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Feature of Pfister F5314PAS Petaluma Double Handle Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet, Stainless Steel

• Certified AB1953 compliant on the market in CA and VT
• Pfister Petaluma kitchen faucet in Stainless Steel
• Ceramic disc valving forestalls leaks and noisy drips
• Anti-splash spray quantity regulate spray-head, allowing you to select your required water power within the palm of your hand
• 4-hole mounting with side spray

Mystic Theatre

California Roots Presents: The Road To May Concert Series with Katchafire
plus Maoli & Top Shelf and DJ Dinga (Casa Rasta)

Friday, Apr 26, 2013 8:30 PM PDT (8:00 PM Doors)
Mystic Theatre, Petaluma, CA
21 years and over

Tickets available:http://www.ticketweb.com

Smell: There are huge hops scent coming from this beer. The hop dominant the profile but other scent make there way through like lot citrus plus a little grassy and vegetable notes.

Taste: Hops is the first and main flavor. There are hints of citrus towards the end.

Mouthfeel: The carbonation Medium to high but not overly so. There’s a tartness that lingers for sure. There is a semi-coating of the mouth with this beer the is every so slightly velvety.

Overall: This brew packs a wallop at 8.2% ABV. So be sure not to pound these. This beer is more of a sip causally while you smoke a cigar. I personally didn’t enjoy it so much. It was just to hoppy for my liking. Though I don’t mind hoppy beers there has to be some complexity to them for me. This is more of a one trick pony. Although I know there are other flavor in this brew the hops just mask them. I’d give this beer a 6 out of 10.

The crash happened around 2:15 a.m. near San Antonio Road, just south of the Sonoma County line, CHP Officer Andrew Barclay said this morning.

The woman, a Sonoma County resident, was pronounced dead at the scene. Her name is being withheld until her next of kin has been contacted, Barclay said.

There were also three males in the truck, two in a rear seating area and one in the right front passenger seat, Barclay said.

The CHP is still trying to confirm their names, but they appear to be in their mid-20s to late 30s, Barclay said. None was carrying identification, he said.

One of the males was able to call 911, and said the truck left the highway somewhere between Petaluma and Novato, Barclay said.

The CHP, Marin County Sheriff’s Office and Novato Fire Protection District searched the area and found the green pickup truck in a deep ditch off the right shoulder, Barclay said.

The truck appears to have drifted toward the center divider, and the driver apparently overcorrected and steered hard to the right, causing the truck to go off the roadway and overturn, Barclay said.

It landed on its wheels 15 feet below the highway in a cattle-crossing area that runs under the highway, Barclay said.

No one was ejected from the truck, Barclay said. Alcohol is not believed to have played a role in the crash, he said.

The right front passenger and one of the rear passengers suffered major injuries. Both were taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, where they were listed in stable condition, Barclay said.

The other passenger suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to Marin General Hospital, where he was listed in critical but stable condition, Barclay said.

The No. 2 northbound lane was closed until about 6:10 a.m. as emergency crews responded to the crash.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

This weekend was gorgeous out, so friends and I decided to get out of the city and head north to the Lagunitas Brewery - we weren’t the only ones with the idea. The place was alive with people, music, and, of course, plenty of beer! I have never been to a brewery before and I decided to get the pre fixe four beer sampler (you also have the option of customizing your own, which I did my second round). It was so fun figuring out what kind of beer I actually liked and being able to really taste difference between each one! There was also a small menu of sides, salads, and sandwiches to choose from, so you can just eat, drink, and be merry. I had the best time! What better way to spend the day with friends than drinking beer, enjoying the sunshine, and listening to a live band! This trip has definitely inspired me to get out of the city and explore new things around me!

Drink Responsibly!

All reports indicate that a storm is going to hit northern New Mexico this morning, so we hit the road at 9 a.m. to make sure that we can traverse the 20-mile dirt road out of Chaco Culture National Monument Park before it becomes too wet.
We get back on Interstate 40 and head toward Arizona, passing numerous kitschy billboards and roadside shops selling blankets, T-shirts and other souvenirs. In Holbrook, Ariz., we pass by the Wigwam Motel, a reminder of the days when Route 66 was America ‘s main travel route to the west.
We decide to go as far as Winslow, Ariz., and spend the night at Homolovi State Park, where more than 300 Ancestral Puebloan archaeological sites are preserved. We don’t go to see any of them, however, because it is so cold that we stay inside Mack as sleet comes down. Fortunately, we have an electrical hookup and can turn on the heater.
The next morning, we have a decision to make: Stay another night at Homolovi or try and drive through the snow to Prescott or Phoenix. Nearly a foot of snow has fallen at the 7,000-foot altitude of Flagstaff, but we learn that the storm has abated and the highway is clear. So we drive to Prescott, where at an altitude of 5,300 feet, there is no sign of snow on the ground.
This is the home of Prescott College, which I attended 1967-1970. I’ve been back a few times since, but this time I am struck by all of the retail development that has sprung up: Home Depot, Lowes, Wal-Mart, Target, Trader Joe’s and more. I later learn that the city has banned such development in the historic downtown core of the city, which maintains its charm and sports signs claiming to be “Everybody’s Hometown.” The town square and courthouse, the famous Whiskey Row and some businesses are virtually unchanged from my college days. Jodi and I treat ourselves to a stay at the historic St. Michael Hotel at the end of Whiskey Row.
Sunday morning, we rendezvous with Paul and Erica, who spent the night in Mack at a campground near Watson Lake, and we head down to Mesa to stay with Jodi’s parents before Paul and Erica catch a plane to the East Coast and Jodi and I return to California.

An example of such an opportunity … at the local yacht club one evening, Thom Butler, a dedicated V-Day Petaluma volunteer since 2009, attempted to initiate a conversation about The Vagina Monologues with another Petaluma resident.  Unfortunately, Thom was not only shoved (no matter who is involved, such physical violence is unnecessary) by the individual’s associate, but also referred to as a “Mangina” by the man he was speaking to, with the intent of being derogatory.

Up until now, many of us were unaware of this term’s existence.  While we very much liked the sound of it, we felt the definition didn’t do it justice.  That being the case, V-Day Petaluma has chosen to reclaim and redefine mangina.

 Mangina – an individual of the male species who embodies the spirit of equality and empowerment and assists in the effort to end violence against women and girls.

Thom, for your dedication to V-Day Petaluma and respect of all females, we have chosen you for our newly recognized 2013 MANGINA Award!

We wish to acknowledge and recognize Joe Manthey for bringing mangina to our attention, giving us the opportunity to raise it to a higher level.

If you blink you’ll miss this little gem, especially since it’s tucked down a side street, and is very much a tiny shop. Luckily, a sidewalk sign caught my eye so I decided to investigate. The inside of the Petaluma Pie Company is small, hot, and there are no frills. There were also barely any places to sit inside, let alone turn around when there are people in line. However, once you lay eyes on the pies in the display case and see their dazzling concoctions, you forget all about it.

They make a wide variety of unique pie combinations like pear ginger and cardamom, or the Elvis pie (peanut butter cream, bananas, and chocolate cream). However,they also stick with the classics like apple pie. What I especially love about this place is that they bake 5” individual pies, which are perfect for one person.

On my trip, I ordered the classic apple pie and my husband ordered the pear ginger and cardamom so we could try both. Although the interior lacked flare, the exterior patio certainly made up for it. Since the shop sits next to a beautiful common area/park, there were street performers and musicians giving seemingly private shows for us as we dined. The shaded canopy, colorful patio furniture, and eclectic pedestrians walking by only enhanced the experience even more so (especially since it sits next to a tattoo parlor).

Now for the pie. All I have to say is wow! I seriously scraped up every inch of my pie from the tin pie plate, and I had a few bites of my husband’s. Needless to say, I completely ruined my appetite for dinner, but it was well worth it. The crust was perfectly flaky, the apples skillfully flavored and rich in cinnamon, and the presentation was incredibly cute (see picture above).

We liked the Petaluma Pie Company so much that we went back the next day to try something different, also picking up a homemade bottle cap magnet for our refrigerator. I ordered the butterscotch cream pie and my husband got the peanut butter cream pie. They did not disappoint the second day either. Between the coffee and the sugar-induced pie buzz, I felt wonderful…

I can honestly say that this was the best pie I’ve ever tasted in California, and it was truly a delight sitting under the trees listening to jazz in downtown Petaluma. I can also honestly say that this is also the best dessert I’ve ever tasted in California (and I’m a native)!

My top pie recommendations: Apple and Butterscotch Cream Pie (with coffee).

More Info: Petaluma Pie Company

One of our last destinations is Chaco Culture National Historical Park, which has the densest and most exceptional concentration of pueblos in the American Southwest.
Located in the high desert of northern New Mexico, Chaco Culture is accessible only by driving 100 miles over two-lane roads and then a 20-mile unpaved dirt road into the park.
We were concerned about driving Mack over a dirt road of that distance, and with a storm coming in the next morning, we did our due diligence before deciding to go for it.
Our decision was a good one. We got in, viewed the ruins, camped overnight, and made it out before the storm came in.
Chaco Culture was the center of a thriving culture 1,000 years ago. The ruins show evidence of architecture on a grand scale. Using masonry techniques unique for their time, they built massive, multiple-story stone buildings with hundreds of rooms.
Researchers believe that Chaco was a special gathering place where many peoples and clans converged to share their ceremonies, traditions, and knowledge. It was central to the origins of several Navajo clans and ceremonies, yet it is also an enduring enigma for modern historians.

We agree that this was one of the two or three highlights of our trip.
Next: Cold weather and snow await as we return to Arizona.

Our tour of primitive, remote areas of New Mexico continues as we leave the Datil Well campground and drive toward El Morro National Monument. Along the way, we stop by the side of the road at a highway junction in Fence Lake, N.M., where a monument honors all of the people who passed this way over the centuries in search of a new life.
El Morro is a great sandstone promontory along an historic east-west trail with a pool of water at its base. The Zuni Indians, whose Puebloan ancestors lived here, call it Atsinna — “place of writing on the rock.” The Spaniards called it El Morro — the Headland. Anglo-Americans call it Inscription Rock.
Over the centuries, those who traveled this trail stopped to camp at the shaded oasis beneath these cliffs. They left ther carved evidence of their passage — symbols, names, dates and fragments of their stories on the rock.
For the second straight night, we are the only campers in the campground where we are staying. We build a bonfire and the next day hike to the top of El Morro — an experience that Chris finds challenging, given his fear of heights. But the four of us complete the 2-hour trek to the top of the trek, stopping to view the ancient dwellings and inscriptions.
We’ve been monitoring the weather, and the forecast is for a storm to hit northern New Mexico and Arizona on Saturday. We think we’ll have time to visit our next destination, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, and get out before the storm hits. The only potential problem is that we have to drive a 20-mile dirt road to get to the park. We ask the rangers at El Morro about going to Chaco Culture. The older ranger, Ralph, rolls his eyes. But we get a better sense from the two younger rangers, Jamie and Ben, that we won’t have a problem.

So, another piece has been published and is available to read online.  This is a short narrative essay titled “My Portrait In the Memorial.” It’s a story about an incident that traumatized my community while I was in junior high school.  I had a lot of issues writing this piece, and was even more conflicted when I began submitting it for publication.  But I believe that I was as honest as I could be (as if honesty is an excuse for publication), and I believe that it accurately reflects the ambiguities and ambivalences of unimaginable tragedy, so I hope that I acted reasonably here.  Feel free to contact me with feedback, positive or negative.  I’m always receptive.  This is a sad story but I hope that anybody who check it out might find something to take from it.

The story was accepted by Temenos Literary Journal.  Temenos is the Central Michigan University graduate literary journal, founded in 2000. The magazine has no philosophical or esthetic allegiances. They publish poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and art by new and established writers and artists.

The Greek word “temenos” refers both to the ancient Greek concept of sacred space and the Jungian ‘safe spot’ where one may bring the unconscious into the light of consciousness. Temenos’ mission is to bring to light works that are engaging, memorable, and fearless.

They accept submissions year round. Please see their submission guidelines for more information.

Read the story: http://www.temenosjournal.com/nonfiction/Leib.htm

Temenos homepage: http://www.temenosjournal.com/index.html

Temenos archives: http://www.temenosjournal.com/archive.html

We continue north on I-25 to Socorro, N.M. and then take two-lane Highway 60 east toward Datil, where we will spend the night in a BLM campground.
Along the way, we pass by the Very Large Array, an astronomical observatory that allows scientists to study cosmic objects such as the Sun, planets and galaxies by analyzing radio waves. The VLA consists of 27 huge dish-shaped antennaes that are connected together to form a single large radio telescope.
The Array, along the spacious Plain of St. Augustine, can be seen from miles away. We decide to take a detour off the highway to get a close-up look at the facility.
Turns out that actress Jodie Foster and the cast and crew of “Contact” came here for five days to film scenes for the movie, based on the book by Carl Sagan about contact with extra-terrestrial life.
We arrive at the Datil Well campground and we are the only campers that night. We take a 3-mile hike to Rocky Point, a scenic overlook.

As we leave southern Arizona and head to New Mexico, we notice some recurring themes: lots of roadside altars, numerous “dollar stores” and several U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints. “Is everyone in the vehicle an American citizen?” they ask. The checkpoints only stop northbound traffic, not southbound.
Heading north out of Bisbee, we notice a yellow roadside sign that reads, “Earth Fissures Possible.” Later, we see one that says, “Dust Storms May Exist.” Finally, “Zero Visibility Possible.”
We spent our last night in Arizona at Roper Lake campground near Safford. It has the first of several natural hot springs pools that we will encounter.
Before heading toward Silver City, N.M., I call Ken Keppeler and Jeanie McLerie of the group Bayou Seco. I tell them of my encounter with Mike Benevides at the Gu-Achi Trading Post and about my group Los Gu’achis. It turns out they know Barbara Arhon, the leader and fiddle player in Los Gu’achis, as well as Sonoma County fiddle player Gus Garelick. They are very gracious and and invite us to stay with them and play music the next time we come to Silver City.
Driving into New Mexico and toward Silver City, we cross the Continental Divide at 6,355 feet for the first time. There will be be about a dozen more crossings as we zig-zag through New Mexico.
Silver City has an eclectic downtown of restaurants, galleries, bars, coffeehouses and a retro movie theater, but it also has a high number of vacant storefronts.
We continue to the City of Rocks State Park, where we spend the night, and visit the nearby Faywood Hot Springs where we soak in three pools with temperatures ranging from 90 to 110 degrees. The City of Rocks is an unusual outcropping of rocks in the middle of the prairie formed by a volcanic eruption 30 million years ago that was 800 times greater than the Mount St. Helens eruption.

New Mexico is known for being one of the best places to look at the stars at night, and the night that we were staying at City of Rocks, a local astronomy buff led a two-hour star-watching session through a 14-inch telescope.

Hip Hop Medicine Nation Presents: KRS One & Souleye
plus Zahira Soul “The Pure Soul Songstress”

Friday, Mar 15, 2013 9:00 PM PDT (8:00 PM Doors)
Mystic Theatre, Petaluma, CA
21 years and over

http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=3416514&pl=mystic

After leaving the Tohono O’Odham reservation, we spend Thursday night at a campground inside Tucson Mountain County Park. It’s one of the best campsites we’ve visited. It’s clean, well appointed and right in the middle of a cactus forest with saguaros and other cacti and desert vegetation. The campground is next to the Saguaro National Park and Old Tucson, where some old western movies were filmed. There are some nice trails for hiking here, and we explore one of them just before sunset. The campground is like a small community, with lots of friendly folks, some of them staying for the seven-day maximum.

We hit the road after one night and continue in a southeasterly direction, bypassing Tucson and passing through Benson and Tombstone on the way to our next stop in Bisbee, Ariz. Tombstone is considered the last of the wide-open frontier boom towns in the Old West, built on mining and famous for the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, where Wyatt Earp and his brothers plus Doc Holliday faced off against a bunch of Outlaw Cowboys.

We were surprised to see that Tombstone embraces its Wild West past. Main Street is closed to vehicle traffic, the original buildings from the early 1880s are nicely restored, and three different sets of actors dressed as gunfighters entice tourists to come inside the O.K. Corral, a saloon or a theater to witness a re-enactment of a 19th century shootout. There are plaques along Main Street commemorating the date and place where various people were gunned down.

After our brief Tombstone experience, we continue on to Bisbee, which we are exciting about visiting.

One of the destinations on our trip to the Southwest was the Tohono O’Odham Nation, a Native American reservation in southeastern Arizona. My interest in visiting this desolate terrain was piqued because this is where Gu-Achi music originated. And since I’m a member of the Petaluma musical quartet Los Gu’achis, I felt I had to pay a visit to this area since our itinerary was taking us so close.

I wasn’t expecting any spectacular scenery or impressive landmarks. But as we drove down Highway 15 onto the reservation, I recognized some familiar place names, some of them from Gu’achi tunes: Santa Rosa, Ajo, Anegam. We didn’t see any billboards on the reservations, but all of the signs with town names had been tagged.

At the intersection of Highways 15 and 86, we arrived at the Gu-Achi Trading Post. It is basically a convenience store and a gas station on the Gu-Achi District of the reservation. There were some music CDs for sale, but none of them were Gu’achi or Chicken Scratch music. I didn’t bring any copies of the Los Gu’achis CD, or I would have left some there to sell.

We were about to leave the trading post when Paul struck up a conversation with a Native American man who had pulled up in his van with his family to shop and was about to leave. I was walking up to where he and Paul were talking, wearing my Los Gu’achis T-shirt, and Paul mentioned to him that I am in a band that plays music from the reservation.

The man, Mike Benevides, said, “You should have been here last night. We had a wake for my mom and there was lots of music.” As I spoke to Mike, I hummed the music to “Santa Rosa Processional,” a Gu’achi song, and Mike knew the song and hummed along with me.  I mentioned the name of the late great Tohono O’Odham fiddler Elliott Johnson and Mike knew of him. He asked me if I knew Ken Keppeler and Jeanie McLerie of the duo Bayou Seco, which has recorded Tohono O’Odham music and other music of the Americas. I said I knew of them, but had not met them. He said he was good friend of theirs, gave me their phone numbers and said to look them up when we visit Silver City, N.M.

We drove on through Sells, Ariz., the main town on the reservation and then east on Highway 86 past Kitt Peak, home of the largest array of telescopes in the world, to the outskirts of Tucson, where we planned to camp for the night.

One of the highlights of our young trip occurred Monday evening as we were returning to our campsite at Anza Borrego State Park after a 3 1/2-mile hike up to the park’s Palm Canyon. The sun had set a couple of hours earlier and as we hiked back down the trail, darkness gradually enveloping us, we looked across the valley at an awesome, beautiful sight: A full moon was rising from behind the hills across the valley in the distance — a spectacular orange orb slowly ascending into the night sky.

We had left Los Angeles late in the morning and headed south down I-5 to the 15 and then caught Highway 79 through Temecula on the way to Anza Borrego, a 600,000 acre park that is the largest in California. Along the way we passed through Temecula, Warner Springs and other hamlets that are surrounded by acres of open fields, ranches, horses and cattle that made us forget that we had just left L.A. The road climbed to 3,000 feet in elevation, then wound down a steep mountain to the valley where the town of Borrego Springs and Anza Borrego State Park are located. As we drove down the mountain, we could see the Salton Sea in the distance.

After checking into a “dry camping” space at the park, we embarked on our trek up to Palm Canyon before it got dark. One of the odd features of the park is the open-air toilet stalls, with brick walls and no roofs. We passed octotillo, cholla and other flora on our hike, but we didn’t see any bighorn sheep. We were told that their natural color camouflages them against the hillside, but to look for their white rumps. We saw neither the sheep nor their white rumps.

Upon our return from our hike, we relaxed and toasted our trip with our beverages at a picnic table outside Mack, followed by dinner inside our rig and a rousing guitar/singing session before we turned in.

After stopping by the visitors center the next morning, we hit the road for Arizona, driving by the Salton Sea, over the bumpiest road we had ever experienced, through Mecca and stopping for lunch at the isolated Chiriaco Summit along I-10. We finally arrived at Jodi’s parents’ house in Mesa, where we plan to spend the night before continuing on toward southeastern Arizona tomorrow.

The energy from ONE BILLION RISING continues with immediate action steps!

This week the House of Representatives will be voting on their version of the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

Women’s groups, advocates, and survivors have worked to show support for the inclusive, bipartisan Senate-passed bill,  S. 47, and are asking House members to oppose the alternate version which will be brought to the House floor for a vote as early as THIS WEDNESDAY – February 27! Our work is far from over.

The alternate version of VAWA falls short of our goals for VAWA. Action must be taken this week to show support for the INCLUSIVE, SENATE PASSED version.

WHY this is important for students, parents and alumna:

The alternate version of VAWA drops important provisions in the Senate bill including provisions to strengthen protections and security for students on college campuses. It also drops the Senate-passed initiative to erase rape kit backlogs and other provisions found in the SAFER Act.

This new version also fails by:

• Dropping the reauthorization of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act;
• Omitting the Senate-passed LGBT provisions;
• Providing non-tribal batterers with additional tools to delay and frustrate swift justice in tribal court systems; gratuitously restricting existing tribal authority to issue civil orders of protection against all abusers – which is currently the only local recourse Native women have against non-Indian abusers;
• Weakening the ability of the Office on Violence Against Women to serve as the effective hub for carrying out VAWA’s mission.

Starting TODAY, we are encouraging you to flood your representative’s telephone lines and email inboxes with messages of support for S. 47, the inclusive, bipartisan Senate-passed version of VAWA and the demand that they vote against the House Republican leadership’s imitation VAWA.

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!

CONTACT Your Representative!

Feminist Majority has made it super simple to contact your representative, just enter your zip code and you’re halfway there! CONTACT >

Why is VAWA so important? LEARN more >

READ “Why the Campus SaVE Act MUST be in any Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013″ >

http://youtu.be/qQKHFyLULRM

We arrive at my nephew Jon’s house in L.A. where he has graciously agreed to host us for two nights. Jon is a writer for the Fox animated series “Bob’s  Burgers” and has many friends in the entertainment industry. He a gracious and generous host. We are joined by Jodi’s daughter, Jess, who is the researcher for the ABC series, “Scandal,” and later her boyfriend Richard.
Jon takes Jodi, Jess, Erica, Paul and Chris on a walk up the road into Bronson Canyon, part of Griffith Park. At the top of the trail is a tunnel, about 20 feet tall and 300 feet long, that was used for scenes in the 1960s TV series, “Batman.” Locals refer to it as the Batcave. On the side of a nearby hill is the famous “Hollywood” sign.

Back at Jon’s house on Saturday night, the girls fix a hearty pot of spaghetti, plus garlic bread and salad. The next morning, Jon invites his girlfriend Nora and the four travelers to the Soho Club, a private club in Hollywood for members of the film, media and creative industries, where we have a delicious brunch in the rooftop garden. Along the way, we pass by the Dolby Theater, where preparations are well under way for the Academy Awards ceremony that will be starting in a few hours (Sunday, Feb. 24). By mid-day, we have seen or met three “celebrities:” Actor Aaron Paul (“Breaking Bad”), creator-producer Matt Weiner (“Mad Men”) and comic-actor Kyle Dunnigan (Groundlings, Comedy Central).

After brunch, Jon escorts the four travelers on a walk up the hilly side streets of his neighborhood, where we pass by some beautiful houses and stunning views overlooking the city. Back at Jon’s house, it’s time for Jodi and Jess to watch the Red Carpet show on E! before the Academy Awards show starts. Later, the girls put on their evening gowns to watch the Oscar telecast. We grill steaks for dinner and dine during the show. Tomorrow it’ll be on to Anza Borrego State Park.

Aqus Cafe in Petaluma. Waiting for breakfast. Orange, blue, etc.

It’s a beautiful day with glorious blue skies in Petaluma as we begin our three-week trip to So Cal and the Southwest with our friends Paul and Erica.
With our new 2-inch-tall mascot, Mack, affixed on the dashboard with his sword and mallet, we hit the road at 11:30 a.m. in our 26-foot Fleetwood Mack the Knife and head south down 101. Normally, we would cut over to I-5 and drive down through the vast monotony of the Central Valley to L.A., but this time we have chosen to take 101 all the way. It’s a much more interesting and scenic drive — Gilroy the Garlic Capital, Salinas and Steinbeck Country, the oil derricks that resemble preying mantises.
We arrive in Pismo Beach just after sunset, and find a space to spend the night in Pismo Beach State Park. The park is nicer and not as cramped as the private RV park next door.
We walk through a tall grove of trees to get to the beach and take a walk before dinner. As darkness falls, we encounter a fellow flying his remote-controlled model airplane illuminated with lights, much to the delight of passers-by.
In the morning we walk back to the beach and head north toward the town of Pismo Beach. It’s another gorgeous day on the California coast. The beachfront Clamdigger Inn, where the Samson-Schroeder clan spent summer reunions in the 1990s, has been mostly demolished. We stroll out onto the long pier and watch surfers in the water waiting to catch waves.
We pack up and continue down 101 to L.A., stopping for lunch at the Firestone Walker Brewing Co. in Buellton, the first of many brewpubs we will visit on this trip, I hope.

Petaluma Hanlin Hill Riesling 1998

Cloudy Bay Late Harvest Riesling 2004
Very oily and keroseney, kumquat quince and orange blossom. A little closed flat and thin, creamy oily lanolin, lemon butter.

Cloudy Bay Late Harvest Riesling 2004

Josef Chromy Pinot Gris 2012
Light crisp and spicy on the nose, a little orange rind and cinnamon. Full oily and a little sweet, warmish and a little aggressive, not enough fruit to support the weight.

Josef Chromy Pinot Gris 2012

Teusner ‘The Empress’ Riesling 2011 (Eden Valley)
Lovely crisp fresh citrussy lime and lemon, hints of white peach and green apples, slight flicks of minerality. Very vibrant fruit, juicy and full, bold in flavour and lacking in zingy acids compared to European examples, nice breadth and extension on the palate.

Teusner The Empress Eden Valley Riesling 2011