We passed through San Francisco, crossed the Bay Bridge on our way north on 'The 101' to Bodega Bay, a coastal fishing village. Our base camp was slightly inland from the Bay and protected by large pines and redwoods making it warmer with less wind and fog. It is about 20 degrees cooler on the coast and another 15 degrees cooler on the cliffs of the Pacific with strong winds! After setting up our coach we had lunch at the Spud Point Crab Company in Spud Point Marina on Bodega Bay. We enjoyed their award-winning clam chowder, Dungeness crab sandwich and a Dungeness crab cocktail to start.
After lunch, we took a short ride over to the Pacific Ocean. The further up the west coast we travel, the more dramatic, rocky, and windy it gets!
Sebastopol is about a 20-minute drive from the Ocean, between Santa Rosa and Bodega Bay, and is known for its liberal politics and small-town charm. It was once primarily a plum and apple growing region; wine grapes, however, are now predominant, and nearly all lands once used for orchards are now vineyards. World-famous horticulturist Luther Burbank had gardens in this fertile region. The city hosts an annual Apple Blossom Festival and Gravenstein Apple Fair. We had lunch is Sebastopol and toured around their interesting town and market place.
After filming “Shadow of A Doubt” in Santa Rosa in 1948, Alfred Hitchcock returned to Sonoma County in 1961 to find a remote coastal location for his next project “The Birds.” He chose Bodega Bay, with surrounding bleak treeless hills, quiet fishing harbor and fog. Never had a director portrayed animals working in unison with intelligence. “The Birds” became the first horror/ fantasy film. Special effects, including mechanical birds, live and wild birds on strings, and optically altered film overlays of birds in flight made this a most frightening film. The fog did not always cooperate, so much of the film needed to be tinted gray. Nearly three years were required to complete work on the film for its release in 1963.
We stopped by the house and church, both iconic buildings they used so many years ago. The house is now a private residence.
We stopped by the house and church, both iconic buildings they used so many years ago. The house is now a private residence.
This area has had an unusually rainy winter and spring has sprung. The apple trees are blossoming, the wisteria is flowering, grape vines are budding and the local hills are vibrant, carpeted in many beautiful shades of green.
Back to Sebastopol to meet good friends Larry and Bob from Santa Rosa for lunch at Handline Coastal California Restaurant. This is locally well-known chef Lowell Sheldon's second venture after opening the acclaimed Peter Lowell restaurant in 2008. This is a restaurant in the Drive-In tradition. Housed in a repurposed Foster's Freeze, they offer a modern take on order-at-the-counter service. Lowell has transformed the space into an open-air, sustainable building with a large outdoor patio, tortilla-making room and massive kitchen. It was a beautiful day to eat outdoors and enjoy the local cuisine.
Half way between Bodega Bay and Santa Rosa and a little north between Freestone and Monte Rio is the lovely, quirky hamlet of Occidental.
The best place to be on Saturday, April 1st, for their FOOLS PARADE! We had a fun time parading through this small town where FOOLS of all ages frolicked about wearing colorful clothes, silly hats, feathers, flowers, capes, frills and more... or sometimes less! Somehow, we fit right in. LOL
Dressed in red, the Hubbub Club Band made New Orleans street-band-music as the parade wound its way through the three block downtown. And just like in NOLA we found ourselves swept up in the joyous festivities.
After the parade, we had lunch at a local spot where we enjoyed meeting and talking with a local resident named David. Hi David! We told you we would include you in our blog.
The best place to be on Saturday, April 1st, for their FOOLS PARADE! We had a fun time parading through this small town where FOOLS of all ages frolicked about wearing colorful clothes, silly hats, feathers, flowers, capes, frills and more... or sometimes less! Somehow, we fit right in. LOL
Dressed in red, the Hubbub Club Band made New Orleans street-band-music as the parade wound its way through the three block downtown. And just like in NOLA we found ourselves swept up in the joyous festivities.
After the parade, we had lunch at a local spot where we enjoyed meeting and talking with a local resident named David. Hi David! We told you we would include you in our blog.
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