The view from my window this morning – Marriott Warner Center Hotel – Woodland Hills, California.
Category: Travel
Last night I attended Rick Steves‘ “A Perspective on Iran” presentation at the Commonwealth Club Silicon Valley. The event was a sell out – no surprise given the popularity of Rick’s European travel guides and tours.
This presentation wasn’t a travelogue but, rather, a sharing of Rick’s learnings from his 11-day visit to Iran last May told as a story with some great photos as a loose accompaniment. Checkout that first photo – on the building behind on the left is a huge banner saying “Bring Down the US” – where the red stripes are bombs falling!
I’m in Cleveland on business for a couple of days.
Tonight, we headed over to Lola for a just delightful dinner – based upon a recommendation from Linda Gulker. Couldn’t have been easier – our hotel was about a block away from the restaurant on E. 4th St.
I was on a pork binge tonight apparently – indulging in both the Berkshire Bacon appetizer followed by the Smoked Berkshire Pork Chop – its cheesy polenta and BBQ onions perfectly complementing the smoked pork.
After such a robust meal, I passed on any dessert. Lola’s was jumping tonight as we left – very well nourished!
Having some fun in Monterey.
While out for a short walk early this foggy grey morning, I came upon one of the Steinbeck-inspired paintings along the Coastal Recreation Trail that runs a half-block behind Cannery Row. Photo taken with iPhone – larger version available on Flickr.
I’ll be in London next week. Just in time, tomorrow’s Sunday New York Times Travel section provides one of its tour guides for London in “36 Hours in London” by Sarah Lyall. I’m also reminded of the excellent Visit London web site.
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Big Island Hawaii Radio – KAPA
Over on the “Big Island” of Hawaii, there’s a great FM combo covering the island with “Hawaii’s Music” – with a primary transmitter over on the Hilo side at 100.3 and a secondary transmitter on the Kona side at 99.1. KAPA Radio is also available via streaming on the web.
Yesterday I was wandering around Santa Cruz and need to “kill” a couple of hours.
After dropping some friends off at Twin Lakes State Beach, I was driving down E. Cliff Drive and came across Live Oak Library, a beautifully remodeled Craftsman style building.
Turns out I’m a bit of a library nut. Somehow they’re therapeutic for me – I can be totally blocked on writing while sitting in my office – but things just seem to open up with a change of scenery into the right library environment. No phones, peace and quiet, but a sense of space and wonder. The best libraries open so many new doors for me within the cocoon of their physical space.
Back to Santa Cruz. I was an accidental tourist there yesterday – and stumbled across Live Oak literally while driving by. Where else can you find a library like this sitting on a lagoon across from the Pacific Ocean? Constructed in such a beautiful and careful style. With a very friendly and helpful staff that took great care of me – I passed the time in sheer delight. This is what libraries are for.
I took a few photos of the library (still kicking myself for not having taken the camera inside!) – and of neighbor KSCO AM 1080‘s Art Deco studio and graffiti laden towers out in the lagoon.
Next time you’re in Santa Cruz and need a place to chill, check out the Live Oak Library – it’s a real treat! But don’t tell too many folks about it!
PS: Santa Cruz is also now very high on my list for one of my next photowalking episodes. The streets and bluffs along the ocean between Twin Lakes and Pleasure Point as really interesting and worth some deeper photographic explorations. Much of my earlier interest in Santa Cruz was around the Boardwalk – but there’s a whole lot more to explore.
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When In Portland…
I’ll second Derek Powazek’s recommendation of the Hotel Lucia as the place to stay when you’re in Portland. Another great spot, just around the corner, is Fifth Avenue Suites. Both are just a block or two from a MAX light rail station – which makes getting into town from PDX super simple – and cheap!
Last time I was in town, dinner at Serratto was a delight – an easy Portland Streetcar ride from the hotel. Or, do what I did, and walk a couple of blocks from the hotel north to Powell’s Books, browse until it’s dinnertime, and then grab the Streetcar to Serratto’s!
Some friends have asked “so what was the highlight of your trip to France?”
My answer: if I had to pick one, it would be Les Baux de Provence. If I could pick two, it would be Les Baux and Feyence. If I could pick three, I’d add Vence. If I could pick four, I’d add Saint Paul de Vence. I could keep going, but these four were the true highlights for me.
Les Baux is a place I’ll never forget. We had gone to Arles earlier in the day (to see the Roman stuff) and got to Les Baux after 3 PM – a very good thing as it turns out if you’re hoping for a parking space near the top of the hill by the entrance!
But what was really different for me at Les Baux was the whole “top of the world” feeling – enhanced as it was by some really amazing music that the weapons demo staff were playing in their little corner of the Les Baux world. Wow, a very special time and place.
Feyence ended up being my very favorite hillside town – a very non-touristy place that just felt like it might be home. The airport/gliderport down in the valley below Feyence helped me appreciate that it had the “right stuff”!
Vence has that same “hometown” feeling – far enough away from the craziness of the coast, and up in the beautiful hills. But it’s bigger, almost a city in its feel as compared to the “town” feel of Feyence. Alas, it’s also far too hilly for hosting anything like silly airplanes nearby.
Saint Paul de Vence is in a class by itself in terms of the beauty of the village – but it’s also “unreal” in that it’s hard to imagine actually living there among the galleries and shops.
I forgot to mention La Colle sur Loup, just down the road a piece from Saint Paul and a wonderful village. We had some great crepes there on a Saturday night while the “Big Band” was playing in the town square. Everyone in the town was out bouncing to the music, the lead singer had a great repertoire of Frank Sinatra classics, and we really felt right at home. Our friends at Villa St. Maxime suggested the tapas place in La Colle sur Loup “for next time” – turns out it’s their favorite spot.
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The South of France
Just back from a wonderful trip to the south of France. Stayed at some great places – would particularly recommend Villa St. Maxime just outside the walls of Saint Paul de Vence and a very special place in Vence (suggested to us by Ann at Villa St. Maxime), La Maison du Frêne. Both were superb – but different. The hosts are both (Ann and John at VSM; Thierry, Guy and Antoine at LMDF) were all really friendly and helpful.
Some pictures from the trip are up on Flickr – include a set of Villa St. Maxime and a set of Vence with a few photos of La Maison du Frêne.
It was hot in France – but we came back to steaming temps in the San Francisco Bay Area yesterday. Our outside thermometer read 110 degrees late yesterday afternoon – the I’ve highest ever seen! We’re supposed to cook again today before getting a hoped for break from the heat tomorrow.