It didn’t last year, of course. But where did ya get that information?

The Blizzard of 2003, also known as the Presidents’ Day Storm II or simply PDII, was an historic and record-breaking snowstorm on the East Coast of the United States and Canada, which lasted from February 14 to February 19, 2003. It spread heavy snow across the major cities of the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states, making it the defining snowstorm of the very snowy winter of 2002-2003.

These pictures were taken near Baltimore during that time, as the area got hammered by the biggest blizzard in years.

The storm developed in the southern Rockies on February 14, and moved through southern Missouri and the Lower Tennessee Valley during the next few days. It brought heavy rain, ice and severe weather to some areas of the South, including the nation’s first tornado of the year. Farther north, snow and ice affected the Midwest. Southern Iowa and eastern Illinois also got significant snow, with 11 inches (28 cm) in Des Moines. In central Kentucky the storm produced mostly ice, with some locations including Frankfort and Lexington receiving up to 3/4″ of ice. Much of Ohio received heavy snowfall.

However, early on February 16, snow started falling in the northeast.  Heavy snow was continuously reported, falling at rates of up to 4 inches per hour.  In addition, temperatures were frigid, around 15 °F. The heavy snow continued all day.  By the evening, snow changed to sleet in Washington, D.C., and significantly lowered the accumulation. Throughout the rest of the Northeast, however, the snow continued for much of the night. The sleet changed back to snow by the next morning in Washington, D.C., and soon ended. The storm weakened until it was completely absorbed by other systems by February 19…  after it had paralyzed much of the East Coast with its heavy snow. All in all, it was the most significant and powerful storm to affect the major cities of the Northeast since the Blizzard of 1996.  Airports from Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York were closed. Dulles Airport in Washington DC had just one runway open, and National was closed. With snow continually accumulating, road travel was nearly impossible.

In Baltimore the roof of the historic B&O Railroad Museum built in 1884 collapsed, damaging many valuable engines, historic railroad cars, and train exhibits.

Parts of the Baltimore suburbs were some of the hardest hit areas of the blizzard. Snowfall totals in the towns immediately north of the city were estimated at between 38″-40″ while the downtown city center recorded only 28″ of snow. Many school districts affected by the blizzard  closed schools for the week. Some districts in New Jersey finally ended their school year as late as June 30, 2003.

We were in a “sweet spot” during the blizzard, and escaped the worst of it, though schools were still closed, due to back roads being drifted shut from 12″ – 16″ of windblown snow…

It was a weekend to remember…

Mandy

“Look dear, there it is!” Specifically the famed pink sign identifying the Madonna Inn, San Luis Obispo:

The Madonna Inn opened as a motel inn on December 24, 1958 upon the completion of its first twelve rooms.  Named after the Madonna family (not the religious Madonna), the Madonnas were so excited to have their first guest, they refunded his $7 room rental^.   Demand was sufficient to expand to forty rooms in 1959, and the Inn facility was constructed in 1960.  Reportedly, when architect Richard Neutra stayed at the Inn, he asked Alex Madonna, the owner, about his design: “Alex, you didn’t have an architect here, did you? It’s just as well you didn’t because you couldn’t have captured all the details if you had to draw them out. I don’t know how you would draw these things!”

While in San Luis Obispo, the Petruccis did a bit of splurging by staying at the Madonna Inn, which is one of the new tourist attractions in that coastal area. According to Mrs. Petrucci, “fabulous” is the word for it.

In May 1966, the Inn’s original units were burned to the ground in a fire^.  It reopened a year later, and by the end of the decade, all of the rooms had been rebuilt in manner for which they are known today. There are 110 rooms.

In 1975, critic Paul Goldberger penned an article about the Madonna Inn for the New York Times, which elevated it to national prominence.   By 1982, the Madonna Inn was already well-known, and Alex Madonna was quoted as saying, “Anybody can build one room and a thousand like it. It’s more economical. Most places try to give you as little as possible. I try to give people a decent place to stay where they receive more than they are entitled to for what they’re paying. I want people to come in with a smile and leave with a smile. It’s fun.”

The view from the inn is very pretty:

And having stayed there, in a suite with a separate living room, and a working fireplace, I have to agree…it’s a fun venue.  If you’re ever in the area, it’s worth a visit!

The next day, it was off again, south on the PCH. Next stop was the magnificent William Randolph Hearst (of newspaper fame) Castle. If you don’t recognize the name “Hearst” from newspapers, you may remember his daughter, Patty Hearst, whom in 1974 was kidnapped by the radical group Symbionese Liberation Army from her Berkeley, CA apartment…

This lovely mansion is located in San Simeone, about halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles.A bit of history, from the website and other sources:

In 1865, George Hearst, a wealthy miner, purchased about 30,000 acres from the Rancho Piedra Blanca, a Mexican land grant. He also bought portions of the 4,800 acre adjoining Rancho San Simeon and eventually about 3,000 acres of the Rancho Santa Rosa.

George died in 1891. His only son, William Randolph Hearst, inherited the land from his mother, Phoebe Apperson Hearst after she passed away in 1919. After purchasing more land, W. R. Hearst eventually grew the ranch to encompass nearly 250,000 acres.

Originally known as “Camp Hill,” its wilderness offered a place for family members and friends to “rough it” on camping trips. Despite elaborate arrangements, Hearst envisioned more comfortable accommodations. In 1919, he told famed San Francisco architect Julia Morgan: “Miss Morgan, we are tired of camping out in the open at the ranch in San Simeon and I would like to build a little something.”

Hearst and Morgan’s collaboration was destined to become one of the world’s greatest showplaces and an accredited museum. As they were planning and constructing his dream estate, Hearst renamed the rocky perch from which it rose “La Cuesta Encantada” – The Enchanted Hill.

And enchanting it is…

If you get there in the wintertime, as we did, you may even find a half inch of ice on the fountain! The guide broke the ice to show us…

Working in collaboration with Hearst, Morgan sought to capture the grandeur of European architecture, and many features were inspired by foreign buildings and artworks. Construction continued into the late 1940s.

And the effort was well worth it, as you can see!

The centerpiece of the estate is the main residence, which became known as Hearst Castle. It was designed in the Mediterranean Revival style, and its facade suggests a Spanish cathedral with its bell towers and ornate decorations. The main entrance is flanked by bas-reliefs of knights, and a sculpture of Mary holding the infant Jesus is perched over the door.

The splendor of the exterior continues inside the mansion. Covering 68,500 square feet (6,360 square metres), Hearst Castle contains 115 rooms, including 38 bedrooms, more than 40 bathrooms, a theatre, and a beauty salon. Typifying the mansion’s opulence is the Doge’s Suite, which was inspired by the Doges’ Palace in Venice and was reportedly reserved for Hearst’s most important guests. The sitting room features walls adorned with velvet fabric, and the 18th-century painted ceiling was originally in an Italian palazzo. In addition, Hearst’s extensive collection of antiques and artworks is prominently displayed in the suite as well as throughout the rest of the mansion.

It was well worth spending the time at Hearst Castle on our visit.

More to come…stay tuned!

Mandy

…I had been wearing sandals?

I recently had occasion to visit a diagnostic center in a nearby town about a recurring medical issue. My doctor wanted some current tests run. So on the appointed day, wifey and I drove there. I was wearing my gray capris, purple polo tunic (untucked), and at her insistance, my black ballet flats, with smooth arms and legs, purse, long hair, visible pink fingernails, but no makeup or jewelry.

As I entered, the guard, and the “traffic direction clerk” at the entrance both interpreted me as female. By the time I got to the lab, several other folks (staff and visitors) had done likewise. And at the lab, the receptionist said “Have a seat right over there, Miss ____________, and we will be with you shortly.” Other patients came in, and none gave me so much as a second glance.

When the nurse came out to move me into the lab, once again it was “Miss _____________”, again using my now-female given name. She escorted me to the dressing room and instructed me to remove all my clothes including bra, “but leave your panties and shoes on.” Which I promptly did, and she soon came back to the lab. “Follow me, Miss.” Bear in mind that my records all bear that little ‘M’ which most of us still have with them. They obviously didn’t notice, or else were being “politically correct” in addressing me as female.

They took as much time as required to work me through the tests, thus formalities such as Miss or Ma’am were omitted. That is, until they were able to escort me back to the dressing room, where they said I could get dressed again. As I finished, the nurse came back to escort me through the maze to go back to the exit. “Have a good day, Miss ________________.” “Thanks, Ma’am, you too.”

On the way home, we stopped at a pharmacy as I needed to pick up some white nail polish for touching up my toes if needed. And for that, I went in by myself. It was the same pharmacy where the clerk ridiculed my feminine self, insulted me, and got fired for it last year. The clerk today was right on the money with “Welcome, Ma’am.” And she maintained that positive attitude for my whole visit. I guess she didn’t want to meet that same fate!

I love it when a plan comes together!

Mandy

Fallingwater is a house designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1935 in rural Southwestern Pennsylvania, 43 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. The house was built partly over a waterfall on Bear Run, in Fayette County, PA, in the Laurel Highlands of Laurel Highlands of the Allegheny Mountains, part of the Appalachians. It was designed as a weekend home for the family of Liliane and Edgar J. Kaufmann Sr.., owner of Kaufmann’s Department Store. The family retreated to Fallingwater on weekends to escape the heat and smoke of industrial Pittsburgh. Liliane enjoyed swimming in the nude and collecting modern art, especially the works of Diego Rivera, a frequent guest at the country house.

After its completion, Time Magazine called Fallingwater Wright’s “most beautiful job” and it is listed among Smithsonian‘s “Life List of 28 Places to See Before You Die.” The house was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966. Fallingwater was the family’s weekend home from 1937 until 1963, when Edgar Kaufmann Jr. donated the property to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.

This organically-designed private residence was intended to be a nature retreat for its owners. The house is well-known for its connection to the site. It is built on top of an active waterfall that flows beneath the house.  Bear Run and the sound of its water permeate the interior, especially during the spring when the snow is melting, and locally quarried stone walls and cantilevered terraces resembling the nearby rock formations are meant to be in harmony. The design incorporates broad expanses of windows and balconies which reach out into their surroundings. In conformance with Wright’s views, the main entry door is away from the falls.

On the hillside above the main house stands a four-bay carport, servants’ quarters, and a guest house. These attached outbuildings were built two years later using the same quality of materials and attention to detail as the main house. The guest quarters feature a spring-fed swimming pool, which overflows and drains to the river below.

We’ve been there at least twice.  Tours are worthwhile, due to the scenic nature of the area.  If you ever have a chance, check it out!

Mandy

Today I was at the store, during a drive I was giving the antique car to get it some exercise. (Found a couple of issues which need fixed, but that’s a story for another day.)

I was wearing white shorts with 3″ inseam, a black boatneck tunic with feminine (just-below-the-elbow-length) sleeves, my black sandals with white toe nails visible, smooth legs and pink fingernails, and a mask (the virus is still around.) My purse was still in the car and I was not wearing any rings or other jewelry..

A guy stopped me at the car, asked my first name and gave me his, then started to ask questions, and we had quite a discussion going. Fun. But I noticed after he heard my name, he addressed me as “Ma’am” – that is, until he began to address me as “Miss (insert my now-exclusively-female given name here.) It was very flattering…but in the end, I think there was at least some amount of truth to my initial thought that he was “chatting me up.” I had to be back home soon, thus I was able to excuse myself to run into the store to do my shopping, with no issue. (And the car was not damaged…)

I credit my finger and toe nails, with the addition of my feminine real name, for the outcome. But whatever the reason, it was fun!

Have a safe, healthy and happy Independence Day! Wear a mask when you go out! And remember the old adage: If you want to be alive on the 6th, don’t drink a “fifth” on the “Fourth.”

Wearing my sandals with black toe nails has been very uneventful.

I believe it has enhanced my being seen as female by passers-by, clerks, and so on. But it was time for a pedicure. Based on wifey’s earlier comments, she would prefer no nail polish, but was ready for the black polish to go away in favor of white.

So off to the salon for my appointment. Though interactions were basically non-existent (the rush to the salon is pretty much over), it was fun to see my new color appear! The end result is shown here:

I’ve worn them out and about a bit today, and there were no issues whatsoever, from the wife or otherwise. I’m liking what I see, but the truth will be told when wife and I go out. If she insists on closed toe shoes, then we’ll know!

Regarding the toilet paper conundrum from a couple of months ago, our local stores are now beginning to have stock on the shelves. What a change from earlier this year! Didn’t look for yeast, which was also in short supply back then. Apparently that shortage was not as a result of a bread shortage, causing many folks to bake their own bread.

Allegedly they were making homemade BEER!

More later,

Mandy

Back in July of 2002, we were out and about in the antique car, driving east on the Lincoln Highway (US 30) in Bedford, Pennsylvania. Much to our surprise, on our right appeared a beautiful antique gas station, just waiting for us to pull in and “fill ‘er up!

This is Roadside Americana at its finest. As with many things in our 21st century big-box economy, some things just blend together. Typically a gas station stop looks the same, regardless of where you are.

On that note, seeing this Art Deco gem of a service station, Dunkle’s Gulf on the Lincoln Highway was a real treat. This station dates back to 1933 and is a world famous landmark. One of the few gas stations that remains from that era and one of a few, if not the only, gas station that remains in the art-deco style. Simply stunning.

I understand that it’s still there. So, one day soon, we may get back there!

Travel on…

Mandy

Adding a few more pictures of Cannery Row in Monterey, CA from our 2007 trip! I took a quick run down Cannery Row via Google Maps a few hours ago, and didn’t see much that I recognized. Probably names have been changed, redecorations have happened, etc.

So unfortunately, these pictures are all I have. The day was beautiful, and so was the scenery!

I don’t eat many sardines – how about you?

This restaurant is the only thing I could find that I could recognize. It’s now a high end restaurant, with prices as high up as the boat is off the ground. Bet it’s tasty – and for the prices in the on-line menu, it better be!

Now, on with the rest of the tour..,.

Mandy

After picking up our rental car, it was time to begin mobile touring! Order of the day: head south on Route 1, the Pacific Coast Highway. Moving right along, to the Pigeon Point lighthouse.

This lighthouse was built in 1871, to guide ships on the Pacific coast of California. It’s the tallest lighthouse (tied with Point Arena Light) on the West Coast of the USA. And, it’s still an active Coast Guard aid to navigation. Pigeon Point Light Station is located on the coastal highway (State Route 1), 5 miles south of Pescadero, CA, between Santa Cruz and San Francisco. The 115-foot, white masonry tower, resembles the typical New England structure.

Then to Monterey, CA,, site of Cannery Row, and the Cannery Row Information Center.

The following info was retrieved from various online sources, as my knowledge of the western rails is unfortunately sadly lacking.

The Monterey Branch was built in 1879 and opened to traffic on January 1, 1880; it linked San Francisco to the Hotel Del Monte and Pebble Beach. It branched from the Southern Pacific Coast Line main line from a wye at Castroville, just north of Salinas. It extended generally south and west, and served the (now closed) US Army’s Fort Ord, the canneries and packing houses of Monterey and Seaside, and a lumber yard in Pacific Grove.

As the line began to fall into disuse, starting in the 1980s as the sardine industry contracted, and into the 1990s, operations along the track were cut back over time. By the latter part of 1980s, the condition of the track had deteriorated considerably; today the track remains, but is buried underneath the bike trail.

The last train that ran on the line was in 1999 when TAMC (Transportation Agency of Monterey County) ran a Talgo trainset on the line for demonstration purposes. However, the demonstrations were cut short due to the poor condition of the track. While the tracks are still in place into the town of Monterey, the line was officially severed in November of 1999, when Union Pacific removed the switch at the junction with the Coast Line at Castroville.

This green 50-ton Railway Post Office car, built in 1924 and eventually retired, served as a post office until 1990, then a restaurant, and finally the Welcome Center for Monterey. And it was in decent shape when we visited. But in 2012, it left the Cannery Road siding and was transported by flatbed truck from Monterey to Salinas, where it will be fully restored as a permanent exhibit at a museum next to the Amtrak station.

Remember “back in the day”, that boring old book you had to read in school, by John Steinbeck – called Cannery Row?

Cannery Row is the waterfront street in the New Monterey section of Monterey, California. It’s the site of a number of now-defunct sardine canning factories. The street name, formerly a nickname for Ocean View Avenue, became official in January 1958 to honor John Steinbeck and his 1945 novel Cannery Row.

Courtesy of Goodreads, there is a short review of the book, for those who may have forgotten about it: Cannery Row is an attempt to capture the feeling and people of a place, the cannery district of Monterey, California, which is populated by a mix of those down on their luck and those who choose for other reasons not to live “up the hill” in the more respectable area of town. The flow of the main plot is frequently interrupted by short vignettes that introduce us to various denizens of the Row, most of whom are not directly connected with the central story.

The “story” of Cannery Row follows the adventures of Mack and the boys, a group of unemployed yet resourceful men who inhabit a converted fish-meal shack on the edge of a vacant lot down on the Row.

Enough…it’s time to move on. But, still in the general area of Monterey, is this beautiful area called Cypress Point Lookout, and this view shows the “Lone Cypress.”

The Lone Cypress is a Monterey cypress tree in Pebble Beach, CA. Standing on a granite hillside just off the 17 mile drive, it’s a Western icon, and has been called one of the most photographed trees in North America. It’s located between Cypress Point Club and the Pebble Beach Golf Links, which are two of world’s best-known golf courses. Possibly as old as 250 years, this cypress has been scarred by fire and has been held in place with cables for 65 years. Monterey cypress grows naturally only in Pebble Beach and Point Lobos.

A drawing of the tree was registered as Pebble Beach Company’s trademark in 1919. The company said the trademark protected not only the logo but also the tree itself.

Onward to Carmel-By-The-Sea on the Pacific Coast Highway. A fun stop was the Doud Craft Studio, with a lot of nice gifts to see – and buy! Fortunately we didn’t have a lot of space in our suitcases, so not much new was purchased.

And then there’s quaint fire station #15, also in Carmel-By-The-Sea:

This beautiful fire station dates back to the mid 1930s and sits in the heart of downtown Carmel. Three members staff Engine 15, while Carmel Fire Ambulance has an additional two employees on the same shift schedule. The two ambulance employees per shift, while not officially part of our department, are trained in the Monterey Fire Academy and respond along with Engine 15 to all calls, as well as mutual aid to the greater Carmel area.olores.

From Carmel, it was time to move further south along the PCH. Not far from Carmel is this historic mission:

Mission San Carlos Borroméo del río Carmelo was the second mission founded of the Alta California Missions. It became a critical building for the success of the missions and, ultimately, the headquarters for the expansion of the ministry under Father Serra. The mission was founded in 1770 and became a National Historic Landmark in 1966

But wait, there’s more! Volume 4 to follow soon!

Mandy