Salesforce Rooftop Garden Tour

Spent a wonderful day at the Salesforce Rooftop Garden in San Francisco! Mari and I took BART to Embarcadero Station, and then walked the short distance to the Transit Center. From Salesforce Plaza at Street Level, we could look up to Salesforce Park on the fourth floor, and the gondola perched at its upper terminus. We didn't realize it at the time, but behind the white lacy metal screen below the trees is the third floor Bus Deck of the Transit Center (click on the photo to enlarge it and see more detail). The buildings towered over us and provided contrast with the forest of trees and plants on the fourth floor.

View of the gondola and trees in Salesforce Park (floor 4),
from Salesforce Plaza (Street Level)

Winding trail around Salesforce Park

We checked the gondola schedule, hoping to catch a ride up to the Rooftop Level. It didn't seem to be running, so we rode the elevator up instead and explored briefly. At 10:00 AM we joined the monthly walking tour at the Main Plaza (there is also a monthly birding walk and many other health, dance, and musical events). Our tour guide and botanical expert, Ingrid, introduced us to the history and development of the Transit Center and the botanical garden. The garden design celebrates the Mediterranean climate and incorporates plants from all of the earth's five Mediterranean climate zones – Mediterranean Europe, central Chile, South Africa, Western Australia, and the California coast.

Transbay Transit Center Concept - the big picture (click to enlarge) 

Ingrid describes the Wollemi pine at
Salesforce Park (Wollemia nobillis) 

We were surprised to learn that the plants and trees are rooted in only five feet of soil. The roots receive ample water and spread out to anchor themselves, without the need to send down deep tap roots to find water. The soil supports a Redwood grove and many other tall trees. 

View of one of the skylights that help illuminate the Transit Center floor below

Mari snaps a shot of a Monkey Puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana)

The tree and plant collection is amazing. I was especially interested to see my first Wollemi pine specimen. It is one of those "fossil plants" from dinosaur days that was thought to be extinct, until a small grove was discovered near Sydney, Australia in 1994. I remember my Dad (a retired forester) sharing a newspaper article with me about the discovery. Another dinosaur plant (in terms of size) is the Gunnera, which is a tough plant with huge leaves that grows to an enormous size and then dies back during the dry season. (Note that its roots are high in tannins and used to create a black dye and to tan leather, hence the use of tinctoria in its scientific name).

Chilean Rhubarb (Gunnera tinctoria) 

Deep shade under the trees

After the tour we found a table in the shade, and ate our lunch with hiking buddy, Josephine, who joined us. It was fun to relax in such a beautiful environment, surrounded by trees and tall buildings, and catch up on all the news. After lunch, Mari and I sought out the gondola again. This time, we found it at the Street Level terminus below us, seemingly unattended with no intention of moving. We decided to pursue the gondola ride in another visit.

View of the gondola at Street Level
from the Park Level (floor 4)

Instead, we explored each floor of the Transit Center, marveling how beautiful and clean everything is, and filled with natural and diffused light. We studied a comprehensive poster showing all the bus, Muni, and train options available. I felt inspired to both learn the system and do more exploring using my Clipper Card; and to return to the garden to see its seasonal changes. This is a wonderful public garden and a destination worth exploring!

View of the Bus Deck Level (floor 3)

Farewell to our Hemet Haven

I’ve recently returned from a trip to Southern California, to collect personal artifacts from my parents’ place in Hemet, California. They have decided to sell the mobile home, which once belonged to my paternal grandparents and has since served as base camp for many wonderful family gatherings and trips to the dessert. Early in this blogs' history, I reported on Hemet Haven, and then later in Ahead of Their Time. My folks and I have started many an outing from this Hemet haven over the years, and returned gratefully at the end of the day.

Golden evening light along Tehachapi Pass

For this trip, my sister and I and our spouses travelled from Oregon and Northern California. As always, my husband and I enjoyed the chance to be on-the-road again, after quite a few months staying close to home. Many of the farms and orchards along Interstate 5 looked green and productive (others were dry and  fallow). We decided to bypass Los Angeles, and spent the night in Tehachapi on the way down. We encountered a major traffic problem on our way through Tehachapi Pass, but enjoyed the golden evening light and the California chaparral landscape. The next day we had a chance to visit the famed Kohnen's Country Bakery in Tehachapi (highly recommended by my folks), and stocked up on bread and treats for our weekend.

Bird paradise

It was a joy to see my sister and brother-in-law again, after several years' separation due to COVID-19. They spent the night in the mobile home, and my husband and I stayed in a nearby hotel that is landscaped with palms, bougainvillea, Bird-of-Paradise and vines, and populated with scores of birds. In the morning and the evening, the air was filled with bird song.

Sale Pending

We spent an extended weekend sorting through photos, letters, and mementos to figure out what to keep. We hosted Zoom and phone calls with family members to help with the decision making. Several generations of artifacts had accumulated in the mobile home, from both our maternal and paternal families. My mom, aunt, and dad have done a great job of organizing over the years. They have also identified significant pictures and had scanned many for family members, with plans to scan more. It’s been a big and loving undertaking, for which I am grateful.

Taking a break at Applebee's in Hemet

Don't think that all we did was work. We enjoyed meeting the realtor, Bob Meadows, and several friends from the mobile home park; and eating at some of our favorite haunts – Los Vaqueros Cantina and Grill, Polly's Pies, and Applebee's Grill. The weather was surprisingly cool for the first several days, so we also enjoyed brisk walks around the park.

 

Enjoying Los Vaqueros in Hemet

It was an exciting and emotional weekend – seeing artifacts from beloved family and friends from the past, working together to figure out what was most important items for each of us, saying farewell to a place that is filled with memories. Of course these are just physical objects, but they represent the hopes and dreams of the past and evoke many memories. In this modern era, most of us have more items than we need and the minimalist younger generation does not want the burden of carrying artifacts through time, so it is important to be selective. We were able to whittle down the keepers to fit into our cars, but we still have our work cut out for us!

Treasures from the past to enjoy and share

Trip to the Desert – Canceled!

Had all gone according to plan, my folks and I would be together in Southern California right now, enjoying each other's company, searching for wildflowers, and exploring the desert. We've been meeting up in Hemet, California every spring for over a decade – they fly down from Southeastern Alaska and I fly down from the San Francisco Bay Area. From there we fan out and visit our favorite haunts, like Whitewater Preserve, Palm Springs, Joshua Tree National Park, Bautista Canyon, and more. Had life not taken another turn, we would probably be in Anza-Borrego State Park right now.

Since we are all sheltering in place for the duration, here is a tribute to our trips to the Anza-Borrego area over the years. We've approached it from the Badlands (great desolate and sweeping vistas), and from the backside of the Salton Sea (great place to look for obsidian and mud volcanoes).

The Badlands near S22 (2015)

The Salton Sea is 227 feet below sea level (2017)

We always stay at the Palm Canyon Hotel in Borrego Springs (although it is getting more difficult to get reservations, as flower viewing has become so popular). Its Western theme and shady dry gardens are welcoming, and the accommodations are very comfortable (it is a Dark Skies hotel if you like to see the stars at night).

Dry garden at Palm Canyon Hotel (2015)

View from the veranda (2015)

The Anza-Borrego State Park is a main attraction near Borrego Springs, and a short hike to the desert palm oasis is a must (preferably early in the morning before the sun heats up). On the way you can look for interesting plants and geological formations, beautiful flowers, and Borregos. No matter how dry the year, there is always a refreshing stream of water under the Fan Palms (Washintonia filifera).

Palm Canyon Oasis in sight (2015)

Searching for Borregos on the hills from a nice shady spot (2017)

Respite in the oasis (2017)

Of course there are the flowers. It is amazing that such a hot, dry landscape can produce such delicate, breathtaking blossoms. Here are a few of my favorites from the Anza-Borrego area.

Ironwood tree (2015)

Palo Verde tree (2011)

Smoke bush and ocotillo (2017)

One year a huge windstorm swept through town with 60-80 mile winds. The Palm Canyon Hotel and restaurant lost power, just after we ordered dessert. We enjoyed our pecan pie in candlelight, then found our way to our cozy rooms using flashlights. We turned in early, and listened to the Big Wind swirling outside. The next day calm and power returned. After breakfast we encountered a super bloom of yellow and orange flowers on Henderson Canyon Road.

The Big Wind stirred up a lot of dust (2017)

Henderson Canyon Road (2017)

A mass of White-lined Sphinx Moth (Hyles lineata) caterpillars eclipsed the flower show. They maneuvered across the hot desert sand with efficiency until they found a plant they liked, then went to work. The caterpillars were very particular in their tastes – only the tender leaves and stems of the desert evening primroses would do. Flower seekers were just as interested in the hungry creatures as they were in the beautiful flower blooms.

Photographing the caterpillars (2017)

White-lined Sphinx Moth caterpillar (2017)

Other favorite places include the Anza-Borrego Visitor Center for its dry landscaping and interesting exhibits (and for the air conditioned theater, where you can watch and rewatch its nature videos). The metal sculptures by Ricardo Breceda are also phenomenal; they are distributed all around the Borrego Springs area.

Landscaping at the Anza-Borrego Visitor Center (2011)

Serpent, by Ricardo Breceda (2015)

Sometimes it is just fun to take a stroll, or park the car and walk out onto the desert floor. There is always something interesting to see.

Sunset stroll at the Visitor Center (2015)

Walk up Mine Wash off Highway 78 (2015)

At day's end we head for one of our favorite restaurants for dinner. Sometimes we dine at the Palm Canyon Hotel restaurant, other times at Kendall's Cafe or Carmelita's Mexican Grill, but always in good company with great conversation. A beautiful sunset, an evening stroll, and a tumble of stars finish the day.

Dressed for dinner, desert style (2017)

Sunset over the Palm Canyon Hotel (2015)

For the whole story:
Desert Delight (2011)
Anza-Borrego Desert Park (2011)
Dry Gardens (2011)
Anza-Borrego Desert Adventure (2015)
Backside of the Salton Sea (2017)
Anza-Borrego State Park and the Big Wind (2017)
Borrego Springs to Palm Springs (2017)

Desert Plant Wrapup – 2019

We were surprised at all the flowers that we saw during the week-long visit. We'd missed the super bloom that occurred several weeks earlier, but were delighted at the variety of flowers and bushes still in bloom throughout the regions we visited. This was due to the late and ongoing rains that Southern California enjoyed this year. What a treat, especially after the severe drought from several years ago.

Here is a gallery of some of this year's flowering plants and shrubs (see galleries for 2017 and 2018 to compare).

Bluebell	Phacelia
Sugar Bush	Desert Willow
California Poppy	Unidentified
Buckeye	Wand Salvia
Aster	Firecracker

Every year we are treated to new and varied experiences. Many of the blossoms are predictable, while others are elusive and unexpected. Our quest to observe the blooms in nature adds to the exploration, fun, and adventures we share together.

Two Lakes and a River

Sunday was Lake Day! We wanted to visit two lakes in the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and check out the water levels. For the last several years the water level has been severely depleted due to the drought, and we wanted to see if the situation had improved after winter and spring rains. Plus it is a treat to get out into the open-space preserves that surrounds these lakes. The open space helps ensure water security for Southern California, and provides recreational opportunities, similar to the multiple-use approach of our East Bay Regional Parks in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Overlooking Diamond Valley Lake

First stop was Diamond Valley Lake reservoir. Mom and I hiked up to the viewpoint, which is high on a hill and provides a 360 degree view of the dam, the vast lake, the canal that transports water to San Diego, and the valley floor below. The dam was full of water, and plants on the surrounding hills were thriving.

View of Diamond Valley Lake

Massive earth dam with bicycle trail

We saw some beautiful Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) thriving on the well-drained hill. I saw a sign for a spring flower walk, and learned later that the walk starts at the Diamond Valley Lake Marina. We didn't visit the boat launch this year to compare, but during the height of the drought, launching a boat would have been harrowing! See Thirsty Lakes in the Chaparral (2015).

Shady gazebo on the way to the viewpoint

Healthy Brittlebush in ideal conditions

Mom and I enjoyed the views from benches at the top of the viewpoint, and under the shady gazebo, while Dad found a shady spot to work a crossword puzzle with a view of the lake in the background.

Skinner Lake Marina

Ready for a hike in the chaparral

Trail by Skinner Lake with high water level

Next stop was Skinner Lake (known as the Skinner reservoir), part of the Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District, and also part of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. We always like to check on the marina and walk along the trail by the water. The water level was very high compared with previous years. You can catch a view of the old waterline in Lake Skinner and the Old Schoolhouse (2018). We saw many plants thriving and blooming along the lake trail – Yerba Santa, Wand Sage, Buckwheat, Tamarisk. We saw quite a few boats out on the lake, and many fishermen casting their lines from the shore.

Dense flowers of the chaparral

Trail down to the Skinner Lake Day Use 2 area

Next we moved to the Day Use 2 area, to do more hiking and enjoy the open spaces. A small weather system moved in and the sky became dark and overcast, a wind kicked up, and a little rain fell! Along the shore, the deep beach that had developed during the drought is now underwater, as are the trees and bushes that had sprung up in the sand. The squall blew over, and we headed for Applebee's for hamburgers and half racks of ribs. We finished the day with boysenberry pie with a scoop of ice cream, conversation, and a good movie.

The beach is now covered with water!

Flooded beach

Later in the week, we drove over to see the Whitewater River. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the Whitewater Preserve is currently closed due to damage from heavy winter storms. But we could still see the river and were delighted to see how full the river was. Even though we couldn't drive into the Preserve, the surrounding location is beautiful with the wide river bed, the view of snow topped Mount San Jacinta, and the march of windmills on the valley floor. The latest word seems to be that the road won't be reopened until August or September, so we'll look forward to exploring Whitewater Preserve in our next visit!

Whitewater River was full of water

View of Whitewater River, Interstate 10, and the mountains beyond

Mount San Jacinto shrouded in clouds