The Californication of Mr and Mrs Hirst

From a small island to Cali-four-nye-ay

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King Salmon

On our quest to find local food that paired will with open fire, I was excited to visit Fort Bragg, a historic fishing port along the Mendocino coastline, famous for their hauls of king salmon. 

While dad when to get fish (fried, for lunch) I went to visit a fisherman and bought a whole fish, fresh off the boat for cash. 

The price was roughly half of what you would expect to pay in Whole Foods for this highly prized fish (but way fresher).

That night, back at the campsite I filleted and steaked it, cooking a generous portion (and carcass) over an open fire for dinner.

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Road Trippin’

Then Dad came out. The plan had been to head north; as far north as it was going to possible to turn round and come back within a week, staying at State Parks. The plan was slightly scuppered when Dad announced that the camper can needed to be picked up from a city 90 mins SW of San Francisco. Apparently it was cheap.

So we course corrected to spend our first two nights in Napa, much to Dad’s (faux) chagrin. Never really having visited the area it was interesting to take in its vibe. So many wineries, so little time. Driving an RV and with a 2 year old on board, your options are generally limited so we we picker our tastings carefully (but if you were ever looking for a more affordable way to do the are, take a tent).

From there we headed to Mendecino to Van Damme State Park a really popular campsite hidden in the trees above a beach.  With cell phone reception fading, days started to revolve around beaches, breweries and preparing to cook each night on an open fire. 

Our last stop was Humbolt Redwood SP. Having now visited (what I feel is ) a pretty admirable number of Stat Parks in California, I was pretty blown away by Humbolt. It lies somewhere in the middle of the Avenue of Giants, an area famous for its huge trees under which we camped and climbed on our last nights.

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Mum!

After a long summer, the parents were finally due. Mum came out first. 

Woodson and here instantly bonded....

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Supper with Vogue

A few weeks ago now I was invited to a dinner with Vogue. Their senior editors were on the west coast to pick the brains of the high cultural fliers of Silicon Valley…. and me. 

The 3 course dinner was at the very enviable live/work space of legendary interior designer Ken Fulk.

My fellow diners were beautiful, flush and genteel, the conversation was pleasantly staged and the surroundings much too stylish for San Francisco. (I was told that the wall of taxidermy’d animal heads in the loft had previously been removed from tech-members’ SF club, The Battery at the insistence of their squeamish, but high-rolling patrons.)

I left thinking about how much I missed sophistication.

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Google Burger

I fantasise that one day I will write a blog dedicated to the worst and best things about Google.

The fact that I get virtually anything to eat at any time is right up there on the plus-side.

What made it even greater was that I was watching a guerrilla work-out class (is that a thing?) take place only a few feet away.

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‘Merica

Executive Gun Safe, under a grand (+tax). 

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Granola

If you are interested, its the Huckleberry recipe. We eat that big jar in 2 weeks. 

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Day Off With Dad

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A Little Boulder

I have had more free time on my hands for reasons that will become clear once I catch up on the last few month of this journal (sorry.. I have my reasons). 

One of my favourite free-time outings of late was to Dogpatch Boulders. As someone who use to cycle along the canal to Mile End to use their climbing wall, this is both: 

a) luxurious

b) a million times harder

After 30 mins, I could no longer use my arms. That lasted 3 days. 

Good on you America.

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Carry on Camping

Camping is as much part of California as waves and the Beach Boys. State parks, beaches and their adjoining campsites are literally everywhere.. and only ever $35 a night. However, except apart from a couple of back country trips that I have taken on solo, the Hirsts have been very late to adopt this State pastime. So a few months back we bought a tent. A 6 man tent. 

Within “Camping” as a recreational discipline, there exists a rather comfy sub classification called “Car Camping”, essentially allowing you to pack you car with whatever home comforts you feel you need to make the great outdoors bearable. That is where I decided we should pitch our ambitions. 

Our first Car Camping experience had been with another family, also newbies. The secret agreement between me and the other dad was to make the whole experience as luxurious as the situation allowed. We had one shot for the families to either love or hate the experience, so we rigged it. Sleeping bags were replaced by 6 inch thick mattresses and multiple duvets and pillows, meals were gourmet and cooked on a variety of stoves and contraptions. It largely worked. 

So the first week in July the Hirsts decided to take our second ever trip, this time alone. We went to Bodega Bay a few hours north of SF, but home of a beautiful coastline and a cottage seafood (crabs and oyster) industry.

Despite the fog, we ate well, climbed sand dunes and had fun. The nights sleep was sub par (Woodson deciding that he “no want to sleep in a tent” and then Amy decided nor did she). But as wise novices our camping trips are only ever one night, allowing us to retreat to San Francisco to spend the rest of the long weekend recovering from our mini break.

Oh, the great outdoors. 

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Proud

It was a monumental week for the city and the US. 

Gay marriage legalised all across the US the same weekend as Gay Pride San Francisco. A week later, the US Women’s football team won the World Cup.

It felt like some of the craziness of this world was re-balanced. Sonny did his part to show support.

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Now We Are 2

Nothing accentuates the peculiarity of time passing than being in charge of two very different lives. One of which doubled over the last 12 months.

Happy second birthday Sonny... 

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Happy birthday to @mollusksurfshop ! (at Mollusk Surf Shop)

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Boys Stuff

June is car month for us. Both cars need re-registering, sometimes smogging (sometimes more if, like this year, one fails the smog). 

Unlike the UK, you don’t need to pass an MOT to get your registration but while all the paper work is out, it makes sense to get the cars checked out. 

This year, I had a co-pilot who came along for the ride.

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Number Plate Fun: NBA Final Edition

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Throwing old NES characters on the office Lego walls while you are on the phone isn't a problem for people who think in pixels. (at Googleplex)

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The Renaissance of Mrs Hirst

While the boys were marauding around the UK Mrs Hirst used her 10 days home alone to rediscover the person she used to be before she became a mother.

By her account, the renaissance had started slow; 18 months of round the clock hanging with Woodson is a clearly hard habit to break. But in the days after we left she found her stride. She started a new job, saw friends, went running, made stuff -- even stitched together this teepee. 

The experience was as I had hoped (not as I had feared); seemingly an emotional recalibration for both mother and son. A little more independence for both of them. Or maybe just a offering them both a little more dependence on me. 

When we finally arrived back in SF after the Longest Day Of Our Lives, a mother, her child and two old friends were all reunited.