In MacKerricher State Park at Laguna Point, you can walk out on the board walk to view wild waves and wildlife. On one of those picture perfect days last week, I look visitors out to the the point for a look-sea. We were treated to close up views of a half dozen surfers catching 8-10 foot waves. A few yards away, brilliant wild blue-green seas created huge water explosions as they crashed on rocks along the shore. From downtown Fort Bragg, you can bike, jog or walk to this point. Or drive your car to a parking lot located right at the entrance to the board walk. Winter is the best time to be here as the big storms break with incredible force against our 50-foot high cliffs and onto long, lonely stretches of sandy beach.
This tiny seacoast town in Northern California, once known for its logging industry, now boasts of the world’s biggest and oddest nurseries. And whether you are a tourists or local, you’re encouraged to browse, photograph, relax, picnic, gawk, or buy. Read the rest of this entry »
On Saturday, December 6th come and enjoy Fort Bragg’s Christmas celebration on Main Street. Santa will be visiting the children starting at 5 pm at the Guest House Museum, the Tree Lighting Ceremony, complete with carolers, will begin at 6 pm on the lawn and at 7 pm the streets will be brightened by the Holiday Lights Parade.
The Fort Bragg Kiwanis will again be organizing and coordinating the Parade with all the proceeds going to their “Toys for Kids” program. Each Christmas “Toys for Kids” distributes new toys to the children of our community. With donations from local merchants, caring individuals and year-long fundraising, last year the Kiwanis were able to give presents to 600 children!
For more information regarding the upcoming Christmas festivities or if you want to volunteer at any event, contact Mary at 964-9440.
It’s free and it ought to be fun. And you can get your flu shots for a nominal fee at the 3rd Annual Mendocino Coast District Hospital Community Health & Wellness Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. As in previous years the hospital will be including free and low cost health screenings. Displays and exhibits will include local Chiropractors, Acupuncturists, Massage Therapists, Homeopaths, a Hypnotherapist and more. Event at 700 River Road in Fort Bragg at the hospital campus.
The third in a series of great First Friday Art Walk programs is coming up this week. Some highlights:
Shop at your favorite stores until 8 pm; visit 7 galleries and find local artists’ work in many shops and restaurants; enjoy music from Foxglove; delight to the Rock Rose Belly Dancers; free family swim and skate at the Rec Center 7-9 pm (behind City Hall); Water Soluble Oil Paint Demo and Play at Racine’s 6-8 pm; make your own mask contest at Cowlick’s Ice Cream, 5-8 pm. It’s great fun.
The Go-Dog-Go art-making party at Racine’s office and art supply store on Franklin Street Saturday morning wasn’t actually a competition. But it was a wild cacaphony of canine’s dipping their paws (video) in paint and leaving their artistic imprints on two canvases. Dozens of dogs participated as part of the 2nd Annual Huckleberries and Hounds Festival. It seemed like pandemonium at times as pets, from bulldogs to boxers and chihuahuas to pitbulls qued up to make their marks. Becky Mikesell, Racine’s owner, did an amazing job of organizing the event. One of the two canvases will be sold at auction to raise money for the Mendocino County Dog Owners Group, who will use the money to build a second off-lease dog park on the Coast.
I just read a posting on Yelp - a site where real people write travel reviews - from Peggy P. of San Diego about Liquid Fusion, just south of Fort Bragg in Noyo Harbor. Peggy’s review of kayaking on a calm day near Fort Bragg may be just what it takes to finally get me out on the ocean.
Peggy says, ”This is the best coastal kayaking in all of California! Paddling only four miles took six hours because there were so many caves, arches, wave pour-overs, sea birds and seals to check out. Big safe beaches to land on and launch from and two expert guides to take us safely through every feature. Jeff is one of the best kayak coaches in the U.S., and Cate knows where every Heron and River Otter make their homes. Don’t let another four-day weekend go by without a kayak tour in this awe-inspiring corner of our natural world!”
Fort Bragg’s annual Paul Bunyan Day parade (see video) seemed huge today, a seemingly endless stream of cheerleaders, bands, animals, coast guard vehicles, logging trucks: you name it, they seemed to be there. Of course, following the parade was the logging show and barbecue up at Todd’s Point. As one of two dozen volunteers helping the local police department manage traffic for the 90-minute event, I had a front row seat. The day was sunny with just a hint of a breeze. The crowds were excited. It was a perfect day and a great parade.
If I didn’t know any better, I’d think the chefs of Fort Bragg were trying to outdo themselves with special huckleberry infused foods during the 2nd Annual Huckleberries and Hounds Festival scheduled for Sept. 26-28.
Breakfast
Cafe One will offer scones and pancakes.
Eggheads will add huckleberries to their famous Kansas Cakes.
Mendocino Cookie Company will create a huckleberry bran muffin.
Dinner
vCanto says its pastry chef is planning a gourmet dessert.
The Restaurant plans for a gourmet chicken dish with huckleberry sauce and huckleberry dessert.
Mendo Bistro will create a venison leg with huckleberry sauce and a frozen vanilla bean souffle with huckleberry soup.
Rendezvous Chef Kim Badenhop is working on a special menu to be revealed later this week.
More on specific plans as they unveil them in the next week.
After rave reviews for last year’s Huckleberries and Hounds Festival, the Fort Bragg Promotion Committee decided to fund the event for a second year. This year, however, the festival will be moved from the third week of October to the end of September, closer to the midpoint of the huckleberry growing season. Huckleberry King and area supplier Eric Schramm, who invented a machine to clean the pea-size fruit so it’s ready for cooking up pancakes, creating sauces and making ice cream, is gearing up for the season. Johanna Jensen of the Mendocino County Dog Owners Group (McDog) has organized the dog events for a second year. Most interesting to me: doggie art making. Paint will be applied to their feet so they can create their art by running up and down the aisles on an art canvas at Racine’s, an office and art supply store on Franklin Street in Fort Bragg. That will be a sight to see. More than a dozen local restaurants are expected to offer huckleberry infused treats. Among them: Egghead’s corn meal Kansas Cakes and Cafe One’s huckleberry scones.
In MacKerricher State Park at Laguna Point, you can walk out on the board walk to view wild waves and wildlife. On one of those picture perfect days last week, I look visitors out to the the point for a look-sea. We were treated to close up views of a half dozen surfers catching 8-10 foot waves. A few yards away, brilliant wild blue-green seas created huge water explosions as they crashed on rocks along the shore. From downtown Fort Bragg, you can bike, jog or walk to this point. Or drive your car to a parking lot located right at the entrance to the board walk. Winter is the best time to be here as the big storms break with incredible force against our 50-foot high cliffs and onto long, lonely stretches of sandy beach.
