On the road again
Just can’t wait to get on the road again
The life I love is making music with my friends
And I can’t wait to get on the road again
On the road again
Goin’ places that I’ve never been
Seein’ things that I may never see again
The song, by Willie Nelson says it all. We are on the road again. This time we have left Southern California and are heading back to the East Coast. First stop was a quick visit with my brother in Indio – and then on to Prescott Arizona. Prescott was an overnight visit with our friend Dave – he and I worked together for 16 years in Glendale and we both retired within 2 months of each other in 2017. Nice visit. It seems that taking pictures over the last couple of days just hasn’t happened. So actual proof we were there is unavailable.
Now we are in Williams Arizona – the “Gateway to the Grand Canyon”.
The Arch over the road
It seems that Janeen has never been to the Grand Canyon so we have a tour set for tomorrow which should be both educational and fun. However, today it is all about Williams. With a population of only 3,158 (as of 2017) its major claim to fame is that it was the last city on Historic Route 66 to be bypassed by Interstate 40. The community was bypassed on October 13, 1984 and it is clear it thrives on tourists and those particularly nostalgic for the old route 66.
Painted on the side of the building to commemorate when I-40 opening and the end of Route 66
The Historic Downtown district covers 6 square blocks with a number of interesting shops and restaurants. This place is clearly one of the major inspirations for the Disney – Pixar movie Cars.
This reminded us of Cars Land at Disney’s California Adventure. Live music in the patio too.Proof we were there.
As we drove into town Janeen and I both said how it reminded us of the movie and Cars Land at Disneyland California Adventures.
Pete’s Rt 66 Gas Station MuseumJust walking along the sidewalkLot’s of 50’s and 60’s references throughout the place.Seems the couldn’t get this old car out.
One of the attractions is the Grand Canyon Railway. The original Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway were completed in September 1901. After declining ridership, it was eventually purchased by private investors in 1988 that restored the faculties and passenger cars. Since that time, the railroad has taken hundreds of passengers to and from the south rim of the Grand Canyon on a daily basis.
Grand Canyon Railway – the create a nice experience to the South Rim.
The Grand Canyon Railway on it’s way to the south rim
Other highlights include the Grand Canyon Brewing Company,
Seems there is always a local brewery in every town we visit.
AZ Wine and lots of shops with Indian and local artist creations.
This Chevy is parked outside this place very day. Lots of car parts both inside and out of this shop.
We had a nice time just wandering around and visited one of the original Route 66 Trading Posts for southwestern native jewelry and pottery. Tomorrow the Grand Canyon!
Historic Jamestown, just a few miles away from our place in Williamsburg, seemed like a nice spot to visit on a lovely September day. With Ryan and Chris on board, we headed out to visit this site.
The Welcome Sign f
As we were getting in line for our entrance tickets we discovered that Tony and Gloria were also there – and just in front of us – and it was great to visit with them again. (they were at the 50th anniversary celebration that was held the prior evening).
Tony, David, Gloria, Janeen, Ryan and Chris – a beautiful way to spend a few hours and learn about American History.
Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in the Americas. Started by the Virginia Company of London as “James Fort” on May 4, 1607 along the banks of the (now) James River (originally Powhatan River). The location was chosen as a site in a secure place, where Spanish ships could not fire point blank into the fort. Within days of landing, Powhatan Indians attacked the colonists. As a result of the hostilities, the newcomers spent the next few weeks working to create a wooden fort.
This is a depiction of what the fort might have looked like based on the excavations completed.
It is inside this fort that England’s first permanent colony took hold.
The Jamestown Tercentenary Monument, erected in 1907 to commemorate the three hundredth anniversary of the settlement, stands 103 feet tall.
Of course it wasn’t easy. Disease, famine, and sporadic attacks from the neighboring Powhatan Indians took a tremendous toll on the early population, but there were also times when trade with the Indians revived the colony with food in exchange for glass beads, copper and iron tools. Relations with the local Indians quickly soured and the colonist would eventually annihilate the Paspahegh in warfare over the next four years.
The original number of colonists was 105 “men and boys” but despite the Virginia Company sending more settlers and supplies, including the 1608 arrival of eight Polish and German colonists and the first two European women, more than 80 percent of the colonist died by 1610. The site was abandoned for several years, the remaining colonists returned from nearby encampments after a resupply convoy arrived.
Ranger Bill gave a great talk and brought the area to life for us.
The first representative assembly in English North America convened in the Jamestown church on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly met in response to orders from the Virginia Company “to establish one equal and uniform government over all Virginia” and provide “just laws for the happy guiding and governing of the people there inhabiting.” A few weeks later came the first unsolicited arrival of Africans to Jamestown, marking the beginning of de facto slavery in the colony.
With the introduction of tobacco and the arrival of the first indentured slaves Jamestown created an economy that was able to survive and expand.
Janeen leaning on a corner post of a partially recreated wall.
As Jamestown grew into a robust “New Towne” to the east, written references to the original fort disappeared. In 1676 a rebellion in the colony led by Nathaniel Bacon sacked and burned much of the capital town. Jamestown remained the capital of Virginia until its major statehouse, located on the western end of the island, burned in 1698. The capital moved to Williamsburg in 1699, and Jamestown began to slowly disappear above the ground. By the 1750s the land was heavily cultivated farmland erasing all the above ground structures.
The fort has been recreated based on all the research done over the last 20 years.
In 1893 Mr. and Mrs. Edward Barney owned the property that was Jamestown. The Barneys gave 22-1/2 acres of land, including the 17th century church tower, to the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities (now Preservation Virginia). By this time James River erosion had eaten away the island’s western shore; the common belief was that the site of 1607 James Fort lay completely underwater. With federal assistance, a sea wall was built in 1900 to protect the area from further erosion. The remaining acreage on the island was acquired by the National Park Service in 1934 and made part of the Colonial National Historical Park.
David, Chris, Ryan and Janeen
In 1994 an extensive survey of the property was done which resulted in finding the foundations of the original fort. These excavations revealed 1.5 million artifacts and greatly increased the understanding of this first chapter in American History.
Just a sample of some of the artifacts that have been recoveredWork continues trying to discover additional artifacts during restoration work.Some of the artifacts on display in the museum.
Today, the Preservation Virginia Society and National Park Service jointly operate Jamestown. Upon our arrival ,we learned that Ranger Bill would be doing a talk in a few minutes and we arrived in time to listen in. Ranger Bill brought to life much of the history of the area and pointed out various significant points of interest. After our introduction talk we walked through the recreated fort, visited the museum with all many of the artifacts on display and generally had a very nice time.
Ryan by the Captan John Smith memorial. He was the original leader of the group.
After we left, and had posted a few pictures on Facebook, we learned that Chris is related to some of the early Jamestown settlers. It seems that on his mother’s side of the family, his great grandmother…..the Slaughter line from Upper Slaughter, England help settle Jamestown. John Slaughter came over from Upper Slaughter about 1610-1612. His wife and son, John, joined him about 1615-1617. John, the father, was killed in an Indian massacre outside of town. His wife died and is buried in Jamestown. John, the son ,married and had 3 sons in Jamestown. Who knew that Chris comes from such old and hearty stock? The Slaughter Family is listed in the settler’s books of Jamestown. Nice surprise to learn all of this after having visited the place.
Chris – our ‘Junior Ranger’ for the day. Who knew he was related to some of the early settlers of Jamestown!
What happened in 1969? Well a lot of things – many of which we remember. Here are some of the highlights:
The Beatles’ last public performance, on the roof of Apple Records First Concorde test flight is conducted In France,
The Concord started test flights in 1969
The Boeing 747 jumbo jet makes its debut. It carried 191 people, most of them reporters and photographers, from Seattle to New York City.
Pontiac Firebird Trans Am the epitome of the American muscle car is introduced,
Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
Woodstock attracts more than 350,000 rock-n-roll fans. Members of a cult led by Charles Manson murder five people.
Man Walks on the Moon – July 20, 1969
The first man is landed on the moon on the Apollo 11 mission by the United States and Neil Armstrong and Edwin ‘Buzz’ Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the Moon.
Apollo 11 and man is on the moon in July 1969. We watched this on live television with my parents in La Jolla.
Richard Nixon becomes President of the United States. Sesame Street known for its Muppet characters, makes its debut on PBS. Seiko sells the first Quartz Watch
Popular films included: The Love Bug,
The Love Bug Movie
Funny Girl, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. True Grit, Midnight Cowboy, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Easy Rider and Where Eagles Dare
Popular Musicians include: The Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Creedence Clearwater Revival,
Creedence Clearwater Revival was on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1969
John Denver, Simon and Garfunkel, Fleetwood Mac, Marvin Gaye, The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The first ATM is installed and the hand held barcode scanner is created. Fashions reflected the anti war sentiment with military jackets adorned with peace signs, and other trends included long unkempt wild hair and headbands reflecting the feelings of anti establishment felt by the youth.
And on August 2, 1969 David & Janeen got married.
Walk to the Reception after our ceremony
Since that time, 50 years or so, they have been together, raised two sons – seen them both married, grand daughters have joined the family and now they (David & Janeen) live in a state of Wander – they don’t have a house but just “wander” around.
August 2 ,2019 was the official anniversary day – and we had a lovely lunch with our dear friend Beth at a Spanish restaurant in Healdsburg. Fantastic timeGary Peter and Jaynese were not able to make either celebration so we partied with them in the Bay Area.(51st anniversary August 10)
To celebrate this long relationship, our sons, Jason and Ryan, hosted two major parties – one in California for a bunch of West Coast friends and one on the East Coast for the growing network of friends in that area.
A photo montage was created and can be seen by clicking on the link here. https://youtu.be/7jwtRiQ-TPA
Below are some of the pictures from the two events – one held in Pasadena at Bacchus Kitchen and one in Williamsburg at the Williamsburg Plantation VacationVillage. Our friends on both costs (and those in between) who were able to attend were treated to wines from our collection along with great eats.
All the West Coast folks got together for a picture after dinner.The West Coast CrowdWill and Cheryl with Janeen and David. David and Will worked together at Northrup and haven’t seen each other in years! A nice surprise at the West Coast event.Jason hosting one of the tables at the West Coast event.Here we are after all these years still together.
Our Celebration in Virginia was smaller but just as fantastic.
There was a special cake! Hand made pistachio flavored cake with lemon curd filling. Wonderful edible chamomile flowers adorned.Ira, Janeen and Chris at the East Coast eventOpening cards at the East Coast celebrationThe table was set and ready for us when we arrived for the East Coast CelebrationGloria and Tony – he was the Best Man at our wedding.Janeen and Emma holding our granddaughters(flower girls in pink)Tiy, Theresa and Michael all joined in the celebrationWe had a wonderful evening for sure.Joel is our Jazz lover friend from Boston – Janeen worked for his dad when we lived in Cambridge in the early 70’s.
We don’t consider our Party over yet as we continue to roam around and stop in to visit friends across the country :new celebrations happen all the time.
We recently visited this wonderful place together.
Located in San Marino, about 5 miles from where we used to live in Alhambra, is the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens. Over the years we had visited this lovely spot to explore the art collection and see all the amazing gardens. Then, after Janeen retired 10 years ago or so, she became a volunteer – docent in the Herb Garden and loved the experience tremendously (as a result of her time in the Garden, I have now realized that periodically we need to visit gardens where ever we are – Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania, Luxembourg Gardens in Paris, Monet’s Garden in Giverny, Tivoli Garden in Italy to name just a few). While visiting in SoCal on this trip she has been to the Huntington Gardens three times already.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, colloquially known as The Huntington, is a collections-based educational and research institution established by Henry E. Huntington (1850–1927).
Henry and- Arabella Huntington’s Home. This now houses a large portion of the artwork.
Henry was an avid collector of art, books and plants from all over the world. As a result he amassed a huge collection that overflowed his home and extended into several buildings on his property. With over 120 acres of specialized botanical landscaped gardens including world famous Japanese Garden, Desert Garden and an ever expanding Chinese Garden, he left the entire estate to a foundation to continue his dream of expanding the place. The overall estate is divided into three categories: Library, Artworks and Gardens.
George Washington seen hanging out in the Scott Gallery.
The Library contains a substantial collection of rare books and manuscripts, concentrated in the fields of British and American history, literature, art, and the history of science. Highlights include one of eleven vellum copies of the Gutenberg Bible known to exist, The Ellesmere manuscript of Chaucer (ca. 1410) and letters and manuscripts by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln. The Library’s Main Exhibition Hall showcases some of the most outstanding rare books and manuscripts in the collection, while the West Hall of the Library hosts rotating exhibitions. The collection is available for scholars to do research.
The Blue Boy by Thomas Gainsborough, c. 1770. This is currently being studied and restored.Sources of the blue used to paint Blue Boy. Part of the display as the painting undergoes its restoration.
The Art Collection is displayed in both a permanent installation and special temporary exhibitions in several buildings on the property. The European collection, consisting largely of 18th- and 19th-century British & French paintings, sculptures and decorative arts, is housed in The Huntington Art Gallery, the original Huntington residence.
Taking a brief break before going into the newest wing of the Scott Gallerys
Also included in the art collection is a spectacular collection of American art from the 18th century French tapestries, porcelain, and furniture. Complementing the European collections is a collection of paintings, prints, drawings, sculptures and photographs dating from the 17th to the mid 20th century. Interestingly, Huntington did not originally collect American Art.
A beautiful example of four kinds of quilting in one. On display in one of the galleries.
The institution started this collection in 1979 with the gift of some 50 significant paintings from Virginia Steel Scott – since then significant works by American craftsmen and artists are displayed in the Lois and Robert F. Erburu Gallery, a modern classical addition designed by Los Angeles architect Frederick Fisher. Highlights among the American art collections include Breakfast in Bed by Mary Cassatt, The Long Leg by Edward Hopper, Small Crushed Campbell’s Soup Can (Beef Noodle) by Andy Warhol, and Global Loft (Spread) by Robert Rauschenberg. As of 2014, the collection numbers some 12,000 works, ninety percent of them drawings, photographs and prints. Addition of the American wing highlights quilts, furniture, fabric arts and paintings under the banner Becoming America.
One of several fountains. This were not working for the longest time due to the water problems in California.Janeen happy to see the fountains running again.
Botanical Gardens – clearly the most important part as far as Janeen is concerned – consists of over 120 acres and showcases plants from around the world. The gardens are divided into more than a dozen themes including Camellia collection, Children’s Garden, Desert Garden, Herb Garden, Japanese Garden,
Japanese garden with Wisteria bloomingJapanese Garden bell
Rose Garden,
Rose Garden with the Temple of Love
Chinese Garden
The Chinese Garden – lovely and restful place to visit.
and other themed areas.
The Desert Garden, one of the world’s largest and oldest outdoor collections of cacti and other succulents, contains plants from extreme environments, many of which were acquired by Henry E. Huntington and William Hertrich (the garden curator during Huntington’s time).
World famous Desert Garden
One of the Huntington’s most botanically important gardens, the Desert Garden, brings together a plant group largely unknown and unappreciated in the beginning of the 1900s. Containing a broad category of xerophytes (aridity-adapted plants), the Desert Garden grew to preeminence and remains today among the world’s finest, with more than 5,000 species. Hertrich is rumored to have travelled all over the southwest (including Mexico) digging up various plants to bring back to San Marino.
Desert garden is filled with cacti and succulents
One of the interesting things I’ve learned is that when transplanting a large cactus , it really must be planted facing the same way(compass direction) from its original planting to be successful.
The Herb Garden – truly the most important Garden to Janeen where she spent the most time and was an active Docent for a number of years including helping to train volunteers, was constructed in the 1970s.
Kelly, the Herb & Shakespeare Garden main gardener.
This garden contains many unusual herbs as well as many that are well known. Favorites from grandmother’s day, such as horehound, licorice, lavender, mignonette, and heliotrope, evoke happy memories for many visitors.
Herb Garden in the off season – not much blooming
The garden is arranged according to the uses made of the herbs: medicines; teas; wines and liqueurs; cooking, salads, and confections; cosmetics, perfumes, and soaps; potpourris and sachets; insect repellents; and dyes.
The Southern California climate allows The Huntington to grow many herbs and even some spices not found in traditional herb gardens.
Some of the displays in the Herb Garden that Janeen helped to create.
These include, but are not limited to, plants that produce coffee, tea, mate, hops, and jojoba.
The 18th century well in the Herb Garden wrought iron with a grapevine motif.One of the benches in the Herb Garden dedicated to Gene Roddenberry.
Many larger and shade loving herbs are planted outside the beds, along the perimeter of the garden. Janeen particularly enjoys the scented geraniums, lemon verbena, mints, almond verbena, allspice and lavender.
A field of Agapanthus “Lillies of the Nile” bloom year round to the delight of bees and humming birds.
Over the last 20 years, we have traveled to the wine country of the Willamette Valley almost every year.These trips have certainly given us a good appreciation of the area as well as the opportunity to see it change over the years.Our early visits included introductions to some great winemakers and we have been able to stay in touch with these folks over the years.As a result of all of this interaction with folks, we learned about the International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC), which is held each year the last weekend of July.Over the years we have been able to attend this event a number of times.
Coupled with the IPNC are a number of special events that occur around the weekend.One we were excited to attend was the release party for the History Wines.
Melissa Burr with a bottle of her History Wine.
This wine series is a new partnership between Stoller Family Estate and the Director of Winemaking, Melissa Burr.Melissa’s family purchased a property in Washington that had a very early planting of Cabernet Sauvignon and she had wanted to make wine from it for sometime.This resulted in her development of the History Wine program that seeks to source fruit from some of the oldest vineyards in the Pacific Northwest to make limited quantities of ultra-premium wines.The release party was held July 20th at the Stoller estate and featured several wines produced from some of the oldest plantings in the area.Wonderful way to start off our visit to the area.
The following Thursday, we joined with our friends from Pasadena ,Jessie and Phil for a lovely Pre-IPNC dinner held at Résonance Winery.
Phil and Jessie at the Résonance dinner.
Résonance is a brand new facility started by a French producer, Maison Louis Jadot, and the tasting room was just completed about a month prior to the evening’s event.Dinner, great wines and conversations with the Pierre-Henry Gagey, President of Maison Louis Jadot and his son, Thibault Gagey Director of Operations provided a wonderful insight into their feelings about starting an operation in Oregon and their commitment to the project.I found my conversation with the winemaker, Guillaume Large very enjoyable.
Janeen and winemaker Guillaume Large at Résonance
He has been active in the decisions on how new vineyards are to be planted and what varietals are used.Unlike most (read that 99%) of the vineyards in Oregon they are planting a number of different varietals as a “field blend” not as specific blocks or areas.The field blend they feel gives them a better representation of the terroir.
The next day started the actual IPNC experience.
Each year, my sister makes us name badges for this event. We make a few for friends a special wine makers.
Held on the campus of Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon, this was the 33rd annual gathering of Pinot Noir lovers from around the world.The Celebration is both educational, featuring a Grand Seminar and courses as part of the University of Pinot combined with an abundance of great Pinot Noir paired with the delicious bounty of Oregon prepared by the Pacific Northwest’s most talented chefs . Voila ,you have a great food and wine event.
Over the course of three days of tastings, seminars, vineyard tours and gourmet dining there is the opportunity to taste Pinot Noir wines from over 70 carefully vetted wineries from several continents.
All the winemakers at the event get to introduce themselves and of course have their picture taken.
This year’s Master of Ceremonies and Grand Seminar moderator was Steven Spurrier who guided an in-depth discussion of the wines of the Côte Chalonnaise, “The 3rd Côte.”
Aaron Bell, Assistant winemaker at Domaine Drouhin Oregon where we are Wine Club Members #1.
The Grand Seminar had a panel of French Wine Producers and their wines.It was a lively discussion along with some very tasty wines.
Grand Seminar is held in the gym on campus.Tasting of Burgundy wines at the Grand Seminar.The Panel at the Grand Seminar
After a fantastic lunch served outdoors in the Oak Grove, I went off to a seminar with Steven Spurrier while Janeen headed to a discussion of Pinot Noir and Riesling and changing terroir.
David Millman and Seven Spurrier at the discussion panelSteven Spurrier
My seminar was a small group of people where Spurrier was asked questions by David Millman and covered the historic 1976 blind tasting between wines from California and France, the Judgment of Paris that forever changed the world’s view of New World wines and his lengthy history in the wine environment.
After our small group programs we went back to our room and regrouped for the afternoon and evening events.We decided to pass on the walk around tasting – where some 40 or so wines are presented and just hung out at our apartment.Dinner, a grand affair, held on the Intramural Field featured a wonderful meal along with more great wines.
The Afternoon lunch under the OaksThe food prep tent for the Grand Dinner on Friday evening.
Saturday had us board a bus and head out to a winery.The actual location is unknown until we were on our way and we discovered we were going to Ponzi Vineyard.Ponzi is one of the pioneer vineyards in the valley having been established in the late 60’s by Dick and Nancy Ponzi.The vineyards are now owned and run by their daughters, Anna Maria Ponzi and Winemaker Luisa Ponzi the second generation.
Janeen with Anna Maria Ponzi and Winemaker Luisa Ponzi
At the winery there was a panel discussion with 5 winemakers – 4 from Oregon and 1 from California with a discussion about winemaking procedures, methods sources of fruit and other quite interesting topics.
The panel discussion at Ponzi WineryJaneen getting ready to ask the panel a question.
It is always interesting when winemakers have to taste their wines blind – most of the time they are unable to pick out their wines from the selections available and this was no different from prior panels we have been to over the years.All and it was a great afternoon and I would admit that the Arneis
If you find this wine, buy it and enjoy!
they served at lunch was so good I ordered some!
Janeen and winemaker Alex Sokol Blosser
The afternoon, after getting back to the campus, had another walk around tasting with an additional 40 or so producers that we also missed.The evening had the traditional Salmon Bake – a large area under the oak trees is set up for cooking salmon, pouring wines, dancing and the eating of great food.
Salmon is baked over open flame – boy is it good.The “meat” table at Salmon BakeDid I mention the Dessert table at Salmon Bake?More Desserts then you can sample
Sunday, the final day of the weekend ,is a sparkling brunch with several different food stations and lots and lots of sparkling wine.A wonderful end for the weekend and a time to say goodbye to old and new friends.While we have enjoyed our time both in the Willamette Valley and at the IPNC there is no guarantee when we will get back to this part of the world as there is a lot of world yet to explore.
