I wanted to know more about Robert Louis Stevenson, the author of Treasure Island and other…read moreclassics. This small one room museum had many piece of memorabilia. But the best part was the history the docent gave about the life of RLS. Left wanting to read his books again!

The Robert Louis Stevenson is an unassuming museum on the edge of St. Helena, next to the public…read morelibrary. Stevenson's "wine is bottled poetry" quote is a common sight in the Napa Valley, yet this museum is small... and relatively uncrowded. Quotes from Stevenson adorn the walls, along with a pirate mannequin and a treasure chest for the Treasure Island display, as well as the toy soldiers who inspired him in "Children's Garden of Verses." Stevenson's adventures in California&Samoa are described&depicted with artifacts. Stevenson didn't confine his quests to his swashbuckling novels. Much is devoted to his romance with Fanny Osbourne, his wife, and their eventual honeymoon in the Napa Valley. For many people, their introductions to Stevenson are his poetry, or movies based on his novels (like Disney's 1960 version of "Kidnapped" with its dueling bagpipes&Rob Roy's son) This museum shows Stevenson's human side. Fascinating and insightful.

We had a great time visiting the Bale Grist Mill in St. Helena. Our tour guide explained it was…read morebuilt in 1846 from the design in the 1795 book "The Young Mill-Wright & Miller's Guide." I was able to read some of the book from the Library of Congress archives and found Oliver Evans wrote the guide and patented his design in 1790, the year the patent office was formed, before patents were numbered. In 1804 they retroactively assigned him patent number (X3) three. He licensed his design to hundreds of people including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. He became the first American to live off of intellectual property income.

Historic Grist Mill where grain is milled powered by a gigantic water wheel. From the friendly…read morereceptionist to the remarkable tour guide this is a fabulous experience. I have not been here since before the pandemic but it is always an amazing experience. Bring a picnic and sit outside at the tables or take a hike after the guided tour in Bothe-Napa Valley State Park. You will learn a lot about the history of the region. And the milling process. Modest entry fee.

Part of the Napa Art Walk and installed in the 2021-2023 program with a theme of "Play!" - "Using…read morekinetic art, movement and/ or light to define dimensions and interaction in space, this art contains symbolic movement or requires motion for its effects." Lacunae is by Windsor California artist Catherine Daley and was made in 2018 from a cobination of aluminum and granite. It is a tall sculpture that, according to the artist, "... speaks of the voids left in our lives, community from tragedies, dislocations and shows the wall that separates our common humanity is less solid than we believe." I got that. From the side, it looks like a solid piece. From the front or back, it is quite hollow and yet, it's a wall. Impressive to see and if you're near the Napa City Hall, stop in. [Review 17655 overall - 446 in California - 1176 of 2022.]

High on a wall of the Pearl Street parking garage…read morehttps://www.yelp.com/biz/pearl-street-garage-napa?hrid=S3RLLIbcy2ILFMEcmvHE0w near Clay Street, you'll find this very long mural. The mural depicts the Napa Independence Day Parade of 1908 with Miss Mazie Behrens as Miss Liberty. This mural was painted by David Huddleston of Napa. He was assisted by Jaci Brooks, Bill Martindale, Carla Crawford and his three daughters. This mural also had the support of the Napa City Council and the Napa Chamber of Commerce and was dedicated on July 4, 1997. On the opposite side of the street is a flight of external stairs to access the parking garage. Feel free to climb up there to get a better eye-level picture of the mural. I posted a panorama of it. [Review 17593 overall - 388 in California - 1111 of 2022.]

Public art gracing Patricia's Green in Hayes Valley. Sponsored by the San Francisco Arts…read moreCommission & created by David Normal. It all started with Stonehenge, morphed to artistic interpretations like Car Henge in Texas, Truck Henge, & many more Henge. But hey, cats rule. These regal cats emit a low electronic purr, & have a bench for contemplation. 3-D printed! Must See.

I like what Water Light Public Plaza represents, even if it's poorly designed…read more Unfortunately, the three walls that make up the Plaza have no sound dampening. So if you have multiple people speaking or children being children, the sound carries to the point it's unpleasant. It couldn't be made into a park because the noise would be deafening. The Plaza has little to no greenery and only receives sunlight during certain points of the day and year, generally being a concrete shaded rather cold space with tables that go largely unused. It would liven up the area dramatically if they put in a small coffee shop that had games you could check out (like Salesforce Park), but my guess is they have to keep it a community space for tax purposes. In my opinion the seating at Growers Square and the Wells Fargo Fountain are far more successful. They're both more comfortable and have a mix of shaded and sunny areas. So all in all, while the idea of the Plaza (with it's beautiful tiled backdrop and fountain) is great, the actual usability of it day to day is fairly low.

This is a really cute public space in Walnut Creek, with a few plants along the border and several…read moretables available to enjoy snacks or drinks. Half of the seating area was covered by shade when we visited, which was a relief on a hot Sunday afternoon. The glass and ceramic mosaic mural along the wall, titled Water Light, is a beautiful reflective art piece by Jason Middlebrook, whose works connect art, history, and nature. The arcs of water flowing from the jets blend in with the artwork on the wall beautifully. The biggest surprise was the wooden grand piano at the corner of the plaza adorned with images of tiny trees and polka dots whose colors match the mural in the background (part of the Painted Piano Project). We got to play and listen to lovely melodies while relaxing in this simple yet delightful space.

Painted high on the side of the exterior wall of an art gallery, this historical mural is only…read morepartially blocked by a growing tree. Looking at the Google Street View history, there was a much bigger tree in the way back in 2007 that was since replaced and this tree was a tiny sapling back then. So maybe it will take a couple of viewpoints to see the entire mural as the new tree gets bigger. There is a marker posted adjacent to the mural. It reads... Credit the 1908 Napa City & County Portfolio & Directory, published by Mr. H. A. Darms of Napa, and considerable research in the archives of the Napa County Historical Society by Napa artist Miky Kravjansky for the concept behind this montage of early Napa. Important personages represented include, from left, Napa County Sheriff D. A. Dunlap (with hat & moustache), Napa Mayor D. S. Kyser (with moustache & sideburns), Superior Court Judge Henry C. Gesford (with beard & shock of white hair) and Justice of the Peace (future State Senator) Nathan Coombs. The lady depicted on the page of the Napa Daily Journal is Lena A. Jackson, the then Superintendent of Schools. Noteworthy buildings of the time are, from left, the Goodman Library, the Napa County Courthouse, the Migliavacca Mansion (all three are still standing) & the Central School. In the center, behind the courthouse & depicted in the distance, are some of the many spires of the "Insane Asylum", the city's largest employer of the time. The glove and shoe in the Keigs Shoe Store ad are examples of goods manufactured locally and the Horse & Buggy, an example of the major mode of transportation. The "1900" wine cask and fresh fruit denote the large part agriculture played in those days. The lady & two children and the couple in the center are in the dress of the day & the foursome of "dandy" gentlemen are shown sampling wine, a pastime as popular then as it is today. In recognition of their generosity in making this mural possible, the Napa Mural Society gives special thanks to: Artist Miky Kravjansky, who donated his time and talent. Bell Products, Inc., Jim Asbury, President, for the installation. Superior Paint of napa, Roger Langley, owner, for the paint. Morris Brown Realty, building owners, for providing the location. Napa City Council, for their support of the mural project. The Napa Chamber of Commerce, for making it all possible. Stop by and check it out. There is street parking. [Review 17592 overall - 387 in California - 1110 of 2022.]

Have a Heart mural is at the 7th St. side. Hear a Heart is a cannabis dispensary…read more the theme of the mural highlights events/symbols seen in Oakland: sideshows, A's baseball, Oaklandish symbol, Hello Kitty, spray painting, vaping, bart, bitcoin, green apple, blue skies, red skies, etc. creator: Charms Von

These types of murals in general prevent a lot of graffiti. Some building these owners turn over…read moretheir exterior walls to artists at a specific cost. I recently spoke to one of these artists. There is some pay involved and there is an understanding that the art work generally doesn't last forever. Its a unique relationship between artist and tenant or building owner. I think the bad part of it is the ulterior motive - its not as if people have these murals for pure love of art - rather its to avoid something bad. I suppose building owners are 'in like' with these sorts of projects. I guess I see it as putting a missing person's face on the side of a milk carton.

People confuse this staircase with the 16th Avenue Tiled Steps, and they are certainly similar as…read morethey both feature lovely colorful artwork created by the same artists. But they are not the same thing. The Hidden Garden Steps are located a little further away from Grandview Park (the bottom of the stairway along Kirkham Street) and presents a slightly different theme, the focus of its design more on flowers and plants rather than sealife. It's a unique and beautiful work of art, in good condition (as of January 2026), and located in a nice neighborhood in SF. It's also free to visit with free street parking nearby too. I couldn't find a reason to give it anything less than 5 stars.

After visiting the 16th Avenue Tiled Steps, I was just on my way out of Golden Gate Heights, when I…read morenoticed a sign that said, "Hidden Garden Steps." The sun was almost down, but I decided to check it out. With 148 steps designed by the same artists as the 16th Avenue steps, this really almost felt like a continuation of the same staircase. The Hidden Garden steps have more of a garden theme, with lots of flowers, bugs, mushrooms, birds, etc. The plants around the steps are similar to those found around the 16th Avenue steps. Succulents are interspersed with California native plants chosen to attract butterflies, including the locally endangered green hairstreak butterfly. My favorite design on the staircase is the snail near the bottom. The shell swirls up several stairs, with patches of mushrooms sprouting from the head. The snail is surrounded by mosaics of California native plants such as hibiscus flowers and buckeye sprouts. The Hidden Garden steps are about 10 years newer than the 16th Avenue steps. In my opinion, the artists improved their skills over time, and, while one flight smaller, these steps are actually more impressive than their sister stairs. The design feels more imaginative and detailed. While the 16th Avenue steps were a bit slippery, the Hidden Garden steps were even more slippery. Because the sun was setting, I really had to watch my step. This must be why the steps are "closed" after dark. Overall, this is such a beautiful community art project, and I'm so glad I happened to stumble across it. My only regret is not having visited earlier so that I could compare the sunset views with the views from a block away.