The San Francisco Garter Snake

These baby San Francisco garters will be one foot long in
a year, when they will be released in SM County. (Chron)

With an estimated population of over one million, garter snakes are a common sight throughout the continental United States. However, one of the thirteen (13) subspecies--the San Francisco garter--is classified as endangered.

The San Francisco garter snake, with its brilliant hues of deep red and turquoise, is widely considered one of the most beautiful snakes in North America. It’s also one of the rarest, with maybe 2,000 living in the wild today, all in San Mateo County.

In a bid to ensure a future for the endangered snake, Bay Area scientists are teaming up on a first-ever effort to rear a captive colony of the colorful crawlers, with plans to start releasing the newborns and rebuilding their populations at local ponds and hillsides.

“If we don’t have more snakes out there, they could disappear in our lifetime,” said Rochelle Stiles, director of field conservation for the San Francisco Zoo and Gardens, where the captive group is being raised. “The snakes serve a very important role in the ecosystem.”

...The snakes have historically lived in wetlands and grasslands only in San Mateo County and northern Santa Cruz County. (They’ve never resided in their namesake city.) Much of their limited habitat has been developed for housing and farming while invasive predators, such as bullfrogs, have proliferated, all squeezing out the native reptile.

Also, the striking appearance of the snakes once made them a premium target of the illegal pet trade. The snakes are characterized by a wide, bluish dorsal stripe that stands in contrast to jet-black and reddish-orange stripes and a blue-greenish underbelly.

Their vivid coloring, unusual for North American snakes, is likely a defense mechanism, signaling to predators — falsely — that they’re venomous or poisonous. The San Francisco garter snake, like the many other types of garter snakes, is not a danger to people or pets.

The snake was listed as a federally endangered species in 1967, setting the stage for protections that have fallen short of securing its recovery.

Although the "San Francisco garter" only lives in San Mateo County, leave it to the City to hog the glory, as it often does, for goings-on in other parts of the Bay Area.

The Deep Lagoon

It was unusual for the lagoon to be deep enough for water skiing at the beginning of summer, but one speedboat was going back and forth yesterday afternoon. The dog had never seen a skier before and stopped to watch for ten minutes.

It was also deep enough for a pod of pelicans, which is a rare sight in an often-dry area that has no fish. Ducks and geese are common, but these were pelicans, so it was my turn to watch.

We got back to the house after an hour had elapsed. The family said the dog was probably tired after all that walking. I looked at him, and he wagged his tail. I gave him a treat. It would be our secret.

Barbecue Close Call

The Trinity plate at Armadillo Willy's has three barbecued meats

When I hanker after barbecue, Armadillo Willy's, which is less than two miles away in San Mateo and has ample free parking, is my go-to place. I was therefore concerned about this headline but was relieved by the opening sentence:

Armadillo Willy’s BBQ abruptly closes all but 1 restaurant location

If you’re a fan of Armadillo Willy’s Texas-inspired smoked meats, sauces made inhouse and spicy peanut coleslaw, you’ll have to get your fix in San Mateo from now on.

The Bay Area chain founded 42 years ago abruptly closed its three other restaurants at 8 p.m. Tuesday...

Remaining open with a full menu of smoked ribs, brisket, chicken, pork plus burgers, wings and side dishes, is the restaurant at 2260 Bridgepointe Parkway in San Mateo.

They will need more customer support, and I intend to do my share.

iPhone 16 Pro Max

One week ago I decided to hold off buying a new iPhone 16 because Apple Intelligence had been delayed and steep price hikes were coming.

Family members encouraged me to go ahead and make the purchase; what if Apple runs out of inventory? (It wasn't a hard push.) On Friday afternoon I went to the Apple Store and charged an iPhone 16 Pro Max to the Apple card.

It may be cognitive dissonance justifying the purchase, but the new phone is much faster than the 6½-year-old XS Max, the battery life is nearly double (after the entire day the charge was still above 50%), and the camera is a vast improvement in low light.

Later Friday afternoon the Administration announced that it was exempting smartphones and other electronics from the new tariffs. The supply of iPhones seems to be assured, but I am glad I made the purchase anyway.

Hillsdale Mall: Food Destination

Hot Dog on a Stick is no longer at Hillsdale (Flickr)

When we moved to Foster City at the end of the '70's the Peninsula, except for tony towns like Hillsborough and Atherton, was decidedly middle class. We shopped at Hillsdale Mall in San Mateo for most of our non-grocery needs. At Sears we repaired our cars and bought Kenmore washing machines, dryers, and refrigerators. We went to Macy's for fancier clothes and personal items than could be found at Sears.

The food court was just a place to grab a bite in between stores. Burger King and Panda Express were popular, but I liked Hot Dog on a Stick; the dough-wrapped dog's crispy exterior dipped in mustard and a fresh lemonade hit the spot.

Over the years Peninsula shopping centers have either been demolished for housing or have been remodeled to appeal to upscale clientele.

Hillsdale's design renovation and new restaurants has been met with approval by SFGate food reporter Susana Guerrero:

When a bamboo basket of brightly colored soup dumplings arrives at my table inside Palette Tea Garden restaurant, I can’t help but marvel at the transformation of Hillsdale Shopping Center.

Palette's dumplings (SFGate)

The large Cantonese restaurant, which opened this second Bay Area outpost, its first outside of San Francisco, in 2020, is among a wave of new eateries that have planted roots at the bustling Peninsula mall in recent years. The 71-year-old San Mateo mall has been on a steady remodeling kick since at least 2016, when it tore out its dated food court. In 2018, it unveiled an elegant dining terrace that featured new restaurants like Blue Whale Poke Bar & Grill, Kuro-Obi ramen bar and thve Bay Area’s first Uncle Tetsu Japanese Cheesecake.

Just outside the dining terrace, Hillsdale gained a Shake Shack and the Refuge, which has been featured on Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.” With new additions like Michelin-recognized Flores and the all-you-can-eat restaurant Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House, which opened earlier this year, it’s no longer the mall of my childhood.

Hillsdale's restaurants and food court are now a destination rather than an afterthought. Over the past year I've gone to the mall to dine more often than to shop.

A Good Home

The truck arrived at 11:30, and the Volkswagen was winched up onto the flatbed.

Carlos said he would take a few months to fix it up. He will bring the car by when he was finished. Carlos intends to commute in the VW from San Mateo to his job in Redwood City. He was the only buyer among three who promised not to flip the car immediately for a profit.

A car is not the same as a beloved pet, much less a human child, but it's nice to know the car that I've had for 51 years is going to a good home.

Ramen Surprise

Three months ago we wrote about how the tonkatsu ramen purchased at Nijiya Market had soup that came in a plastic bag.

Perhaps enough customers complained to cause the supplier to eliminate the plastic bag; when I emptied the contents into a bowl, the gelatinized soup was on the bottom. (The soup was no longer liquid; the formula obviously had been adjusted.)

The other change was a 30% increase in the ramen price, from $9.99 to $12.99. I thought food-price inflation was over!

I'll Have Some News With Those Jokes

Tyrus gesticulates

On the eve of an election which is again the-most-important-election-in-my-lifetime I'm tuning out all the reporting on the polls. Predictions range from a late break toward Harris to a clear-cut Trump victory. The most common poll result seems to be a statistical tie.

This week I've been watching Gutfield, Fox's late-night humor show. Tonight there was this nugget.

George "Tyrus" Murdoch: You are from the mean streets of Northern California.

Greg Gutfield: San Mateo.

Tyrus: You didn't play.

Gutfield: I cut my teeth at the Hillsdale Mall.

Tonight I learned that Greg Gutfield, like Tom Brady, Kris Kristofferson, and Merv Griffin, is another San Mateo kid who moved away and hit it big.

It's a pleasant surprise when you go to be entertained and pick up some knowledge in the process.

I Refer to Myself

as "your humble blogger" for a reason.

When I bought the prepared ramen at Nijiya Market I dumped the contents in a large bowl and heated it for three minutes per the instructions (I assumed that the soup was in gelatinous form).

Upon stirring the noodles, vegetables, and pork, I discovered the hot soup was in a plastic bag which should have been cut open and emptied before microwaving.

The next time I bought the ramen there was a new warning sign, "Please remove soup bag first and pour into the bowl." The ramen company must have heard from other customers to add the warning.

It is comforting that I wasn't alone in my stupidity.

Declaring Independence....From Grilling

The July 4th traditions notwithstanding, it was too hot to do backyard grilling--or any cooking for that matter--so yesterday we headed to Nijiya Market where there was a broad selection of take-out Japanese dishes. There were dozens of other shoppers, mainly of the Asian persuasion, who had the same idea.

We threw sushi, ramen, salads, and barbecued chicken into the basket. We watched the fireworks from a mile away and went to bed right after. On this Independence Day we were free to engage in as much tradition as we wanted.

Haughty Insouciance

I've written about this phenomenon before:

After generations of protected status the ducks have lost all fear of humans. They sleep in large groups, not caring about our presence...The ducks waddle about, leaving their organic matter everywhere.

In the above photo the ducks stroll fearlessly on a road that snakes around condominiums. As I approached on foot, they looked at me with haughty insouciance but eventually backed away, quacking their displeasure.

Ducks seem to know that cars, slowed by speed bumps and 15MPH signs, will stop for them when they're on this particular road. They also know to stay away from the main avenue a few yards away, where the cars move at 40 MPH.

They've adopted to human environments better than some people have.

Mystery Ducks

In the fountain by the Apple Store a mother duck and nine ducklings splashed merrily.

I wonder where they came from. The nearest body of water is Laurel Creek, a quarter-mile away.

The ducks would have had to traverse parking lots, busy streets, and a major shopping center.

While the ducklings have feathers, flying here would be hazardous. And the chance that they would settle in a man-made fountain seems remote.

Frankly, I wonder if they were placed there. Ducklings mature in 2-3 months, at which point this family should join the ducks and geese in the Bay marshlands four miles east. Yet ducks seem to show up regularly, else why go through the trouble of making a sign?

Their presence is a mystery.

Cruel Donuts

A couple of Sunday afternoons ago we had a hankering for doughnuts. Yelp disclosed that the only doughnut shop within a five-mile radius was Cruel Donuts in a shopping center off Old County Road. It's next to the Caltrain tracks, complete with a laundromat and gas station. I had never stopped there in the 50 years I've lived in the Bay Area.

The young Asian lady was closing the shop and had run out of doughnuts, so I bought a couple of glazed twists. She threw in an extra one because I didn't get what I wanted and/or she was going to get rid of it anyway. No matter, I always appreciate a kind gesture.

The twists were light and not too sweet, greatly exceeding expectations for pastry sold in the afternoon.

The shop was empty when I returned at 11 this morning. I ordered a mix of regular and chocolate glazed doughnuts, a dozen for $20, which were placed in an expensive (for doughnuts) pink box with the bakery's name written in a distinctive flourish.

The inside of the box was not plain cardboard but colorfully printed with the message "Be Kind." The marketing for this doughnut shop deserved a closer look.

Cruel Donuts needed to stand out from the noisy crowd and not just be another California donut shop. Inspired by the French Cruller and 80s hit “Cruel Summer,” the woman-owned shop owner wanted to become an Instagram-worthy destination spot for San Francisco foodies...

The millennial pink and “signature” sweetness brand vibe carries through the bright and clean aesthetic of the shop interior concepts, to help encourage foodies to share on social.

The doughnuts were delicious, by the way, and the main reason I'll be coming back.

Note: the "Cruel Summer" that inspired the shop's name is the Bananarama 1983 song, not the Taylor Swift hit which has the same name.

Elemental Thoughts

Last Saturday's water shutdown in our neighborhood caused us to repair to the Hillsdale shopping center.

Unlike the emptying Westfield in San Francisco, Hillsdale is one of the Bay Area suburban malls that is experiencing growth and attracting investment.

The mall is safe enough that parents are comfortable bringing their children. (San Mateo County has a homeless population of about 1,000, and the City and County have improved security recently.) Disney set up a colorful display next to Macy's to advertise the new animated film Elemental.

The film on the whole has garnered moderately favorable reviews (WSJ: "marvelous imagery"; SF Chronicle: "absolutely gorgeous rendering of a half-baked idea").

Good special effects, plus a new, creative world of "elemental" tribes: that's enough to make me want to check it out on the Disney+ streaming service when it arrives, perhaps in September.

Postscript: I'm not sure I would have enjoyed the movie when I was a kid. I liked to keep reality, e.g., real science, separate from fantasy, e.g., cartoons and fairy tales. When I learned that Aristotle, one of the greatest Greek philosophers, declared the basic elements to be fire, air, water, and earth, this fourth grader thought that was pretty dumb. Today I would be kinder--some of the greatest fiction has been spun from premises that are entirely false.

Chased Away

At 10 a.m. yesterday the water pressure in the house dropped to zero. I looked out the window. A couple of utility trucks were in the street.

Presumably the interruption was going to be brief, else the workers would have knocked on the affected homes' doors and informed everyone. One could also infer from the absence of signs that the shut-off was unplanned.

After an hour with no water I walked across the street. The homeowner explained that his plumber had damaged the line to the neighborhood, and the City had to close the valve while contractors fixed the leak. Maybe another hour, he said.

Not wishing to wait around, especially if nature called, we left an hour early for the appointment at the Apple Store to fix an Apple Watch.

Any irritation I felt evaporated. I felt sorry for our neighbor, who may be on the hook for the street repair costs, not to mention a plumbing job gone wrong. I felt grateful to live in a City that could respond so quickly to a utilities emergency. And I appreciated living close to safe shopping malls, work-out clubs, and restaurants where we could pass the hours. When we got back in the afternoon the water was back on, and the men were still working in the street.

San Francisco is only 20 miles north, but it seems much farther away.

San Mateo County Fair: Farm Animal Display

To those who are unfamiliar with San Mateo County one of the surprises may have been the display of farm animals at the Fair. The County is home to some of the wealthiest towns in California, and tech companies have a large footprint. But the land hasn't been entirely paved over.

There are still ranches along the coast south of Half Moon Bay. The Santa Cruz mountains have been a barrier to development, as environmental objections have stymied speedy transit from Silicon Valley and San Francisco.

Animal husbandry will be around years longer, and so will the farm animal display at the San Mateo County Fair.

San Mateo County Fair: Senior Showcase

The Senior Showcase was one of the busiest exhibits at the San Mateo County Fair. Businesses and government agencies answered questions about assisted living, Medicare and senior health insurance, reverse mortgages, medical equipment, and veterans benefits.

The themes of disability and decrepitude were covered thoroughly, as was the Big "D" by the presence of cemeteries and funeral homes.

I've never noticed an exhibit like this at a fair, probably because I wasn't looking for it. The merry-go-round and Ferris wheel period of my life went by too quickly.

San Mateo County Fair: Giant Turkey Legs

Colorful signs made me buy it

At the San Mateo County Fair the dining offerings were nothing special (hamburgers, tacos, etc.) as well as overpriced.

A surfeit of sugary options--candied apples, cotton candy, sugar-covered fennel cakes, caramel popcorn--tempted, but they were verboten to those who have to watch their sugar intake.

Then I saw the signs for Giant Turkey Legs. They fit the bill: low carb, high protein, not commonly served in nearby restaurants, and, most importantly, I happen to like turkey.

I asked the heavy-set lady, How much is a turkey leg?

"Twenty dollars."

Does anything come with it? I thought it was a sensible question ($20 for just a drumstick?).

Surprised at such a ridiculous question, she answered with a stare. Hey, don't you know it's not polite to treat a customer this way?

I don't like getting ripped off, but I also have regrets about not trying something different when given the opportunity. I handed over two sawbucks, and she wrapped the drumstick in foil and inserted same into a paper bag.

Later that afternoon I unwrapped the turkey leg. There was a smoky flavor throughout. Although the surface layers were dry, the insides were moist. It was a pleasant surprise, but at that price I wouldn't go out of my way to buy it again.

San Mateo County Fair: Grandma's Plymouth

On Thursday the $20 admission fee ($18 if purchased online) was waived for adults over 62. That was a deal impossible to pass up, and so it was that I found myself at the San Mateo County Fair.

In the vintage-auto exhibit was a car from my childhood, a 1950 Plymouth. This one had enhancements my grandmother never had, most notably an embellished hood, but it looked like the same black car.

I checked the interior to make sure. There was the shifter that extended from the right side of the steering column, and there was the front bench seat. Grandmother would let me stand (I know, horrors) next to her as she backed the Plymouth out of the driveway. She would press in the clutch, and I would pull the handle down into first gear. Yes, thought this 4-year-old, I am driving.

Manual transmissions are rare enough today, but manufacturers no longer make steering-column-shifters at all. They were developed to accommodate front benches, which have also gone the way of the dodo bird.

As have little boys who stand next to their grandmother, "helping" her shift the gears.

Fast Track to the Poorhouse

Southbound 101 has a toll lane 5 miles from our house..

FasTrak toll lanes have appeared on the Bay Area's busiest freeways, but the technology isn't up to speed. Penalties and interest pile up on drivers' unpaid balances, and thousands of cars have been put on "registration hold": [bold added]

Unpaid toll debts are surging since the Bay Area has eliminated cash payments on bridges and unfurled a vast web of express lanes.

Last June, the Bay Area Toll Authority, which oversees the seven state-owned bridges, said it would place over 550,000 drivers’ annual vehicle registration on hold over unsettled debts – with the bulk of registration holds starting this July. The decision ended a pandemic era of lax enforcement and started a renewed crackdown as the toll authority uses DMV holds to recoup tens of millions of dollars in tolls and even more in fines and fees.

One lady, Brenda Angulo, who is not blameless to be sure, ran up late payment penalties more than fourteen times the original charges:

The total Angulo owed to multiple express lane and bridge toll agencies was far worse, climbing to $43,590 made up mostly of late payment fees and other fines, tacked on to her original charges of about $3,000.

...Angulo’s debt underscores a complicated payment system for the growing network of Bay Area express lanes, which charge variable fees depending on the time of day and the length of a driver’s commute. Those lanes can easily whisk cars past traffic jams at a reasonable cost. But they can also lead to financial devastation for those who ignore — or don’t appreciate — how overdue toll debts can explode with late fees.

If a private bill collector behaved as the government does--assess penalties of $40,000 on an original bill of $3,000 and hold hostage a person's method of getting to her job--that collector would be figuratively tarred and feathered on social media as well as in newspapers and TV.

We voted for this draconian system that created a welter of toll roads on top of having the second-highest gas taxes in the nation. If we want someone to blame, we just have to look in the mirror.