creative enlightenment Archives - Page 3 of 24

Yellow lit MIDTOWN sign from the Midtown Safeway in San José

Chase Down the Neon Signs of San José

July 21, 2023Silvia

A tour of San José’s neon signs has been on my to-do list for a very long time now. I found a list compiled by Josh Marcotte (http://www.midtownsanjose.net/neon-tour). Unfortunately, this list was written a long time ago and some of the signs are now gone.

Only a few of the signs from the original list remain in Midtown, and even fewer are lit up at night. The most iconic one is the Western Appliances sign on 1976 W San Carlos St. Built in 1962, it has a great history. When it was first lit, the flashy lights on top caused two accidents on highway 17! Western Appliance closed its doors in 2020 and the sign went dark. Nearby is the former Time Deli – which got its name from the neon sign it inherited and is now a shoe store.

A few of the signs are in dire need of rescue, like the Y Not sign over a sex toy shop across from the Time Deli. The Burbank theater further down on South Bascom Ave could use some help as well. Equally, the neighborhood Midtown, itself, is in need of a renaissance. Hence I would like to caution you not to go by yourself. I think this is not the most inviting neighborhood for strolling around at night.

There are a few lit signs, e.g., the Bears Cocktail Lounge. The Midtown Safeway celebrates neon with its large yellow Midtown sign. O. C. Mc Donald, a mechanical contractor, does a wordplay, Oh See!, on its name, and it still lights up. The Falafel’s Drive-In is not only interesting because of the pointy sign but was visited by Guy Fieri from Diners, Driveins and Dives. The West Side Billiards is currently closed and therefore the sign which is one of the coolest on the list is not illuminated.

Midtown has the highest concentration of these historic lightning features, but the most iconic signs found a good home at History Park. These are the Dancing Pig and the Orchard Hardware sign. The OSH sign is with some more artifacts from the store and the Dancing Pig is near the Vietnamese Museum.

Neon Signs Location

Western Appliances 1976 W San Carlos St., San José
Time Deli 349 S Bascom Ave., San José
Y Not 1933 W San Carlos St., San José
Burbank Theater 552 S Bascom Ave., San José
The Bears Cocktail Lounge 1872 W San Carlos St., San José
Midtown Safeway 1300 W San Carlos St, San José
O.C. McDonald 1150 W San Carlos St., San José
West Side Billiards 1050 W San Carlos St., San José
Falafel’s Drive-In 2301 Stevens Creek Blvd., San José
Orchard Supply Hardware and Stephen’s Meat Market, History Park 635 Phelan Ave, San José

Resources

I made a Google map for the San José Neon Signs and hope to expand this in the future. Please let me know of interesting signs within San José.

For more information check out the San José Sign Project’s Facebook page or order their book on the iconic neon signs! Sarah JL Nguyen of Crossinglightstudio wrote a great blog post: San José’s Neon Signs: Works of Art That Tell Our Story

Looking Back: Signs of the Times by Ralph Pearce has a great list of neon signs.

Do you have a favorite neon sign?

A sign saying Antiques and Collectables Enter

Steal a Deal, San Jose Antique Row

July 14, 2023Silvia

This post is one of those I-put-off-for-too-long, or more accurately, when-I-don’t-get-to-go-out-and-explore post.

It turns out that according to the San Jose Spotlight, San Jose’s Antique Row might be a thing of the past soon. The San Jose City Council voted unanimously to annex a portion of the ‘Row’ for new housing, including urgently needed senior housing. A new development there might replace the antique stores currently occupying the space.

Antique Row is on W. San Carlos between Brooklyn Ave and Hester Ave in San Jose, an area known as Burbank. This is a great place to check if you collect a specific antique, or if you are looking for some pieces not labeled made-in-China. The staff understands that you need time to browse and is very knowledgeable if you have specific questions.

The four most well-known antique stores on Antique Row, Antiques Colony, Burbank Antiques, Briarwood Antiques and Collectibles, and Memory Lane Antiques, are still open. Tony, the owner of Memory Lane Antiques told me he plans to retire next year. I was unable to get anyone else to confirm they were closing in the near future.

I hope when the time comes they can relocate and create a new Antique Row within San Jose. Meanwhile catch them while they are still in this location.

Antique Row is located on W. San Carlos between Brooklyn Ave and Hester Ave in San Jose. Opening hours vary by store.

Do you enjoy bargain hunting?

Gift some Zinnia Flowers, Woodland, CA

July 7, 2023July 7, 2023Silvia

I remember when I volunteered at the Mountain View food bank (CSA) every time we had flowers to give out, these were the most precious items that day. Gifting flowers is something the Mezger family in Woodland understands very well. They provide the zinnia patch on the outskirts of Woodland. This is a give-it-forward patch. You can pick a bouquet of zinnias and you are asked to pick one for someone else, who is not able to come and pick their own. Check out their facebook page to follow the announcement when the zinnias are ready to pick, usually at the end of June until September. I love this concept so much! Thank you, Mezger family!

Some tips for zinnia picking. First, please note that the field has moved. It’s now located at 11990 County Rd. 96, Woodland, CA 95695. We brought our own scissors, but saw that there were scissors on a table. A very important fact I learned was that zinnias don’t like to lay down. They do much better in a vase during transport (and obviously when at home). It doesn’t have to be fancy, just bring a high jar with a wide mouth (or more if you have many to share). There is a water station to fill up the jars. Just make sure they can sit upright in your car and don’t tip over! If you have a lot of vases, this might be the spot to donate them. And I’m sure the scissors will need to be replenished, too.

Zinnias attract a lot of pollinators, and it was pure joy to see the butterflies dance around. What a fantastic place and a generous family.

How to get there

To find the zinnias patch follow the signs attached to the blue boxes. Located at 11990 County Rd. 96 in Woodland. I did not see any opening hours, but there is a private driveway next to the patch, so please be respectful and don’t park there.

Have you picked zinnias at the Mezger’s before?

Bypass the Winchester Mystery House, San Jose

June 30, 2023Silvia

The Winchester Mystery House is still on my to-do list, especially when it’s celebrating its centennial, but I’m no fan of horror or ghosts. For those who don’t know San Jose’s biggest attraction and oddity, the Winchester House was the residence of Sarah Winchester, heir of the firearms magnate William Wirt Winchester. To appease the spirits she kept building additions to her mansion and ended up with 160 rooms, 2,000 doors, 10,000 windows, 9 kitchens, 13 bathrooms, 47 stairways and fireplaces.

Obviously this is the core idea of a haunted house, with staircases going nowhere and doors open to the outside! Tickets are about $42 for adults. Like I said, all these are reasons I did not bother to visit, yet.

If you are looking for a stripped down adventure which bypasses the inside experience, go and visit the free Product Museum and gift shop. The Product Museum is one room inside the gift shop that shows off the Winchester products and history. Did you know that they were known for roller skates? I also liked the model of the Winchester house, it gives you an idea of the quirkiness of it. The gift shop, besides the kitsch, has these old penny machines – test your love, anyone?

Another way to enjoy the Winchester Mystery House on a budget is to walk the garden; see some old Winchester equipment, like a Winchester lawn mower. Also, the paid entertainment fits the eccentric location: axe throwing and a shooting gallery. Axe throwing for one hour for up to 5 people is $24.99 per person per lane. The shooting gallery with one game for $3 might be the most frugal experience.

The Winchester Mystery House is located at 525 S. Winchester Blvd, San Jose, CA near Santana Row. Parking is complimentary. Opening hours are daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on weekdays and 10:00 am to 7:00 pm on weekends. You can book various tours online.

Have you been to the Winchester Mystery House?

Sojourn to the MarinMOCA, Novato

June 2, 2023Silvia

My favorite piece at MarinMOCA in Novato was one of the sculptures outside, in the courtyard between the museum and 789 Hamilton Parkway. The Immigrant by Aristides Demetrios (who also did the Wind Harp in South San Francisco), depicts a bronze body that’s fluid in shape, holding up a mask in one hand, and a short ladder in the other. The head bent away from the body. The symbolism hit me immediately of always pretending, bending to other’s needs, and yet struggling to climb up the ladder.

The museum is part of the historic Hamilton Field, a former Air Force base. The ornate entrance is a clue that this was the former administration headquarters. In the near vicinity is also a theater building and a church. All buildings are in the Spanish Colonial style. The museum also serves as an art center with classes and over 60 artist studios.

The current exhibit by Barbara Stauffacher Solomon & Nellie King Solomon: SUPER-SILLY-US at the main gallery and the members showcase, Elena Guryeva : PHENOMENA on the second floor, will end on June 4th. Two new exhibits will start June 17th, 2023.

The general admission is $10, $8 for seniors, students, military (with valid ID). A steep price for the little museum. The museum’s store has tempting offerings from jewelry to scarves and cute elephants. There are also unique hand-crafted items from the MarinMOCA artist members.

The MarinMOCA is located at 500 Palm Drive, in Novato, CA. Opening hours are Wednesday to Friday from 11am to 4pm and Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 5pm.

Where is your favorite art museum in the Bay Area?

A sign pointing to the garden walk with an info box on top

Walk the Line, Woodland, CA

May 19, 2023June 9, 2023Silvia

I’ve written about labyrinths before. There are a few in Palo Alto, and I highly recommend the one on top of Eaton Park in San Carlos. Mostly these are classical patterns of walking from the outside in, winding to the center, and then back out again. A great tool to contemplate life’s questions.

The American Lutheran Church in Woodland, CA invites you to walk their beautiful garden walk. The path is made of dirt and lined with bricks in a zig-zag pattern. It ends at a bench, inviting you to sit and reflect. While on your walk you can either focus inward or appreciate the mural of a sunset over a mountain range with sunflower fields.

The garden walk is open from dawn to dusk, so you can enjoy it any time of day. The church is located at 1114 College St, Woodland, CA. If you’re looking for a peaceful place to relax and connect with nature, be sure to check out the American Lutheran Church’s garden walk.

A more traditional labyrinth can be found at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church on 515 2nd St, Woodland, CA.

Do you have a labyrinth you like to walk?

The piano at the entrance of the Mary L. Stevens Davis Branch Library, Davis

Hit the Right Keys, Davis

May 12, 2023Silvia

There are three places in Davis that invite you to play a piano in public year round: Davis Food Co-Op (620 G Street), Mary L. Stevens Davis Branch Library (315 E. 14th Street), and Wyatt deck (at the arboretum). Wyatt deck is the most recent addition to the ‘In the Key of Davis’ program. This public art program puts out colorful pianos for the public to play. Because these three locations are covered over it allows the pianos to be out year round. The city will roll out additional pianos to the Manetti Shrem museum and other downtown locations in mid June.

In 2015, two sisters, Isabelle and Hailey Shapiro, then teenagers, launched the program with help from their family and the city of Davis. Thanks to them the pianos get tuned regularly and half of them are hauled to and from their summer location. You can even donate a piano for this creative and interactive public art installation. Check the city’s website for more information.

I envy people that can just whizz in and play a melody on the piano. Since 2015, the City of Davis Arts & Cultural Affairs Program recognizes the social and health benefits that come from playing music together. There are plenty of YouTube videos from pianists delighting their audiences. You can follow along virtually by checking the ‘In the Key of Davis Facebook page or following on Instagram @key_of_davis.

I love the quote on the website:

“The pianos offer a space for improvisational gatherings, spontaneous connections, and celebrations of music.”

When was the last time you spontaneously gathered and made a connection through music?

Visit the Excellent Rose Garden in Woodland

May 5, 2023Silvia

The Carnegie Library in Woodland is on its own worth a visit. From the 121 libraries built by the Carnegie Corporation in California, from 1899 to 1917, 37 still operate as libraries. Since 1989 there is another attraction around the building, the rose garden. To be exact, this garden is composed of multiple rose gardens. In 1991 the Memorial Rose Garden was established. A year later the Perimeter Wall Garden opened up. Since 1998 the John A. Saltsman Garden has extended the gardens of the Library to the north and west.

With nearly 600 varieties of roses this is a delight for every rose lover. Furthermore, in 2015, they won the “2015 Garden of Excellence Award” by the World Federation of Rose Societies. It’s an incredible honor, overall there are only 11 US rose gardens that received this award. Other examples are: San Jose’s Municipal Rose Garden, Sacramento Historic Rose Garden, and Biltmore Rose Garden.

Gregg Lowery, an antique rose expert, reveals that

”Their two plantings of Rosa primula represent the only correctly named specimens that I have encountered in gardens, both public and private, in the world.”

If you would love to learn more about how to cultivate roses you can join the group, meetings are every 2nd Saturday of each month, membership fee starts at $15. Every January they invite you to learn about pruning. Check out their web site for further events.

The Woodland Rose Garden can be found around the Woodland library, between College and Court.

Render Eggheads as Positive, UC Davis

April 28, 2023Silvia

At UC Davis you might be called an egghead and be proud of it. However. Wikipedia describes eggheads as: “U.S. English slang, egghead is an epithet used to refer to intellectuals or people considered out-of-touch with ordinary people and lacking in realism, common sense, sexual interests, etc. on account of their intellectual interests.”

Large ceramic sculptures collectively known as eggheads can be found across the campus. These seven eggheads were among Robert Arneson’s last works in 1991. Arneson, a former art professor at UC Davis, is considered the father of the ceramic Funk movement.

Tour the eggheads

Like the name, the egghead pieces are many folded, funny, with a wink into sarcasm. There are five stops on the egghead tour around campus. We started at the Welcome Center (550 Alumni Ln) to pick up a campus map. If you follow the road north on Mrak Hall Drive you’ll meet the first two eggheads: See No Evil/Hear No Evil. Notice that both sculptures are missing ears!

If you are touring on a day the administration building Mrak Hall is open you can cut through it to find the next stop: Eye on Mrak (Fatal Laff) The eye that ‘looks’ at Mrak reminds me of the Eye of Providence (also known as the all-seeing-eye). The other side is upside down and laughing.

Next, we turned east towards Lake Spafford and then north through the orange arches of Celeste Turner Wright Hall where you can see Yin & Yang. These two might look familiar. A replicate of them sits on the Embarcadero in San Francisco.

In front of the Shields library you’ll find my personal favorite: Bookhead. The head collapsed over a book, the nose right in the crease of it. I think this egghead needs sleep.

Lastly, Stargazer can be found by going north, then turning right onto Shields Ave. At the next opportunity, turn left on East Quad. Take a right after South Hall. Once you are in the courtyard turn left. Stargazer is near the original entrance of UC Davis, a brick wall from 1908.

Do you think eggheads are funny or have a deeper meaning?

Delight Yourself at a Fairy Garden in Woodland

April 21, 2023Silvia

Remember the fairy garden in Fairy Glen, San Jose? Someone told me about one in Woodland. In this garden the fairies and gnomes live together. They enjoy gardening (of course!), but they also have a zip line that you can help them use. If you have a wish you can take one of the trinkets, turn around, close your eyes and throw it over your shoulder into the pond. Adults will find a penny jar to use for their wishes.

The garden itself is a gem on its own. I believe the grown up inhabitant is a landscape architect. There are various elements of Japanese garden design, like bonsai trees, and buddha statues. Another interactive feature is the gong and children are encouraged to ring it.

You can find the fairy garden on the corner lot of Rancho Way and Westway Drive in Woodland. Please supervise your children when they interact with the fairies and gnomes.

I hope your wishes will come true.

Do you know of other fairy garden in the Bay Area?