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JUNE 2007
DEAR JOHN ..
We here in the Pacific Northwest
tend to poke fun at all things to do
with, or are associated with, California.
Well I hate to spoil your fun, but the
fact of the matter is that California has
a great deal to offer .. including the sun!
I recently returned from the Bay area
where I made a pilgrimage to the town of one of the best writers that the USA .. or anyone else .. has produced.
Perhaps the graphics give you a clue, I certainly hope so. English
Literature was my major and yet I had never read any of the works of John Steinbeck before I came to this country. Milton yes, Agatha
Christie, William Shakespeare of course ( known at my school as ‘Willie Wobblesword), Wordsworth, Keats, Churchill etc etc. After reading ‘The Winter of Our Discontent’ & ‘The Pearl’, I was hooked.
How many writers do you know of who have won the Pulitzer Prize (for Grapes of Wrath), the Nobel Prize for Literature, New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award ( Of Mice & Men ), United States Medal of Freedom and had a US Postal Service John Steinbeck Commemorative Stamp issued .. and that’s just to mention a few !
I realize that art and literature are not every ones cup of tea when seeking a ‘Vacation Getaway Destination’ and I don’t want to bore those people by telling them how well worth visiting ‘The National Steinbeck Center’ located on Main Street, Salinas.CA. is.
Incidentally Salinas, which is part and parcel of the USA’s agriculture
history have done a first class job of refurbishing their historical down town area (circa early 1900s) and many attractive buildings and stores await locals and visitors alike. Antiques, art galleries, a wide choice of restaurants ( we chose ‘Hullaballo’ ), clothing stores, jewelers & a multi-screen theatre, in fact all the comforts of home .. but with
an unmistakable Californian flair.
Mention California in foreign lands and as sure are eggs are eggs the
subject of ‘Movies’ and ‘Hollywood’ will take center stage. Rarely are
the script writers or original authors mentioned, but some of the best
known of film stars have brought Steinbeck’s works to life. Henry Fonda,
Dorothy Lamour, Jayne Mansfield, Nick Nolte, James Dean, Burgess
Meredith, Marlon Brando and Marilyn Monroe are just some who acted
in movies based on John Steinbeck books, books that brought the hardships of America’s Depression and growth in front of the public .. whether they liked his subjects or not.
The visitor attractions of Northern California are as bountiful as the agricultural wonder of the Salinas Valley. Nearby Monterey and Carmel are jewels of the beautiful Californian coastline, while delightful small towns such as Orinda, Lafayette ( my base when discovering the Bay
area ), Orinda (Shakespeare Theatre all summer), Livermore ( great for wine tasting if you
don’t have time to travel North to Napa & Sonoma Valleys .. but if you can .. do it!) & for your
antique hunting head for Benicia. If the husband is getting ancy, head for Fairfield home to
the Anheiser / Busch factory, yes they have free tours and sample brews. Teenagers with
you? It’s never too early to start them thinking ... head for Berkeley or Stamford.
Looking for ‘Big City’ experiences? Oakland and San Francisco await you every pleasure.
Don’t overlook Oakland, there are many good things there, I know for I used to live there.
Have you ever read any of Jack London’s works? San Francisco or ‘The City’ as locals call it, has something for every one and is truly a ‘World Class’ city.
David ( The ‘Pearl’ ) Bond
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