After lunch in a garden amidst the Redwoods…we zoomed on to San Francisco.
Driving through Sonoma, famed for its wine country, I sadly saw only brown arid land.
SAN FRANCISCO
Suddenly arriving on the beautifully iconic Golden Gate Bridge, I took in every sight instead of taking pictures.
Stepping out of our car at our hotel, I was suddenly very cold! In July?
I love these Jewel of the Nile in San Francisco, especially since I was missing their blooms in my own Virginia garden.
Walking across the street to the hotel across from ours, I pulled my jacket tightly against me in a vain attempt to keep the bitterly cold wind at bay.
In that crazy, noisy, high tech, laser lit restaurant (after three full days of backwoods country bliss), we ordered dinner while viewing the San Francisco International Airport across the way. At least we handily had food!
Watching the planes take off, I told the story of the other times I flew from here as a baby and toddler…to and from Oahu because my dad was stationed there.
It would be our turn to take off from that strip early the next morning.
The morning’s flight took us to Ontario, California, then we drove to Claremont where we checked in to the gorgeous Double Tree Inn.
BACK ABBEY CHARCUTERRIE
That night we shared a charcutterie board at the Back Abbey in Claremont, near the railroad tracks my hubby’s great uncle, Alvin T. Currier of Pomona helped to establish.
CLAREMONT DOUBLE TREE INN
Meanwhile back at the Double Tree in Claremont, I loved relaxing here since I was so exhausted from the initial continental flight from Virginia to Oregon, sleepless nights, and early mornings to drive ever closer to San Diego.
I loved all the flowers! We even had a great view from our room’s balcony.
We enjoyed delicious breakfasts here each morning, where I always ordered a custom omelette, then sat at one of these tables to lovely garden views, with the water feature trickling down the wall.
The next day my hubby attended to family business matters in nearby Pomona, a town sadly falling to decay.
After a full day of busy in Pomona, we returned to the Double Tree, happily enjoying a fantabulous meal under the stars on their patio.
Exploring more of the property, we walked along the balcony above.
As much as I wanted to enjoy the pool and sit under an umbrella to read a book, that opportunity did not arise.
At least Ontario, Claremont, and Pomona are further west, nearer the mountains, so it’s more like summer than the very chilly California coastline. Who knew?
I finally wore shorts, feeling my summer happy come on! However, by the time we landed in the evenings, it was too chilly for pool time.
COASTAL REDWOODS AT MARSTON QUAD POMONA COLLEGE
On our last morning in Claremont, we explored more of Pomona College, to continue research regarding my hubby’s family.
Suddenly I realized several of the trees scattered about were Redwoods! (see header photo for tallest trees on left…look for trees with the thickest trunks in the following photos)
What in the world were they doing in Claremont, where it’s arid and hot? (Also sycamore is on the list, which also suffers without ample water.)
Since we had recently driven through many of the Coastal Redwood forests from the Oregon border en route to San Francisco, I quickly noticed that the ones at Pomona College were stressed.
Abounding in Northern California, Coastal Redwoods thrive in the northern coastal climate where it’s typically foggy, it rains 60-140 inches per year, and it’s a steady temperature range of 45-61 degrees.
Claremont’s summer temps, on the other hand, can easily reach over 100 degrees, and rainfall averages only 17″ per year, usually falling in the winter
So why redwoods at this prestigious liberal arts college?
In the 1920s, landscape architect Ralph Cornell, a former Pomona student, transformed the Quad into a gardenesque escape for students, reminiscent of Thomas Jefferson’s University of Virginia.
Although Cornell initially, and wisely, envisioned bringing in California’s most popular xeriscape plants, he ultimately chose beauty over practicality.
Thus, several articles I discovered discuss how Cornell switched his plan to include a more Ivy League look with lush plantings.
Actually, some xeriscape plants are more lush in appearance, like crepe myrtles which bloom prodigiously in the heat, even with low rain fall.
However I didn’t see any crepe myrtles that appeared as though they were one hundred years old.
CREPE MYRTLE MASSACRE
As lush as the Crepe Myrtles were, they looked like lollipop balls on a small skinny stick, which is not their natural form…evidence of crepe myrtle massacre, which ultimately kills the tree.
When crepe myrtles are allowed to keep their natural form, they gracefully grow tall with several trunks, producing repeated blooms of color, providing ample shade, which is what the landscaping of the quad was originally all about.
If all the landscaper wanted was a small pop of color, like these, then a bush would easily provide that preference with no need for pruning.
LOCATING FORMER CLAREMONT INN
While staying at the gorgeous Double Tree Claremont Inn (see above photos), my hubby wondered if it was THE Claremont Inn from way back in the 60s?
Remembering a picture of his immediate and extended family members gathered at the Claremont Inn with his grandfather (who actually lived there!) for Thanksgiving, we began researching to discover its address to visit.
Built in the Craftsman style with lots of wood, rocks, porches, and terraces, the Claremont Inn opened in 1906, at the corner of Bonita and College Avenues.
By 1968, it was torn down, deemed a fire hazard and impossible to renovate.
SEAVER HOUSE
In 1979, the Seaver House was moved six miles, from Pomona to Claremont, donated by the Seaver family who was deeply affiliated with Pomona College.
Built in the Classical Revival style in 1900, the house currently serves as the Office of Alumni and Family Engagement for Pomona College (which is in Claremont, not Pomona). 😉
From the porch of the Seaver house, one can see the Quad and one of the redwood trees.
Loved the Seaver House garden but couldn’t find any history on it.
CLAREMONT VILLAGE
Then down the street to Claremont Village for lunch while we had many ah-ha moments since we had done some of this drive on our last trip! (I have duplicate photos from both our 2023 and 2025 visits.)
Settling at Bardot‘s on the corner of Harvard and Bonita, we enjoyed the coolness of the misters…meanwhile the redwoods in the Quad down the street were calling for some misters to cool them off too! 😉
The setting was wonderful and the food delicious!
For an appetizer we shared Grilled Bosc Pears with: fresh burrata, Parma ham, arugula, and a balsamic reduction drizzle
Also delicious, the Gorgonzola Burger came with: ½ lb. ground choice chuck, gorgonzola, Gruyère, arugula, fried onions, truffle aioli, on a brioche bun
Peak-a-boo views of Mount San Antonio abounded in the area…
The Verbal Building…that must have a story!
After some shopping in the village, we headed for Carlsbad. Stay tuned!
