Boo! He's TWO!

Two and scrumptious!

For so many reasons, but maybe one of the best is that when Isaac sees someone sad, he gives them a hug. And he's a great hugger.

We love you beyond words, Isaac Robert Denny!

July 4th with the Martins

We were SO glad to have Josh's cousins visit for the 4th! Along with a few other little guests which we ate for dinner...

Aaron rode his bike through our entire neighborhood in the parade! I was so impressed. He was no doubt spurred on by the firetruck in front of him. If only we always had such effective motivators!

The toddler boy version of a make-over...

Midday was full of silliness (cousin Scott is such a good sport) and a giant slide...

The "epic" slip-n-slide (something our neighborhood sets up each year for the 4th)

And our dinner guests, thanks to Uncle Skipper & Aunt Hana's awesome generosity...

Who knew there really was a utensil named a "doohickey"?

Right: The race they never ran... Unlike Aaron, the lobsters were not motivated.

To our delight, July 4th was in the 70s, so we were able to sit around a fire pit that night and watch the fireworks while eating smores.

The next day we recovered from all that rich food at the local pub, eating fish and chips and burgers. Not exactly "The Hungry Caterpillar" version... ;)

Can't wait to have the Martins again sometime! If you don't live in Nashville, feel free to come stay at the Denny B&B! We LOVE guests! :)

San Francisco, Day 4

(Confused? Start with San Francisco, Day 1.)

Here I am, on my way to prison. Alone.

Seems it's not as easy to get in as I thought. You have to make reservations. In advance. And if you're "lucky" enough to get a spot, you have to pay good money for it.

Not that you're fooled for a minute. ;) The lead-up to our trip was crazy-busy so I had not a moment to research the city in advance. En route on Day 1, I looked up Alcatraz to discover the only tickets left were for Day 4 (when Josh would be working) and were for a combo with Angel Island (where?). I bought one and hoped for the best.

ALCATRAZ
The ferry ride over was quick and beautiful (see photo top left). The destination, not so much. Alcatraz Island sits right in the Golden Gate corridor, where the fog rolls in and lowers the temps 10-20 degrees. Appropriate to the site, but for me, that was not helpful.

Alcatraz, up close, including the prison, lighthouse, and homes for guards and their families (what!?)

the showers

If you know me at all, you know I am ridiculously sensitive to violence - especially serial, premeditated, the kind that reveals man at his very worst. I don't even like most crime dramas unless they're formulaic and elegant without a hint of reality (think Poirot). I had hoped age would make it easier to bear, but motherhood has made it much worse.

The only outdoor rec area for
well-behaved prisoners

Even so, I expected Alcatraz to be dramatic and fascinating in a historic, almost gothic sense. Like touring an old castle, dungeons and all. Bringing out the rubber-necking gene we're all supposed to have hidden somewhere - the one that makes humans fascinated by the appalling. This place had  atmosphere to spare, like a movie set designed for greatest effect. And the tour was excellent - well organized, full of stories.

The kitchen, where every knife counted

It was all too effective. It  made me feel sick. It was a prison full of lost and scary men -- sons of mothers who saw their worst fears realized. And with no stories of redemption, of hope at the end.

a standard cell

Of course I believe there was hope for any of them, but it was not present on this tour, and the despair this place represented just made me glad to leave.

A sign at the end said the prison was closed when public opinion shifted from confinement to rehabilitation. And looking back now, maybe that's the real sign of hope I was looking for - the recognition that these men needed help, not just punishment.

ANGEL ISLAND

Someone with a sense of humor (or sensitive like me) designed the tour I bought, because our next stop was Angel Island, a state park with sunny skies, blue water, and undeveloped nature. It was the perfect balm.

The island was used by the military for a century to quarantine soldiers arriving from the Pacific and even to house a missile silo. Then in the 1960s some philanthropists bought it to preserve as a park right in the middle of the bay. It was really lovely, and I could've spent more time there hiking or wading on the beach.

Our next house ;)

Doha, Qatar

We closed out our trip that night at a dinner with some locals, where I tried not to sound like the science ignoramus that I am.

The next morning, Josh flew around the world (to Qatar) and 120-degree heat, while I flew home to my little minions (shirts courtesy of the tourist shops on Fisherman's Wharf). I got the better end of THAT deal!

San Francisco, Day 3 (or Napa)

(Confused? Start with San Francisco, Day 1.)


SITTING ON OUR HANDS

On Day 2, we had found a strip of rental car stores across the street from our hotel, so we reserved a car for Day 3 at Hertz...which turned that next morning into our precious-hours-on-a-trip-wasted episode. It seems there's always one. 

A friend had recommended breakfast at Dottie's True Blue Cafe, so we got there around 8am for breakfast, and stood in line until 9am, when we bailed to go pick up our car. Except that Hertz said it was being cleaned so come back at 10am. We picked up breakfast at Walgreens (I know, I can't get used to that idea either) and came back to be told to wait along with the roomful of other disgruntled travelers. By 11am, Josh had found a car-that-is-actually-ready-to-drive at Alamo, so we cancelled the Hertz and were finally headed out of the city by 12noon. 

Moral of the story: Don't be a sheep. If we'd looked elsewhere at the first sign of trouble (9am), or at least called to confirm the car was ready, we might've saved those 3 hours of waiting or spent them eating Dottie's famous omelets.

Moving right along, you'll see soon that it was a gorgeous, clear, sunny day EXCEPT for the Golden Gate, which we're driving through in the pic above right. Yes, this is a picture of the bridge. We are ON it. ;) 

Looking back at "the golden gate" (the corridor where
they built the bridge--which stole its name--and where
the fog rolls in)

MUIR WOODS

Just across the gate, "behind" Sausalito, is a labyrinth of arid hills and hidden valleys. We parked off the highway and rode a bus along the windy roads with the almost unbelievable promise that we would eventually find a grove of gigantic redwoods hiding somewhere. 

And then, somehow, there they were. Right out of Tolkein. Or Wonderland. I half expected an Ewok to pop out. The weather was cool and clear and perfect for a good hike before we grabbed lunch and returned to the car, northward bound.

Muir Woods (where the main path--far right--is actually a boardwalk to protect the tree roots)

SONOMA

From Sausalito to Sonoma, the landscape levels out to giant plains of brown grass. It was hard to imagine vines could grow here. Or anything else. We pulled off at the first winery we encountered because it truly was an oasis amidst the nothingness. Up on a hill, with a pond, under the burning sun. We quickly learned that all the cold breezes of San Francisco do NOT reach wine country, so we gave up our jackets under the 100-degree sun.

Ramsgate Winery -- the first as you enter Sonoma

at Domaine Carneros, a little further into Sonoma

The chateau at Domaine Carneros was beautiful, though I was a little disappointed to discover it's basically just a store/restaurant (no one lives in it, though it is a replica of the French owner's summer home in France). This seemed true at all the wineries; the "lodges" are very stylish and elegant but not actual homes.

As you can probably tell from the pictures, Sonoma was my favorite part of our day - probably of our whole trip. It's not very far from the city but feels like another world. It's not built up (which I found baffling). It's sunny, open, a mix of hills/plains, and just so beautifully groomed. It reminded me of the home/vineyard in the 1998 Parent Trap movie (which is actually up in Yountville, but close enough).

NAPA VALLEY

Due to our morning delay, we didn't get to Sonoma until after 4pm, and everything was getting ready to close at 6pm. So, we opted to walk around a couple Sonoma wineries and then just drive up Hwy29 through Napa to at least see what it looks like (see map at right).

The mostly 2-lane highway is lined with flat vineyards on either side, each with its own elegant visitors' center. Beyond the vineyards is a ring of low hills that makes it a literal valley (above is the view most of the way through the valley). There are a few very small towns at the north end that are bisected by the highway, but the town of Napa is actually an exit off the highway, and is a full suburban-style town with the same Target and Applebees, etc. that you'd find anywhere. It was a bit surprising, and made me a little wistful for Sonoma, where nothing seemed the least bit realistic.

Still, we did find a few notable sites in Napa... Like the little-known Napa OLD FAITHFUL GEYSER which supposedly shoots 30' into the air every half hour or so -- unless you pour detergent down the hole to make it shoot further sooner (according to the sole attendant). This under-appreciated "Wonder of Nature" has a little family-owned park set up around it, and charges $14/person admission to see behind the wall that hides the geyser. I particularly loved the clocks showing the "Three Old Faithful Geysers of the World" (Yellowstone, New Zealand, and...Napa! Who knew?) and the American flag which had to be taller than the geyser itself, though we didn't pay to see behind the wall. It had camp (the style, not the place) written all over it.

We also followed the circuitous signs in the town of Napa to the "historic" downtown by the river. It appears they rehabbed a block or two when the rich tourists started visiting, but I was really surprised to see they didn't have more to show for their fame. Downtown Napa has nothing on downtown Franklin.

Then again, no one is there for the town. Which is why I'd like to go back someday if we're in the area - not for the wine but for the scenery. And because I enjoyed it so much more than the city. I'd probably go to Healdsburg (based on a good friend's rec), the Staglin Winery in Yountville (because I love that movie way more than it deserves), and the Castello di Amorosa because it's a castle (duh).

Next up? I go to prison on San Francisco, Day 4.

San Francisco, Day 2

(Confused? Start with San Francisco, Day 1)

We started the morning with a little swim...

Bit o' Trivia: The swimmers actually jumped in the water from a boat docked
at Alcatraz because it's still illegal to swim from Alcatraz island to San Francisco.

Just kidding. We actually ran from our hotel down to the bay and along the piers (past the above scene, where insane polarbearpeople were just getting out of the water).

I didn't think I'd make it all the way to the Golden Gate, so we weren't prepared to be out for more than an hour. But as we ran, the cool air, bright sun, coastal view, and changing topography were invigorating. And the Golden Gate beckoned. So we kept running. And running. As the scene changed from ports to beaches to gardens (and the temperature dropped, again).

By the time we got to the Presidio (park on the city side of the Golden Gate), we were freezing, tired, hungry, and sunburned. Josh lived to see another day when the Warming Hut he promised would take care of all our troubles actually materialized at the bottom of the bridge (i.e. heat, food, and more new jackets).

At the bottom of the Presidio

Walking up through the Presidio to the entrance to the bridge.

 And then, there it was!

 ...in a photo of what the designers originally considered painting the bridge before they switched from black-and-gold to international orange. I think they must have been from Tennessee.

Oddly enough, being on the bridge made me nervous, made me think I have a stronger fear of heights than I'd realized. It's just so big. And high. And big. Though I'd sooner go back there than the Grand Canyon. At least this had railings. And signs for pedestrians with the daddy wearing a fedora. That was a nice touch.

But I wasn't about to protest when it was time to head for the hotel and then Chinatown. Once there, we followed a Chinese wedding party into a restaurant for dim sum, figuring that was a pretty good tip-off. It was easily the cheapest and best dinner we had all trip.

At first I was disappointed to see that "Chinatown" seemed to be one multi-block strip of cheap shops selling trinkets. Where was the maze of markets and apartments of the movies? Of The Joy Luck Club (JLC, which I was reading)? It was only on revisiting the area later that I realized the adjacent blocks and upper stories of the strip we saw actually contain Chinese immigrants who live and work there. I even passed a park full of clusters of men playing "Chinese chess" (not majong, but close enough, if you've read JLC).

Then it was off to shopping, including my favorite (H&M) and--of all places--the nicest Walgreens I've ever seen...

A fresh panini and latte bar? We're totally getting shafted in TN.

Our last stop was the hotel restaurant for a late-night dessert, because WE DID NOT HAVE ANY CHILDREN TO KEEP US IN THE ROOM.

Oh, and I'm now a fan of cheese plates.

Day 3? Napa.

San Francisco

Our SF-based reading/viewing selections

On our 15th Anniversary, Josh finally told me why he'd reserved the first weekend in June on my calendar. San Francisco, Baby! He was extending a work trip to include a long weekend with me, so he booked the flights and childcare while I prepared our household for 5 days without me (Ah!).

We flew out early Friday morning, and I spent those 4 lovely hours on the plane NOT keeping someone else entertained (ahhh). We had a quick stop in Los Angeles where I paid $18 for a sandwich (ah!) while listening to a Nashville country star's music blasting through the airport (take that, LA!).

We were in San Francisco by noon, and enjoying lunch at Zuni Cafe (*****) by 2pm...

Hotel Nikko

Which makes it all sound very tidy, but this first couple hours was indicative of the rest of our trip. Riding from the airport, we passed aging row-homes packed tight with no vegetation, lots of utility wires and dirt and city-ness, and then arrived at a sleek, beautiful Japanese hotel with an excellent menu. We walked the down-and-out blocks of lower Market St. to get to a delicious-local-creative-cosmopolitan food spot for our best lunch of the trip.

If there was a theme for our vacation, it was the merging of my mental San Francisco and the real thing. The cultural projection of a cosmopolitan, smart, anything-goes, wacky city on the cutting edge of everything - Sausalito, Berkeley, and Palo Alto rolled up together - was not always easy to reconcile with the city I was walking through, with tourist traps and mediocre restaurants and plenty of unkempt you-name-it.

To be fair, this is almost always true for cities so famous that I arrive with unrealistic expectations, from San Diego to Paris, New York to Rome. No one shows these pictures:

Probably no one takes these pictures. But you will see ordinary streets when you visit anywhere.

Which means I spend the first few days in a new city trying to enjoy the gritty reality and still see the romantic points behind it. Like these quirky bits of signage...

Some excelled at stating the obvious:

While others were lovably wacky:

Bottom right: Yes, those are thousands of dried leaves hanging from the ceiling of a restaurant in Little Italy. We did not eat there.

The first evening we took one of the famous old cable cars (which was cool)...

 To and from Fisherman's Wharf (cold, but not so cool)...

 With a lovely crab dinner on the water,

And ice cream afterward...

It was also the first--but not the last--time we bought jackets in San Francisco. While we'd brought some on our trip, we didn't realize how much the climate varies from block to block and minute to minute. We'd leave our hotel comfortable in short-sleeves, and wind up freezing 1/2 a mile away. It could be sunny and hot everywhere but the corridor by the bridge, where it was suddenly cold and foggy. A local told us they call it "micro-climates" and someone else said they need an app, showing the weather on each street corner at any given moment. It explained why we saw so many others wearing the same cheap, touristy jackets we'd bought on the Wharf. Still, I LOVED the cool temps and wished I could have brought them home with me!

Next up? That famous black-and-gold (??) bridge in San Francisco, Day 2! ;)