Old Church

Whenever I am in our garage, I am inevitably on my way somewhere else, and tend not to linger there for long. The other day, however, as I waited for OilMan to come back from getting something out of the house...most likely the keys, which he always forgets... my eye fell on an African print of three woman on the garage wall. The composition, colors and patterns are pleasing and I imagine it wound up on the garage wall because we couldn't figure out where to hang it in the house, but didn't want it buried in the attic.

Although framing things is expensive, I believe that it is essential if an item on paper is to be preserved and enjoyed. I decided it was time to get a nice frame for the African ladies, so I took them off to the framer downtown. It is a beautiful day and It's been awhile since I walked around downtown, so I parked a few blocks away from the framer's shop, and explored a few of the back streets of Santa Rosa. There is more than meets the eye hidden away in the maze of side streets which take all one's concentration to navigate whilst driving a car, but can be a pleasant way to spend an hour or two on foot. Among the places I investigated were Flower and Bone*, what turned out to be a restaurant with a very limited menu, Savory Spice Shop, a wonderful  shop smelling of all things spicy and delicious...can't wait to try the dark chocolate laced sugar on a piece of toast...Portobello Hats a shop with a full range of hats for all occasions and the downtown location of Acre Coffee. People were sitting at the sidewalk tables enjoying the sun in front of an array of small restaurants ranging from Mexican food, to an Irish pub and a tandoori place and the Paris bistro which has delicious beignets...reason in itself to travel downtown. 

I ended up at the Episcopal church of the Immaculate Conception, tucked into what I have often called the 'Bermuda triangle' of Santa Rosa, and next door to Mackey's Framers, which is housed in an old turn of the century bungalow. I'm pleased to say that I now have the confidence to navigate this illogical confluence of a number of streets without getting lost. I should have parked there and walked the other direction as parking downtown now requires five quarters ($1.25) for an hour.

 Bob, the sole proprietor of Mackey's, has done a wonderful job of framing things for me in the past, and I love going into his shop. I joked with him this morning that no matter what I take in to him , what size it is, or what the quality of the thing being framed is, it always costs about $200. I have never regretted spending the money.

*Extra. I couldn't tell what kind of store it was until I pressed my nose to the glass and read the menu:

chicken liver pate tartine
cumquats Armenian cucumber pickle
fennel salad
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bone broth
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tandor chicken morsels
wild weeds
black & brown rice pilaf, fruit leather
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usra dumplings
potato stuffed
rabbit, aged beef bone marrow stew
cultured cream
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heirloom limas
paprikas, smoked lard, black trumpet pickle
carrot and beet salad
curds
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preserved poached pear & kiwis
whipped crea, almonde
gold truffle
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nettle tea