Tuesday With Nixon

We again had no plans that required an early start, and I managed to drag out the start of our day, making coffee, until just around 7. It was another bright day in California, with the clouds burning off quickly, and the temperature reached a hot 86°F (30°C). We decided to have breakfast at the hotel’s buffet, as it was convenient, and the omelet service was excellent. I had a bit of everything: some smoked salmon, some yogurt, a poached egg on ham with Hollandaise sauce, and pastries. Expensive, but still good, and some options are better than the usual industrial breakfast I get for free at some places.

We planned only one item for the day, and that was an Über trip to the Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. There resided the famous helicopter that was used by the presidents in the late 1960s and early 70s, with the image of Nixon at the end of his time as President at the helicopter still in my memory (though the TV was black and white–I remember it in color from all the later photos and newsreels). I was also hoping to get some postcards and small Nixon tchotchkes (yes, I have to look up how to spell that every time).

The ride was complex, as two or more Uber drivers rejected our trip because it was headed to a less touristy and business-oriented area, Yorba Linda. We finally got a driver and took the thirty-minute trip to the library. We passed by the A’s baseball stadium on the way. The traffic was heavy but fast-moving (and a bit crazy). I missed driving the Air VW the Gray in LA traffic (despite the craziness that is LA driving), but the cost and extra time were prohibitive.

Aside: For those EV enthusiasts, four hotel nights and a $40-per-day hotel charge are required to pick up and keep the car here. Charging when not using the Free CalTrans stops is about a $37 charge. I only drive eight hours, and it is 20+ to get home to Beaverton. Meaning two extra days on the start and end of the trip. However, it is still an incredible drive.

The Nixon Presidential Library was neat and organized (not quite my image of his Presidency). The Pat Nixon Rose Garden reminded me of the White House and Mrs. Nixon, who seemed to be everywhere at once during their stay. Both the late president and Pat are buried there, and we were surprised to find that the house where Nixon was born is still standing and has been incorporated into the library and museum. The parking lot and house are the original Nixon farm, and the house was built by his father from a kit.

The helicopter was showing signs of needing some care, and I learned that it would soon be shipped back to an Air Force facility for protection and refurbishment. The sitting out in the sun here had caused it to age quickly. I was told that the Presidential library is trying to fund the building of an indoor place for the helicopter and a cafeteria. I mentioned that the Chicago museums had to do the same with U-505, which had aged poorly in the open elements and is now protected underground, looking quite impressive and fully restored. We took some photos of ourselves by the helicopter.

Next, we were going backwards, which startled the docents (we had planned to go outside first, as the day promised to be hot), to the house. I was initially unimpressed, as it appeared to be the same as many historical homes I have visited, and populated with items just to fill up the space. However, we learned that 90% of the items were retrieved from storage, and we were able to see the actual items the family used. Wow! The musical instruments were the ones that the family (including Richard Nixon) used. The house had been partially rebuilt, but the lines were still there (the most you can hope for from this period). The docent shared that one of the president’s brothers explained to her that it was not Richard’s violin but the one he borrowed from his brother.

After that, we took the more typical tour of a politician’s life, except that the items were mostly real. We also noticed that Nixon’s bad moments were less of a focus (such as his poor showing in the first televised Presidential debates). We learned that during World War II, Nixon was a scrounger (his own words) and created Nick’s Snack Shop to provide burgers and beers for the troops in transition while he was involved in transportation for the Pacific War. Later, we were told, folks wondered what happened to Nick.

The rise of Nixon was a mix of successes and failures, reaching unprecedented heights, and then making terrible choices in Vietnam and on the world stage. Watergate is covered, as is the 18 1/2-minute gap in the famous tapes. Apparently, the tape still exists, and advanced recovery efforts have yet to locate the lost words, but there is hope, according to the library, that someday technology will enable recovery. I can see a new Kaggle contest starting for this someday, when a careful scan of the tape is released to the public.

Deborah sat in the Oval Office behind the recreated Wilson Desk while I got her the phone. We saw photos later that matched the reconstruction. Always a treat, I understand, at Presidential Libraries.

The displays were well done and worth multiple trips, I thought. We were tired from walking and skipped the additional shows on Ancient Egypt and another one on Women’s Rights. There is also music on the weekends.

All the Docents were dressed in suits or dresses that would be suitable for a White House reception. The gift store had a range of gifts, but the huge, nearly $40 bobble-head Nixon was not coming home with me. I picked up some small items and a pile of postcards. I buy strangely themed mints, and a pack of Nixon Now! mints seemed to fit my memory of the place.

An Über soon had us back, but it was nearly 2 and we had no food (yes, they need a cafeteria at the Nixon Library). I had a nap after we picked up Starbucks for sandwiches (with my grilled cheese upgraded to ham and cheese as they were out of just cheese). We spent the afternoon relaxing.

Buca di Beppo was a place I had always wanted to try, but the food portions were family-sized and not suitable for two people. We decided we could reheat some later. It was just a block walk, and the heat at 6:30 was down to the low 80s. We were happy to get the kitchen table and watch the food preparation as well as to talk to the staff while they worked. They seemed pleased to have an audience.

I was shocked by the size of the servings. I do not have that many bowls of that size at my house! I wish we had one in our area, as the leftovers would be great for a week!

We ordered some wine, the smaller salad (we took half back with us), enough garlic bread to feed three tables, and three full-sized stuffed chicken breasts. All the food was flavorful and well-made. We had no pasta items, but the baked items were tasty.

Stuffed we returned, managed to reorgaznie the frig and contain our wealth of leftovers, and soon were sleeping early. Just two full days remaining of our trip. And while we have loved the time together, home is calling us both back. But we will be in Iceland and the Detroit area in July.

Thanks for reading.