Recharging Our Batteries in San Diego
Friday September 4, 2020
About five days ago, I announced to Beth that I was going to San Diego. I needed a vacation badly. I told her I was going whether she joined me or not. She made a wise choice.
We drove down yesterday. It was a fast and easy drive. Seven hours. It felt funny to drive by Peg's exit in LA and not stop. We'll see her tomorrow.
We are staying in a hotel in La Jolla and loving it. I made a pilgrimage to Pt. Loma Seafood last night for a smoked fish salad. Beth was on her computer zooming a Spanish class.
Beth is like a new person. She did not realize how badly she needed to get away. This has been an extremely stressful year. All I wanted to do was get somewhere warm, with clear air and dip my toes in the Pacific. Mission accomplished. I have not checked the air in the Bay Area while we have been away. I could not take it anymore. One reason I picked San Diego was that the air seemed consistently clear of smoke. Our batteries are recharged.
I probably walked five miles on the beach today. The weather has been perfect. La Jolla is a pleasant community. Slow paced. Nice shops. Clean. Friendly people. I wish more of them wore masks. About a third of the people here do not wear masks. It was a bit disconcerting.
We got some good news while here. They lifted the evacuation warning in Inverness. There will probably still be some smoke, however.
We drove to Coronado Island and walked around this morning. We stopped at the Hotel Del Coronado where we stayed years ago.
It has a beautiful old early 20th century wooden interior. It reminds us of the Wawona Hotel in Yosemite. No photos because they are remodeling and the lobby is closed.
We got a good tip from Richard Grant for lunch. We ate at Las Cuatro Milpas in the barrio in San Diego. Richard described it as "old school". They had about four things on the menu: folded tacos, rolled tacos, tamales and rice and beans. We got everything but the tamales. No choice of meat. You just got what they served. I think it was all pork. Deep fried with a capital F. Delicious. It felt like we were in a home kitchen inside.
Tonight, we had a glass of wine and appetizers with Richard and Carolyn Grant. Richard is an old friend from almost thirty years ago, when we were lawyers and fishing compadres together for the OEK (Legislature) in Palau. Richard is brilliant, witty, kind, honest and eccentric. It is always a pleasure to see him. Richard and Carolyn have an idyllic life. They live on a cliff in Encinitas, just north of San Diego, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Tomorrow we drive up to Los Angeles. We'll spend a night there and see Peg and Bill. Home to SF Sunday.
the bear
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