Sausalito Portuguese Cultural Center

06/13/2026

The dedication of the Praça de Cascais here in Sausalito- eight years ago today!

06/13/2026

Yesterday I shared a post regarding Eva Taylor, the Junior Queen for our 2015 Festa do Espírito Santo, who had been selected as the Junior Grand Marshall for the just-completed Point Reyes Station Western Weekend. As noted in that post, Eva is a member of the extended Mendoza (originally Mendonça) family whose Marin roots extend back to her great-great-grandparents, Joseph Vierra Mendoza and his wife, Ambrosina (“Zena”) Martins Mendoza, who owned the “A” and “B” ranches on the very tip of the Pt. Reyes peninsula.

Earlier today I came across a poignant article entitled “The Last Year” in the Point Reyes Light. It includes a wonderful set of black and white photos taken over the course of the past year by photographer David Mackie at six dairies on the Point Reyes peninsula. Those dairies, all operated by families with deep Marin roots, continued to operate until just recently, when they all shut down - the result of an agreement the ranchers had reluctantly made with the National Park Service and the Nature Conservancy after enduring years of litigation and uncertainty. Dairies had operated on the peninsula since the mid-1800’s, and this marked the end of an era.

One of those six dairies was on the A Ranch, the very ranch that Eva’s great-great-grandparents purchased in 1919. The family that last operated the dairy was William and Riley Nunes, and William’s sister, Lianne Nunes-Taverna. Some of you may recall that they donated the heifer for our 2023 Festa. William and Lianne are also related to Eva, being, like her, great-great-grandchildren of Joseph and Zena Mendoza. Just one of the many multi-generational family connections in the Portuguese community here in Marin.

In the attached collage, I have included just the photos of the Nunes family and the A Ranch that appeared in The Last Year article. For the complete article, including additional photos of the Grossi, Kehoe, Lunny, and Lucchesi and McClure Dairies, see https://www.ptreyeslight.com/features/the-last-year/

Mike Moyle
Historian, IDESST Sausalito Portuguese Cultural Center
Email: [email protected]

06/12/2026

Congratulations to Dewey Livingston and Eva Taylor who were selected as the Grand Marshall and Junior Grand Marshall for Point Reyes Station’s Western Weekend held last weekend. Attached is a collage including an article from the Point Reyes Light regarding the two Marshalls (https://www.ptreyeslight.com/news/western-weekend-marshals-named/), as well as a photo of them together.

Both Dewey and Eva have connections to our Center. In Dewey’s case, his work regarding West Marin history has helped to preserve much of the history of the Portuguese community in that area, especially as it relates to those families active in the dairy business. He has been a great help to me over the years regarding my own research into that same history.

Eva’s connections are even deeper. As shown on the attached collage, she was the Junior Queen for our 2015 Festa do Espírito Santo. She is also a member of the extended Mendoza (originally Mendonça) family whose Marin roots extend back to her great-great-grandparents, Joseph Vierra Mendoza and his wife, Ambrosina (“Zena”) Martins Mendoza who owned the “A” and “B” ranches on the very tip of the Pt. Reyes peninsula. Here’s a post we did back in 2015 regarding our Festa Queens for that year that includes further information about Eva’s Mendoza roots: https://bit.ly/4eDUnUK.

Mike Moyle
Historian, IDESST Sausalito Portuguese Cultural Center
Email: [email protected]

05/24/2026

05/24/2026

Marching back to the hall for the delicious sopas awaiting the parade participants!

05/24/2026

Today is our 136th Holy Ghost Festa!

05/05/2026

In honor of Dia Mundial Da Lingua Portuguesa, why not sign up for one of our Portuguese language classes this summer. You can find more information on our website.
https://www.idesst.org/event-6652689

Dia Mundial da Língua Portuguesa

Hoje celebramos a força e a beleza da língua portuguesa — uma língua que nasceu do encontro de culturas, evoluiu ao longo de séculos e hoje une milhões de pessoas em todo o mundo.

De Portugal ao Brasil, de África à Ásia, e nas comunidades da diáspora, o português continua a crescer, a transformar-se e a conectar gerações. É mais do que uma língua — é identidade, cultura, memória e futuro. É a voz de histórias partilhadas e de um património que atravessa fronteiras.
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World Portuguese Language Day

Today we celebrate the richness and global reach of the Portuguese language — a language shaped by history, carried across oceans, and spoken by millions worldwide.

From its origins to the diverse forms spoken today across continents and diaspora communities, Portuguese is a living language that continues to evolve and connect people. It is culture, expression, and a shared voice that brings communities together across the globe.

05/01/2026

A very nice article from today’s IJ. Lynn Lohr is an active member of our Center, as was her late husband, Lance Belville, who is the focus of the play.

04/28/2026

For those of you who may live near Sacramento, there are two new options for Portuguese baked goods and a lovely Portuguese winery.

Please support these Portuguese-owned businesses.

Carvalho Family Winery & Freeport Wine Country Inn
Owners, John & Marnie Carvalho
916-665-9500
[email protected]
https://www.carvalhofamilywinery.com

Bansch Baking Company
Owner, Sonia Vila Bansch
510-856-7531
[email protected]
https://www.instagram.com/banschbakingco/

9 Star Bakery
Owner, Greg Fagundes
208-598-1751
[email protected]
https://9starbakery.com
(9 Star Bakery, by the way, is owned by Greg Fagundes who used to own 9 Islands Bakery in Rohnert Park . His sweetbread is still delicious.)

04/25/2026

Remembering the Carnation Revolution - April 25, 1974