Well, my house has been overrun with guests...sorry I let this slip to page two. Emmatux, my DH has mentioned Muir Woods. We may have gone there together on the last trip, almost two decades ago. (It's strange how little I remember of that trip.) I will look for Stinson Beach and a cheese factory. We live in New England, so variable weather is something we're used to. And cold is a relative thing... :-) Another Linda, I just discovered Yelp. It's pretty amazing. I have to dig a bit deeper and will do that with SF. Thanks for the tip on Capitola. That's just the kind of info I need And I will put your resto suggestions in my notes. Ann, that trip sounds just divine. Lucky women, both of you! I am embarrassed to say I didn't know Alcatraz was an NPS site. That changes everything. We are Passholders and have never been anything but thrilled with our NPS experiences. I am glad your DD enjoyed it. We will try to watch Birdman before we go. All your other suggestions are right up our alley, including the Beat Museum. DH was in Berkeley from 1959-64 and was inspired by that scene. DD read Kerouac this year. Perfect! So sorry you missed the Avedon show. I was a big fan as a teenager and have not yet introduced him to my budding photographer/fashionista. We won't get to see the show, but I think I will get her a big coffee table book for her next b'day. bestyears, jason, terriks...thanks for the additional tidbits. Renting bikes is a great idea, though the hills might be intimidating. We'll look for Sears (ring boloney and mac and cheese?!). Terri, we live to layer here! No problem. Thanks again everyone! This will all go into my SF file.

Too bad, my life is not interesting enough to automatically curate itself into an Anthropologie store. Speaking of, Sundance Channel has a series called Man Shops Globe--he's a buyer for Anthropologie ABOUT THE SERIES Claiming he has the "greatest job in the world," Keith Johnson invites viewers along on an international treasure hunt on the Sundance Channel original series, MAN SHOPS GLOBE. In out-of-the-way antique shops, private dealerships and craft stalls, Johnson looks for one-of-a-kind home furnishings and accessories. In each half-hour program, Keith travels to a new country in search of fantastic and unusual decorative objects, furniture, and textiles. He also seeks out the world's best artists and crafts people. MAN SHOPS GLOBE follows Johnson, who travels six months of the year, to ends-of-the-earth excursions, from flea markets in Paris to remote villages in India and obscure art studios in Turkey. Here is a link that might be useful: Man Shops Globe

Ah, kitsch...That's how I started in on paint-by-number, and then I found I really really liked some of them and was so touched by the proud (usually Palmer method) signature on the back of them...but I have one that even I can't display. I'm not sure what to do with it--I had to get it, couldn't just leave it there--it's a PBN still life of items associated with John Wilkes Booth, including a program from Ford's Theatre, etc...it's so CREEPY! I feel it would be bad karma to display it but I can't bear to part with it. I've never seen one like it. And I have two that my DH found at g'will that are going in our master bedroom, believe it or not--they are *gorgeous* Mt. Rainier-like landscapes of mountain forest creeks...I mean they're really beautiful. Not at all usual colors or style. And I have another piece that I *thought* was maybe someone working with a PBN to make it somewhat abstracted, but it's not a usual landscape for them...it's such a cool piece--I should try to photograph it for y'all. I love the vertical-horizontal-curve tension in it... And Susan, good gracious, your grandson is setting the world on fire already! :)

hilltop, that's funny, I have no recollection of where the cabinet came from -- I think it was about 7 years ago -- but it MUST have been from that place, because this looks awfully familiar! It was installed during a big construction project, by the contractor, so I can't comment on the ease of installation, but it seems to be pretty good quality. I did have extra shelves made at a local glass place...and will have to have another made, because when I put the shelves back in this morning, I dropped one and it chipped in a few places! Here is a link that might be useful: inwall cabinets