Welcome to Dean's 76th Birthday blog covering the years since his 70th
Please check out his previous birthday blogs: Dean's 65th birthday and Dean turns 70
Here he is in '23 parading on New York City's High line for the first time
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| A different section of the High Line featuring wild flowers |
On that same trip to New York, we traveled to Colebrook CT with sister Lucia where Dean assisted her in creating an espalier for her apple trees in her yard
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| Ristoraanted La Castagna high in the Umbriaon hills is now closed |
From New York we flew to Umbria where we rented a house for two weeks. It was the hottest summer in many years but we persevered, even with the lack of air conditioning.
During our two week stay in Umbria, we fell in love with Mimi, the feral cat who hung around our patio and renrtal house. Here she is under the table on the stone patio near Dean's legs at dinner time. We did let her in when it rained and she made herself very much at home. We were surprised to learn that she was 17!
We then drove to Florence. Dean wanted an Italian white linen shirt so after a visit to the Uffizi to see all my favorite Botticelli's (among other Renaissance Masterpieces), we took a cab to Boggi where we both found lovely linen shirts. We're posing in our suite at Torre di Bellosguardo high above Forence in the nearby hills. The views of Forence from the hotel are spectacular in both night and day. At night all the famous landmarks are illuminated as shown in this photo
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| View of Florentine landmarks illuminated in the night sky from our hotel |
Here we are on 4th of July '23 on the Nob with Ricki and Dick, glazing a bundt cake that I made called Tunnel of fudge. In my youth we made it from a package version that combined a chocolate cake mix and a package of double dutch frosing mix from Pillsbury, but unfortunately, they stopped selling these products years ago. Now there are recipes on the internet that try to duplicate that chocolate bundt cake with a gooey layer of fudge in the
center. Some recipes come close but they've never succeeded in matching the chocolatey lava center created by the double dutch frosting mix. Checking the internet just now I see Pillsbury has again created a package version of their cake. They explain "This recipe, arguably the recipe most closely identified with the Bake-Off® Contest, it mysteriously develops a "tunnel of fudge" filling as it bakes. Don't scrimp on the nuts, or it won't work!"
Maybe I'll try it this 4th of July!
Dean in his ponytail phase at a Seder at Ricki's. It grew quite long and then he cut it off
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| Negronis and spritzes on our 17th wedding anniversary |
Here we are celebrating our 17th anniversary on Oct. 30th '23 at the rooftop restaurant across from Campus. That year our big day fell on a Monday and we didn't have much to choose from but the rooftop venue was just the ticket. we bundeled up and had a festive time drinking and eating.
A June birthday lunch with Ricki at Wayfare Tavern in the Financial district. They started putting tables outside in the alley during the pandemic and it was one of our favorite spots
London 2024. first stop is Ottolenghi in Sloane Square. We were there visiting my niece Victoria who had been living in London for five years. As soon as we arrived at her house in Chiswick (pronounced Chisick), we boarded the tube and headed for Sloane square where she dropped us at the first Ottolengi location. He now has an empire and many popular cookbooks
More London: this time at the cafe in the National Portrait Gallery. One of four fabulous museums we visited on our London trip to see my niece Victoria in Chiswick. Who would guess that Chiswick is a lovely section of London served by the tube's A? line
Enjoying a beer and a laugh in a Turkish cafe in Chiswick. We had so much fun on that London trip
From London we took the Chunnel to Paris and the next day walked to the Luxumburg gardens, a short distance from our favorite Hotel Sêvre, where I've been staying since the '70s. Dean waited at our entrance to the park while I clicked away. Of course, leaving our hotel we turned the wrong way and it took us three times as long as it should have. No matter, it's always fun getting lost in Paris.
On a short trip to Mendocino in April 2019 we went to the Mendocino Coast Botanic Garden where Dean posed in front of the weeping cherry tree. All the surrounding hills were bright green from heavy rains that year.To see the fun we had just click the link above.
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| Ocean view from our deck with hot tub |
We finally made it to Sea Ranch. The first time we had to cancel due to wild fires threatening to blow over to the coast. This trip I booked a house with an ocean view, but it was so foggy that there was no water in sight when we arrived. Finally on the third day we woke up to bright sunshine and a beautiful view of the ocean.
We made the most of our clear day and drove to the adorable hardware store within the Sea Ranch complex, and from there someone guided us to the Sea Ranch community garden, which was impressive. We wandered around and conversed with members who were gathering produce from their plots for an annnual banquet. They welcomed us though we found out the garden is actually for members only. There's Dean at the back of a long row of chard.
Poppy
One of the biggest events of these six years was the acquisition of our new cat Poppy. When Our beloved calico cat Allie died in 2023, I quickly planned a three week trip to Italy in August and another trip to Kauai in October '23. Immediately upon our return, I looked online at the Berkeley Humane and spotted a darling gray tabby named Peanut. We went down there to check her out and Dean fell in love with her sweet face gazing at him from her cage. I decided that I liked her but didn't love her, but he wouldn't leave without her. The staff stated that she would do best in a home without children or other pets. That was us, so away we went. At first she tore around the house examining every inch including the deck and enjoying her freedom to the max. Then she retired to a hole in the closet and stayed there for two or three days, coming out only to pee, drink and eat in the adjacent bathroom.
Soon she emerged to be part of the family and we renamed her Poppy, though she still responds to Peanut. She's never lost her sweet nature and we adore her.
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| More Poppy |
One summer day we had lunch with an ambitious wine tasting at Fort Ross Winery high in the hills above Jenner. We stayed in a house on the Russian River, so the winery was a perfect side trip. We totally recommend this little known winery.
During the spring of this year, Dean was appointed unofficial gardner and weed puller at our friend's John and Jill's house in Walnut Creek. They have a beautifuul garden and an impressive new pergola in back.
More weeding in walnut Creek. He has also done a masterful job planting in our garden in Berkeley. Dean definitely has a green thumb!
