Due to its prime location at the end of the Golden Gate Bridge, much of Sausalito’s history has been playing a supporting role to nearby San Francisco.  The area has been a fishing village, transit hub, and a center for bootlegging during Prohibition, and during World War II was a major shipyard supporting the war.

Colorful floating homes dot the Sausalito landscape

Following the war, the shipyards were abandoned, and they became the location for a number of communities of houseboats.  Eventually a rather eclectic houseboat community sprouted up, eventually becoming a the side of the “Hill People,: rich families who lived on the hill and felt the houseboats were a blight on their view.  This led to the “Houseboat Wars” pitting the two groups of homeowners against one another in what seemed like an endless amount of legal battles.

Two house boat communities remain, Gallilee Harbor (at Waldo Point) and the Gates Cooperative (just outside the city limits).  Over 400 houseboats are within those communities, spanning a wide range of shapes, sizes, and values.  It’s as eclectic and diverse as ever.

Following a brief hiatus, the floating homes (as they are now properly called), will host a Floating Home Tour, opening the doors on 20 unique floating homes.  The self-guided tour will allow you to take a look at the interior of the homes, talk to residents of the community, and get a feel for what water life is like.

The tour begins at Kappas Marina (on Gate 6 Road off Bridgeway), with registration at the Green.  From there, the self-guided tour takes you through a selection of floating homes, including the “Train Wreck” which was built from an 1889 North Pacific Railway Pullman car that was cut in half.

The floating home tours is September 26th, 2009, from 11 am – 4 pm.  Advance tickets for the tour are $35 and are strong recommended.  Tickets can be purchased online.  If you can’t make it to Sausalito, and still want a little glimpse at houseboat life, you can check on their virtual tour.

Photo credit: wikimedia

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San Jose State University Swenson Gate

public, while others don’t, though, but if you genuinely show an interest in seeing the campus, there’s always someone willing to help you out or show you around.

On a recent visit to San Jose, California, I took a quick walk through the campus of San Jose State University.

The campus is located in downtown San Jose, and is believed to be the oldest public higher education institution on the West Coast.  The university offers an extensive array of undergraduate and graduate degree programs, and also is home to a growing eCampus, a learning program combining continuing education and professional development courses.

The most recognizable building on campus is the Tower Hall (in photo).  It looks out over a beautiful grassy area, where students can lounge and study in the nice sunny weather, or briskly walk through when it turns rainy or chilly.

Tower Hall on campus of San Jose State University

Since this is an urban campus, it’s surrounded by businesses (shops, restaurants, bars, entertainment, etc.) that support the university enrollment and employees.  You’ll find plenty to do and see as you’re walking around – another reason why walking through a campus makes a lot of sense.  You can always find something to do, get information, or even a recommendation of where to go, what to see, and where to eat.

Do you visit college campuses when you travel?

Photo credit:  personal collection

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San Francisco-Bay Bridge will be closed over Labor Day Weekend

In most cases, this means that repairs are going to happen over a weekend, when the disruption to commuters is minimized.  Okay, that makes sense.

But why, I am asking myself, would anyone schedule repairs to the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge over Labor Day Weekend?

The repairs are necessary bring the bridge into compliance with current earthquake standards.  It’s necessary and important, of course, but why close the bridge over Labor Day weekend?

Sure, there won’t be people commuting into the city.  But this is one of the chief driving holiday weekends, and these repairs mean that the Bay Bridge will be closed down over Labor Day Weekend.  Offering up alternatives like “allow extra time for travel” and “use the other bridges” (Golden Gate Bridge, Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, San Mateo-Hayward Bridge and the Dumbarton Bridge) just don’t seem like they’re going to be terribly helpful or practical.

If you’re going to be traveling in the Bay Area, you’ll want to keep up-to-date with information provided by the Bay Bridge Public Information Office.  And I’d start making other plans straight away.

I’m thinking that lots of car trips are going to be cancelled or changed.

Photo credit: yanec @flickr

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Cuistot

The restaurant features multiple dining areas, including a wine room, a heated outdoor patio, and a large dining room with a fireplace.  If you like watching a chef at work, opt for Bernard’s Room which offers a view of the kitchen and the energy of the cooking staff at work.

Open for lunch (Tuesday – Saturday, 11:30 am – 2:15 pm) and dinner (Tuesday – Saturday, 5:30 – 10 pm, and Sunday 5:30 – 9 pm). 

A perfect location for a romantic dinner or simply a great glass of wine.

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Five years ago – on January 31st, 2000, at about 4:46 pm Pacific Time, a tragedy occurred at Point Magu.

Today I honor the memory of friends lost in the tragedy. 

I hope those of you know me well enough to understand the significance of today will join me in a moment of silence this afternoon.

Photo credit: wikimedia

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The Queen Mary served as both an elegant ocean liner and a WWII troopship, but for the last 40 years has been a California attraction, hotel, meeting center, and restaurant (actually three restaurants).  Although suffering from a little ship-worn look the past few years, the once elegant liner is being restored to its former glory with a major capital refurbishing campaign.

The ship is home to a 314 room Art Deco Hotel, decked out in the trappings of cruising in the 1930’s.  Adding to the charm is the largest collection of Art Deco artwork in the country. 

The ship also has a variety of boutiques, an Observation Bar with a killer ocean and skyline view, and fine dining at the Five Star Sir Winston Churchill restaurant.

General admission to the Queen Mary (includes a self-guided ship walk tour that explores 12 decks of the ship) is $24.95 for adults, $21.95 for seniors (55+)/military, and $12.95 for children ages 5 – 11.  Parking is additional and runs $15/day.

A variety of other tours and packages are also available.

The Queen Mary is open daily from 10 am – 6 pm, with extended hours for restaurants and bars.  There are also special nighttime tours available.  Since the ship has long been thought to be haunted, and it’s sailing history is rich in unexplained events and activities. these tours can be a lot of fun.

During the month of January, as a special offer for California residents only, the Queen Mary offers a FREE general admission ticket.  This offer requires proof of residency (driver’s license or other photo ID), and can be claimed at the box office during regular hours.

The Queen Mary is located at 1126 Queen’s Highway in Long Beach (map it).

Photo credits:  All from flickr, exterior; bar; lobby

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Established in 1991 by Leon and Gail Greenberg (that’s the L and the G), the husband and wife now have three locations in the Coachella Valley (Palm Desert, Palm Springs, and La Quinta).

Offering USDA Prime steaks, arriving at your table still sizzling, and a wine list of over 500 selections, the restaurant has carved out a loyal following with the desert residents and visitors. 

Image credit:  personal collection

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There has been snow in places that normally never see snow, like Las Vegas and Southern California.  There has been torrential rain in San Diego, California.  There has been unseasonably cold weather (and I mean VERY cold) in Phoenix, Arizona and Palm Springs, California.  And there was snow in Seattle, my home town.

Today was actually a sunny day at 40,000 feet, making the snow on the mountain sparkle in the sunlight.

Too bad it wasn’t quite so pretty on the ground.

Photo credit:  personal collection

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Nello’s Place is small family-owned Italian restaurant.

The restaurant was started in 1980, after Nello retired to Redding.  The family couldn’t find a good local Italian restaurant and so decided to open one of their own.  Having a long history in the restaurant business, this was just one more in a long line of successes.

If you’re driving in northern California, stop off for a bite to eat and a glass of wine.

Do you have a collection of matchbooks?  Or maybe you came across one in the bottom of a drawer?  Please share it with Flyaway Cafe readers by taking a photo and emailing it to me for use in an upcoming Matchbook Monday.

Image credit:  personal collection

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It’s from The Rooftop Bar at the Standard Hotel in downtown Los Angeles (550 South Flower at Sixth Street).

In addition to its sweeping views of the city, the Rooftop has a heated swimming pool, a dance floor, outdoor fireplace, vibrating waterbed pods, and a grassy knoll with sculptured topiary.  DJ’s play music nightly, and there are lots of special events.  Sounds like a great place a drink with friends.

Lunch, dinner, and a bar menu are offered noon – midnight, and bar service extends to 1:30 am.

Matt claims that this is one of the most chic bars that he’s been to, and after checking it out, I can see why.  And the hotel doesn’t look too shabby either!

Image credit:  Matt Bartosik

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