Attractions – Page 20

Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Santa Monica Pier and More

February 11, 2015August 11, 2015 Jane Sadek

Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica CA — Santa Monica Pier

TRAVEL THERE: FAMILY FUN IN SANTA MONICA, CA

After several hours exploring the Getty Villa in Malibu, I had a hungry group of relatives on my hands, so finding something to eat was the next order of business.

THE TOURIST WERE HUNGRY

One thing I’ve learned from my husband is that Egyptians are a little more leisurely about their travels that I am. Truth be told, almost anyone is more leisurely about traveling than I am, but I have so much that I want to see that when I do go somewhere I’m driven to rush.

Poor Bill usually gets dragged along at my pace whether he wants to be or not. However, I knew better than to attempt that sort of thing when he had reinforcements with him. On my own, I would have spent more time at the Getty Villa enjoying their multi-media Gallery Guide and taking in as many of the tours as I could have squeezed in. My visit to the Santa Monica Pier would have been a quick stroll up and down the pier, and I would have eaten a hot dog while I was at it. Then on to forty-seven other things.

SLOWING IT DOWN

Instead our two car caravan found parking places at the pier and then headed inland to find food. The tykes needed some space to run about in and the adults needed some down time. So we headed up to street level and found a shopping mall called Santa Monica Place. The top floor was a food court and had a patio overlooking the Pier.

Then we relaxed and everyone else enjoyed themselves. The food was good for food court food and the view was outstanding. I did enjoy visiting with everyone, but I was in sight-seeing mode and I really had to rein myself in.

Eventually, everyone had been fed and alcoholic beverages were consumed by the adults. My waiting paid off, we headed to the pier.

THE SANTA MONICA PIER

The truth of the matter is, a stroll while eating a hot dog is probably all the of your time that the Santa Monica Pier deserves. The kids enjoyed this taxi, but for the most part, the pier was entirely too crowded and loud for their tastes. I agreed with them. I admit. I’m the one that had dragged everyone to the place, but you don’t know until you check it out.

Perhaps if you’re a little older than the grands and a little younger than their moms, you might enjoy what the Pier had to offer, but it looked a lot more interesting than it actually was.

The next day we visited Huntington Gardens. I loved it and you will, too. Come back next week and I’ll tell you about it.

Architecture, ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, Museums, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

The Getty Villa, Malibu CA

February 4, 2015August 11, 2015 Jane Sadek

IN LOS ANGELES GETTY IS THE THING

Museum Girl has one word for you in LA: Getty. One word and two locations. Getty Center is a big art museum on a hill in Los Angeles . Getty Villa in Malibu is something else entirely.

THE GETTY CENTER

If you’ve never been to The Getty Center, you have to go there first. The location alone is reason enough. Even if you don’t like art, you really need to see this place to believe it. The view is outstanding and the architecture is amazing. What’s more, there are gardens and fountains that also think they’re the main attraction. Seriously, you have to go.

If you do like art, then this is a feast you will enjoy. All day is not enough. I’ve been several times and it still hasn’t been enough. There are multiple huge buildings. The museum’s holdings are encyclopedic and they get first dibs on the best exhibitions in the US or visiting the US.

What’s more – it’s free! You heard me – free. Not on certain days or after a certain hour, but all the time. Now you have to reserve and pay for parking, but this is LA where you even pay to park in front of your house.

THE GETTY VILLA

When I moved to California, Malibu Getty was being renovated. It was ready the final year I lived there, but it was impossible to get in. On my visits since I moved away from California, I never could work the museum into my schedule for a variety of reasons, which included things which were both my fault and theirs.

Just like I was determined to have an overnight stay on Moonstone Beach, I wasn’t missing the Malibu Getty on this trip. My nieces and nephews are not into museums in a big way, but I warned everyone that with or without them, I was going to the Getty.

INVASION BY SADEK

Two carloads of Sadeks arrived at the Getty Malibu promptly at 10:30 with free timed passes in hand. What an entourage! Toddlers, teenagers, Baby Boomers and more! Just getting everyone to the entrance was quite interesting.

Once inside we showed our timed passes and a volunteer invited us to see the intro video. He also suggested we have a look around the galleries in the immediate area, since there wasn’t anyone waiting to see it. While we were looking around, along came a busload of folks who got in line ahead of us. Helpful hint number one: Ignore the volunteer. Get in line and wait for your turn.

Do watch the video though. It’s very good and helps you understand the villa and the art.

CAN YOU SAY AWESOME?

Remember your world history textbooks? And remember the head shots of statues which stood in for Caesar, Caligula and Cato. Ever wonder where those statues are? They’re at the Getty Malibu!

Perhaps I’ve spent more time than other folks staring at art, history and art history books, but what impressed me most about the Getty Malibu was that all those pictures I’d been staring at were front and center. One right after the other. I couldn’t get over it. I can’t say that the entire entourage felt that way, but I was overwhelmed.

My husband adored the architecture. One grandnephew loved an activity room where you created rubbings off faux pottery shards. One niece was spellbound by a peek of the ocean from a terrace. My grandniece just wanted to run in the gardens.

In other words, there was something for everyone. Truth be told, I wanted to stay a little bit longer and almost everyone else thought we stayed a little too long, but we all had a good time. Some day, when I return for a visit, I’m going to go by myself and stay all day. It’s going to be great.

From the Getty Villa we went to Santa Monica. Come back next week and I’ll tell you all about it.

Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Montana de Oro

January 7, 2015August 11, 2015 Jane Sadek

MONTANA DE ORO STATE PARK IN LOS OSOS, CALIFORNIA

Though few people actually know it exists, no trip to the Central Coast of California would be complete without a visit to Montana de Oro.

WHY HAVEN’T YOU HEARD OF MONTANA DE ORO?

This is a question I ask a lot. Sure, I love Moonstone Beach and it’s just around the corner from Hearst Castle, but Montana de Oro is only about an hour away. So, why aren’t the tour buses going there? In many ways, Montana de Oro is much more spectacular. It doesn’t have the B&B’s or restaurants, but that’s part of what makes it so marvelous.

I think California is trying to hide it from the rest of the world. Google Montana de Oro and check out the California State Parks Website. You get a picture of a few people on horseback. If I was trying to decide if the park was somewhere I wanted to visit, the page wouldn’t get me there. With a little persistence I found a brochure on the site which made the place a little more desirable, but nothing they show or tell you says, “HELLO! THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SPOTS ON EARTH!”

So I’m telling you – THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SPOTS ON EARTH!

EXCUSE THE BORROWED PHOTOGRAPH

I have gorgeous pictures of Montana de Oro, but they are all pre-digital and they are all packed away. Please go Wikipedia and enjoy the rest of what they have to say about this gorgeous stretch of the California Central Coast. I’ll leave the history of the park to them and just tell you about my love affair with Montana de Oro.

HOW WE GOT THERE

The way in which we decided we wanted to live in San Luis Obispo County is a very long story that includes a visit to the Red Lobster at LBJ and Greenville Avenue in Dallas. On our maiden trip to the Central Coast we somehow hooked up with a Morro Bay real estate agent who I can’t even find on the internet now. They took us to see a couple of available houses out in Los Osos and then said we should see Montana de Oro. They loved the park so much, they actually drove us out there themselves.

That trip to the Central Coast was actually just an exploratory visit, but once Bill saw Montana de Oro, the exploration was over. We started looking, in earnest, for a lot to build on. We found the lot and made the offer on our way out of town. We set a moving date without even having a place to live.

Back in Dallas, with an accepted offer in hand, we needed a place to live while the house was being built. It was a no-brainer. Since we didn’t buy the lot in Cabrillo Estates, we decided we’d enjoy living there while the house was built. We rented a house sight unseen.

I very vividly remember walking into that rental house. We unlocked the front door and the view was so gorgeous my knees almost buckled. I sat down on a step into the den in utter amazement. You could see all the way from Montana de Oro to the Morro Rock. My amazement continued for the next three years. Yes, I said three years. That’s how long it took us to build that house in Pismo Beach.

As astounding as my first sight of that view was, it was only the beginning. Imagine the same view with about fifteen deer grazing in the backyard or with a family of quail strutting from one side of the yard to the other. I can sincerely say that living with that view is one of my favorite things about my life so far – even if it was in California.

DAILY VISITS?

We didn’t actually make daily visits to Montana de Oro while we lived in Los Osos, but we were there a lot. We’d pass the entrance sign and roll down the windows to smell the eucalyptus trees. Seems as if there was some good reason they’d transplanted the trees to the area, but I’ve forgotten it. I just know they smelled great.

We’d drive directly to Spooner’s Cove for the picturesque view. Then we’d walk around the Bluff Trail and let the awe roll in with the crashing waves.

Montana de Oro is pretty well known with Californians who hike and ride horses, but other than that, it’s truly a hidden gem. I never hiked to the peak or rode a horse there, but it’s still one of my favorite places on earth and maybe I’m glad that no one really knows about it – that is except for you and me.

From Montana de Oro we drove into San Luis Obispo to have lunch with some friends at one of our favorite eateries. Come back next week and I’ll tell you about The Upper Crust Trattoria.

Architecture, ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Road Trips, Shopping, TRAVEL, United States

Revisiting Los Osos

December 31, 2014August 11, 2015 Jane Sadek

A NOSTALGIC VISIT TO LOS OSOS, CALIFORNIA

Happy New Year! I hope 2015 holds much happiness for you and yours, as well as lots of travel!

Now onto our journey to the West Coast. We called Los Osos home while our house was built in Pismo Beach. In fact, we almost bought a lot in Los Osos rather than Pismo. I wonder what turn our life together would have taken if we’d gambled on that steep outcropping rather than the more sedate hilltop in Pismo.

Sally and The Great Skin Company

One of the first things I did when I moved to Los Osos was join South Bay Women’s Network. I loved that group of women and had the honor of serving in several offices for them – from Historian to President. It’s through SBWN that I met the lovely Sally Brooks and made my way to The Great Skin Company. In Sally I found a wonderful friend and at her salon I enjoyed some of the best facials I’ve ever had. Should you happen to go to the Central Coast, book something at The Great Skin Company and tell Sally I sent you.

On this particular morning, I didn’t have an appointment for a facial, but Sally had arranged for several of my friends from SBWN to drop by for coffee. I loved that the group is still doing great things for the South Bay area. I have to confess that I was proud that my presidential year still holds some record accomplishments, but I was lucky, I was working with an amazing group of women.

Cabrillo Estates

I hugged a lot of necks and loved catching up at Sally’s, but the road was calling. We had lunch plans in San Luis Obispo and things we wanted to see before that.

First we stopped in Cabrillo Estates, a subdivision of homes at the edge of Los Osos. That’s where we hung our hat for a few years. We particularly liked Cabrillo Estates because the streets were all named after heroes of the Alamo. Not sure of the reason, but when we lived there our house was on Bowie Drive.

When we were looking for lots, there was one we loved in Cabrillo Estates, but we ended up choosing a lot in Pismo Beach. The lot in Cabrillo Estates had the most dramatic view by far, but Los Osos is a sleepy little bedroom community, while Pismo was a happening beach town. We chose the beach town, but lived in Los Osos while the house was built.

Looking back, I was much happier in the Los Osos rental house than I was in the luxurious home we built in Pismo Beach. There are many things which contributed to my season of discontent, but I can’t help but wonder how life would have been different if we’d built in Los Osos instead.

The lot in Los Osos was intimidating – virtually a sheer wall cliff to hang a house on. Some one did eventually build a very contemporary home virtually made of glass and it had nearly a three million dollar price tag. Crazy for a house with less than 2000 square feet, but the view, as you can see, is out of this world.

The top of the hill was also for sale when we were looking for lots, but it was an acreage we knew we couldn’t afford. Here’s what they built up there.

From Cabrillo Estates we went to an old favorite, Montana de Oro State Park. Come back next week and I’ll tell you about it.

Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Magical Moonstone Beach

December 17, 2014August 11, 2015 Jane Sadek

Moonstone Beach, Cambria CA — The Sun Sets on a Highway One Road Trip

TRAVEL THERE: A VISIT TO MOONSTONE BEACH IN CAMBRIA, CALIFORNIA

While living on the Central Coast of California, Cambria was one of our favorite places to spend a Sunday afternoon. It’s a cute little village with wonderful shopping and some good places to eat. We thought the best part of Cambria was Moonstone Beach.

TOURISTS GALORE

We aren’t the only ones who like Moonstone Beach. During a stroll on the boardwalk you can hear languages from around the world – and why not? Cambria is right off Highway One, just about halfway between LA and San Francisco. Hearst Castle is virtually around the corner. And Moonstone Beach? Gorgeous.

THE PHOTO DILEMMA

I wish I had a beautiful picture of Moonstone Beach to show you, but I messed up. I didn’t take many pictures on my trip, because I knew I had plenty in my scrapbooks. The problem is that since I took the trip I’ve sold my home and am living in a rental. All my scrapbooks are packed away in boxes waiting for the house we’re building to be completed. So you’ll just have to use your imagination.

Moonstone Beach Drive is a small two-lane street. On one side of the street is a row of some of the cutest little bed-and-breakfast inns you’ve ever seen. On the other side of the road is a rocky beach, protected by gnarled junipers. Between the squatty trees and the rocky beach is the boardwalk. Just off shore, seals bask in the sun atop outcrops of rock. Nearby, otters cavort with one another and seabirds reel in the air. The clean air is scented with salt, pine and just a hint of seaweed. Along the beach you’ll find large pieces of driftwood smoothed by wind and water. Yeah – I love it.

THE OTHER DILEMMA

As I planned this trip, I had visions of getting to our inn in the early afternoon. I thought we might pick up a bottle of wine along the way and relax by the fire. Then just before the sunset, we’d walk over to the beach and stroll along as the sun went down. That’s not how it happened.

We were a little later than I expected getting away from San Francisco. Then we took a little longer than I’d planned on in Monterey. And who could blame us for lingering at Nepenthe and Ragged Edge. As a result we blew into Cambria as the sun was going down. I had to virtually drag a very reluctant husband across the street to capture the last few moments of the setting sun…but you know what – it was worth it.

Though he’d begrudgingly trudged across the street in the gathering darkness, we were in the right place to capture the last glimmer of the sun as it disappeared into the sea. Even he had to admit that it was worth the effort.

Something else totally worth it was our accomodations. Come back next week and I’ll tell you all about it.

Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, Shopping, TRAVEL, United States

Beautiful Big Sur CA

December 10, 2014August 11, 2015 Jane Sadek

Nepenthe, Big Sur CA — Sculpture at Nepenthe in Big Sur

BEAUTIFUL BIG SUR

You don’t need me to tell you that Big Sur is a beautiful place to visit. There’s a reason it’s one of the top destinations in California. However, I do need to tell you about a few of my favorite places along the way.

Nepenthe

Nepenthe is at the northern end of Big Sur, a little ways south of Carmel. I have a hard time explaining this place to people. It’s mostly a restaurant, except that it’s not just a restaurant. The view is remarkable and the food is good, but it’s more than that. When I pull off the road and into their parking lot I always feel like I’ve been granted entrance into another world. There are all sorts of legends attached to the place and at least one movie was filmed on site. You just have to go. That’s all that I can say.

A part of the attraction, for me, is the Phoenix Gift Shop. It’s bigger than a mere gift shop or at least it seems that way and they don’t carry your average souvenirs. I’m sure you can buy t-shirts and ball caps with Big Sur splashed all over them, but that’s almost beside the point. They have handcrafted musical instruments, artisan jewelry, lots of books, unique wind chimes and the list goes on. Don’t neglect to go downstairs. That’s where they have the clothes.

I aspire to buy all my clothes at The Phoenix. Everything is handmade, unique, unusual and/or exotic, but none of it is weird. Does that make any sense? It’s the sort of thing that makes people want to ask where it came from, but not for the wrong reasons. It’s all out of my price range – not in the sense of couture pricing, but it costs more than it makes sense for me to spend, when I don’t have any room for anything else in my closet. It’s like if my house burned down, I’d go there with my insurance money to start all over, because most of what I’d buy doesn’t go with what I have.

However, I usually buy something. This trip it was a t-shirt. It had been marked down enough times for me to feel like I stole it. Now that I’m home I love wearing my find. People always comment on it and when I tell them where I bought it, they’re always jealous.

Ragged Point

At the southern end of Big Sur is Ragged Point. It’s sort of an inn/restaurant/gas station/snack shop/photo opportunity. Call it what you will, I always stop. I’m usually in need of a break and Ragged Point has an absolutely jaw-dropping view.

I have eaten at the restaurant, but I didn’t on this trip. It’s been an uneven experience. Great one time, horrid the next. While we were there, someone said it had new ownership/management and was going through a sort of Renaissance, but don’t hold me to that.

There’s a nature trail that wanders down to the edge of a cliff – that’s where your jaw will become unhinged. We sort of stroll down there and back. A nice little break.

San Simeon

Most people go to San Simeon to visit Hearst Castle and that’s a darned good reason to go, but I saw the sprawling estate frequently when I lived on the Central Coast, because everyone who came to town wanted to see it. The tour takes a lot of time and the price of admission discourages casual visits.

Just north of the Hearst Castle is a scenic overlook that looks over more than just sand and sea. Elephant seals have chosen it as their home. They aren’t very pretty and the smell is somewhat foul, but the sight of all the huge animals laying on the beach is pretty amazing.

The Day Draws to a Close

We woke up in San Francisco and at day’s end we were drawing close to Cambria, where we had reservations for the night. Come back next week and I’ll tell you about one of my favorite places in the world: Moonstone Beach.

Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Road Trips, Shopping, TRAVEL, United States

Cannery Row on Monterey Bay CA

November 26, 2014August 11, 2015 Jane Sadek

Shopping Cannery Row,Monterey Bay, Monterey CA — This almost came home with us from Monterey Bay

TRAVEL THERE: CANNERY ROW ON MONTEREY BAY

Monterey Bay is one of my favorite destinations and Cannery Row is one of the reasons. Whatever you like to do, you’ll find ways to entertain yourself.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

If you’ve never been to Cannery Row, then the Aquarium should be at the top of your list. We’ve been many times, but on this visit to the area, we were short on time. Still, you should go, because but kids of all ages (including Baby Boomers and the Greatest Generation) will be fascinated by the amazing exhibits, including the one of a kind otter tank.

The John Steinbeck Factor

Had John Steinbeck never lived in Monterey, it would still be a beautiful place to visit. However, his novel Cannery Row, added to the area’s mystique and helped make it the destination it is today. To completely appreciate the Steinbeck factor, it’s well worth the drive over to Salinas for a visit to the National Steinbeck Center – especially since it’s not far away. In fact, here’s an itinerary you might enjoy for a three-day Steinbeck Immersion Weekend.

Shopping Cannery Row

Two words: Outlet Mall. I love them and Cannery Row has one. It’s called American Tin Cannery and it’s across the street from the Aquarium. But that’s only the beginning. The whole area if rife with shopping opportunities. Truth be told, a lot of these opportunities are just tourist traps filled with junk.

Two shops, Turkish Fine Jewelry and Fine Art Turkish Grand Bazaar, were new to us and they were also exceptions to the tourist trap trend. I know, the names of the shops are less than creative, but OMG what gorgeous things they have inside. I’d give you a link, but they don’t have websites! And I’ll tell you this too: Don’t judge the places by their exteriors. Without Bill I wouldn’t have walked into either one and that would have been my loss.

We stepped into the jewelry store first. The pieces in the window were out-of-this-world gorgeous. GORGEOUS! Not your usual stuff. Exotic, but not so weird you wouldn’t wear it. Frankly, I wanted one of everything I saw in the window, but I knew I couldn’t afford any of them. I was glad Bill wanted to see more, even though we weren’t going to buy anything. The decor of the store is pretty boring compared to what’s in the showcases. What I’m saying is that this is not one of your premiere shopping experiences, but if you’re looking for beautiful jewelry, it’s the right place.

Along one wall they display hand-crafted mosaic chandeliers – jewelry for your home. I’m sure the proprietor could tell we weren’t serious jewelry prospects, but he quickly picked up on the fact that we might buy a chandelier. He and Bill chatted for a bit. That’s how we found out about the Grand Bazaar across the street. It’s owned by the same people.

As I said, the jewelry store was not exactly a premiere shopping destination, but the bazaar looked like a place I would avoid altogether. The front of the store was crowded with cheap imported knick-knacks, but they did have dozens of the beautiful mosaic chandeliers, so in we went. Ignore the chotckies! This place is a treasure trove. Stunning pottery, unique clothing, hand-embroidered boots!! I loved it. Bill got me in there and without his restraining influence I would have broken the bank.

In the end we left empty-handed. Bill couldn’t negotiate the owner down far enough on the chandeliers to justify carrying them all the way back to Dallas and I really didn’t need another pair of boots. But my-oh-my, did I ever want a pair, and about four of the outfits, and several of the plates, and some jewelry, and…well, you get the drift.

(Psssst! Dallasites! Since this trip Bill and I discovered Another Place & Time at The Shops at Legacy in Plano. They don’t much of a website either, but they do have a facebook page and they do have the same kind of gorgeous stuff the Monterey store has, though they’re in no way related. The store has been in the mall for a while now, but it didn’t used to have all this cool stuff. They also just moved off Bishop, but I promise, it will be worth the effort to find them.)

Did Someone Say Lunch?

It’s amazing how long we lingered in the store admiring the chandeliers, but eventually hunger pangs overwhelmed our urge to buy. I’ll tell you about that next week.

ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

The Japanese Tea Garden and More

September 10, 2014September 3, 2015 Jane Sadek

Japanese Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco CA — The Japanese Tea Garden at Golden Gate Park.

TRAVEL THERE: MORE ATTRACTIONS AT THE GOLDEN GATE PARK

Foiled by the unreliability of the Golden Gate Park Shuttle, Bill and I entered the Japanese Tea Garden. We were unfortunately underwhelmed.

The Trouble with Travel

You know me. There’s no one who loves travel more. But travel comes with a price. The more you do it, the more room for comparison.

I like Japanese Gardens. We’ve got a great one over in Fort Worth and there’s another nice one in San Antonio. We saw one in Lotusland a few days before our visit to San Francisco and a few days after our visit to Golden Gate State Park, we saw an amazing Japanese Garden at the Huntington Gardens.

Japanese Tea Garden, Portland OR — Judge for yourself. This photo was taken in Portland.

Still no Japanese Garden that I’ve ever seen beats Portland’s Japanese Garden. Two years later, my senses are still reeling from the beauty we saw in Oregon and the Portland Japanese Garden was among my favorite attractions there. So that should give you an idea of how stunning it was. (As gorgeous as their Japanese Garden was, it was still my second favorite garden in Oregon. Crystal Springs Rhododendron Gardens was the best.)

Small and Sad

You can’t judge a book by it’s cover and I suppose you shouldn’t judge a garden by the price of admission, but we were surprised by the $7 entry fee. That’s more than Ft. Worth’s garden, though less less than Portland’s.

The first thing we realized was that the garden was very compact. Fort Worth’s garden is huge and so is Portland’s, though not as large as its sister in Texas. Size isn’t everything , but the size does add to the charm, because in the bigger gardens you seem far removed from the every day world.

In every part of San Francisco’s Garden I felt cramped. I had the sense that just a few feet away was the world, because I could hear it and see it all around me. There were also crowds of other folks. The Tea House was humming with business and the line for it wandered through the garden. Serenity was in short supply.

The sad part was the evident disrepair. The gardeners are doing a great job, but the park needs to hire a company of carpenters and painters. Right now – before the wooden structures rot away! Peeling paint and rotting wood are just unacceptable. The Tea House has a rollicking business. Devote some of the revenue to maintenance.

The Rest of the Story

After the Japanese Gardens we waited around for a few moments hoping the shuttle would make an appearance, but it didn’t. So we wandered over to the Botanical Garden. Two things kept us out. It was closing in less than an hour and they wanted another $7. The last $7 each we spent had not been a good investment.

So we thought we might walk a little. We headed toward the Cherry Tree Azaleas, got a peek of Stowe Lake and strolled past the Rose Gardens. We were tired. It was chilly. We decided to call it a day. We weren’t going to get to see all of Golden Gate Park on this visit either.

I’ll Be Back

In spite of the disappointing Japanese Garden, I plan to go back to Golden Gate Park. I want to see the Conservatory of Flowers, the Dutch Windmill, The Chinese Pavillion, Strawberry Hill, the Carousel and the list goes on. Next time I’m thinking about bikes or one of those surreys I saw people riding. I guess next time I’ll need to do a little more research and be a little more prepared. Third time’s charm, right?

Next week I’ll wrap up my stay in San Francisco, but for now I’ll leave you with a few more shots from the Japanese Garden. It was pretty. It just suffered from comparison.

Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Road Trips, Shopping, TRAVEL, United States

Pinot Days in San Francisco CA

August 20, 2014August 11, 2015 Jane Sadek

Pinot Days Brochure, San Francisco CA — Pinot Days Brochure

TRAVEL THERE: TASTING PINOT IN SAN FRAN

If you recall, this vacation went through a number of alterations before becoming a reality. In one of the original stages, a trip to Wine Country was penciled in, but by the time we went, Napa and Sonoma had been erased. Instead we enjoyed Pinot Days at City View At Metreon.

How We Got There

When you’re visiting your hip nephew in San Fran you do all kinds of cool things. Take it from me, Uber is cool. It’s like a taxi, but a lot more chic.

Since all I did was go along for the ride, I don’t claim to know all the details, but to quote Uber “request, ride, and pay via your mobile phone.” That means you don’t call or hail a cab. You request a ride at a certain time with the app and the car shows up. If you wonder if you have time to go to the bathroom, the app tells you where the car is and how long before it will be to your pick-up point. You don’t have to ride in a cab either. A sleek black SUV picked us up and the driver was dressed very professionally.When we left the wine event my nephew punched a few buttons on the phone and by the time we got downstairs our car was waiting.

Uber’s website says they do have taxis, but that wasn’t our ride. Nephew says it’s about the price of parking and since we were going to a wine tasting without a DD it was a lot cheaper than a DWI. Dallas is an Uber city, but I haven’t Ubered here yet. Let me know if you have.

Where It Was

Meteron is like nothing I know of in Dallas. It’s like NorthPark‘s Food Court on steroids, but the anchor store is a Super Target and for kicks there’s an AMC Cinemark. You got it?

Well, upstairs there’s something called City View which is a huge event space. They do weddings, corporate events, whatever. The “restaurant-centric mall with multiplex” is amid the Marscone Center and City View overlooks the Yerba Buena Gardens. Yeah, it’s cool.

How It Was

I’m just going to be straight with you. This wasn’t the most fun I ever had tasting wine. I used to live on the Central Coast and spent Sunday afternoons at Castoro Cellars Tasting Room, Edna Valley Vineyard and other local wineries. My first date with Bill was to a function called Art and Wine at the Dallas Museum of Art. We’ve been to Dallas Opera Wine Tastings. We have also been to other wine festivals, like the Paso Robles Wine Festival. We know from wine tastings.

The Metreon was cool and I loved looking out over Yerba Buena Park and San Francisco’s Financial District. However, I got a little tired of Pinot and there was a crowd.

I love wine, but I’m no wine connoisseur. Were I a wine connisseur, I’m sure the opportunity to compare so many Pinots in one afternoon of tasting was euphoric. However, there were so many people crowding around the tables that there was really no way to have a decent conversation with the winemakers and that’s one of the things I like best about a tasting.

There was also nowhere to sit. There were community baskets of crackers and cheese to give your palate a break, but no where to give your sore dogs a break. Am I glad I did it? Yes! Would I do it again? Probably not.

But come back next week, because we’re going to Golden Gate Park.

Architecture, ART, Attractions, Decorative Arts, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

The Winchester Mystery House

August 6, 2014August 11, 2015 Jane Sadek

TRAVEL THERE: IT’S A MYSTERY ALRIGHT

Next stop on our California adventure: The Winchester Mystery House in San Jose.

The Real Mystery

Several years ago, I asked my mother which San Jose attraction was better, the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum or the Winchester Mystery House, because she’d been to both. She didn’t stutter or stall – she was all about the Egyptian Museum. So, on that trip I went to the museum and promised myself I’d see the Winchester House another day.

Well, on this trip to California I carved out some time for the Winchester Mystery House and learned the real mystery is why it’s become so popular. Remember last week when I told you Lotusland was worth every penny of the $45 tour price – and more. Well, the Winchester House, in my opinion, is not worth anywhere near the $33 per person they’ll hit you up for – and that’s just the basic tour. Some people pay more for extended and special tours. Ten dollars? Maybe. Anymore than that? Rip off!

Don’t Judge This Book By It’s Cover

An exterior shot of this rambling edifice leads one to believe visitors will tour a beautiful Victorian mansion. Well, the exterior is very pretty and I do recommend that you at least drive by it on South Winchester Boulevard, but what you can see from the street is really all you need to see. The interior of the house is pretty scary – and I’m not talking about the spirits some people claim they encounter.

We found the house, parked the car and went to the entry booth. We actually discussed getting the more expensive ticket which included a behind the scenes tour, but we were supposed to be in San Francisco by six thirty. We were afraid we wouldn’t have time for more than the basic tour – thank goodness. That’s when things started to get weird.

Right This Way for your Cruise Photo

I’m used to lining up to go on a house tour. At the Winchester House, the tickets are timed. A sign tells you where to wait for the next tour and there’s a velvet rope hanging between stanchions.

However, I am not used to lining up for cruise-type photos at historic homes. (They do the same sort of thing at Hearst Castle, but that’s Hearst Castle.) At the Winchester they put you in front of a green screen and hand you a fake rifle. We were not enchanted. Bill resents having his picture taken on cruises, so this really set him off. “I made an ugly face,” he told me.

Welcome to….the Stables?

After all the people on our tour had their obligatory rifle picture taken, we were allowed in the house. We were herded into a sort of holding pen and given a very canned speech by an eager young guide. In his defense, he was fairly new to his job as a guide, but it came off like, “I am thoroughly bored with this speech, and hahaha you’re stuck listening to it.” It did not improve as the tour continued.

From the holding pen we went to the stables, but it was a little confusing, because it was also a sort of warehouse. I thought to myself, “This isn’t a very engaging place to start.” I didn’t realize then that it wasn’t going to get much better. From the stable we used a very bizarre staircase to get to another floor. I hoped better things were coming.

Most of the House is More of the Same

With very few exceptions, things didn’t get any better. The floors were linoleum. The walls were, for the most part wood, though there were some that were wallpapered. Any room looked pretty much like all the rest of the rooms. They had millions of visitors to the house and it looks like it. It also doesn’t look like they’ve done anything to preserve what people may have come to see.

Part of the problem is that most of the rooms are unfurnished. When the builder/owner died, everything was taken out of the house and sold for cash, per the little old lady’s will. There are a few rooms that have items in them, but the furnishings matched everything else about the house – sad and worn out.

I think one of the reasons the house is so empty and so unfurnished is that they want to impress upon visitors just how nuts Mrs. Winchester was. The story of the house is that she bought it and kept building on to it. Another part of the story is that she was trapped in part of the house after an earthquake and after escaping closed down that part of the house, damaged as it was, and kept on building.

Okay, so I get the part about the lady being nuts and I realize her original belongings were sold, but if you’re going to charge me $33 dollars, I want to see more than an empty house in disrepair.

On to San Fran

On any other tour, we might have tried to sneak away and go on with our business, but in this dreadful rabbit warren of a place, who knows where you might have ended up. We endured the rest of the tour and were relieved when we escaped.

The story of the Winchester Mystery House is well worth your investigation. The owner was the widow of the man who invented the Winchester rifle. Her idiosyncrasies are fascinating. The Winchester Mystery House as it stands today, is not.

Our trip to California gets better though! come back next week.

Rate this:

Rate this:

Rate this:

Rate this:

Rate this:

Rate this:

Rate this:

Rate this:

Rate this:

Rate this: