Congratulations to my friend and HSNB Volunteer (that’s how I originally met her) Tonya Johnson on winning the title of Miss Vallejo Tri-City!!! She’s an amazing and well-traveled young lady with a passion for animals, so I know she is very deserving of this opportunity.
Several weeks ago we ran into each other at a mayoral candidate’s forum.
Attended my tobacco control activist friend Tehra’s housewarming. What a cool home in Vallejo from 1915 with a huge backyard with lots of features and amazing plants. She’s a cool lady (pictures with her thumb up in one of the pictures) and a great public speaker with a story to tell about Big Tobacco and its targeting of the LGBTQ population.
Shea and I got to show parts of the city to Juan and Peter for the first time, although Peter had been here several times before.
This was my first time there too. It was neat to finally see the Golden Gate from this angle, even though it was mostly hidden by fog. Shea knew just where to park.
The only “view” we saw of the Golden Gate from the Marin Headlands was from the car as you’ll see from the back seat, but the park has some other cool features like the old fort/tunnels, etc.
Friday night was a Vallejo Art Walk and Visions of the Wild art was on display. My friend Steven Davis had a few entries among the gorgeous environmentally-themed art. We also stopped by the Townhouse for a drink for a lovely and balanced night out in Vallejo.
We were honored to be included in Maus’ International Literacy Day Party. It was a fundraiser for a local literacy program and simultaneously in support of Vallejo’s own Alibi Bookstore. It’s always a treat to visit Maus House and you can always count on there being the most interesting people present.
Karen Finley, the blue-haired owner of Alibi Bookstore, wrote: “In honor of International Literacy Day, my sweet friend Maus von Trappe had a party/ fundraiser for the bookstore, which raised $300! We’re giving the funds to Another Chapter to buy books for kids who need them — and literacy. It’s a win win! They get books, we get to sell books, and I got to spend this beautiful, warm night with beautiful, warm people having conversations at Maus’s magical fairy house. I was in heaven, and it boosted my spirits like you wouldn’t believe. Sometimes the world just feels so icky and overwhelming, but then something like this happens, and reaffirms my faith in good humans. God, I love Vallejo. And Maus. I thank you, I thank you. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️”
I neglected to take a picture of the twenty or so neighbors there, mostly from Topsail here in Glen Cove, Vallejo, but we had a wonderful time with great food. Chef Shea made his Sashay Satay.
Had an amazing time at the Sister Cities International Dinner and Auction, which took place at the Filipino Community Center here in Vallejo. I helped Shea pick out this beautiful barong at Vallejo’s own Barong & Formal. The event was in recognition of Sister City La Spezia, Italy, where my cousin lives with his family. I got to speak a little Italian with the Italian dancers who performed, which I think they appreciated. There was a buffet from at least nine different cultures, as well as representatives from many parts of the world.
