Escape to Elk Update

Two years ago, "Rick's Tips," Blue Heron's free, quarterly newsletter of fun things to do in the Bay Area, focused on Elk, California. Elk is located about three hours north of San Francisco and overlooks a spectacular cove on the California Coast.

Recently we returned to Elk and found many things unchanged, along with a few changes. The spot is still lovely -- we had sunny skies and 70 degree weather. There is still little to do in town other than walk on the beach and sit on a chair overlooking the cove and watch the waves crash. Ledford House in Albion still breaks the rule that the better the view, the worse the view. Lisa Geer's food is still delicious. Service is friendly. Watching the sun slowly set while nursing a glass of wine is an experience that can't be beat.

Sandpiper House Inn appears to have gone out of business, at least temporarily house. Griffin House Inn has remodeled its cottages.

Mendocino, the coastside village about 30 minutes north of Elk, still has some interesting shops and galleries. There were a few newcomers, but many of the shops have been there for as long as we can remember.

The Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, 2 miles north of Mendocino, has been restored and is open to the public daily from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. A bed and breakfast will open any day in one of the restored lightkeeper houses.

If you are interested in a custom-designed vacation along the spectacular Sonoma and Mendocino coasts, call (866) 326-4237 (toll free). I would be pleased to work with you to plan a vacation that you are sure to enjoy.

Lunch and Art in Bodega Bay

We were heading up the coast the other day and decided to stop for lunch in the coastal village of Bodega Bay. This small town is a good place to embark on a whale watching trip during the late fall or late winter. You also have a pretty good chance of seeing whales from Bodega Head, the nearby spit of land that creates the harbor. If you are a fan of the movie director Alfred Hitchcock, you probably have seen scenes from Bodega Bay and the nearby village of Bodega in "The Birds."

We had visited Bodega Bay quite a few times but had never found a restaurant of any quality. Recently I read about a couple of good places to eat, so we lunched at the Seaweed Cafe. We were not disappointed.

Their Sunday brunch menu contains old favorites like French toast and a Hay ham and cheese sandwich with egg. Both looked terrific. I had an open-faced sandwich of freshly grilled sandwich while my wife enjoyed a special salad with grilled prawns. The dinner menu looks equally interesting with items such as baked butter beans, duck sausage and clams, and duck breast with lentils and dates. The appetizer list includes such Japanese influenced items as uni sake shooter, hijik, burdock & sashimi, and oysters in green jackets.

There is a small, but interesting, wine list featuring Sonoma County wines. The restaurant features brunch on Saturday and Sunday. Dinner is served from Thursday through Sunday. You may make a dinner reservation at the Seaweed by calling (707) 875-2700. The restaurant is located at 1580 Eastshore Road. To find the Seaweed, head north through Bodega Bay on Route 1. After passing through the center of town, the road will turn right and then left. After the left turn, look for Eastshore Road on your left.

When you are done eating, take a look in the gallery next door, Local Color Artist Gallery features Sonoma County artists.

While Bodega is a little far for a day trip from San Francisco, if you want to experience the Northern California coast, let us take you on our Oceanside Vistas or Point Reyes Ramblings Tour. You may book a tour by calling (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mailing by clicking here.

Summer in San Francisco

When I woke up this morning the heat was on, the sky was gray, and the fog was blowing. Just an ordinary summer's day in San Francisco.

I'm consistently amazed how many visitors are shocked to find that San Francisco is cold in the summer. Every guidebook warns about our summer fog and advises to dress in layers. Of course, the many sweatshirt vendors are most pleased that tourists fail to prepare for our nippy summers.

The average low temperatures for the months of June, July, and August are 53, 55, and 56 degrees respectively. The average highs are 70, 71, and 72 degrees. The spring and fall usually have the nicest weather in San Francisco as these seasons have little summer fog or winter rain.

If you want a little warmth during your summer visit to San Francisco, just head to wine country. The average high temperatures in St. Helena -- in the heart of the Napa Valley -- are 86 degrees in June, 89 in July, and 88 in August. Fortunately, the low temperatures are in the low 50s. If it wasn't for the overnight cooling, the grapes would not develop enough acid and the wines would be flabby. Nobody wants any flabby wines!

The Bay Area is full of microclimates. Drive a few miles and the temperature will change. Take a custom, private tour with Blue Heron and experience this unusual weather phenomena. Book a tour by calling (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or by clicking here to send an e-mail.

Telegraph Hill and Coit Tower

Continuing with the vista theme from the last posting, I want to encourage visitors and locals to head for the top of Telegraph Hill. Here you will get a great view of the northern edge of San Francisco as well as the Bay from the Golden Gate to the Bay Bridge. Telegraph Hill is one of the City's 43 hills and is named for the telegraph station that was on the top of the hill in the 19th century.

Atop the hill is Coit Tower, which is named after Lillie Hitchcock Coit. Many people say the tower is a memorial to San Francisco's firefighters, but this is not true. Lillie Coit was a great supporter of San Francisco's fire department. She bequeathed one third of her estate (approximately $100,000) to beautify the city. In response, the city decided to build a firefighter memorial in Washington Square and this observation tower in honor of Lillie.

The tower is open daily from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. One can take an elevator to the top of Coit Tower for an even more spectacular view of the city and bay. On the first floor of the tower are murals painted in 1933 and 1934 that depict Californians at work. When completed the murals were not immediately opened to the public as the city fathers considered them too leftist. They were worried that San Franciscans' morals would be compromised by seeing depictions of known communist Charley Chaplin and communist newspapers. Cooler heads prevailed and, after a six-month delay, the murals were opened to visitors.

Descending the hill by either the Filbert or Greenwich Street steps provides a walk through beautiful gardens maintained by Telegraph Hill residents. Some of the houses you will walk by are only accessible by these steps. Perhaps you will also get a glimpse of the wild parrots of Telegraph Hill during your descent.

Avoid the parking hassles atop Telegraph Hill by letting me take you on a tour of San Francisco. I can drop you at the top of the hill, so you can enjoy the vista, and then meet you at the bottom while you take a walk down either the Filbert of Greenwich steps. If you want to take a private tour of San Francisco, call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.