Maybeck Masterpieces

There is much to be said for adult education. Today I took a course on the works of Californian architectural pioneer Bernard Maybeck. Like Louis Sullivan who was overshadowed by his apprentice Frank Lloyd Wright, Maybeck is often overshadowed by Julia Morgan, best known for her designs for Hearst Castle. Maybeck's most iconic building may be San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts, but some of his truly greatest achievements are in Berkeley, and I was lucky to tour five of them.

The course was taught by Mark Wilson who has already written a book about Morgan and has a new volume on Maybeck scheduled for 2011. He was a deft, knowledgeable instructor, and a great lecture was followed by a walking tour that made a circular route of five masterpieces around and on the UC Berkeley campus.

We started with the Men's Faculty Club on the UC Berkeley Campus.

Next up was the Hillside Club on Cedar, a place I've passed many times. From the street it looks like an unassuming bungalow, but inside is a theater with echoes of Tudor era London and the Globe Theatre.

Then it was a short hop over to the Flagg House, close to several other Maybeck homes, whose owners have preserved the integrity of the master's initial vision.

Up on Maybeck Twin Drive (named after his grand daughters who still live in the area), we got to glimpse at several important homes by Maybeck and his students, including a garage door with ornamentation painted by the master himself.

The grand finale was what many consider to be his greatest achievement, the First Church of Christ, Scientist, where at least five styles converge seamlessly.

The Tao of Waiting

One of the comments that most frequently baffles me from my coworkers, especially from the numerous women I've supervised through the years, is that I never get mad, never swear and have incredible patience. I always respond by qualifying, "Oh, you should see me when I'm alone or driving."

Actually I don't enjoy using four letter words except in moments of extreme stress. I've always said that using them in casual conversation is like a newspaper using 120 point type to announce a garden club tea and social. My favorite non-profane insult is "worthless sewer maggot" (screamed especially behind rolled up windows at four-way stops, the ultimate test of passive-aggressive behavior).

This week I have used a number of four letter words, albeit behind closed doors and (I hope) out of ear shot of dainty Miss Bow. My refrigerator saga continues. The dude told me this morning that he'd be by between 1-4 p.m. at 7 p.m. he finally returned my call to say that he ordered my part this afternoon, and it might be in as early as Thursday and he'll try to get to it.

The super-cool European beveled tile that I planned to install today through Thursday and took four personal days to accomodate may arrive this week...or next...or in February. They're not sure. The supplier in Atlanta is not returning their calls.

Stepping out to move my car for street cleaning this afternoon, I discovered that one tire had deflated due to a huge gash in the tread. After not being able to remove the tire since it obviously had been secured by one of those high powered electronic machines at the garage, my dimwitted brain realized that's why I have a AAA membership. They said someone would be by to change it within a two hour window, and then they arrived in three minutes and suggested that they inflate it instead of changing to the spare so I could go to the garage and have them change it.

When I arrived at the garage, my cool mechanic Carlos greeted me with his usual "Yo, boss, how y0u doin' Gregg?" Then he asked why I didn't go ahead and change to the spare and just drop off the tire. He'd have to change it for me and call me back. "In about 2-3 hours. We're really backed up, you know." Four hours later he called to say the car was ready. The new tire will arrive tomorrow. "But get here really early unless you want to wait."

Back in the early 1990s when I first went to West Africa, I prepared by reading the book The Village of Waiting, one in a series written by returned Peace Corps volunteers. It was instructive for that trip, and a reminder of the importance of waiting in so many cultures, and something that exists in such small quantities in this country. In fact, anytime we (and I certainly include myself) are asked to wait, it as if we have been robbed or violated. We would much rather people steal our money than they take up our time.

The many canine behaviorial books remind me that waiting is a crucial part of a dog's life. It is something that a dog can do very well when it really wants something. Every time I look at Bow, I am reminded of this, even though her impatience is often the layer that I first see. She keeps teaching me how she ultimately know very well how to wait. This weekend, we did our first volunteer assignment of a potential foster home in the East Bay. I was thrilled that the couple were so wonderful and had a super handsome basenji boy who was excited to meet Bow. I whole-heartedly approved them, and they will be taking in an 11-year-old female who has had to go into rescue because her guardian is an elderly woman in the final stages of dementia. I'm so glad that this may work out, since every time I look at the sad eyes of this basenji senior lady, my heart breaks since it's so obvious she senses the changes afoot in her life. I hope her waiting proves to bring a happy final years with a new male playmate. And I hope Bow played a small role in bringing about this transition for her.

Death and Coffee in Oakland

Yesterday evening while Friendatella and I were killing a little time before the movies at the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland, we were struck by the Day of the Dead Coffee shop which was dead itself with the doors locked. The blue bonneted vision of loveliness a few doors down reminded us of Bryce Digdug who wore a similar bonnet to the Hunky Jesus pageant a few weeks back. (I've been very proud that this video of mine has received many hits after being linked from several right wingnut sites.)

Like many naive San Franciscans, we ventured into this somewhat upscale Oakland neighborhood where there have been several armed robberies at pricey restaurants. The police described the suspects as "teenage boys in hoodies". That really narrows the field, doesn't it?