all the characters were Chinese and there was no hope of me reading our destination. We rode into the countryside on a highway. My fear increased when at what appeared to be a random stop, a woman on the side of the road beckoned for us to get off the bus. Then a man boarded the bus and tried to coax us off. The bus was packed full, and we four white people were the only ones being coaxed off the bus. My inner voice screamed, "Don't do this! It's stupid!" Jordan looked confused, but stood and started to get off the bus. Seth followed him. Jacob and I looked at each other. What was going on?

Next thing I knew we were off the bus and standing on the side of a dusty road and Jordan had entered negotiations, presumably for this man with a car to take us to the Great Wall. Their voices got louder, it sounded as if they were arguing, although it almost always sounds to me as if people are arguing in Chinese. I nervously watched our bus drive away while a hung-over Jordan continued negotiations without any apparent hope for reaching a deal.

Then, miraculously, we got in the car and were off towards the Great Wall.

One of the expats we met in Beijing describes Chinese drivers like this: they drive cars like they ride bikes. There's not a high regard for staying in one lane. Our movement was less linear and more fluid as we wove between the lanes haphazardly passing on blind curves, competing for space with other cars, trucks, rickshaws and bicycles through little village streets. Seth kept saying, "This guy's a good driver" while I looked up and winced.

The only thing that keeps driving in China from being a total disaster is that everyone goes so slowly. The random weaving along ribbons of road becomes a sort of dance, with horns honking like castanets.

An hour later our driver pulls over on the side of the road at someone's house, but with tables out front. We look up at the nearby hills and get our first view of the Great Wall crawling along the ridge line.

We get out of the car and the man speaks with two women, one of whom is holding a chubby little baby. Seth buys a beer from one of the women. The driver speaks to Jordan about the hike, showing him a map and discussing the return trip. The man wants 80 RNB for having driven us there, but Jordan thought he had agreed on 25 RNB. A fight ensues. We're in sight of the Great Wall and the Chinese driver is yelling at Jordan, who is still hung over and tired looking, but refusing to pay the man 80 RNB. Jordan smiles, puts his arm around the driver's back and assures him it's okay. He tries to take out 25 yuan but the man won't take it. Jordan leaves the money on the table, walks across the street where there are more tables set up in front of a dilapitated building. He asks to look at the menu and orders lunch (he and Seth haven't eaten anything yet, and it's after 2pm).

Seth, meanwhile, stays across the street with his beer, the two women, and the baby. He picks up the money Jordan left on the table. Jordan and the driver are at the table (where Jacob and I have also sat down). They are having a standoff, and neither is backing down. Jordan says, "I don't really know how to resolve this." I ask him if this could be an honest mistake. The driver says he's charging 20 RNB per person, but Jordan swears it was 25 for all of us. Seth comes back over and says, "I think he's telling the truth." He gestures at the woman with the baby across the street and says,  "She says it costs 10  RNB to take the bus, so 20 isn't bad for a car." 

So it is finally agreed to give the man 80 RNB, though Jordan is not pleased. The driver smiles, pats Seth on the back and announces, "You good. Here (he touches Seth's forehead) and here (he touches Seth's chest, where his heart is). You (he gestures to Jordan), No." He makes a disgusted face.

The food arrives. We eat delicious fried eggplant, chewy fried peanuts, greens sauteed with eggs, and rice. The driver offers Seth a cigarette and makes a big deal of Seth taking it, refusing to accept one of Seth's in return. Finally we agree that the same driver will take us back to meet the bus when we're done with the hike. We all get back in the car and drive the final stretch of road to the Great Wall.

At the wall there is a small army of women selling trinkets. They swarm us, Seth takes off running past them, and they laugh as he runs away, aware that it is their job to pester us. We cross over a dam (there is a river that runs through parallel to the road there), pass a man who insists we must pay him 2 yuan a person to pass. After a moment's hesitation, during which Seth has again run ahead laughing, we decide to pay him. I doubt he was official.

We climb to the top of the wall and feel appropriate awe at how it winds over the mountain crest. It is a beautiful sight and beyond where we are - which has clearly been renovated and maintained - we can see crumbling bits of the wall with grass and trees growing from the stone as the earth slowly reclaims the ridgeline.

The stretches of the wall are separated by towers and at the second tower there is an old woman apparently selling water and snacks. Seth again runs past, but she stops the rest of us and demands that we pay 2 yuan a person again. This time there is no doubt that the woman is not there in any official capacity whatsoever. She's the equivalent of a panhandler, only more aggressive. Jacob and I try to go around and climb through a little window of the tower, but she comes around and grabs me. Suddenly, I am very aware that we are standing on a steeply sloping ancient wall towering over mountains. Jacob grabs her and she looks similarly suddenly aware that this could get very ugly and painful. She releases me and lets out a banshee cry that rings over the walls and mountains.

We continue on our way.

Now the plan of the hike is to trek along the wall, eventually finding a path that departs from the wall and carries us around the hill back to the house where we originally stopped and fought with our driver, who is supposed to be there waiting for us. It is 3pm. The driver told us the last bus leaves for Beijing at 6pm, and it will take an hour to get back to that bus. I can't help but envision what can go wrong: we fail to find the road back to the house and have to backtrack passing the evil troll woman again; we get to the house and the driver is no longer there; or the driver is there, but we miss our bus to Beijing. Rational or not, my feeling that something bad is going to happen just increases as we hike.

But we find the road that departs from the wall right where it should be. We leave the wall and see three donkeys tied up on the side of the road. When the first donkey sees us, it brays loudly. It is a heartbreaking bray that could only be described as a call for help, and the boys all look at me and I know they hear it the same way I do.

Something is wrong.

We walk up to it and see that the ridiculously short tether has gotten wrapped around one leg, painfully crippling the animal. It has unsucessfully attempted to gnaw through the rope. After some finagling, I manage to work it's leg free, and then I try to readjust its harness, which is twisted on its face. I pull the metal bit up and almost gag to see it had dug deep into the bridge of its nose and now there is a huge gaping strip of raw flesh exposed. The donkey, which had remained perfectly calm while I released its leg, looks at me with the saddest eyes I have ever seen.

Jacob takes my arm and says, "You can't take it home, Aeron." We walk on down the road passing mangy dogs on short leashes. Some bark menacingly, while others just watch us. There are piles and piles of shit in their immediate areas and it is clear that none of these animals are ever released from their tethers. There is a large gate preventing us from going further.

Just when I wonder what we're going to do, a man comes out. He is the king of the trolls, an ugly, mean-looking, wrinkly Chinese man. He tells us it's 10 yuan per person to pass. This time Seth doesn't attempt to run. Jordan doesn't haggle. We pay the man, and knowing it is hopeless, I try to tell him about the hurt donkey, but he clearly doesn't care. So we walk on and I spend the final stretch of the hike through rolling orchards trying not to cry.

San Bruno's secret sweet spot: Junipero Serra Park

Just off of 280 in San Bruno, there's a green oasis nestled into the suburban sprawl. It's unassuming, and tucked away in a spot you would never just stumble upon, although it's easy to reach.

Junipero Serra Park's 108 acres are surprisingly diverse, offering creek habitat, oak woods, open meadows, a eucalyptus forest, and even a tiny little redwood grove that seems all the more magical for its small size. It's perfect for a romantic stroll, or for exploring the wilderness with children.

I took Emil there Tuesday, and he was in pig heaven. First he visited the small playground - a traditional wood structure with lots of climbing opportunities - near the De Anza parking lot. Then we hiked the Live Oak Trail (0.3 miles) to the Quail Loop Trail (1.5 miles), coming out of the shady oaks into a meadow with striking views of San Bruno Mountain, SFO airport, Mount Diablo, and the San Mateo Bridge.

When we reached the top of the park, Emil shrieked with joy. There was another, more modern playground, one of those German-style rope climbers, with a view of the Bay. There were also two of the longest slides I've ever seen, several climbing rocks,  and swings.

Near the Meadow View parking lot (yes, you can drive directly to the top rather than hike), we were treated to a colorful display of spring flowers, especially California poppies. I rejoiced, for I was on a wildflower search.
Another beautiful thing about this park is the profusion of picnic tables, including group picnic spots that can be reserved and a volleyball net.

The only downsides are no dogs (boo hoo for Cleo!) and the $5 entrance fee (per car - self serve pay stations, so you need to have exact cash).  The pros definitely outweigh the cons, though. One of the coolest things about the park was how low-key it was, at least on a weekday. Emil kept saying, "But Mommy, where are all the people?" Like I said, it's something of a secret spot.

To get there, exit Crystal Springs Road from I-280, follow the signs to Crystal Springs Road, turn right, and the park will be up ahead on your left. A hop, skip, and a jump from the freeway.

Update from Pinnacles: Baby condor removed to urgent care

Those of you who eagerly read about the baby condor born at Pinnacles  will be sad to hear the latest news. The 50+ day old chick had excessive levels of lead in its body, and after attempting to treat it in the nest, biologists decided that the chick had to be removed to urgent care if it was going to live. The parents were also tested, and it was discovered that the father condor also had high lead levels and was removed to the Los Angeles Zoo for emergency care.

This just shows how delicate this program is. While the condors are slowly coming back, it seems that we haven't cleaned up our environment enough to provide safe food in the wild for them.

Let's be clear. This is more than a question of the future of this unique bird that has flown the earth since prehistoric times. Yes, once a species is lost, it's lost forever. And as Prince says, forever is a mighty long time. But it's also a question of what humans are doing to the earth to make it uninhabitable for other species.  

Which leads to a profoundly important question: if our world is poisoned for other animals, is it also poisoned for us? Lead poisoning is well documented as effecting humans, especially children, causing learning disabilities, mental retardation, and even death in extreme cases.

Why can't we recognize that taking care of the environment is also taking care of ourselves?  Sorry, I know I'm on a soapbox here, but I can't help it.

Please - if you hunt - choose bullets that don't have lead in them. It's such an easy choice for a big environmental payoff.

Here's the press release from Pinnacles, in its entirety:

  Pinnacles National Monument                  News Release

Release:          FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Release Date:     05/13/2010
Contact:
      Daniel George, Condor Program Manager, Pinnacles National Monument
      daniel_george@nps.gov
   Kelly Sorenson, Executive Director, Ventana Wildlife Society:
      kellysorenson@ventanaws.org


Wild Condor Chick Evacuated from Pinnacles National Monument due to Lead

Exposure




Pinnacles National Monument – Condor biologists at Pinnacles National


Monument and Ventana Wildlife Society tracking the health of a wild condor


nestling (chick) in the park discovered last week that the bird had


extremely high levels of lead in its blood. Park Service biologists then


trapped the parent male, condor 318, and discovered he also has toxic


levels of lead in his blood.





    The adult condor was immediately taken to the Los Angeles Zoo for


chelation (a treatment to remove lead from the body) while the 50-day old


chick was treated by veterinarians and condor biologists in the nest during


early morning climbs into the rocky cliff cavern.





    Although the adult female continued to care for its young and the


nestling received several emergency chelation and hydrating fluid


injections, the young condor’s health degraded further.  As a result,


biologists decided yesterday that, for the survival of the nestling, it


needed to be evacuated for intensive care.





    National Park Service and Ventana Wildlife Society biologists are


trying to trap the adult female of this pair to determine if she too has


been exposed to lead.





    Hundreds of park visitors over the past two months have enjoyed the


rare opportunity to witness an active condor nest in the wild. For those


interested in expressing thoughts on this story, please visit the Pinnacles


National Monument website, www.nps.gov/pinn, and use the “Contact Us” link.







    This condor nest was the first inside Pinnacles National Monument


since re-establishment efforts began there in 2003 and the first documented


nest in the park in over one hundred years.





    Pinnacles National Monument will keep the temporary closure area


around the nest in place until biologists determine whether the nestling


can be returned to the wild.








Additional Facts


  Parent Condor 318 was originally released along the Big Sur coast by


     Ventana Wildlife Society, while parent condor 317 was released at


     Pinnacles National Monument.


  The National Park Service and Ventana Wildlife Society collaborate to


     manage the central California flock of 52 condors.


  More information on the National Park Service program can be found at:


     www.nps.gov/pinn/naturescience/condors


  More information on Ventana Wildlife Society’s program can be found at:


     www.ventanaws.org/species_condors


  Chelation is a process used in condors in which calcium EDTA, a chemical


     that binds with heavy metals, is injected into the animals to prevent


     retention of lead in the tissues.


  Condors are exclusively scavengers, feeding on a wide range of dead


     mammals.


  Hunting plays a key role in the condor ecology by generating food


     resources for these critically endangered scavengers.


  Prior research has established that the principle source of lead


     exposures among condors is lead ammunition. For more information,


     see: www.ucsc.edu/news_events/press_releases/text.asp?pid=927


  Shooters who have made the switch to non-lead ammunition have made an


     invaluable contribution to the health of scavenging wildlife.


  Lead Ammunition has been banned in a wide region of central and southern


     California. For more information, please see:


     www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/condor


  There are four captive rearing facilities involved in Condor Recovery –


     The Los Angeles Zoo, The San Diego Wild Animal Park, The Oregon Zoo,


     and the Peregrine Fund’s World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise,


     Idaho


  There are five condor release sites in western North America – Pinnacles


     National Monument operated by the National Park Service, Big Sur


     Coast operated by the Ventana Wildlife Society, Bitter Creek National


     Wildlife Refuge operated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service,


     Vermillion Cliffs operated by the Peregrine Fund, and El Parque


     Nacional San Pedro Mártir in Baja California – a joint venture of the


     Zoological Society of San Diego and several Mexican agencies and


     organizations.


  Video information related to condor recovery efforts at Pinnacles


     national Monument can be found at:


     www.nps.gov/pinn/naturescience/condor_video

Silent Disco on Ocean Beach

Lots of people wandered by the stretch of Ocean Beach known as Kelly's Cove today wondering what was going on. There were people dancing everywhere. But no music playing. Just the sound of the waves hitting the beach.

But then, what was that big truck with the words "Janky Barge" printed on it? And were all of those people really listening to wireless headsets and dancing away their Sunday at some kind of silent disco party? The next question was inevitable: where can I get tickets to this?  Today they were out of luck because the show was sold out. 400 headsets. That was it.

My friend Rob Kowal, a.k.a. DJ Motion Potion, brought Silent Sunset to San Francisco as an experiment in finding a way to have people enjoy music outdoors in SF.

Rob has been a staunch proponent (as well as director) of outdoor music festivals in SF, including the North Beach Jazz Fest. He's seen them shut down due to increasingly difficult and painful permitting processes, to the point that it sometimes seems impossible to organize outdoor music festivals these days. But he's not giving up. Having been part of the Silent Disco party at Bonnaroo, he thought why not bring the technology out West?

He sees this as a point of civil rights. We have the right to enjoy music in groups outdoors. And today, people were definitely standing up and dancing for their rights.

There was something surreal about the dance party on the beach, especially when I took off the headset and just watched everyone.

It was gorgeous. It was quiet. It was ridiculously fun. You can be sure that there will be more of these events, probably this summer, so get on Sunset Promotions email list.  Then you can be the one listening to the music and explaining to passersby what is going on.

What's new in the Western Addition

I recently visited my old hood in SF, the Western Addition (a subdivision of which is now called NOPA, or North of the Panhandle).  And more than the name has changed, but mostly for the better.

Yes, yes, we could debate the value of gentrification and effects of social displacement here, but I'm the BAT girl and just looking for a good time. And there are good times to be had on the stretch of Divisadero Street from Haight to Golden Gate.

The area is still gritty. Divis is a huge, 4-lane artery through the city. It's not the prettiest street in town. But among the rundown apartment buildings, a surprising scene of funky boutique shops, restaurants and bars has popped up like mushrooms after a rain. Fortunately, most of these shops are true to the unique character of the neighborhood, a diverse blend of people.

Newcomers to the Divis Corridor cluster of stores include Swankety Swank, which took over the spot where a Wiccan magic store used to be when I lived there. With a name like Swankety Swank, well, it had better be swank. And it is. The store offers items made (or often re-made) by local artists, including furniture, clothing, and accessories. I love the clothing in particular - a contemporary take on Victorian/Edwardian clothes that you could wear out to a modern club or to the Dickens Faire. It is San Francisco style at its unusual, artsy, historically geeky best.

There's also The Other Shop - which I don't believe was there 10 years ago - but offers vintage furniture and clothing, as well as serving up vinyl a-la Open Mind Music. There are too many shops to mention here, some old, some new, from comics to games to cooking supplies to clothes. Shopaholics with a slightly off-beat taste will love Divis.


But enough shopping. Let's eat.

I looked in on Nopa, which took over the laundry mat where I used to wash my clothes and now serves up posh food to resident hipsters. It wasn't open for lunch, so I hit its little sister down the street, Nopalito, for a delicious Mexican meal.
I ate the Caldo Tlapeno, a chicken broth soup with veggies and Mexican cheese.

Again, there are many restaurants I could mention here, from Little Star Pizza to Green Chile Kitchen. This is too short a blog to do the Western Addition's foodie scene justice.

But I had to check out the Mojo Bicycle Cafe, a bikeshop-cum-cafe with outdoor seating. It makes an awesome addition to Beanbag and Cafe Abir, the hood's reining coffee shops from back in the day.

That's the lowdown on the latest and greatest in the Western Addition a.k.a. NOPA. There are lots of good times to visit - including Sundays, when a farmer's market sets up at Divis and Grove. Also, keep an eye out for the Divisadero Art Walk (next one is June 4), when the neighborhood pulls out all the stops.

Happy Hollow beckons with eco-friendly renovations

Happy Hollow is open again after two years of renovations. Parents who know and love it are rejoicing, but if you have young children and don't already know about Happy Hollow, now is the time to get acquainted.

The children's park and zoo originally opened in 1961. It was the era of Disneyland, and San Jose followed Oakland's lead in creating their own small version of a paradise play place for children (Oakland's Fairyland is also still open today).

Okay, so it's not exactly Disneyland, but I think that's a good thing. It's plenty big enough to spend an entire day at the park and not get bored. But perhaps what is most exciting is that this renovation was not just an opportunity to modernize the rides, add four acres to the park, and provide ADA compliance, but it was also an opportunity to green Happy Hollow.

The facilities now have LEED silver certification, which means they meet certain environmental standards for conservation. You can also donate old cell phones at the entrance to Happy Hollow, and all proceeds from the recyling efforts benefit the Orangutan Conservation. Plus there are opportunities to incorporate environmental education into the children's day, as you discuss the animals on display, six of whom are part of the Species Survival Plan (jaguar, fishing cat, fennec fox, and three types of lemurs), and visit the new education center.

What were the kids most excited about when we went? The roller coaster was the most popular, followed by Redwood Lookout (a huge play structure, where the slides are camouflaged as redwood trees), the mini putt putt cars (firetrucks and police cars going around a circle - get the firetruck which has a bell to pull), the puppet theater (plays two shows every day, we saw The Three Little Pigs), and the petting zoo (where the children can feed, pet, and even brush the goats).  The carousel - which greets you at the entrance - was a pretty big hit, too.

Admission costs $12 (ages 2 - 69), and $8 (70+). A family membership will set you back $95. And unless you buy one of the more expensive memberships ($250 - $500), you'll also be paying for parking, either $6 or $10, depending on the lot. Unfortunately, while they did improve the restaurant space, the food wasn't that great. You might want to pack your own.

For hours and location, click here to visit Happy Hollow's website.

Japantown gets younger with age

I'll wind up my Japanese-themed articles today with one final story about how SF's Japantown is growing up and getting younger all at the same time.

I've always loved Japantown. There's the Kabuki spa, the movie theater, and then the Japantown shopping center in a wooden building meant to replicate traditional Japanese architecture. That's all fine and good, but Japan today hardly looks like that. Many of the gorgeous wood buildings have been destroyed, and Tokyo is the prototype of modern pop culture - bright lights, bold architecture, hip fashion.

For a long time, San Francisco's Japantown seemed, well, kind of left behind in the past. Enter New People.

New People is an attempt to bring modern Japanese popular culture into the mix, and I have to say, I think it's successful. It's a shopping center/theater/art gallery/cafe, and it stands directly opposite the old Japantown shopping center.

Street level is the cafe and the movie theater entrance. The billing is all Japanese with English subtitles, and coming from someone whose kids are more familiar with Studio Ghibli than Disney, that's fabulous. Up a small flight of stairs, you'll find a shop carrying Japanese gifty stuff. Origami, miniature dolls, cute mugs, headphones, etc.  I immediately made up my mind to shop there for the next White Elephant party I attend.



The next floor offers fashion straight from Tokyo. I'm talking sickeningly cute clothes - pink frilly frocks and bonnets that look like they were made for little girls but in grown girl sizes, right next to more gothic or punkrock inspired fashions. Add some traditional Japanese toe-shoes in modern prints and some cool jewelry, and well, you could do some damage here.

The art gallery occupies to the top floor. The exhibit changes roughly every two months, with some smaller exhibits interspersed here and there for special events like the Cherry Blossom Festival.

Gentleman - read this carefully - this place would make an awesome date.  Catch a foreign film, look at cute Japanese stuff, see art, then grab some ramen across the street. Your partner will be most pleased, guaranteed.