Mindfully Biking Solo & Lunch on the Fly at "Happy Hound” that Reminds Me of a Zen Joke

"When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking.”

—Arthur Conan Doyle

I slept in this morning, really slept in. By the time I arose out of bed it was near 11 AM. I could hear the critical mind calling me to task for being lazy. I worked on some projects needing attention, then decided to hit the creek trails. By this point it was near 1 PM. After riding few miles, I exited the biking trails and indulged myself with a hot dog to go from "Happy Hound." It is one of my guilty pleasures that puts a smile on my face in more ways than one. It is not only delicious, but every time I place an order at Happy Hound, I am reminded of an old Zen joke about a Zen master visiting New York City who goes to a hot dog vendor and says, “Make me one with everything.” The hot dog vendor fixes a hot dog and hands it to the Zen master, who pays with a $20 bill. The vendor puts the bill in the cash box and closes it. “Excuse me, but where’s my change?” asks the Zen master. The vendor responds, “Change must come from within.”

I have been thinking a lot about why I’m so passionate about biking. Part of it is spending time in nature, seeing places I haven’t seen before living in the Bay Area for many years, that are only accessible by bike or by foot. Despite the speed, I find myself relaxed. The body is loose, the mind clear, as I navigate the smooth and bumpy terrain. I’m in the zone. I’m in the “flow,” a focused state of mind in which action and awareness are one. It is almost impossible to be in a bad mood while riding a bike.

Hungarian-American psychologist Mihaly Csikzentmihalyi defined flow as letting go of your ego—thinking I’m good or I’m bad—when you’re having fun but you’re still in control of your movements. These days it is more commonly known as being in the state of mindfulness or the ability to be present with what is happening in the present moment.

Biking, I have come to experience over time is an active form of meditation like yoga which I have practiced for over thirty years. Mindfulness meditation is the ability to direct the mind to where you want it to go and being fully present as it is happening. If your mind wanders, just gently guide it back to your inhaling and exhaling breath and enjoy the full experience of biking and taking in all the beauty around you.

These photos were taken on the Los Gatos Creek Trails to Vasona Lake County Park and back to Campbell, CA

Remembering & Celebrating the Three Year Anniversary of our Dad's Passing

“I’d swear I heard your laughter as I gazed upon your face; that golden and contagious sound that nothing can replace. It brought back such sweet memories of how life used to be. Each picture now a time machine…that brings you back to me.”

It is true indeed, that life is like a time machine. I came across some pictures of my dad and I exploring our namesake city, St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest city in the US. I closed my eyes and there we were that long ago. It was his 80th birthday. It was my gift to him. Of course it turned out to be a gift to me as well. We shared a sleeping car on Amtrak. It was the most concentrated time I had ever spent with him. We visited the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park, attributed to Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon representing a mythical spring of water that was known to extend life. We even bought a bottle of it. It clearly worked for you, dad, as you lived to nearly 101. As far as myself, it has yet to be determined:-)

When I was young whenever someone died, my dad was always fond of saying, “We all gotta go sometime.” It sounded fatalistic. But, the truth is, dad was a devout Catholic. He was a lay brother in his youth, though fell short of becoming a priest, which was a boon for me, as I wouldn’t be here telling this story given a priest’s vow of celibacy.

Dad, or Frank as I affectionately called him at times was a chaplain's aide in the US Army at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, TX, and Walter Reed Medical Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. He used to pass the collection basket at The Church of Our Lady of Grace in Hoboken, NJ. He tended a small chapel in the store front of a storage room with a large bay window on the first floor of his five-unit apartment building I grew up in. Many passersby would stop for a few moments and bless them selves. He wasn’t preachy. He just lived his faith. In later years he became the Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, a fraternal organization.

At the age of 100, we revisited the subject of “death." He said: “It’s up to the man upstairs.” Teasingly I responded, "Or up to the woman upstairs." Right up to the end he received the Holy Communion wafer offered by a Eucharistic minister at his home. The Catholic faith is rooted in the belief that God made us to enjoy eternal life with him, and that death was not the end. In fact, there is an old expression that “Death takes the body. God takes the soul. Our mind holds the memories. Our heart keeps the love. Our faith lets us know we will meet again.”

Getting back to the time machine metaphor, as I looked at the photos of dad, some taken from his 75th birthday party where I arranged for an exotic dancer to entertain him and the guests who attended. It brought back such sweet memories. Frank was really a good sport.

A Trip to the Colorful Saratoga Farmer's Market: An Essential Public Service with Music & Great People Watching

“The are benefits visiting a farmers market in light of coronavirus…you’re outside, there’s fresh air moving and the supply chain is shorter.”

-Yvonne Michael, epidemiologist at Drexel University School of Public Health

One of my favorite things to do on a Saturday morning is making a trip to the farmers market.

If you are starved for human contact, even if its 6 feet or more apart, this is the place. It is a feast of the senses. The bright colors of the produce stalls, being out in the fresh air, the scent from a variety of take out food booths including, Thai, Indian, Chinese, Mexican to mention a few, There is fish and meat, a rotisserie chicken truck and vegetarian crepes. There are dried fruit and nuts, a fresh Kettle Corn booth, great for watching movies from home. I can’t leave the market without my quart of fresh squeezed orange juice. Then there is the sound of music.

There is always a musician or band playing music from different genres and cultures. This passed Saturday featured singer-songwriter Ben James and his band. Based in Santa Cruz, CA. He has performed at the Kuumba Jazz Center, Zelda’s, The Fog Bank, The Miramar, San Jose and Campbell Concert Series and was the opening act for the "Greg Kihn Band," and Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks.” James is currently working on his 5th album.

There are plethora of markets to shop at on different days of the week. The most convenient for me, is the Saratoga Farmers Market at West Valley College on Saturday morning which has 50 farmstands. Due to the pandemic, this is an evolving story. Accommodations had to be made to adhere to state and county health codes.

Safety measures employed:

Chalk mark lines and signs to encourage social distancing

Limit on people per stall

Wider market aisles to reduce crowd density

Face coverings are required

Sampling of food is suspended.

Low risk, open-air environment.

Food Traveling and handling is at a much lower rate than commerical markets.

Then, there is natural sunlight that provides a powerful, natural disinfectant and exposure to Vitamin D.

Finally, health experts tell us, as a whole, the food is actually safer from Farmer’s Markets than commercial food stores.

Based on the study published in the Journal of Food Protection, which sampled produce and animal products from 44 certified Northern California farmer’s markets including the Bay Are, lead author Alda Pires, a research scientist in the UC Davis School of Veternarian Medicine concluded that based on the data, he thinks it’s safe to consume meat and produce from farmer’s markets.

Postscript: Women may be interested in checking out Nikki’s Designer Masks (Photo)

Celebrating our Beloved Granddaughter Lyla's 2nd Birthday: A Magical Day & Magical Week

“Perfect love sometimes does not come until grandchildren are born.” -Welsh Proverb

When Cecile and I babysit Lyla a warm glow of satisfaction and joy pervades our body, mind and soul. We are grateful for the reminder that life isn’t just about work, projects, deadlines, and schedules. There is nothing like seeing the world in a simple way though the eyes of a child.

For Lyla’s birthday gift, our daughter Michelle and her husband Kyle bought her own little kitchen appliances to accompany her own little table and chairs where she sits when she doesn’t feel like sitting in her highchair. She got a fridge, freezer, sink, microwave, oven, tea set, utensils and a full assortment of pretend labeled food items like waffles, ketchup, mustard, yogurt, turkey, Swiss cheese, fresh orange juice, milk, etc.

Having baked with Nonnie (Cecile) before, she was in seventh heaven to have her own little model kitchen and was busy as a bee. She ran the show like an executive chef, and we were her sous chefs. There was even a pretend model cell phone with its own slot, and she was pretending to talk to Elmo from Sesame Street. She even pretended to call me on the phone, saying, “Hi Papa."

Cecile made her lunch, and put her down for a nap while Michelle and Kyle worked on their laptops to bring home the bacon, so to speak. When she awoke she was raring to go again. “Play!” she said.

We surprised her with an outdoor play set for her birthday, similar to what we had at our old home when our kids Jason and Michelle were young. Lyla was so excited. After climbing on top of the play structure with a little help from Kyle, she slid down the sliding pond several times, and after each time she would repeat the words, “More again!”

After she had her fill she asked me to take her to feed the next door friends (Kayvon and Bahnaz’s) full-grown flightless French ducks that she has known since they were ducklings.

We then lit a candle and inserted it on top of a cupcake, and after we all sang Happy Birthday to her she blew out the candle with great joy.

Postscript: Some of the photos were taken at the Magical Bridge Playground at Red Morton Community Park, a world renowned concept first developed in Palo Alto and made its’ debut in Redwood City on December 1. The nearly 1-acre Playground was developed at the cost of $6.8 million with $3.3 million coming from the fundraising efforts by the Magical Bridge Foundation that includes donors like The Chang Zuckerberg Initiative.

Pausing to Capture this Fiery Sunset and Brilliant Twilight Afterglows While Cycling

"Sunsets are proof that no matter what happens, every day can end beautifully.”

-Kristen Butler

The day got away from me yesterday. I debated whether or not to ride my bike at 4:30 PM, so close to the sun going down here in heart of Silicon Valley in Northern California. I pushed the envelope, but it would be worth it I told myself, believing I would make i home before dark. The bike ride itself along the protected nature trails nearby would have been enough.

I was almost home, when I noticed this fiery fall sunset. I pulled over on University Avenue that overlooks Vasona Lake County Park, and then again on the busy Winchester Boulevard as cars whizzed by to photograph this eye-catching sunset. The darker it became the more intense the colors bled, especially over the Santa Cruz Mountains.

There is this phrase often used by Michele Macdonald, one of my esteemed meditation teachers while at on retreat at a monastery in Myanmar. “Just This!” she would say. It is a reference to abiding in the present moment.

Everyone at one time or another has marveled at the beautiful red and orange colors of a sunrise or sunset on vacation, but few of use take the time or make the effort to position themselves to witness a sunset in more urban environments.

The brilliant twilight “afterglows” are the best and often last only minutes as the sun sets below the mountains.

My sister Josephine gave me a gift for my birthday in 1994 accompanied by a wallet-sized card that referred to my given name:

"Dennis [Greek Origin] that means “A Worshipper.”

It is followed by a passage from Psalms: 139:13, 14

“It was you that created me. For the wonder of myself, for the wonder of your works, I thank you.”

I still keep that card in my wallet to this day as a reminder of a way of connecting with something greater than myself.

Happy Birthday to Our Much Loved Daughter Michelle

“The more you praise and celebrate life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”

-Oprah Winfrey

“Pleased to look forward, pleased to look behind, and count each birthday with a grateful mind."

-Alexander Pope

Dearest Michelle,

Out of 364 days of the calendar year, it’s the only one you can proudly call your own. Honor it! Embrace it! Celebrate it! It is the day you were born. Your very existence has built relationships. Two people became your loving parents (yeah!), your brother Jason became a sibling and older brother. Over time friendships were born. You became a classmate, a colleague, a lover, a mother and a wife. One birth over time created so many events, so many opportunities, so many causes to celebrate and feel alive.

A Precious Daughter

From the moment you were born,

We knew what love was all about.

We loved you more than anything,

Beyond a shadow of a doubt.

The bond we felt was unbreakable

And instantly we knew,

We would spend a lifetime thanking the Universe

For the miracle that was you.

With every year that passes,

You are more special than before.

Through every stage and every age,

We have come to love you ever more.

No words can describe the fond memories,

The heartfelt pride, joy, and gratitude too.

That comes from having a daughter,

To love and cherish…just like you!

But since you were also blessed with baby Lyla.

You know first hand the depth of a parent’s love,

We will always have your back,

Whether from here or from up above.

Michelle, your mom and I wish you a peaceful and joyful Birthday.

Photo memory: On the Crown Princess with our Crown Princess, Skagway, Alaska 1999

A Blessed Thanksgiving Meal with Gratitude for All the People Known and Unknown Who Made it Possible

A Blessed Thanksgiving Meal with Gratitude for All the People Known and Unknown Who Made it Possible

“Innumerable beings brought us this food. We should know how it comes to us.”

Another wonderful Thanksgiving gathering at our daughter’s mother-in-law Kim’s and husband Al Chien’s lovely home. Though the size of the event was half of what it would normally be were it not for the pandemic. Still, a good time was had by all.

Besides our hosts, our son Jason, daughter Michelle, her husband Kyle and our granddaughter Lyla, andKyle’s brother Chip, Cecile and myself were present. Before our meal, we congregated around Kim and Al’s new Kitchen having appetizers, wine and cocktails. Lyla who will be 2 years old soon was entertaining us with her yoga poses (downward dog) and trying on oversized oven gloves for her tiny hands.

Before our meal and the blessing we reflected on the effort that brought us this food we were about to nourish ourselves with and consider how it makes it’s way onto our plates. The food of course doesn’t grow and cook itself. There are cooks; there are farmers who plant, grow, harvest; and package the food, before being transported to the markets. A meal is the culmination of countless labors.

Suddenly, you realize your meal becomes an act of communion with vast numbers of people, known and unknown to whom we should extend our gratitude. People whom we will never see, never know by name, never meet, yet without them there would never be anything on our plates.

To make this point more vividly, Brother David Stendl-Rast, a Catholic Benedictine monk, teacher, author, and founder of the Network for Grateful Living, whom I had the pleasure and honor of meeting at Esalen Institute in Big Sur back in the day, tells a story. It’s about a wonderful cartoon where a Mexican family sits around the Thanksgiving table and says, “Thank you, Jesus.” Suddenly a cloud bubble appears in the cartoon and here comes a farm worker, whose name happens to be "Hesus,” Spanish for Jesus, who smilingly says, “Da Nada” (thank you).

So, all the farm workers, with the help of other people, our animals, our plants, minerals from the earth, and with the Great Mystery in which we are imbedded, which those who use the term correctly call “God.” It’s not somebody up there. It’s more personal than that…It is this tremendous mystery that we are totally informed by, related to, that makes us both human and spiritual beings.

In the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday season leading up through the end of the year let’s be Grateful:

1-For the food on our tables and how it got here.

2-For all who collectively prepared the food.

3-For the Food banks feeding the hungry who have fallen on hard times

4-For the clothes on our backs

5-For all the front line essential workers

6-And, last but not least for the great scientists and physicians who created the coronavirus vaccines that will soon be available to all.

Postscript: Some of the above teachings were adapted from a Ted talk by Brother David Stendl-Rast that has been viewed five-million times. Now in his 90s, he is beloved by many around the world. Together with the late Trappist Monk Thomas Merton, they pioneered dialogue between Christians and Buddhists. The quote below the title of this post is a Buddhist prayer said before a meal cited by Brother David.

Bicycling the Mountain Roads and Coastal Trail of Historic Half Moon Bay

“Nothing in this world is permanent, and we’re foolish when we ask anything to last, but surely, we’re still more foolish not to take delight in it while we have it.”

—W. Somerset Maugham

Bill Rothenberg and I met my son-in-law, Kyle Lewis at a parking lot in Redwood City and we caravanned to Half Moon Bay. The day began with a little rain and clouds which blew off shortly after we off-loaded our bikes near in the downtown area of this wonderful coastal city.

Beginning on the northern end of Half Moon Bay, we turned left from Hway 1 onto Higgins Canyon Road. At first the road was flat. We passed acres of Brussel sprouts being harvested. We then began our gradual and steady climb to the top before making our exciting serpentine descents on well paved roads with awesome views of deeply forested redwood trees. Though Bill and I had done this climb before, having first been introduced to us by friend Jimi Hunter and his wife Jennifer, this was Kyle’s first bike ride in this area. I was immediately reminded how pleasant the road and surrounding farms, ranches and rolling hills were throughout the ride. We stopped along the way to take photos of the horses and cows in the open meadows. Kyle spotted some wild turkeys hidden in a trenched area off road and befriended a young Labrador retriever behind a wooden fence who wanted to play.

After this joyful ride in the countryside, we made our way back to Hway 1, and rode in a lane that was wide enough to shield us from the cars speeding by. The next leg of our journey is one of Half Moon Bay’s best kept secrets: the Coastal Trail. Our access point was Cowell Ranch Beach which is part of the Coastal Trail and boasts awe-inspiring high bluff wall that wraps around the beach.

There are cracks, ruts, ditches, gravel, bumpy terrain and seaside cliffs that require one’s full attention including a firm grip on the handlebars. But, once you get through this challenging part (you could circumvent it), the trail is paved again and passes through the golf course and around the coastal side of the Half Moon Bay Gold links toward’s and passed the magnificent Ritz Carlton Hotel the trail is paved again. We continued along the coast to the harbor at Pillar Point, just short of the world-famous Maverick’s, the famous big-wave surf spot.

It was near 2 PM, and we were famished. We had completed over 28 miles of riding. We made our way back to Main Street to the San Benito House down the street where we were parked. We secured a large table in the courtyard. Bill and I enjoyed fresh mahi-mahi fish tacos and Kyle savored a Mission Style chicken burrito and we both had a nice cold beer from the Cantina.

Testing our Limits: Crossing over the Guadalupe Reservoir to Almaden Quicksilver County Park

“The best journeys take unexpected detours.”

—Lisa Mangum

An unplanned detour has taken friend, Bill Rothenberg and I to some of the most beautiful places and some seemingly crazy ones as well.

Take this morning's hour ride. We had intended to do a modest ride along the Los Gatos Creek Trails, through Vasona Lake County Park to Los Gatos Boulevard, continuing on with a steep climb up Kennedy Road to Shannon Road, to the Guadalupe Reservoir on Hick’s Road. The payoff is a few adrenaline rush descents. But, we found ourselves pushing the envelope. During our interlude at the Guadalupe reservoir, Bill noticed some hikers across the way in the distance and wondered out loud, could we cross the steep cement dam spillway to access some other biking trails. After several attempts, we discovered it was too slippery and downright risky to climb to the top of the spillway and ride across. We speculated if we might have better luck walking our bikes across the lower part of the 60-degree downward grade. We would have to lift our bikes over the black corrugated PVC drain pipe and walk it down to the gravel trail across to the other side while gripping our brakes to gain better traction. Broken glass and “Devil’s thorn,” otherwise known as "goathead vines" sharp enough to puncture bike tires were difficult to avoid. I kept thinking of a quote I read recently: “The leading cause for injury in old men is them thinking they are still young men.”

We finally made it to the other side, only to realize we now had to navigate uphill before we could get to the hiking trail. Perseverance and ingenuity paid off. With belabored breath, we made it across without getting hurt. We saw a sign for Almaden Quicksilver County Park, but we didn’t know where the trail led.

Suddenly, a hiker appeared. He looked familiar. "Joey?" I asked. "Yeah!" He said, squinting as the sun shone on his eyes. "It’s me, Dennis from Courtside Bay Club." Joey was a spin teacher before Covid-19 hit. We asked him for assistance and he pointed us in the right direction. He told us he lived only a mile away. As people would say of such encounters, “What are the chances?” But, I happen to believe in Serendipity.

Almaden Quicksilver County Park in South San Jose encompasses 4,163 acres. Formerly the home of 1,800 mining families dating back to the 1800s. It includes over 35 miles of hiking trails, including 30 miles of equestrian trails and 16.6 miles of bike trails. Quicksilver, the silver-colored metal mercury is often used metaphorically to describe something that moves or changes very quickly The word comes from the sense of quickness that means “alive,” which is how Bill and I felt after another magnificent biking adventure. Or, as Bill referred to it: “Another epic ride." By the time we made it back home, we had traveled 28 miles round trip, blue skies all the way.

On This Veterans Day We Honor My Late Dad & Family Members & All Who Served or Continue to Serve

“To our men and women in uniform, past, present, and future, thank you."

A few years before he died our dad, Frank Augustine was a recipient of two Hudson County Military Service Medals and a Citation Certificate by the Hudson County NJ Executive, Thomas A. DeGise, the Office of Veteran Affairs, and the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders, for his seven years of service in the US Army at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and Walter Reed National Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, as a personal aide to his friend and mentor, Army Chaplain, Capt. William Walsh. He also received a proclamation from former Mayor Dawn Zimmer, presented by Councilwoman Jennifer Giattino.

Dad was honorably discharged in November 1942 just before the attack on Pearl Harbor. At 99 years old at the time, he was one of our country’s oldest living Veterans. He died on December 18, 2017, almost three weeks shy of his 101st birthday. Dad literally followed in the footsteps of his older brothers, my uncle Joseph Augustine and my uncle and godfather, Anthony Augustine. He joined them in Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

My dear nephew, Andrew Augustine, is part of the new generation of Augustines to serve his country. He is a Technical Sergeant in the United States Air Force. Having served in country’s around the world, he is currently stationed in Okinawa, Japan with his wife Kaylyn who also serves in the US Air Force. We are so proud of them both.

Postscript: In 1954, Eisenhower signed legislation formally establishing November 11 as Veterans Day. Our thanks to all those (dead or alive) who served our country in war or peace.

Happy Heavenly Birthday to Our Late Brother Michael: Celebrating & Remembering

Michael Carmine Augustine

Born: November 10, 1958

Died: November 1, 2019

Our late brother Michael was a sweet, caring guy with the biggest smile and the biggest heart. Just ask his former co-workers, his friends, and his four boys—my nephews: Michael, Jr., Andrew, Brock and Alex. He was their hero and they were his pride and joy.

Michael is a traditional masculine name with Hebrew roots (Mikha’el), meaning "gift from God.” He loved to laugh and make other people laugh. He was brave in many ways and sensitive too. His friends affectionately called him Augie, a nickname variation of August, Augustine and Augustus.

I've included some rare photos when we were kids.

Peace dear brother! We are all thinking of you. Say hello to mom and dad.

Bike Riding the Stevens Creek Bay Trail to the Stunning Nature Preserves & the Magical Bridges that Got us There

“Cyclers see considerably more of this beautiful world than any other class of citizens. A good bicyle, well applied, will cure most ills this flesh is heir to.”

—Dr. K. K. Doty

Biking buddy, Bill and I loaded up our bikes on the back of his SUV at 10 AM and headed to the Stevens Creek Trail with one stop for a chai tea latte and a small apple tart. It was cold and partly cloudy. We were dressed in layers and wore ear muffs to cut the chill. The paved all-weather pathway contains six under-crossings, six pedestrian bridges, a major 1/4 mile over-crossing structure, and a 350-foot overpass spanning over two highways (85 and 237). The trail provides users (bicyclists, walkers and runners) multiple experiences in a natural setting through woodlands, tidal marshes and creeks. We passed the Stevens Creek Shoreline Nature Preserve, Shoreline Lake Park in Mountain View, the National Wildlife Refuge, and the Palo Alto Bay lands Nature Preserve with 15 miles of trails. We paused for a little bird watching including hawks, ravens, seagulls, ducks, shore birds, and white pelicans. I took a photo of a large blue heron standing tall and wading in the creek along with some ducks, patiently stalking its' prey (tiny fish).

Our favorite part of riding these parts is to go a several feet off the main dirt trail and ride the narrow deep rutted small hilly terrain near the waters’ edge. The sun had been shining and we were much warmer than we first started.

The terrain we covered was massive. We decided to extend our adventure by riding the large hilly terrain that resembles sand dunes toward Palo Alto Airport, a general aviation facility on the outskirts of Palo Alto near the South end of the San Francisco Bay Trail. Other than a few charters there are no commercial flights. It is the tenth busiest single runway airport in California used before the pandemic by venture capitalists who flew in on their private planes or jets to cut deals. We stopped to watch the planes land and take off, and then decided to circumnavigate the airport.

I stopped to see an abandoned blue bicycle on its side with its’ front tire turned up. It looked perfectly rideable. There’s a story there we will never know. We passed Lucy Evans Nature Center, and the Historic Sea Scout building that was transformed into the ‘Eco-Center,’ a community resource for environmental education.

After a few hours of riding we headed back on the trails leading to the Hong Kong Bakery & Cafe on Castro Street in downtown Mountain View, for a snack and take-out delights to enjoy with our spouses, Sarah and Cecile. In all we rode over 30 miles round-trip and spent over three and half hours having outright fun and making a contribution to our well-being.

Photo credit: A little of isle of white pelicans at the National Wildlife Refuge overlooking a large grey building at Moffett Field. It was published in the summer issue Nature Magazine, 2019

All of the other photos are my own.

The Halloween Holiday Spirit is Still Alive & Well & Granddaughter Lyla & Her Pumpkins & Her Nana Cecile

“There is magic in the air when pumpkins shine in the sun by day and glow in the moonlight by night.”

There may not have been too many trick or treaters this year, but the Halloween spirit was still alive in spite of Covid-10.

During a bike ride, I took photographs of the local merchant’s decorations in the neighboring downtown historic village of Saratoga and one in San Jose.

Also, every year our neighbor’s daughter brings her more ghoulish artistic Halloween decorations to life, even if it looks like they came back from the dead. Her creations are strategically placed between the townhomes of two neighbors on our cup-de-sac above the upper pond and waterfalls where we live. The first series of photos are of Lyla with the pumpkins in front of her home and neighbor next door, in Redwood City, including one with her Nana Cecile.

Enjoy the photos and the spirit of Halloween leading up to Thanksgiving.

Remembering My Mom on Her Birthday Who Departed to the Heavenly Realm Seven Years Ago

"We never lose our loved ones.

They accompany us; they don’t disappear from our lives.

We are merely in different rooms."

—Paulo Coelho

What I remember about my mother:

She was beautiful beyond measure

She had a wicked sense of humor

My friends loved her and her generous hospitality

She encouraged me to get an education

She sacrificed so much for me and my siblings

Her wonderful smile

Her roaring laughter

Keeping a neat home

Her loving hugs

Instilled a love for our Sicilian heritage

Sending me Italian Deli care packages when I went away to college

Her hard work as a seamstress in her younger years

Her Italian meatball soup with carrots, onions and celery

Her love for bingo and playing the lottery

Our long walks together when she came out to visit us in California

Our many trips to see her family in Sicily

Having her and my dad join us and the kids on trips to Maui, Mexico and Alaska

Providing me a private Catholic School education when I was unhappy in the public school system from the start.

Encouraging our dad to buy a home in a safer neighborhood when I was 7 years old.

Happy Birthday to our Wonderful Son-in-Law Kyle & Babysitting Our Granddaughther Lyla

"Be present in all things and thankful for all things."

—Maya Angelou

Cecile and I experienced two blessed and joyful events this past week, babysitting Lyla and celebrating our son-in-law Kyle’s birthday all on the same day.

We took Lyla on a stroll to Red Morton Community Park in Redwood City, played ball on the artificial turf, took her on the sliding pond in the children’s park, saying hello to the little girls and boys she has been accustomed to seeing, and visited the Rose Garden and decorative water fountain. We also visited a pair of flightless pet ducks of the neighbors and close friends next door, read her stories, fed her, and put her down for a nap. Later, before Kyle and Michelle went out for a romantic dinner at a local Mexican restaurant we all sang the Happy Birthday song. Kyle blew out the birthday candle with Lyla at his side. The cupcakes had miniature 49er helmets on them. Lyla helped dada Kyle open up his gifts. We bathe and fed her and got her ready for bed. The day was long, but the time spent was precious. Happy Birthday to a great son-in-law, a strong, intelligent, and handsome young man. Your parents welcomed you into this world and we’re so grateful that you eventually made your way into our world as well. You are a wonderful husband to our beloved daughter Michelle, and a loving and doting father to Lyla. We know you love our daughter, we see it in your eyes. You are such a blessing in so many different ways. You’re an important part of our extended family, and we love you more each day. Thanks to your sacred union with Michelle, which brought about a special gift in our lives, our little princess named Lyla.

Dinner with Friends at Zazil Mexicana Cocina at Santana Row & a Visit by the San Jose Fire Department

"The unexpected always happens.”

—Lawrence J. Peter

Cecile and I decided to venture out for dinner at Zazil Mexicana Cocina nestled in the heart of San Jose's Santana Row with friends Bill and Sarah Rothenberg. To beat the crowd we agreed to meet at 5:30 PM with masks on. We chose this restaurant for its wraparound corner location that offers alfresco dining with safe and comfortable spacing between tables. The 90 degrees plus heat of the day was beginning to ease and it felt quite balmy out. Zazil has a reputation for embracing new techniques from around the world that honors Mexican culture. The ambiance was delightful with Latin music playing in the backdrop, the food is tasty and plentiful. The restaurant took over the location once occupied by Consuelo’s and offers cuisine that is freshly prepared with local ingredients.

Complimentary salsa and fresh corn chips were brought to our table. We ordered Guacamole for our appetizer. For our entrees, we ordered a Mexican Salad, Grilled Chicken Fajitas Zazil with bell peppers, corn, mushrooms, salsa, black beans, and rice and sour cream, Grilled Steak Fajitas Zazil, and I had Tacos de Pescado Ensenada (Tempura fish, cabbage, slaw, cilantro, and Morita chile mayonnaise). Vegetarian and gluten-free offerings available. Sarah and Cecile enjoyed Margaritas and Bill and I had a bottle of La Cerveza Del Pacifico beer.

At the end of our meal, we heard the annoying sound of a smoke alarm and looked toward the interior of the restaurant to see what was the source for all the commotion. Apparently, the food on the grill got overheated which is a diplomatic way of saying, that one of the chefs must have burnt someone's food, or was a little overzealous with the cooking oil? The alarm kept droning on and on. I asked the waiter when will they turn it off. He informed us that the regulations require that the San Jose Fire Department must inspect the premises before the alarm can be shut off. Minutes later, we were joined by San Jose’s finest first responders. There were three fire trucks. Several firemen rushed to the kitchen. Everyone was safe, an evacuation wasn’t necessary, and people resumed eating and enjoying their drinks. We chalked it up to our evening’s entertainment. It was nothing compared to the unexpected events of 2020. So, please, if you live locally, don’t let this keep you from dining at Zazil.

The Joys of Cycling in San Francisco Including the Fog-Covered Golden Gate Bridge

“My two favorite things in life are libraries and bicycles. They both move people forward without wasting anything.”

—Peter Golkin

As everyone knows, It is not currently safe to travel the world, so one has to pick and choose venues closer to home, and bicycles have become a favored mode of transportation. Bill Rothenberg and I are fortunate enough to live about 50 miles south of San Francisco. Given the absence of robust tourist trade and rush hour traffic due to the pandemic, it is easier and quicker to drive our bikes to the city.

We parked in a lot across from Chase Center, an indoor arena in Mission Bay, that is home to the Golden State Warriors. One of the signature pieces at the front of the Center’s Plaza are the five large, silver alien-looking spheres containing massive mirrors angled in is such a way to magnify its surroundings including the curious passersby like Bill and me. We took photos reflecting our images.

We moved on to the front of Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants in the South Beach neighborhood which offers a wonderful view of the Bay. We then rode to the Welcome Tower, a 30-foot tall temporary public art installation that celebrates the city’s community of dreamers, inventors, and artists. The rainbow-colored motif reconceptualizes the Coit Tower, one of the most iconic symbols in the city. I took a photo of Bill at the base of the structure to render a sense of scale and the fanciful play of colors. We then approached the historic Ferry Building on the Embarcadero with its 245-foot clock tower. We continued on toward Pier 39 and the Aquarium of the Bay, which is a part of the much larger Fisherman’s Wharf, then on to the Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture, and the Marina Yacht Harbor.

The final leg of our biking excursion was the 1.7-mile Golden Gate Bridge. Its orange-red towers and cables are known internationally, and it is one of the most photographed bridges in the world. As we approached the path toward the bridge it got cooler and cooler. I took a few quick photos in Fort Mason, the Palace of Fine Arts, and Crissy Field.

Unlike the first time we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge toward the onset of the pandemic, we got to experience its natural, fog-shrouded state. We heard the haunting and booming foghorns mounted below the roadway level utilized to guide hundreds of thousands of vessels through the Golden Gate Strait, warning ship operators of limited visibility. In contrast to the relatively mild weather throughout the city, it was cold, so cold it reminded me of the Polar Bear Club, who swim in wintery cold waters. It was quite a rush.

Since there is no official designated bike lanes on the bridge, cyclists must share space with pedestrians.

The “Golden Gate” refers to the stretch of water that separates San Francisco from the Pacific Ocean.

Following a brief rest stop, we reversed course back over Golden Gate Bridge and retraced our way to Budin’s restaurant for classical white clam chowder in a bowl of sourdough bread, and a half of grilled cheese before winding our way back through the city along the bay for our return home. According to my Strava app, which maps out riding routes, we had completed another 25 miles of travel. Bill and I concluded that this ride was one of our top five bike rides since the pandemic hit.

A 25-Mile Seaside Bike Riding Nirvana in Santa Cruz and Capitola

"During moments of uncertainty go to the beach, enjoy the sunshine, the ocean breeze and just keep pedaling."

Following a brief respite from the record-breaking month of bad air quality from the raging wildfires of Napa Valley, eye-burning smoke began to waft into the South Bay again, raising the Air Quality Index to over 150 or three times normal level. So Bill and I decided to head over the hill to Santa Cruz where the air was cleaner, the temperature was 10 degrees cooler and the show-stopping vistas are a welcome sight. The coastal breezes were awesome, people were out enjoying the beaches and outdoor eateries.

We began our ride on Natural Bridges State Beach to the waterfront promenade on West Cliff Drive past the scenic overlooks and beach coves. We rode out to the Santa Cruz Wharf to visit the sea lions lounging and cuddling up with one another on the lower decks. And, of course, there were beautiful views of the ocean and boardwalk. We rode to Lighthouse Point, and the 40-Ft. Walton Lighthouse. We stopped at Pleasure Point, a surfing mecca, to watch the surfers doing what they love before continuing on to Santa Cruz Boardwalk, and the Santa Cruz Harbor which straddles the city limits which runs down the center of Arana Gulch. We rode on the upper and lower harbor, and continued to Capitola, before heading back to the Steamer Land Supply restaurant, on West Cliff Drive near the surf museum, on Lighthouse Field State Beach, a great place for small bites. We enjoyed fresh fish tacos before riding back to load up our bikes and head back home, feeling completely rejuvenated.

Half Moon Bay: A Blissful Country and Coastal 28-Mile Bike Ride With Friends

“Just because you are happy it does not mean that the day is perfect but that you have looked beyond its imperfections.”

—Bob Marley

Bill Rothenberg, Jimi Hunter, his wonderful wife Jennifer and I drove up to Half Moon Day in two cars recently, parked near the Mill Rose Bed and Breakfast and unhitched our bikes. Bill treated us to iced coffee to go from the Cafe Society before beginning our ride.

We began our adventure with a seven mile cruise on a reasonably wide shoulder lane on Highway 1, before crossing the island divide on Tunitas Creek Road for our backcountry ride. We coasted by old ranches, abundant farmland before stopping at The Bike Hut at Potrero Nuevo, a 300-acre farm that Jimi was raving about. The red hut operates on the honor-system, and sells snacks, beverages, bike tools, and picnic tables. Nothing has ever been taken from the store. Regrettably it was closed (Probably due to the pandemic), but this didn’t stop Jimi from making it memorable by casting his bike aside and clowning around by hopping on an old child-size vintage Schwinn bike in front of the store.

Tunitas Creek Road is an 11-mile, one-lane road beginning at the ocean, meanders through small farms and ranches and climbs a slow and challenging 2,000 feet with switchbacks through a beautiful, lush redwood forest. This is considered to be one of the best biking roads in the Bay Area. There were no cars in sight. At one point while lagging behind, taking it all in, I decided to stop and listen to the silence. After reaching the highest altitude the ride dramatically shifts from a slow ascent to a dramatically fast, and busy downhill adrenalin rush.

From here we turned onto Lobitos Creek Road. The canopy of redwood forest provided us with shade and scenic ambiance.

I stopped to take some photos of horses corralled on some local ranches for our granddaughter Lyla who loves horses. When she sees a horse, she loves to phonetically sound out the utterances horses make: "NAY!"

We also visited Arata’s Pumpkin Farm on Verde Road, established in 1932, and home to the two-acre World Famous Minotaur’s Labyrinth Hay Maze, six-acre corn field and Pumpkin. Pony rides, petting zoo, haunted house. Do to the pandemic it has limited hours. I took a photo of the big bronze horse sculpture on its hind legs with Jennifer and Bill in the foreground.

On the way back, we drove through Cowell Ranch Beach which includes the Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail, a safe and scenic way to explore the coast. Half Moon Bay Coastal Ride is part of Half Moon Bay State Beach. We continued on passed the Ritz Carlton, and made our way to downtown Half Moon Bay and enjoyed a socially distanced lunch at the Cantina in the courtyard at the historic San Benito House in the heart of Main Street. We were serenaded by a musician and singer while we ate.

I enjoyed my favorite “Baha” Fish Tacos (locally caught cod in Negra Modelo beer batter with cilantro, cabbage, red onion, lime crema, guacamole, and roasted tomato salsa).

Passing It Forward: Sharing the Joy of e-biking with a Good Friend Who Helped Us Downsize

It seemed like just yesterday when I bumped into good friend Mohssen (Mo) Rastegar while riding on my e-bike on my way to the Los Gatos Creek Trails. He waved, and after passing the main intersection, he followed behind me in his car and we both pulled into an empty parking lot to greet each other. In pre-pandemic times, we would hug one another. Mo likes to refer to me as Dr. Augustine Jaan or Dennis Jaan, which is the Persian word for “soul" or a diminutive suffix attached to given names, in this case, it means “my dear,” as in my dear friend. Mo had been inspired by my blog posts about all my biking adventures and had some questions. I was happy to oblige and pass on the joys of e-biking as it had been passed on to me by my other friends James Hunter and Bill Rothenberg. Mo is a successful real estate broker who together with his lovely wife Simin had helped Cecile and me downside from our Saratoga home to our current and more modest townhome almost five years ago.

Responding to one of my more recent Facebook posts, he told me he had purchased an Ebike about two months ago and said he would love to get together for a ride sometime. We made it happen two days later. We met at the front entrance of the gated community where Cecile and I live. We rode through Friendship Park on our way to Starbucks for iced coffee and got caught up on family and our lives in general since the pandemic began. There were our bikes standing side-by-side. My black Sondors and his white Lectric XP, both foldable with the about a 50 V battery and a 500 W motor offering extreme torque, towing capacity, and hill-climbing power. Both e-bikes also have seven gear shifts and fat tires.

Bike sales have skyrocketed during the coronavirus lockdown and that especially includes e-bikes which contrary to the common myth that they are just like scooters or mopeds, are actually pedal-assist, which means they use a small electric motor to boost the power created by your own pedaling. Bikes remove the everyday barriers that stop people from cycling, like feeling out of shape, the dread of a steep climb, or feeling tired after a long day.

There are few things that bring people together and rekindle friendships quite like riding a bike. The serenity of nature, the rush of endorphins riding down a hill, having fun, staying fit, and feeling like a kid again are all welcomed add-ons.

When Mo and I rode, I shared some shortcuts through town where there was little to no car traffic, up and down the hills in our local community, and along the Los Gatos Creek Trails.

Here are some photos of our ride together, including a regal Grey Heron I spotted wading in the creek waterfall stalking its prey for food below the pedestrian/biking bridge we were on. There was also green and red algae covering the large expanse of water on the Los Gatos Creek Trails on the way home. We were both shocked that three hours had passed by, a reminder of the saying, “Time flies when you’re having fun."