“We can’t get much higher than this”

With fond memories of Mel Brooks’s hilarious High Anxiety, much of which was filmed here.

Panny GX7, 17mm Zuiko.

In the Mission District.

Rapid gentrification is chasing the poor Hispanic families from the Mission District, replacing them with financiers and techies who know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

These artistic protests cannot compete with the campaign contributions of the banksters and nerds, the former mindless, the latter heartless.

Panny GX7, 45mm Zuiko.

In the Mission District.

Panny GX7, 17mm Zuiko.

A few snaps.

Years after he put up the money for the Monterey Bay Aquarium, David Packard remarked to the effect that “Had I known how successful it would become, I would have made it a for profit business!” The entrance fees attest to the profitability, yet my annual visit with my son (who, in fairness, is more focused on the Ghirardelli ice cream sundae he enjoys afterwards) always results in a lot of fun and a few snaps.

A keen blacksmith (can you attribute any detectable, comparable skills to the dipstick CEOs who have destroyed the once great Hewlett-Packard since?), David Packard made part of the machinery in his home forge for the wave machine in the kelp forest. Children delight in standing under the glass, thrilled by the ‘whoosh’ of the water every few seconds.

Watching the sea otters is always a favorite:

The real thing can be found in the wild feet away, but is far harder to spot. The fellows in the Aquarium have it made, by comparison. Three square a day and only gawping tourists to contend with.

This pair was belting out some Christmas tunes, right before the cops moved them on. Interesting case of church and state.

Panny GX7 with the 17mm and 45mm Zuiko lenses.

A real charmer.

A short ferry trip away from San Francisco’s Financial District, Sausalito has migrated from being a stronghold of shipbuilding to one of high priced real estate, in a couple of generations. You can either take the rather tired ferry or drive across the Golden Gate Bridge heading north, exiting at Alexander Avenue. I opted for the latter, as I wanted to check out the Marin Headlands en route for a day of R&R.

Perhaps Sausalito’s greatest claim to fame is that Fleetwood Mac recorded its best selling album ‘Rumors’ there in 1976, but none of the group has much recall of the location ….

A haven of civility and service, the Inn Above Tide is unreservedly recommended:

Arriving in time for the cocktail hour, my room had a balcony on the bay. The Oakland Bay Bridge is almost lost in the mist on the horizon.

A glance around the privacy wall on the balcony disclosed the main drag at dusk, overlooked by exotic homes:

Scoma’s seafood restaurant has a beautifully situated outlet in the heart of Fisherman’s Wharf on the city side; the location of its sister restaurant in Sausalito is no less dramatic:

Dinner at Salito’s a short walk down the main street saw this piping hot pan of Sand Dabs suffused in a sea of barley:

Walking home was a lot of fun:

Evenings are nothing if not restful:

Awoken the next morning by a barking sea lion – nature’s alarm clock – I popped out on the balcony in my PJs to see this:

A bracing morning walk before breakfast affords lots of opportunities for classic pictorialism:

Any number of small cafeterias make for ample breakfast choices:

I opted for Caffe Tutti, a stone’s throw from the hotel, providing a warm and welcoming interior:

The nets put out at night (to keep the sea lions safe, maybe?) were being pulled up as I returned to my room:

You can read more of Sausalito’s history here, and the city is recommended next time you are in need of a spot of R&R.

All but two snapped on the Panny GX7 with the 17mm Zuiko and 45-200mm Panny lenses – a light and capable travel outfit. The exceptions were pictured on the iPhone 5, which was used for the sand dabs and the window at night.