CHIGASAKI STYLE**California Vacation!!
by: Naoki Sakai

 

I recently went to Northern California, San Francisco and Marin County to Palm Springs, east of Los Angeles.  The plan wasn’t a strict schedule, rather, to have fun, fly my drones and see friends.   I have a good buddy living in Marin County, who happens to have a house in Palm Springs, as well.  Leaving Japan was good and a bit edgy, as well, because I had a couple of drones, and although I checked about drones and extra batteries, the paranoia in me said I might not get them through customs.  It wasn’t a problem but having photographic equipment was heavy!!  At any rate, I landed in San Francisco and my friend picked me up, in style.  I’m like…what???  An AMG convertible?

 

 

 

We proceeded to do a lot of driving around, from the hills of Marin county at the ocean, to Napa Valley and wine tasting, to San Francisco and seeing bands at the famous Fillmore.  We saw two different shows there, Jade Bird, an up and coming star and Kikagakumoyo, ironically, a Japanese band, who’s popularity in Europe and America is far beyond its audience in Japan.  They, in fact, left Japan to play their music, because it wasn’t well received, here, but excellent music, if you’re into acid rock! 

 

 

 

I did some drone flying over my friend’s house and in San Francisco, as well.   San Francisco is a beautiful city, and the most interesting mix of people and style.  I visited a friend, whom I went out on Halloween evening as an entire street was closed off for trick or treat, and a lot of parties.  

 

 

 

 

Some days I rode the ferry from Larkspur in Marin county to the port of SF, where the ferry’s land, and it’s right in the financial district, a quick walk away from Union Square.  I was surprised by the great friendliness of people, and service was very good, everywhere.   I was fed well.  Some excellent cafes with great food and a lot of the one food, I absolutely cannot get great taste in Japan, Mexican! Chile Rellenos!  Tamales! homemade chips and salsa!  and those really strong and well salted Margaritas!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My friend got the white Merc flying down the interstate to Palm Springs, about a 10 hour drive.   We got to Palm Springs, where, wow, his second house certainly surprised me completely.  What a resort home!  It is a beautiful house with mountain and desert views from his pool/patio.  I was like, ‘really, dude, are you serious?  This is unbelievable!!’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We visited the surrounding area of Coachella, Palm Desert and went to Joshua Tree National Park(hello U2 fans!!) Coachella is where they have the annual dress up concert weekend, an event which might be called Woodstock in jewels and fashion.   Palm Desert has wide streets and a curious biking community.   The roads were wide for bicycling, everywhere, and I wish I had my DeRosa with me! 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

It was a very dry heat in Palm Springs, getting up to around 35C in temperature, every day of clear, bright skies.  I loved the pool, by the way, it was so refreshing and sweet.  I miss that pool, in Chigasaki, but as a famous man once said, ‘you can’t always get what you want…’  We saw houses of Hollywood icons.  Palm Springs is where the golden age stars would make their second homes because in those days the studios required stars to live within a close radius in case they were needed quickly for filming.   It was quite an assortment of stars’ homes…Frank Sinatra, Liberace, Marilyn Monroe, Ronald Reagan, and the most modern of stars, Leonardo DiCaprio, who bought Dinah Shore’s house(below).   Those houses are on huge plots of land, and only the entrance areas can be seen, as the grounds are protected from paparazzi and people by shrubs and fences.

 

 

We hung out at bars and restaurants, did some dancing and drinking, and it ended all too soon, but fun is a necessary part of life, and I still have a whole lot of fun, in Japan, as well!! 🙂  I’m back at Y’s Road Chigasaki, where you can check out our deck overlooking Southern Beach.  While you’re here you can check out our road and cross bikes, too!! 😉