Castro Valley Boulevardier

Still Alive

2010-04-28T23:59:00.001-07:00

Dear friends and readers:

Fear not. Your Boulevardier is still alive. He has been a bit overwhelmed by multiple simultaneous challenges and has let this blog lapse.

Sometime in early May it is hoped that we will return in a different -- ideally, better -- format. Some technical challenges await in the meantime, and the personal and professional lives have to swing back into balance.

Please check back occasionally. As Your Boulevardier has no way to reach out to you, he can only hope that you will check on him occasionally.

With kindest regards,

Your Boulevardier

Around The World To Castro Valley

2010-03-30T09:55:00.000-07:00

Your Boulevardier spotted a flyer in the window of Eden Bicycles for a program that looks fascinating. On Saturday, April 10 a t 7:00 p.m., Castro Valley native Rick Gunn will present "Soulcycler" at the Center for the Arts. This multimedia program will feature words and images from Gunn's three-year, 25,811-mile bicycle journey around the world.

Tickets are $10 general, $5 for students. Check Rick Gunn's website, linked above, for more info about Soulcycler.

Lines In The Sand

2010-03-26T09:03:00.000-07:00

Your Boulevardier is not a fan of graffiti. Yes, he supposes some graffiti can be art, but much more of it seems to be vandalism and a sort of silent conflict; one group tags a structure, declaring it their territory; another tags the same structure more aggressively, which in their mind revokes the first group's claim; and on and on. Nobody wins, and the owner of the structure loses.

While Your Boulevardier feels strongly about this, he also has to acknowledge a certain appreciation for one form of tagging that seem to have a more benign intention. Specifically, along a walk on Somerset Avenue the other day he noticed two patterns stenciled on the ground. One is of an angel, the other a seahorse. (Because of technical problems, only one is pictured here; the other will be added soon.)

Your Boulevardier suspects that the two were done by different persons, because the styles are so different: the seahorse is solid and chunky, while the angel is stenciled in reverse and has an airy feel to it. (The techniques are appropriate to the subject matter, he thinks.) Yet the black paint used is the same, so perhaps the same individual painted both. One can't know, but if they were created by two people, they do not seem in conflict with one another.

While it's always best to walk looking up -- for safety, and for appreciation of these fine spring days -- Your Boulevardier may cast his eyes downward from time to time over the next few weeks to look for more examples of sidewalk graffiti.

Spring Bouquets

2010-03-24T23:13:00.001-07:00

Your Boulevardier noticed this lovely array of faux freesias with colorful ribbons outside Dried & Tied in Castro Village the other day. The arrangements did a lovely job of heralding the arrival of springtime.

Our springlike weather in Castro Valley is turning wintery again, for a short time. Tonight's rain is not unwelcome, as one has grown tired of watering here at Chez Boulevardier.

Apologies, as ever, for the dearth of posts. Family duties have called. A few walks have been made, and a few stories collected; finding time to share them becomes the challenge. Thank you for your patience.

A Little Cleanup, A Little News, A Little Plug

2010-03-10T16:35:00.000-08:00

The Cleanup I: Your Boulevardier thanks reader mdbill4u for decoding "FOB" as "Friend of Boulevardier." It was intended as a takeoff on the name given to the close circle of longtime friends of former President Bill Clinton, who were sometimes referred to as F.O.B.'s, or Friends of Bill. (The previous link is well worth following, by the way.) A little more research has also found that "Friends of Bill" is also a term used in Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs, as Bill W. was the founder of that worthy organization.

The Cleanup II: The FOB who submitted the Redwood Road offramp photo has informed Your Boulevardier that they were, in fact, snapped on Tuesday morning, not on Tuesday afternoon. So, in a spirit of full disclosure, Your Boulevardier corrects himself and announces that they were posted within a few hours of being taken, but not within a few minutes.

The News: The web hosting arrangement used by the Castro Valley Boulevardier will soon undergo a change. This is necessitated by technical changes at Blogger, but Your Boulevardier hopes to use it as an opportunity to clean up and improve the blog. However, it also promises to be quite a hassle. Please stay tuned.

The Plug: Facebook users who love Castro Valley are encouraged to check out CV Legends, a Facebook group dedicated to all things Castro Valley. (If that link doesn't work, simply search for "CV Legends" on Facebook.) The format is simple: the host posts a photo, and readers riff on it. Judging by the comments, many of the readers are former Castro Valleyans, aged 30 and up, but that's probably an overgeneralization. Most importantly, the discussions among the 1600+ members are lively and fun.

Myco Mania

2010-03-10T15:21:00.000-08:00

The wood chip-covered vacant lot behind Peet's Coffee on Redwood Road -- home of the annual Boy Scout Christmas Tree Lot -- is today sporting hundreds and hundreds of mushrooms. Your Boulevardier assumes that the spores were somehow carried by the mulch that is used to keep down the weeds on the lot, and that our copious winter rains have encouraged the fungi to grow and propagate.

The bloom -- if that's the appropriate word for a mushrooming spurt of mushroom growth -- was better a few days ago. The plants (again, if that's the right word) were fuller and lighter in color. Unfortunately, Your Boulevardier was not able to snap a photo at the time. Now, the mushrooms are starting to collapse and return to the earth. It will be interesting to note if they reappear next year, and in what quantity. (And, if a mycologist is among the readership, it would be interesting to know what variety of mushrooms these are.)

A Boulevardier First

2010-03-09T17:25:00.001-08:00

A FOB sent photos from his iPhone showing concrete being poured for the westbound I-580 offramp to Redwood Road. Your Boulevardier's favorite shot is reproduced here, within 10 minutes of the picture being taken.

A Bank of Trees

2010-03-08T22:26:00.000-08:00

Several days ago, Your Boulevardier noticed an unusual group of trees next to the Chase Bank on Castro Valley Boulevard. He snapped this photo, which is not very good; a close inspection (click the photo for a better view) shows that 14 small tree trunks all blend into the same petite canopy of foliage. It's eccentric landscaping, and he was surprised to see it by a staid bank building. He's giving it the coveted "garden art" tag, even though he doubts it's an intentional act of topiary.

P.S. Your Boulevardier got caught in today's brief hailstorm during his afternoon walk today. It was not unwelcome or unpleasant, but it was certainly unexpected.

Bump And Grind

2010-03-04T17:06:00.000-08:00

Your Boulevardier met an old friend -- actually, his junior high music teacher -- for coffee at Peet's early this afternoon. The gentleman wanted advice on a new gadget he had purchased, and Your Boulevardier was happy for the excuse to get together and chat -- about musical instruments, electronics, mutual friends, travels, and the joys and complications of life.

Not long before we arrived, a car just outside of Peet's had missed its parking spot and plowed into Marshall Steel Cleaners. Your Boulevardier does not know the circumstances or if anyone was hurt.

This incident isn't the only automotive excitement in town. Last night after 9:00 p.m., as Your Boulevardier was driving home from a rehearsal, he noticed the CHP directing traffic at the intersection of Santa Maria Avenue and Castro Valley Boulevard. It turns out a vehicle had crashed into the control box that's planted in the lawn near the bus stop between Rigatoni's and the corner. (Truth be told, Your Boulevardier had never noticed the box before.) This rendered the traffic lights nonoperational.

Tax Season Is Upon Us

2010-03-02T19:50:00.000-08:00

Your Boulevardier has, once again, fallen behind on postings. It's not for lack of material; it's for lack of a much more precious commodity: time. Work has been very busy, leaving time for walks but not time for writing about walks.

Another profession that is busy this time of the year is that of tax preparer. Dueling sign-carrying dancers have been at work in front of the H&R Block and Liberty Income Tax offices on Castro Valley Boulevard, luring in those for whom a person in a gown the color of aged French copper seems like a reliable advisor in financial matters.

Those who are less inclined to follow a human-animated sign would do well to look for this gem, which Your Boulevardier and Mon Petit Chou spotted the other week as lunch was eaten at Swiss Delices.

There's much to admire in this hand-painted beauty: the rich, albeit faded, color scheme (Your Boulevardier counts at least seven different hues), the artistic touches (the flower over the "i" and the pointing finger, for example), and the unusual typography leap out. One hopes Don & Linda's Tax Service keeps the sign forever.

Tuesday Tiptoe Through the Town

2010-02-18T11:21:00.000-08:00

Mon Petit Chou was kind enough to make the trip to the City of Lite this last Tuesday to do her reading while Your Boulevardier worked at his desk. A stopping point arrived at around 11:00 a.m., and a walk downtown and an early lunch was proposed and accepted. Your Boulevardier's standard route to Castro Village was taken, but new eyes were applied to the familiar scenes. One of the images that caught those new eyes was of this magnolia campbelii putting on a fabulous show against the wall of T-Kane Karate.

The early-springlike weather has encouraged many other trees around Castro Valley to blossom as well; rain is predicted for this weekend, and Your Boulevardier is curious whether the precipitation will interfere with pollination.

Lunch was found at Swiss Delices. Two different sandwiches (chicken curry, and mozzarella and tomato) were procured, and each was cut in half so both diners got a little variety. The sandwiches were excellent -- the bread particularly so -- and the shop's staff volunteered two small bites of pastry for dessert, which were gratefully accepted and enthusiastically consumed.

In all, it was a perfect day for a walk and a lovely time. As aforementioned, inclement weather is forecast, so Your Boulevardier encourages readers to enjoy the sunshine while you can.

Noodling On Nunes

2010-02-11T08:09:00.000-08:00

One of Your Boulevardier's favorite spots in Castro Valley is the house on Nunes Avenue that has a seasonally adjusted collection of homemade garden art. For Valentine's Day (and indeed, the entire month of February so far) this has been the display.

A hearty tip of the beret goes to the creator of these charming cutouts.

Bubbling Beauty

2010-02-10T08:54:00.000-08:00

For the umpteenth time, the fountain at El Rancho STEAK House was soaped again yesterday. And for the umpteenth time, Your Boulevardier has decided to report on it.

Perhaps this particular bit of mischief attracts Your Boulevardier's eye because soaping a fountain is one of the few harmless pranks -- one might say acts of vandalism -- that he played in his all-too-tame adolescence. (The steakhouse fountain did not exist then, of course; his soaping was done to the waterworks, now a planter, by the Hayward Public Library.)

This fountain, it's believed, does not contain ichthyic life, even though it is maintained by Connie's Pond & Garden -- just up the Boulevard -- which also sells fish. So perhaps the occasional spate of suds is not a bad thing. Certainly, it's a hassle for the good Rancheros. But it also certainly can be day-brightening to a pedestrian passer-by.

Instant Conflict

2010-02-09T19:44:00.000-08:00

Your Boulevardier noticed new advertisements on Castro Valley Boulevard, including a billboard and a bus shelter poster, hawking instant coffee. One wonders who the intended target of the new ads might be.

Truth be told, Your Boulevardier does not understand the appeal of instant coffee. He uses a #2 Melitta cup-top coffeemaker when he requires a single dose of demon caffeine, and finds it just as fast -- and vastly superior in quality -- to instant coffee.

Goings and Comings and Goings

2010-02-06T16:01:00.000-08:00

Your Boulevardier notes that Worthington Photography has vacated its spot in the building it shared with the Ice Creamery on Castro Valley Boulevard, and moved a block west to the corner of Chester Street. In its place, signs indicate that the I Love Stained Glass Shoppe will take up residence; it's not known (by Your Boulevardier, that is) whether their shop(pe) on Grand Avenue in Hayward will close, of if this will be an extension of that business. And while Your Boulevardier is a fan of I Love Stained Glass Shoppe -- he gave the late Madame Boulevardier's stained glass tools and materials to the shop when she died -- he is not completely certain that stained glass and ice cream are a good mix. It remains to be seen.

Around the corner on Redwood Road, the Hollywood Video/Game Crazy store is closing. Two sign-waving barkers were noted earlier today on Redwood Road, attempting to draw shoppers to the going out of business sale. Your Boulevardier has never been a patron, but is saddened to see any business close.

Considering the difficult times, Your Boulevardier has been surprised that more Castro Valley businesses -- and, in particular, its restaurants -- have not failed or consolidated in the last two years. It's hoped that, as the economy improves, conditions will pick up for everyone.

Wholly Clean

2010-02-03T08:40:00.001-08:00

Last weekend Your Boulevardier was hosting the Subcompact Loaner, and so more walks were taken in our immediate neighborhood. This piece of garden art has been noticed many times before, but this time a photo was snapped.

It is a statue of the Virgin Mary, and yes, the protective shell behind her appears to be fashioned from a bathtub. (Click the photo for a closer view.) It's quite beautifully and respectfully done, in Your Boulevardier's opinion, and clever to boot. In its shape and in its blue color, it evokes the grotto at Lourdes. There's also an unexpected touch of whimsy in the whole thing.

If readers can suggest other pieces of Castro Valley garden art Your Boulevardier should check out, please post in the comments or email your.boulevardier@gmail.com.

Feats of Clé

2010-02-01T22:03:00.000-08:00

Your Boulevardier spent most of the day away today, and after dinner at home he realized he had not yet collected the mail from his Post Office Box. She evening was cool and clear, so an after-dinner walk downtown seemed in order. After 20 minutes of brisk marching, the mail was collected. After that, a stop was made at Trader Joe's on the way home. The walk was, in total, about 60 minutes.

Upon arriving home, Your Boulevardier realized he did not have his keys. He emptied his pockets and his shopping bag, to no avail. But he had had it at the Post Office. Thinking he had left it tangling in his PO Box -- sadly, not an entirely unlikely possibility -- he walked back to the post office after stashing the groceries in the side yard.

No keys were to be found.

Soeur de Boulevardier was phoned. She grabbed her copy of the key to Chez Boulevardier and drove downtown. She delivered Your Boulevardier home and waited in the car until her copy of the key was returned.

Tomorrow, Your Boulevardier will visit the Post Office again in hopes that a Good Samaritan found the keys and slipped them through the mail slot. Cross your fingers, readers. Replacing the keys is no big deal, but it is a hassle Your Boulevardier would prefer not to go through.

The Other Castro Village

2010-01-31T10:43:00.000-08:00

Your Boulevardier took BART to San Francisco last night to meet friends and take in Fritz Lang's Human Desire as part of the Noir City festival at the Castro Theatre. He noticed this sign at the corner of Castro and 19th Streets.

To which Your Boulevardier exclaims: Share The Love.

Lengths and Breaths

2010-01-31T10:12:00.000-08:00

Your Boulevardier is once again hosting the Subcompact Loaner this weekend, and the sun is shining, so this morning was a good one to get out for a long walk on Castro Valley Boulevard. The first stop on our journey was Valley Java, where Your Boulevardier feels safe tying up the SL for a brief moment. (His unease with doing so at busier, more exposed places is explained here.) Our arrival occurred before the church rush, so the shop was quiet, with only a few customers at the tables and soft jazz audible over the hubbub.

Your Boulevardier was tempted to take a peek at the hospital construction site, but opted instead to head east on the Boulevard. It was noted that the ARCO station at Wisteria Street is closed due to an Alcoholic Beverage Control violation. Interesting to note that they're not selling gas during this shutdown; could it be that the Patrón and Pabst brings in more money than the Petrol?

From there the Post Office was visited. Although the sign announced that dogs were not welcome, Your Boulevardier broke the rules and walked the Subcompact Loaner into the building to check his box. Then the Village was passed through; bowlers were already arriving for their morning observances.

Near Peet's, Your Boulevardier had a chance encounter with Paul, the husband of Soeur de Boulevardier. (If there is a colloquial French phrase for "brother-in-law," Your Boulevardier does not know it.) Paul asked if Your Boulevardier was "walking a mop" -- recall that the Subcompact Loaner is a small, white, hairy dog -- and other family news was shared. From there, Your Boulevardier ambulated through the shopping center behind the Wachovia branch that will become Castro Valley's Wells Fargo Bank this coming April. He confirmed that many of the storefronts in the center are vacant, though there is a dentist, a real estate agent, a title company, a hair salon, and a tutoring company in business.

The Boulevard was crossed at Yeandle Avenue -- Rudy's was passed without ducking in, since Your Boulevardier is trying to limit his intake of sweets -- and the under-construction path from Castro Valley Boulevard to the Castro Valley Library was explored. (The work seems to have been stalled by the recent rains.) A book was returned using the Library's nifty self-service electronic scanner, after which the creek was inspected from the footbridge. The streamflow is far calmer than it was just a few days ago, due to the recent dry spell. (Your Boulevardier finds our town's creeks thrilling when they're raging, but much more pleasant when they're just flowing peacefully.)

The rest of the walk to Chez Boulevardier was without incident or observation worthy of reporting. It was a fine morning for a walk, though; the air is clean and smells fresh, the sidewalks and crosswalks are passable (no major flooding or mud traps were encountered) and the sun shone brightly. A fine close to the month of January.

Twilight Walks

2010-01-26T21:43:00.000-08:00

The rains continue to drench Castro Valley, but on two successive late afternoons Your Boulevardier has been able to get out and walk the town. On Monday night he ventured onto Castro Valley Boulevard, first passing through residential neighborhoods as area residents rolled their trash carts to the curb. This evening he braved the post-work grocery store rush at the Lucky supermarket. It's a wonderful time to walk, as the town transitions from the workday world to the home and hearth. Lights glow in windows, but shades are not yet drawn; neighbors are chatting as they haul groceries or check mail; yes, people are eager to get home, but the pace seems gentler, more restful, than at mid-day.

A walker sees that a certain amount of post-storm detritus litters the sidewalks and clogs the gutters. But from what little he saw, Your Boulevardier believes that the town has come through the weeklong-plus deluge in good shape.

There are exceptions, of course. The interchange construction at Redwood Road and I-580 is shut down -- and flooded, on the east side. (A FOB who works for the firm doing the project says that, currently, just 1% of the company’s heavy equipment is in active use statewide.) Just up the road, the demolition of the Center Street offramp from I-580 has paused as well, due perhaps to the creation of a sizeable temporary lakelet next to the freeway.

Your Boulevardier has not checked on how the rains are affecting the other big construction project in town, the building of a new Eden Hospital. However, he was impressed by the seven-phase construction plan recently posted on the hospital’s website by civil engineer Jeff Moore of the Castro Valley-based firm Greenwood & Moore. Reading it is recommended.

And frankly, Your Boulevardier was surprised -- and very pleased -- to read that a local firm is so intimately involved in the hospital project. And he is surprised that Sutter Health has not made a bigger deal out of the fact. Your Boulevardier has walked past the Greenwood & Moore offices on Castro Valley Boulevard hundreds of times and never knew what went on up there. Now the veil is lifted, however slightly. (Not that the firm is mysterious; rather, Your Boulevardier does not have need of civil engineering in his daily life, and has precious little knowledge of what a civil engineer does.)

Continuing our survey of storm effects, Your Boulevardier has not traveled to Lake Chabot to see the precipitation’s impact on the town’s main waterway. If readers have reports, please consider adding them to the comments. (One can do so anonymously.)

But back to the rain’s effects on local business establishments. The enterprises Your Boulevardier visited did not have telltale buckets catching roof leaks. Restaurants seemed fairly busy; bowlers and barflies were practicing their arts; hot coffee was being dispensed with caffeinated vigor; young people danced and kicked and chopped while their parents waited, sometimes impatiently, for after-school classes to finish. Pete’s Hardware seemed to do a brisk business in tarps, galoshes, and other rain-related retail items. Perhaps the hair-and-nail salons were a bit slow, but they always seem to have empty chairs when Your Boulevardier peeks through their windows.

Skies are forecast to be cloudy but dry for a couple of days, with a chance of rain returning on Friday. (Your Boulevardier will again be hosting the Subcompact Loaner this coming weekend, so walking weather is hoped for.) One should not put away the slicker just yet, but we should all attempt to enjoy the respite from the damp while we can. Perhaps another evening walk is called for.

Good Architectural News

2010-01-25T17:47:00.001-08:00

Your Boulevardier received a letter today from his bank, Wells Fargo. The company has decided to consolidate its Castro Valley options into the lovely building at the corner of Castro Valley Boulevard and Redwood Road -- the building that was once World Savings, and which now is Wachovia. (Wells Fargo owns Wachovia.)

This was the very outcome Your Boulevardier hoped for back in October of 2008 when Wells Fargo acquired the collapsing Wachovia. One does not harbor any illusions that the banking powers paid any heed to, or even would deign to acknowledge, this blog. But satisfaction in the resolution is nonetheless derived.

This may not be the best of news for the other merchants in the strip mall (on Castro Valley Boulevard between Anita and San Miguel Streets) where Wells Fargo currently makes its home. The Vella's Locker Room has decamped for San Leandro (taking with it half of its sign), and many Blockbuster Video stores in the Bay Area have already closed. The Asian restaurants, dollar stores, and cleaners have had a tough go of things in that shopping center. Your Boulevardier does not patronize the other shops, so he cannot attest to their health. But certainly losing the walk-in traffic of a busy bank branch cannot be good news.

One can only hope that the converse is true -- that the center surrounding the new location will perk up. Although Your Boulevardier has not inspected it carefully in some time, he believes it to be mostly empty. Time will tell.

Building a Better Ramp

2010-01-18T13:38:00.000-08:00

Since Your Boulevardier has been griping about the new curb cuts and ramps being installed around Castro Valley, he thought it only fair to point out where one such ramp is a considerable improvement.

This ramp was installed at the corner of Stanton Avenue and Castro Valley Boulevard, just in front of the Jiffy Lube. Among its positive attributes is an improved retaining wall for holding back the shop's planter (the old one was made of crumbling wood), and a gentle curve at its west end that gives plenty of clearance around the light pole for wheeled vehicles of many sorts -- wheelchairs and double-wide strollers come to mind.

This latter feature is noted because it is an exception. Indeed, several spots have been noted where short stretches of sidewalk on Castro Valley Boulevard are cluttered with signal boxes, poles, bus shelters, benches, and other objects that make smooth passage a challenge. These will be documented in the coming weeks.

But for now, a tip of the beret is offered to this much-improved ramp.

The Dog-Walking Experience

2010-01-17T10:13:00.000-08:00

It was a year ago today that the Trusty BoulevarDog left us. She has been much on Your Boulevardier’s mind on this anniversary weekend, in part because the Subcompact Loaner is spending a few days Chez Boulevardier. To re-enter the rhythms of dog ownership -- the joys and the complications thereof -- has been an eye-opening reminder of the Trusty BoulevarDog’s absence.

The now-absent dog-owning experience comes into particular focus in the twice- or thrice-daily walks that the Subcompact Loaner requires. She has been an enthusiastic walker these last couple of days, particularly for an animal of her tiny size. Walks of three miles have been undertaken without complaint or signs of exhaustion. The walks require the packing of poop bags (and a flashlight in the evening); the constant scanning of fellow pedestrians to determine those who do desire, or who do not wish, canine contact; the instant camaraderie that a dog-walker shares with other dog-walkers; and more. These factors, and others, make walking with a dog more complicated, but also more joyful and mindful, than walking on one’s own.

(On these walks, both on Stanton and Anita Avenues, our town’s patchwork of sidewalks, and the complications therefrom, have also become painfully apparent. But Your Boulevardier has complained enough about that subject of late.)

There’s an outing-related complication with walking the Subcompact Loaner that did not exist with the Trusty BoulevarDog: the Subcompact Loaner is tiny and, frankly, snatchable. The Trusty BoulevarDog was a good companion for a walk to the grocery store or the barbershop because she could be tied up outside without issue or complaint. She was mellow, but because she was medium-to-large in size and bore markings similar to those of a German Shepherd, she was not messed with by strangers. The Subcompact Loaner, by contrast, is less than 10 pounds in weight, light-colored, fluffy, and just plain cute. Sadly, a dog with those characteristics cannot be left outside a shop for 20 minutes without tempting fate. Sadly, not all people who claim to be dog-lovers are upstanding citizens. Look at all the abandoned dogs at the pound if you disagree.

This is a roundabout way of saying that walks with the Subcompact Loaner tend to be single-purpose outings: to walk the dog. They can’t be combined with dining out, or shopping, or other errands. That is a shortcoming of the Subcompact Loaner -- not a shortcoming of her own making or fault, but a shortcoming nonetheless that must be considered.

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Rereading this post from the top, two things strike Your Boulevardier. One, the post is more about the Subcompact Loaner than about the Trusty BoulevarDog. That’s as it should be. The Trusty BoulevarDog is remembered with love, but she is no longer here; the Subcompact Loaner is, and therefore deserves the attention. This does not, in Your Boulevardier’s opinion, take anything away from the Trusty BoulevarDog or her memory; it simply acknowledges the real world in which some of us are fortunate to live. Memory is a lovely thing, but life is more lovely.

Second, this post might be interpreted as complaining a bit about the Subcompact Loaner. That is not Your Boulevardier’s intention. She’s a fine dog and an entertaining companion. She has many positive attributes, including a skill for lap-sitting that Your Boulevardier finds comforting. She has a joie de vivre that's hard to match.

People frequently ask Your Boulevardier if he plans to get another dog. The stock answer -- which is true -- is “Not for now. It’s nice to be able to simply turn down the thermostat and lock the door when leaving the house. And it’s nice to not have tumbleweeds of dog fur rolling around the floor.”

But it also must be said that having another heartbeat in the house is life-affirming, and by re-experiencing it this weekend its absence is more clear. And there’s nothing that compares with the welcome a dog gives one when one returns home, even if one has ony been gone for a few minutes. There were countless delights in living with the Trusty BoulevarDog, and it’s a delight to host the Subcompact Loaner.

So, the next-dog question remains open. This post will close with a favorite photo of the two dogs. The contentment of them -- and, frankly, the humor of one large dog pouring out of its bed while a tiny dog disappears into its bed -- gives Your Boulevardier a happy feeling on a rainy, melancholy day.

Why we love the Village Barber Shop

2010-01-14T20:30:00.001-08:00

Your Boulevardier had a tough day today. He hit his desk early in the morning, without bathing or shaving. (Such are the privileges of working at home.) Lunch was eaten at the desk. Such days can be fun and exciting, but they can also be exhausting.

Around 3:00 p.m. a window of time opened up. If exercise was to be gotten, this was the opportunity. So a jacket and walking shoes were pulled on, and course was set for The Boulevard. The bank and post office were visited, after which Your Boulevardier cut through Castro Village on his way to Redwood Road.

He found his barber, Terence "Limbo" Lim, sitting on a bench outside the Village Barber Shop. Cordial conversation ensued, and soon Limbo invited Your Boulevardier in for a free trim.

Now remember: the desk had been hit this morning before bathing. To say Your Boulevard was a bit unkept is an understatement. "C'mon in, buddy. I'm not doing anything anyway," Limbo insisted. The offer was accepted. Jokes were made by other barbers that Limbo would be fired for giving away free trims.

It was a perfect treat for an otherwise-tiring day. A major tip of the Beret goes to the Village Barbershop and to Limbo. Thank you!

More Window Vandalism

2010-01-12T08:06:00.000-08:00

Your Boulevardier notes that a large window at Eden Bicycles in Castro Village was boarded up yesterday afternoon. Asking in the shop about the circumstances, he learned that nothing was taken from the store; the vandals simply broke the window and ran. So the spree continues, but has now moved off the Boulevard.