until suburbia!

Slide with Airport View, Junipero Serra Park

April 8, 2022Silvia

Junipero Serra Park is a 108 acres of trails and other outdoor enjoyments, like two playgrounds and picnic tables. Its hilly location leads you to an impressive view over the Bay right in view of the San Francisco airport. The Meadow View playground is near its highest point. There are some climbing structures, but the two parallel 54-feet metal slides are the focal point of this playground.

Imagine a speedy slide while watching planes land and take off. The playground is in the middle of a woody area and has plenty of shade. Parking is $6 and you can pay right next to the playground.

I also hiked part of the 1.2 mile Quail Loop Trail which starts next to the playground. On my visit I saw some wildflowers, but not the Douglas Iris that an information sign talked about. Overall it was a pleasant hike with some elevation and a spectacular view!

Junipero Serra Park is just east of 280 at 1801 Crystal Springs Rd, San Bruno, CA 94066. Parking is $6, dogs are allowed on leash.

Are you a slide enthusiast? If so, you should also try the Magic Mountain slide in San Mateo. At 55-feet this is the metal longest slide in Northern California!

Pay Respect at the Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno

April 1, 2022Silvia

If you ever entered San Francisco from the 280 you probably noticed the national cemetery in San Bruno, the Golden Gate National Cemetery. When the San Francisco National Cemetery in the Presidio reached capacity and San Franciscans voted to bar cemeteries in the city’s vicinity, San Bruno was chosen. The San Francisco misnomer has created frequent confusions.

The first interment was in June 1942. Ironically interment can be easily confused with the Internment, which was arranged at the same time a mile below the cemetery at the Tanforan Assembly Center.

The monumental entry gate sets the tone for the memorial park. Signs explain the etiquette to fit the tone, no sports activities, dogs, etc. By 1966, veterans from World War II and Korea and later Vietnam filled the grounds to capacity. You can circle the round drive. If you are looking for someone in particular you can use the grave locator from the US Department of Veteran Affairs.

It is overwhelming to see the rows and rows of white tombstones; you really feel the impact of wars.

The Golden Gate National Cemetery is open 7 days a week from 8 am – 5 pm. It is closed federal holidays except Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

If you are fascinated by gravesites you should visit Colma, the town with almost 1000 times more dead people than living.

They wore their best... photo exhibit inside the San Bruno BART station

Revisit the Exclusion of the Japanese-American, San Bruno BART

March 25, 2022March 25, 2022Silvia

Last week I wrote about the Peninsula Museum of Art and the history of the mall where it is located. The Shops of Tanforan in San Bruno was built on the grounds of a former racetrack used as the assembly center for almost 8,000 mostly Japanese-Americans during World War II.

To remember this injustice the Tanforan Assembly Center Memorial Committee (TACMC) is in the midst of building the Tanforan Memorial, located just outside the San Bruno BART station. The bronze sculpture will picture two of the children that were detained at Tanforan based on a photograph by Dorethea Lange.

Already available is the photo exhibit: They wore their best… Inside the BART station. Photos by Dorothea Lange inspired Paul Kitagaki Jr. to search out survivors and relatives of previously detained Japanese-American. Pictures of Lange and Kitagaki Jr are side-by-side with explanations of their origins and current life. There are also photographs of historic documents and five information panels condensing the history.

While Dorothea Lange is now widely recognized for her striking images of the people in the Dust Bowl and the Internment camps, many of her photographs were deemed too honest and therefore impounded by the federal government.

If you are not a BART rider you can either ask the BART attendant to let you in or you can go to the virtual exhibit, plus additional materials, on the Tanforan Memorial website.

If you’d like to learn more about the Japanese-American internment you can visit the Japanese American Museum of San Jose.

Entrance of the Peninsula Museum of Art, San Bruno

Track down the Peninsula Museum of Art, San Bruno

March 18, 2022March 18, 2022Silvia

Inside the Peninsula Museum of Art, San Bruno.

The Peninsula Museum of Art used to be in Burlingame. These days you can find it in a mall in San Bruno. The museum is located at the Shops of Tanforan above the food court, near the movie theater. I personally found the parking lot confusing; I followed signs to the food court that disappeared and I ended up parking near Barnes & Noble. This choice turned out to be wrong and far from the Museum at the opposite end of the mall. If you happen to come by BART, you’ll be dropped off close to the entrance to the food court. Otherwise use the mall/Century Theater parking ramp, accessible off of Sneath Lane (not the BART ramp), and park on the 3rd/top level.

Regina Kong, Self portrait with lamb at the Peninsula Museum of Art.

The current exhibit at the Peninsula Museum of Art is New Voices: Art from Bay Area Universities. This is an interesting collection by ten art students from Stanford, San Jose, Berkeley, and more.This exhibit gives insight into how the pandemic affected each student, showing themes such as personal tragedies and cultural challenges.

Even with a limited showroom, the museum manages to exhibit multiple mediums: paintings, pottery, mixed media, and digital works.

New Voices can be seen until May 1st, 2022. Admission to the museum is free, but they request a donation to help fund the exhibits. Currently their hours vary due to a small volunteer staff. You should email peninsulamuseum@gmail.com and ask about their weekly hours.

Tanforan History

Statue of Seabiscuit in front of the Shops at Tanforan.

The Shops of Tanforan used to be a race track, hence the Seabiscuit sculpture on the entrance by Barnes & Noble. During World War II the Army used these stables to gather and house almost 8,000 American Japanese in order to deport them to concentration camps fulfilling Roosevelt’s executive order 9066. A memorial to remember this injustice is planned for spring 2022.

And once again Tanforan is about to transition. The property has been sold and is said to become a “megacampus” of biotech and technology firms. I will do my best to follow up on the whereabouts of the Peninsula Museum of Art.

Other ways to see art created by students in the Bay Area are the galleries at the San Jose State University and the Euphrat Museum at the DeAnza College in Cupertino.

Hand Down Black History – Domini Hoskins Black History Museum, Redwood City

March 11, 2022March 11, 2022Silvia

Open sign for the Domini Hoskins Black History & Learning Center. Sign reads: Black history is American history. Hand dwon the history. March1-March31 from 11 am - 5 pm, closed Mondays (Special Groups by appt only) For more infromation, contact 650-921-4191 Carolyn_Hoskins56@yahoo.com https://www.facebook.com/hbhlc

I enjoyed the article by thesixfifty about the Domini Hoskins Black History and Learning Center. Somewhat fitting for Black History month, Redwood City has enabled Carolyn Hoskins to display her collection of African American historic artifacts downtown at the former World Market. Lucky for us they are open for another month!

Part of the mural by Jose Castro, showing a black fist with the words: Power to the people.

Admission is $5 to see this vast display of what American black culture means. The volunteer at the door explained the history behind the collection. Carolyn Hoskins was asked by her grandson Domini about any other famous Black people, because he was tired of writing about Martin Luther King again. I am not sure if Carolyn suggested her late husband, Robert “Bob” Hoskins, a former 49er, as one example. Nevertheless Bob has a special place right at the entrance.

The exhibition begins with historic figures from the slave trade, mixed in with literature references, for example Alex Haley’s Roots. There are tables with black inventors, sports legends, famous women, the first black president and the first lady. The pop culture section was designed by Carolyn’s daughter Kathy. In fact you can see Black history displayed over 22,000 square feet.

Part to the mural by Jose Castro, showing George Floyd and the words Black Lives Matter

This amazing collection of Black achievements can be seen until the end of March, 2022, at 890 Jefferson Ave. in Redwood City; or hopefully longer. It is open every day except Monday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friendly volunteers are on-site to answer questions. No photographs are allowed, except of the Black Lives Matter mural by Jose Castro in the back.

MLK of course still plays a role in this museum. To dive deeper into his writings and accomplishments you might want to visit the Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University.

Soil & Water garden plot at the Heritage Park in Mountain View.

Plant with Soil & Water, Mountain View Heritage Park

March 4, 2022March 4, 2022Silvia

Sign in garden box: Smelling me calms the body - lavender

How did I miss this? A true community garden at Heritage Park is now in its sixth year. Earlier this month I discovered Heritage Park in Mountain View and wrote about the tiny house. But the city also reserved room for a garden project. You can volunteer for Soil & Water every Saturday from 10 am – noon. This is a family friendly event that will teach you about gardening. Once a month Soil & Water will try to offer a kid-focused event. But in any case they will provide easy activities, like watering, for the little ones. Teenagers are also welcome and can earn community service credits. Volunteers will share the harvest.

View from the entrance of the Soil & Water community garden plot, Heritage Park.

To get started you can sign-up on their website. Due to COVID-19 the number of volunteers is limited and masks might be required. If you plan on helping, you should also bring gloves, a hat and a water bottle.

Heritage Park is at 771 N. Rengstorff in Mountain View.

If you like to expand your garden volunteering you can help out at the SCU Forge Garden, Wednesday 10 am – 1 pm, Friday 9 am – 11 pm.

Entrance of the Edith Heath exhibit A Life in Clay at the OMCA

Experience Three Great Female Californian Artist, OMCA

February 25, 2022February 20, 2022Silvia

Bring some time if you are going to the OMCA – the Oakland Museum of California, because this is really three museums, plus a special exhibit. You can easily spend a whole day here. More precisely, there is the California History Museum, the Science Museum, the Art Museum, and the special exhibit.

I came to see Edith Heath: A life in clay. Edith Heath, ceramist, and, as I learned, alchemist, was a trailblazer in everyday stoneware and tile design. This exhibition combines her craft with a documentation of her life story. You can enjoy this informative display until October 2022.

A mug by Edith Heath und a magnifying glass to see the texture

On the way to the Heath exhibit you’ll pass the ongoing exhibit, Dorethea Lange: Photography as Activism. The Oakland Museum owns Lange’s personal collection of more than 40,000 negatives and 6,000 prints. Lange, a photographer, is best known for her images of the Depression and a truthful depiction of the effect of World War II at home. Her images can be found in various parts of the museum.

After viewing the photos of Dorethea Lange you pass a portrait of her painted by Hung Liu. This is the third exhibit: Remembering Hung Liu. Lui was an Oakland-based artist who passed away last year. Four of Lui’s works can be seen until October, 2022.

I wish I had more time to enjoy the museum’s 110,000 square feet of gallery space. I just quickly glanced at the new garden, where they have lunchtime sessions with dances, storytelling, and more, every Saturday in February and March.

Unfortunately, the special exhibition Mothership: Voyage Into Afrofuturism ends February 27th.

Hella Feminist, celebrating the lesser-known stories of feminism in Oakland and the Bay Area will be the next special exhibition starting this summer.

Visitor Information

The Oakland Museum is located at 1000 Oak Street, Oakland, CA. Museum’s hours are Wednesday–Sunday 11 am–5 pm, with extended hours on Friday 5–9 pm. General admission is $16, seniors and students $11, Youth (13–17) are free through Feb. 27, Children (12 & under) free. There is a surcharge of $5 for the special exhibition.

Please check the web site for current COVID restrictions.

Have you been to the OMCA?

Native Rain Garden sign at the native plants garden in Bol Park

Learn about Native Plants, Bol Bark Palo Alto

February 18, 2022February 18, 2022Silvia

I found the 12,000 sq ft native plants garden by accident the last time I was in Bol Park to visit the donkeys. Beyond the playground near the intersection of Laguna Ave and Roble Ridge Rd busy volunteers have created a treasure trove of native plants. There is signage for every plant. It is great to learn the names of the flora. The walkway is a path covered in wood chips and bordered by branches.

A sign explaining the native rain garden system.

One info sign teaches the passersby the benefits of a native rain garden, installed in 2018. The practical reason here was to capture stormwater and reduce the flooding of the nearby bike path. An added plus is that the habitat creates homes for birds, insects, and wildlife.

I was delighted to see a blooming manzanita, one of my favorite trees from the Bay Area. But the other plants are also getting ready to impress. It is definitely fun to see the variety of native plants. If you would like a tour of the garden the Growing Natives Garden Tour offers docent led tours on April 2nd, 2022.

I also enjoyed the bench to relax in the shade.

The native plants garden is open year round and located at 3502 Laguna Avenue, Palo Alto.

Do you know many of the native plants?

A signpost showing two errors with the word trail

Chase a Waterfall, Castle Rock State Park

February 11, 2022February 11, 2022Silvia

Rain is always welcome here in the Bay Area, since droughts seem to contribute to an ongoing misery. This means waterfall hikes are a special treat in the winter, as proof of enough rain to make a stream.

Recently we drove to Castle Rock State Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The roads wind up, inviting expensive cars to test out their speeding abilities. On our way there, an array of police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances blocked one lane of this challenging road. Assuming some car went off the cliff, we carefully resumed our journey, only to get passed by an impassioned speeder.

Climbing rock at Castle Rock State Park.

Castle Rock State Park is a destination for rock climbers and hikers. The large boulders on the Castle Rock loop trail are perfect for any climbing skill level. The hike to the waterfall overlook is 1.2 miles, out and back. You’ll walk by a stream and experience an elevation loss of 265 feet (and gain on the way back). When you arrive at the overlook you are looking down at the waterfall. So, be careful if you are afraid of heights.

The waterfall itself is not as gushing as you might come across in Yosemite or Hawaii, but nonetheless nice to listen to.

Be prepared for an uneven path with rocks and roots poking out.

Parking fee is $10, preferably paid by card. The parking lot holds three restrooms and electric car chargers. The Castle Rock State Park is open from sunrise to sunset, the address is: 15451 CA-35, Los Gatos, CA 95033. We stopped at the nearby vista point, just outside the park, for an amazing sunset.

Have you seen the waterfall at Castle Rock State Park?

Another hike I can highly recommend is the loop trail of the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.

Rise up for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Stanford

February 4, 2022February 4, 2022Silvia

Rise up exhibit at the East Asia Library

The exhibit at the East Asia Library at Stanford has about 4 yards of wall space and two cases, but the impact of the collected history is immense. With rising hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) this seems a very timely choice. But racism is historically embedded in the United States. It begins with the Naturalization Act of 1790, granting naturalization to “free white persons”, excluding everyone except white men from citizenship.

It took until 1943 to repeal all Chinese exclusion laws (Magnuson Act). After this, the immigration quota was still limited to 105 new entry visas per year.

Shooting death of 19 year old Fong Lee in 2006

As much as I’m impressed with Stanford University and the fact that they present this exhibit, it feels odd that one of the panels tries to defend Leland Stanford as a person taking a stance for the Asian community. It becomes clear very quickly that the president of the Central Pacific Railroad was not interested in the rights of immigrants but cheap labor.

The history lesson furthers the accord on violence and incarceration. Riots, massacres and ethnic cleansing between 1871 to 1907 are documented. The Executive Order 9066 that incarcerated 120,000 Japanese Americans has its 80th anniversary this year on the 19th of February.

Woman with child protesting. Sign read 'We belong here' and 'I am an American' — Cupertino AAPI Rally, April 2021, Photo by Zhang Qidong

Nevertheless this exhibit is named Rise up and elegantly shows important Stanford alumni of Asian descent, labor disputes, and other noteworthy demonstrations. It ends with pictures from various Anti-Asian Hate rallies from 2021.

The Washington Posts reported on January 26, 2022 that San Francisco’s policy recorded a 567% increase in anti Asian hate crimes in 2021. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/01/26/anti-asian-hate-crime-san-francisco-covid/)

How to view Rise up

While the East Asian Library is only open to Stanford students right now due to COVID protocols, they are happy to let you view the exhibit in their entryway. ‘Rise up’ is open until June 30, 2022. You can also access the virtual exhibit: https://exhibits.stanford.edu/riseup

Poster: Know History Know Peace Stop AAPI Hate

The library is located in the Lathrop Library building, 518 Memorial Way, just east of the Oval. Open hours are Monday – Thursday from 9am to 8 pm, Fridays from 9am to 5pm.

Have you risen up for AAPI?

I previously made a collection of 50 things to do at Stanford.