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Literary and artistic surprises during a fun journey

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This past week, I was in San Leandro, in the Bay area of California, visiting my friend Susan and having a good old time visiting, chatting, eating and drinking and going for walks. And during our walks and drives, we stumbled upon art and literature at unexpected places.

It started at the De Young Museum of Art in San Francisco. By chance they showed an amazing exhibition of some of my favorite painters, Botticelli, for instance.

The De Young is not only a great art museum but situated within the beautiful Golden Gate Park, it is also a place to just hang out, have lunch, or a coffee.

Susan and I at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

On the way to San Francisco and back, we passed the new Bay Bridge, which is impressive and a little scary (can’t help thinking about earthquakes). But I love the skyline of San Francisco and of course the city itself.

After all the excitement, we relaxed with a cup of coffee and a sweet. Food for the spirit and the body.

One of the next outings was to Berkeley and in particular to the Botanical Garden, a real treat! It’s an oasis of peace with a display of the most gorgeous plants and flowers.


But next to the Garden of Old Roses, there was a lovely surprise waiting for us. See further down.

Hidden underneath a canopy of leaves, a poem by Sylvia Plath carved into stone!

From the Botanical Garden, you have a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge!

Berkeley still has a selection of fine brick-and-motar bookstores. This one was another surprise: Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf!

A great bookstore that still invites you to browse and hang out.

On my way back to Los Angeles on 101, I drove through Salinas and stopped for a quick look at another literary great–you guessed it. John Steinbeck lived here many years and there is a museum and a restaurant in his honor.

“Meeting” all these fantastic artists and writers inspired me to get back to my own writing. I’m polishing my next novel, The Italian Sister, which takes place in California and on a vineyard in Tuscany, Italy. More about this later!

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Posted in art and literature, Berkeley, Botanical Garden, John Steinbeck, San Francisco, Sylvia Plath, The De Young Museum, Virginia Woolf permalink

About Christa Polkinhorn

Born and raised in Switzerland, Christa Polkinhorn grew up surrounded by mountains, lakes, and a deep curiosity about the world beyond her country’s borders. Her passion for travel has taken her across Europe, China, Japan, and South America, experiences that now infuse her fiction with authentic settings and rich cultural detail. After settling in Southern California, Christa built a dual career as a writer and translator. She began her literary journey with The Path of Fire, a collection of poetry that explores themes of passion, identity, and transformation. She then turned to fiction with the Family Portrait trilogy, weaving intimate family dramas and love stories across continents. Her Wine Lover’s Daughter mystery series combines love and suspense, strong characters, and the evocative backdrop of European and Californian wine country. Her most recent novel, Letter from a Cave, is a historical mystery and romance that connects the past to the present. Christa’s writing is fueled by her fascination with other cultures, her love of language, and her belief that stories connect us across borders. When she’s not writing or translating, she can be found reading, traveling, or enjoying art, music, dark chocolate, and red wine.

Comments

Literary and artistic surprises during a fun journey — 7 Comments

  3. Spending time with girlfriends is such a treat! Loved all the literary related places you happened upon. Good luck with the new book.

  5. Oh my stars! All of your Bay Area adventures–which, sadly, I was not able to be a part of–and you (gasp!) MISSED all of the uber-fabulous tiki bars. (Oh wait–you DID make it to Forbidden Island in Alameda. Where is the shot of that? Hmm…) No Tonga Room? No Longitude? Oh my! We will HAVE to rectify that glaring error soon. At least we'll have the Purple Orchid again this July…and maybe a few others! Hee hee!

    You also missed (?) Steinbeck's house, which is also in Salinas. But glad you did get to the museum at least. Looks like a groovy trip all-in-all.

    CHEERS!

  6. Oh my stars! All of your Bay Area adventures–which, sadly, I was not able to be a part of–and you (gasp!) MISSED all of the uber-fabulous tiki bars. (Oh wait–you DID make it to Forbidden Island in Alameda. Where is the shot of that? Hmm…) No Tonga Room? No Longitude? Oh my! We will HAVE to rectify that glaring error soon. At least we'll have the Purple Orchid again this July…and maybe a few others! Hee hee!

    You also missed (?) Steinbeck's house, which is also in Salinas. But glad you did get to the museum at least. Looks like a groovy trip all-in-all.

    CHEERS!

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