On America’s birthday we left our friends, Arati and Janak, in Oxnard and made our way to Southern California on highways 101 and I-5. The weather was typically sunny and mild which is why so many people move to this state. Driving through Los Angeles we saw many signs of towns and streets that most people recognize because they have been memorialized through movies and television – Hollywood, Vine, Sunset, Orange County, Anaheim, Irvine, etc.
We stopped for lunch in San Juan Capistrano where we also toured the mission where the swallows return every March. After a walk in the old historic town we returned to the car and Interstate 5 south. We drove to the house of Steve and Barbara Brown in Rancho Santa Fe, a town made famous when movie stars Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford bought property there in 1926. In the 30s, Bing Crosby moved there and helped build the golf course and the racetrack in nearby Del Mar. Many celebrities, sports figures, and wealthy businessmen live there now. We stayed with Steven and Barbara in their nice house for the next three nights. Steve and I went to school from kindergarten through 12th grade and only were able to re-unite through the wonders of the Internet (and school reunions).
Steve drove Rita and me around Rancho Santa Fe giving us a great history tour of the town. We saw where Andre Agassi and many other celebrities live (some off and on). For your info, Jenny Craig’s house and horse farm is up for sale for $25 million but you can probably get it for $20 million.
Steve is an architect and in the evening we were included in a dinner party at the Pamplemousse Grille, one of the best restaurants in the area, given by one of his clients who is remodeling a house in Rancho Santa Fe. The restaurant is actually located in Solana Beach which is in San Diego County. His clients told Steve to bring us along. In addition to the three couples we also had two teenage children and two pilots of the client’s private jet. We ate and drank well, the food was outstanding, and after dinner we watched July 4th fireworks that were launched from the Del Mar racetrack.
Tuesday we had breakfast at Thyme in the Ranch, a great bakery in Rancho Santa Fe. Then Steve gave us a tour of beach towns from Solana Beach south to San Diego. We stopped to see Del Mar, Torrey Pines, La Jolla, Point Loma and stopped at the former Naval Training Center (NTC) which has been given to the city of San Diego and turned into nice shops and restaurants. Here Rita toured an art quilt museum before we had a good lunch at Tender Greens. After lunch we toured downtown San Diego and stopped for a drink at the historic and impressive Hotel del Coronado where “Some Like it Hot” was filmed. Then back to see Balboa Park and Old Town San Diego before returning to Rancho Santa Fe.
Wednesday Steve took us to Solana Beach again and we turned north along the coast to see Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Carlsbad and Oceanside. From Oceanside we headed east to tour Mission San Luis Rey, one of the several California Spanish missions. Then we went back to Oceanside where we had lunch at the end of the Oceanside Pier. Next Steve drove us to the town of Fallbrook before returning home via Escondido. In the evening we all went to a delicious dinner at Jake’s, a nice restaurant in Del Mar close to a pretty beach cottage that Steve and Barbara own.
Thursday we had breakfast at Pannikin coffee house before telling Steve and Barbara good-bye. We drove to Oceanside where we met Sean McTighe whom we knew as a Marine Security guard at the Paris Embassy. Sean married Veronique, who worked for me, and we have kept in touch since then. Unfortunately for us, Veronique is visiting her mother in France with their younger daughter. After lunch with Sean we found Interstate 15 and took it north past Corona, Ontario, and Apple Valley to Barstow where we spent the night. The car’s thermometer registered 102 degrees near Barstow.
Out of Southern California and into the desert!!
No comments:
Post a Comment