Vallejo City Blog

Goodbye Vallejo, It's Been Quite a Year

2010-02-11T03:08:00.000-08:00

Well, Vallejo, the time has come for me to leave town. And it's not because one of you shot the ice cream lady. Although the fact that that happened does make me want to throw my hands up in the air. Literally.

After a year and a month as a Vallejoan, I'm moving to Oakland this weekend. It's nothing personal. The reason I moved here in the first place is because my boyfriend started a job in Napa. Now he has a new job in Oakland, and his commute there is inhumane to say the least. That and we are spending over $200 a month on bridge tolls, which I hate. It would be one thing if the bridges were fun to go across, but everyone drives like numb-nutses once they hit the bridge so its quite the opposite.

So I guess this is the end of this blog. I might have the opportunity to post a few more times as I will be back to visit, and of course I haven't quite left yet. I have liked living in Vallejo a lot more than I thought I would and will miss many people and places. I can't think of an appropriate photo to go in this post, maybe I will add one later.

xoxo Danielle

Daily Photo: Abandoned Spaghetti

2010-01-13T07:31:00.000-08:00

El Dorado at Louisiana Street, photos taken Tuesday 1/12/10 8:30am

I was walking my dog over at Washington Park yesterday morning, when something in the road caught my eye.

What was it? Of course I had to get better look so I went over to investigate.

Why it's spaghetti of course! A huge tray of spaghetti that had been abandoned on the street. I can't even begin to speculate on how it ended up where it did.

Daily Photo: Pants

2009-11-11T03:38:00.000-08:00

Outside the door of the 7-Eleven Store on Tennessee Street
Photo taken Saturday 11/7 (it's funny that the date is "7-11" backwards) 2009

It was like someone just stepped out of his pants to go in to the store. Or perhaps he was only wearing them to go into the store and upon leaving no longer needed them. I noticed them just sitting there when I was on my way in, and I half expected to see a pants-less person inside. But everyone indoors appeared to have their pants. I wonder how long they sat there like that before an employee noticed and took them away. The employees may have waited a long time to move them. Like until the new guy showed up, so he could move them instead of any of the veterans having to touch them or figure out what to do.

I really can't imagine any customer going inside and mentioning the pants to one of the clerks. There's trash everywhere on Tennessee, right? And who's to say the owner doesn't plan on coming back for them? If the 7-Eleven employees threw them away, then what would they do if 5 minutes later a pants-less man came in demanding his pants back? As if that couldn't happen. We are talking about Tennessee Street here, folks. Anything can happen.

John Pettigrew, Landlord Extraordinaire

2009-09-24T00:05:00.000-07:00

About a month or so ago I grew really tired of reading all the whining and complaining letters to the editor and guest opinion articles in the Vallejo Times-Herald online issue. Without knowing it I was suddenly on a mission to notice everyone and everything not-pathetic about Vallejo. Of course I didn't have to look very long or hard before I found someone doing something great who I could profile on this blog. When I ran into my friend John Pettigrew one day, as he was working on his latest project, I knew I had to show Vallejo what it is he does and how he is quietly going about making Vallejo a better place and Vallejoans a happier people.

After putting his kids through college, John retired from the corporate life and bought a boat. Then, he invested in some residential properties on Ohio Street and Santa Clara Street in Vallejo that he planned to fix up and rent out. Not an uncommon undertaking in the days before the housing market crash, when flipping houses was perceived as the cool new way to get rich. But this is actually where the similarities between John and the Armando Montelongo wanna-bes with dreams of quick returns and a lucrative lifestyle end.

John isn't the typical real estate investor or residential property fixer upper and flipper. He approaches his residential property projects with the care and consideration of a real craftsman. He works alone for the most part and at his own pace. If you ask him when he'll be finished with one of his projects he'll tell you not to ask instead of rattling off an imposed deadline. He's able to see very hidden potential and lure it out, turning slums into period pieces and reinventing old residences into modern versions of their former selves. He restores charm and a touch of soul in his properties through care and consideration, and strict deviation from the cookie-cutter track home mentality.

I didn't really get what it was he did until he gave me a tour of his place on Santa Clara Street when it was finished. So here you can see some "before" pictures of his current project at 807 Ohio Street. Of course I'll be showing the "after" pictures once the job is completed, who knows when that will be though. Not allowed to ask.

807 Ohio Street is listed as an architecturally and historically significant building in Vallejo's Preservation Guidebook, a guide to preserving the architectural history of Vallejo. It was built in the last quarter of the 19th century when it wasn't unusual to build the front part of a house (the part that people would see) differently from the back part. You get a side view of the building in the photo below and you can see how the front and back halves were built separately and entirely differently.

The back half of the house was constructed more like a barn...

Wood panels were lined up end to end to form the walls, with no stud beams anywhere. The wooden planks were covered with newspaper on the inside to make the surface smooth before wallpaper was added.

John peeled back some of the wallpaper and I saw this piece of newspaper dated 1870.

Rooms and corridors of strange shapes and sizes are the norm in this building. John has come up with an entirely different floor plan for this house's second life.

Daily Photo: Charles' Cuts

2009-08-26T09:56:00.000-07:00

Charles' Cuts, 1725 Sonoma Blvd
photo taken Wednesday 8/26/09 9:15am

Because other Vallejo barbershops discriminate against flat tops apparently...

Daily Photos: Dessert at Front Room at the Wharf

2009-08-11T06:51:00.000-07:00

Front Room at the Wharf, 295 Mare Island Way
photos taken summer 2009

Daily Photo: Collapsed House

2009-08-07T08:08:00.000-07:00

Washington Street near Alameda
photo taken Thursday 8/6 at 5pm

It just fell down all of a sudden. Luckily no one was inside (they don't think).

UPDATE: Mayor's Meter fixed

2009-07-30T07:24:00.000-07:00

The Mayor's Meter has been fixed, according to this story in the Vallejo Times-Herald!

Needed businesses in Vallejo

2009-07-28T21:00:00.000-07:00

I hear there's nothing worse than being unemployed and job searching in a down job market. I understand that those who have lost their jobs don't have an extra penny to spare, or a secret stash of cash hidden under their mattresses. But if you are out of work, and can't really envision yourself landing another job until circumstances beyond your control have changed in your favor, I have to ask you something. Have you ever thought about creating your job? What if you created work for yourself and several other people in the process. That would be really cool if you did something like that.

Starting up your own business, and setting it up to be a successful business takes a lot of hard work. But it probably isn't as hard as you think. Even if you have no money and can't get a loan from any bank, your mom, or even your sister,there are still other ways to get it. If money is the only thing in your way, consider yourself on your way. All you have to do is sell your idea to a private investor or business partner, and if you believe in your idea enough, you'll sell it well.

If starting a business sounds like something you want to do, then please explore it further and feel free to send me a direct message via Twitter if you need to run your business idea past someone. And for those of you who like the idea but don't know what in the world kind of business you should start, I've put together a short list of things I wish I had in Vallejo. It's up to you to separate the viable business ideas from the insane ones...

If any of the below businesses presented itself here in Vallejo, I would go and spend my money there at least once:

1. a Pizza by the Slice storefront You don't need much space to sell slices of pizza to go. Some insurance, some good recipes, great service, and a shack to sell it out of, is just about all you need. The best part is, you get to toss the pizza dough! Who hasn't always wanted to do that at some point in their lives?

2. a Tool Lending Library like the one in the Temescal district of Oakland. Get tool donations and buy second hand tools from garage sales and flea markets. Then loan out tools to those who can't afford to buy them but really want to improve their homes and gardens. In a way you'll be making Vallejo more beautiful and giving people the tools they need to do some good honest work, and then reap the rewards of a job well done.

3. a Roller Skating Rink I was walking down Tennessee Street the other day when I glanced into a newly vacant former furniture store building and stopped dead in my tracks. I could see that the floor in the building was so slick it was shining. I realized it would be an awesome place to practice my roller skating moves and jokingly wondered if the owner would let me rent it by the hour. Now that I think about it, it's not that bad of an idea. He's not making any money with it vacant and I'm sure he doesn't have much hope of getting a good deal on a long term lease.

4. a grocery store that sells healthy food, organic veggies, some good though economical wines, and gourmet microwavable dishes Kind of like a smaller version of Trader Joes. Just for those days when I can't remember my last healthy meal and I can't wait for the Saturday Farmers Market. I would totally go there at least once a week if the quality was good, prices were fair, and the staff were nice. People want to eat stuff that's good for them. Give them the opportunity!

5. a sewing lounge where for a small fee, a customer can use the equipment to make clothes for their family, or items to sell on Etsy. People could sign up for classes and expand their skills, and even if they aren't making much money from their efforts, at least they are doing something healthy and positive with their time.

So there's some ideas to get you started. I bet you can come up with an idea that beats all of these, though. Except for the Pizza by the Slice idea. Sometimes I really want to just get a slice.

Daily Photo: Hot Summer Night at the Waterfront

2009-07-28T00:47:00.000-07:00

walking northward on the Vallejo waterfront walkway, Mare Island Way
photo taken Saturday 7.18.09 : 8:45pm

A perfect hot summer night in Vallejo.

Daily Photo: For Lease

2009-07-22T14:28:00.000-07:00

on Mare Island Way, across the street from the Yacht club
photo taken Sunday, 7.19.09 : noon

This beautiful house on Mare Island Way has had a "For Lease" sign posted on it at least since I moved to Vallejo in January. I remember drooling over it when we were house searching though we never looked into it because there is no fence around the yard. But I'm glad there isn't a fence around it, because a fence would only obstruct my view of it in all its splendor. One day I'll have to call the number on the sign so that I can see what the view of the water is like from that top window.

Event Review: Crafts on the Water

2009-07-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

It was beautiful on Sunday morning but I was still surprised that I made it out to Crafts on the Water as early as I did. I've been to many a craft fair and in comparison this event was small, but I really appreciated the fact that I could get a good look at the vendors' wares and have conversations with the crafters themselves. They were a very friendly, laid back bunch, and totally happy to be talking crafts and answering questions about their handmade creations and how they came to be making them.

There were some awesome hula hoops being sold, and even got to observe a fabulous demonstration...

I love the colors and motifs in the clothing designs below. The details on these flowy skirts lend the perfect touch of style to otherwise very comfy clothing.

The crafter below has yet to start her Etsy shop, but she'll be joining the mother of handmade marketplaces very soon she says, where she'll sell her hand crafted clay "sushi roll" jewelry.

Jessie Rivers' "Bubby's" line of hand-dyed and appliqued baby clothes was to die for. I love the print fabrics and playful designs she uses in her applique. So simple, yet so one-of-a-kind. Business is booming at her Etsy shop, and I can't say I'm surprised.

Shelley Macdonald and Rod Helvey of Sticks and Stones in Sebastopol had some great wooden walking sticks and canes. We had a good laugh when we noticed how my dog Alabama was hungrily eyeing the perfectly smooth wooden pieces. She's got a thing for laying claim to any and all wood sticks and branches that we come across on our hiking adventures and of course didn't think the pieces of art were any different.

Lucky Punk was also there with her playful jewelry designs and accessories. Her lego piece necklaces and domino piece barettes are fun and funky and appropriate for both cool little ones and light-hearted adults.

I hope there will be more events like this in the future along the waterfront,, as I could definitely see myself participating as a vendor. It's fun and inspiring to see so much creative spirit all in one place. You just want to be a part of it.

Daily Photo: The Mayor's Meter

2009-07-20T23:40:00.000-07:00

Outside the Vallejo Ferry Building, 289 Mare Island Way, Vallejo
photo taken Sunday, 7.19.09 : 10:00am

When I first noticed the Mayor's Meter a few weeks ago, I was delighted. What a great idea- to give passers by the opportunity to donate their loose change to local charities in this way! I quickly gathered the coins from the bottom of my purse, but when I went to insert a quarter it wouldn't go into the meter. The meter is broken! What a disappointment. I have walked past this meter several times since and have witnessed many other people attempting to feed it their change to no avail. I am sending Mayor Osby Davis an email today, and I hope you'll do the same!

UPDATE: I emailed Mayor Davis right after publishing this post and received his reply this evening! He thanked me for the heads up and said he'd look into getting it fixed. Maybe I should have known better, but I am honestly surprised that he replied to me himself. I thought elected officials had "people" for that sort of thing. Anyway, now I wish I had been a bit nicer in my email - instead of sounding kind of like a whiny baby - but hey, at least it was for charity!

Daily Photo: House After Fire

2009-07-19T02:37:00.001-07:00

235 Roney Ave off Georgia Street, Vallejo
photo taken: Saturday, 7.18.09 : 8:30pm

Today was incredibly hot in Vallejo. I don't know how this fire started but I would totally believe it if I was told the house just gave up and burst into flames from the heat of the day, the poor house. My thoughts are with the home's (former) residents tonight and I hope nobody was hurt.

Daily Photo: City of Vallejo Holiday Tree

2009-07-18T12:21:00.000-07:00

City of Vallejo Holiday Tree @ Ferry Terminal, 495 Mare Island Way, Vallejo

photos taken: Thurs, 7.13.09 : 7:15am

Wow. I would feel bad weighing these scrawny limbs down with lights come the holiday season. That is, if they haven't had a major growth spurt by then. In the meantime, I will be sending the Vallejo Holiday Tree very good vibes. Is there anything else we can do?

A closeup of the plaque. If you didn't believe that this was in fact our holiday tree before, now there should be very little room for doubt in your mind.

So I have a question: What happened to this Vallejo Holiday Tree?

Sunday Event: Crafts on the Water festival

2009-07-18T02:59:00.000-07:00

Event: Crafts on the Water
Date: Sunday, 7/19/09, from 9am-4pm
Location: Vallejo waterfront, next to the Ferry Building

This Sunday the waterfront will be home to local artisans, crafters, and makers who have come to sell their handmade wares. The first ever Crafts on the Water festival starts at 9am, and since many of the items being sold are one-of-a-kind, you'll need to get there early to see everything the show, and its participating craftsmen and craftswomen have to offer. Handmade sculpture, kids art, clothing, jewelry, and wood work are just a few of the types of items being sold. In fact, the show has a special emphasis on items hand-crafted from recycled, up-cycled, re-purposed, and eco-friendly materials.

It's no wonder that online marketplaces such as Etsy and Artfire have become such popular destinations in the past few years, not only for crafters as places to sell their wares, but for consumers who prefer shopping for items that are lovingly handmade by an independent crafter or design, who's business is worth supporting. Ever since the handmade/ DIY movement exploded on to the scene in the '90s, more and more consumers have been turning to handmade or independent resellers when they go to buy gifts for loved ones, or something unique for themselves.

Independent crafters and sellers put original, one-of-a-kind, and limited availability pieces within arms reach to the average consumer, and since these days it's individuality that we're all after, there is a huge market for these typically well-designed, well-made, and highly unique pieces. It's the handmade objects, not the mass-produced soul-less items found in big-box, commercial outlets, that more aptly show us who we are and who we want to be as consumers, collectors, and individuals.

So round up the family and head down to the waterfront this Sunday to help make this event a success. Not only will you be supporting local artisans, but you are guaranteed to come away feeling uplifted by the creativity you see, and maybe even inspired to try your own hand at creating something unique.

Vallejo Vibrations makes Hump Day happy

2009-07-15T21:02:00.000-07:00

I forgot it was Wednesday i.e. Hump Day when we decided to go downtown for takeout from China Wok and a short walk with the dog. But when the sound of hip hop coming from the Vallejo Vibrations event greeted me as I got out of the car, my mood instantly lifted and I was so glad I brought the camera. I didn't catch the dj's name (so if you know it, please leave a comment and I'll update this post to include it), but he was surrounded by a circle of groovers, some of whom really took advantage of the opportunity to get down proper.

Can you tell it was fun? If it wasn't for my Chinese takeout getting cold, I would have stayed a lot longer.

5 Things I Like About Vallejo (not the cats though)

2009-07-14T09:23:00.000-07:00

Over the past six years I lived in Walnut Creek, Concord, Martinez, and now Vallejo. I moved to Vallejo for one reason: to cut my monthly rent payment in half. Little did I expect to actually like it here, and in fact I like Vallejo way more than the other East Bay Area cities I've lived in.

There are some drawbacks I didn't quite anticipate, such as the over abundance of cats in my neighborhood. I grew up with cats and have always liked them but my dog Alabama HATES them and just getting her from the house to the car often involves lots of pulling, tugging, dragging, barking, and shouting. We need to work on that. But here are five simple things I really like about Vallejo:

1. Wardlaw Dog Park is kept well-lit past dark and into the night! This is huge for someone who always had to get in and out of the Pleasant Hill dog park before it got dark. I don't go to Wardlaw Park all that much, but when I do it's past dark and we usually have the whole place to ourselves.

2. People in Vallejo actually like my dog! Alabama is half coonhound and spends a lot of her time alerting the entire neighborhood to every passerby and every time she smells a cat or squirrel in the vicinity, with incredibly loud bouts of howling that sometimes seem to go on for ever. My neighbor in Martinez made me get a bark collar for her. My neighbor in Vallejo likes her, says she's a good dog and just likes to be petted when Erik and I aren't home. Aw.

3. The people here neither look nor act boring or shy! I like seeing small cars on huge wheels in bright colors and I like it how my neighbors always wave. I like how easy it is to stir up conversation with a stranger here. Snobbery is lacking here and I like that.

4. Going to the DMV is actually a pleasant experience in Vallejo. The people are nice there! I was so surprised at the "good morning" I received at the counter when I walked in to the DMV this morning, I was rendered speechless for several seconds. And after 20 minutes I was out of there! At every other DMV I have been to the wait has been torturous and the vibes unwelcoming if not downright rude.

5. There is barely any traffic on city streets. I still remember the traffic lights I hated the most in Walnut Creek, Concord, and Martinez. In all those places there were lights that I'd find myself waiting at for 2 or 3 cycles. I haven't been mad at a traffic light once so far in Vallejo.

Daily Photo: Clothing Optional

2009-07-13T17:26:00.000-07:00

Indian Alley Antiques @ 412 Georgia Street, Downtown Vallejo

photos taken: Monday, 7.13.09 : 7:15am

a "clothing optional" antique store... If it hadn't have been closed I would have gone inside to investigate further because this sign really makes me wonder if the staff here wear clothes...

The storefront...

links to my other Vallejo articles

2009-07-12T17:50:00.000-07:00

Before I created this Vallejo blog, I posted about Vallejo a few times on my other blog. And I thought I should link to those posts here because I'm a shameless self promoter but mostly because this blog has no content yet, while the other one does and that just feels strange. You'll understand when you see how the title of my other blog has seemingly nothing to do with Vallejo. So here goes, starting from the most recent post going backwards in time...

Downtown Vallejo: Pieced on Earth Quilts My love for all things quilts has been growing on a daily basis ever since I started working at quilting book publisher C&T Publishing. So when a quilt caught my eye from a storefront on Georgia Street that first time several months ago as I was giving my dog her morning power walk, I of course stopped dead in my tracks and made plans to return the following Saturday for a look around the inside. This blog post is my take on my experience inside Pieced on Earth complete with some ranting and raving about how awesome it is in there.

One of a Kind Barbies by Lavonne Sallee When you head downtown for this Wednesday's Vallejo Vibrations event, you must stop by OOAK. You really can't miss it because it's right there on Virginia Street and if a blanket spread across the sidewalk with random Barbie Dolls and My Little Ponies, etc on top of it does not catch your eye, I don't know what will. This blog post of mine takes you through a tiny portion of her store. Believe me when I say there is so much more to see.

Finally in Semi-Sweet (new) Home, Vallejo I've got photos of some of my favorite parts of town, as well as some of the very unique-to-Vallejo sights I have seen since moving to the city this past January. For instance, this strange piece I have categorized as "lawn art" but really have no other explanation for. If the piece below is your creation, please tell me what inspired it. I like it a lot, and often walk my dog past the piece for another look and of course a chuckle.

If you'd like to contribute your own images of something you've seen around town that made you stop in your tracks, do leave a comment! I'd love to see what you got. Stay tuned for my next post:

My Five Favorite Things About Vallejo Right Now

seen, shot & posted

2009-07-12T10:30:00.000-07:00

Havana Sol on Virginia Street, Downtown Vallejo

photos taken: Wednesday: 7.01.09 : 6:30pm

Happy Hour at the bar

a pitcher of mojitos for two

Visit Yelp to read the customer reviews of Havana Sol. This Cuban restaurant is a hot new addition to downtown Vallejo drinking and dining.