2014 Hike #11: Angel Island

The weather was perfect this Easter Sunday. I decided to spend my day hiking Angel Island. There is no direct vehicle access to this island as other places in the Bay Area (Treasure Island, Alameda), so you have to take the ferry to reach Angel Island. There are only three routes; Oakland, San Francisco, and Tiburón. I really don't like to venture into downtown be it car or public transportation. It's just hard to get there when you're coming from the Sunset. So I decided to drive out to Marin County and take the Angel Island-Tiburón route. It's cheaper than the San Francisco Ferry, too.

The day was clear and the outdoor temperature was a perfect 72 degrees. The ferry cut across the bay where you can see stunning views of the San Francisco skyline, The Golden Gate Bridge, and Marin County. The only negative is that I get terrible seasickness. I have to remember to take dramamine before boarding the ferry again.

Top: Angel Island
Bottom: Golden Gate Bridge (L) and Mount Tam (R)

Once on the island, I ascended the Sunset Trail to Mt. Livermore, the island's highest peak. No matter which part of the trail you stood, there was always a beautiful view. Along the trail was some of the burnt out flora from the 2008 fire; perhaps its remnants serving as a reminder to be sensitive of nature.

It took nearly 2 hours to reach the peak. Once I got there, the panoramic views were breathtaking.

From the East Bay to the Marin Headlands

From the Marine Headlands, to Mt. Tam, the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge to Richmond

There were other trails that traversed the foothills as part of its historic route. As much as I would have wanted to do this expedition, my feet and legs were wearing out. Plus, it's a reason for me to come back and explore other areas. I also saw campgrounds; perhaps a future camping spot.

Viva Las Vegas? Que se Muera Las Vegas!!!!

It's that time of year again when the biggest Rockabilly Weekender of the year descends upon Las Vegas, NV every Easter. Well, almost every Easter. One year it was moved to the following week due to an early holiday coinciding with March Madness held in Las Vegas. It actually made the flight cheaper. But I digress. 

It's Viva Las Vegas! This past week, my Instagram feed has blown up with photos of pre-VLV preparation, The Orleans Hotel, ladies in their lovely vintage attire and slot machines. To all that I say, "To Hell with Viva!" It just isn't the same anymore.

My first Viva experience was 2002, and I went every year until 2008. Those were some good times. I recall paying only $60 for my ticket, and the event didn't even sell out. The security was lax, so I made it a point to just attend Viva without a ticket. I ALWAYS got in. Regardless, I spent most of the time on the VLV peripheral. 

It was always fun heading downstairs to watch the free Rockabilly shows. At the Gold Coast, all the VLV events were upstairs, but there were several stages downstairs as well. Performances were usually by wild (raw) Rockabilly bands quite different from the 1950s rock n roll influenced bands. The Moonlight Cruisers were my favorite band out of Los Angeles. They were known as the "Cumbiabilly" band based on their fusion of Spanish and Rockabilly music. The area was packed with fans; quite possibly drawing more of a crowd than the VLV bands.

The car show was always free with Saturday its biggest draw. The lot was open round the clock with several pop up acoustic performances from bands throughout the U.S. (though mostly California). You could hang out in the lot even at night where most people shot the breeze over booze and cigarettes. It would take hours to meander around the lot because often you'd stop and chat with different car owners, bands and other VLV patrons. Since the lot was on the top level, there were great views of the mountains.

And, of course, the vendors were always open to all visitors; ticket or not. It was a mix of true vintage and reproduction clothing. I avoid repros like the plague. Why wear the same mass produced dress that everyone else could wear at Viva? (I'll talk more about this later.) Wearing true vintage is a guarantee that you won't run into a person with the same outfit. One thing that has always been good about Viva is the vendors. I bought quite a few vintage dresses; some I still own today. Usually I always waited until the last day to make my purchases. That was when sellers got desperate to sell their inventory to avoid hauling it back to where ever they came from.

Though I always had gone with friends, I strolled about solo. I felt that was how to truly enjoy the experience and meet new people. My conversation with various patrons often came with a cocktail. I don't think I ever bought a drink. Usually conversations with men consisted of tattoos (so many of these guys wanted to tattoo me), music and dancing. With women it was clothing, hair and accessories.

I skipped about 3 years of Viva trips before finally going back in 2012. No more Gold Coast. It was now at The Orleans. The new venue significantly changed the atmosphere, aura and appeal of Viva Las Vegas. First of all, I didn't even buy a full weekend pass. I bought the car show pass. I thought, "wow, they're actually cashing in on this?" I figured I could get in to the main event, but it was pretty difficult. There were so many people at Viva of which about 90% looked exactly the same. Bettie Page Clothing and Stop Staring dresses, cherries, polka-dots, roses pinned in black hair, victory rolls (in the 50s???? That was long out of vogue). I counted (literally) about 18 Bettie Page dresses...all the exact same style and cut but different colors. Most of the patrons were really young with stuck-up attitudes. Of course most of the guys looked the same; t-shirt, cuffed jeans, pomps, converse, a mean mug and a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon (which, by the way, is the WORST tasting beer; there's a reason why they're cheap); but at least they were nice.

The following year, I went back; this time buying the 4-day pass. I literally paid double than what I had originally paid back in '02. It was more of the same; only worse. At the record hops, I found myself strolling and bopping more than jiving. I really wanted to dance with new people, but Rockabillies are not social dancers. They only dance with their significant other or they have a tight circle of friends to dance together. I danced most with Anthony, my go-to guy for dancing at all the Rockabilly events in the Bay Area (and, again, he was my go-to guy at Viva). I also danced with some of my old friends from Los Angeles. But once I asked guys for a dance, their partners had this look of horror as if how dare I dance with their man. It's only a dance not an engagement. That's just how this community is.

I rarely spent time at the event itself. I ended up leaving the area to browse the Burlesque Hall of Fame, the Mob Museum and the Neon Museum. I got my swing dancing fix at a local venue (and the dancing wasn't really up to par). I dined at restaurants on the revamped old strip and made the requisite stop at Frankie's Tiki Room. It was more of a Las Vegas trip than a VLV experience. This wouldn't be a bad thing, only I felt I wasted $120 on an event that wasn't even worth that amount.

VLV just isn't what it used to be. I kept thinking about how much I missed the old Gold Coast days when the event seemed purer without all the sour attitudes that you see at Viva today. After my last trip, I said, "Nope. I'm done. Clearly this is for a different generation of Rockabilly culture." In fact most people who went during the earlier years had the same sentiment. As the days approached VLV 2014, most of us out here in the Bay Area backed out in favor of the new Rockabilly RockOut in October. From its description, it looks like the days of yore; a Rockabilly event back at the Gold Coast. It's still overpriced, but it looks like I'll be paying more for nostalgia.

The Old Viva Days. 2003-2008
Band: Moonlight Cruisers. Andrew Martinez (RIP)
Roy Vargas before he became "Varga" and forgot about all us little people.

New Viva Days: 2012-2013. Note that there are fewer pics of the actual event.
More time was spent outside the event.

The French Market

I've limited my vintage shopping to antique and fashion fairs. I rarely go into a brick and mortar establishment unless I know the people working there (discounts) or I'm visiting from out of town. You just can't haggle with the staff.  

I learned about the Marin County Antique market at last weeks Alameda Pointe Antique Flea. After my hike at Fort Baker, I continued up Redwood Highway to San Rafael. The market was small, but still enjoyable. I even found one of my favorite vendors (Chick-a-boom). I didn't purchase anything; I was mainly there to scout the area before I return next month. There were a lot of antiques available for all types of collectors: tiki and Hawaiiana, Disneyana, African, Native American, tools, auto, clothing, music, furniture, etc. Something for everyone.

2014 Hike #10: Fort Baker

After a few weeks of hiking on the peninsula, I finally went back to Marin County. This week was a short trek through Fort Baker. The military fort dates back to the 1870s when coastal defense facilities were a necessity along the Pacific coast. Today, it's part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Just above the fort is a hiking trail where you will find stunning views of San Francisco Bay.

When walking the trails, it's easy to forget to look up. We're so busy look out and around that your forget the view the beauty above. In the picture below (top left), the branches had almost a damask quality. Nature itself can create a work of art.

As I continued along the trail, I stopped to snap a few shots of flora. We've only recently begun the spring season so it may take some time before the flowers are in full bloom. I even took a snapshot of a ladybug; rarely seen in an urban environment.

Angel Island in the foreground

The next upcoming weekends will be away from the Bay Area (work purposes), so it won't be until May before I return to Marin County. Next North Bay hike: Angel Island.

2014 Vintage Purchases #5: Sewing machine

It was 3 months ago when the last Alameda Pointe Antique Faire had great weather. In February it was cancelled due to rain. In March, it rained again only this time faire went on. I guess the organization didn't want to cancel 2 months in a row. They should have, though, since most of the vintage inventory sat uncovered and ruined by the rain. Most sellers left and very few buyers attended.

Today, the weather couldn't be better. It was a perfect 68 degrees with barely a cloud in the sky. It also brought out many of the Bay Area denizens as it was extremely crowded at 9am. I went to the faire with a mental shopping list of five items: cat-eye frames, sewing machine, white needlepoint handbag and a mirrored tray for my vanity. I ran into quite a few friends at the faire and they laughed at the idea of a shopping list for an antique faire. "But of course," I explained, "if I didn't have a list, I'd buy the whole market. It keeps me from spending more than I should." Then they all smiled as they said, "smart!" 

I went back to the usual vintage glasses vendor for a new (old) pair of frames. I found a great pair for which he gave me a deal since I am a repeat customer; not only of his frames but of the prescription service. I should have the glasses in a couple of weeks.

I found quite a few sewing machines but most of them were in the $200 range. I found White Sewing Machine for $45 with a patent date of 1913. I figured it was a good deal, so I purchased it. It's outfitted with a motor which was most likely an add on as electrical machines came into popularity. I'm currently doing some additional research and also figuring out how it works. I'm not having much luck on the electric part of it, but it can still be hand cranked. This looks to be a fun little project. 

2014 Hike #9: The Devil's Slide

It's been awhile since my last hike. March was a busy month; with work and my dance troupe, I've had little time to enjoy nature. Now that things have settled, I'm back on the trails. Just before I left for Portland, I read about San Mateo County's new trail. The Devil's Slide.

Cabrillo Highway (also known as State Route 1) runs along the coast between Pacifica and Santa Cruz. I often take this route to Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz. It's just a nicer drive rather than taking 280. Along Cabrillo there was this stretch of highway at Devil's Slide, a very rocky land formation (promontory) between Pacifica and Montara. In the late 1930s, a highway was constructed to connect the beach communities with San Francisco. The path was a very curvy 2 lane highway nearly impossible to speed through. There was always traffic; at least there was when I drove through. But the views were amazing. Due to erosion and landslides, the highway was often shutdown for lengthy periods of time. Tunnels were built to cut through the promontory where Cabrillo was rerouted for a safer passage. I last drove along Devil's Slide just one week prior to its closure in 2013 when I took a weekend trip to Santa Cruz.

Fast forward one year to today, and the passage was reopened as a coastal trail. As I walked along the newly paved path, I flashed back to when I used to drive through admiring the coastline as I slowly meandered its tight lane. Only this time, I took more notice of the rock formation, the flora, the ocean and the birds hovering above. Along the trail were several placards detailing the area's development, history, ecology and biodiversity. There were also remnants of an old military station that is, unfortunately, still closed off to the public.

The weather wasn't very kind today. There were brief showers followed by light drizzle. I would like to return to the trail on a day that is bright and sunny. 

The new passage - Tom Lantos Tunnel

2014 Vintage Purchases #4: Portland, Oregon

During my brief stay in Portland, I managed to fit in a bit of shopping time in between conferences. Portland has several shops sprinkled throughout its city limits. I only managed to visit three: Hollywood Vintage, Red Fox Vintage and Xtabay Vintage.

Hollywood has a huge selection of clothing for both men and women. Most of it was 50s-80s, but there was a separate room of 30-40s dresses. I found a pink, cotton day dress for $29. I loved that it was 29 flat as there is no sales tax in Oregon.

Red Fox Vintage had an interesting set up. It wasn't just one shop. It was a unit that housed multiple sellers. Though it had some nice items, it was really hard to go through a hodgepodge of different eras. There was no categorization whatsoever. Most of the items were from the 70s. Still, there were some great furniture pieces but nothing I can take back on a plane. I didn't make any purchases at Red Fox.

The last shop I visited was Xtabay. I've heard a lot about this place mainly on Etsy and on Pinterest. The shop owners were very friendly and accommodating, and they seemed to have a good eye for which dresses would suit you best. They were a bit on the pricey side, but the vintage clothing is in excellent condition. Plus, the zero sales tax made me feel less guilty about making a purchase of this lovely dress:

If I had more time in Portland, I'm pretty sure I would've walked away with more purchases. The next time I go back to PDX, it will be primarily to shop and swing dance.