California

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art – MOMA

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San Francisco is home to a world class modern art museum called the MOMA. It recently underwent a multi-year facelift. I had been meaning to check it out and the opportunity finally presented itself recently.  The building is gorgeous boasting six levels of art with an outdoor living wall, oculus bridge, outdoor fresh air sculptures, and an outdoor terrace with art and a view. Highlights for me were the Thomas Saraceno’s Stillness in Motion: Cloud City, special Matisse collection, Diane Arbus photography portrait collection, and the British Sculptures.

The museum has a really great app to keep people interested as they plan their trip and walk through the exhibits. It provides information on each floor and collection and even immersive walks. One can buy tickets ahead to save valuable time waiting in line. I recommend getting  there early as it can get pretty busy which can take away from the vibe. 

Rothko has been a favorite of mine since I was in high school and was dumb enough to think I could easily paint something this simple. Spoiler Alert: It’s harder than it looks.

What do you think this person is thinking?

I love this painting. And it made me smile to watch hoards of young people taking selfies in front of it. Yes, not great Museum behavior. But, it made me smile to watch lots of young kids enjoying the art one way or the other.

This piece reminded me of the white rock found at Newgrange in Ireland. It was arranged in a beautiful circular pattern on the ground. I loved it.

Probably my favorite exhibit was Thomas Saraceno’s Stillness in Motion: Cloud City.

Everything in this exhibit seemed floating on air if by magic

The use of mirrors was perfect and helped with the air of weightlessness and mystery

This young lady was sketching a Matisse and was doing a great job!

Special exhibit on now is Matisse/Diebenkorn

The museum is making an effort to interest young people. Near one of the cafes they have a machine where you can make your own selfie art. I couldn’t help myself.

Living wall

Simply gorgeous

For another silly post on the MOMA clickity clickity here.

Looking for other fun and quirky stuff to do when visiting San Francisco check out my other posts here. 

Treasure Island Flea Market

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The Bay Bridge stretches from the Oakland area to San Francisco. Halfway across the bridge it connects to Treasure Island, a man made Island meant to be a sea plane airport. Once the location of the Worlds Fair it is now trying to reinvent itself. One way is by a very popular flea market. 

Day drinking anyone?

I challenge you to show me a flea market with a better view!

Clocks artistically made from old records

Creepy

We are very close to Napa

A vendors pet was getting a lot of attention

The view isn’t too shabby

For another post on Treasure Island please clicky clicky here. For some interesting and off the wall posts on San Francisco please look herehttps://bulldogtravels.com/?s=San+Francisco&submit=Search! 

Maidu Museum & Historic Site -Roseville,California

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California spring has sprung and its only a matter of minutes before temperatures will top one hundred degrees. Little baby and I broke out of our fortress of solitude to visit the Maidu Indian Historic site only minutes from the house. The Southern Nisenan Maidu people lived on and visited the site until the Gold Rush people brought disease with them on their search for gold. 

The site boasts a lovely little museum and walk. Along the walk visitors can view well-worn petroglyphs and hundreds of grinding rocks/mortars used to mash local acorns. Native plants like soap root and rattlesnake grass still exist as well as visuals used primarily to educate groups of elementary school kids.

I’m very happy I finally visited this site whose mission is to protect the site and to share Native American culture. The fresh air was much needed. 

Proud California Poppies

They assure me there is a petroglyph on this Rick but it is too worn to see without close examination

Anyone feel like making acorn mush with me?

First Day of Spring-California Poppy

/ Bulldog Travels / 33 Comments

Its raining here cats and dogs at bulldog travels.  So, I thought I would herald spring by sharing some photos of our famous California Poppy.  Our state flower “pops” up everywhere in early spring and is a joy to see from the side of the freeway or climbing up the entire side of a hill or mountain.  Does anyone else have a state or national flower that represents where they live like the California Poppy?

“All the spring may be hidden in the single bud, and the low ground nest of the lark may hold the joy that is to herald the feet of many rose-red dawns.”

-Oscar Wilde

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Tuesday Photo Challenge – Spring – Dutch goes the Photo challenge

Railroad Museum – Old Sacramento

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I had the opportunity last weekend to visit the Old Sacramento Railroad Museum with my extended family and my new baby. This museum has a wonderful collection of old locomotives and railroad equipment. They even have a mock up of the controversial bullet train planned to go from Northern California to LA. The museum is located in the interesting and fun Old Sacramento district. Upstairs the museum is filled with a very large collection of train toys. The toys were far more interesting to the baby than I thought they would be. The Thomas the train tables and toys will surely be a go-to when he is older! They were a hit with the many toddlers and their exhausted looking parents.

Lake Tahoe Wooden Boat Show 2016 – Race Boat Edition

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Any excuse to visit Lake Tahoe is a good excuse.  With temperatures in Sacramento at 108 degrees (Around 42 degrees for my Celsius loving friends) it was time to beat the heat and leave town.

Each year Lake Tahoe hosts a vintage Wooden Boat show in the Tahoe Keys and Homewood.  We have attended before but this year was a treat with the show featuring race boats.  The jet engines are what excites my husband.  For me, I just shake my head at hand made wooden boats made in the 30’s and 40’s being outfitted with ridiculously large engines that at any moment could tear them and their driver’s apart.  But, there is no denying how beautiful the craftsmanship and the lines of these machines are.  And I can certainly appreciate the skill, moxie, and $$$ it takes someone to outfit a boat with a jet engine.

If these boats belong anywhere other than with George Clooney on Lago di Como or Venice they belong here on my beloved Lake Tahoe.  Has anyone had the luxury of taking a cruise in a boat like this?  What about any other unusual watercraft?

This lady has the right idea
Stunning

 

Click here to enjoy other posts I have done celebrating my local slice of heaven, Lake Tahoe.

Planning a visit to Lake Tahoe?  Click here for a step by step list of unusual places to visit in Lake Tahoe.

Memorial Day Mendocino Botanical Gardens

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Yes, yes, I know.  I have posted about the Mendocino Botanical Gardens before.  But, it’s sort of become my muse.  (If I may humbly use that term.)  Right about the time I think I might start get tired of the place I go back and fall in love all over again.  We spent a four-day Memorial Day weekend up in Mendocino and spent the better part of an afternoon exploring the garden and enjoying the hummingbird wars, coastal breeze, roses, veggie garden, golden rod crab spiders (what?), and Dahlia buds.  As I sit in 100+ degree Sacramento heat this week I am channeling the coastal breeze and cooler weather from Mendocino wishing we never came home…

Golden Rod Crab Spider known to change its color based on if it is hanging out on a white or a yellow flower. Had to do a little research after spying this creepy lady. I can’t remember ever seeing one before. Hope never to see one in my house…
Another specimen I cannot remember seeing before with blue cones
Never get tired of Dahlias
Dahlia Baby
The garden has a good collection of public art that changes regularly
Mother Nature is creative in the interesting things she creates is she not?
Saved this little one who had flown in to a green house and couldn’t figure out how to fly out the door.
Never grow tired of this view

Check out other posts I have done on Mendocino here…

Mendocino Guest House Inn

/ Bulldog Travels / 32 Comments

While visiting Mendocino last weekend we finally stopped by the Mendocino/Fort Bragg Guest House Museum.  It was a short and cute little museum.  But, the fun part was the large redwood stump out front displaying rings from almost Pre-Christian times.  We don’t see many trees this large anymore outside of the State Parks that care for them.  But, for those of you who may never have seen anything like this before check it out and then read of the many historic events that occurred in its lifetime.  I have never seen anything like this outside of California, has anyone else?

Memorial Day Mendocino

/ Bulldog Travels / 21 Comments

A week late but here I am.  For Memorial Day we bombed up to Mendocino, Bulldog and trailer in tow.  Our favorite site at MacKerricker State Park was full so we found a superb little private campground within walking distance feeling lucky we found anything at all. The weather was perfect, about 70 degrees all weekend, without a cloud in the sky.  70 degree weather gave way to over 100 degree + weather following.  We enjoyed it while it lasted…

 

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Sorry for the terrible iPhone photo but the bulldog was as excited as we were to go somewhere fun and get out of the heat.

 

We took our favorite local Fern Canyon hike to the full and flowing waterfall at Russian Gulch State Park nearly 7 miles round trip.

We also checked out the Mendocino Botanical Gardens as usual.  So, stay tuned for more flower photos on that…