I remember the first time I stumbled across the statue of the weeping angel on campus. I had no idea that the entire Leland Stanford family (father, mother, and son) was buried right there, in a dusty and secluded grove of oaks between two towering palm trees. This part of Stanford University (at the juncture…
It was such fun living in Palo Alto in the 1970’s—in the “pre-Silicon Valley-era” before real estate prices and greedy ambition rarified the place forever. Downtown Palo Alto was just a cool place—small and totally walkable . . . a mix of funky shops, book stores, coffee and tea shops, fancy clothing and jewelry boutiques mixed…
Thirty miles south of San Francisco—and about 100 yards south of the Pulgas Water Temple—is the entrance to Filoli, a magnificent country estate surrounded by stunning formal gardens.It was the retirement home of Grass Valley’s Empire Mine magnate, William Bowers Bourn, and his wife, Agnes. As owner and president of the Spring Valley Water Company,…
Drive south on the I-280 as it passes through Redwood City, and you just may catch a glimpse of a small Grecian-looking temple located near the side of the road below. The structure looks remarkably out of place against the surrounding grasslands rimmed by coastal mountains.This is the Pulgas Water Temple (“pulgas” means “fleas” in…
