frugal sightseeing

Sweeten Your Museum Visit, Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia

Silvia

PEZ vending machine at the PEZ museum in BurlingameThe first thing I learned about PEZ at the Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia was that it is short for the German word for peppermint: PfeffErminZ and the company that creates these famous dispensers and treats is Austrian. Mini PEZ dispensers at the PEZ museum in Burlingame

This tiny museum was a great visit. For $3 you get a tour with the owner who has a copiousness knowledge of PEZ.

The vending machines that give out PEZ took me down memory lane.The cutest dispensers, I think, are the mini Japanese editions – dispensers for four PEZ with all the famous characters, like Pikachu and Nintendo’s Mario.

the Atomic Energy Lab is part of the banned toys exhibit at the PEZ museum in BurlingameThe museum expanded to show classic toys, like Lincoln Logs and Mr. Potato Head and a section on Banned Toys, which was my favorite: The Atomic Energy Laboratory (with 4 samples of radioactive material!).

If you like Guinness Book World records you can view the World’s Largest PEZ Dispensing Machine. 

Are you a PEZ collector?

Andy Goldsworthy’s Stone River at Stanford University

Sit by the Stone River, Goldsworthy’s Stone River

Silvia

Andy Goldsworthy’s sculptures in San Francisco’s Presidio are well known and worth seeking out. But did you know that Silicon Valley has one of his nature sculptures?

Andy Goldsworthy’s Stone River at Stanford UniversityAcross from the Anderson Collection at the Stanford University you can sit in the park and enjoy a picnic, while you marvel at the snake like sculpture. Goldsworthy’s Stone River. It took about 128 tons of material to build in one month. During his work on Stone River, Goldsworthy has also created a “heap of pieces with grasses and leaves” just a few yards away from the sculpture.Andy Goldsworthy’s Stone River at Stanford University

Every third Sunday, at 11:30 a.m. there is a free 1 ½ hour docent led tour for the outdoor sculptures. Tours start at the front of the Cantor Arts Center.

 

Have you walked along the Stone River?

 

Now hear this! sign at the Box Office entrance at the Montalvo Arts Center, Saratoga

Exercise Your Auditory Sense at the Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga

Silvia

Now hear this! is the name of the new outdoor exhibit at the Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga.

Subtitled: an exercise in listening, you might be able to guess that these artists composed an interesting experience for you consisting of 5 installations.

Seats at the Lilian Fountain Garden Theatre in Montalvo, SaratogaFor example Stephen Vitiello’s Taking Sound Cues From The Wind plays on the hour and on the half hour from 10 am – 4:30 pm at the Lilian Fountain Garden Theatre. A sonic response to the 1925 play Wings by Joseph S. Thompson. I could sometimes not tell if the rustling of the leaves came from the speakers or just that the wind was moving  the leaves next to me. For a while I watched a dragonfly dancing to the music, her abrupt turns fitting the rhythm. I did enjoy this piece and the surrounding distractions.

On the same note Soundings are two audio tours created by Detour, an audio tour guide app. Tours involve new artists and their music while exploring the grounds of the Arts Center.

I took the first audio tour and it starts with an introduction at the box office and guides you down the path through the blue garden. The first composer Theresa Wong shares her experience in Venice, Italy under a trellis. Beautiful and minimalistic: Venice is a Fish.

Next you walk up the path and stop on the next bench to listen to Wayne Horvitz sharing his composition: 55 music and dance in concrete, part 1.

Carmina Escobar’s music can be enjoyed on a bench under the ginkgo tree.

Nina Young ends this interactive walk at the Belvedere with Temenos – an arrangement about architecture and music.Belvedere at Montalvo Arts Center, Saratoga

It was a surreal experience listening to these unusual compositions outside in a park combining  the calming visuals of greenery with experimental sounds and with the chatter of summer campers.

How will you sharpen your hearing sense?

Now hear this! and Soundings

Monday – Sunday 10 am – 5 pm

Ends October 22nd, 2017

 

Walk into Space Exploration, NASA Ames Research Center

Silvia

Mountain View is not only a huge part of Silicon Valley, it also has the NASA Ames Research Center. To show off what they are doing to the public there is the free NASA Ames Visitor Center. It is at the main gate of the NASA Research Center and is open Tuesday to Friday 10 am – 4 pm and Saturday and Sunday noon – 4 pm. Currently they have construction going on and you can only park behind the center.

A replica of the International Space Station at the Ames Research Visitor Center in Mountain ViewIf you ever wanted to see a moonstone or wondered how the researchers work in space (think nerdy tiny house) this is the place for you! There was also a great photo opportunity to pose as a couple of astronauts.

The friendly guy at the counter offered to show any of the movies, e.g. several about Mars, or a tour of the International Space Station, for me since it was slow and no one else was around, but I had to decline because I was pressed for time. Maybe something to come back for?

Have you seen any of the movies at the NASA  Ames Visitor Center?

Alviso Marina County Park in San Jose

More than just Facades, Alviso

Silvia

I am constantly surprised about the artwork you find along the bay. There is the wind walk in San Mateo, Bixbee Park with it’s posts in Palo Alto. But have you ever been to Alviso? Alviso, now part of San José, can be found at the southernmost point of the San Francisco Bay.

Alviso Marina County Park in San JoseThe Alviso Marina County Park stands out with it’s facade like structures framing the boardwalks that let you oversee the slough. Here you can take a breath of salty air, or look for some rare birds. Some boardwalks have benches, and it feels very peaceful. 

This park is also a gateway to the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge and is part of the San Francisco Bay Trail and San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail.

Start your Travel with Art, San Francisco airport

Silvia

I noticed before that the San Francisco airport has a lot of interesting art on display. Did you know that there is a museum located at the international terminal? It is only open till 4:30, so we missed the opportunity to go in last time we flew. But don’t worry there are different exhibits all around the airport.

Chinese opera shoes. Part of the Stepping out: Shoes in World Cultures exhibit at the SFO MuseumWe saw the funky shoes from around the world, a quick glance at Ancient Rome and examples of arts and crafts. For a complete list of the different exhibits you can check out the museum’s website.

Stepping Out: Shoes in World Cultures, at SFO International Terminal

There is also the SFMOMA store for your after art shopping fix.

Have you noticed the art at SFO?

Monopoly in the park, San Jose

Play a Game in the Park, Monopoly in the park

Silvia

There are so many great parks around the Bay Area and they offer many possibilities for games. You could play bocce in Cuesta Park in Mountain View, or pickle ball in Mitchell Park in Palo Alto. I’m sure there a many places for chess and horseshoes.

Monopoly in the park in San JoseBut the most amazing, and might I add Guinness World Record Book worthy, is the Monopoly in the park. You can find this attraction across from the Children’s Discovery Museum in San José. To play it you will have to book it and pay the rental fee. But I’m sure everyone will have fun

Senet Game at the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, San JoseAnother option, that is free, is to play a game of Senet, the Egyptian game that is said to be the model for backgammon. At the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum in San Jose they have a great outdoor park with a Peace Garden, a Labyrinth and a Senet game.

Do you know of a great outdoor game?

Sundial at the Municipal Rose Garden in San Jose

I Promise you Two Rose Gardens, San José

Silvia

At the Municipal Rose Garden in San José the smell is overwhelmingly luxurious.

Roses at the Municipal Rose Garden in San JoseNames like love song, white delight, jump for joy, sparkle & shine, passionate kisses speak to the traditional use of roses as a gift for the loved one.

Here you see a lot of people stopping and smelling the roses, taking pictures and wandering in awe. A perfect location for wedding photos.

 

Only 1.5 miles to the north, up Naglee Ave is San José’s Heritage Rose Garden. First I thought it odd to Roses at the Heritage Rose Garden in San Josehave two rose garden so close to each other. But the two could not be more different. There was no one else around when I explored the garden. So close to the street I thought the smell was fuel, but I only had to wait a few minutes to realize the the garden is on the flight path of San José airport and most likely the smell was kerosene. In between planes it is actually a quiet place and the amount of roses shows that the purpose of this garden is to preserve them. With almost 3,500 plants and 3,000 varieties from heritage to modern to miniature roses, this is an amazing experience. So, if you are a true rose aficionado this might be the place for you.

Where do you stop and smell the roses?

Mural by Jane Kim

Catch Some Chrysanthemum

Silvia

Redwood City used to be know in 1926 as the ‘Chrysanthemum Center of the World’. When Jane Kim was asked to paint six murals the original idea was to have local dogs in funny poses. Now there is only one dog in the series called Flora from Fauna, the rest are local animals like squirrels and foxes all with chrysanthemums.

Mural by Jane KimI love the whimsical idea of the flowers engaging with the animals. Kim brought attention to the historical importance of the flower industry by Japanese immigrants and is also an advocate for wildlife. When I walked around Redwood City I saw 3 of the murals, all impressive in their attention to detail.

 

This is a great addition to the public art works in Redwood City. Mural by Jane Kim

Check out the murals here:

  • Arthur Murray Dance Studio at 2065 Broadway,
  • Cafe La Tartine at 830 Middlefield Road,
  • Polam Federal Credit Union at 770 Marshall St.,
  • Marshall Street Parking Garage at 750 Marshall St.,
  • Behind the theater at 870 Jefferson Ave.
  • City Hall bench

 

For more information:

http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/lnews/2017-03-23/creating-path-for-public-art-downtown-redwood-city-flora-from-fauna-murals-set-to-spark-conversation/1776425177710.html#sthash.VGUr4X8a.dpuf

https://medium.com/redwood-city-voice/historical-blog-series-industries-7d370790d4bc

http://sf.curbed.com/platform/amp/2017/3/24/15053718/redwood-city-jane-kim-murals-art

 

Do you have a favorite mural?

Watch Some Whales, Seymour Marine Discovery Center

Watch Some Whales, Seymour Marine Discovery Center

Silvia

Whale watching is an activity you can do almost year round in the Bay Area. I have never been whale watching on a boat – that is still on my to-do list, but the gray whales migrate and swim quite close to shore, so sometimes you can get lucky and see the giants from land.

From December to May the gray whales migrate back from Mexico. First the males and the juveniles and later when the babies have some blubber the mothers with their babies. Orkas, not really whales but named killer whales, can be seen then too hunting the baby gray whales. Humpback whales and blue whales are in the Monterey Submarine Canyon from mid April to December.

Ms. Blue, a blue whale skeleton outside of Seymour Marine Discovery CenterIf you want to get an idea of size of a whale I recommend stopping by the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. Outside is what might be the world’s longest blue whale skeleton, Ms. Blue is an impressive 87 feet long! They also have a grey whale skeleton. I took the tour – which comes with the $8 admission, the volunteer was very knowledgeable and they let you touch some baleen, the whales filter system for eating. Plus you can pet a shark and some other ocean creatures inside the center.

Where do you go whale watching?