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As we rush from work to errands to walking the dog or picking up the kids; to the dry cleaner, to the hardware store, to that social commitment, to whatever it is that we have to do in this busier than busy existence, we most likely don’t even think about stopping for a moment to catch our breaths, to just stop and see the beauty that’s all around us — simple things really.   So this morning when I took the dog out, I decided to do just that!  Here are a few of the beautiful things I found —

Flowers, blooming all over Emeryville, some of them clearly thinking it’s Spring already —

The intricate pattern of tree bark —

The shadow of a tree on the side of the wall —

Clouds reflected on windows on this wind-swept morning —

A neighbor’s smiling dog —

Here’s hoping you can find a moment to stop — and delight in the beauty that’s around you —

Point Isabelle Dog Park in Albany (just 15 minutes on the freeway from Emeryville) — heaven for doggies and humans alike!

The largest public off leash park in the US — 23 acres with views of Marin and the Golden Gate Bridge—

With paths running along the bay and a beautiful view —

And hillside places to romp as well —there’s our dog Wookie as a little fuzzy white thing at the top of the hill —

Here he is as his adorable (but bratty) self—

500,00 dogs visit here every year —

All shapes and sizes —

I know I’ve been digressing from the subject of jewelry and fashion, (fascinating, whimsical and often wonderful though it is) however I simply couldn’t help being diverted by the also fascinating (and extraordinary) lives of of the four women whose stories graced this blog recently.  There will be more in the future.

However, now there is a new distraction—born of this area (to which we so recently moved) in which there are numerous quirky and delightful people, places and things—often fanciful, whimsical (one of my favorite conditions) and uber-cool.

And so to that end, I’m beginning a series of postings called Adventures in Emeryville, entitled such due to Emeryville being my point of departure (it also has a cool ring to it), but really encompassing the entire bay area.

Yesterday, while driving around checking out the jewelry/boutique scene, I saw a huge long line in front of a place on Telegraph Ave at 51st in Oakland.  This place of business had no signage at all, just poster-boards taped up with hand scribbled messages impossible to decipher from the street, so there was no way of telling what it was.  In addition, it was quite odd as there were a number of painted ironing boards lining the sidewalk outside.   The queue of people stretched half-way down the block, and this was at around 2:00 on a Thursday afternoon.

Not one to ignore the allure of a line of people (of varying ages and well-dressed) I found a place to park and went to explore, and discovered Bakesale Betty, a bakery/restaurant obviously well known and loved by the locals.  The bustle inside was infectious.  There must have been 10 (all cute) guys in white “chef” outfits working away madly behind the counter.  The girl who did the ringing up was exuberant and charming, calling patrons “darling, dear, sweet.”  The scent was heady with yummy baked goods and fried chicken.

How could anyone resist.  I purchased the fried chicken and coleslaw sandwich, it was huge, to take home to share with my husband for dinner.  My husband, a sandwich lover (sandwiches being his favorite food), declared it the best he’d ever had.  And he didn’t complain about the immense slice of pumpkin pie drenched in whipped cream either!

Guys in white—

The adorable ringer-upper—(not my purchase on the register, but you see how much people spend here)

Some divine looking and again huge slices of banana (?) bread, and—could that be Betty herself just off camera to the left?

And finally, one of the signs in the window—

The ironing boards outside (for which alas, I have no pictures) are—tables to eat on!

Mimi Farina (1945-2001).  Singer, dancer, musician, California girl with a a Quaker upbringing, a crystalline voice, and younger sister of Joan Baez.  She had a high romance love affair with poet singer Richard Farina whom she married when she was 18.  They recorded 2 folk albums together and then, sadly, in 1966, on her 21st birthday, he died tragically in a motorcycle accident.  She eventually went back to music and in the 1970’s her life took on new meaning when she founded Bread & Roses — which brought free live music concerts to those unfortunate enough to be in hospitals, homeless shelters, prisons and psychiatric centers.  She died of cancer in 2001, much too young, at her hilltop cottage in Mill Valley.

Explorer, Spiritualist, Buddhist — Alexandra David-Neel. (1868-1969). This lovely young girl (wearing a splendid necklace, I may add) grew up to be the first “white” woman to travel to Tibet, at a time when all foreigners were forbidden.  Her first trip was in 1924, after that she gave up the comfort of a privileged life, to travel through Tibet, Nepal and India writing of mystics, lamas, and the Buddhist way.  She wrote 30 books and lived to be 101.

Eva Palmer-Sikelianos (1874-1952) Brilliant, beautiful; dreamer and woman of great spiritual strength. The circle of her friends included Andrew Carnegie, Ted Shawn, Isadora Duncan, August Rodin.  An American heiress, she married the famous Greek poet, Angelos Sikelianos and with him re-instituted the Delphic Festivals in Greece.  Her autobiography Upward Panic is a testimonial to the significance of the arts and humanities in a world rocked by the devastation of two world wars.

Ilka Chase (1900—1978)  Society girl, actress of film and stage, newspaper columnist, novelist.

“The only people who never fail,” she said, are those who never try.”

I must admit, that this post, with its ruminations on the New Year, is coming a little late.  What with leasing a new place 400 miles away, packing up an entire 2 1/2 bedroom apartment, moving, and unpacking — all this during the holidays — its taken some time just to process.

But now that most all the boxes are gone, my husbands paintings are up, and just about everything has found a place, I’ve had a moment to take a breath and think about the New Year.  So much is written about New Years — what are we resolving to do this time around, what should our resolutions be — what are celebrities planning to do, what can we expect in 2010 . . . But truly, it seems that all we really want is something better to look forward to.  That this new year will bring us closer to realizing our dreams, that we will come home safely from any troubles we have had, that prosperity will be ours, that our hearts will be filled with happiness and that perhaps sometime in this next 12 months we will find whatever it is that we’ve been yearning for.  No resolutions necessary.

And so I found this poem by the brilliant David Whyte — somehow it seemed right for the New Year.

The Opening of Eyes

That day I saw beneath dark clouds

the passing light over the water

and I heard the voice of the world speak out,

I knew then, as I had before

life is no passing memory of what has been

nor the remaining pages in a great book

waiting to be read.

It is the opening of eyes long closed.

It is the vision of far off things

seen for the silence they hold.

It is the heart after years

of secret conversing

speaking out loud in the clear air.

It is Moses in the desert

fallen to his knees before the lit bush.

It is the man throwing away his shoes

as if to enter heaven

and finding himself astonished,

opened at last,

fallen in love with solid ground.

– David Whyte

from Songs for Coming Home

©1984 Many Rivers Press

May your days be merry and bright!

And may all your holiday dreams come true!

What do the holidays remind you of?  Christmas cards coming in the mail . . .

Old songs?  It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas . . . Oh dradle, dradle, dradle . . . Rockin’ around the Christmas tree . . . I’m dreaming of a white Christmas . . .

Starry lights in red, green and white glittering in windows and on streets . . .

The scent of pine needles, pumpkin pie, turkey cooking in the oven, the welcome warmth of your house when you’ve come in out of the cold, cookies decorated with bright sprinkles . . .

Connecting again with old friends and family . . . wrapping the gifts you’re giving or sending to the people you love . . .

and for me, even in the midst of all this, knowing that the Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year, is actually the herald of the coming light, when the days begin to lengthen again, and before we know it, winter will give way to spring . . .

And oh, by the way, it’s never too late for a gift of Dominion of Light Jewels!  There are still many wonderful pieces available.  Shipping is free until January 1st!