SPIRITS OF THE PENINSULA All Aboard: Favorite Peninsula Haunts The Chestnut King’s Autumn Bounty boo yah! OCTOBER 24 Happy Trails Chaparral Ranch Pacific Grove The Butterfly Effect Backyard Escape Personal Hideaway PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM
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12 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM 85 {punchline} Peninsula Culture 27 Andy and the Volcano 34 Perfect Shot 36 Diary of a Dog: Finch {due west} Travel & Wellness 41 Monarch Mania 50 Happy Trails IN EVERY ISSUE 16 Editor’s Note 18 Sloane Citron 21 QuickPUNCH PHOTOGRAPHY: PAULETTE PHLIPOT / COURTESY OF PAUL DYER / COURTESY OF CALIFORNIA SELTZER COMPANY 78 {food coloring} Eats, Drinks & Scoops 71 Roja Rising 78 All Aboard 82 The Beat on Your Eats {home & design} Style and Substance 85 Backyard Hideaway 90 In Bloom {punchout} Features 106 The Chestnut King {landmark} 114 Holy Cross Cemetery {october 2024} contents 41 COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: PAULETTE PHILPOT 106
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14 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM “A single conversation can change a life.” —UNKNOWN FOUNDER/PUBLISHER Sloane Citron EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Andrea Gemmet CREATIVE DIRECTOR Britt Johnston SENIOR EDITOR Johanna Harlow CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Sheri Baer COPY EDITOR Carrie Lightner PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTORS Annie Barnett Paulette Phlipot PHOTOGRAPHERS Gino De Grandis Robb Most Irene Searles Robert David Siegel WRI TERS Jennifer Jory Loureen Murphy Elaine Wu EDITORIAL INTERN Margaret Koenig ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS Sally Randall Georgina Fox CREATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR Airiel Mulvaney ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Alexa Randall PRINT QUALITY DIRECTOR George Marquez PUNCH is an idea about how to live a life that is more engaging and authentic, from personal adventures, growth and what we feed our bodies and souls to the culture that fulfills us and the traditions and new discoveries offered by the Peninsula. It is about appreciating and exploring the richness of where we live and how that understanding can enhance our lives and make them more fulfilling and happy. PUNCH MAGAZINE ADVERTISING Please call 650.383.3636 or email hello@punchmonthly.com PUBLISHED 1047 El Camino Real, Suite 202 Menlo Park, CA 94025 ©2024 by 36 Media, LLC Members Sloane Citron, David Arfin hello@punchmonthly.com punchmagazine.com PUNCH® is a registered trademark of 36 Media, LLC FOLLOW PUNCH: @punchmonthly PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM FOR EVERYTHING PUNCH, COMPLETE CALENDAR, INSIDE SCOOPS & MORE: punchmagazine.com
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16 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM Chestnuts’ U-pick season. Find out what drew its congenial caretaker to devote himself to this unusual orchard and its prickly prizes. (Page 106) Another seasonal beauty makes its annual appearance this month: the monarch butterfly. We’ll help you plan a weekend getaway to Pacific Grove, the charming town that plays host to the amazing monarchs each winter. (Page 41) Closer to home, you can enjoy a glorious autumn day on the Peninsula from the back of a horse. We’ve got the skinny on local trail ride options. (Page 50) If you took Belmont’s Andy Calvert on a trail ride, he just might spend most of his time looking down at the rocks. This USGS scientist travels the globe, scaling glaciers and climbing mountains, collecting volcanic rocks in his quest to better predict dangerous eruptions. (Page 27) For Roja’s Chef Roberto Juarez, life has taken him from kitchens in Mexico to New York and finally to downtown Los Altos, where fresh, handmade dishes like the giant carbonara ravioli showcase his culinary journey. (Page 71) Or maybe you’d rather wet your whistle with a DIY bar crawl that relies on Caltrain’s sleek new electric fleet as your designated driver? (Page 78) Whether you’re in the mood for a laid-back brewery or a lively cocktail joint, find the perfect Peninsula spot just steps away from a train station. Are you ready for fall? Then let’s jump right in! Andrea Gemmet andrea@punchmonthly.com {editor’s note} her place into a spooky Dream House, her husband outfitted as Ken. Another one had a machine emitting pearly gray bubbles that released a wisp of smoke when they popped. The critical mass of houses with huge inflatables, sound systems and eerie light shows proved irresistible to the candy-seeking crush of kids while my side of the street was mostly ignored. Clearly, putting out a couple of pumpkins and hanging an autumn wreath on the door isn’t going to cut it this year. I could always take the curmudgeon route and close the blinds, shut off the lights and pretend we’re not home, but honestly, that’s just about the saddest way to spend Halloween that I can imagine. I’ve loved the holiday since I was little—I know, what kid didn’t? I would spend weeks dreaming up costume ideas, then using my rudimentary sewing skills to craft them. Now that I’m no longer cobbling together bits of fabric and trim into outfits for myself or my daughter, I still adore the annual costume parade that crosses my front porch, from the perplexed toddlers to the slightly sheepish and sugared-up tweens. It’s one of the best things about fall. Autumn’s also the time when you think about feathering your nest for the coming winter. Maybe with fabulous floral arrangements from Menlo Park’s Aili Ice? (Page 90) Or consider the ultimate homebody move of building a backyard cottage. Step inside a versatile accessory unit in Los Altos Hills that can transform from a home office to a guest house to a cozy hangout for college-aged kids. (Page 85) For fans of the coveted chestnut, the best thing about October is the opening of Skyline Ah, October! The month autumn truly kicks off in the Bay Area is full of beautiful little surprises that leave me guessing. How many gorgeous sunny days before the rainy season starts? Which street’s trees will be ablaze with fall colors this week? How much longer before I have to put away my sandals and start wearing shoes with socks? And how much Halloween candy should I buy this year? Last year, trick-or-treaters swarmed my neighborhood, but my minimally decorated abode, flanked by a couple of dark, empty houses, couldn’t compete with the extravaganza across the street. One neighbor, dressed as Weird Barbie, transformed
18 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {sloane citron} Friday was our last day. Despite my efforts to convince him otherwise, he wanted to have lunch again at the golf course restaurant. We ordered a repeat of the day before, but the waitress came out and told us they were out of rice. It’s that kind of place. In exchange, the cook said that he would serve us scrambled eggs, hashbrowns and toast, which I had tried to order the day before but was refused since it was after noon. Evan is a good eater and never needs cajoling into finishing a meal. But he is not quick, so we were there a good hour while my little grandson finished off his entire plate. From there we headed up north, following a route that only Waze could create, to the Fitzgerald Marine Preserve. Though I knew it was the wrong time to visit because the tide would be high, we still had a great time. We played in the small streams, jumped rocks, looked at far-off seals and studied shells. Evan is cautious but did great at navigating the rocks in the streams of water. “Saba, slow and steady wins the race,” he told me more than once. We saw hiking trails, so we headed up into the forested area next to the tidepools. It was inspiring being within the canopy of the large, beautiful trees. With no one else there, it was our magic forest, and Evan kept exclaiming, “Saba, this is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been.” And he might have been correct. My three afternoons with Evan were a singular treat, adventures that we’ll remember. And they solidly met my criteria of family, memories and happiness. When I dropped Evan off after the last of our three days of hanging out, neither of us wanted it to end. Evan kept saying, “Saba, don’t leave.” But with a heart filled with joy, I climbed into my car, knowing our next playdate was just around the corner. I’ve learned to grab any chance at family, memories and happiness. So when my son Josh and his wife Adara asked if I could possibly pick up my grandson, Evan, from golf camp and entertain him for a few days, I jumped at the opportunity. At five years old, Evan is the eldest of my seven grandchildren and we’re good pals. Like all the other kids, he calls me Saba, Hebrew for grandfather. Evan had golf camp every day for a week, starting at 8:30 in the morning and ending at 12:30. My job for three consecutive days was to pick him up, feed him lunch, entertain him and get him home safely by 5:30. My little guy loves golf and for a five-year-old, he’s pretty good. Josh and I take him to play—either at the driving range or on a course—and he hangs in there. On our first day, I picked him up at 12:30 sharp. With no real plan in mind, we headed over the hill straight for Half Moon Bay’s Main Street. We landed at Johnny’s, a friendly local restaurant, where we got egg salad sandwiches and fries. Always fries. We wandered along the street and went into some interesting shops. In one of them, Evan found small ceramic turtles that he pined for, but I wrangled him out of the shop while promising him that I’d consider coming back for them. Then we headed to the Pillar Point Harbor, where we wandered down the pier. Though the fishing boats were done for the day, we still meandered about, and I explained to Evan about the anchors, nets, cages and other stuff generally found on these boats. We also caught sight of several seals, and, of course, Evan wanted to feed them. We ran into a grizzly old fisherman with unkempt hair carrying a 12-pack of beer and I stopped him. The three of us had a good conversation about the world of commercial fishing. I tried to insinuate that we would like to see his boat, but no invitation was forthcoming. I kicked myself afterward for not asking him directly, because I think he would have said yes. Afterward, we returned to downtown Half Moon Bay to buy the small ceramic turtles that Evan had coveted (also, he insisted, for his sister Mara). It’s hard for me to say no to his sweet requests. After that, I returned him home and got back to my house, a bit worn out from our full afternoon. The next day, we decided to have lunch at the golf course restaurant, a somewhat rundown place that has seen better times. Evan had his favorite rice with teriyaki sauce. Afterward, we headed south for 30 minutes to Hidden Villa to see what we could see. We wandered through the ramshackle place, petting goats and sheep and trying to catch lizards. We had great fun and Evan sat down on one of the benches to share some of his favorite riddles. When he tells them with his lisp (as I, “Thloane Thitron,” once had), he’s just so darn cute. The best one was, “What is wobbly and in the sky?” I asked Evan for the answer. He quietly said, “A jellycopter” and we both laughed. He kept telling jokes until he had run out and started making up ones that made no sense. Finally, it was time to head for home, another wonderful adventure down. three days of adventure
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PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM 21 OCTOBER 2024 + 31 DAYS + BOO! + OUR 75TH ISSUE {quickpunch} Start Up + Commemorate Italians and exploration on Columbus Day on October 14. + Baseball’s long season leads to the World Series starting on October 25. + Don’t miss the Dallas Cowboys coming to play the 49ers on October 27. + Decorate early for Halloween, which falls on a Thursday this year. Venture Out + MOSEY OVER to Woodside for the Day of the Horse, celebrating the region’s equestrian heritage with a community fair, a horse costume contest, a blacksmith demonstration and more, October 13 to 15. + DROP IN at Nightfall, Filoli’s Halloween event that includes a candlelit walk through the manor, jack-o’-lanterns in the meadow and “spirits” at Jack’s Bar by the firepits, October 16 to November 3. + CARVE OUT time for Palo Alto’s annual Jack-O-Jaunt pumpkin competition, October 25. Not so long ago, Halloween was just a brief speck on the calendar leading to the more important holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas. No more. Today, Halloween has reached Christmas-like levels of decorating and festivities. We just love the spooky day at the end of this month, when the weather has moved squarely into our version of autumn. The last hot September days are past, and cool temperatures force us to put away our shorts and pull on sweaters. Enjoy the start of the new season as you stock up on sacks of Halloween candy— and try to avoid too much sampling! “October is crisp days and cool nights, a time to curl up around the dancing flames and sink into a good book.” —JOHN SINOR welcome back
22 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {quickpunch} Dash to Dine + NICK’S ROCKAWAY—Historic casual seafood spot with amazing Pacific Ocean views at the Sea Breeze Motel—100 Rockaway Beach, Pacifica + COCONUTS CARIBBEAN RESTAURANT—A fun, casual spot to enjoy dishes that can be hard to find locally—642 Ramona Street, Palo Alto + BREAKWATER BARBECUE—Nationally known for its Texas-style barbecue and homemade sausages—30 Avenue Portola, El Granada Carpe Diem + HEAD OVER the hill to Lemos Farm in Half Moon Bay for hay rides, a barnyard petting zoo, train rides and more. Though the pumpkin patch is a fall-only activity, the haunted house stays open year-round. And for something more unusual, give the goat yoga a go. + REMEMBER we live in earthquake country with a hike along the San Andreas Fault at Los Trancos Preserve, where you can see evidence of Earth’s tectonic plates in action. And when you’re ready for a return trip? Dig into all the preserve offers with free docent-led hikes for fall colors, geocaching, birding, nature at night and so much more. Check the schedule and make reservations at openspace.org/events Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabriel Zevin—Two friends partner to start a video game company, navigating trauma and triumphs along the way. Dead Mountain by Donnie Eichar—The mesmerizing hunt for the true cause of the never-solved Dyatlov Pass incident. Pro Football Magazine—Lindy’s Sports annual publication offers info and stats on NFL rosters, teams and players, plus great feature stories and photos of teams and individuals. lindyssports.com WHO KNEW? In 1956, Stanford officials decided to turn an underutilized piece of land into a mall, first as a place of moderately priced stores (think Woolworths) and later as a world-class, high-end shopping center known for beautiful landscaping and designer boutiques. Twenty years ago, Simon Property ostensibly bought Stanford Shopping Center for $333 million. However, Simon doesn’t truly own it—Stanford does, having only sold it a ground lease lasting for 51 years. Well Read Unscramble T A S N A C Z R U O A N M T I S U N Finally, some half-baked advice: To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first, then say whatever you hit was the target. PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF LEMOS FARM
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24 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {quickpunch} How did you go from teaching science to commercial fishing? I was on a park bench in Sausalito grading exams when I noticed herring boats. They dropped anchor after delivering their catch and were preparing for breakfast. I saw loaves of bread, bottles of wine and filets of fish. That sparked my curiosity about what they do. Did other fishermen offer you encouragement? They suggested that I should not become a commercial fisherman: the regulations were becoming more overarching and restrictive, and it’s difficult to be accepted by the fleet. They frown on newcomers. What was your very first sale? Barbara’s Fish Trap—I sold them 100 pounds of rockfish for $50. I was elated to have that cash. After that, I sold fish to Flea Street Café. Do you have a favorite spot? During salmon season, I travel along the coast. At night, instead of returning home, there are anchorages, areas somewhat protected from the elements. One is Fort Ross, north of Bodega Bay. Another favorite is tucked behind Pigeon Point lighthouse. It’s like ocean camping. Can you share any advice for the next generation? Learn the skills and experience from well-seasoned commercial fishermen. Their knowledge is not found in books or in schools. THE Q & A PIETRO PARRAVANO What’s the best way to support local fisheries? Eat more fish that are harvested using sustainable methods. What are some things you’ve done to promote sustainability? In 1997, I co-founded an international fishing association that advocated for using fishing methods that are not harmful to the ocean’s ecosystems, and in 2000, I was appointed to the Pew National Oceans Commission. In 2008, I was presented with an environmental achievement award by President George Bush for my work as an advocate for clean and healthy oceans. What keeps you coming back for more? Often, I look at the Pacific Ocean as a laboratory. It is the largest dynamic entity. My reward is having experienced this and shared the goodness of its bounty. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten? My friend, a fellow commercial fisherman from Iceland, brought sheep testicles when he visited. You gotta try them! Why did you decide to open a booth at farmers markets? I grew up with that type of food shopping. When a friend suggested selling at the Palo Alto farmers market, my wife Joan and I pursued that opportunity. A couple of years after that, we started selling fish at the Menlo Park farmers market. Favorite comment you’ve ever gotten? “This fish is the best. What did you do to make this fish so fresh?” The Half Moon Bay fisherman and former science teacher at Woodside Priory shares how the siren song of the sea led him to his life’s work.
ANDRA NORRIS GALLERY 311 Lorton Ave (at Burlingame Ave) Burlingame, CA 94010 I tel: 650 235 9775 www.andranorrisgallery.com JOHN GOODMAN & GENEVIEVE L’HEUREUX October 12 — November 8 Please join us and the artists at the Opening Reception for this very special exhibition. Saturday, October 19, 4-6 PM, at Andra Norris Gallery John Goodman, ‘Illustration for an Untold Story’ oil on board, 22 x 30 inches, 2024 ART EXHIBITIONS AND SALES OF INVESTMENT QUALITY CONTEMPORARY ART FROM INTERNATIONAL, ESTABLISHED ARTISTS WITH CALIFORNIA TIES
Pacific Trust Real Estate is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 02014153. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate. Nick Granoski | 650-269-8556 Nick@PacTrustRealEstate.com DRE 00994196 David Weil | 650-823-3855 David@PacTrustRealEstate.com DRE 01400271 No one knows our local real estate market like veteran real estate professionals and local residents, Nick Granoski and David Weil, our team brings unmatched local knowledge, insight, expertise, and connections to home buyers and sellers in this unique market. When it comes to local real estate, we’ve seen and covered it all. We’ve got this. Sold | Gorgeous Home in the Heart of Allied Arts 927 Roble Avenue, Menlo Park Offered at: $2,698,000 Sold | Elegant Home in Menlo Park's University Heights 2006 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park Offered at: $3,698,000 Peninsula real estate right now.
INTERVIEW andy and the volcano words by SHERI BAER PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM 27 {punchline} PENINSULA CULTURE PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF MATT LOEWEN - USGS
28 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {punchline} PREVIOUS PAGE: Andy (third from left) and team spent two weeks mapping and sampling Mount Shishaldin volcano on Unimak Island, Alaska. ABOVE (from left): Andy at the USGS lab at Moffett Field in Mountain View; a photo of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. On an ascent up the north side of Mount Shasta, Andy Calvert pauses to munch down a Clif Bar at 13,000 feet. Making small talk with the U.S. Forest Service climbing rangers accompanying him, he points over to a dome at the top of the Hotlum Glacier, a formation known for its treacherous gullies and crevasses. “Someday, I want to go get a piece of that,’” he casually remarks. The response: “There’s a pretty good snow bridge, we could just do it now.” One “steep, icy and scary” rope belay later, Andy had his sample. “I felt like I was flying,” he recalls. “It was like I was flying out to get this rock and come back.” Certainly not a typical day on the job in Silicon Valley, but as a local scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Andy is charged with deciphering the eruptive history of volcanoes in order to predict future threats. “I have to get a rock sample from every lava flow I can get to,” he explains. “It’s probably 50-50 whether we’ll get a non-Mount St. Helens eruption in the Western U.S. in our lifetimes, but we should still be ready for it.” Looking back, Andy credits Mount St. Helens’ catastrophic 1980 eruption with inspiring his eventual volcanic-rock strewn path. As a seventh grader living over 200 miles away in Moscow, Idaho, he vividly remembers what went down (or rather, up) on May 18. “It was a beautiful sunny day,” he recounts, “and then this cloud started coming over and it got as dark as the darkest night.” After the eruption, half an inch of ash blanketed the city, triggering the cancellation of the last three weeks of school. “That made volcanoes even more interesting,” Andy grins. “I knew something about geology before then, but that was what really taught me that the Earth is dynamic.” Initially eyeing medical school as a Stanford University undergrad, Andy enrolled in a geology class recommended by a friend. “The class was at 8 o’clock in the morning, and I just couldn’t wait for it,” he recalls. “It was like falling in love.” Andy signed up for another class called Rocks and Minerals. “I thought, ‘Well, that sounds really boring, so if I like that too, I’ll be a geologist.’” Metamorphic rock—gneiss, schist and slate. Smooth. Coarse. Shiny. Opaque. Utterly captivated, Andy followed his heart. After earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Stanford, Andy completed his doctorate at UC Santa Barbara. As he was wrapping up his studies, he caught wind of an opening for a geochronologist with the USGS volcano hazards team based in Menlo PHOTOGRAPHY: ANNIE BARNETT
30 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {punchline} PHOTOGRAPHY: ANNIE BARNETT ABOVE (left): Andy shows a draft map of Mount Shasta, where different colors visualize deposits from volcanic eruptions over thousands of years. or Rainier, tracking past behavior lays the foundation for creating long-term hazard assessments. “We educate people about what the mountain is capable of,” Andy summarizes. “What can happen and whether we should worry.” Although his geologic focus is the Western U.S., Andy estimates he’s visited over 50 volcanoes in locales like New Zealand, Guatemala, Italy and Saudi Arabia. Any given day might find him on the top of a ridge or “slogging through some really terrible places.” His professional tool kit includes ice training, mountaineering skills, glacier travel, wilderness first aid, bear deterrence and “getting in and out of helicopters in pretty gnarly spots.” Andy calls out his field work in Alaska as especially memorable. “I love being up high Park and got the job. “Our group looks at volcanoes in a variety of different ways,” he clarifies. “I date rocks. My specialty is time. I provide the time context for eruptive behavior.” Here’s why time matters: Volcanoes that have been active in the last 10,000 years can potentially wreak havoc again. Andy unfurls what looks like a paint-by-numbers map of Mount Shasta. “Each one of these is a discrete eruption or a series of eruptions,” he describes, gesturing to color splashes ranging from purple (older than 350,000 years) to oranges and reds (a specific eruption 10,700 years ago) to pink (“all younger than that”). Whether it’s Shasta, St. Helens, Lassen Peak, Hood
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32 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {punchline} on these volcanoes,” he says. “You’re dropped off and then that big, smelly, noisy helicopter goes away and you’re left with quiet.” Since Andy was hired by the USGS in 2001, he and his wife, Amy McLanahan, have lived in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Mateo and most recently, Belmont. Raising their family here (their son and daughter are now in their 20s) ofPHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF TOM SISSON - USGS / COURTESY OF TIM ORR - USGS / COURTESY OF JORGE VASQUEZ - USGS fered myriad opportunities to explore the Peninsula’s own unique geology —particularly on excursions to the coast. “We’re in a pretty amazing part of the world because we can drive over to Half Moon Bay and go from one huge tectonic plate, the North American Plate, onto the largest plate, the Pacific Plate,” observes Andy. “My kids get so sick of me saying, ‘Ooop! Crossing to the Pacific Plate!’” During his five-year term as scientist-in-charge of the California Volcano Observatory, Andy helped oversee the USGS move from Menlo Park to Moffett Field in Mountain View. He’s currently diving back into research (including Mount Shasta mapping), where he still relies on the basic tools he first learned to use at Stanford: a hammer and a hand lens. However, Andy fully appreciates Moffett’s brand new lab and stateof-the-art technology. “We have equipment we use to measure the ages of rocks that’s pretty fancy,” he affirms. And what a way to calibrate accuracy: testing rocks from the 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Nodding to a noble gas mass spectrometer, Andy breaks into a wide, schoolboy smile. “We took crystals from that eruption and ran them on that machine there and we got the right answer!” ABOVE (clockwise from top): Andy describes the eruptive history of Harrat Rahat to members of the Saudi Geological Survey after a five-year study of the seismic and volcanic hazard to the holy city of Medina, Saudi Arabia; Andy investigates a complicated deposit of rounded, light-colored granite pieces mixed with black volcanic scoria bombs near the Iliamna Volcano on the Alaska Peninsula; (left) Andy explores a volcanic ash layer from the Wilson Creek Formation at Mono Lake in California.
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34 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {punchline} PERFECT SHOT whooo’s there? Nature photographer Michael G. Pagano caught this wide-eyed fellow while traversing the grounds at Filoli in Woodside. “With its century-old oak trees and open meadows, I’m always fascinated by the array of wildlife that abound, such as black-tailed deer, acorn woodpeckers and wild turkeys,” he describes. On this particular day, he came upon two owls sharing a branch. “Believe me, I don’t know ‘whoo’ was more surprised— me or the owls!” Though one flew off, the other stuck around for Michael to admire. The great horned owl (also known as the tiger owl) is one of the largest in the Bay Area and can weigh up to four pounds. @paganografx
PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM 35 Calling all shutterbugs: If you’ve captured a unique perspective of the Peninsula, we’d love to see your Perfect Shot. Email us at hello@punchmonthly.com to be considered for publication. calling all shutterbugs
36 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {punchline} calling all dogs If you’ve got quirky habits or a funny tale (or tail) to tell, email hello@punchmonthly.com for a chance to share a page from your Diary of a Dog in PUNCH. finch DIARY OF A DOG photography by ROBB MOST Hear, hear! I’m Finch, a seven-year-old terrier mix, and I’ll bet that you’re looking at my amazing ears. Some people are self-conscious about having big ears, but I think mine are my best feature. Can a smalleared dog hear a banana being peeled from the other side of the house? I don’t think so! And I would hate to miss out on a delicious banana. Granted, my ears are big compared to the rest of me. Even my name is a reflection of my diminutive stature. When Ben and Kitty adopted me as a puppy, they wanted to name me Atticus, after the hero in Ben’s favorite movie, To Kill a Mockingbird. But they decided that it was too big of a name for such a little fellow and opted for the character’s shorter last name. Being on the smaller side is probably why I’ve gotten so good at walking on my hind legs. Sometimes I need a higher vantage point—like when there’s a deer in the vicinity and I want to get a good long look. I also pop up on two legs so I can stand between Jim and Kitty for a group hug in our San Mateo kitchen every morning. But those aren’t my only talents! I also have a fine voice. Kitty likes to sing, and it didn’t take me long to realize that she needs backup. When she breaks into song, I throw back my head and howl along.
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PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM 41 GETAWAY monarch mania {due west} words by JOHANNA HARLOW TRAVEL & WELLNESS
42 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {due west} It’s a dark and stormy night in Pacific Grove. I’m sitting in my car as rain beats down on the windshield, my finger ready on my umbrella’s push button, my other hand on the door handle. Ready… and… GO! Flinging myself from the car and releasing my umbrella in one fluid motion, I make a mad dash for Seasons by-the-Sea, an art gallery around the corner. As I reach the safety of the awning and duck indoors, I’m enveloped in warmth and light. Paintings, small bites, wine and a smiling gallerist are here to greet me. ABOVE (clockwise from top): A view of the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail with Lovers Point in the distance; Ahi carpaccio from Wild Fish restaurant; Though not open late for First Fridays, Trotter Galleries is an inviting space featuring an extensive collection of pieces by early California artists. On this trip to the Monterey coast, I’d anticipated water from the sea, not the sky, along with a multitude of monarchs. Thousands of them migrate to the region every year, inspiring the nickname “Butterfly Town.” When I found that my trip coincided with the town’s popular First Friday event, I was eager to check out its art and music scene. As I spend the next hour ducking in and out of snug, brightly lit galleries, I find that rather than putting a damper on things, the wild weather adds to an atmospheric evening, making this series of hideouts exceptionally cozy. The rain drumming on windows and skylights makes me feel like I’ve gotten away with something. After visits to Pacific Grove Art Center, Studio 171, The Yellow Mustard Seed and Artisanna Gallery, I find my way to Wild Fish. It’s a low-lit restaurant where the menu includes the name of the sea captain and the stretch of coast where each special was caught. Though there’s usually a jazz quartet performing outside on Fridays and Saturdays, tonight Ella Fitzgerald serenades me from the speakers. As I dine on an inventive ceviche pairing white fish with tangerines, creamy avocado and spice that lingers on my lips, I chat with the sweet couple who own the place. They tell me how they came here from England on a whim, and of the B&B and record shop they owned back in the U.K. Tonight, they steer me toward a main course of sablefish and a bouillabaisse with piping hot broth to stave off the chill. My one regret is that I don’t get to see the rockin’ proprietor at Phill’s Barber Shop down the PHOTOGRAPHY: TERRY TROTTER / WILD FISH RESTAURANT
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44 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {due west} street. In better weather, Phill would be riffing on his electric guitar amid the barber chairs and salon mirrors. When I’m ready to call it a night, my hotel is only a twominute drive from downtown. Seven Gables Inn, a sprawling Victorian painted a cheery yellow, greets me like a ray of sunshine. My room has a chandelier with a shower of crystals above big bay windows. In the morning light, I find a stunning view of Lovers Point outside. Brewing a cup of coffee, I station myself right beside it and watch the colorful dots of people moving across the cliffs and beach, while surfers bob in the bay. Every so often, a sleek seal skims along the surf. But it’s time to go exploring. During a sunny patch in the day, I pop across the street to the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail, following it to the Harbor Seal Observation Area right beside the Monterey Bay Aquarium. On previous trips, I’ve hung out with the aquarium’s aquatic cast of 35,000-plus sea creatures, but today I’m content to watch these blubbery beauties as they galumph across the sand. Retracing my steps along the trail, I lunch at the California Seltzer Company beside Lovers Point, enjoying seaside views and a pizza topped with pesto, peppery arugula, fluffy dollops of burrata and generous chunks of tangy marinated artichokes from nearby Castroville (a town so closely associated with the crop that it boasts a 20-foot artichoke sculpture). Dinner finds me at Mezzaluna Pasteria, an upscale Italian restaurant with red brick and candle-style chandeliers. Right from my first bite of focaccia with olive tapenade, I know it’s going to be hard to pace myself. Everything from the refreshing elderflower spritz to the plethora of pasta PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF MATT WEIR - KIRKWOOD COLLECTION
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46 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {due west} winged wonders pacificgrove.org/discover-pacific-grove options to the intensely flavorful duck pate with house-made crostini is a delight. Somehow, I find room for a scoop of hazelnut gelato at the end of the night. On my final day, I drop by the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History to learn more about the native plants and animals as well as the local history of the Monterey Peninsula. Its newest hands-on exhibit, Wonder, is designed to look like a forest. But tucked among the realistically twisting trees, exposed roots and ferns are shells, a mounted insect collection and specimens under bell jars as well as whimsical Wonderland-esque details like bird cages, skeleton keys, looking glasses and gilded picture frames. The taxidermy collection at the Bird Gallery is another highlight and I peek in at wide-eyed owls, jewel-hued hummingbirds and stately herons. After getting my fill of puffins and peregrine falFALL FORECAST Prefer a rain-free trip? Visitors during the early fall are more likely to avoid Pacific Grove’s rainy season, which is typically at its wettest from December through March. FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY: MEZZALUNA PASTERIA cons, it’s time to visit the winged wanderers that drew me to Pacific Grove in the first place. The Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, off Lighthouse Avenue, seems a fitting finale for my trip. As I enter the grove, the wind whooshes through the cypress and eucalyptus trees, and thousands of wings quiver from the swaying branches. Though they look fragile, these resilient little butterflies have flitted across 2,000 miles on paper-thin wings to get here. From late October to early February, they’ll find safe harbor in this grove before making the long trek north. It’s time I do the same. So taking one last look at these wayfarers in orange and black, I head for home.
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50 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {due west} PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF ALLAN HACK SADDLE UP happy trails words by JOHANNA HARLOW here. I’ve been riding here my whole life,” says Abbey, but “I took a hard left for a while.” With quite a bit of experience on the stage (including a memorable and feisty performance as Ophelia in Hamlet), Abbey moved to New York to pursue acting. But when the pandemic hit, she returned home to her family on the West Coast. “Everything I was working towards suddenly just disappeared,” Abbey recalls. Her sister, who had been working at Chaparral Ranch for years, encouraged Abbey to join as a camp counselor. “It was like flicking the light switch back on,” she says. These days, Abbey runs the show at the ranch’s Woodside location, teaching the riding lessons, taking guests out on trail rides and Sometimes the road of life takes us in unexpected directions. Today, it brought me to the woods. I find myself on horseback deep in Woodside’s Wunderlich Park on my quest to learn more about Chaparral Ranch, an operation offering equestrian camps for kids, riding lessons, horse boarding and trail rides within the county park. The horse I’m riding, a mild-mannered gentleman named Ernie, trundles along at an amiable pace, and I soon lose myself in the side-to-side rock of the saddle and the steady clompclomp of hoofs on dirt. “We’re extremely lucky to have this facility,” says Abbey Vixie, my guide today and the site manager here. Abbey knows a thing or two about unexpected paths. “I grew up in Woodside. I’m from PHOTOGRAPHY: JOHANNA HARLOW
{due west} 52 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY: JOHANNA HARLOW Abbey asks, motioning to her mount’s ears, tilting out like wings. Beyond being my guide and horse translator, Abbey is knowledgeable on the local flora and fauna as well as the area’s history. She fills me in on Wunderlich’s past life as an estate and the property’s previous owner, coffee king James A. Folger II, then identifies several historic buildings on the grounds (including an old blacksmith forge turned stable). Of course, Abbey also has a deep understanding of the nearly two dozen horses under her supervision. “They have very distinct personalities,” she attests. “It’s a really wonderfully rich world.” handling management tasks. As Abbey puts it, “A little bit of paperwork, mostly the horse part.” In fact, Chaparral Ranch itself originated through an unexpected turn of events. As we ride deeper into the forest, the oaks and firs giving way to towering redwoods, Abbey relays the story. Shawn Mott and Susan Pennell had a chance encounter during the Great Recession of 2008 when Shawn was seeking a new job in the equestrian world and Susan was looking for a trainer for her spirited horse. Today, Chaparral’s co-owners not only have a location in Woodside, but ones in Monterey and the East Bay as well. As we continue down the trail, I learn the telltale sign of a happy horse. “See those airplane ears?”
Saturday, October 5, 2024 Hotel Nia • 200 Independence Drive • Menlo Park 6:00 pm Cocktail Reception 7:00 pm Dinner and Program 8:30 pm Musical Entertainment Join us as we celebrate Caminar’s 60th anniversary of providing mental health and substance use treatment and care to Bay Area and Northern California communities. Media Partners Featured Speaker Producer, Actress, and Television Journalist Lisa Ling Musical Entertainment Tony-nominated Vocalist Ann Hampton Callaway Our Sponsors Scan for Tickets Special 60th Anniversary Changemaker: Carole Middleton Visionary: Kathy and Michael Chinn • Newfront Innovator: Celeste P. Birkhofer, PhD, PsyD and Wendell W. Birkhofer • Barbara Patterson and Andrew Menkes, MD Leader: Anonymous • Terri Bullock • Mark Cloutier • Christine and Michael Curry • Gail and Fred Kittler • Hanson Bridgett Hanson Crawford Crum • Heritage Bank • Debbie and Frank Vento • The Law Office of Michelle Leu Zaccone Pathfinder: Bohannan Foundation • BPM • Gio Granato, Ph D. and Hyunah Kwon • John and Marcia Goldman Foundation Joanne Wu Jennings • Betsy and Bill Pace • Chick and Rick Runkel • Inessa Shishmanyan and Max Tsotsorin In-Kind: 49ers Foundation • Beacon Grand • Michael Collopy Photography Alma and Michael Collopy Carole Middleton Event Chairs
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