until suburbia!

Tasting cups of olive oil from Séka Hills

Taste Test Some Olive Oil

September 1, 2023Silvia

Séka Hills in the Capay Valley is home to the olive oil mill and tasting room of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation. Séka in Patwin, the language of the Wintun Nation, means blue and describes the blue hills that overlook the Capay Valley.

We started our olive oil tasting journey by enjoying the olive oil ice cream. The richness of this creamy goodness was enhanced by adding a pomegranate balsamic reduction. The olive oil cookie added an extra crunch. Overall an excellent tasting experience!

Next on our agenda was the free olive oil tasting. Standing in front of the bar, our very knowledgeable sommelier informed us of the certified olive oils and other products.

You first get a cup of water to clear your palate. Next, warm up a tiny plastic cup filled with oil by rubbing it in your hands. Sniff the oil and explore the aroma of peppery, floral, or fruity. Then, slurp the oil to emulsify it and release the flavors. We tasted four extra virgin olive oils, two infused vinegars (pomegranate & elderberry), honey, and almond butter.

You can also enjoy a lunch or buy some gift items together with your olive oil purchase.

The Séka Hills olive mill and tasting room is located at 19326 Rd 78, Brooks, CA 95606. Tasting room hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 11am to 5pm.

Have you taste tested olive oils before?

A sign in front of The Orb: Low headroom. Do not climb!

Don’t Climb the Sculpture Garden at Google

August 26, 2023Silvia

I stopped by Google’s Charleston East building to see if they moved the Android figures. The building itself is taking shape, but it looks like the inside is still under construction. There are a few signs that remind you that the area is only open for Googlers. At every entrance there are very helpful security guards. When they asked me what I was looking for I mentioned that I thought this building was open for visitors. Since it is not open at all right now, they directed me to the sculpture garden on the East side of the building.

From afar you can already see that these sculptures are not the beloved Android figures. The Orb by Marc Fornes / Theverymany, LLC towers prominently and attracts attention. The ultra-thin aluminum parts structure is made up of 6441 individual flat pieces and 217,847 rivets. It is interesting to stand underneath and admire it. But please don’t attempt to climb any of these sculptures! Even though the information sign says these sculptures are here for you to explore, it means through curiosity, touch and play. Climbing is not part of the play.

In front of the Orb is Hou de Sousa’s Go. These double sided black and white disks invite you to flip them manually to create images, or get inspired by the profound questions printed on the disks. In their words “an art machine powered by the public”.

Other sculptures of the Charleston East Plaza Artworks are:

Curious by Mr & Mrs Ferguson Art

Halo by SOFTlab

Quantum Meditation II by Julian Voss-Andreae

Rockspinner by Zachary Coffin

Officially the area will open in the Fall of 2023. You can get there by parking in the Shoreline lot for the Amphitheater and walking to the corner of Shoreline and Charleston.

Do you have a favorite sculpture you interact with?

Chairs on a beach overlooking the wake board cable area

Beach Staycation in Woodland, CA

August 18, 2023Silvia

Velocity Island Park is a gem for staycationers. You can rent out a little piece of beach with a small water access. But most of the artificial lake is taken up by the cable towing wakeboard park. Six people on wakeboards can be pulled simultaneously on this circular cable system. You can rent wakeboards and life vests. On a second lake is the practice track and an inflatable obstacle course. In fact this is Northern California’s largest floating obstacle course with 30,000 square feet of blow up slides! You have to be six years or older to book a 50 minute session for the aqua park.

We went to check out the place and had lunch overlooking the wakeboard riders. You have to order online and pick it up. Lunch fares are pretty standard fish tacos and burgers. But the eating area was really nice and is cooled off with a mist. There is also a full bar to help you chill. This makes it the inexpensive version of hanging out with a vacation feel. No outside food and drinks are allowed on the premises.

You can also reserve the space for an event like a wedding. At night there are sometimes special happenings like foam parties.

Velocity park is located at near the exit of interstate 5, at 755 North East Street

Woodland, CA

Opening hours vary, it’s best to check out their calendar for information.

Do you have a special staycation spot?

Explore your local library

August 11, 2023August 11, 2023Silvia

Libraries offer much more than books to borrow. The Woodland public library teamed up with the Obama Foundation to show off their amazing programs: getting a pass for a national park, getting a backpack with nature activities, attending book clubs in English and Spanish, and being able to work in a maker space, Square One.

Woodlands public library is one of the few Carnegie built libraries that are still being used as a library. I already made you aware of the excellent rose garden, and the kids reading program on Saturdays during the farmers market. But did you know they also have Henrietta, the library cat?

Square One, the maker space in the basement, offers laser cutting, screen printing, 3d printing, woodworking, and much more. You must have a valid Woodland library card. And, you have to participate in a workshop in order to use some of the equipment.

Woodland’s library is doing a great job engaging the community. However, I’m sure if you explore your local library you will most definitely find more than books to keep you busy.

What programs does your local library have?

Check out the instagram post the library did with President Obama.

And their amazingly creative tik tok account (especially for updates on Henrietta):

https://www.tiktok.com/@woodlandpubliclibrary

Max Cabello Jr. playing at Jazz and Beyond in Sunnyvale

Dine with Jazz, Sunnyvale

August 4, 2023Silvia

I have to say, I’m really impressed with Sunnyvale’s downtown. Murphy Street is now a street block reserved for pedestrians; tables from restaurants take over the sidewalks. The Sunnyvale Downtown Association is doing its part to create a welcoming atmosphere. The series Jazz and Beyond is a 7-week music concert series with jazz or other alternative live music every Saturday evening from July to August.

Left and right off the stage there are white tables and chairs set up. You can reserve one of those tables on Eventbrite. Use your phone to order dinner from 20 participating restaurants and get served right there. This is great for a small group with different diets, or who prefer different cuisines.

We ended up dining at Burma Taste and could listen to the music while enjoying their tea leaf salad and other delicacies. If you are more of a dancer there was enough room for a small crowd in front of the stage. All around a good time.

For August there are still four Jazz and Beyond concerts:

8/5 – The Flow

8/12 – Jim Witzel

8/19 – Legally Blue

8/26 – East Side Funk

*Band line up subject to change without notice.

What’s your favorite downtown in the Bay Area?

Dance in Joy, Honor the Dead, Obon Festival

July 28, 2023Silvia

Obon is a Japanese festival honoring the dead. The Obon Festivals take place at a buddhist temple, in the summer months between June and August. This festival is usually the biggest event for the temple. Over a period of two or sometimes three days Japanese culture is celebrated with food, music, carnival games, bazaars, and often Ikebana exhibits. Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arrangements.

The center point of the festivities are the Bon Odori dances. These dances differ by region in Japan and are passed down by generations. Nonetheless, there are also new dances being developed. The Buddhist temples offer classes and videos to learn these dances. Everyone is welcome to join in.

“As the sun sets and the festival lights begin to shine, we think of those who have passed on and celebrate the paths that brought us together in gratitude.”

Buddhist church of America

The origins of Bon Odori are over 500 years old. It is believed that Mokuren, a disciple of Buddha saw his deceased mother and discovered she had fallen to the Realm of Hungry Ghosts and was suffering. Buddha advised him to make offerings to Buddhist monks at the end of the rainy season retreat. When Mokuren saw his mother’s spirit released he danced with joy and gratitude.

Bay Area Obons are from June to August and people travel to these festivals to honor friends and family.

Some upcoming events are:

Sat, Jul 29, 6:00 – 6:45 pm Diablo Japanese American Summer Festival, Concord

Sat, Aug 5, 4 pm Annual BCO Buddhist Church of Oakland Obon Festival

August 5th/6th Palo Alto Buddhist Temple Bazaar & Obon Odori Event

August 12, 2023 Southern Alameda County Buddhist Church

I’m looking forward to attending the BCO Obon in Oakland on Saturday, August 5th, 2023.

Please dance with joy and gratitude!

Resources

Buddhist Churches of America

https://www.buddhistchurchesofamerica.org/obon-gathering-of-joy

Obon Festival Guide: Meaning, traditions and dates

Obon Festival Guide: Meaning, traditions and dates

Bon (festival) Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bon_(festival)

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?