Swim mask, fins packed for the trip to Tenacatita

SACRAMENTO, Calif., USA - The swim fins are already in Mexico, thanks to Dustin and Camelia, and a new swim mask, purchased at Scuba World, is already in my bag along with assorted 'must-take-to-Mexico-items' like the latest Jodi Picoult book and several DVD copies of the rockumentary, Admiralty Beach.

The movie at this stage is definitely a rough cut - the director's cut I like to say. But it certainly has wowed the people who have viewed it here in Sacramento. We'll see what the La Manzanillans think.

One part of it uses some Google satellite photos which are remarkable in their clarity.

Here's one that shows the entire Tenacatita Bay.


Tenacatita Bay

In the next shot, you can see the peninsula with Admiralty Beach stretching to the north. The beach to the south (and east) contains a row of about 10 restaurants, all of which serve food that is soooo good I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. There's also a reef called 'The Aquarium' because there are so many fish of every size and species.

No sharks though, I don't think anyway.


Admiralty Beach - to the left (which is north)

The last shot is a closeup - at least as close as the Google shots go - and shows the large rocks directly in front of the property where we filmed the video.


Admiralty Beach close up

New look for From Where I Sit...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - From Where I Sit had to undergo a makeover this week, thanks in large part to the software that's used to post here.

In order to make any changes to the template and add any new features, Blogspot said: How about our new templates?

So, here it is and it will be evolving over the next few weeks with, I hope, more bells and whistles - at least that what seems to be promised in the new software.

In the meantime, it's countdown to throwdown in Tenacatita Bay and I've been practicing several Toby Keith songs, Barry McGuire's Eve of Destruction (seems quite fitting these days) and, of course, the old standard, Tiptoe Thru the Tulips.

I wish now I had bought that amplied ukulele - the plinking isn't nearly loud enough to drown out my voice.

Outside of the blog world, Admiral Fox has been taking on her new role at the California Newspaper Publishers' Association by storm, hanging out with all types of big shots, political and otherwise.

In the photo below, she's captured talking with the new Attorney General of California, who also happens to be a former governor, a presidential candidate and, it turns out, also a friend of Sylvia's brother David, now a resident of Ithaca.


Jerry Brown with the Admiral

Tenacatita Bay ukulele-guitar throw down planned

LA MANZANILLA, Jalisco, Mexico - After several years of being holed up in the mountain town of San Miguel, Mad Mike Gottlieb, a novelist and guitar player extraordinaire says he might come down from his high altitude aerie to sea level at La Manzanilla while the Admiral and I, along with Sanders and Pat Lamont. are visiting the pueblo and staying at Palapa Joe's palapa on the beach.

The reason? Well, he heard that the four of us will be packing - musical instruments that is - and he wants to have a House of the Rising Sun musical throw-down.

I don't know exactly what in the hell that means, but it sounds like fun, especially for me playing a ukulele. When Mad Mike doesn't know - and I've discovered - is that if anything even approximating music escapes from the ukulele, everyone thinks it's a miracle.

And I suppose it is.

Here's a photo of Mad Mike and I last year, talking novels and boats at Victor's Cafe Tacuba in Puerto Vallarta, a quaint little watering hole at which owner Victor comes around and slams shots with patrons, hugging and kissing all the women, usually infuriating his wife.

Es Mexico, si?


Two Mikes conferring at Victor's

It seems to me that the evening last year devolved into many more rounds of tequila before we retired to our respective casas. No throw-downs, though. Fall-downs, mostly.

Of course, if I get worried about a competitive musical situation, I can always call in a ringer to do a ukulele duet with me.

I found the young lady in the photo below who just might be distracting enough that I can take any 'throw down' challenges.

But where is area code 900 anyway?


The perfect ringer to bring to La Manzanilla

It's not all sun and surfboards in California

CAMP CONNELL, Calif. - At the 5,000-foot elevation in the mountains east of here, visions of beaches and bikini-clad nymphs exist only in the mind. The reality is snowplows, parkas and heavy boots. Oh, and wet boots. We can't forget wet boots.

A snowstorm walloped the Sierra last week, leaving enough snow that it looked like Western New York near Jamestown, on an average snow day.


Anyone need a shovel?

Our friends Sanders and Pat Lamont were staying with us here at sea level in Sacramento when much of this snow was falling, but returned to their Camp Connell cabin to be greeted by the scene above. They moved up to the higher elevation there last year, in good part to escape the city and also to experience the wonders of a Sierra winter.

Among those wonders could be: I wonder why we are doing this?

They report though, that while the snow is pretty high, the sun has been out and it's beautiful. Plus, there is skiiing right outside their door. They live just down the road from a major ski resort, though it's just as easy to slalom out off the porch and down the trail to the local watering hole know as the Lube Room. (At one time, I think it was a gas station. Now the main lubricants are beer, wine and a wild assortment of alcohols. And from my brief experience there, the lubricants are quite tasty.)

In a few weeks, however, the Camp Connell contingent will be coming down from their mountaintop retreat, heading to Tenacatita Bay with the Admiral and I for a vacation in La Manzanilla and to view some property on Admiralty Beach. Surf, sand, and relaxation are on order, along with snorkeling and kayaking.

Oh, and, of course the occasional bikini sighting.

Sailing vessel Sabbatical's Chief Engineer, Scott Noble, and his attorney (and spouse) Jennifer will be there, too, checking out the same beach and engaging in many of the same pursuits.

There's no snow to contend with there, though we did get a car stuck in the sand in January on a foray to check the beach out. It took almost two cold beer's worth of serious thinking before we figured out how to get the little car loose.

But this time, I'll have my Chief Engineer along if such a mishap occurs.

Oops, that's right. That means it will take three Pacifico's to get us loose this time.

No problema, senor...


The heavy snows of winter