Bouquets to Art (continued)

BOUQUETS TO ART (continued)
We are continuing on the off-ramp from the Bay Bridge. It is always jammed up - stop and go. It will dump us off onto Octavia Street. We are finally moving again. We spent 20 minutes chugging along on that short stretch. It used to be crowded only on holidays. Now, it is an everyday occurrence. That’s progress I guess! Tony makes a left turn, from Octavia Street, on to Fell Street. I always enjoy seeing the interesting and different architecture on this one-way street - west-bound. The houses and apartment buildings are very interesting and well maintained.
We are crossing Haight Street. It will cross Ashbury to the south - the notorious “Hippy” intersection of the 60’s. At the intersection of Fell and Steiner, (NW corner), there is a very attractive Victorian house. To say that it is old is redundant. In any era, it is a large mansion. I would like to know it’s history. If you go by this way, check it out. The old Kezar Stadium off to our left. We are passing the famous carousel. I am surprised by all of the parked cars this early in the morning. The Concourse garage, beneath the Hall of Science, has a “FULL” sign in the entry drive.. No wonder everyone is parking on the street - space available!

We arrive at the museum at 10:45. I am surprised by the large attendance. I would think that it being mid-week, plus the $20 entrance fee ($17 for each of us), would skinny up the crowd. But, not so. The first thing that we do is to head for the elevator that will take us to Level 9 of the Tower. From this height we can see all over the area. The floor is walled-in by large glass windows, for a great panorama view.
I suggested to Kelli and Tony that we head for the cafeteria, even though it is only 11:15. At noon - straight-up - most Americans think of lunch! And then, there is a big traffic jam, and a long lunch hour! They agreed, and we head back down to the Café’ on the Main Floor. We are at the end of a long line. Everyone else in line had the same idea - eat early and avoid the rush! This must be a cultural thing! The Café’ places menu cards at the queuing area, for people to peruse, as they wait in line (very smart!). This helps to speed up the chow line. Even so, it is slow going. Dining staff member told us that the line in the “tent” dining area was shorter, and they serve the same menu, with the food on site. So, we beat a path to the tent. I am not sure our new line was any shorter. We still waited 15 minutes to order.
Tony and I sat next to each other. We had a good view of the action in front of us. There were 17 “senior” women sitting at tables and chairs, pushed together to make one long table. Two of the ladies were the Activities Director and the bus driver. The ladies wore red hats, or red sweaters or jackets. I presume this was for crowd control, making each one easier to spot among the large throngs. What was interesting is they brought box lunches (along with bottled water), even though it was printed on the menu that “No food can be brought in”. While they were eating their sandwiches, an official from the museum came to their table and made a pitch. ( She was tall, with red hair and attractive!) We heard her tell them not to loiter over lunch. They need to free up the tables and chairs for “paying” customers. They complied, even though they passed around a large plastic container of fresh strawberries for dessert. I noticed that there were some berries left in the container. I asked Tony, if I should suggest to them, that we would take them, so they wouldn’t have to carry them back. He just smiled. I took this as a “No”. At least the women were very neat. They put their empty - plastic lunch containers back into the handled-paper bags, from where they came, and the Activities Director carried them off.
After lunch, we headed for the floral displays. They were spectacular. I’ve never seen anything like them before. The only problem - a big one - the congestion - around each exhibit, in the 30 galleries that we walked through. There were not only people (predominantly women), but each one seemed to have a camera - digital or phone. I think that I was the only one in the place without a camera. It was almost like it was a condition for admission! They were taking a picture of each display. One women I saw, was not only taking a picture, but she was “texting” the name of the floral exhibit.
I particularly like two exhibits with a Hawaiian theme. One included bird of paradise and the other anthuriums. I particularly noticed them because I had Hawaii on my mind. Mary, Joan, Sue and I are heading for Kauai, in June, for a week. I will be able to cross off “Visit Kauai” from my “To Do Before I Die” list. Also, Joan and Sue will enjoy visiting the hospital in Waimea where they both were born. This trip will be Mary’s first year back, since we left there for the mainland in 1962. Mary and I have many fond memories of the four and a half years that we lived on Kauai - while Hawaii was a Territory, and also after it became our 50th state in 1959.
Back to the de Young. Very few people paid any attention to the beautiful paintings. I did a little wandering. I liked the furniture exhibit. There were seventeen antique chairs sitting (sic) in a row. Each was a different type. Alongside was a huge walnut - laurel-wooden bench. It must have been at least nine feet wide. I would have liked to have seen the Amish Quilts exhibit but time was of the essence. Next time.
We left the museum at 1:55. A Brinks truck is parked at the curb. I guess they are picking up all the $20 bills that people paid to enter. We are on Oak Street, one way - inbound. Shell is posting gas at $3.16. Oak Street is not nearly as appealing as Fell Street - run down buildings which are not as attractive. Yet, the two streets run parallel to each other, with a landscaped island separating the two. I notice that we are passing the Cow Palace. The San Francisco Jail is on our right - adjacent to the freeway - convenient for a quich get-away in case of a jai break. We are now on the lower deck of the Bay Bridge heading eastbound. The speed limit used to be 55mph, until a truck went off the bridge trying to negotiate a detour curve. Since then, the speed limit has been reduced to 40mph at the curve. The roadside radar unit, west of Yuerba Buena, clocks our mass of traffic at 27. We pass The city limit demarcation sign - between Oakland and San Francisco - in the middle of the bridge. One of Hyundai’s container ships is berthed at the Port of Oakland - off to our right. The sun is out now, as we exit the bridge, but it is still cloudy.
We are passing Marriott’s Courtyard hotel in Emeryville. It is attractive and inviting. The Oakland estuary is running along the east side of the I-80 freeway. Sometimes I see crews rowing in their sculls - practicing. But, not today. I start day dreaming. I am wondering what is the average age for all the cars in the country? I guessed that a 2005 model would be about it. Obviously my estimate is not scientific. I not only based it on a small sample that I am observing along side, but also, I can’t identify a 2005 model from any other model year! At least, I don’t think that anyone can dispute my instinctive estimate. I thought about this statement, and “Googled” the topic. A National Auto Dealers’ study in 2001 found that 61% of the vehicles on the road, were older than seven years. A 2008 Polk study estimated the median age of the countrys‘ “fleet” at 9.4 years! This is hard for me to believe even considering that people have been hanging on to their cars longer during this recession. Annual new car sales/leases, before the recession, were around 17 million a year. The past two years the sales of new cars dropped to about 9 million. By not buying new cars, it pushes the average age upwards. The cars I am looking at today don’t look that old. Maybe California cars aren’t representative. I am sorry that I brought it up.
Steam is coming out of the California & Hawaiian Sugar Company refinery in Crockett - a sign that people are working. Yet, there is no cargo of raw sugar being unloaded. Tony is passing a truck hauling a container. I wonder if it is from the Hyundai? Now, it is overcast. With dark clouds wandering through the area. I can see rain falling to the east, The cattle are out in the pastures eating now. Steam is also coming out of the Budweiser plant in Fairfield - another good sign. The rain shower that I just saw must have moved through here in Fairfield, as the streets are wet. We arrive back at Quail Creek at 3:05, after having a great experience. I am already looking forward to next years Exhibition.
RCL - 4/24/10.