Albany Hill and Peet's Coffee

Peet's Coffee, El Cerrito & Albany Hill by Jana Bouc

I picked up a latte at Peet's and crossed the street to sit and sketch on the steps at Pier 1 Imports (sketched here), enjoying the first sunny day in ages. Albany Hill sticks up like a very tall cupcake (sprinkled with trees instead of jimmies) in an otherwise flat landscape. In the late 19th century, the Judson Powder Works used the hill for the manufacture of dynamite. They planted the eucalyptus trees on the hill to catch debris and muffle the sound of their explosions. More about this on my blog.