Here and There




Beach Scene near the Beach Chalet Restaurant




The Beach Chalet

Over the last several weeks we spent time with friends in the Bay Area and made several trips home to visit family in the greater Portland and Seattle areas of Washington State.  While at my mother’s, we hired workers to complete some much needed house projects; after arriving at home in Kirkland, we began yet another list of needed house projects.  Poor Leonard, too many households to maintain and too many women to keep happy! 






Beautiful Murals in the Beach Chalet

We did manage to fit in some outings around the Bay Area between visits back home.  We joined our boating friends Michael and Judy for lunch at the Beach Chalet located at the west end of Golden Gate Park.  Michael and Judy had flown from La Paz to visit their family in San Francisco as had our other boating friends Rick and Pam.  We all had a great time over lunch discussing future rendezvous in Mexico and dreaming of boating excursions to far off places.  The beach and ocean views from the historic restaurant were also a treat.  The Beach Chalet opened for business in 1925 and once included changing rooms for beach goers.  Designed in the Spanish colonial revival style, the first floor has elaborate murals depicting scenes of San Francisco in the 1930’s.  The Mural Room is now a visitor’s center; the brewery and restaurant are located upstairs.  

One of two Dutch-style Windmills - Golden Gate Park

After lunch we drove through Golden Gate Park, stopping at many of the interesting and picturesque sites.  Rectangle in shape, the park consists of 1,017 acres of public ground and is 20 percent larger than Central Park in New York City.  Park plans were developed in 1870 by William Hammond Hall.  The first stage of development involved planting trees to stabilize the dunes which covered three-quarters of the area referred to as the “Outside Lands.”  

Golden Gate Park

By 1875 about 60,000 trees had been planted and by 1879 the figure doubled to 155,000 – a thick forest of Eucalyptus, Monterey Pine, and Monterey Cypress.  Built in 1903, a pair of Dutch-style windmills pumped water throughout the park during the early years.

Golden Gate Park

The Conservatory - Golden Gate Park

Aerial View - Golden Gate Park