frugal sightseeing Archives

Taste Point Reyes Cheese, Point Reyes Station

June 27, 2025Silvia

Point Reyes blue cheese is my go-to blue cheese. It was a real treat to see where the cheese comes from – the pastures and the cows.

The road towards the market is winding and narrow. You may need to pull over to let the ongoing traffic pass. On our way back, a cow was blocking traffic. But after we took her picture, she gracefully moved away.

The cheese tasting was in the little market. Note: The signage was a bit confusing – all we saw was a ‘No Access’ sign. We wandered around a bit before finding the stairs to the entrance. But the gift shop was lovely. With a warm welcome, we were educated about the cheeses and enjoyed all of them! The fennel blue cheese was my favorite!

For our picnic, we picked out a soft, ripe cheese and a passion fruit jam.

Make sure to check out the patio and the garden. All comes with a healthy portion of country air!

Point Reyes Cheese marketplace is open for free cheese tastings Mondays through Saturdays from 11 am – 3:30 pm. It is located at 14700 Highway 1, Point Reyes Station.

They celebrate their 25th year anniversary this year with a special tasting ($55 per person ) on June 13th, July 18th, August 15th, September 26th, 2025.

What is your favorite cheese?

I did not receive any compensation for this post.

If you are more into goat cheese I highly recommend Hartley’s Farm in Pescadero.

Be Grateful at the Children’s Bell Tower

May 31, 2025Silvia

When I researched things to do in Bodega Bay, the Children’s Bell Tower rose to the top of the list. I am always interested in large sculptures and local oddities. So, we absolutely had to check this one out.

It turned out that the coffee shop, Sea Flower Cafe, where we had breakfast, was a short walk away from the bell tower. The bell tower itself includes a small parking lot if you decide to skip the coffee and delicious breakfast.

Before we reached the tower, we admired the small community garden. We were fascinated by the vast number of wind chime collections hanging from two trees.

The bell tower is a very touching place. First, you see the inscription, a dedication for Nicholas Green. Nicholas, just seven years old, was shot by highway robbers in Italy. His parents donated his organs to seven Italians. In gratitude for this selfless act, Italian families donated 140 bells for the tower. The largest bell, the centerpiece, has the name of Nicholas and the seven recipients engraved on it. Pope John Paul II blessed it. This is a very peaceful place. But I’m sure kids have a good time running around and exploring, too.

The donation started a wave of organ donations in Italy known as the ‘Nicholas Effect’. The Nicholas Green Foundation is an advocacy group promoting the best gift you can make: donate your organs so others can live!

The Children’s Bell Tower is located at 2255 CA-1, Bodega Bay, CA.

This was a humble reminder that organ donation saves lives and gives hope. If you’d like to sign up to be an organ donor you can visit this website: https://www.organdonor.gov/sign-up

The two towers of Saint Vincent de Paul Rectory

Explore the Churches of Pentaluma

May 23, 2025May 22, 2025Silvia

In a recent adventure we stayed in Petaluma, CA. We had an amazing dinner at the Wild Goat Bistro. This farm-to-table restaurant combines fresh food with casual dining. We shared a salad and a wood-fired pizza. Both were inventive and very tasty.

As we walked out into the evening, we discovered the two towers of Saint Vincent de Paul Rectory. Drawn to the towers of this Spanish Romanesque-style church with its gold-painted details, we started an after-dinner stroll. Although we weren’t able to see the interior, the details in the outside decoration brought heaven to mind, and the rosette above the door pictures a version of Jesus.

To our surprise, we saw, just a few steps away, a much plainer-looking church. Nevertheless, the intricate gothic windows with their glass art are equally beautiful. This is the Unitarian Universalists of Petaluma, on 16 5th St.

The St John’s Episcopal Church, just another few steps away, on 40 5th St, with towers on top of the rotunda looks quite medieval.

And last but not least I spotted the square tower of the United Methodist Church.

This, of course, is only a short selection of the churches in Petaluma. It was interesting to see such different architectural styles within a short walking distance. We did not attempt to go into these churches. I’m sure all the glass windows are stunning, with sunlight shining through them.

Churches

Saint Vincent de Paul Rectory

35 Liberty St, Petaluma, CA

https://svdppetaluma.org/

Unitarian Universalists of Petaluma

16 5th St, Petaluma, CA

https://www.uupetaluma.org/

St John’s Episcopal Church Petaluma

40 5th St, Petaluma, CA

https://www.saintjohnsepiscopalpetaluma.org/

United Methodist Church

410 D St, Petaluma, CA

https://petalumaumc.org/

For more information on Petaluma churches I found this website: https://visitingchurches.blogspot.com/

Thanks to Rudolf Rentzel a Christian of Petaluma and the author of the blog: Visiting All the Churches In Petaluma.

I am not affiliated with any churches.

Get together and play! Next Level, Mountain View

May 2, 2025Silvia

Community building can be done in many ways, like meeting people in churches or at political rallies. But one activity that gets people together like no other is playing games. If you like to play board games, your next level community building can be done in Mountain View. Actually, the place is called Next Level. They have little game rooms that you can rent and hang out with your friends. There are lots of games to choose from, or bring your own. The staff is super helpful and can guide you to get started.

For $7, you get access to the game library and can hang out as long as you like. They just had their soft-opening and they are working on their food and drinks menu. If you like the game, you might be able to purchase it here, too!

I know that game stores around the Bay have been offering tournaments, especially for the card game Magic. But Next Level understands the need to spend time together in a comfortable setting. Now, more than ever, we need to enjoy ourselves with others. If you are looking to connect with other board game enthusiasts, check out the social board game meetups every Thursday at 7 pm and Sunday at 11 am, or see their event section for their monthly events.

Next Level is located on 888 Villa St, in Mountain View. They are open Tuesday and Wednesday, from 5 to 10 pm and Thursday to Sunday, from 10 am to 10 pm.

What is your favorite board game?

I am not affiliated with Next Level.

Entrance of Sonoma Harvest in Fairfield, CA

Taste Test Sonoma Harvest Products, Fairfield

April 25, 2025Silvia

We received a warm welcome at the Sonoma Harvest tasting room in Fairfield. Since it was our first time, we were cleverly guided to the olive oils through a lot of really cute kitchen items.

There are a lot of flavored olive oils to try. You can cleanse your palate with some croutons. Next are the vinegars. Again, there are many interesting flavors to elevate your salads. Have you ever had balsamic vinegar so good that you might want to use it as an ice cream topping? Yes, that’s here for you to taste (you have to imagine the ice cream right now – but the richness is mind-blowing!). From sour to sweet, the next station was their creative jams. The strawberry chocolate and spicy peach are delish! We skipped the spicy section, with a BBQ sauce and chili oil, but returned to the kitchen gifts. This is the place if you like to buy local products.

The Sonoma Harvest tasting room is located at 770 Chadbourne Road in Fairfield. It’s close to the Jelly Belly factory. Free tastings are Wednesdays to Sundays from noon to 4 pm.

I am not affiliated with Sonoma Harvest.

Tour the Jelly Belly Factory, Fairfield

April 18, 2025April 18, 2025Silvia

The Easter candy of my youth was chocolate eggs. So, it was surprising to me to learn that the creator of Jelly Belly was a German immigrant. I always thought of these bean-shaped candies with the most unusual flavors and bright colors as very American.

I had planned to recommend the tour of the Jelly Belly factory as a fun Easter activity. But the production is on hold for 3 weeks (until April 23rd, 2025). You might think that the Easter Holiday would be the last time of year when they would stop production to clean. We took the tour last week anyway. And even though the factory was not producing, we paid the full admission of $8. Again, you might think ….. This is a self-guided tour with videos informing you throughout the walkway. They also added some interactive stations with video games and Ronald Reagan memorabilia. Reagan is the President who brought Jelly Belly to the nation’s attention. Jelly Belly is very appreciative.

I did enjoy the factory setting as I am a fan of production line equipment – like Boichik Bagels and Cocohodo. I can also appreciate that everything got a good cleaning, for the next flavors of jelly beans. And, we were able to admire the large, shiny vats used to polish the beans – you got a very clear view of the entire factory as you walked the glassed-in walkway one story up.

The kids might enjoy the little train ride across the parking lot to the museum. The museum is included in the admission. There are a lot of photo opps here. The end is currently a big Easter blow-up art scene. I do think the artwork created out of jelly beans is impressive. We admired Harry Potter and Star Wars characters at the factory entrance.

Wishing you a Happy Easter (if you celebrate).

The Jelly Belly factory is located at 1 Jelly Belly Lane, Fairfield. Tours are $8 per person, $4 for children ages 3-17, free for under 2-year-olds. The self-guided factory lane tours and museum experience is open from 9:15 am to 4 pm daily, 7 days a week. I’d advise you to check their calendar for special events and closures before you go.

What is your favorite jelly bean flavor?

I am not affiliated with Jelly Belly.

Hike to See the Wildflowers at Fossil Hill Loop, Walnut Creek

March 28, 2025Silvia

I love to recommend short hikes. Hiking is just a great escape and if you like to get started hiking it’s great to have some options for shorter hikes and then being able to expand.

Fossil Hill Loop is part of the Shell Ridge Open Space area, Walnut Creek’s largest open space area. It is made up of multiple ridges. Shell Ridge and Fossil Hill are named after the marine fossils that were left behind when the ocean receded. This is a great place for hiking, biking, and horseback riding with its wide trails.

The Fossil Hill Loop is 3.2 miles long. Alltrails estimates this hike to take about an hour and a half. But we found a shortcut! If you use the Indian Creek Trail, halfway through it makes it a 30-minute hike.

We came here for the wildflowers. And while it was just the beginning of the season, the hills are already beautifully covered with California poppies and many other wildflowers. You have to stay on the path, but nonetheless, you can admire the blooms.

Social media has hyped up this place, and the small parking lot on Sutherland can overflow quickly. The city has therefore opted to close this entrance to the public every weekend. On weekdays, please be mindful of the neighbors and be careful driving past Walnut Heights Elementary School. Dogs are allowed on the trail, but they advise you to leash your dog, since it is a wildlife area with coyotes.

The trailhead and the small parking lot for the Fossil Hill loop are at the end of Sutherland Drive in Walnut Creek. Please hike responsible.

Where do you go to see wildflowers?

Admire From Life at the Mare Island Art Studios

March 21, 2025March 21, 2025Silvia

The art show From Life, at the Mare Island Art Studios, curated by Jean Cherie, is open to visitors each weekend in March from 11 am to 4 pm.

The exhibit shows works of art inspired by life models. I had the pleasure to meet Jean Cherie, one of the main artists in this show and curator. She pointed out how one model was sculpted and painted by different artists. This arouses different viewpoints of this model and puts the observer in a situation detecting similarities.

Besides the exhibit, they offer quick draw and sculpture sessions. A great hands-on approach to create art from the model yourself!

Jean also took me around to see some of the artists of the Mare Island Art Studios works. There are a variety of media being displayed, from pottery to mixed media. I was especially impressed by Priscila Soares mixed media work where she used wings on the ears of a woman to illustrate her own experiences of being hard of hearing.

I also enjoyed the outside area with sculptures, a succulent garden, and a beautiful view of the Bay.

The Mare Island Art Studios are on 110 Pintado Street in Vallejo, CA. The gallery is open on weekends from 11 am to 4 pm for the art show, regular hours are Sundays from noon to 4 pm.

Shop at the Urban Ore, Berkeley

March 14, 2025March 21, 2025Silvia

Did you participate in the buy nothing event on February 28th? One of the ways to save the environment and take a stand on consumerism is to shop second hand. An awesome place to find furniture, building materials, household and art supplies, and so many more things is the Urban Ore in Berkeley. Their motto is to End The Age of Waste. On 3 acres you can browse through a mass of recycled goods.

Here you might find something unexpected or practical. It is fascinating to see the stacks of doors and building materials like the rows of toilets. They have a first timer guide that gives tips on what to expect at the Ecopark (official name for the Urban Ore). Among other things they advise you to wear something warm that you don’t mind getting dirty.

I loved the posters and the old signs. At every corner there is something new to discover.

You can also drop off items that are in good condition. For a list of what the Ecopark accepts or not accept visit their website: https://urbanore.com/ecopark-store/drop/drop-off-rules/

The Urban Ore is located at 900 Murray Street in Berkeley. Opening hours are Monday to Saturday 8:30 am – 5 pm, Sundays 10 am – 5 pm.

Are you into salvaged goods?

A bench overlooking the Bay at Point Pinole park

Visit Point Pinole Regional Shoreline Park

March 7, 2025Silvia

The first thing I noticed while hiking the Point Pinole Regional Shoreline Park was the typical Bay smell. Thankfully, it wasn’t persistent, and for me, it was an occasional whiff of offense. The smell is due to the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter in the sediment. I guess one can call it the smell of the low tide.

What struck me next were the many eucalyptus trees. Usually, you’ll find native oaks in parks, and eucalyptus is considered an invasive species. As the Oakland Side warned in an article in October of 2024, “Eucalyptus trees are simultaneously dry and filled with flammable oil. They shed long, shaggy debris, covering the ground with dry fuel for wildfires, and when they catch fire, the oil in them burns hot and fast. Their seed pods can explode in a wildfire, shooting embers across the landscape.” (https://oaklandside.org/2024/10/29/oakland-eucalyptus-trees-wildfires-history/).

But here in the park, the eucalyptus has an interesting history. They were planted as a buffer for explosions. From 1881 to 1960, this site was used as a dynamite manufacturing company, the Giant Powder Company. Dynamite, the invention of Alfred Nobel, was essential in the development of California, blowing through mountains and building roads. Nowadays, the eucalyptus are home to many wildlife species, like deer, hawks, owls, and Monarch butterflies.

The park was well attended on a weekday. Lots of people were exercising and enjoying the view of the Bay.

Point Pinole has two entrances. One is on 5551 Giant Highway, Richmond, and the other parking lot is on 3000 Atlas Road, Richmond. Parking is $5 between April and October.