A Monterey weekend: Pt. Lobos and Julia Morgan

I am in the parking lot at Monterey's Point Lobos State Reserve, sitting in my car and watching fat raindrops pepper the windshield and wondering how long I should wait before giving up and heading home. I consult with pals Janet and Lee, and we decide to give it a few minutes and drive out to the trailhead, before heading home. Best decision we'll make all day.

By the time we pull into the parking lot on the bay edge, the rain has stopped, the sun is out and the winds have nudged the clouds aside to reveal a wedge of bright blue sky. That's winter along the windswept Monterey coast—pouring one minute, gloriously sunny the next, and always surprising.

I've come for a winter "fitness" hike and there are few more inspiring spots to walk than Point Lobos. Today, volunteer docent Stan Dryden is on hand to show us around on the Cypress Grove Trail (about 1-mile RT). We trek uphill into a grove of cypress, one of just three species of trees here. But it wasn't always this heavily forested, Dryden explains. "This was all grassland," he notes "and around 1900, it was subdivided and about to be developed." It's hard to imagine any spot this beautiful being lost forever to housing. As we pass the Allan Grove, Dryden tells us about A.M. Allan, who helped preserve Pt. Lobos and for whom the grove is named. It's an amazing legacy.

We pause at a rocky point (a good spot for whale watching, Dryden says). Beside cypress trees bent and sculpted by fierce winds, we gaze down at turquoise seas and granite rocks wrapped in white, foamy waves. Across Monterey Bay, we get sea-framed views of the Monterey peninsula.

Now the breeze is picking up, whipping the waves up pretty violently. Janet and Lee take out cameras to capture the drama of the frothy sea. The coastal views are amazing, but so is the quieter world here. I step back from the edge to scan the trees for delicate lace lichen and the granite rock faces for bluff lettuce, a ready-made bouquet of a plant that flows over the rock and clings to nooks. And then, just as I turn to head back, I'm surprised by the sight of a profusion of wild Douglas iris scattered alongside the trail, just ready to burst into bloom in another month or so. 

I head back to my lodge—the storied Asilomar Conference Grounds—and warm up in front of the giant fireplace in the main lodge. Founded in 1913 and boasting a host of buildings designed by acclaimed architect Julia Morgan (famed for her work on the iconic Hearst Castle), the center showcases the Arts & Crafts architectural style and seems the perfect fit for its natural surroundings. I join a ranger-led tour and we tramp through cozy loge buildings full of carefully thought out architectural details as well as fun stories from its early YWCA days (like the Stuck-ups Lodge, so named for the sometimes snooty college girls who worked here each summer). I'm surprised to learn there are more Julia Morgan buildings here in a cluster than any other place in the state.

As the day ends, I scan through my snapshots of Julia Morgan's architectural wonders (another legacy) and, at Point Lobos, the incredible sights I had almost given up on because of a few raindrops. I should know better. A winter day in Monterey is always full of surprises.

Details: 

Point Lobos State Reserve is open 9—5; call 831/624-4909 or click here. Asilomar Conference Grounds has a range of room offerings, including bed, breakfast, and dinner packages starting at $159. My favorite rooms are in the Long View lodge (for the coastal views, of course). For info on packages, call 866/654-2878 or click here.

Inauguration Day cocktail idea

Tomorrow's the day!
Okay, so you're going to drink the same bubbly that'll be served at the Inaugural and are ready to par-tay like the folks in DC (see Korbel Champagne Cellars post, Jan. 9). But you want to dress your drink up a bit (or, dare we say, make it a bit more healthy)? Try these festive champagne cocktails. 

Stars-and-Stripes (shown at right)

1 part Korbel Brut
1 part Cranberry Juice

Presidential Punch
3 oz Korbel Brut or Extra Dry
2 oz Lemonade
1 oz Blue Curacao 

Alan sends along another cocktail idea: "I think the Eggnogurlibation (pronounced "Egg-Nog-Your-Li-Ba-Tion) ought to be the official drink of the Inaguration. Make sure it is spiked, with whatever floats your boat."

6 ways to save our environment

Just got some exciting news from the National Parks and Conservation Association (NPCA). The economic recovery package proposed by the House Democratic leadership today contains "$2.25 billion for job-creating, ready-to-go projects in America’s national parks", plus more for roads and transportation. The numbers are awesome: $1.7 billion for pre-approved construction projects, $100 million for the National Park Centennial Challenge public-private matching grant program, and $200 million for restoration of the National Mall. The NPCA says that these national park investments could create some 50,000 jobs and help parks and projects all over the country, including, possibly, California’s Death Valley National Park.

There's another interesting idea on the table: the creation of a new National Park Service Corps. You don’t have to have lived in the era of the 1930s’ CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) to have enjoyed the lasting benefits of such public works programs can have on the improvement of our parks and natural resources. If you have visited a national park, chances are you’ve enjoyed a trail, road, stone bridge, or even a landmark hotel (like Oregon’s Timberline Lodge) that resulted from CCC work. Could we do something similar today, with a 21st Century CCC?

What can you do? Six clicks will help to learn more and lead your actions. Check out these websites: NPCA, Audubon Society, Wilderness Society, Defenders of Wildlife, or click here. Or write a letter to the editor of your local paper using this link.

Inaugural party ideas

How to celebrate the big event with the kids? The Borders Bookstore in Palo Alto has a special party for kids (Sat. Jan. 17, 2 PM). Choose art activities, a scavenger hunt, games, and a special Oath of Office ceremony. It's at 456 University Ave.

My friend Mike, in Santa Cruz, sends this idea: 

Next Tuesday morning, most us us will jam into one living room for an "indoor block party." Our hosts, both of whom are internationally recognized experts in education, don't own a TV. Instead, they'll project a wall-sized show from the web using a digital projector. It's BYOCP (Bring Your Own Coffee and Pastries). The idea just hatched this morning. We're looking forward to a great morning for our neighborhood--and our country.

You go, Mike!

Free NorCal events on Jan. 20:

Berkeley: make a beeline for UC Berkeley's Sproul Plaza at 7:30 AM to watch the event on their giant screen (fitting, since a UC Berkeley economist is set for a major role in the Obama administration).

Oakland: Oracle Arena serves up a big community bash ($5), complete with big screen TVs, starting at 7:00 AM.

San Jose: the San Jose Mercury News listed a raft of Inaugural events in the South Bay. For a list, click on their link.

San Francisco: hop on BART to the Civic Center stop and head for the plaza (Grove and McAllister streets) for a live simulcast on several screens. And while you're there, pop into the Asian Art Museum nearby.

A number of libraries are also hosting Inauguration-watching events (check locally) including the Burlingame Public Library, 480 Primrose Rd.,which starts its big-screen showing at 8 AM in the Lane Community Room. For more events, check out InsideBayArea.com. Celebrate responsibly.

Have a party idea to share? Post a comment with your ideas.

2 cool places in Tahoe for teens

The Tahoe weather report is in: blue skies and plenty of snow on the slopes are predicted for the long holiday weekend. Which means, of course, that you'll have to plan ahead and get to the slopes early (MLK weekend is usually a breakout weekend for ski resorts here). 

Got teens? Head for Squaw Valley (at left); with 4000 acres of fun and a noted freeride culture, there's plenty for them to do. Check into the special Ski & Snowboard Camp for Teens, ages 13-18 years (Jan. 17-19). The camp is geared for intermediate to advanced skiers and riders. And don't forget the Riviera Superpipe—Squaw Valley’s night-accessed pipe, open Friday through Sunday until 9 pm, and until 7 pm on weekdays. It's an awe-inspiring 435 feet long, with 18 1/2-foot walls. Photo credit: Squaw Valley; Tom O'Neill.

Or just let the kids rock out, literally, at Incline Village’s grand opening of High Altitude Fitness (formerly Incline Athletic Club). On Friday and Saturday (Jan. 16 -17), they can chill with presentations by world famous climbers –like free climber Lynn Hill and free soloist John Bachar – enjoy entertainment, appetizers, and raffle prizes, or just, well, hang. 

For updated ski conditions, go to www.gotahoenorth.com/events-and-activities/winter/snow-report.