Tag Archives: San Francisco Bay Area

My California – Seacliff State Beach

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A little over a week ago, I went to Seacliff State Beach.   I’m taking time out from packing to visit the a few favorite places.   This is my favorite beach in the Capitola/Santa Cruz area.   It has the stone ship – see http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=543  for a description and the history.  There are cliffs in the background.  It’s lovely and a lovely walking beach.   If you go during the week in summer, or anytime in winter you can park in the lots right next to beach, instead of having to park in the lot at the top of the cliff and walk a zillion steps down.
                                                                                                       
                                                                                   
Around here I don’t go to the beach that much in summer.  The water in this part of California is very cold.  Most adults don’t get in without a wetsuit, though you see a few braving the surf and the cold water.  I had to learn that you go to a beach for reasons other than getting in the water.  It’s still wonderful.    During winter it was easy to make a quick trip down Highway 17 to catch the sunset.
                                              
I’m going to miss the place.
Seacliff State Beach, June 2009, The Stone Ship

Seacliff State Beach, June 2009, The Stone Ship

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seacliff State Beach, June 2009, Cliffs in the Distance

Seacliff State Beach, June 2009, Cliffs in the Distance

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Seacliff State Beach, June 2009, Goodbye

Seacliff State Beach, June 2009, Goodbye

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Recycling and Best Buy

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I hate recyling. Let me explain. While I like the part about keeping our stuff out of landfills, I hate everything that goes along with those “green” recyling companies. I hate the snobbishness, the “holier than thou” attitude. I hate how if it’s inconvenient, it’s supposed to be OK because it’s good for the planet. I hate the “for the price of a latte” advertising slogan. I hate the extra fees, which tempt me to throw the thing in the trash. I hate to have to go to a place that only does recyling. I don’t even like those green “eco-friendly” bags that look like they use natural dyes, even though they don’t.
                                              
I do like one location that does recyling all by itself, the Palo Alto Recycling Drop-off Center. I like it because it’s located in the Palo Alto Baylands. The place is pretty and I can go for a walk in the Baylands after I drop off my stuff.
Palo Alto Recycling Drop-off Center, June 2009

Palo Alto Recycling Drop-off Center, June 2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I  like – recyling done well by companies that sell you stuff, companies I might go to anyway. I just had a very positive experience at my local Best Buy. I was recyling a old desktop computer. The pleasant person at the front kiosk told me where to take my desktop and pointed me in the direction of the flatbed carts, conveniently located in the front of the store. I took a cart to my car (parking lot with plenty of parking, trees and flowers too), loaded the desktop on the cart, wheeled it back into the store and stopped at customer service, also located in the front of the store. The equally pleasant person at customer service asked me to fill out some minimal information and told me I could leave the cart right there – they’d take care of it. I had such a good experience that I did what Best Buy hoped I would do – I looked around the store. In the mobile electronics section I chatted with another pleasant, knowledgeable person about GPS. I might even come backlater to, you know, shop.

Best Buy, Ravenswood 101 Shopping Center, June 2009

Best Buy, Ravenswood 101 Shopping Center, June 2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                              

My current MBA program has a concentration in sustainability. Assuming that recyling is part of sustainability, I hope my school talks about recyling in a world where it’s simply recycling, something that’s convenient, something that we do. Best Buy is making it work by including recyling as part of what they do. I like that.

When the Present becomes the Past (I borrowed this line)

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There are times when, as a family member of mine puts it, you can see the present become the past.  One day you work somewhere, you live somewhere, and then you don’t.  You can target the minute, the second, between “I work here” and “I don’t work here anymore”.
                                                           
Yesterday was that day – when I stopped working at the educational institution where I worked for almost three years.   It’s interesting.  I think of myself as more of a private industry (publically traded company) kind of person, a person who works for a hi-tech company.  But you know, sometimes a place can work its way into your heart.
                                  
I did like it a lot better when we moved off campus, to a building in a lovely office park, with, obviously, parking, and the best place to eat, down the street!
 
Where I used to work, May 2009

Where I used to work, May 2009

 

My radio station went away

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From the website  http://www.kksf.com/main.html

May 18, 2009

Today marks the end of an era. KKSF-FM is no longer the Bay Area’s home for Smooth Jazz.

Everyone at KKSF would like to thank all the loyal fans of our station and the years of support you’ve given us. Over our 20 year history, you have always been there for us, and we truly appreciate it. You’ve traveled to our hundreds of KKSF listener parties and concerts, celebrated at our Sunday Brunches, helped raise over 4 million dollars for Bay Area AIDS organizations by purchasing Samplers for AIDS Relief, and you’ve listened to countless hours of Smooth Jazz music and artists. That unwavering support is reflected in a rich and successful track record at 103.7 KKSF.

The spirit of KKSF isn’t going away, however. KKSF.com will continue to thrive as your source for Smooth Jazz including a digital audio stream of the Smooth Jazz Network as well as videos on demand, concert listings and other features. We hope you’ll choose to continue to support the artists and the music online.

So the radio station now has a different format.  I understand that the owners of KKSF may have needed to do this for commercial reasons, but I don’t like it.

I’m glad I can still listen to my KKSF over the web.

Ice Plants – Point Reyes National Seashore 2006

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Here’s a picture for Doug, who asked if I had any photos of ice plants on the beaches of San Francisco or Pacifica.  The closest I have is some photos of the ice plants at Point Reyes National Seashore, in Marin County, north of San Francisco.  This photo was taken at North Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, in March 2006.

Now that I’ve learned that ice plants are invasive, I understand that they should probably be ripped out of Point Reyes National Seashore.  I  know that, but the ice plants are wonderful to see in the spring – the brilliant color and the green leaves against the ocean.

North Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, March 2006

North Beach, Point Reyes Seashore, March 2006

Ice Plants

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The ice plants have started blooming, here where I live, south of San Francisco, in the San Francisco Bay area.  Ice plants are succulents which form a ground cover.  The most common species in my area appears to be Carpobrotus edulis.  They are very hardy, hold water (good for this dry area) and they have beautiful pink and yellow flowers in the spring.  They were popular as ground covers for commercial spaces, and were planted along the highways to help prevent erosion.  They grow well in our climate.  Here’s a description and some pictures – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpobrotus_edulis

I like them, though, yes, I know that they are an invasive species.  Ice plants are not native to this area.  They are native to South Africa, which has a Mediterranean climate like our climate, so of course they grow well here.  I realize that we need to get them out of natural habitats such as the Point Reyes National Seashore,  and the San Francisco estuary, but I do enjoy seeing them bloom in my area, in the spring.

The ice plants are pretty along Bayshore Drive.  I went there on Sunday, April 5, 2009, and took pictures.  

The California Poppy (our state flower!) has also started blooming.  I’ll have to go take pictures.

Ice Plants in Bloom, April 2009

Ice Plants in Bloom, April 2009