Today on weekend meanderings, as we wrap up Independence Day celebrations I can’t help but wonder what Abigail Adams would think? A visit to the Sailing Goat Restaurant in Point San Pablo Harbor and an everything-but-the-kitchen sink summer salad from my garden.
Happy weekend friends! It’s time for the weekend post with Kim and Elizabeth, our weekly roundup of inspirations and goings on.
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Wow, 4th of July has come and gone and it’s one of those weeks where I have no idea what day it is. Many of you probably feel the same way … in the best possible holiday-in-the-middle-of-the-week kind of way. Yesterday around 4:00pm it dawned on me that this post was due today. Oops. Of course I had nothing prepared. So this preamble is my way of managing (lowering) expectations for today’s topics.
A huge thank you to all of you who entered last week’s A Happier Life giveaway! I was overwhelmed by all your comments and it took several hours to properly respond to every one. I’m excited to announce that Nancy in Chapel Hill, NC is the winner … yay, Nancy! It was naive of me to think I could get the book to her before the 4th, but I hope it’s arrived by now, or today. But back to your comments, it was so much fun to hear about your plans for the summer. Many of you are traveling to some pretty incredible places and everyone is looking forward to slowing down and spending time with family and friends. Me too!
In the spirit of Independence Day, let’s kick things off with one of my favorite woman in history …
What Would Abigail Adams Think?
Recent events have me thinking more and more of our country’s founding father’s – and mother’s – and what they would make of our current state of affairs. I love history, US history in particular, although I won’t pretend to be an expert or anything more than slightly aware. I also love a good biography which brings me to Abigail Adams … probably my favorite, and most admired, historical figure. Abigail was a woman ahead of her time, married to a man who loved and treasured her, and respected her and her opinions. Abigail, alongside her husband, and countless others of that time, sacrificed much during the decades long fight for independence and formation of our new government. During those years, and throughout their long relationship and marriage, Abigail was her husband’s greatest confident. Politically aware and socially conscious Abigail kept up a prolific correspondence with her husband that helped inform his views and policies.
As I scanned our shelves this week in search of my favorite Abigail Adams biography it occurred to me that Abigail’s most famous quote is as relevant today as it was in March 1776 when she wrote to her husband …
“I long to hear that you have declared an independency. And, by the way, in the new code of laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make, I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands. Remember, all men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.”
Phyllis Lee Levin’s biography, Abigail Adams, is over 30 years old, but that’s okay, Abigail hasn’t made any new news since then. Rereading this favorite bio, and refreshing myself on our country’s history and the path our forebears walked so that we would live free from tyranny, is always a good idea.
So much has been written about Abigail including recently released The Unexpected Abigail Adams: A Woman “Not Apt to be Intimidated” by John L. Smith, Jr. and, in Abigail and John’s own words, My Dearest Friend: Letters of John and Abigail Adams.
The Unexpected Abigail Adams | My Dearest Friend
In related news, Abigail’s birthplace in Weymouth, Massachusetts, maintained by the Abigail Adams Historical Society, and restored about 10 years ago is available for tours by appointment.
Abigail Adams Historical Society
Sailing Goat Resaurant
Yesterday Jim and I trekked to Point San Pablo Harbor in Richmond to escape the heat and check out the Sailing Goat, a rustic, Bay front restaurant I’ve been wanting to visit since it opened just over a year ago. Turns out it was not cooler by the water, and my camera promptly overheated and the screen went dark. I tried to take as many photos as I could by pointing the camera in the general direction and hoping for the best. So again, lowering exceptions …
The Sailing Goat’s seating is all outdoors … with a covered deck filled with tables and a small stage for weekend music. The dining deck overlooks a small marina filled with sailboats and some interesting houseboats. The menu features seafood favorites, like clam chowder, mussels, fish and chips (which Jim enjoyed) as well as other items (I had a delicious Ethiopian spiced chicken and couscous) and wood-fired pizzas. We took a pizza home for dinner. They have a lovely wine and beer list and offer several brunch items on Saturday’s and Sunday’s. They offer a few desserts too and we said yes to the chocolate bread pudding. Yum!
After lunch we took a short walk along the marina to get a closer look at the sailboats and houseboats.
Interesting art sculptures can be found round the harbor and I understand they’re even prettier lit up at night.
Getting there and a few points of interest on the way …
Point San Pablo Harbor is 25 minutes from our house. About a 45 minute drive. Directions here. Exiting 580 at Point Molate (just before the Richmond San Rafael Bridge toll gates) will put you onto Stenmark Drive for a windy, coastal drive through Chevron Refinery property. You’ll pass Point Molate and the historic, brick buildings that made up Winehaven, an enormous winemaking facility established after the 1906 earthquake and used up to prohibition. In 1941 the US Navy purchased the property and established a refueling depot. It was closed in the 1990’s along with nearly all of our Bay Area’s military bases.
Another fascinating site on the way to the Sailing goat are rows of boarded up turn-of-the-century Victorian cottages used to house Winehaven and military families. It’s sad to see these cottages in such a debilitated state. I wish we showed more reverence for history by preserving these treasures or finding new uses for them.
Before reaching the Point San Pablo Harbor and the Sailing Goat you’ll see the East Brother Light Station off to the left. The lighthouse, on a small island, built in 1873 is now a unique bed and breakfast. How fun would it be to stay there?!
aspenrock/Getty Images/iStockphoto
The Sailing Goat is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday 11:30 – 8:30pm with live music all three nights. Hours change with the seasons so be sure to follow their Instragam for current hours and music schedule. We’ll definitely be back, but the next time it will be for sunset views and live music.
Summer Salad Days
Did I mention it’s been hot? And who wants to cook in the heat? Ugh, not me. Fortunately, we have more lettuce than we know what to do with thanks to our raised bed garden. So it’s been a lot of no-cook salads for us. Last week I made one using up everything but the kitchen sink. I even roasted an ear of corn and tossed it in. Jim says I add corn to everything. That’s not true, but if I can I do.
Anyway, here’s what I tossed in (asterisk next to things from our garden) …
- Mix of Butter Lettuce, Red Salad Bowl Lettuce & Little Gems & Arugula*
- Diced Chicken Breast
- Crispy Bacon
- Diced Red Pepper
- Shred Carrots
- Toasted Pinenuts
- Radishes*
- Scallions*
- Bush Beans*
- Sharp Cheddar
- Roasted Sweet White Corn
For dressing, I tossed everything in olive oil, added salt and tossed again, then added a few dashes of balsamic vinegar and juice of 1/2 a lemon.
Current Favorites ~
And that’s what I have for you today. Let’s see what’s inspiring Kim and Elizabeth.
In case you missed it, last week I shared a few summer necessities, a body moisture duo, beach read and Serena & Lily’s July sale (which is still happening!) … catch up here.
Cheers from Snowberry!
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