Loyal Pet Shop in Rockridge district of Oakland, CA has pet supplies and cat adoptions

Yesterday I went for a  walk on College Avenue with my dog and I stopped by Loyal Pet Shop on College Avenue in the Rockridge District of Oakland.  This pet store is such a friendly place and there is a large cage with kittens for adoption from Hopalong Rescue.  They have volunteers who come and play and socialize the kitties so they are really sweet!

I am so happy there is a pet store in Rockridge again!

Recommended local Mexican Restaurant in Napa, CA - Great character and excellent chips!

A friend who lives in Napa took my son and I to Las Palmas Mexican Restaurant today in Napa, CA.  It was delicious.  The chips and salsa were outstanding!

I love the design, it was very cozy!

Resources:

Las Palmas
1730 Yajome street
Napa, CA

(707) 257-1514
Chef Juan Lopez

Black Butte Porter from Deschutes Brewery, Bend, Oregon- Brewery and Public house

My husband loves Black Butte Porter from Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon.  Next time we visit Oregon I want to check out the Deschutes Public House in Bend or Portland.

Deschutes Brewery and Public House
1044 NW Bond Street
Bend, OR  97701
(541) 382-9242

Deschutes Brewery and Public House
210 NW 11th Avenue
Portland, Oregon  97209
(503)  296-4906

www.deschutesbrewery.com

Describing Black Butte Porter

"An Opening volley, this pioneering dark ale signaled Deschutes renegade intentions.  It's creamy mouthfeel, complex layers, hop edge and chocolate finish personify passion forward brewing."

Big Break Regional Park

The next night, we went to a campfire presentation at Big Break.  Located on the Delta, close to where the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers meet, Big Break is another park in the East Bay Regional Parks system.  It gets its name because a levee flooded the area near the park in the late 1920s.  Unable to pump the water out of the farm it had flooded, the area was declared a navigable waterway, and the nearby dry land became the park.

Here, the campfire presentation began during daylight.  The rangers and docents organized about a half-dozen different activities -- bird-watching, a game of tag, observations of Delta water under magnifying glasses to view water-life, observing animal bones and remains, a nature walk through the parkland, and (of course), smores-making.

Campfires at the East Bay Regional Parks

Last weekend, we went to two very different parks in the East Bay Regional Park system.  We also participated in two very different sets of campfire activities.  Both were a lot of fun!

On Saturday night, we went to the Anthony Chabot campground for an evening campfire.  The campfire is held at an ampetheater situated high above Lake Chabot.  It is about a 20-minute drive above Highway 13.

The campfire started at dusk.  Park rangers made a presentation about bears.  Among other things, we learned about differences between brown and black bears.  "Smokey the Bear" also made an appearance.

Overlooking Lake Chabot:

 The ampetheater:

Dogs welcome on leash:

Doggy fan of Smokey the Bear:

Watching the presentation:

Smores!