Coastal California Trip!

Hooray!

I have always wanted to drive up the coast of California - and regretted that I did not do it the first time I lived in CA. One more life journey completed!!

My pal Ali ("Pali" as she loathes to be called) and I drove from San Diego and stayed our first night at her generous friends' lovely home in Tustin (aka, "The OC - we saw several plastic surgery failures out in the wild!).

We then drove to Santa Barbara and enjoyed the amazing scenery (mountains, ocean, boats/harbor and delicious food!). We asked the locals for info regarding Oprah's Oprah-sized mansion in nearby Montecito, but had no success finding it.

We then continued our drive up the coast - we did encounter some fog, but that's okay. As Southern Californians, you have embrace the "whatever" attitude.

We spent our next night in San Luis Obispo. We had an early wake up time to tour the Hearst Castle at San Simeon (if you ever get the chance to tour Hearst Castle....do it!!) The coastal fog that we hoped would burn off, did not but Baby Bing (our wheels) got us there safely. The tour bus took us up, up, up and we soon were above the fog that crept up just to the coast. Hearst Castle is incredible! We learned about the pretty amazing architect, Julia Morgan, who designed the "ranch" with WRH. What a woman! I'll post pictures from Hearst Castle later...don't sue me for copyright infringement, man!

After the fun tour, amazing views and purchased gift shop goodies, we continued north along the 101 and enjoyed what views Mother Nature would grant us. The picture below shows Ali's lack of vertigo-induced heebeejeebees that I experience:

We eventually arrived in Carmel, the town Clint Eastwood used mayorize. Carmel loves its canines! We had afternoon tea and treats, petted about 100 dogs and briefly checked out the beach (it kinda looked like what one might see in San Diego, so...) We continued on to Monterey and enjoyed the rather touristy (hey, that's what we were!) Cannery Row. Our next stop...San Francisco!! We were fairly sleep-deprived and road- warrior-dirty, but we soldiered on and ate delicious kobe beef sliders and fancy-pants carnitas tacos with the beautiful, stylish types in the city of Coopers and Prius(es?), while wearing hoodies. The next day we enjoyed a wonderful brunch of dim sum w/my pal Henry and Pali's kind-sleeper-sofa-generous friend Brian. Then it was time to return to San Diego, the route via 5 south was much less scenic, but it got the job done. $3.39 per gallon of gas be damned!!

One more amazing photo from a great trip!
-P

Ralphie: "I want an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle!" Mrs. Parker: "No, you'll shoot your eye out. "- A Christmas Story

RIP, Robert Clark