First Stop: Home! 

Welcome to your front porch! You’re about to start on a 1.5 mile scavenger hunt loop through your neighborhood! I know you miss getting to go on walks to your favorite spots and chatting with people. This won’t be the same, but I hope this is a fun and safe way for you to be out experiencing the world. I hope you’ll be up for doing this now that your board meeting is over and before your 4:30 (shhhh!) call. Grab a bag that’s easy to carry while you walk. Make sure to bring with you: your keys, wallet, phone, ipad a pen, and this envelope of envelopes to open at each stop. Please wear this (COVID clean, unused) mask (or one of your own) and put this bottle of hand sanitizer in an easy-to-access pocket. Here we go! Start your walk to your second stop: the Steinbeck Family Cottage 147 11th Street (Between Lighthouse and Ricketts Row). As you walk to your second stop, notice the trees around you and think about your fondest childhood memories of trees. 

Second Stop: Steinbeck Family Cottage 147 11th Street 

Built by Steinbeck’s father as a summer home, this is the cottage where Steinbeck returned repeatedly throughout his life. One of the pine trees in the yard was planted when Steinbeck was a child, and he felt a playful affinity towards it, believing his well-being was linked with its growth. If you feel safe and comfortable enough, tell the next person you see that you’re on a scavenger hunt for your (favorite) niece’s project and you need to ask them about their favorite Steinbeck story. (Remember to stay 6 feet away) “Are there memorable mentions of trees in your favorite Steinbeck story?” Did you have a special tree as a kid? Draw a picture of it here: 

As you walk to your 3rd stop, look for a tree that represents your current well-being. Take a picture of it. 

Third Stop: Lighthouse 4 Movie Theater 525 Lighthouse Ave. 

(Staying 6 feet apart) Ask the next person you see: 

“What’s the last movie you watched in a theater?” “Any recommendations for stuff to watch at home?” (You can use the “my favorite niece’s scavenger hunt project” excuse again if that makes it easier to talk to folks.) Write down their suggestions! Walk down the road to your fourth stop: Pacific Grove Art Center 568 Lighthouse Ave. 

Fourth Stop: Pacific Grove Art Center 568 Lighthouse Ave. 

Since the Art Center is closed, look around for postcards, posters, or pieces of art in the windows. What can you find? Anything with blue & orange in it? Any landscapes? 

Take photos of anything that appeals to you. As you walk to your 5th stop, look around and take a photo that captures COLOR & SOLITUDE. 

Fifth Stop: Pacific Grove Travel Inc, 593 Lighthouse Ave. 

Ask the first person you see (keeping your distance): “What’s your favorite place you’ve traveled to?” “Do you think you will travel there again?” “When you travel do you send postcards?” “Who do you send postcards to?” As you walk to your sixth stop, think about who you might want to send a postcard to. Friends? Family? To Marilyn? To famous people? Historical figures? To voters in other states or counties? 

Sixth Stop: United States Postal Service 680 Lighthouse Ave 

Look through the post cards. Which images do you like? Why? Which don’t you like and why? If you HAD to mail each of these postcards to someone, who would they each go to? (They can be living or dead, you don’t need to actually have their address.) Even if it’s an image you don’t like, who would appreciate it? Put the cards back in your bag but keep the image of one of them in mind as you walk to your last destination. Think about what you will write on it later when you’re back at home. (Sending it is optional.) Ok, one more stop before you head home. 

Seventh Stop: Meals On Wheels, Sally Griffin Senior Center 700 Jewell Avenue 

Take a moment to notice the plants around the center. Have you ever really looked at them before? What’s blooming? Can you look at the plants, the flowers, like you look at paintings? Who’s someone you know who could really use some flowers right now or a note from you? As you walk home along the coastal recreation trail, look for things (plants, views, birds, art, scenes, details, colors) that make you think of that person. Take a photo or two to send to them (email from your ipad, or text it to them from your phone) when you get home. Take in the sights and smells and sounds. What would they think of this walk? 

Eighth Stop: Home! (along the water via the coastal recreation trail) 

You did it! Thank you for being game for this adventure! Now, put your feet up for a bit and look through what you collected on this journey: The drawing of your childhood tree. The list of viewing recommendations. The photo of the tree that best represents your current well-being. Photos of “art” around the art center. The photo you took to represent Color & Solitude. The postcards. The photos you took as gifts to send to someone. I hope you’ll share these things with me and with others! It’s been so fun to get to know you better and to create this art project FOR YOU and with you! In honor of your passionate commitment to the causes of defeating Trump and ending poverty, I’ve made donations to Indivisible and to The Carter Center. Happy Birthday! Strange as it is, it is still a beautiful day. I’m grateful we are alive. Thank you for being the loving, supportive person that you are, and for the work you have done and continue to do. 

Much love, Sarah.