Tag Archives: Commentary

2023, 2024

2024 The Next New Cultural Journey

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Despite numerous trips over the past ten years, I continue to remain loyal to the arts and classical music scene in Germany. The familiarity with many event venues, the high quality of performers and performances, and reveling German efficiency over and over never tires. It’s still my go-to choice of travel.

This year, my German friend Annemarie joins me. We met last year at Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie sitting next to each other in scalped seats and in awe over Anne Sophie-Mutter’s virtuoso violinists. I am now introducing Annemarie to some of Germany’s most popular events, venues and classical performers. These cultural activities are supported by the German government.

You will hear more about our seven-week journey as we plunder through Dresden, Lueneburg, Dortmund, Germany, and later through Sofia, Bulgaria, and Verona, Italy.

The Transatlantic Flight

The 10.5 hour trip getting to Europe is always a chore so I decided to take a business class flight direct to Frankfurt.

From the colorfully striped carrier to the comfy hang-out pod and delicious food, I was enticed by the extra effort being put into a memorable experience. The pilot crew even allowed me to take a photo of the flight deck on arrival in Germany!

How do bubbles rise from hell to heaven?

After meeting Annemarie at the Dresden airport, we had a big debate about the effervescence in the glass of Nicholas Feuillatte champagne. Were the bubbles instigated by something like a cube of sugar? After seeing the description “The juice is pale yellow with silver tinges, brilliant and crystal-clear, revealing a persistent ribbon of delicate bubbles,” (per Google), What do you think?

A long layover in Frankfurt gave me plenty of time to contemplate the automated baggage drop. I’m not sure Americans would be able to speed the process up with this robotic service.

Automated baggage drop at Frankfurt Airport

Goethe Haus, Frankfurt

Realizing that the glow from the business class flight was not going to sustain my nine-hour layover in Frankfurt, I resolved to find a city museum in between. The combined Goethe House and Romantic Museum seemed like an efficient way to kill two museums with one swipe

Goethe’s house displayed memorabilia by Germany’s beloved poet, philosopher and writer and with those who influenced him. There was an entire room connected to the Sorrows of Werther, the book that made Goethe wildly popular when he was only in his twenties.

Faust was yet another one of Goethe’s famous books (purportedly to have been written in Auerbach’s Keller in Leipzig) where a room in the museum was dedicated to the story and its inspirations.

Adjacent to the author’s house, the Romantic Museum connects many other artists, writers, and musicians that formed the romantic movement before, during and after Goethe’s lifetime.

A couple of architectural details caught my eye. The clever use of dots for lighting and steps in brass provided a coordinated balance to the subtle tile and wood finishes.

Die Walküre in Dresden

If you are not particularly tuned to being an opera junkie, just skip to the next section.

Our first performance at the KulturPalast was filled with cranky Wagnerians to hear a concert performance of die Walküre, the second opera of the Ring Cycle. Kent Nagano, a hometown Berkeley kind of guy, conducted brilliantly and led the four opera roles for Sigmund, Siegemunde, Wotan and Brünhilde.

Compared with a staged performance, the music rang exquisitely clear. The earlier lecture revealed that this performance was committed to the original wording and instruments from Wagner’s work. A jarring clash of wooden cymbals was noticeable, but other than that the rest seemed perfectly integrated for the modern ear.

Curtain call at the Kulturpalast of
Die Walküre led by Kent Nagano

Bad Schandau

Known as “Saxon Switzerland”, Bad Schandau is a spa town in the forested area along the Elbe River near the Czech border. An easy hour from Dresden, the multiple means of transport used to get there was more exciting than seeing the tall cliffs in the distance. Altogether, it took the train, a ferry and a vintage light rail train to see a trickling waterfall being repaired after dead trees from global warming blocked its path.

More tomorrow as we explore the Military Museum and the Loschwitz neighborhood. Don’t forget to write home!

2024

Australian TransContinental

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My inaugural trip of 2024 is a transcontinental train trip from Sydney to Perth, Australia. The Indian Pacific Journey by Rail takes 3 nights and 4 days and travels through vast stretches of the Australian outback, wheat fields and coal mining country.

I compare this to the Trans Siberian trip I took in 2017-18 (Beijing to Moscow 2017 followed by the Beijing to Vladivostok segment in 2018). While the Russian trips each took 7 days and 3 days respectively this Australian journey takes only 4 days.

The Trans Siberian required a leg due north through Ulan Bator in Mongolia to Irkutsk and Lake Baikal, accounting for the additional time. East-West Travel for both the TransContinental in Australia and Russia are similar in distance, dreariness and slowness. My lifelong love of trains compelled me to bank this journey after a two-week visit to New Zealand.

Australian Landscapes

No highrises, no towns, no people. Just flat horizontal images pass by, miles to the horizon line. Initially and intermittently, iron-rich clayey terra cotta soil seeps under the sage-blue brush, sometimes in curious circular colonies. Dry yellow-brown soil harvesting hay and wheat in the middle of the country give way to more lush outback, with taller trees that oscillate with the wind.

Spartan landscape in the eastern side of the South Australian Outback

In some ways, the changing patterns of movement are the appeal to me. The pace and scenery are therapeutically comforting and a time to reflect.

Run-down coal mining buildings occasionally appear. We get excited seeing a bulldozer and ponder how it got to its place in the wilderness. No signs of humanity ANYWHERE. While mining is alive and well in Australia, the activities along the rail line seem to reflect the aging industry from a by-gone era.

Two trivia facts: the longest stretch of continual road is in this part of Australia and can be seen from outer space. And the width of Australia is the widest country in the world (over my guess of Russia) and wider than the moon’s diameter.

Wheat fields in Australia!?! Like America’s breadbasket, Australia produces more wheat and hay than what its countrymen consume. So China and other Asian countries are the benefactors of these vast food and feed enterprises.

Denser growth in the western half of the Southern Australia outback

Our quick 20-minute pitstop in Cook provided the most cinematic opportunity, where the abandoned town left a ghostly reminder of by-gone efforts to settle and make roots.

Accommodations

Compared with the Trans Siberian, accommodations in a single cabin are luxurious. While old and outdated, the design of the carriage was well thought out and the quality has been maintained.

What differentiates the Australian Railway system with that in Russia was the food service. The Chinese served the east-west direction, and the Russians the west-east direction of the line. Both were rudimentary, if not non-existent. No one attended the dining car.

The food service on the Indian Pacific was superior, with an extensive wine list and well prepared meals. The dining car buzzed with activities and opportunities to meet other travelers. The host seated individuals, couples, and parties of four as groups arrived. Both the food service and cabin staff have been amazingly hospitable, kind and helpful.

Yes, intermittent internet access is frustrating. Time to throw the phone out the window and try living life as a normal person. What I do see is the difference between these two transcontinental trips eight years apart. Except for frantic postings at station stops across Russia where I was able to get off, I barely remember any need to check my phone when there was no service to speak of.

Despite intermittent service, the compulsion to check is relentless and uncontrollable. I am only reminded by a handful of Aussie matrons who could have cared less about flickering internet traffic noise.

Excursions

Although I had no idea where the planned excursions were, it didn’t matter. Two of the three planned activities were unavailable.

The first off-train experience to the mining town of Broken Hill was cancelled due to delays from freight traffic the night before. And a flood at the site of the final night out in Rawlings required a cancellation of a dinner under the stars.

A seven-hour day trip to Australia’s famous Barossa Wine Valley allowed us to set foot on land midway. The Sepplefeld Winery we visited was started by German Salesian immigrants in the 1820’s. Their entourage arrived in Australia with 13 workers and the wealthy couple subsequently had 13 children to carry on the family business.

Glimpse of vineyards

After a tour of the barreling room describing the wine making process, we were treated to an elaborate three-course meal with wine pairings. The dessert included a locally made port. Like restrictions on the use of “champagne”, the term “port” cannot be used as a wine designation. “Fortified wine” is used instead to identify wines enhanced with brandy or other alcoholic liquor.

The 7 hour journey was disappointing for the time invested, as an inordinate amount of time was devoted to marketing and shopping. More time could have been devoted to the wines produced.

Diagram of wine production
Table setting with 3 wines and appetizers
Sydney–the start of the journey

Attached photos describe the start of my journey in beautiful, dappled tree-laden Downtown Sydney and a quick walk to Sydney Harbor..

A panoramic view of Sydney Harbor and Opera House,
with a commentary on the indiginous people of Australia
Perth-end destination to follow

I hope you have enjoyed the account of this seldom traveled journey through Australia. Despite a few drawbacks, I recommend sturdy travelers to take it! I always thought of Perth as the edge of the world and was informed that it is only five hours from Singapore. That gave me a new perspective of the world! Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

2023

Movin’ on up (and in!!)

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It’s been a month since we moved into the the new ADU (accessory dwelling unit). Despite the heavy rainfall and intermittent delays, our spirits were not dampened!

After waiting anxiously for 18 months, this big baby was delivered! The wedge-like irregular shape created by the rear yard setback integrates a kitchen, dining and living area on the ground floor. The main windows facing west provide generous natural light and ventilation. Combined with high 11′ ceilings, these public areas feel open and spacious. A double patio door leads to the exterior redwood deck expands public spaces for outdoor entertaining.

Naturally finished wood windows, shelving and details are used throughout the unit to complement sealed concrete flooring on the ground floor and wood flooring above. Walls are painted white throughout both levels.

The kitchen service area combines overhead matte gloss cabinets with wood base cabinets. A cozy picture window frames a 70-year old juniper tree outside. Painted wood shelving displays dinnerware and a large display space is reserved for a future surfboard!

Opposite the entry door are built-in cabinets that maximize unused space under the stairs. Coats, pantry, recycling bins and additional storage are tucked behind blind doors. Special attention was paid to proportions, materials, and craftsmanship.

Half a landing up, the basement room inside the original house was converted to a bedroom and bath suite. the bedroom ” inner sanctum ” may be used in the future as a mini- screening room. Both bathrooms in the ADU utilize radiant floor heating. Wood shelving adds a luxurious spa-like touch to each.

An open, double-height stair provides a view towards Parnassus Heights and Downtown San Francisco. The master bedroom/bath suite and large sitting area connects to an upper patio deck. In turn, it connects to the kitchen dining area of the original house. Large windows catch an abundance of natural light and spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean, Richmond District, and the Golden Gate Bridge. Like those from penthouses over New York City’s Central Park, this view captures Golden Gate Park and the greenery from above its tree canopies.

Window trimmed in natural wood finishes and natural oak flooring complement the 9′ high exposed wood joist ceiling. It’s a reminder of the extensive rough carpentry work on the building performed by J&J.

The exterior of the addition is clad in exposed wood vertical strips stained in black and walnut finish over cedar. Each window is framed with similar wood finishing. The redwood deck connects to the ground floor living space.

An example of the myriad details and instructions that make this project so remarkable is shown below. Jeff marked up plans and photos to explain the design intent. Here, he describes guard rail spacing to provide wind protection, natural ventilation and visual relief all in one solution.

This example is only a small indication of the dedication and care that was taken to create a beautiful and timeless design. Harking back to the three goals for the project–to develop a rental unit; to create multi-generational housing; and to enable future aging-in-place–all were met and our expectations were exceeded.

This post is dedicated to Julianne, the Daughter of Fong & Daughter, for her tenacity, commitment, and relentless desire to go above and beyond the call of duty. We love and cherish you Julianne, and partner Jeff, for your work that will last for many generations to come!! Dear Felix is one lucky and happy fella with you as his parents!! With Love and affection from the Fong of Fong & Daughter.

Late Bake

Here’s a quick video of both floors of the ADU and the bedroom suite at the half landing. Let me know if you have questions or comments!

ADU Overview April 2023
2023

Just Germany

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For those of you who miss my point about why I love traveling to Germany, I’ll give you a quick refresher. I can see and do much better opera more cost effectively there. The transportation system is a dream. It’s safe, clean and informative. The historical, cultural and social offerings are well presented and provide context for a fulfilling experience.

Most tourists prefer to travel to Italy, France, or England for a European holiday. Few people I know travel to Germany. But I discovered that many people from the German diaspora return to learn about Germany in ways that many Chinese Americans go to China to discover their roots. We struggle to learn and retain the language, just as many German-Americans do. I found that similar pattern strangely comforting.

So this trip was a make-up for the years lost during the pandemic and the house construction. I managed to travel at the beginning of 2020 to London and returned on March 12 just before the lockdown. At the other end of 2020 I went to New Zealand and spent nearly a half year there with family waiting for COVID-19 to subside in the U.S.

2022 was the dry spell until September when I made my way to Bayreuth to see the Ring. Only Wagnerian fans will understand the obsession with the composer. He is the only one who has successfully combined both music and poetry into a total, integrated work. My German language training helps me to appreciate and love this unique artistry.

A refreshing and tasty salad

While food is not one of the reasons for going to Germany, I do have to comment on a few items. I discovered an extensive Portuguese food haven in the neighborhood where I stayed in Hamburg. Getting whole fish and a hearty meal was inexpensive, hearty, and healthy.

Leberkase and Bratwurst are not exactly culinary orgasms but the desserts are still to die for– particularly anything Black Forest and in season. The layered dessert with cherry topping was bedded with chocolate and crunchy puffed nougat sprinkles. And you already saw the Schwarzwald Ice Cream bomb in Leipzig–some food porn I couldn’t resist repeating. German buddy and vet here in San Francisco immediately recognized it and was jealous she couldn’t join me in Leipzig.

Berlin
My well-behaved intentions were eroded by…

The Berlin Sketchfest, intended for German sketchers, was my initial impetus for traveling to Germany this year. However, attending the opening season concert at the KONZERTHAUS in Berlin the night before was an even more thrilling experience. It overshadowed the sketching event. The new conductor, Joana Mallwitz, was stunning in her debut and delivery of beautiful music. Her gestures and love of music were so expressive. You couldn’t help but feel her joy and delight in every note as she guided the orchestra.

Cameras following Joana Mallwitz
after debut performance conducting Konzerthaus Orchestra

After the performance, I had an opportunity to meet her. The lights and camera crew following her through the adoring crowds were spell-binding. I even reconnected with her operatic partner Simon and hotel owner Ralf from Nurnberg, both of whom I had met the year before!

Reception for Joana Mallwitze
at the Konzerthaus after performance

Staying in Prenzlauer Berg near Alexander Platz was a good bet. The local scene was filled with families, cafes, and trendy shops. I dropped some hefty euros at Boesner, the local art store filled with an extensive collection of paper, brushes, paints and artists’ supplies.

My Air BNB host recommended booking early for the visit to the Reichstag. The English tour at sunset was a double bonus while learning about how much the Russians were a part of the building’s history. An added bonus was seeing the Berlin skyline twinkling at dusk.

Reichstag at Dusk

Carefully picking only one museum in the Museum Island (Museum Insel) saved me from becoming overwhelmed by the wealth of artistic treasures in the city. An exhibition featuring Uzbekistan, with its fascinating history and UNESCO world heritage sites, was my irresistible choice.

Leipzig

The musical influence of Bach, Mendelssohn and Schumann drew me back to Leipzig for a third visit. This time, however, was even better. Meeting two friends, Hazel from Heidelberg and Vladimir from Meissen, made it all the more exciting. Hazel and I first joined a zoom sketching class and then made our pilgrimage to the homes of the city’s famed musicians.

When Vladimir joined us later in the week, we toured the new Modern Art Museum together and sauntered through the city in the warm, 85 degree weather. We ate Asian food outside the hotel and celebrated at Auerbach’s, where Goethe is purported to have written Faust.

Hamburg

The Elbphilharmonie was the most stunning building I have seen for a long time. There are few buildings that meet my approval from BOTH the interior as well as exterior perspective. Having studied interior design as an undergraduate and architecture as a graduate student, I look for the perfect balance of both.

It was hard not to compare recent visits to the iconic Berlin Philharmonie and the Leipzig Gewandhaus. The concert houses in Germany were just as compelling as their opera houses. Sound and the music were paramount.

So I lost my wallet. That was very distressing. It coincided with buying a ticket for the Elbphilharmonie without any money. After the transaction, I met Annemarie, whom I have described in the previous post. She was a godsend and made the lost wallet inconsequential.

Annemarie at dinner on the deck of restaurant across from the Philharmonie

I did, however, make an excursion to see whether I could recover my wallet. And in classic German efficiency, the lost items were all carefully categorized for lost owners at the Lost and Found Bureau. Mine hadn’t shown up yet, but I surreptitiously enjoyed seeing the disasters of others. I’ll have to wait until I get notified of a data breach to get my day of reckoning.

Sketchfest in Germany

From Berlin to Leipzig, Hamburg, and Lübeck, I captured another dimension of Germany through sketches that fold the edges of people, places and things.

Environmental Boomerang

A noon time protest in Lubeck reminded me of our climate crisis.A Demonstrators of all age groups marched peacefully through the middle of town. When I posted this video on instagram, I immediately got negative comments. It made me very sad that there are such outspoken reactions in denial of the need to focus on a concern that affects everyone on the planet.

Before arriving in Hamburg on this trip, I learned that the pollution index was over 100. I don’t normally check air quality in cities during trips. But the app on my phone exists because San Francisco provided real-time air quality monitoring during the fires a year ago in California.

When I inquired about it to my Air BnB host in Hamburg, he dismissed it as a non-event. So I went. Ironically, the day I returned to San Francisco, the pollution index was over 150. That was the worst in the world on that day. Fires in Oregon and Northern California had drifted down to the SF Bay Area and were trapped there.

Screenshot of the air quality index
in the Bay Area on 9/22/23
A Post-Mortem

Some of you may have read in my 2023 summary that I am closing down my website at the end of the year. After seven years of traveling around the world from 2014-2020, two years of pandemic insomnia, and two years of babbling home construction, it’s safe to say that I have exhausted my creative wanderlust!

Knowing me, I’ll no doubt still sneak in a few trips here and there. I miss my German friends terribly. For my local friends, I need you too! For now, I’m looking forward to zooming with my two precious grandsons and recording the stories that Felix tells me about his favorite camper van and his day at the farm.

Bis bald!

2022

CONSTRUCTIVE TRAVELING: Windows to the World (Weeks 36-39)

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This month’s activities includes installation of windows, building the stair between two levels, and waterproofing of the exterior skin. Both the roof and exterior walls need good moisture protection, so additional care is being taken to check details with a waterproofing consultant.

Delivery of Exterior Windows

In addition to interior wall framing, shear walls between the existing house and new addition have been added. You can see a portion of the wall along the stair to the right in the photo below. In the next photo, deck rails have been built. The roof parapet will be built next, providing protection for a future deck and extending the roof approximately 42″.

View from Stair Landing to Large Window Opening and Planter Box
Guard rail for Exterior Deck

Miscellaneous windows and exterior doors were ordered, and planning for interior finishes and equipment went into high gear. While we thought that ordering materials and products would create issues with delivery and material availability, the problem was not as great as imagined.

There are always alternatives if you are flexible about the products, and since we were not providing custom or high end finishes, we could work around lead times and locally available products. Out of the items for kitchen casework through Ikea, appliances through a discount broker, and plumbing accessories appear to be within reach, at least at his point before actual ordering takes place.

Wind rather than rain is a deterrent to working on site. The gusty coastal weather has been downright unpleasant at times and chills you to the bone. We can’t wait for the autumn weather when the winds die down, although we may be in for some unpredictable air quality from fires.

With the existing kitchen and dining room out of commission, it has been a challenge to prepare and eat meals. On top of that, the ambient temperature in these rooms average around 50 degrees. The heating bill was over $700 last month until we realized that the exposed air was sucking all the heat out and the thermostat was registering the coldest past of the house!

No more Viewing Window in Dining Room for Felix!
Existing Makeshift Kitchen uses a convection oven the size of a microwave and an induction hotplate

Felix has lost his viewing stand from the dining room window and can only wistfully catch glimpses of Mom and Dad during bathroom breaks or snack sneaks. The roof obscures all the active work taking place inside the new space, so there’s no opportunity to view activity from above when roof joists were previously open and exposed.

As an alternative, Felix has watched street construction down the block. His beloved dump trucks, bulldozers, and and excavators are all readily available in full operating splendor during his daily strolls. They complement his readings from favorite construction books. He never tires of hearing them again, even on the sixth or seventh time in a row.

2021

CONSTRUCTIVE TRAVELING: Completion of Phase I Foundation Work (Week 17-19)

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Newly completed slab showing where the entry to the unit will be located

Our ground floor slab has been completed! In the photo above, me (and my shadow) are standing on the ground floor where the living/dining/kitchen space will be located. I am facing the new entry area where I will be greeting you at the door. You will be waiting outside, where the gravel is shown!

We were very relieved to finally see the results of the foundation work after several months of hand wringing. As with all construction projects, you somehow reconcile the realities of time and budget. Expectations always exceed reality, and you are forced to make some hard decisions. You learn a lot about the business of construction, the players, and the many moving parts that come into play. You come to accept and live by those hard choices that had to be made.

Difficult conditions on a small sloping site created challenges for the foundation crew. While most of the pier drilling went smoothly, there were a couple of stubborn piers in the middle that refused to cooperate. These were clearly aggravating the drilling crew, yet they pursued and prevailed. At times, no one wanted to breathe for fear of causing a collapse of the openings.

Aware of their concerns but unable to affect any change to the site conditions, I watched from the dining room window. The crew hacked away at the sandy soil, drilled through and extracted dirt and rock, force-fed the steel casings, lowered the reinforcing cages (some 30′ long), and injected the concrete.

We watched this dramatic choreographed performance unfold each day. The huge drill plowed within inches of our window. At times, I thought it would smash the window or crash into the side of the house! The exposed wall of the kitchen concerned us as a few leaks threatened to derail our comfort, and a few vibrations kept us wondering whether we were going to be shaken into homelessness.

As it stands, the foundation crew knew exactly what they were doing, where to place their equipment, and drill the holes. I was grateful to the care and precision they used. Their expertise is the lynchpin of the project.

The concrete work for the retaining wall went quickly following the pouring of the piers. Before we knew it, the slab was topped out after the layers of gravel, foam insulation, moisture barrier and rebars were set over the backfill. We could revel in the delight of finally “getting out of the ground” and declared the first phase of the ADU completed.

Phase Two Construction of Rough Framing has officially begun, with the deck supports being tied to the retaining wall. The deck framing will provide a work space for the ADU construction when framing work begins. Interior finishing will complete the project during Phase Three.

Recap of Phase I Foundation Work

This video represents a year’s end celebration of our work and efforts toward building the ADU.


We hope you have enjoyed following the journey building the addition to our house. We wish everyone a safe and joyous new year. Let’s look forward to the great new adventures ahead for all of us!

2021

CONSTRUCTIVE TRAVELING: How to Retain Your Form(work)—(Weeks 9-16)

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While the previous two months seemed to drag with the drilling of the piers, there was a lot more to observe during these two months of construction of the ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit). As the structure lifted itself from below ground, we could witness progress of the construction. We were gratified by physical signs finally appearing after two years of planning and design!

Formwork

Temporary formwork was built for a concrete retaining wall and grade beams along the perimeter of the addition. There seemed to be as much, if not more, effort put into the construction of the forms than the pouring of the concrete itself, which seemed easy after the complex engineering and layout of the entire space. Needless to say, all of the work that will ultimately not be visible—the drilling of the 30 foot piers, the intricate network of rebars, the wooden formwork that holds the wet concrete—is just as essential as what one sees.

Once the concrete was poured, the formwork was removed. It was sad to see all the hard labor put into its construction disappear so quickly.

Adding Steel Rebars with retaining wall beyond
Grade beam along house
Pouring concrete into retaining wall and grade beams
Finished concrete retaining wall
House of Sand and Fog

Next, the sandy soil made its reappearance on the site. The backfill was compacted into the large bowl created by the concrete walls.

  • Original sandy soil backfilled into “pit”
  • Soil Compaction
  • View from South end of site at grade
  • West Elevation of House with kitchen “Popout” and Exterior StairsRemoved
Layers of Icing on the Cake

Within one week, the finishing touches and crucial layers of protection under the floor were added: 6” of gravel followed by a 2” layer of insulation. Finally, the moisture barrier (yellow plastic material) was added to the underside of the slab.

  • Gravel Truck Arrives
  • Gravel Poured into foundation
  • Insulation Added over Gravel
  • Finishing Touch of Moisture Barrier and Plumbing Trench Added

Dear Little Felix had a field day watching all of the activity, keeping him entertained throughout the day. Watching and learning outside our window was a great home-bound alternative to traveling around the world to see the sights!

2021

CONSTRUCTIVE TRAVELING: ABS OF STEEL AND CONCRETE SOLUTIONS (Weeks 5-8)

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The Dining Room Window gives us a front row seat of the ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) construction in our back yard. For much of the last two months, it felt like watching the grass grow at times, and sudden operatic performance at others. There was plenty to consider, ponder, and worry. With the rainy season emerging, there are additional concerns about weather protection and drainage. Nevertheless, the substructural work inched forward with big digs, long tubes of steel linings welded end to end, gnarly steel cages, and finally concrete.

Recap of Weeks 2- 4 (The First Pour)

During the first weeks of foundation work, the crew mobilized their equipment and laid out all the positions for the piers. They began by drilling the first four pier holes along the edge of the existing house to support the addition and to underpin the existing foundation. As mentioned previously, our site is basically a sand dune and the loose soil is prone to caving. Getting to the 25+ foot depths required by the soils engineer proved to be arduous.

To reduce the risk of caving, the crew poured the piers in two stages. The initial pour included the five 25+ foot piers and seven 8′ deep deck piers. Photos below show the arrival of the truck and equipment assembled for the first concrete pour.

Most of the time, our site looked like a giant bowl of flour! In the beginning, the excavator scraped the edges of the bowl and pushed the floury dirt around. It felt even more similar to baking when the concrete was finally pumped from the hoses during our first pours. The liquified concrete pouring out of the hose looked like thick whipped cream extruded from a pastry tube, but not as appealing.

Week 5-6
Concrete being pumped from the truck to the pier holes along the side of the house

The foundation crew continued to drill holes, insert steel casings and rebar cages for seven “shallow” deck piers. These piers were drilled approximately 20 feet to bedrock. The sandy soil continued to present challenges, as the soil had no compressive strength and collapsed when drilled. Geo-grout was used to stabilize the openings so drilling could be accomplished more reliably.

It was very humbling to watch as each day’s events unfolded. Every crew member was fully engaged. The video below shows pier holes being drilled by the excavator and a crew member guiding the drill into position while another crew member cleared the sandy soil from the drill. A fourth crew member checked and adjusted the grout in one of the piers.

Messy work! Concrete poured into exterior deck piers required hand removal
before it set!
Week 7 (Pour No. 2)

The final stage of earthworks began. The crew drilled the five remaining 24″ wide holes for the piles that support the addition. The cement truck returned and issued the second installment of concrete.

As in the first pour, the geotechnical engineer, the city building inspector, and the special inspector reviewed and approved the excavation and reinforcing steel before the second concrete pour. Our construction manager choreographed the intricate dance between consultants and contractor.

Concrete being poured into pier holes
Week 8

Once the steel casings were put into place and the holes were drilled, the steel reinforcing cages were guided into place with the excavator.

Steel casings being lowered into openings

You can get a sense of the depth of the opening by the height of the caging, which in some cases were over 30 feet long. In order to lower the cages smoothly along the full depth of the opening and to ensure enough clearance for the concrete to be poured around it, the crew attached rolling spacers in intervals at vertical bars along the edge of each cage.

Daily spot checks from Foreman Felix ensured that the construction manager was on site during this stage of construction.

Foreman Felix from his perch

Coming next….Retaining Your Form

2021

CONSTRUCTIVE TRAVELING (Weeks 2-4)

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Recap of Week 1

We mobilized our brains and prepped areas of the existing house to make room for the major home addition, which will consist of a kitchen/living dining area, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a small office in the rear yard of the property. All of the existing kitchen casework and appliances were removed for a new kitchen reconfiguration.

Week 2: Breaking Up Isn’t So Hard to Do!

First, two sets of old and deteriorated exterior stairs were taken apart to make way for the new addition. Then, the cantilevered portion of the kitchen that projected into the future new master bedroom area was demolished. Finally, the gaping hole in the middle of the house was covered with a temporary wall. We no longer felt as if we were living in a dollhouse!

Portion of Popout Removed
Rubble from Kitchen Demo
Popout from the inside
Temporary Wall to Kitchen
Concrete patio to be removed for pier foundations

Our foundation contractors arrived to set up their work. Their first task was to remove two old juniper trees and branches that hindered access to the site. A medium-sized excavator with a jackhammer attachment arrived to cut up the concrete pad, making way for seventeen piers to support the new structure. Ten 25+ ft deep foundation piers will be cast into bedrock and seven shallower, 8 ft piers will be drilled for the deck.

With the slab broken into chunks, the excavator and bulldozer worked in tandem to remove the concrete rubble, loose rocks, tree roots, dirt and debris in a confident, orchestrated tango. Dancers, efficiency experts, and strategists could learn a lot from observing these moves, as we did.

Excavator clawing its way to happiness

With a box seat in the corner of the dining room overlooking the patio, Felix was fascinated by the unusual activity right outside the window. He watched ten minutes at a time and could have easily lasted longer. He did learn how to cover his ears, however, and practiced using his hands as sound buffers. You’ll hear more from him later.

Week 3: Holey Moley!

The foundation contractors began drilling four 18″- diameter holes up to 31 feet deep along the existing house to support concrete piers for the new addition. Six-foot long steel casings, soldered end-to-end, were immersed into the ground to prevent the soil from collapsing along the entire length of the hole.

Pier drilling along the edge of the existing house and clearing drill bit

Being only two miles from the Pacific Ocean and on a hill, our soil conditions are what you expect from a windswept, coastal environment. The original sand dunes with deep rock underneath produces fine, dry, soil with no compressive strength; it’s so loose that the drill appears to wallow in water. The excavator drilled the four piers with a rotating auger bit that avoided vibration and noise of other methods.

Only the soft whirr of the excavator could be heard during normal weekday work hours. Undeterred by noise, Felix was fascinated by the cacophony of new sights and sounds.

Felix watching generator startup for welding of casings

Coming next: Concrete solutions to constructive traveling

2021

CONSTRUCTIVE TRAVELING

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During the early days of the pandemic and restrictive travel in 2020, I republished earlier Silk Road travels taken between 2014 and 2019. They started in Mongolia and China, and followed a string of Eurasian countries through Uzbekistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, and Turkey. Like ancient traders, Europe was the final destination.

In November, 2020, I started a Pandemic Diary that traced five months of travel in New Zealand. Our family enjoyed the luxuries of a COVID-free country, that bit the bullet early with strict lockdowns in the Spring of 2020. We went to the cinema, restaurants, performances and indoor shopping the same as we did in the States pre-COVID. As reported, being in a bubble felt strange and lonely. We were not able to share our experience with others as the rest of the world suffered.

Until now, I have recorded events and activities surrounding physical travel. We aren’t likely to see the end of the pandemic soon, so what’s next? In addition to continuing the Pandemic Diary, I’ve decided to switch to a different kind of adventure. I’m going to share Travels with Myself and Others through a building project on our property.

Like travel, construction involves planning, design, a budget, and a schedule. You meet new people, and learn about their social, political and cultural habits. These individuals impact our lives. And of course, many decisions need to be made, and changed. Stories will be hatching and churning as we continue to live in our house during construction.

What is an “ADU”?

Commonly referred to as an “in-law” unit, the ADU (accessory dwelling unit) we are building is an opportunity for residential owners to provide direly needed housing. Cities want landlords to legalize non-conforming spaces or to develop units to increase the housing supply. Both cities and the State of California offer favorable legislation to homeowners and even offer permit fee waivers to build more housing units.

Our goals for the project are to develop multi-generational housing, allow seniors to remain in place, and to provide rental housing. After two years of planning, design, and final permit approval, construction is underway. The project adds two bedrooms, two baths, and an office to the rear of our existing home on two levels.

THREE ARCHITECTS AND A BABY

My daughter, an architect, is acting as the construction manager for the project. She is job-sharing her daily tasks of looking after her one-year old baby with her partner (an architect) and me (also an architect). As Owner-Design-Builders, we are multi-multi-multi-tasking! I’ll be posting some observations through the eyes of Grandson Felix who is watching all the construction unfolding before his very eyes.

PROJECT KICK-OFF

7:45am:  Demo contractors showed up on time to start the demolition of the existing kitchen. We needed to remove a “pop-out” projection that will be displaced by future ADU space. I explained what appliances would be kept, and which ones would go. The two workmen wanted to make sure that the temporary toilet was functional.

Portable Toilet tucked under the trees

8:30am: Project Supervisor arrived to confirm where the appliances were going to be moved. They demolished the granite countertop and removed each section of cabinetry. They moved the refrigerator into the dining room. The existing cooktop and dishwasher were moved into the garage The vent hood and the sink were discarded. We were undecided about the double oven so kept it in place for the time being.

Noon: The two workmen took a lunch break and slept in their cars. There was the occasional banging from the tile or granite being cracked into pieces for removal.

4:00pm: They removed the doors to the casework and a portion of the vent duct. The plumber showed up to cap the gas and water mains to the kitchen.

When I asked the plumber for his name. He blurted out “Fong!” so of course I delighted in telling him that his last name was the same as mine. He asked me if I was from Hoi Ping (a densely populated agricultural district where many local Chinese Americans families in San Francisco are rooted). I detected a slight disappointment when I told him that I was from another district, Zhongshan. That was the end of our brief conversation in Chinese.

5:30pm: The work stopped. The photos show the countertop removed and the remains of the kitchen at the end of the day. 

Since the kitchen was going to be “down” for at least awhile, we converted the dining room to a makeshift kitchen. We purchased a used hot plate and convection oven from Facebook, an Ikea sink for $127, and recruited four existing rice cookers for active duty!