Sunday, August 23, 2015

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry - hot London

Sleeping in a tent in the garden

Watching the graffiti artists finish their pieces in Leake St tunnel for Battle of Waterloo

Sunset by City Hall with Annie & Dan watching Tower Bridge open & close and the sun sink in the City

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry

Digging out my old glasses (the French ones)

Watching Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl in the wake of Amy

Picking raspberries, blackberries and blackcurrants at dusk on the allotments

Monday, August 17, 2015

Creative Accounting #387

Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl / Amy Winehouse in Amy = unconventional Jewish beauty with extraordinary musical talent

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry


  • San Francisco
  • Bernal Heights
  • Mission / Valencia
  • SFO - LHR

  1. Playing bridge in Boogaloo Cafe on Valencia (and talking comics to the waiter)
  2. Walking en famille in the sunshine (around Valencia / Dolores)
  3. Playing chess on my dad's old set with D

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Today's Happiness Experiment Entry - Frisco


  • San Francisco
  • Bernal Hill
  • Bernal Heights
  • Embarcadero
  • Golden Gate Bridge (by bicycle)
  • Sausalito
  • Mission

  1. Cycling over the Golden Gate Bridge with N including down by Fort Point where Vertigo was shot
  2. "most authentic meal" of the trip with N at Baby Blues BBQ - with two great BBQ sauces
  3. listening to Roger Graef's Desert Island Discs and Giles Andreae's Inheritance Tracks on top of Bernal Hill

Monday, August 10, 2015

Today's Happiness Experiment entry - San Francisco


  • San Francisco
  • Alcatraz & Embarcadero
  • Russian Hill & Nob Hill (cable car)

  1. finding out about the Red Power occupation of Alcatraz
  2. walking up Russian Hill for the views in the late afternoon - and cable-carring down again
  3. reading The Subterraneans on the front balcony and in the sheltered back garden at sundown with the smoke of the recent bushfires (100 miles) to the north of SF drifting across the hills

Sunday, August 09, 2015

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry - The Beat goes on


  • San Francisco
  • Bernal Heights
  • North Beach

  1. Listening to live jazz in North Beach at Washington Square while reading The Subterraneans
  2. Recreating the recreation of the Jack Kerouac-Neal Cassady photo after 11 years with N & D
  3. Playing bridge over brunch on our local high street (Bernal Heights)

Saturday, August 08, 2015

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry - San Francisco


  • Monterey
  • San Francisco - Bernal Heights
  • Oakland 

  1. walking around Oakland First Fridays festival with Richard Hart (including some top hummus)
  2. sitting reading on the balcony of 117 Prospect Ave, Bernal Heights, SF (finishing Laurel Canyon by Michael Walker - third book of the trip) in the windy sunshine overlooking the city
  3. being driven through San Francisco out of Downtown to Mission into its low-rise European style vibe

Friday, August 07, 2015

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry - Monterey CA


  • Monterey (incl. Aquarium)
  • Monterey Bay

  1. Watching whales, sea otters, a shark, dolphins and other animals in Monterey Bay with N & U
  2. Looking at jellyfish, all kinds of fish and other sea-life in Monterey Aquarium with D & U
  3. Walking home at night in a lightening storm with N & D

Thursday, August 06, 2015

Recent Happiness Experiment entries

2/8/15
  • San Luis Obispo
  • Cayucos
  • San Simeon
  • Big Sur

  1. D lighting fire in Lower Creek House, Deetjen's, Big Sur
  2. Unearthing the history of Cayucos - Capt. Carr's landing to Western street
  3. View of Hearst Castle and surrounding landscape from San Simeon, in particular the smooth hills
3/8/15
  • Big Sur
  • Andrew Molena Beach

  1. hummingbird (my 3rd?) in red-flower tree above Deetjen's outdoor breakfast
  2. swimming where Big Sur river meets Andrew Molena Beach
  3. watching surfers at Andrew Molena Beach with N after a walk past eucalyptus grove
4/8/15
  • Big Sur
  • Castro Canyon
  • Pfeiffer Beach

  1. fertility rite in Castro Canyon
  2. the 4 of us playing bridge at Riverside Inn
  3. walking Pfeiffer Beach with D
5/8/15
  • Big Sur
  • Carmel
  • Monterey

  1. listening to the stream up Castro Canyon - an orchestra of nature
  2. re-visiting Old Capitol Books, Monterey 11 years on - picked up 60s edition of Kerouac's The Subterraneans and Yael Dayan's June 1967 diary
  3.  re-creating map of USA with N


Recent Happiness Experiment entries - California

30/7/15

  • Venice

  1. Jog to pier at Venice 
  2. Listening to The Doors at the Jim mural (Speedway & 18th) with N&D
  3. Wander along Rose Ave, Venice and back-streets

31/7/15
·      Venice
·      Pismo Beach
·      San Luis Obispo



1.     Finding out that, as well as staying on Jim Morrison’s street, we were by the location of the first Chaplin Tramp film (Kid Auto Races at Venice) – 1302 Pacific & Westminster Av
2.     Dylan spotting a cute movie star over breakfast at Gjusta – Cody Horn (from Magic Mike)
3.     Watching surfers at sunset from a cliff at Pismo

1/8/15
·      San Luis Obispo
·      Morro Bay



1.     Seeing seals while out kayaking as sundown at Morro Bay
2.     Buying vinyl at Boo Boo record store est. 1974
3. Reading To Kill a Mockingbird with U by the river in San Luis Obispo under the trees and in the cloisters of the nearby Mission