8/9/08 Well, today we got together to celebrate Grandma's birthday. It was a family reunion of sorts too, because we havn't had one for a couple years. We are all so scattered around that its hard sometimes. Of course not everyone was able to come, but we had a good time anyway. Grandma turned 78 this year! Hard to believe! She is so loved by all of us and still very active. Grandma giving one of her talks to Philip. You MUST pay attention when she gives you advice! Plus its usually very good advice! :)
A virtuous woman We had a blast playing "hillbilly golf!" Ron & Sue's dog wolf . He is HUGE! Faith hangin' out and watching all the action.
8/6/08 Well, this is my last day in San Diego for the summer. I decided to get in some last minute fun stops before I head home. I went a little north to Solana Beach again and stopped at Cedros Avenue. I love it there. There all kinds of stores for remodeling your home, bathroom, kitchen, etc. There are stores that specialize in tile, stone, imported fixtures, outdoor furniture, etc. Pretty cool place. The entire street is lined with shops and little cafes. Two of my favorites are SOLO and The Leaping Lotus
This is the inside of SOLO. Its a pretty cool place and has different sections for the different vendors that have stuff in there. They have their own stock too, but allow a few select vendors to have a "booth" inside. Really cool stuff for the house.
This is The Leaping Lotus. It is two floors of the coolest stuff!! There are at least 100 different "booths" or sections that are rented out to different artisans. They are not there in the booths, but each item is tagged with their booth number so you just browse and purchase what you want at the front. Some very creative things in there!!
After Cedros, I went to Del Mar again. I love that little town. It is the perfect setting! Perched right on the edge of the Pacific Ocean with perfectly landscaped lawns, gardens and little shops everywhere. This picture is the view from where I ate lunch. I stopped at the Pacific Breeze Cafe. They have the best sandwiches ever!! I like the Turkey, Bacon & Avocado club sandwich!! Yum! The Pacific Breeze Cafe is up on top of the building with the arches covered in ivy. That building is full of shops and cafes. Kind of like a small shopping mall. Most of the upper part is restaurants with the ocean view.
Almost all the restaurants have outdoor seating like this. If you are hungry, just look for the little umbrellas along the street and there is sure to be good food to be had close by!!
This place has really good coffee!! I got a Coconut Dream there!! Its just like a latte, but had coconut flavoring! So good!!
With coffee in hand I headed down to the coast for a walk around Seagrove Park. It is absolutely beautiful!!! Of course its on Coast road! The beach here is used for swimming, but is famous for its surfing. There are tons of surfers everywhere!! Some of the local wildlife. The signs say they are squirrels, but I guess they are ground squirrels 'cause they burrow into the ground. Anyway, they are kinda' cute.
After Del Mar, I headed to Torrey Pines State Park to hike. I didn't do heavy-duty hiking, but I hiked nonetheless! The views are well worth it!!
I love this picture of the salt marsh and the Del Mar valley! I was able to catch the Coaster going along the track too! Great timing!!
You always have to be careful to stay on the trail!! You don't have to worry about me! I happen to not like rattlesnakes :) The Torrey Pine!!
After my hike, I headed to La Jolla. I love it there so decided to visit it again!! The views here are incredible!!
Lazy Sea Lion napping on the rock :)
Typical sight in California! Off to the beach!
Yes, that's my shadow! I could not get to a place where I didn't show up in the picture :(
There were several seals and sea lions playing in the surf, but this little baby seal stuck out! So cute!!
I saw a wedding taking place along the edge of the water. I couldn't help but take a picture!
Then as it got on towards dusk, I headed to Belmont Park. Its another beautiful place. There is a small amusement park there and little beachy shops and cafes. Cool place to hang out. Its in Mission Beach.
This piece of pizza was absolutely huge!!! It was called a "Big Slice," but it was about the size of a third of a large pizza!! Yum!!!
This is a familiar site in San Diego!! Its near downtown in Mission Bay Park. I believe its inside Sea World. Anyway, Its always been there as long as I've been going to San Diego. At Christmas time they change the colors to red and green, but otherwise its kind of a landmark around there.
Now its time to go and get some stuff packed so I can get some sleep!!
Well, I'm working on this in the airport on my way home Thursday 8/7/08 at about 9:40pm. I have a long layover in Charlotte, so it gives me something to do. Can't wait to sleep in my own bed tonight!! Yeah!!
8/5/08 Today I started out by going to the beach again, but then I went to Balboa Park. It is truly beautiful there. Most of the buildings there were built for the Panama-California Exposition back in the early 1900's. They didn't intend for them to be permanent buildings, but because of their popularity, they were made permanent and still stand today. Good thing! As you can see, they are gorgeous! Most of them are now museums (Art, Science, Aeronautics, Photography, etc.). Some have theaters and restaurants in them as well. There are gardens throughout that will take your breath away! The building above is the botanical conservatory. Inside there are palm trees, waterfalls and every kind of tropical plant you can imagine!! It closed just as I got there, but I've been inside many times before.
There is a palm tree forest there that is spectacular!! Makes me feel like I'm in the jungle!! The sculpture in the stone facing of these buildings is unbelievable!!
The rose gardens are just amazing! The work that goes into making these roses flourish like this! I can't imagine!! These roses are coming from one plant!! Some even from the same stem, but are blooming in different colors! ??
Then we come to the cactus garden! I love that stuff too! I think its because they are so unusual. They have so many different varieties! Some of the local wildlife! They can be seen skittering around as you walk. Usually I can't get my camera to shoot a picture fast enough to catch one, but this time I did OK :)
You can see the mountains in the background. The California landscape really appeals to me. It has its desert areas, mountains, and the ocean! Love it!! This cactus is pretty cool. The picture below is of the top of one of them. Its the flower in bloom. It looks like something that you would see on the ocean floor - like one of those sea anemones. Pretty cool!!
Well, today I planned to go up the coast all the way to Malibu as I have done many times in the past, but I just didn't feel like rushing and wanted to spend more time in Laguna Beach. So, I only went that far. On the way up I stopped in the little beach towns along the way. One of my favorite ones is Dana Point. From high up on the cliffs, you can look down on the marina. The view is breathtaking and everything looks so beautiful and perfect! I love it!!
This is the road that leads down to the harbor! Awesome!! Gotta' love those cliffs!
This is the coastline on the other side of the harbor and marina. Beautiful!! There is an Ocean Institute there by the marina that teaches all sorts of stuff about the ocean and conservation. It was pretty cool. I didn't actually go on one of the tours/classes, but its a neat place. Great gift shop too :)
Another little beach community that I love is Oceanside. Its right by Camp Pendleton (the Marine base), so its really a big-time military town. It is just so quaint and beautiful! The pier is a big draw for tourists and locals alike. It is reeeeaallly long! People fish from it and walk and jog on it. There is a restaurant at the end of it too.
Ocean House is a beautiful restaurant that always catches my attention. I've never eaten there, but maybe someday.
A typical old-fashioned California car! Usually they have the wooden sides and are carrying a surfboard or two on top. This one was bright red! I couldn't resist posting it in black & white though.
Then on to Laguna Beach. And, yes, it really is as beautiful as everyone says! I love it there too. There are two major arts festivals that run all summer long that go on every year here. There are also just tons of art galleries and artist studios everywhere you look. The beach is absolutely gorgeous too!
I thought that these benches just sitting there by the sea looked so inviting! What a great backdrop!!
The beach here kind of reminds me of those pictures of Italy or the Greek isles somewhere. I think its because of the way the city and the houses are kind of built into the side of the cliffs like that.
I did get the chance to take a couple of photos of the coast from up among the houses on the cliffs. I drove up there for a little while to see some of the houses and some of the views from up there. I cannot imagine actually waking up to that every day! What must that be like?
I also snapped some pictures of some of the shops along the way. Lots of fun shopping! Being that I like nautical things and sea shells, etc. the shops around here are right up my alley!!
On the way back to San Diego, I went by way of I-5 instead of the smaller beach routes 'cause I was tired! I like to stop by at the scenic viewpoint by Camp Pendleton to snap some pictures. Its is so beautiful there - just wide open space. San Onofre State Beach is right out in front but most of the land around that whole area is Marine base. Some of the local wildlife! There are tons of these little gopher things that live in the cliffs!!
Well, When I got back to the hotel, I was pretty tired, but I hate to waste time on vacation! So . . . I headed downtown for the evening. I went to the Gaslamp District. Its a historic older section of downtown and a lot of it is still lit by real gas-burning street lamps. The main street there is 5th street and it is just lined on both sides with restaurants and shops. Its a great place to get something good to eat or shop. There are restaurants for every kind of food you can imagine and almost all of them have outdoor seating as well.
One of my first stops is usually the Ghirardelli Chocolate shop! They have the best stuff in there!! There is an ice cream shop in there as well! Too good!!! At least go in to get a free sample of the chocolate that they had out on the way in!! Yum!
I also stopped by Horton Plaza while I was there. Its a HUGE mall in the middle of downtown. There are at least 4 different levels to the mall with walkways and escalators running every which way! Its totally cool!! The walkways are open to the air due to the favorable weather here, so its a great place to hang out, shop AND enjoy the fresh air! Sorry my night photography is sooo bad! I have to read the manual for my camera when I get home!! (no I haven't read it yet!)
Well, that's all for tonight. I'm gonna' some sleep so I can hit the beach early in the morning! Well, at least early for me (pro'ly 'round 10 or 11 o'clock) Ha, Ha!
Today is Sunday and yes, I did go to church. There is a church out here that I went to with Becky & RuthAnn when they were working as nannies. It is Horizon Christian Fellowship and is totally awesome!!
Pastor Bob Botsford spoke on "Putting on Christ." It was a really good message on how we are not humble, Holy, patient, or meek in and of ourselves, but that is why it is important to live as Christ and to put off ourselves and put Him on. It was really a good sermon. Their website is http://www.horizon.org/
As I walked in they were already singing. I recorded a snippet of video as discreetly as I could when I first walked in.
They have brunch in the courtyard, coffee, fellowship, and tables set up for the high school ministry, singles ministry, marriage retreats, men's ministries, and women's ministries. There is always something going on there. Mercy Me is going to be coming soon for a concert! Wish I could be there!!
After church, I went to the beach of course!! I decided to go to Fletcher Beach. This is where I was stung by the stingray, but I'm conquering my fears, remember? Anyway, I went swimming a little bit, but right in front of the lifeguards and there were lots of other people there too. I think all the noise and activity might have scared away the stingrays. That's what I kept telling myself!! :)
Since I was there last, they have totally redone the area!! The picture of the park-like setting is all new. It used to be just one big parking lot, but is now really beautiful. The only problem is, the parking lot now only holds about 20 cars! So . . . I had to park a little ways down the street.
Those condos up on the hill are part of Las Brisas condo development. RuthAnn got to live there for 3 months every summer when working as a nanny. I stayed there a few times with her when I was out here on vacation. It was absolutely beautiful!! The condo the nannies got was on the front side directly overlooking the cliff and with an unobstructed ocean view! Only $11,000/month to rent it. Good thing she didn't have to pay for it!! :)
I walked down the beach a little ways to get away from where all the swimmers were and also where the people were all camped out. I had to wade through the surf to get to where I was going, but it was well worth it!!
The cliffs are so beautiful! It feels like you are on a deserted island half the time because you are surrounded by cliffs and water and there is hardly anyone around! So nice!!
After I left the beach, I went back to my hotel room for a little while and got a nice hot shower so I didn't smell like ocean water and then headed downtown. I went back to Seaport Village for a little while. Its a beautiful place to watch the sunset, let alone all the other things going on there. Take a look at the pictures of the little shops and vendors there.
The Hyatt Regency Hotel! I love that place! So beautiful!!! Nightfall along the bay
There were some people there with parrots, cockatoos, macaws and other birds. They wanted a donation for pictures and the ability to hold the birds. They were there from a local bird rescue shelter and animal hospital. I love parrots!! Of course I got my picture taken with a macaw! They are so beautiful!!
What a beautiful day!! The weather today was spectacular as usual also!
This is more video of the surfers in Pacific Beach. I really enjoy watching them especially from the pier where you are right out there with them as they catch the waves!
La Jolla is a truly one-of-a-kind place! I absolutely love it there! There are blocks and blocks of little shops, art galleries, cafes, bistros, restaurants, surf shops, and just about every other thing you can imagine!! At night it really comes alive with lights and crowds of people just having fun, laughing, meeting with friends and enjoying the ocean view.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Powell's Sweet Shoppe in La Jolla is AMAZING!! I could not believe all the obscure, old fashioned and forgotten candies and sodas that they had!! It was unreal!! They even have a few theatre seats in the back and have "Willy Wonka" playing on a TV screen!! I had a lot of fun looking at all the kinds of candy. I only bought a couple things, but could hurt myself in that place if I let me!!
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One other video that I wanted to add was of the road on the way to La Jolla. I was racing up "The 5" as it is called (The 8, The 805, The 163). Everyone refers to the interstates and highways as "The . . ." I can only imagine saying take "The 77" or "The 62" or "The 71" - Ha, Ha! Sounds funny with those numbers. Anyway, I love the highways out here. Many times there are 5-7 lanes going each way and the view is beautiful (or I think it is). Surrounded by mountains, hills or with views to the valley below or the coastline, you never get bored!!
Well, as usual, I went to the beach to start my day. I went to a couple of different beaches, but ended up at Torrey Pines State Beach. It is so beautiful and unspoiled there. Very peaceful!
After I left there, I went to Pacific Beach to walk around and browse the little shops along the boardwalk. There are all kinds of things to see along there. Every little thing you can imagine would be in a small beach community is there!
While there, I always have to walk out on Crystal Pier. Lots of people use it to fish off of, but there are little cottages that you can rent actually ON the pier. They are very expensive and there is a waiting list of about a year, but it would be so cool to actually have the ocean beneath you and imagine the soothing sound of the ocean as you slept!
I could watch these surfers forever! Its so fun to watch them from the pier because you can see everything from the time they catch the wave, until they ride it in to the shore. Its a neat perspective being above them and out where they are!!
8/1/08 Well, I started off the day going back to the beach again. I actually went swimming today (conquer your fears Dave!!). To those that don't know, I have terrible luck in the ocean even though I LOVE it!! I was stung by a sea urchin in Grand Cayman and about 4 years ago I was stung by a stingray on each foot while swimming in Solona Beach. Thank God my parents were with me and the lifeguards were close by because I could barely walk! Anyway, enough of that, I went swimming and really enjoyed it! After the initial *take your breath away* cold, it was so nice and refreshing! Its definitely not like Florida water in the summer. Its still COLD!!
Then I went down to Torrey Pines Beach to walk. It is so beautiful down there. I like to walk down the beach to Flat Rock and back. Its really good exercise and makes me feel so alive!
These beautiful cabanas were provided by The Lodge at Torrey Pines and the Spa there. I wanted to take up residence!! They were open to the public - not just guests of the hotel, but it turns out they cost $100/day! Guess I'll just stick with my beach towel & bottle of water for now! I did work really hard to resist the temptation to make off with the gift bag from the spa!! I wonder what was inside?
This is Flat Rock. You can hike down to it from Torry Pines State Reserve too. (up on top of the cliffs) Its kind of a landmark on this area of beach. Much further and you will find yourself on the "clothing optional" beach! Oh my! Its not really legal, but it is tolerated because of its position on the beach. You have to hike down the cliffs to it or walk a loooong way to get there, so . . . people do things that normally they wouldn't! I felt bad a few years ago that they closed the trail down to the beach from up on the cliff trails. It had eroded so badly that it was unsafe. Well, I was glad to find that this year they have build a new trail down the cliffs. I will have to give that a try!! I climbed up some of the stairs and went up the trail a ways to get some good shots of the beach.
There are many places in the cliffs that are worn and tunneled by wind and water. I think the cliffs are beautiful!! Several of these places are like little caves that you could crawl back into (not that I would). OK, I have before, but that was dumb!
You can see the fenced in area on the edge of the cliff. That is Ragged Point. You can hike down from way up above that and Ragged Point is the end point of the trail. You can't see it, but the mountain actually goes quite a bit higher than the cliffs are. They just slope upwards instead of drop off, so you can't see the rest of it from the beach. Its quite a hike down to that point, let alone the beach trail which you take all the way down!! The problem is, you have to go all the way back up again! That's the killer!!
Well, time to get on with my day and leave the beach for a little while. I'll be back though!! :)
During the one video, this guy standing there was asking "Is that a video camera?" Uhhhh, Duh! I was moving it around and talking into it! Most people don't talk to their cameras unless they are recording a video! How dumb. When I didn't respond right away, he called to me and said "Hey FBI agent!" I waited until I was done shooting and then talked to him. You can hear him talking and saying that to me right at the end. Weirdo!
After I left the beach, I went to Rubio's! Its a "fresh Mexican grill" and their food is spectacular!! I got some food and headed back to my room for a shower and lunch and then headed back out again. I headed straight for Point Loma and the Cabrillo National Monument. From up there you can see the bay and the whole downtown area as well as out to sea! It is one of the best views I have ever seen!!
First though, the more sobering side of Point Loma. The National Cemetery. Its like Arlington Cemetery and is the final resting place for hundreds and hundreds of service men and women. Very sad but at the same time, makes me grateful to be an American when I think of their sacrifice for the freedoms that we all enjoy.
On both sides of the mountain the gravestones just go on and on as they slope down towards the sea. Its beautiful and sad at the same time.
After I left Point Loma, I decided to go to Old Town for a little while. There are so many things to do there from some very old historic buildings to great shops and restaurants! Always a fun place to be. I got there kinda' late, so I didn't intend to spend long. It was a little before 6pm and some of the shops where closed. Most were not and the restaurants were thriving with people. All of you that like to shop for little trinkets and Mexican art, pottery, nice household items, etc. would be thrilled to be there!! They have a shop for everything!
These are just some of the old buildings and houses that are in Old Town. Most of them are now open to the public as historic sites, but some are still used as Bed & Breakfasts or something. One of them is something my Mom would love - a tea house! :)
Old meets new as you look up on the cliffs surrounding Old Town. This house always catches my attention! I think its beautiful!!
This Video is specifically for Ruth Ann Glaser!! She will get the joke!! :)
After I left there, I decided to go over to Coronado Island! I love it over there. You can see it in the above video. It is just across the bay from downtown San Diego. The island itself is absolutely beautiful, but I always head for The Hotel Del Coronado. There is a lot of stuff there to do and see. This time, I decided to drive around a little more than usual and see some of the other parts of the island. I stopped at a little park near the base of the bridge to get some pictures.
This is the Hotel Del Coronado or as the locals call it "The Del." It has a storied history and has hosted presidents, European royalty, and the rich and famous for many, many years. Its a sight to behold!!
Inside the hotel its just breathtaking! There are beautiful carpets, woodwork that would make anyone stand in awe, and luxery at every turn!!
Below the hotel is a little mall of very exclusive shops. There are luxery clothiers and jewelery stores. There are also about three different restaurants facing the ocean on the lower level. There is also an ice cream shop that I just have to stop at every time I'm there. Yummy!!!
This is a picture of The Crown Room. Its a banquet room and is absolutely gorgeous!! I have seen inside before, but usually its closed from the inside unless you are part of the party that has rented it. The entire room is covered with beautiful woodwork and of course the crown-shaped chandeliers set it off just perfectly!
Out on the lawn, there was another private party. I asume it was some sort of wedding rehersal dinner or something. What a beautiful setting!! The sea in the distance and the hotel as a backdrop!!
I shot a couple of videos as I walked out around the hotel and down to the lower level. Enjoy!
Well, its time to leave The Del and go rest up for another fun-filled day! Its now about 8:30pm and I'm whooped!! I have crammed a lot into one day and I feel like blogging and then doing my other favorite activity - SLEEP!! (well, its not exactly an activity, now is it!!)
This video is of me taking the elevator up to the main lobby from the shops below and walking out the front door on my way to my car. I like taking the elevator there because its an old-fashioned one and has an elevator operator and everything!! So cool!!
Ok, so I don't know why this is sideways. Grrr! Its not sideways on my computer and I tried reloading it a couple of times, but its still sideways, so TILT YOUR HEAD TO THE LEFT PEOPLE!! HA, HA!!!
This is just to remind you that I am zoomin' around in a Mustang!! I love it!!!! :) Just had to rub it in!!
This is a short video of the La Jolla sea wall and the waves that hit it and sometimes wach up over it! A beautiful place to spend some time and watch the ocean!
I'm a 32 year old, single guy just taking it one day at a time and enjoying life along the way. I'm a nurse in an Intensive Care Unit and work quite a bit, but love my days off!
I'm just looking to connect with friends and family and keep in touch!
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. He is HUGE!
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