Idaho surprised me

Dear Friends,

I wish I had drawings and paintings to show you Boise, Idaho, but I don’t. Yet.

I got back home Sunday after a long Idaho weekend with my high school friends Carol and Susan. Carol and her husband Dennis have lived in Boise many years.

Boise (Pronounced BOY-See) was more beautiful than I expected. On a guided trolley tour Friday we learned the city began as a stop in the Payette River Valley for gold miners and fur traders and is now the fastest-growing region in the Pacific Northwest. It has volcanic soil that depends on irrigation from the rivers and, yes, grows lots of potatoes, many of which are sold to McDonald’s. Albertson’s grocery store started here. There's a big Basque community. There are lots of new homes and shopping centers and budding tech activity; Boise is the headquarters of Micron Technology. Yet Carol says there’s a feeling among old-timers that growth is unwelcome. 

Here are some photos. Oops! I didn’t take any of the city itself, but Boise is a lovely place. These  photos are from our Saturday drive to the resort town McCall, Idaho, two hours from Boise.  Carol said she’d drive us two hours north to McCall or three hours east to the famous ski resort Sun Valley; Carol said Sun Valley has higher mountains, longer and possibly more challenging ski runs, and more celebrities per square inch.  Susan and I chose the smaller, closer resort. There was even a little snow on the ground when we got to McCall. We celebrated Carol’s birthday at the Cutwater restaurant in the Shore Lodge on Payette Lake in McCall. 

And if you’re really interested, here’s a link to a map of Idaho:

Love,

k

Boise is a city along a river 

Around it is a desert
It's called high desert

After the desert, trees begin to sprinkle the hills

There are a lot of farms 

Farming is 20% of the gross state product

Talking all the way

Written last night:

Dear Friends,

Today was quiet. 

But I forgot to tell you about my less -than-quiet train ride to San Francisco.

Wednesday morning I got on the train and took a seat. Soon a woman took the seat facing me. As the train began to move she started a series of phone calls. Her remarks were encouraging and professional; she seemed to be a counselor or psychologist. After a few minutes she put her phone away and told me she wanted to get her work done quickly because she’d just had “half an edible,”  and wanted to relax. She said she was about 70 and ready to retire. Then we began to talk, and we talked all the way to San Francisco, … Politics, work, writing, living in Silicon Valley… When it was about time to get off, a man sitting across the aisle came over. 

“Excuse me,” he said, “I heard you discussing politics, and I’d like to introduce myself. I’m Richie Greenberg. I’m running for mayor of San Francisco.”  

My new friend immediately pressed him about his relationship with the president, and soon Mr. Greenberg politely said goodbye. Here’s the postcard he gave me (You know this is NOT an endorsement!)

Love,

k

San Francisco: chocolates, motorcycles, art -- and a bridge

Written last night:

Dear Friends,

I planned to meet Leslie in Berkeley today, but she had to return to Tallahassee because of Hurricane Irma. I decided to take Amtrak Capitol Corridor (train and bus) to San Francisco anyway. (I'll meet you, Leslie, next time you visit your son on this coast!) I want to get comfortable with San Francisco. A year ago I thought this would be easy, but it has taken time. 

San Francisco was cooler than Sacramento — pleasant — and I did what I’d hoped: explored  the Ferry building food market (didn’t buy anything), had lunch at SFMOMA (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art). Walked to Union Square — lots of shopping — mostly chain stores like Bloomingdales and Nordstrom and Anthropologie (which I love, but was disappointed in this store’s displays and merchandise). I was going to go to Bloomingdales, but after the walk I was too tired to shop! At least I know where Union Square is. I passed a Vietnamese sandwich shop, where I want to eat next time. Then I followed my nose to SFMOMA nearby, had lunch in their busy, busy café (not the really over-priced spot). Had shrimp salad sandwich with onion and dill and avocado on rye toast. The highlight was an exhibit of Edvard Munch paintings, mostly self-portraits in oil on canvas. He’s famous for The Scream; the paintings I saw today were dialed down a notch, but still quavering with color and emotion. 

When I got up this morning I considered staying home. I’m glad I went! Zing had a day at Grateful Dog.

Love,

k

About 9 a.m., from the train

That brick building is the train station

Flat land west of Sacramento

Something makes me love this scene

It evokes the Everglades or Paynes Prairie outside Gainesville — two favorite Florida landscapes

Lots of motorcycles

Looks like jewels, but it’s chocolates

on display at the Ferry Building
I did not check the prices!

Flavors of chocolate

Bay Bridge 

from the Ferry Building

Love this mandala-like design 

on the window of Japanese Sweets 

on Market Street

Julie Mehretu, a favorite artist,

 has two giant pieces in the lobby of SFMOMA

Truckee and Lake Tahoe: Quick, before the July 4 crowd!

Written last night:

Dear Friends,

If you tell someone (Patrick, Steph, Keith) you are going to go to Lake Tahoe, chances are you will actually do it. That’s what happened today. This morning Zing! and I drove the couple hours to Truckee, a town not far from the lake, and then on to the water. The road through the Sierra Nevada (or the foothills? — still not sure) curved up on the way out, and down back to home. Signs said 3,000 ft. elevation, then 5,000 feet. On the way back it said 9% slope, then 6%. We saw streaks of snow on the tops of the tallest distant mountains, but it was warm (80's) in Truckee.

Truckee is supposed to be a high-end hippie place, but I didn’t see that. It’s forthright vacationland + service center for surrounding territory. No traffic light. Friendly, western vibe, and although the area is known for skiing, it was plenty busy this summertime holiday. The restaurant where I had a spinach omelet at a sidewalk table had an NRA flyer in the window. The omelet was good. I dropped toast bits down to Zing at my feet, and later, on my way down the sidewalk, a man who'd observed us chided me for this.

Until now I’ve pooh-poohed any body of water out this way — nothing can match the Gulf of Mexico! Lake Tahoe might be close. Lots of power boats, to be sure, but the water is blue, blue, blue. We will  return.

Love,

k

Truckee tracks
You can take Amtrak from Sacramento to Truckee

Clark would like the Truckee transit system
You can take a bus to Lake Tahoe

Truckee River from the bridge in the center of town

Up the hill from the center of Truckee
That building in front is for sale

Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe is at my back as I take this photo

Art + Friends +Train trip

Written last night:

Dear Friends,

You know how you feel when you get off a train — still chugging even when you stop. That’s the way I feel, several hours after getting home from a day with two friends at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Zing and I had a little trouble getting up at 5 a.m., but after our walk we knocked on Darrius’s door and she was happy to see us (especially Zing). She welcomes him like a tonic. 

So I was on my own and on the train, then on the bus, then at the SF station, then at a coffee shop to kill a little time (90 minutes!). It seemed like all the young adults in the city were passing by — jogging or dog walking in sneakers with sparkles and tights ripped up the thighs and taut muscles and spiky hair like a prince’s crown, and even a Bengal cat on a leash (“She’s just like a dog,” her owner told me, but then her cat cowered under a chair when a poodle passed by.) This was all around the corner from the bus station, which is usually a shabby neighborhood, isn’t it? 

After awhile I meandered the 3/4 mile to the SFMOMA, where we met when it opened at 10 a.m. to see the Monet/Diebenkorn show. Until recently I got Monet and Matisse confused. Oops — I did it again — it was the Matisse/Diebenkorn show. Monet is waterlilies and Matisse is those enchanting cutouts and all the paintings that led to them. Diebenkorn is a famous California artist who was deeply inspired by Matisse. They make an overwhelming show. We couldn’t look at another painting for awhile, so we had lunch. The food was more congenial than that dinner I didn’t have with Christy and Judy a couple weeks ago at the museum’s other restaurant, In Situ.

I like taking the bus/train Capitol Corridor connection, and I’m getting to know a tiny pocket of the big city. 

Love, especially to you mothers and to all who support and love them!

k

Amtrak: first it's flat

Then you see mountains (above)

Then you’re in San Francisco (below), where on a Saturday morning
you can see bicycles
leaning against the windows of high-rise office buildings 

Slow time flows like the river

Written last night:

Dear Friends,

Today I dreamily removed each item from my suitcase — whether underwear or iPad charger or little piece of lint -- looked at it quizzically and with much more respect than it deserved -- and then, once I’d identified it, slowly and deliberately took it to the drawer, shelf, or trashcan where it belonged. That’s what jet lag does to me … puts the next day into slow motion. I’m not sure what I’d do if I had to hit the ground running. Today went slow, and yet it is nighttime so quickly!

The best thing Zing and I did today is walk the path along the American River, from Sutter Landing Park to the railroad bridge this side of the freeway.  Finally I’ve found a place where I can’t hear traffic hum. Birds were chirping, and ducks made their calls. I’ve missed these sounds. Birds used to start my day. The river is not my dear Phipps Park in Tallahassee, but already I see its charms. It’s about 10 minutes away. We’ll be going back often, I think. 

Love,

k

The American River

Graffiti under the bridge

Do you see the swastika?

It is a blight on the river walk

Celebrating the small details

Written last night:

Dear Friends,

Now I know! it’s the change of seasons that is making me feel all relaxed and kind of misty-cloudy. I forgot. It happens all the time. And today was in the mid-80’s, definitely a switch. It will probably be summer when we get back from the wedding. 

I spent most of the day on details that will free me to leave Sacramento once again. I'm tired and can’t remember them — must have been exciting!

Love,
k

One thing I did is try on this dress -- kind of baggy, and my legs are so pale!

But I love the red shoes

 and maybe another belt ... 

I was looking for a special wire to charge my hotspot ... hmm ...

Zing would rather be chasing squirrels

San Francisco with my cousins

Written Friday:

Dear Friends,

There's still tonight in San Francisco, and we're (my cousin Judy and her daughter Christy-- both from LA) going to dinner soon at a restaurant near the Bay Bridge. I haven't been with them long, but they already know about me and bridges, and they selected this spot for me. Not only that, they had a fuzzy owl perched (do owls perch?) on my pillow when I arrived at the Fisherman's Wharf Hyatt Wednesday. Plus, we've been laughing at the same things. 

Here are notes, in case you visit SF, and also for me to remember on my next trip:

Hyatt Fisherman's Wharf. Comfortable and soul-less. Dreary gray nautical theme. I arrived early and tired --  longing for a cozy lobby where I could wait for Judy and Christy: not this one!  Seems like a conference hotel, and indeed Christy is here for a conference. 
Fisherman's Wharf itself. We skipped it. Tourist trap.
Cable car rides -- right around the corner, but didn't have time. I remember loving the ride on a trip here with Clark. 
There's a Starbucks, Trader Joe's, Cost Plus World Market, Safeway Mkt., and Walgreen's a block or so away. Other neighborhood-type services (dry-cleaners, etc.) are nearby. 
Walking just a bit farther:
Pat's Cafe, Mason Street.  Bright and welcoming breakfast and lunch place.  I had a tuna salad sandwich and good cup of coffee for late lunch the day I arrived.  Steady stream of customers.
Cafe Capriccio, Mason Street -- loved having breakfast here 2 days -- simple little place with sidewalk tables too. I had French press coffee and fruit-yogurt-granola, just like at home. Tempting pastries, cheesecake and quiche on display. Wifi. 
Fior d'Italia, Mason Street. We had a delicious, Italian dinner in this restaurant in what is billed as the oldest hotel in SF.  I would definitely return. 
We got a 2-day San Francisco Go-Card for $99.  This let us in museums and on the 21-stop on-off Big Bus tour
California Academy of Sciences. Made me love all flora, fauna, rocks, and rain. There's a fabulous video (no, that's too tame a word!) you can enjoy from reclining seats and focusing on the dome above. Lots more. 
DeYoung Legion of Honor Museum. Stunning building and park location, loads of art. 
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Can't rave enough. We missed the Matisse/Diebenkorn show because it was sold out. Should have gotten tickets ahead of time. There's a "chapel" devoted to my favorite artist, Agnes Martin.  Don't ask me why i love her -- she's pared down and has a limited palette, while I'm normally drawn to the messy and the bright. Lots, lots more art, and the biggest museum shop ever.
We made dinner reservations at the museum's In Situ restaurant. But the menu did not tempt us. Seemed pretentious, but that would have been OK if it also sounded delicious. So we decided to eat dessert first because that menu sounded better, but it was not. We finally had dinner at Joe's Crab Shack. Call us plain folks if you must, and judge the place for yourself. In Situ was crowded, so lots must love it. 

Written last night (Saturday):

I’m not afraid of San Francisco anymore! I know I’ll go back soon. 

Judy and Christy were so sweet — I wouldn’t have gone without them. They invited me to join them while they were in the city, where Christy was attending a conference. She’s a doctor in LA, and what I learned from her is to wash my hands. Hot tip! And don’t touch the sink handles after you’ve washed your hands (in a public place, especially). Put a paper towel between you and the handle. Christy didn’t exactly tell me this; I just cunningly observed. Also, use hand sanitizer. 

Having fun in SF with them gave me confidence that I can get around the city, maybe even on my own. As you know, I’ve been kind of frozen and “big girl” stuff has eluded me for awhile. I feel my sea legs, or life legs, returning. 

This time I took Amtrak to Emeryville, and then a bus into SF, and reversed the trip home. It was easy, because the bus and the train act as a unit, so the bus is right there when you get off the train. The whole trip is a couple of hours. The Sacramento Amtrak station is so close to my condo that today I just walked the few blocks, pulling my purple suitcase. It felt good to be back home.

When I walked in and saw Clark’s photo I burst into tears. He would have loved the train. 

Zing and I are going to take it easy tomorrow.

Love,

k

Once you start going up a hill you can't turn back.

That's how I got up here. Turns out it's the top of Russian Hill.

There's a plaque in the little park at the top 

to honor Ina Donna Coolbrith, California's first poet laureate 

If you squint you can see the Golden Gate Bridge

 Above is the old hotel that houses the restaurant Fior d'Italia

I had breakfast here every morning

Bay Bridge view at Epic Steak

Crossing the Bay Bridge, I say goodbye from the bus

A day in the sky

Written last night:

Dear Friends,

On top of the malaise from Daylight Savings Time, I’m hoping for a good jet lag tomorrow. Maybe these two tinkerings with time will work together for something good — at least it will be a good excuse when I am out of step with the world. In other words, I’m going to sleep now and wake up at 4:30 a.m. to get a 5 a.m. uber to the airport and then Washington DC and Columbus by dinnertime. Really, I’m looking forward to a day in the sky.

Love,

k

Trees in the park

contour drawing

My dog has more friends than I do

Written last night:

Dear Friends,

I am getting comfortable in this place. Hard to imagine — For months I was frozen at the idea of driving to Roseville, yet today Zing and I zipped up there (less than 30 minutes) just to return a blouse at the mall. And before, I could not imagine that dogs would be accepted anywhere but on the sidewalk, yet today Marisa at the Hair Garage cut my hair while Zing slept at my feet. And a beautiful woman came over, asking if she could pet my dog, and it turned out she KNOWS Zing — She goes to Sandra’s gym, and Zing was there yesterday. “I thought I recognized him,” she said. Her name is Odessa (“From the city in Russia and from mythology, “ she said. "I named myself.") Zing, it seems, has more friends than I do in this town.

Tomorrow we wrap things up and I get ready to head to Columbus, while Zing will stay at Grateful Dog. 

Love,

k

Blind contour drawing of Zing

This means I didn’t look down at the paper

 but kept looking at Zing as I drew

 without lifting my pen from the paper

Today was heavenly

Written last night:

Dear Friends,

Today was for dodging raindrops, staying inside, avoiding the streets. I almost did the things I’d planned — groceries, etc, — but then I looked outside and realized I don’t have to. It is hard to cut that tight-schedule habit. 

I’m glad I took it easy because today turned out to be a gem. In the morning I gave everything a second coat of paint. After lunch Liz came over. Her husband, a dog-walking friend of Zing’s, calls her the “travel fairy.” Turns out she used to work for one of those on-line travel companies. Her eyes light up when she’s explaining perks and options — things that make me short of breath. She helped me book a flight to Columbus and gave me confidence I can easily do it again.

Like some of you, lately I’ve been thinking about eternity — death makes us hope for life. I’ve been thinking, what if this is heaven right now? And sometimes I realize that this right now is just perfect. Heavenly. That’s the way it was with Liz today. I needed help and she helped me. We laughed. We talked.  We ate cheese and little tomatoes. I mentioned Clark and how our travel plans were undone by his death. And then Liz told me about her scrapes with death. She’s been dodging it for awhile. Getting good plane tickets seemed a bonus today. Heavenly.

Hope your day has such sweet moments!

Love,
k