Friday, January 31, 2025

Zócalo

Trying to figure out how we are going to navigate the next couple of months(?) without a kitchen, Sharon and I finished the day with dinner at Zocalo University Village. We both had enchiladas. I had a mix of Mole Enchiladas, Enchiladas Guanajuato and Enchiladas Rojas.

Kitchen Remodel - Day #3

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Sharon and Laura

Starting at the Nimbus Flat State Recreation Area Parking Lot, Sharon and Laura hiked five plus miles along the south side of Lake Natoma on Wednesday afternoon. Afterwards, they had appetizers at Shangri-la.

Kitchen Remodel - Day #1

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Golftec

I had a Golftec lesson on Tuesday morning. I actually feel like I am making progress on my swing. At Sea Ranch and Turkey Creek, I was more consistent. I am making better contact. I still need to get my swing to be more in to out. The lesson focused on using my right hip and right knee to shift my body weight to support an in to out swing.

Kitchen Remodel - Day #0 - So It Begins...

The contractors start working on the kitchen remodel tomorrow morning. The house is in disarray...

Sunday, January 26, 2025

Packing up the Kitchen and Laundry Room

Over the last year, Sharon has been planning a kitchen remodel. With Velta's help on Saturday, we spent most of Saturday and Sunday packing up the kitchen and laundry room. Having lived in the house for almost thirteen years, there is an astonishing amount of stuff in the kitchen. I need to count all of the boxes, but I think that we packed up more than fifty small and medium sized boxes. The kitchen remodel is scheduled to start on Tuesday or Wedneday.

Saturday, January 25, 2025

California Historical Landmark #307

I explored this waymark on Day Ten of our California Road Trip.

Casa de la Guerra
California State Historical Landmark #307

See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
See this location on Google Maps

This landmark is located at 15 East de la Guerra Street, Santa Barbara, California. There are 16 other California State Historical Landmarks in San Barbara County. The GPS coordinates for this location are 34° 25' 12.7" N 119° 41' 56.4" W.

You can log your site to this site at waymarking.com!

California Historical Landmark #307
A common council was duly elected near this site on August 26, 1850, two weeks before California statehood. The City of Santa Barbara held its first official meeting here in 1875, the first city hall was erected here, and the area is still center of city's governmental activities. The plaza was the scene of early Santa Barbara fiestas, and the hospitality at the de la Guerra house set standards for Santa Barbara.

Marker erected by California Centennials Commission in cooperation with Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara, and Santa Barbara Historical Society.

Dedicated August 26, 1950.


California Historical Landmark #307

Friday, January 24, 2025

At Turkey Creek Golf Club


Holly, Van, Sharon and I played Turkey Creek Golf Club on Friday afternoon. Sharon and I played there in 2015 with the Sanborns. We teed off at 12:10 pm. As usual with Holly and Van, I rode with Van and Sharon rode with Holly.

I was generally pretty happy with how I played. I am definitely striking the ball more consistently. Using a couple of mulligans on the tee, I ended up with a liberally scored 104. It took us just under five hours to play.

The four of us finished the day with dinner at Q1227. Sharon and I split a KALE SALAD WITH PECORINO AND WALNUTS VGGFA [kale ribbons, golden raisins, toasted walnuts, housemate bread crumbs, pecorino cheese, garlic lemon juice, evoo]. For entrees, I had CHEF Q'S JAMBALAYA [andouille sausage, chicken, shrimp, crablegs, clams, mussels, spicy tomato broth, salmon trim, saffron rice], while Sharon had WEEKEND ROASTED CHICKEN [half mary's free range chicken, herbs de provence, shallots, fresh herbs, fingerling potatoes].

Thursday, January 23, 2025

Celebrating Sharon's Birthday


After a hectic eight days at Sea Ranch and in San Francisco, Sharon and I ended the day celebrating her birthday.

She asked me to make Juicy Lucy Burgers with special sauce for dinner. These are the same burgers that we made for Jack's birthday last year. I got eclair's from Whole Foods for dessert.

For presents, I got Sharon several practical gifts, including a external iPhone battery and an adaptor for our trip to Japan and a couple dozen golf balls.

We finished the night watching a couple of episodes of season three of Hacks.

Sharon and Tom's 2025 San Francisco Adventure - Day #3

Sharon and her brother Tom spent a second night at the Presido Lodge.

They had breakfast at George's Donuts & Merriment.

Sharon has home in the early afternoon.

2025 Oscar Nominations

Best Picture
    ✔ Anora
    ✔ The Brutalist
    ✔ A Complete Unknown
    ✔ Conclave
    ✔ Dune: Part Two
    ✔ Emilia Perez
    I'm Still Here
    Nickel Boys
    ✔ The Substance
    ✔ Wicked: Part One


Best Actress
    ✔ Cynthia Erivo - Wicked: Part One
    ✔ Karla Sofia Gascon - Emilia Perez
    ✔ Mikey Madison - Anora
    ✔ Demi Moore - The Substance
    Fernanda Torres - I'm Still Here


Best Actor
    ✔ Adrien Brody - The Brutalist
    ✔ Timothee Chalamet - A Complete Unknown
    ✔ Colman Domingo - Sing Sing
    ✔ Ralph Fiennes - Conclave
    ✔ Sebastian Stan - The Apprentice


Best Supporting Actress
    ✔ Monica Barbaro - A Complete Unknown
    ✔ Ariana Grande - Wicked: Part One
    ✔ Felicity Jones - The Brutalist
    ✔ Isabella Rossellini - Conclave
    ✔ Zoe Saldana - Emilia Perez


Best Supporting Actor
    ✔ Yura Borisov - Anora
    ✔ Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain
    ✔ Edward Norton - A Complete Unknown
    ✔ Guy Pearce - The Brutalist
    ✔ Jeremy Strong - The Apprentice


Best Director
    ✔ Sean Baker - Anora
    ✔ Brady Corbet - The Brutalist
    ✔ James Mangold - A Complete Unknown
    ✔ Jacques Audiard - Emilia Perez
    ✔ Coralie Fargeat - The Substance


Best Adapted Screenplay
    ✔ A Complete Unknown
    ✔ Conclave
    ✔ Emilia Perez
    Nickel Boys
    ✔ Sing Sing


Best Original Screenplay
    ✔ Anora
    ✔ The Brutalist
    ✔ A Real Pain
    September 5
    ✔ The Substance


Best International Feature Film
    I'm Still Here
    The Girl with the Neddle
    ✔ Emilia Perez
    The Seed of the Sacred Fig
    Flow


Previous Year's Oscar Nominations

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Lunch with Snipes and Tomasin

Snipes and I drove to Vallejo and met Tomasin for lunch at the Sardine Can.

Sharon and Tom's 2025 San Francisco Adventure - Day #2

With works that exuded cool elegance and transgressive sensuality, Tamara de Lempicka (1894–1980) helped define Art Deco. Her paintings captured the glamour and vitality of postwar Paris and the cosmopolitan sheen of Hollywood celebrity. This exhibition — the first major museum retrospective of Lempicka in the United States — explores the artist’s distinctive style and unconventional life through four major chapters. The more than 100 artworks on display range from her post-Cubist work in 1920s Paris to her most famous nudes and portraits to the melancholic still lifes and interiors of her final days in the United States and Mexico. Including an in-depth look at the artist’s drawings and studies, this exhibition reveals the creative process behind her iconic paintings.

Sharon and Tom spent the night at the Presido Lodge.

After having breakfast at lodge, their focus for the day was the Tamara de Lempicka exhibition at the de Young.

They walked in Golden Gate Park after touring the exhibition and the museum.

Sharon and Tom finished the day having dinner at Dalida. Located down the block from the Presido Lodge, Sharon said that it was the best meal that she has had in some time.

We are planning to go to dinner there with Holly and Van in February.

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Sharon and Tom's 2025 San Francisco Adventure - Day #1

Sharon and her brother Tom took off midday for a couple of days in San Francisco. They headed to the Lodge at the Presido. They are spending two nights there. Sharon and I stayed at the lodge in 2021.

Jack took an Uber to meet them at the Lodge. Jack got a chance to see the Lodge and the room. The three of them took advantage of the wine and cheese reception.

Jack, Tom and Sharon took an Uber to an early dinner at the Foreign Cinema. We held Jack's birthday party there in 2023.

The movie playing was Austin Powers, International Man of Mystery. For the entree, Sharon had the Grilled Heritage pork chop [butternut squash purée, crispy Brussels spouts, sage butter, frilly mustard greens].

Ubering back to the Lodge, they dropped Jack at his apartment and crashed early.

Monday, January 20, 2025

2025 Sea Ranch - Day #5


My goal for the morning was to go for a run. As I have said repeatedly, with fifty miles of trails, Sea Ranch is my favorite place in the world to run. Being able to run along the bluffs on the ocean for miles and miles is so cool.

Running north from the house, I covered 3.25 miles in 46:39. I averaged 13:37. This pace is not much different from my longer run last year. My body felt better than I expected.


Kevin and Donna went out for a walk. Sharon also went out separately.

After a quick breakfast of the left-over breakfast hash, we started to pack up the house. We pulled away from Monette about 10:25 am.

With Sharon driving, we decided to passby the cliffs. We took Timbercove Road to Seaview Road to Fort Ross Road to Myers Grade Road to Highway 1. There were two long stops for road construction on Highway 1: North of Timbercove, and; North of Jenner. Changing drivers in Bodega Bay, we drove through a Taco Bell in Petaluma. In spite of the Martin Luther King Day holiday, it was a very easy drive home. There were no slow downs at any of the normal gore points. We pulled up to the house a little after 3:00 pm.

After picking up Tiber from boarding, Sharon and I finished the night watching Ohio State beat Notre Dame in the College Football Payoffs by the score of 34 to 23.

Sunday, January 19, 2025

2025 Sea Ranch - Day #4


Sharon made a hash with eggs, potatoes, cheese and sausages for breakfast.

The plan for the day was a longer hike. We drove to a parking lot on Solstice near the Del Mar recreation center. We hiked along the bluffs and up Salal Creek through the golf course. It seemed like we could see the seventh and ninth fairways more than we could before. We looped through Gaulala Point Regional Park. We made a quick stop at the visitors center; it wasn't open. We stopped for a light lunch and some wine on a rest log overlooking the ocean. Although the sun tried to come out several times, it was cloudy.

In total, we covered 5.3 miles in just over three hours. We had about two hours and twenty-four minutes of moving time. We did a similar hike with Holly and Van in 2021.


Back at the house, we had a lazy afternoon. Kevin and I used the hot tub. Sharon and Donna worked on a puzzle. We watched the Eagles beat the Rams by the score of 28 to 22 and then part of the Bills versus Ravens game. We were watching the games on my iPad. In our rush to get out of the door on Thursday, I forgot the AppleTV.

Getting cleaned up, we headed to the Sea Ranch Lodge for dinner. We intended to have a cocktail before dinner, but the place was overrun. With only one bartender, it was chaos. We sat for more than thirty minutes and finally just went to our table.

The four of us split Focaccia & Marinated Olives. Sharon and I split a Chicory Salad [d’Anjou & Asian pears, Fennel, Pt. Reyes Blue, Candied Walnuts, & Cider Maple Vinaigrette]. For entrees, I had Spaghetti with Dungeness Crab, while Sharon had Braised Short Ribs. Kevin and Donna split Fried Brussels Sprouts [Walnut, Fresno Chili, & Anchovy Relish]. For entrees, Kevin had New York Steak, while Donna had Farm Oyster Mushroom Risotto.

We finished the night playing Mexican Train Dominos. I won three of the four games to easily win the evening. We crashed about 10:30 pm.

Saturday, January 18, 2025

2025 Sea Ranch - Day #3


Donna and Kevin made scrambled eggs for breakfast. The plan for the day was to play golf. With the Sea Ranch Golf Links closing on January 5, we made a tee time for the Little River Golf Course more than an hour north. At dinner at the lodge on Thursday night, the waitress said that people were continuing to walk on and play tghe Sea Ranch Course. On Friday on our way back from Gaulala, we stopped and talked to a local in the Sea Ranch Golf Links parking lot. He said that they weren't chasing people on the course. Additionally, they are continuing to mow the fairways and the greens and move the pins every day!

Although we didn't have pull carts, we decided to pivot and play the Sea Ranch course. We walked and carried our clubs. It was a little surreal. There was no one on the course. It was very quiet and peaceful. The course was in very good shape. A single caught up with us on sixth. On the ninth tee, there was a group of more than a dozen people hitting balls.


Unlike Thursday at the Links at Bodega Harbour, I was very happy with how I played. I was making solid contact. I parred three holes. Both Kevin and I hit safely over the ravine on the eighth hole. I had a fairly honestly scored 50. I really enjoyed the round!


We had a late lunch on the deck on the back of the house. The weather was gorgeous.


In the late afternoon, we hiked the Sea Meadow Trail to Pebble Beach. We walked down on to the beach. Heading back, we stopped to watch the sunset.


We had a nice dinner of oysters, crab and left-over lasagna. While Kevin and I were barbecuing the oysters, one of the neighbors came up. She was worried because she smelled gas. About ten minutes later, security rolled up. He said that someone had called smelling smoke. He talked to us for a while before moving on.

We finished the night playing Oh Hell. Kevin won on the last hand. We crashed just before 10:30 pm.

Friday, January 17, 2025

2025 Sea Ranch - Day #2

Moving slow, we had a lazy breakfast watching the ocean waves break on Black Point Beach.

After breakfast, Sharon and I hiked north along the bulffs. We covered 4.2 miles in just over an hour and a half. The weather was nice, not too windy. This is a beautiful section of the coast. I brought my running stuff with me; I need to find some time to run at least once while we are here!


After the hike, we headed into Gualala. Sharon had somehow not packed her underwear. She was able to buy some at the Gualala Sport and Tackle Shop!?!

After lunch at the house, I drove the car to the Sea Ranch Lodge. I walked back.

The Gainsleys rolled up about 2:10 pm. They unloaded and got settled in the house.

Eventually, the four of us walked to lodge for a cocktail. It was the same bartender [Trace] that we met three years. Trace said that he started working at the lodge in early February of 2022.

Driving back to Monette, we had lasagna, salad and bread for dinner. Sharon had made the lasagna on Wednesday.

We finished the night playing Mexican Train Dominoes. Sharon won... It was after 11 pm by the time we crashed.

Thursday, January 16, 2025

2025 Sea Ranch - Day #1


Scrambling to get the car loaded and on the road, we pulled away from the house about 8:50 am. We are spending a long weekend at Sea Ranch to celebrate our birthdays.

The plan for the morning was to play nine holes at the Links at Bodega Harbour. We originally had a 11:30 am tee time. On the ride over, I called and slid the tee time to 11:50 am. With no stops, we pulled up into the parking lot a little after 11:15 am.

Playing by ourselves, it took us just over two hours to play nine. I was very surprised by the course. The front nine is very hilly; there is a lot of up and down. Sharon said that it reminded her of Apple Mountain without the trees. The views of the ocean and the coast were spectacular!

Sharon and I both struggled. I was very inconsistent. I had a number of shots that I was very happy with and an equal number that were awlful. I ended up with a very, very liberally scored 54.

After a quick stop at the Tides Restaurant for some smoked salmon, we headed towards Sea Ranch. Very unusually, we took Sharon's car and she drove the whole way.

We pulled into Gualala about 3:30 pm. After picking up the key, we did some shopping at the Surf Market. Afterwards, we headed into Sea Ranch. We are spending four nights at Monette. This is the fourth time that we have stayed at this house.


After getting settled in the house and enjoying the sunset, we headed to the Sea Ranch Lodge for dinner. After some oysters and splitting a farm mixed green salad, Sharon had the local halibut, while I had braised short ribs.

We crashed very early...

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Celebrating My Birthday

Sharon and I had a busy day celebrating my birthday, including:
  • a leisurely breakfast at The Mimosa House (banana nut bread pancakes and Athens omelet);
  • hitting a medium bucket of golf at the Ancil Hoffman driving range;
  • a couple of Peloton bike workouts;
  • a phone call from Jack wishing me happy birthday;
  • a dermatology appointment;
  • facetiming with Drew and Carmen;
  • a very nice scallops dinner with presents (shoes, turtleneck, pants and South Africa book) and tiramisu for dessert, and;
  • watching the finale of season two of Hacks.

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Golftec

Coming out of a difficult December, I started swinging a golf club again last week. Last Friday, I hit a few balls at the Ancil Hoffman driving range. On Monday, I went to the Hagen Oaks driving range and hit a medium bucket of balls. I enjoyed using the Toptracer app.

Tuesday morning, I had a lesson at Golftec. We worked on closing my stance.

After not playing since the Wednesday before Thanksgiving with Kevin and Donna, we are scheduled to play three times in the next ten days.

Monday, January 13, 2025

Drew's Instagram Post

Andrew Heringer's Instagram Post

Rain, Oceans & Rivers (Natural Water Sounds) - Spotify

I have a clear memory of being a 12 year with a guitar in his hands. In that moment there was a certain “knowingness” that came over me that let me know that music would be my focus in life.

I’ve always been grateful for that clarity of where my passions lie and the eagerness to dedicate my life to it. The thing that is particularly striking to me now is how little of my career I could have foreseen. Especially in the last ten years - doors have continued to open to opportunities that I couldn’t have predicted.

This Joseph Campbell quote has bounced around in my head a lot the last decade. “We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.” I think of this one as I spend a lot of my days playing synthesizers making ambient music. Like wtf?! How did this path unfold?

Pivots, man. You start down a road and you constantly accumulate information about the best use of your time and energy. It’s a dance and if you embrace it I believe the universe is your partner.

Grateful for a moment to reflect and celebrate the continued musical journey into the unknown. Thanks for all the support along the way friends.