Photos Of The Day
When I walk on this path from The Sea Ranch Lodge down to the beach I always wonder if it looks like Scotland, where I’ve never been, and then I start fantasizing that I’m walking down the fairway of a links golf course, as described by John McPhee, whose Paris Review interview is well worth reading if you’re at all into writing, or his books, or conversations with living legends.
I’d also like to offer a rebuttal to everyone who has ever claimed that California doesn’t have seasons:
That’s taken in the Anderson Valley, where they make this especially good Gold Pale Ale. That brewery is nearby a lot of Mendocino County wineries, and the fall colors on the vines make for a lovely spread this time of year. We missed seeing the harvest by just a few weeks. Farmers hurried to get the last of the grapes off the vine to avoid several days of rainy weather.
The last advice I’ll give before disappearing into the sunset is this: if at all possible acquire some fresh figs, mindful that you’ll need to use them within a day or two of taking them home. Cut them in half, rub olive oil over their surface, sprinkle on a bit of sea salt, put goat cheese in the concavity, put them in the microwave just long enough to warm the goat cheese — do not put them in the microwave for too long! — and when you take them out, drape prosciutto over the top before serving as an hors d’oeuvre, or for those lacking in self-restraint a whole delicious meal, though I don’t recommend doing the latter very often.
It turns out this is the most sensible blog post I have written all year. Okay, now that sunset, seen through the woods atop the bluff.
Congratulations, Conor, on a charming message. I’m glad to see you’ve learned the trick — everything written on a blog is improved by including a recipe. And yes, it is the most sensible blog post you’ve written all year.
— Gary Imhoff · Nov 3, 04:55 PM · #
I always tell people that we do have seasons in California – we just only have the good ones.
— jonathan · Nov 3, 07:29 PM · #
Your next evolution should be to drop the rolling suitcase. Just a backpack— the freedom….
— Freddie · Nov 3, 07:59 PM · #
Sea Ranch looks quite like Scotland in its flora – grasses, low plants and pines, at least if you don’t look too closely. However, your photograph clearly shows blue sky. This does not exist in Scotland. Any photographs you see of Scotland showing blue sky have been photoshopped.
— Simon K · Nov 3, 10:39 PM · #