July 2022 Sea Ranch - Day #8

After breakfast, we took everyone (Jim, Debi, Greg, Michele, Sharon and I) on a hike along the bluffs. We hiked to the seal observation spot. Along the way, we took a detour to check out the house of one of Jim's clients. In total, we covered 3.8 miles in just over an hour and forty-five minutes.

We went to play pickleball after lunch. When Sharon and I played on Monday, I had reserved a court at Moonraker from 1 pm to 3 pm. We ended up playing in various combinations for more than an hour and a half.

When we got back to the house, Sharon led a subset (Jim, Debi and Michele) into a Gualala. The girls did some shopping at Red Stella.

The group had dinner at The Sea Ranch Lodge. Sharon and I split Tempura Black Cod [yuzu & sesame ponzu, aioli, lemon, sea salt] as an appetizer and both had a Pork Chop [flageolet beans, baby carrots, broccolini, smoked bacon, napa cabbage, caramelized onion & whole grain mustard sauce] for the entree.

Back at house, the group ended up listening to music and dancing. While Greg and Jim are much more into music than I am, I ended up playing a number of songs from the Soundtrack for My Life. It was after 11:30 pm before we crashed.

July 2022 Sea Ranch - Day #7

For the third time this trip, we played golf at the Sea Ranch Golf Links. Jim, Debi, Sharon and I had a 9:30 am time.

Struggling on the range, I was bad on the front nine. I settled down and played a lot better on the back nine. I continue to struggle with keeping my head down. I ended up with a liberally scored 108.

It was a slow round. Waiting more than half an hour for some sandwiches, it took us more than five hours and fifteen minutes to play eighteen.

Greg and Michele rolled up about 4 pm. After they got settled in, Michele made clam linguine for dinner.

The six of us ended the day playing Codenames. It was almost midnight by the time we crashed.

July 2022 Sea Ranch - Day #6

I pushed Sharon to hike the Bobcat Trail; you can do hard stuff. This is a trail that we had never hiked before. It included several parts marked as steep. It turned out to be a nice hike with several sections along fern covered ravines and through a redwood grove. We covered 3.7 miles in just under two hours. A map is here. A Relive! is here.

After the hike, we headed into Gualala for groceries for dinner.

After lunch, we cleaned up the house. After a couple of days by ourselves, we have some neighbors coming for the rest of the week.

I drove the Volvo up to the lodge and ran back.

Jim and Debbie rolled up about 3 pm. After they got settled, the four of us walked up to the Lodge for a cocktail. We had a nice time visiting with our new favorite bartender [Ren].

Sharon made lingcod, rice and aspargus for dinner. The four of us finished the night playing Codenames. We had played Codenames with Holly and Van at Sea Ranch last year.

July 2022 Sea Ranch - Day #5

Sharon and I decided to slip in nine holes of golf on Tuesday morning. We had a 9:30 am tee time.

I felt pretty solid on the range and got off to a great start. I hit three good shots and was on the green in regulation on the par five first hole. Over the course of the morning, I was better than Saturday, but still wildly inconsistent. On the par three eighth over the ravine, I hit my first shot into the ravine, but then dropped a six iron about ten feet behind the flag with a mulligan. Sharon hit safely on the eighth to the right edge. I ended up with a very liberally scored 52.

It was a beautiful morning. The only problem was that we were behind a couple of foursomes of the women's league. They were playing very slowly. On the greens, some of them wanted the flag in and some wanted the flag out. They would put the flag in for someone to putt and then take it out for the next person to putt and then put it back in. I have never sat and waited as much in my life.

After golf, we went to Trinks for lunch. Sharon had a B B L T (Smoked Bacon, Blue Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Mayo, On a Sourdough Baguette), while I had a MOMS TURKEY (Turkey, Cranberry, Lettuce, Honey Mustard, Mayo, On Ciabatta).

On the way back to the house, we made a stop to look for several Sea Ranch architectural markers. Sharon also wanted to stop at the gift shop at the lodge.

Drew, Jack and I played played Catan in the afternoon. Over the course of two hours, we played three games. Drew won them all! While we were playing, Sharon finished her puzzle.

We got a build your pizza from Upper Crust Pizzeria in Gualala. We finished the night watching Love Story. In real life, Ali MacGraw was married to Bob Evans, head of Paramount Studios, in the early 1970s. As fictional characters, they both appeared in The Offer and there was a lot of discussion about the film.

Catan with Drew and Jack

July 2022 Sea Ranch - Day #4

A very active day!

After Sharon made a great aspargus, goat cheese and smoked salmon omelette for breakfast, the day included:

• a Peloton core workout;
• a Peloton lower body stretch;
• a five mile run along the bluffs;
• an hour of pickle ball at Moonraker, and;
• a mile and half hike to Black Point Beach and back for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres on the beach.

We cooked salmon for dinner. We finished the day watching the last two episodes (nine and ten) of The Offer.

At Black Point Beach

July 2022 Sea Ranch - Day #3

The Gainsleys rolled early. Donna was scheduled to fly to Las Vegas early Monday morning. After they left, Sharon and I watched the end of the British Open. Cameron Smith edged out Cameron Young and Rory McIlroy to win the Claret Jug.

After the tournament ended, Sharon and I headed into Gualala to get for some provisions for the week. Sharon did some shopping at Red Stella.

Back at house, I eventually got Sharon to go out for hike north along the buffs. We stopped and took a break just beyond Kyuka. In total, we covered 5.8 miles in just over two hours.

For dinner, I barbecued a spatchcocked chicken. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it turned out. We finished the night watching episodes seven and eight of The Offer.

July 2022 Sea Ranch - Day #2

The plan for the day was golf at the Sea Ranch Golf Links course. Kevin, Donna, Sharon and I rolled from the house about 8:45 am. We hit a bucket of balls and then teed off about 9:45 am.

Although I haven't played in two months, I felt pretty good on the driving range. I started the first hole (a par five) with two solid shots. Unfortunately, I really struggled off the tee for the rest of the round. The one positive note was the chipper that I bought; I was using it very effective around the greens.

I ended up with a fairly honestly scored 113. I was frankly surprised my score wasn't higher. I had 9s on the back to back par 5 on the back nine... While Kevin was in the sand often, I spent a lot of time in the trees. It was a slow round; it took five hours and fifteen minutes.

After golf, we relaxed at the house. Getting cleaned up, we headed to the Sea Ranch Lodge for a drink and early dinner. We split Seared Scallops, Lingcod and Bread & Olive Oil for appetizers. For entrees, Kevin had lamb, Donna had mushroom fettuccine, Sharon had salmon and I had duck. I rarely order duck.

For the second night in a row, we finished the day in the hot tub.

10th Anniversary

One of my favorite photos and an extraordinary experience is included in Drew's post about the ten year anniversary of the first Milo Greene album release.

July 2022 Sea Ranch - Day #1

Sharon and I rolled from Carmichael about 8:15 am. We met the Gainsleys at Donum Estates for a tasting. Although it feels longer, we have been wine club members at Donum since 2017. The four of us did an experience tasting that includes a walk around the property.


We stopped for lunch in Bodega Bay. Sharon and I brought sandwiches that we picked up at Whole Foods. We shopped for oysters and smoked salmon at the Tides Wharf Fish Market.

We rolled in Gualala just before 3 pm to pick up the key. We are spending eight nights at Monette. We stayed in the same house in February.

After unloading and settling into the house, the four of us walked to the Sea Ranch Lodge and had a drink at the bar. It was very windy on the walk back to the house. Sharon has always talked about how windy it is at Sea Ranch in the summer.

For dinner, Kevin barbecued oysters and steaks. Donna baked a couple of potatoes and Sharon made a salad. We finished the night in the hot tub. When we were here in February, Sharon never went into the hot tub...

Greater Sacramento CIO/CTO Roundtable

Wednesday eventing, I attended the Greater Sacramento CIO/CTO Roundtable at Granite City Co-Working in Folsom. The group is organized by Dave San/ders and Eric Wil/son. I have known Dave since the late 1980s when I was working for the Western Farm Credit Bank.

I participated in a panel discussion on innovation. The panelist included: David Prin/zing CTO at Zicasso; Steve Birg/feld VP of Information Services at Blue Diamond; Kinesh Dos/hi CEO from Accion Labs, and; myself.

California Historical Landmark #192

While we were in San Francisco in December, I did a walkabout and found eight different California Historical Markers, including: #88 Niantic Hotel; #90 Fort Gunnybags; #462 Site of First Jewish Religious Services in San Francisco; #408 Site of the the first Meeting of Freemasons held in California; #453 Lucas, Turner & Co. Bank; #192 El Dorado, Park House and Dennison's Exchange; #500 EASTERN TERMINUS OF CLAY STREET HILL RAILROAD; and, #119 PORTSMOUTH PLAZA.

El Dorado, Park House and Dennison's Exchange
California State Historical Landmark #192
See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
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This landmark is located at 750 Kearny St at Merchant, San Francisco, California. There are 48 other California State Historical Landmarks in San Francisco County. The GPS coordinates for this location are 37° 47' 41.5" N 122° 24' 17.5" W.


The 'El Dorado,' the 'Parker House,' and 'Dennison's Exchange' were among the most famous hotel and gambling resorts around San Francisco in the early 1850s. The Jenny Lind Theatre replaced the Parker House in 1850.

The third Jenny Lind Theatre was opened by Tom Maguire on October 4, 1851, on the same site as the two preceding it, which were destroyed in the fires of 1851. In 1852 the City of San Francisco purchased this theatre for use as the city hall.

Silverado Resort Instagram

The Silverado Resort posted a picture on their instagram feed that I took of Sharon when we played there with Holly and Van in late March.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Silverado Resort and Spa (@silveradoresort)

Sharon and Holly to Napa

Sharon and Holly spent the day in Napa. They had lunch at Bouchon Bistro and tasted at Bouchine Vineyards.

2022 San Francisco - Day #3

Sharon and I wandered down to the gym at the hotel. I ran 3.5 miles in 48 minutes. Running on the treadmill, I watched the end of the Wimbledon men's final. Novak Djokovic beat Nick Kyrgios.

After getting cleaned up and packing up the room, we met Jack for breakfast at Cafe le Presse [Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict]. From there, Sharon and I walked down to Union Square and wandered through several stores.

Checking out of the hotel, we picked up Jack at his apartment and headed to Orinda. We stopped at Drew's house to drop Jack off and see the new kitten. Drew and Jack are going to a Fleet Foxes concert at the Greek Theater on Sunday night.

With the traffic fairly light, we were back in Carmichael before 4 pm. It is nice to have both Jack and Drew so close! Shortly after we got home, Sharon and I facetimed with Lee, Morgan and Daniel.

2022 San Francisco - Day #2

With Sharon sleeping late, I went down to the work out room in the hotel. I ran four miles in 57 minutes on the treadmill. I watched the end of the women's Wimbledon finale. Elena Rybakina defeated Ons Jabeur. I was fascinated by the fact that Rybakina was a head taller than Jabeur [6' versus 5' 6"].

After getting cleaned up, Sharon and I walked west on Californa to Jack's apartment. We made a quick stop for scones and crossiants at Souvenir Coffee on Larkin Street.

We got a chance to see Jack and Jason's apartment. It is on Hyde Street above the Cable Car line.

The plan for the day was to hike the middle section of the SF Crosstown Trail. We hiked the whole trail last summer, but Sharon talked about coming back and hiking the Golden Gate Heights section again when it was clear.

We caught an Uber from Jack's apartment to the Rose Garden in Golden Gate Park. From there, we headed south on the trail. This section includes the Hidden Garden and 16th Avenue/Moraga Tiled Stairways. With a clear day, we had some interesting views.

In total, we hiked a little over four miles in just under two hours. We had a late lunch at Foodee Burger in the Forest Hill neighborhood. Sharon and Jack had burgers, while I had a spicy tuna sandwich. They had an interesting selection of beers from Vietnam and Cambodia.

We took an Uber back to the Ritz Carlton. Sharon and I took a nap and then got cleaned up for dinner.

We met Jack in the Ritz Carlton bar and then walked down California to dinner. Just as we were walking up to the restaurant, Drew pulled up to the valet. The four of us had dinner at Perbacco.

We split BURRATA CHEESE [heirloom tomato - peaches - spring onion - red shiso - levian crisp] and FRITTO MISTO [crisp fry of shrimp - maitake mushrooms - haricots verts - fennel - olives - lemon aijoli] for appetizers.

For the pasta course, I had RIGATONCINI NERI [squid ink semolina pasta - octopus sugo - fennel - orange], Jack had TORTELLI CON FEGATO D'ANATRA [pasta parcels filled with truffled duck liver mousse - blueberries hazlenuts - sherry vinegar] and Drew had PAPPARDELLE [wide pasta ribbons - slow cooked short rib ragu - scallion - horseradish crema]. My pasta was very good.

For entrees, Jack, Drew and I split ROASTED PORK LOIN [onion passato - apricots - roasted and pickled kholrabi], while Sharon had MT LASSEN TROUT [charred spigarello - celery root puree - meyer lemon - caper brown butter - sunflower seeds and sprouts].

For dessert, we split LEMON VERBENA PANNA COTTA [lemon curd - brown sugar crunch - blackberry and blueberry - blackberry yuzu sorbetto] and APRICOT CRISP.

Drew drove us back to the hotel. Sharon and I crashed just after 10 pm.

2022 San Francisco - Day #1

With Jack now living in San Francisco, We planned a weekend in the city. Rolling from Carmichael about 1:15 pm, we were in the city and at the hotel by 3:30 pm. We took Sharon's car and switched drivers in Vallejo. We are spending two nights at the Ritz Carlton on Marriott points.

After getting settled in the room, we wandered down to the bar. Sharon and I had hiked up to the Ritz when we were in San Francisco last June. We had a snack and a drink. Eventually, Jack joined us.

From the hotel, the three of us walked down California to the Harborview Restaurant for dinner. It was an odd experience. The place was packed and very loud. It was the kind of place where the wait staff isn't much help. We ended up starting with STEAMED KUROBUTA PORK SOUP DUMPLINGS and STEAMED SHRIMP DUMPLINGS. For entrees, we had LIVE DUNGENESS CRAB WITH SALT AND PEPPER (SIGNATURE DISH), SOYA SAUCE BEAN CURD and VEGETABlE NOODLES. I also had a wonton soup.

Walking back to the hotel up Sacramento street, we crashed about 10 pm.

River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile

My book for July was River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile by Candice Millard.

The author wrote one of my favorite books: The River of Doubt. I have read and enjoyed two other books that she wrote: Hero of the Empire: The Boer War, a Daring Escape, and the Making of Winston Churchill and Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President.

Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke were sent by the Royal Geographical Society to search for the source of the White Nile in East Africa. Burton spoke twenty-nine languages and was a decorated soldier. He was also mercurial, subtle, and an iconoclastic atheist. Speke was a young aristocrat and Army officer determined to make his mark. He was passionate about hunting and Burton’s opposite in temperament and beliefs. Their styles clashed during the expedition. Afterwards, they ended up as bitter rivals.

I didn't enjoy this book as much as Millard's first three books, but it is an interesting story. I was shocked at how sick both Burton and Speke were during their travels in Africa.

[Note to self], there is a monument to Speke in Kensington Gardens. I am going to look for it the next time we are in London [October 2023?].

A rough four weeks

Four weeks ago, I tested positive for COVID. The result was a lost ten days.

A week ago, I had mohs surgery to remove a spot on my face. The procedure turned out to be more extensive than I anticipated. The instructions included not lifting anything heavy or working out for a week...

It has been a rough four weeks.

Volvo XC60 T8 - Day #1,346

The Volvo is perfect for running errands around town. I haven't used a drop of gas in the last week.

2022 Frame Family Fourth of July

Sharon's brother Tom hosted a Frame Family 4th of July. The group totaled nineteen, including: Sharon and I, Tom, Eric and Ashley, Kevin, Leah, Lydia and Amelia, Terry and Steve, Tim and Kathy, Erin and Cormac, Will and Eileen, Mary and Jim.

Tom barbecued chicken sausage and barts for dinner. We brought potato salad.

We finished the night with a selection of fireworks on Tom's driveway. The fireworks were generally disappointing.

When we got home, we saw the last part of the second night of the Rancho Cordova fireworks display. Sharon talked about hosting Fourth of July at our house next year and enjoying this show, rather than shooting off fireworks in the driveway...

Ancil Hoffman Neighborhood Golf Outing

Sunday afternoon, Sharon and I played golf with Jim and Debi and Mike and Jill at Ancil Hoffman. We have done a neighbor golf outing/tournament a couple of times in the last two years [September 2021, April 2021 and July 2020].

Still recovering from mohs surgery on Wednesday, I just chipped and putted on most of the holes. I experimented with the chipper around the greens. On the par threes, I hit off the tee. Teeing off at 3 pm, we only played 15 holes.

After golf, we hosted everyone at our house for dinner. Sharon made a great dinner of salmon and rice. Jim and Debi made a charcuterie plate. Mike and Jill made a grilled caesar salad and a peach cobbler.

We finished the night on the upper balcony watching the Rancho Cordova fireworks.

Zinfandel Grille plus The Offer

After spending the day getting ready to entertain on Sunday, Sharon and I had dinner at the Zinfandel Grille. We spilt a CAESAR SALAD [Romaine Hearts, Garlic Croutons And Shaved Parmesan]. For entrees, I had SHELLFISH & SAFFRON RISOTTO [Shrimp, Clams, Calamari, Parmesan], while Sharon had TAGLIATELLE [Pork Bolognese, Crescenza cheese, Bread Crumb]. Sharon rarely orders pasta...

We finished the evening watching episode three of the The Offer. The miniseries is about the development and production of The Godfather (1972).

Bill Simmons on the 2022 Sacramento Kings

That’s like one of those weird international teams that would kick the shit out of the USA in the 2002-2006 range. I kinda dig it.

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) July 1, 2022

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Tuesday night, Sharon and I watched the last episode of the Obi-Wan Kenobi miniseries.

Obi-Wan Kenobi was created for the streaming service Disney+. It is part of the Star Wars franchise and stars Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi reprising his role from the Star Wars prequel trilogy.

Set ten years after the events of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), the series follows Kenobi as he sets out to rescue the kidnapped Princess Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair) from the Galactic Empire, leading to a confrontation with his former apprentice, Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen).

I enjoyed watching Ewan McGregor. Drew noted that he and Carmen were saying how they left the last episode feeling a little underwhelmed because the stakes are so low when you know that everyone is going to survive. It was fortuitous that we watched Revenge of the Sith right before the miniseries started. It will be interesting to see if they do a second season.

The Untouchables

With Sharon out to dinner with Holly and feeling under the weather, I watched The Untouchables. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards. Sean Connery won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

The Untouchables is a 1987 crime film directed by Brian De Palma and written by David Mamet. It is based on the 1957 book of the same name.

The film stars Kevin Costner [Dances with Wolves, Yellowstone], Charles Martin Smith, Andy García, Robert De Niro, and Sean Connery. It follows Eliot Ness (Costner) as he forms the Untouchables team to bring Al Capone (De Niro) to justice during Prohibition.

I recommend the movie. I have always enjoyed Sean Connery and watched the movie primarily because he won an Oscar for his role in the film. I was surprised to see a young Kevin Costner in the lead role.

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith

In May, Jack got us to watch Revenge of the Sith. The three of us originally saw it in the theater in 2005.

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith was written and directed by George Lucas. It stars Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker and Frank Oz.

The sequel to The Phantom Menace (1999) and Attack of the Clones (2002), It is the sixth film in the Star Wars film series and the final installment in the Star Wars prequel trilogy.

Anakin Skywalker is tasked by the Council to spy on Palpatine, the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic and, secretly, a Sith Lord. Palpatine manipulates Anakin into turning to the dark side of the Force and becoming his apprentice, Darth Vader.

I have always enjoyed the first fifteen minutes of this film. It was the perfect set up for watching the Obi-Wan Kenobi miniseries on Disney+. We finished watching episode six of Obi-Wan Kenobin on Tuesday night.

2022 Sacramento Kings NBA Draft Grades

The Sacramento Kings pick of Keegan Murray over Jaden Ivey has been almost universally frowned upon. The argument is that they should have either taken Ivey or traded down to team who wanted Ivey. Personally, I didn't want the Kings to draft another guard.

[Note to self], I am going to track Murray versus Ivey over the next couple of years. Hopefully, it won't turn out to be another "one pick away from greatness."

Dinner at Kim and Brun's

Sunday night, we had dinner at Kim and Brun's in River Park. Their daughters Sarah and Velta joined us. Brun barbecued salmon.

We spent part of the evening looking through old pictures. We finished the night watching a video that Brun et al made in high school that featured Sharon's brother Tim.

Pickleball

Sunday morning, Sharon and I played pickleball with Greg, Michelle, Jim and Debi.

One Pick Away From Greatness

The Sacramento Kings have always been one pick away from greatness over the past decade.

• 2011: drafted Jimmer Fredette 10th and Klay Thompson went 11th
• 2012: drafted Thomas Robinson 5th and Damian Lillard went 6th
• 2018: drafted Marvin Bagley III 2nd and Luka Doncic went 3rd

Neighborhood Pool Get Together

The Hugo is a slightly alcoholic aperitif, originating in South Tyrol, but widespread in Triveneto, Austria, Switzerland and Germany, based of prosecco, elderflower syrup (or lemon balm syrup), seltzer (or sparkling water) and mint leaves. Stir together over plenty of ice.

Sharon organized get together at the Deterding Ranch neighborhood pool on Friday evening. She made Hugos for everyone.

The group included Mike and Jill, Greg and Michele, Jim and Debi, Sharon and I.

Yellowstone - Season Four

Sharon and I finished watching season four of Yellowstone. We have watched a lot of Yellowstone over the last couple of months... We finished season one in September of 2021, season two in March of 2022 and season three in late May.

Yellowstone was created by Taylor Sheridan and John Linson. Season four premiered on November 7, 2021. Much to my regret, the series has been renewed for a fifth season which is set to premiere on November 13, 2022.

Yellowstone stars Kevin Costner [Dances with Wolves], Wes Bentley, Kelly Reilly, Luke Grimes, Cole Hauser, and Gil Birmingham.

The series follows the conflicts along the shared borders of a large cattle ranch, a Native reservation, and land developers. Kevin Costner as John Dutton stars as a sixth-generation patriarch who operates the Yellowstone/Dutton Ranch.

The series has fostered several spin-offs, including 1883 and 6666. To introduce the new series 1883 to Yellowstone viewers, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill reprised their roles as James and Margaret Dutton in flashback scenes during the fourth season of Yellowstone to show what life was like on the Dutton ranch in 1893. Additionally, a subplot involving Jefferson White as Jimmy Hurdstrom is set at the 6666 Ranch.

As I have said before, I find about half of the plot unrealistic and outrageous. I don't recommend the show.

Top Gun: Maverick

On Father's Day morning, Jack, Sharon and I went to see Top Gun: Maverick at the Country Club Cinema. We had watched the original 1986 Top Gun on Saturday night.

The sequel stars Tom Cruise as Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell reprising his role from the original. It includes Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, Ed Harris, and Val Kilmer. I was surprised to see Jon Hamm with such a large role in the movie.

Set 36 years after its predecessor, it follows Maverick's return to the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program. Cruise trains a group of younger aviators for a suicide mission, among them the son of Maverick's deceased best friend.

Jack and Sharon both really liked the movie. When it was over, Jack said "that was awesome." Sharon liked it a lot more than the original...

Lee

To San Francisco

Jack has moved from Washington DC to San Francisco. He moved out of his apartment in DC in March. Jack and a high school friend Jason got an apartment in the city on Hyde Street in May.

On Monday, they rented a U-Haul truck. They dragged a bunch of their stuff to the new apartment.

Father's Day 2022

A nice Father's Day.

After watching Top Gun on Saturday night, Jack, Sharon and I went to an early 10 am showing of Top Gun: Maverick at the Country Club Cinema. Buying tickets on Friday night, I was surprised to find only seats available in the first two rows. We sat in B7, B8 and B9 in theater 10.

Over the course of the weekend, Sharon and I watched the US Open from The Country Club in Boston. Sharon was rooting for Will Zalatoris; she had followed him at the PGA Championship. Matt Fitzpatrick won. He beat Zalatoris by a stroke.

After running on the treadmill, I connected with Drew, Lee, Morgan and Daniel on Facetime. It was nice to talk to them. It warms my heart that Lee greeted me chatting Fazha.

Jack, Drew and I played Catan. I thought that I was doing well in the first game, but Jack came out of nowhere to win. Drew won the second game going away.

I barbecued hamburgers for dinner.

Jack, Sharon and I finished the day watching episodes four and five of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Top Gun [plus Paragarys]

We picked Jack up at the Amtrak station and headed to Paragary's for an early dinner. For a starter, we split an order of WOOD OVEN ROASTED MUSSELS [pilsner, garlic, Fresno chiles, toasted bread]. Sharon and I split an ENDIVE & ARUGULA salad [local cherries, Marcona almonds, avocado, ricotta salata, golden balsamic vinaigrette]. For main courses, Sharon and I both had FETTUCCINE & WILD CAUGHT GULF SHRIMP [delta asparagus, garlic, capers, lemon, hot pepper], while Jack had SPINACH & RICOTTA RAVIOLI [lemon butter, toasted walnuts, pea sprouts, parmesan] plus MAC & CHEESE [gruyere, parmesan, truffled pecorino, breadcrumbs]. We split a TARTUFO [chocolate almond shortbread, coffee ice cream bon bon] for dessert.

Planning to see the new Top Gun movie on Sunday morning, we watched the 1986 film as a rental on the AppleTV. It stars Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis, with Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards, and Tom Skerritt in supporting roles.

Cruise plays Lieutenant Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, a young naval aviator aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. He and his Radar Intercept Officer, LTJG Nick "Goose" Bradshaw (Edwards) are given the chance to train at the US Navy's Fighter Weapons School at Naval Air Station Miramar in San Diego, California.

"Take My Breath Away" by Berlin won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.

Sharon and Jack were vocal about how dated the movie looked and how bad it was. I wasn't quite so critical...

In February of 1988, a large group of us went to Mazatlan for Nooter's bachelor party. I can remember walking down the beach and one of the group started singing "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" by The Righteous Brothers to a young lady. Watching the film, it struck me that he must have done this because of the scene in this movie! I never really understood the genesis of this before.

Ten Lost Days

After testing positive for COVID on June 8, I was under the weather for five days. I tested positive for COVID again on Monday. Working to get back on my feet this week, we continued to isolate and wear masks for another five days. With all kinds of things cancelled, it feels like a lost ten days.

I tested positive for COVID again on Friday morning. At this point, I feel fine, but with a bit of a lingering cough.

Throwback Thursday - Sacramento Capitols - 1982

This picture was on one of the boards at Ricky's Celebration of Life earlier this month. I asked Gail for a copy. Ricky and I are playing for the Sacramento Capitols in early 1982. Tomasin wasn't sure who we were playing.

Rosetta Stone

In the beginning of the book that I am currently reading [River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile], it talks about the French finding the Rosetta Stone during Napoleon's campaign in Egypt. The British subsequently defeated the France army and claimed the stone. It was transported to the British Museum.

I was surprised to see the Rosetta Stone in the British Museum when we were in London in 2019.

Washoe House

Ricky's Celebration of Life was held at the Washoe House.

Washoe House
E Clampus Vitus
See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
See this location on Google Maps
This marker is located at 2840 Roblar Road, Petaluma, California. The GPS coordinates for this location are 38° 18' 52.9" N 122° 44' 08.8" W.

You can log your visit to this landmark at waymark.com.

Washoe House
Erected 1859

Located on Spanish grant Roblar de la Miseria. The pioneer hostelry was built by Robert Ayres and served as a stage coach station between Petaluma, Santa Rosa and Bodega during the early days of Sonoma County.

Yerba Buena Chapt. E Clampus Vitus
April 13, 1958

Musing

Telling Nooter a story during dinner on Tuesday night, I repeated something that I have long believed.

No matter how much time you spend with a couple and how well you think that you know them, it is impossible to understand their relationship and know what really goes on when no one else is around...

A Desolation Called Peace

My book for June was A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine. The book was nominated for 2021 Nebula Best Novel award, but didn't win. It is also nominated for 2022 Hugo Best Novel Award.

The novel is a sequel to A Memory Called Empire; I read that book in November of 2020. A Memory Called Empire won the 2020 Hugo Award for Best Novel.

The story continues to follow Mahit Dzmare, the ambassador from Lsel Station to the Teixcalaanli Empire. In the aftermat of the political upheaval in the first book, Dzmare is called upon to assist with an alien first contact.

Building on the themes from the first book in the series, the book tackles conquest and colonialism, what constitutes language, and personal connection to culture and institutions. The book also introduces the theme of collective consciousness.

The title alludes to a famous phrase by Tacitus who quotes a Caledonian chieftain describing the policies of the Roman Empire: solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant – "they make a wasteland and call it peace".

I enjoyed the book. I don't think that it is as good as the first novel in the series. It is worth reading if you read the first book.

Downton Abbey: A New Era

Saturday night, Sharon and I watched Downton Abbey: A New Era. This is a sequel to the 2019 Downton Abbey film; we watched the first movie in February of 2021. Both films are based on the television series. We watched the series over a six month period in 2020 and 2021: season one August 2020, season two early September 2020, season three late September 2020, season four October 2020 at Sea Ranch, season five December 2020 and season six January 2021.

Downton Abbey: A New Era was released in May of 2022. Sharon saw it in the theater with Janie when she was in Tulsa.

Set in 1928, the film follows two parallel story lines. First, the Dowager Countess of Grantham reveals that years ago the recently deceased Marquis de Montmirail gave her a villa on the French Riveria. Second, A film production company requests to use Downton for a silent film called The Gambler.

Sharon liked the this movie more than the first movie. I enjoyed and recommend the television series and both movies. Both films were written by Julian Fellowes, the creator and writer of the television series. I also recommend his recent television series The Glided Age.

Golden State Warriors versus Boston Celtics

Feeling under the weather, I watched the Golden State Warriors play the Boston Celtics in game four of the 2022 NBA Finals. With the Celtics leading 94 to 90 with 5:18 left to play, the Warriors went on a 17 to 3 run to win the game by the score of 107 to 97.

Stephen Curry was the leading scorer for the Warriors. He had 43 points on 14 for 26 from the field, 7 for 14 from three and 8 of 9 from the free throw line. He added 10 rebounds.

Steve Kerr's substitutions with Jordan Poole and Draymond Green in the last eight minutes were masterful.

tested positive

Coming out of the gatherings over the weekend, I tested positive for COVID on Wednesday. A number of people who attended the events also tested positive.

This blows up a week's worth of upcoming events. Nooter and I were talking about going to the Giants game today, Sharon and I planned to have dinner with Kim and Brun on Friday night, Donna's 60th birthday party is Saturday and we were planning to leave with Holly and Van on Sunday for a few days in Truckee.

Snipes picked Nooter up in the afternoon. Nooter is flying to Kansas City on Friday for a wedding.

Claremont Court Gate and Street Markers

We passed this historical marker during our walk around Berkeley on Sunday morning when we went to visit Drew and Carmen.

Claremont Court Gate and Street Markers
City of Berkeley Landmark
See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
See this location on Google Maps
This marker is located at the corner of Claremont Boulevard and Russell Street, California. The GPS coordinates for this location are 37° 51.548′ N, 122° 14.714′ W.

You can log your visit to this landmark at waymark.com.

City of Berkeley Landmark
designated in 2005

Claremont Court Gate and Street Markers
Claremont Boulevard and Russell Street
John Galen Howard, Architect
1906

These entry gates help define one of Berkeley’s most gracious residential areas, Claremont Court, which was designed to attract the growing number of prosperous Bay Area professionals in the early 1900s. Developer Mason-McDuffie engaged Howard, the University’s supervising architect, to design the gateway.

The elegant red brick pillars heighten the formal ambiance of the area. Their moldings of ivory-colored terra-cotta, Ionic capitals, and clusters of acanthus leaves follow the Beaux-Arts aesthetic. The central pillar dividing the street was later removed to ease traffic as cars became popular. Additional entry gates stand on Avalon Avenue, Forest Avenue, and Russell Street.

Berkeley Historical Plaque
2009

Nooter

After flying to California for Ricky's celebration of life last Thursday, Nooter is spending the week on the West Coast before he heads to a wedding in Kansas City. After spending a few days with the Snipes and then the Tomasins, I picked him up in at the Snipes' house in Davis. Nooter and I finished the night with dinner at Rey Azteca.

Sharon spent a very long day working a primary election polling place with her brother Tom.

2002 Oscar Nominations

Best Picture
    A Beautiful Mind - winner
   ✔ Gosford Park
    In the Bedroom
    The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
    Moulin Rouge!

Best Actor
    Denzel Washington – Training Day - winner
    Russell Crowe – A Beautiful Mind
    Sean Penn – I Am Sam
    Will Smith – Ali
    Tom Wilkinson – In the Bedroom

Best Actress
    Halle Berry – Monster's Ball - winner
    Judi Dench – Iris
    Nicole Kidman – Moulin Rouge!
    Sissy Spacek – In the Bedroom
    Renée Zellweger – Bridget Jones's Diary

Best Supporting Actor
    Jim Broadbent – Iris as John Bayley - winner
    Ethan Hawke – Training Day as Officer Jake Hoyt
    Ben Kingsley – Sexy Beast as Don Logan
    Ian McKellen – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring as Gandalf
    Jon Voight – Ali as Howard Cosell

Best Supporting Actress
    Jennifer Connelly – A Beautiful Mind as Alicia de Lardé-Nash - winner
   ✔ Helen Mirren – Gosford Park as Jane Wilson
   ✔ Maggie Smith – Gosford Park as Constance Trentham
    Marisa Tomei – In the Bedroom as Natalie Strout
    Kate Winslet – Iris as Iris Murdoch

Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen/Original Screenplay
   ✔ Gosford Park – Julian Fellowes - winner
    Amélie – Guillaume Laurant and Jean-Pierre Jeunet
    Memento – Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan
    Monster's Ball – Milo Addica and Will Rokos
    The Royal Tenenbaums – Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson

Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published/Adapted Screenplay
    A Beautiful Mind – Akiva Goldsman based on the book by Sylvia Nasar - winner
    Ghost World – Daniel Clowes and Terry Zwigoff based on the comic book by Daniel Clowes
    In the Bedroom – Rob Festinger and Todd Field based on the story "Killings" by Andre Dubus
    The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – based on the book by J. R. R. Tolkien
    Shrek – based on the book by William Steig


The 2022 Oscar nominations are here.

The 2021 Oscar nominations are here.

The 2020 Oscar nominations are here.

The 2019 Oscar nominations are here.

The 2018 Oscar nominations are here.

The 2017 Oscar nominations are here.

The 2016 Oscar nominations are here.

The 2015 Oscar nominations are here.

The 2014 Oscar nominations are here.

The 2013 Oscar nominations are here.

The 2010 Oscar nominations are here.

The 2002 Oscar nominations are here.

The 1988 Oscar nominations are here.

The 1975 Oscar nominations are here.

The 1973 Oscar nominations are here.

Brunch at the Tomasins

Moving slowly on Sunday morning, Sharon and I checked out of the Hampton Inn and headed to the Tomasins. They hosted a brunch for everyone who had attended Ricky's celebration of life on Saturday. Drew came up from Orinda.

It was very nice to see everyone. We need to figure out a way to get everyone together again in the future without having someone die...

Ricky's Celebration of Life

Sharon, Drew, Carmen and I attended Ricky's celebration of life at the Washoe House in Petaluma. There was a large contingent from UC Davis, including Snipes, Moore, Chabrier, Geselbracht, Nooter, Gribi, Wallen and Jill, Tomasin and Julie, Hunter and Yuli and Lindsay and Maria. Tomasin got up and did a nice job talking about Ricky.

After the celebration, the group had a late dinner at Rosso Pizzeria in Santa Rosa. Dropping Sharon at the Hampton Inn in Windsor, I wandered over to the Tomasin's house. I eventually wandered back to the hotel and crashed.

Davis Mafia Dinner

With lots of people coming into town for Ricky's celebration of life, we pulled together a dinner at il Fornaio in downtown Sacramento. The group included Hunter, Robbie, Nooter, Geselbracht, Snipes and Joy, Wallen and Jill, Al and Jeanie, Mike and Karen, and Sharon and I. It was a very nice evening. We closed the place down. It was after 11:30 pm by the time Sharon and I got home.

Throwback Thursday - Puerto Vallarta - December 1992

Gail sent Drew the picture on the left last weekend. I spent a week playing Rugby in Puerto Vallarta in December of 1992. The picture on the right is part of a photo album of My Life; one picture for each of my years. It has Ricky (#7), Tomasin and I on the field during that week. One more picture from that trip is here.

Ricky's Celebration of Life is this weekend. Love you, Ricky, miss you.

Yellowstone - Season Three

Monday night, Sharon and I finished watching season three of Yellowstone. We finished season one in September of 2021 and season two in March of 2022.

Yellowstone was created by Taylor Sheridan and John Linson. Season three premiered on June 21, 2020. In February 2022, the series was renewed for a fifth season which will be split into two installments of seven episodes each. The fifth season is set to premiere on November 13, 2022.

It stars Kevin Costner [Dances with Wolves], Wes Bentley, Kelly Reilly, Luke Grimes, Cole Hauser, and Gil Birmingham.

The series follows the conflicts along the shared borders of a large cattle ranch, a Native reservation, and land developers. Kevin Costner as John Dutton stars as a sixth-generation patriarch who operates the Yellowstone/Dutton Ranch.

As I have said before, Sharon enjoys the series much more than I do. From my perspective, the show is constantly jumping the shark with an enormous amount of gratuitous violence. I find about half of the plot unrealistic and outrageous. I don't recommend the show. Unfortunately, we are already watching season four...