Pliny the Younger

Russian River Brewing_s

Each February, Russian River Brewery in Santa Rosa releases their award winning beer, Pliny the Younger. In 2009, Beer Advocate magazine declared it one of the best beers in the world, and the buzz has been growing ever since. Beer lovers line up for hours to get their hands on a 10oz glass of this gold colored bliss. But to my thinking, “it’s just a beer, isn’t it?”

Well, yesterday my friend Phil and I decided to taste the beer for ourselves and made the 10 mile trek to the brewery. We drove up at 1 pm to find a block-long crowd, so I got in line while Phil found parking. The aroma of malt drifted in the air. I had a flashback then of high school days, and the excitement of standing in line for rock concert tickets.

We took turns waiting and sketching. During my shift, I chose to capture the action at the pub’s entrance.

An hour later, a group of hula hooping women arrived to entertain the patient crowd, boom box thumping hip hop as they twisted and rolled to the beat. Two hours later we arrived at the patio gate entrance, each patron’s ID carefully scrutinized, even grey haired men. After receiving our bright yellow wrist band, hand scrawled with the word Pliny, we entered to find yet another checkpoint just inside. “Would you like to put your name on the list for a table?” The hostess asked us. We had come seeking beer and lunch; now, approaching dinner time, we decided to go with the flow.

“There should be about a 45 minute wait,” the hostess informed us. At this point, we figured, what the heck?

At first the crowd and noise overwhelmed, but we soon settled into the rhythm of the place. The bar was surrounded two people deep, but somehow we made it up to order two coveted Plinys. Raising chilled glasses, we toasted our diligence and each took a sip of the golden liquid. “Delicious!” I proclaimed and Phil agreed. Pliny the Younger is a triple hopped pale ale with a creamy head and the freshest hops I’ve ever tasted with none of the bitterness I expected, but instead balanced and silky smooth with citrus notes and a bright, flowery nose and the hint of a caramel finish.

Pliny_the_Younger_s

A woman, introducing herself as Merry (“as in Christmas”) Sue, asked if she could set down her glass on the counter beside us. We all traded notes on the beer and on what we’d experienced to taste it, agreeing that it was worth it.

Thirty minutes later we ordered a pizza, a plate of spicy wings, and another round of Pliny. The first bite of pepperoni and sausage dotted pizza revealed perfectly fused crust, sauce, and cheese. The hot and tangy wings left my mouth watering, and we devoured these too, using Pliny to cool our mouths.

As afternoon turned into evening, we paid the bill knowing it was time to head home. But considering the time it took to get in the brewery and how much fun we had while here, it seemed a shame to leave so soon.

Sketchcrawl in Albany California

Local123CoffeeShop_s

Yesterday, the Bay Area Urban Sketchers group met in Albany for Sketchcrawl. The weather was sunny and warm for the month of January, perfect for drawing. I had never visited Albany nor had I ever meet my fellow sketchers from across the bay.

About twenty of us met up at the corner of Masonic and Solano and after some quick introductions, dispersed for drawing. A couple of blocks away, I found a coffee shop fabricated out of an old Streamline RV called Local 1 2 3. It was nestled in a garden store appropriately called Flowerland. A few other sketchers chose the same subject and we sat at bistro tables drinking coffee while immortalizing the unique shop in our books.

Local123CoffeeShopSign_s

Later in the day, when a cold wind picked up, we moved indoors for a sketchbook sharing at the local library. We gathered around our open books, discovered new talents, techniques, and friends. Conversations over cookies and sparkling beverages lasted for over an hour. It was great to get to know other sketch artists in the Bay Area.

John Tyler (Bacigalupi) Tasting Room

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of tasting John Tyler wines at their new tasting room in the Russian River Valley. The delightful Nicole Bacigalupi poured their latest Pinot Noirs, Petite Syrah, and Zinfandels. I enjoyed them all and couldn’t resist purchasing a bottle of their newly released 2008 Zinfandel and their 2008 Bacigalupi Vineyard Pinot Noir. It’ll be tough to find an occasion worthy of opening a bottle, so I might just have to invent one.

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

pig_tree_s

Seven years ago my wife and I decided to decorate this old Greek column for Christmas instead of the usual tree. We wrapped lights around the column, put a blanket of cotton snow at its base, and selected a pig lamp to adorn the top. We loved it, and have decorated the column like this every year.

Wishing everyone a joyous holiday season and a Happy New Year!

Wild Flour Bread Bakery

The area surrounding Freestone, a tiny town just west of Sebastopol, California, is home to more sheep, cows and goats than human residents. But when Wild Flour Bread opens its doors, the human population likely doubles.

Last Sunday my wife and I waded through a sea of pastry enthusiasts as they gathered out front to drink coffee and eat fresh baked goods. Once inside, the warm air smelled of cinnamon. A crowd sampled sweet breads, cheese breads, crusty breads, and scones, all the while juggling hats, mittens and wallets. We ordered the Egyptian, a sweet bread of pear, ginger, and fig.

After filling up our coffees, we strolled into the garden next door. Surrounded by lavender, broccoli, lettuce, and kale sprouts, we sat on a wood bench beneath a tree, keeping company with garden sculptures nestled in nasturtiums. Peeling back the paper covering our bread, we found a sticky sweet, buttery, ginger glaze loaf, that warmed our hands and bellies, as we devoured it in the crisp morning air.

A Kiss Before You Go by Danny Gregory

Danny Gregory is a world renown sketch artist who also happens to be a great writer. His brand new book, A Kiss Before You Go. will be available in bookstores everywhere on November 27. It’s a follow-up to his popular “Everyday Matters” book that was published in 2003. I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy. Here’s a preview.

***Book Review 01/08/13***
Last November I purchased an advanced copy of A Kiss Before You Go as a birthday gift to myself. I looked forward to receiving it and on delivery day, breezed through its beautiful pages, then set the book on my nightstand to enjoy before sleep. That night, I chose another book instead, thinking “I’ll read Danny’s book tomorrow.” After several weeks of delay, I realized I had to ask myself, “What’s going on?”

It became clear to me that I was afraid to read the book. Over the last few years, I have grieved over the loss of my mother, grandmother, a close friend, and the near loss of my wife. By now I’m aware of what grieving feels like, I know loneliness all too intimately, and I understand what it feels like to sort through belongings of a loved one whose life ended tragically short. Did I need to dig up these emotions by reading Danny’s book?

Well, tonight I finally curled up on the sofa and read A Kiss Before You Go all the way through. I couldn’t put it down. Danny has written such an honest and tender book that I need not have been afraid to read it. It helped me understand my own feelings of loss, regret and sadness. Ultimately, this warm and heartfelt book lifted my spirits, reminding me that I’m really not so alone in the world. Tragedy cannot be undone, but the haunting feelings that remain can be comforted.

Danny’s artwork sparkles with joy and sorrow as vivid watercolors splash, drip, and run with emotion across the page. The entire book is handwritten, blending text with artwork and making the entire book fuse as one. A Kiss Before You Go is a treasure and will help keep Patti’s warm heart from fading.

The Cheese Factory

Nestled in a valley outside of Petaluma, stands the landmark where the well-loved cheese Rouge et Noir is made. Known locally as The Cheese Factory, its real name is the Marin French Cheese Company, and it has produced hand-crafted, soft-ripened cheeses in this same location since 1865, making it the oldest cheese manufacturer in the USA. I’ve passed it many times on the way to Point Reyes, always promising to stop next time. Last week I finally took the time to visit and I’m glad I did.

The moment I stepped into the cheese shop, I was invited to taste. I delighted in the various aromas, textures and flavors of brie, Camembert, and bleu cheeses, before taking a mini tour of the facility. Through a window I watched as workers poured warm milk into containers with added culture. From here, the natural process of converting milk to cheese only takes a few hours. Once the curds have thickened, the whey is allowed to drain away and the new cheese is formed into molds. Each cheese is aged for a specified period of time depending on its type, and then finally packaged for sale.

As lunch time approached, I headed back to the shop and picked out a Petite Creme Rouge et Noir, a packet of crackers, and a drink. Resting outside by the duck pond, I savored my snack, along with a view that encouraged me to pull out my watercolor paints. This area of northern California, known for its artisan cheeses, is especially beautiful in late autumn, after seasonal rains have begun to fall. Rolling grass-covered hills that were sere and golden just last month are now a brilliant emerald green. The cows that dot these hillsides are no doubt happier of late, eating newly sprouted grasses.

Russian River Barn

Old barns are common along roadsides in Sonoma County, but I never tire of the character and beauty they add to the landscape. Many are no longer in use; seemingly held together by nothing but peeling paint, their roofs sag and the walls bear holes big enough to accommodate all sorts of critters. Yet somehow these barns manage to keep standing. I like to think they’ve grown roots, like the old oak trees from which they were built, that each is digging ever deeper into the soil in order to prop up its increasingly frail frame. This old barn along West Side Road complements the season’s earthy browns and greens, now that recent rains have washed away much of autumn’s warmer tones.

Philip Glass – “Einstein on the Beach”

Waiting in line to hear Philip Glass, Robert Wilson, and others talk about “Einstein on the Beach.”

Last Sunday afternoon, my wife Marilyn and I attended “Einstein on the Beach” at UC Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall. Scored by Philip Glass and directed by Robert Wilson, this modern opera first premiered in France in 1976, and after a short European tour, closed in New York City. Since then, millions have heard and embraced the work. And this year, the originators mounted a limited-release revival tour, including the first and only west coast performance.

The Zellerbach Playhouse pre-talk included Glass and Wilson, along with choreographer Lucinda Childs. Childs, who performed in the original production along with Glass and Wilson, joined to reflect on the show’s inspiration, as well as how audience perception has changed since its debut. The opera is famous for both its intermission-less 4-1/2 hour length and lack of a storyline. While the conversation provided background information, the speakers steered clear of explanation and detail to allow the show to be rediscovered and deciphered by today’s audience.

Philip Glass and Robert Wilson Talking about “Einstein on the Beach.”

As we entered the theater, I heard barely perceptible keyboard tones, followed by multiple voices repeating numbers. Though the show had not yet started, these sounds continued as we found our seats, ululating in volume and intensity, blurring the distinction between the worlds outside and inside the auditorium. The pace of the music slowed my busy mind, preparing me for the meditative, minimalist music of Philip Glass.

The lights dimmed and onstage action began at a glacial pace. The stage was awash in blueish grey, highlighted here and there by the occasional splash of red or golden yellow. Musical patterns gradually shifted, unfolding over extended periods of time, though by the second scene, the repetitive nature of the music had me trapped. Waves of musical notes washed over me, and I felt a brief panic, as if drowning in a sea of music. As I let go of fear, my mind and body relaxed and a contemplative state began to build. It was then that I was able to enjoy the performance, by giving into it, and letting go.

Due to the show’s length, the audience was permitted to enter and exit the theater at will, knowing that “Einstein” would be there upon return. Around midpoint, I meandered into the lobby to grab a snack but was struck by the oddness of doing so. I was not alone. Many people sat at bistro tables drinking coffee, tea, and wine as the performance resonated through the theater walls. It felt more like a cafe at a museum where visitors could relax and then reenter the gallery.

My wife Marilyn enjoying a cup of tea and looking through the program in the lobby.

Feeling hungrier than a cookie could satisfy, I walked the half-block to Blondie’s Pizza. I felt in a trance, the music echoing in my mind while I mingled with the people on the street.

Sketches in near darkness during Einstein on the Beach and a Blondies Pizza sign sketch.

When I returned to my seat twenty minutes later, ballet dancers criss-crossed the stage in flowing beauty, providing a feminine balance to an otherwise masculine production. This new energy invigorated me to reach for my sketchbook. Drawing in near-dark conditions, I realized how visual the music was. The cascading notes formed a rich, solid mass like a tonal landscape on canvas.

At four hours of performance time, the show culminated with a whirlwind of sound, flashing visuals, and a rocket ship moving through space. But at the end, the show finished as quietly as it started. I felt exhausted but enlivened emotionally, creatively, and spiritually.

Sketch in near darkness during “Einstein on the Beach.”

“An Illustrated Journey” by Danny Gregory Book Cover

An_Illustrated_Journey2013Large

Danny Gregory’s new book “An Illustrated Journey” will be published late February 2013, and I am excited to be one of the contributing artists. You can pre-order the book on Amazon and all the contributing artists can be seen on Pinterest. I’m a big fan of Danny’s previous book, “An Illustrated Life” which gave me the inspiration to travel and sketch in Greece. (My book can be found here).