Locke it Up

This weekend I went out to the East Bay to hang with J&S. On Saturday, we drove out into the delta to take photographs. It was a beautiful day and though we didn't take a lot of photographs, here are a few worth sharing.

A big drawbridge crossing to Sherman Island (I think).

Our desitnation was Locke, CA, a Chinese settlement buillt up early in the 1900s. It's in some serious disrepair, but there appear to be efforts to improve the town and make it nice place to live and a worthwhile destination. The Library of Congress's website has a nice collection of material about the town gathered in their Historic American Buildings Survey section. The data document is worth reading and the pictures and diagrams of the town are interesting.

The main drag.

Dai Loy Museum

Another view of the main drag.

Stairway alley up to the levee road.

Comics!

Pay Here Honor System Fruit.

Taking a left at the top of the main drag at the T-intersection.

Windowscape. Really want that Viking Hardy Boys book.

Al the Wops - Yelp's got them with 4-stars.

Daenerys Targaryen has got nothing on us!

I put a few black and white pics from the visit on my flickr site, too.

Daenerys Targaryen has got nothing on us!

On the drive back, we stopped for ice cream in Walnut Grove and took some sunset pictures.

The door of a metal work gallery.

 

So Much Jersey Stuff, Part I

Time is flying by like crazy. I've already been in New Jersey for 9 days!

My dad's memorial service, and the reception that followed, on Saturday, Oct. 26, was lovely. My cousin, Ben, officiated the service. Adele, Uncle Jim and I spoke for the family and then a bunch of dad's friends came up and shared stories. There were close to about 100 people there, give or take, many of whom I didn't know. I was very happy to see familiar faces, like my Uncle Barry and Jens (dad's frat brothers) and Douglas and Mitch (dad's train buddies). I got to put some faces to names, mainly to some of dad's friends and colleagues from the law firm where he worked. And of course I spoke with many others familiar and new, though I wished I'd had more time with some. I'm so glad we had the service, even though I know my dad wasn't enthusiastic about the idea. There really is something to be said about the closure such an event can bring.

Here's the brochure I made for the service and the text I read.

Sunday morning Adele, Albert, Lily, Lisa, EJ and I scattered dad's ashes. That hit me harder than I expected.

A leaf on the RR tracks where we scattered dad's ashes.

Later that day I went down to Red Bank to attend a surprise party for my cousin Ben. It was a very belated happy 50th and it was great fun. A nice flip side to Saturday's event.

Ben in the center with the big grin on his face. He was very surprised.

One of the guests at the party.

I spent Sunday night in Red Bank and on Monday I drove down to Island Heights, which is where I spent every summer from about 12 years old until the time I went off to college, not to mention countless weekends and holidays. I loved being down there with my great aunt and my South Jersey friends (like Sharron, that crazy Havens girl!). Her lovely daughter, and my daughter through some blood-sister mojo-juju, Candee, met me in town with coffee and Dunkin Donuts.

Island Heights was founded as a Methodist summer camp meeting vacation spot.

My great aunt's little cottage.

A view of Toms River from Sharron's family home.

Detail of The Artist's Guild, a place that shows local art. It's been there for as long as I can remember.

Looking at town from the end of the public dock.

The public dock. Many, many hours of swimming and ice skating were launched from this dock.

The post office!

Island Heights is a beautiful town. I was lucky to have spent so much time there growing up and it felt great to visit, even if only for a short one. Some photos found while poking around the house...

I found this in an old scrapbook from the 1930’s. Made me miss SF.

After waxing nostalgic in Island Heights, I headed south to Manahawkin and Sharron. After taking advantage of Sharron's hospitality by doing laundry and taking a shower, she took me sight-seeing.

The Pine Barrens, home of the Jersey Devil.

More Pine Barrens.

Skeletrino searching for bodies in the Pine Barrens.

Out on Long Beach Island.

Barnaget Light House.

Sunset fishermen.

Another view of Barnaget Lighthouse.

Sunset and fishing boats.

We ended the evening with a pizza and a far too short visit with Sharron and all her beautiful girls. An overall wonderful day.

So Much Jersey Stuff, Part II coming soon.

 

Red Bank & Family Time

Wednesday, Day 2, was mainly running around doing random things in prep for Dad's memorial service on Saturday. I made a brochure for the service and Adele and I made a display of pictures of dad on a foam board. Both came out nicely.

Thursday was a fun day. Adele and I went down to Red Bank to meet up with Uncle Jim and Nancy. Red Bank is pretty much as I remember it, just with newer store fronts and restaurants. If I were going to live in New Jersey, Red Bank would be a good place to settle. My father's maternal family have been in NJ for a long time, pre-revolutionary, and in Monmouth County for a good portion of that time, though, of course, family scatters and imports new members. I grew up visiting Red Bank. I remember my grandmother taking me shopping on Broad Street, pictured below, and afterwards we'd go for a treat to an ice cream parlor down one of the side streets. I get very nostalgic when I'm in this part of NJ. We even stopped to take pictures of my grandmother's tiny little house on Newman Springs Road. Looks pretty much the same as it did when I was 10. I wish I could step in through the side door and find my grandmother at the kitchen table, reading the New York Times and puffing on her cigarillo. She was an exceptional woman.

Memories aside, we picked up Nancy and Jim and headed downtown for lunch and to get copies made of the memorial brochure.

Broad Street, Red Bank

More Broad Street

Nancy, Jim and Adele, downtown Red Bank

I was tickled pink when I unexpectedly found myself in front of Kevin Smith's comic book shop, Jay & Silent Bob's Secret Stash. Totally neat-o! My luggage limitations prevented me from making any desired purchases, but none of that mattered when I found myself face to face with Buddy Jesus!

Woot!

Buddy Jesus!

After lunch we decided to take a drive out to the Holmes-Hendrickson House, a historical site and former home of a long-ago ancestor. All we could do was lurk outside as the house was closed for the winter.

Nice little red house.

Close-up of the front facade.

Woods next to the house.

Had to let Madge loose.

The four of us. Madge got down in the grass for the shot.

After leaving the Holmes-Hendrickson house we went back to my cousin's place and socialized for a while before Adele and I decided we should get on the road home. It was a happy and joyful day.

End of Day 3.

 

The Hermitage: A Look Back

When I was back in NJ visiting my dad, I was able to spend a little time with my brother, Rob, his wife, Candy, and my niece, Ashley. One of the things we did, after I made them drive around Waldwick so I could wax nostalgic (though I confess I didn't really feel that nostalgic about Waldwick), we stopped at The Hermitage, an historical home in Ho-Ho-Kus.

When we were growing up not much had been done to The Hermitage. It was turned over to the state in the early 70's, but it took some time before enough money was raised to allow the home to be restored. I remember performing there, in one of the few accesible rooms, with my high school's string quartet (I was the violist) to help raise money. I was happy to see the house restored and open for tours. It dates back to before the revolutionary war, was one of the many places that hosted General Washington during the war, and the widow of the owner eventually married Aaron Burr. Descendants lived in the house, in a terrible state of poverty, until the 1960’s.

There also happened to be a Civil War historical event taking place, which was pretty neat. I got to shoot an Enfield rifle (sans an actual bullet - just the powder and a cap).

Enjoy the pics.

The front of the Hermitage.

Welcome sign.

Back of The Hermitage.

Love the windows and woodwork.

The parlor, set for tea.

A wreath made of human hair, a craft of the time.

Window detail.

Doll on the mantel in the children's room.

One of the bedrooms.

Spinning wheel in the back sitting room.

My beautiful niece with one of the Civil War enthusiasts.

A visitor shooting the Enfield rifle.