My son Cole’s band played at Hot Topic in the mall the other day (yes, it’s true) and I tried to do a good thing by ordering buttons to hand out… too bad I don’t know how to spell Battalion.   They still managed to hand out 50 of the mis-spelled buttons, and we’ve decided if (when) they get famous, that someday  these will be a collector’s item.

I’m pretty sure I can’t be old enough to have an 18 year old, and a 16 year old… yet I do (fluke of nature??).  Here’s Leah and Cole in a clamshell at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  The seahorses were my favorite, and the disco jellyfish that “light up”.  Amazing.  This picture makes me want to sing “Under the Sea… Under the Sea… life is much better, when you are wetter… take it from me.”

And lunch at Bubba Gumps overlooking the bay.  It was very delicious.  Shrimp in a bucket… what could be better?

This little cup was my mom’s.  She went to Bimbo’s 365 in the 50’s with her cousin and yes, ok my mom stole the cup in her purse.   Bimbo’s 365 was and still is a famous bar in San Francisco.  From the website:

In 1931, he and Young, now his partner, opened the 365 Club at 365 Market Street. San Francisco was weary of the Depression, needed some fun, and the 365 Club was there to provide it. The club was crowded with celebrities and stars from across America who were there to see and be seen. On stage, lines of long-stemmed chorus girls kicked high to the music; one of whom was Rita Cansino. Later, we would all know her as Rita Hayworth. Gin was served in coffee cups while everybody puzzled over the optical illusion provided by Dolfina, The Girl in the Fishbowl: She appeared to swim nude in the fish tank behind the bar… you can still find her there today.

I love this little cup, I didn’t realize until reading this that my mom probably had gin from it not coffee.  She had told me about the naked girl in the fishbowl.  I’d love to go one day and see Dolfina splashing around in her bowl.  When my mom died and me and my family went through her things to have, this was the first thing I picked.

Thinking of mother’s today, I turned an old photo of my grandmother Mabel “Jackie” Roberts into a card.  I don’t know exactly what year it was taken, but I know it was prior to my mother being born in 1937.
That’s the Santa Cruz Boardwalk behind her.   “The Giant Dipper” wooden roller coaster dates back to 1924 and is still there.  I’ve ridden it many times myself.  I’ve heard that in those days those striped umbrellas were available to rent.
This card is now available at Zazzle.

Our 44th president.

We’re celebrating with breakfast that includes red, white and blue crepes with fresh blueberries and raspberries.

My daughter Leah flexing in the living room.

We went to Henry Cowell State Park in Santa Cruz last weekend and hiked around the redwoods. My kids saw this bench and decided it was a canoe… so here they are… rowing for shore. We had a great time.

What I love most about rivers is:
You can’t step in the same river twice
The water’s always changing, always flowing

Just Around the River bend – Pocahontas

My daughter turned 17 this weekend. We drove up Highway 1 through Davenport and Half Moon Bay and spent the day shopping in San Francisco. We shopped. We ate. We shopped some more. It was a beautiful day in the City.

This was taken at Lori’s Diner where we had lunch overlooking Union Square. Happy birthday Leah!