Coming through the Waldo Tunnel

This is the tunnel that leads up to the northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Aqua Vitae

The original name for Scotch Whisky (as opposed to all the other "Whiskeys" -- note the "e") was Aqua Vitae, the water of life.

This was a gift from the boss of a friend, thanks for helping her with recovering data from a computer hard drive that went south.

Bubble

Just playing around with the D70 this evening.

Tri-tip on the grill

I take an untrimmed tri-tip, rub it down with liquid smoke and chipotle flavored Tabasco sauce, then sprinkle it with salt and chili powder.

Then I grill it about 5-7 minutes on each side, then slice it in half and grill the cut side to your desired level of doneness (I like medium rare).

When it's all done, rest it for about 10 minutes and slice it thinly across the bias.

Sewer Cover

More mundane stuff.

Fog rising over the coastal range

Fog rises in whisps and threads.

Sorry, not my best picture ever, but I needed something recent from the peninsula (in keeping with the week's theme).

Crystal Springs Dam

This is the dam that holds back the reservoir that was in yesterday's picture.

This is a great old dam, built in 1890. It survived both the 1906 and 1989 quakes, both of which hit the area pretty hard (remember, the reservoir sits on top of the San Andreas).

Crystal Springs Reservoir

Continuing with the week's theme of Peninsula based pictures, here is Crystal Springs Reservoir.

The San Andreas fault runs directly beneath this beautiful body of water.

The Stanford Dish

The dish can be seen from I-280 around Sand Hill Road in Palo Alto.

Jelly Belly Factory

We took Clayton back home to Davis this afternoon, and he caught this picture as we drove through Fairfield.

The Jelly Belly factory is a GREAT tour -- I heartily recommend it if you are in the Bay Area. You get a very interesting, educational view of how they make the tasty little buggers, plus you get to see a bunch of interesting stuff that people have done with them. At the end, everyone gets a bag of the Jelly Belly beans.

While you are there, pick up a bag of Belly Flops -- bags of imperfect beans for a fraction of the cost of perfect ones.

Kooky Mirror Shot

Before anyone asks -- it was at a red light

Clemmy!!

I love Clemmy's hair at this length.

On the side of the box from Sit Stay

Sit Stay is a great little mail-order dog supplies house. Their box has this on the side.

Multiculturalism in San Francisco

This is on Geary in the Outer Richmond.

That area is the very picture of multiculturalism. In about a 3 block radius of this billboard, you'll find a Korean BBQ, a branch of the East Asia Bank, The Moscow/Tiblisi Bakery (along with a number of other Russian businesses) and Tommy's (a Yucatan Mexican restaurant with the best margaritas in town). There are also Thai, Italian, and Hakka restaurants. Some of the best ice cream (Joe's), and several great coffee houses are within a couple of blocks.

Ziggy up close

Surfing small waves in Pacifica

It may have been a small wave, but he rode it all the way to the beach.

Not a good place to stand...

Taken on the beach in Pacifica. I'm not completely sure what comes out of this valve, but I'm pretty sure I don't want to be in front of it when it starts flowing..,

Pacifica Architecture

A large house in Pacifica.

Foxtails SUCK!!

As a dog owner, I have to tell you, I HATE these things. Foxtails get into the fur of dogs, then the dogs dig them out with their teeth, and the foxtails end up between the tooth and gum, causing horrible infections.

I'm not one to usually question God regarding his creations, but what the heck is the purpose for foxtails?

9/11/2008 -- 7 years on

It seemed appropriate to show this on this day. I find the poignancy of these hero's graves separated from us by the fence.

Here's a half mast for you too:



Let us never forget that regardless of how we feel about the war, we must always honor those brave men and women who answer the call to duty. Past and present alike, you have my gratitude and respect.

Architecture in Sea Cliff

This beautiful home is about a block from Lands End in the Sea Cliff portion of San Francisco.

Windblown Happy Puppy

Clemmy loves her walks on the beach!!

Fort Point Sign

Fort Point sits directly under the San Francisco side of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was built in 1853 as part of a trio of defensive positions (also included Fort Mason and Alcatraz) protecting San Francisco Bay.

The site it sits on was originally 90 feet higher than it is today. The Corps of Engineers blasted the cliff down to sea level.

Wild West Tribute at Ocean Beach

In 1902, Buffalo Bill Cody took his "Wild West Indian" show to San Francisco, where he arranged for a famous picture of 100 Native American Indians in full decorative "battle dress" on the Ocean Beach.

Seattle based artist Thom Ross, who grew up in San Francisco, recreated this scene with 100 wooden cutouts and that scene is on display at Ocean Beach until September 15th.

The Chron's article on the exhibition is here

Eucalyptus Trunk in the Presidio

Eucalyptus trees can be found in abundance in the Presidio, though, if the NPS has its way, not for long (they are considered an invasive, non-native species)

Sunset at BOB

Taken at Crissy looking (duh!) west.

Kiteboarders on the bay

Bridge and Tree

This part of the bridge is called "The Fort Point Arch". It sits directly after the south anchorage between pylons S1 and S2.

"First We Scream" globe

Another one of the Cool Globes -- this one, by artist Nancy L. Steinmeyer, is entitiled "First we scream ... then we act".

On the other side is a Uncle Sam pointing that "I Want You".

The Girl and the Parrot

Some friends had a BBQ over the weekend and caught this picture of this lovely young lady and an African Grey.