The “Scoop” From Deb Wong at Spring Mountain Gallery in HMB

Hi June,


I added what you sent me, but haven’t found much more to add to http://www.ShorelineStation.com, except some photos, and a little extra history. Linda Goetz said that she would get back to me if she remembers anything.

Yes, that is Father Miles Riley*** of the S.F. Archdiocese, now retired, The photo below was taken 2 years ago at a party – he was a very good singer! ”

(Photo: Miles Riley and Deb Wong singing Christmas carols.)

Our friend Bud Andre knew him, when Bud was a practicing priest. I did the website for Bud’s “Sandpiper Ceremonies,” though he is now on hiatus.

Meanwhile, Michael & I are working on a project for Franco, of a 1991 map of “Half Moon Bay Businesses” [created by Arlon Gilliland, owner of the Bird Nest Gallery in Oregon] that is now hanging in Cunhas (you see it by the stairwell). Michael photographed it, and I added a few things to it, including drawings of Franco’s 3 businesses: Riaces, Cunhas Market, and San Benito House.

I also added Spring Mountain Gallery, for good measure.

We are ordering 1,000 to start. It will be “Courtesy of Cunhas, Riace, and San Benito House”, though I believe that Franco wants to sell them, not give them away. I phoned the artist of the map, who now lives in Oregon, and who apparently used to draw those maps regularly for Half Moon Bay, and I got his permission to change/duplicate them. Shoreline Station is in there, with a few of the businesses that paid to be included. Michael joked to Bev Cunha that they were both too cheap to be included back then, and she said: “Yep, you’re right!”

I guess the Shoreline Station site is not that interesting to most….its history isn’t even that old. Many folks STILL complain that they didn’t know where Spring Mountain Gallery was located!

Most of our business is by word of mouth, or repeat customers, which isn’t bad. Our buddy Lionel Emde (of Periwinkle Framing in Pacifica – I did his website, too) says that we should have our customers write good reviews in “City Search”, which has quadrupled his business. But Michael doesn’t feel comfortable asking people to do that. I got one lady to write one, so at least there’s one!

We had felt as though we were in a black hole, or had a cloaking device installed over our building for many years. We were hoping that Franco’s business, Riace, might help bring some in, and it has, to a slight degree. Or that big bear out front. I wanted to put a huge hat on him/her, but it would involve a lot of manuvering,a tall ladder, and the hat would have to be glued on, with the winds we get.

There is even that interactive sculpure (that I have been putting t-shirts on, which say: “Half Moon Bay, CA.” on them). To little avail. Perhaps it’s the economy, which has affected many businesses, local & otherwise. Maybe the poster we are working on might clue some in…or not…oh well.

At least everyone knows where Lemos Farm and Pony Ranch is!!!!

In any event, I hope that you are doing well, and enjoying the warm weather!

Take care,
Deb

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***Miles Riley: When I worked at Time in San Francisco in the early 1980s, I once called Father Riley at the Archidiocese for a comment on a story. I don’t remember the topic but I remember him as a gracious man. Isn’t it funny–these people who come into our lives peripherally, and then, again, years later -or people you didn’t know your friends knew…this is getting too complicated but it makes me believe we are moving around in a smaller space than we think.

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Do you love cats? Click on Deb Wong’s link here