Salinas High Class of '67 Reunion

We met Mark Humphries and his friend Debbie and went to see the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas.

Looking down Main Street from the National Steinbeck Center.

Inside the National Steinbeck Center.

Andrea with John Steinbeck in the gift shop.

We walked to Steinbeck's childhood home on Central Avenue and had lunch there. There's smoke in the distance from a controlled burn
at Fort Ord.

We walked up the steps to the entrance to the Steinbeck house restaurant. Photo by Andrea.

After we checked in to the Casa Munras in Monterey we took a walk north to El Estero park and the Dennis the Menace Playground.
Photo by Andrea.

The Dennis the Menace playground was designed by Hank Ketcham. My parents took us kids there in the 1950s. Photo by Andrea.

We walked back along the shore to Fisherman's Wharf and made a reservation for dinner. Photo by Andrea.

We had dinner at Domenico's on the wharf.

I got to wear a bib for eating my prawns in the shell. Photo by Andrea.

Walking a bit further I took this picture of a nice big old Monterey Cypress tree across the street.

We walked by the Monterey art museum, but it wasn't open.

We stopped later at Trader Joe's; why go to any "otter" place?

Show me the way to the next wine bar, with apologies to Jim Morrison. Photo by Andrea.

We went to the wine tasting event at Tarpy's Roadhouse. Talked with lots of old friends and acquaintances.

Enjoying some chardonnay. Photo by Robert Whitley.

We had wine glasses etched with the winery name. Puma Road on mine. Excellent chardonnay. Photo by Andrea.

We walked to the wharf for dinner. This is the plaza by the Customs House.

Inside the Big Fish Grill at the end of the wharf. That's Mark's sloop in the water behind Andrea.

A calm and peaceful bay. The ambience was delightful. The crab salad was almost too much to eat. Photo by Andrea.

I sat on the steps where I used to eat lunch most days during my senior year and took this photo of the gathering class of '67.

We started the tour with a group photo by the clock tower. The chimes haven't worked since 1986, but there are plans to repair them.
Photo by Andrea.

Inside the courtyard.

The CAD room. I have mentored robotics teams at Redondo Beach High School in Southern California and at Kalani High School in
Honolulu. These facilities are better by far. I'm lucky to have gone to such a fine public school. Photo by Andrea.

A quite large woodshop has been added.

Also a welding shop.

There is a ceramics lab with a kiln indoors and a larger one outside.

This is the art room.

We all headed to the football stadium.

We went in through the tunnel where the band was practicing marching on the field.

Inside the stadium.

Inside the new gym (17 years old).

After the school tour we drove back to Monterey and had lunch at the Frutti De Mar Grill on Tyler Street.

After lunch we stopped and bought some books at the Old Monterey Book Company on Bonifacio Place.

On the way to lunch we had stopped at the Verizon store on Fremont Street to get Andrea a new Google Pixel phone. Her old
HTC phone had developed battery swelling. In this photo she tested the camera after picking it up after lunch. Jiff image (*.gif).

An automated corn on the cob roaster. It was delicious.

The hall filled with alumni and the band began to play memorable oldies from the era.

We were all herded outside for a group photo by the Whitleys.

We squeezed in as best we could. Photo by Andrea.

Taking in the nostalgic display. Photo by Andrea.

This event featured some stunningly beautiful custom artwork commissioned for the occasion.

The spectacularly decorated entryway.

The band receiving a request. Banner artwork for the occasion by Andrea Winton.

We were framed! The hall's mural depicted scenes of old Spreckels. I particularly remember the sugar mill.

The Reunion committee. Photo by Robert Whitley.

We enjoyed our meal immesnsely.

Lively conversations were the rule at our table.

Getting reacquainted.

Friends from long ago. This is the first time in 50 years that I have seen my classmates! The Vietnam war carried me away.

A customer eating at the counter offered to take our photo. Many thanks.

After breakfast we walked to Cannery Row. I couldn't resist taking pictures along the way.

This area by the breakwater and wharf is so picturesque.

Every view here is compelling.

Everything is photogenic!

We returned to the hotel and later walked down to visit the Salvador Dali permanent exhibition at Custom House Plaza.

We saw hundreds of Dali artworks. Dali and his wife Gala lived in Monterey for ten years after fleeing European right wingers in 1941.

Kurt Vonnegut once said that one doesn't know anything about art until he has seen a million paintings. I'm 600 closer to my million.
Photo by Andrea. Photo by Andrea.

"Dali's Inferno" is the painting on the left.

After the Dali museum we had lunch on the wharf at the Paluca Trattoria. We had clam chowder and salad.

Dinner and dessert at Scales restaurant on the wharf. Recommended.

The chocolate cake was rich and delicious, balanced with keoki coffee.

From Gilroy we took Old Monterey Road to San Jose, stopping at the Odeum restaurant in Morgan Hill.

We stayed at the Vagabond Inn in San Jose again and had dinner at Genji restaurant.

One of our table-mates graciously offered to take this photo of us.

The chef prepared our dinners and put on a bit of a show too.

A good time was had by all. Photo by Andrea.

Then we went to the Kaimana Hotel for cocktails and pupu.