31 March 2014 ~ Rose Grocery

Listening to: Paul McCarntey/Wings ~ Venus and Mars

The Rose Grocery is a structure I drive by a lot. When I drove by yesterday I noticed a plaque, so I pulled over to take a closer look. (My friend used to work on writing/editing the plaques and he sent me a link to the Historical Plaque Project, so I am now on the lookout for more around town.)

This was the original site of Hunrick Grocery Store, and is a designated City of Berkeley Structure of Merit.

Hunrick operated the store at this location from 1908 until 1923, when he moved his home to Woolsey Street and opened a grocery on College Avenue at Ashby. The shop at Rose Street served as a small convenience store until 1966. The distinctive architectural feature of the building is its Mission Revival false-front parapet.

The building in 2004, before demolition (courtesy of the Daniella Thompson on the Berkeley Landmarks website)...

...and the building today.

Getting back into my car I caught a glimpse of the yellow flowers in the review mirror, in front of a palm.

 

21 March 2014 ~ Berkeley Rose Garden

Listening to: Floyd Dixon ~ Don't Send Me No Flowers in the Graveyard

I recently did a quick stop by the Berkeley Rose Garden.

The Rose Garden was one of the first Civil Works Progress Projects, and was conceived in 1933 and completed in 1937, and includes the terraced Amphitheatre and a 220-foot-long redwood pergola.

OK, I admit it, I had to look up the word pergola: "a garden feature forming a shaded walkway, passageway or sitting area of vertical posts or pillars that usually support cross-beams".

There are 3000 rose bushes and over 250 varieties of roses, typically in full bloom in May.

And you can't beat the view of the Bay.

This is a reflection off the hood of my car. I just thought it looked cool.

I'll head back in May, if not sooner just to hang out and relax.
 

16 March 2013 ~ Crazy Bird

Listening to: ZZ Hill ~ Down Home Blues


There is a crazy bird attacking my car.

I had to check that it wasn't chipping the paint.

The bird has been doing this several days (and several hours a day) this past week and to all four sides of the car.

Not sure what the bird does when the car isn't around.

http://youtu.be/lgWumNvRFk0

And no, I am not encouraging the behavior. I am not...

...although Skye may disagree some days.

11 March 2014 ~ Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Listening to: Sippie Wallace ~ Parlor Social de Luxe

My co-worker Kathy had a few folks over for dinner Sunday night.

It was an interactive dinner, and we got to make our own fresh Vietnamese spring rolls.

She had fresh greens and sauces, and we used pancake griddles to cook shrimp, squid, and beef. And of course we used fresh rice papers.

here is my first one assembled prior to rolling.

 

 

It was a nice way to spend a Sunday supper.

 

I didn't stay for dessert (I brought --- note did not bake --- a lemon cake). I came home to watch a webcast of Phil Lesh and Friends with friends. 

8 March 2014 ~ International Woman's Day

Listening to: Ruthie Foster ~ Walk On

Women's equality has made positive gains but the world is still unequal. International Women's Day celebrates the social, political and economic achievements of women while focusing world attention on areas requiring further action.

Inspiring Change is the 2014 theme and encourages advocacy for women's advancement everywhere in every way. It calls for challenging the status quo for women's equality and vigilance inspiring positive change.

Although celebration of this day is almost non-existent in the US, I do recall when I was in Kazakhstan for the celebration. The university men brought in food and drink, and prepared the lunch table for us (I suspect their wives actually made the food however). We spent lunch toasting glasses of vodka. The men did all the clean up as well, and us girls all went shopping and then took naps.

I just found out a colleague at Workday published a book, "Vodka Diplomacy", about her time in Russia.

Heading for work the other morning, although I was running late, noticed these intertwined snails at the bottom of my stairs. Spring is in the air?

 

I also pass by a tree a lot with a sign, and finally was able to stop and read the placard.

Annie Maybeck waged a city campaign to save the natural trees from street paving. "Bend the road, divide the lots, place the houses to accommodate them!"

The original tree died in 1985, but was replaced with a tree of the same species, a cost live oak.

Out running errands yesterday, I spotted this beautiful water fountain.

1 March 2014 ~ Original Joe's

Listening to:  Queen ~ You're My Best Friend


Thursday night we had a Workday team West celebration. It was held in the North Beach area of San Francisco at Original Joe's.

Across the street is Washington Square Park. It is one of the city's first parks, established in 1847. St. Peter & Paul's Church frames the background. The church and the square were in scenes from the 1971 movie, Dirty Harry.

According to their website: Original Joe's first opened in 1937 and is the oldest of all existing Joe’s restaurants in the country. With its signature red leather booths, legendary smooth cocktails, and renowned Italian American menu, Joe’s has come to signify its own Northern Californian category of food and symbolizes classic Italian American comfort food at its finest.

We had a fun evening.