Come to the Island

If you know me, and you get me talking about where I currently live, then you'll know that I can go on a bit......and then some.

I live on what is technically an island.
Yes!
An island!
Smack dab here in Northern California in what is called the San Francisco bay area.
Ahhhhh Alameda......how I love thee.

Well, after the studio sale at Whitney Smith's this weekend I decided to take a real, whole day off. So Charlie Bravo and I headed out to one of the many splendors of our Isle of Love......a vodka distillery! (complete with palm trees)Located on the now defunct naval base on Alameda Point, (which also holds the monthly antique fair. And if you haven't gone yet, then you need to have a serious sit-down talk with yourself) in a huge hangar is St.George Spirits which is home to Hangar 1 Vodka. Some real serious stuff in the vodka world, handmade and using real fruit. For $10 I got to try all their offerings plus keep my cute little trumpet glass. And yes, I felt reallllll good and happy afterwards. They are also home to the first place in the U.S to make and carry Absinthe which was banned up until 2007. Crazy! It was a little out of my league but I gave it a go like I knew what I was doing. The best part about St.George Spirits is that they have a great tasting room up front so you not only have a cool view into the distillery on one side, but a great view of the San Francisco skyline on the other. I'm definitely going to come back with some friends. Maybe with a picnic since they have seating outside!Afterwards, we took a long walk exploring the naval base. I just love that kind of landscape - part ghost-town, part old-industrial with some cool historic buildings and barracks. We felt like little ants in between the huge hangars.We found some vintage mobile homes sitting together in their final resting place.

We tried to peek into some of the hangars and warehouses hoping to see something but it was all very spooky and airy.

I would love a place one day with these kind of metal and glass sliding doors.

Some bicycle wheels artfully displayed on a fence.

I *heart* Alameda :)