Where's Robbie?

Grand Hyatt Hotel - Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport

2010-09-19T09:35:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know - DFW isn't exactly the most exciting destination, but - it's a trip - and I didn't have to pay for it.

I recently flew there to coordinate an advisory board meeting for my company. An advisory board meeting is held by a biotech company in order to get the opinions of key leaders on a new medical drug or technology. In other words, if a company has a new medication - not yet approved by the FDA - they will bring in physicians to give their feedback and ideas about the drug. For this valuable information, the company will typically pay an "honorarium" (i.e. $$$, usually between $1,000 & $2,000) to the doctors and fly them in to the location.

I enjoy going out of town for business trips - I always have a good time, no matter where it is - and event planning is the most enjoyable part of my job.

We had picked the Grand Hyatt because it's located in Terminal D at DFW. People at work said to me, "Are you nuts? Dallas in AUGUST?" but we reassured them that they wouldn't have to leave the airport. For a short meeting, the setting was ideal.

The Hotel:

As soon as I exited the plane, I headed toward the terminal exit. I could see directional signs that said "Security/Baggage/Grand Hyatt". It's pretty hard to miss, unless you arrive in a different terminal. In that case you can take their monorail (aka the Skytrain) to Terminal D.

As soon as I passed security and saw the door that would lead me outside, I beheld a towering tombstone sign with a waterfall: GRAND HYATT, and an escalator. As I stepped off the escalator at the top, I beheld smiling front desk employees standing at attention, awaiting my command. The lobby was a haze of polished wood and arranged orchids. It was lovely.

The hotel had a simple layout - the small coffee shop called Moka was adjacent to the lobby and next to that were the bar and restaurant. The meeting rooms were on the lower level and the guest rooms were on the upper floors in the tower. The pool was on the top of the building in a rather simple and concrete setting.

My room was perfect for the business traveler. Comfortable pillow-top bed and an efficient desk near the window with wired internet (easy set-up).

I was only there overnight, but I would have stayed another night if possible.

The view onto the DFW runway was stunning. You wouldn't think that a runway would be remotely interesting, but I found myself watching it with rapt fascination.

I decided to go up to the top of the hotel to take a look at the pool. It was dusk and the pool and lights were beautiful, but it was still blazingly hot - back to the air-conditioned comfort of the hotel!

The Meeting:

We had an informal buffet dinner on Friday night to welcome our physicians. The food was quite good for "hotel food". My favorite was the lobster bisque; so good that I asked the wait person to give my compliments to the chef. I was very impressed with the service, the friendly wait staff, and the presence of the banquet manager, who showed up several times to make sure everything was flowing smoothly.

The next day was our advisory board meeting. The a/v and table set-up, snacks, and drinks inside the room were laid out as requested. The lunch was tasty and well-presented and served outside the room, as I had requested. The event manager was there at critical times to make sure I had everything I needed.

One thing I truly appreciated during the meeting was a computer at a desk in the outside meeting room area that enabled me to check all 18 of us in for our flights later that day. A printer was attached so I could print out boarding passes. This is something that an executive assistant really loves!

At the end of the meeting, we received many compliments from the doctors - they loved the hotel, the food, and the service. The meeting was considered a great success. I found the the venue to be perfect for a quick, down-and-dirty meeting almost centrally located in the U.S. for attendees who have to fly in. Transportation from the arriving flight to the hotel was speedy and efficient. I will definitely use the DFW Hyatt if the need arises again.

King's Mountain Art Fair - Woodside, CA

2010-09-06T19:27:00.000-07:00

Today I attended the King's Mountain Art Fair for the first time. I never knew it existed until today.

Although I live on the coast, I'm also just a short drive from the redwood forests of the Santa Cruz mountains. The Art Fair is an annual event, a benefit for the volunteer Kings Mountain fire brigade and it's been held every Labor Day since 1963.

As I strolled among the towering redwoods, I was reminded of the beautiful area in which I live. Although there were a lot of people, the fair was spread out along a wide area so we didn't bump into each other too often.

Below are some highlights.

I absolutely loved this man's paintings. I noticed that his prices were very reasonable ($65 for his framed giclees - high-quality prints), and he was selling a lot of them. I found myself thinking, "Well Roberta, you could do that if you put your mind to it!"

This woman had framed originals. They ran around $2000. She did excellent work. She had an outstanding watercolor of koi in a pool. I should have taken more pictures, but sometimes people get crabby if you take pics of their work - afraid you're going to steal their ideas, which is absurd.

Some very cute - and expensive, $250 - "girls" that a woman was selling.

Hmm. Can you imagine your husband bringing this home?

I decided to take a different way home and explore Tunitas Creek Rd. instead of my usual way, which is Woodside/La Honda Rd. aka Highway 84. 84 can be long and boring, although very pretty in some areas. I was glad I did - Tunitas Creek Rd. was twisty and downhill 3/4 of the way, but I was the only driver except for some bikers and I enjoyed the solitude. I was surrounded by beautiful redwoods almost the entire way. I will definitely go that way again.

Pasta Moon Restaurant, Half Moon Bay CA

2010-08-26T11:34:00.000-07:00

If there's one thing I love, it's walking into a restaurant and receiving a cheery hello. I'm usually a solo diner, and if I patronize an establishment more than a few times I like to be recognized - I mean, really. I don't think it's too much to ask.

I know what goes thru the minds of servers when they see me: "Oh Gawd, a solo diner. There goes my tip!" But in my case, they're wrong. I'm a great tipper, and I appreciate good service.

I like having a place as a "hang-out", somewhere I can relax, have a glass of wine, see what's on the menu for the night, do some people-watching, and chat with the servers. It's been tough trying to find a place in Half Moon Bay where I feel comfortable hanging out for an hour or two.

The first time I went to Pasta Moon, it was a year ago. I was with a friend and we sat at a table on a warm summer night and had a great dinner - and I didn't go back. I felt the restaurant was too much of a "couples" place and the food was great, but not cheap. I've also been pinching pennies since then because of my work situation (which fortunately has turned around), so that put a real crimp in my action. I returned to Pasta Moon a few weeks ago, sat at the counter, and I had a great evening - I finally found my hang-out.

At the counter, watching the chefs do their magic

I've now been there for dinner on three subsequent Fridays. The counter is actually in front of where the waiters' station is - they fill water glasses, input their orders, and do other various things in that area. When I sit there, every single server will say hello to me with a big smile, and many will talk to me as they're working. I feel welcome and very at ease, plus the food is top-notch.

THE PARTICULARS:

Pasta Moon Restorante & Bar

315 MAIN STREET
HALF MOON BAY, CA 94019

CALL 650.726.5125

THE SKINNY:

The restaurant is located in a building just south of the bridge leading into town. The exterior is a metal rusty-type-color. As you walk in, you'll see a cozy bar on the right, the Music Box Lounge in front of you where you can relax on couches, drink, and watch the band on Fridays and Saturdays - and the main dining room will be on your left. There is another dining room in back of the kitchen with a separate entrance, plus a lovely outside eating area next to the creek. The outside area is open only on sunny, warm days.

There are separate rooms for banquets or parties. Reservations are highly recommended. This is a favorite among locals and it gets very busy after 6:30 PM on weekends.

THE FOOD:
Pasta Moon makes most of its own pasta, and it is to die for. I wish I'd taken a pic of my last entree there, but it didn't last more than a few minutes after the server delivered it. However, I did have the presence of mind to take pics of my appetizer and dessert:

Squash Blossoms Stuffed With Goat Cheese With Beet & Radish Salad

My server, who has been there for 17 years, kept muttering, "Butterscotch pudding, butterscotch pudding" throughout my meal - so I had to try it.

Butterscotch Pudding, Whipped Cream

I didn't know pudding could taste like that. Smooth as silk, light on the tongue but full of butterscotch flavor. A little bit of heaven, with a topping of whipped cream.

My dear Mr. Coffee....

2010-08-25T16:44:00.000-07:00

OK, this is something I NEVER do - promote a product - and I realize this isn't travel-related, but I just have to tell someone about my totally positive experience.

I adore espresso. I adore coffee. I started drinking coffee at the age of 15 when I was a candy-striper at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, because it was free. And I always like free things.

I decided 4 years ago that I was going to graduate from a coffee maker to an espresso machine. Did a lot of research and reading up on how to brew, the best way to froth, etc. Then I went out and priced some espresso machines - subsequently blanched, nearly fainted, and scurried back home to rethink my great idea. The ones I really liked were running about $3K. Then I stumbled upon the Mr. Coffee ECMP50 Espresso Maker at Target one day, priced at $78.

I took a pic of the model number with my cell phone and went home to read the reviews. Actually, Mr. Coffee has never been a brand with which I've been impressed. Maybe it was all those cheesy commercials with Joe DiMaggio a while back, but I have never put a whole lot of trust in their machines. But I liked what I saw in the reviews, so I went back to Target and bought it.

Well.

After getting that little beauty home, hooked up, and practicing with it for a week, I realized that my little machine could run circles around those $3,000 beasties. I told everyone I knew about my new toy and how they only had to spend 78 bucks for wonderful lattes. I was thrilled with my purchase. Then after 3+ years of caffeine bliss, my machine died.

I went back to Target and spent another $80 (inflation you know) on a second machine, took it home, and used it for 4 weeks - then I woke up one morning and went to make my coffee. To my chagrin, two lights on the machine slowly blinked on and off, on and off - and I knew that in electronic terms, that was bad news.

After unsuccessful troubleshooting, I was all ready to dig out my receipt and go back to Target when I got the urge to call Mr. Coffee to ask if they really thought the machine had given up the ghost. I spoke to a wonderful lady who asked me what the problem was, looked it up on her cheat sheet, and said, "Well I hate to tell you this, but your machine died." I asked her whether I could take it back to Target since I had thrown the box away and she responded with: "WHY DON'T YOU GIVE ME YOUR ADDRESS, I WILL SEND YOU A BRAND NEW ONE."

Not only was she willing to send me a new one, she told me it was ok when I couldn't get the serial number off the machine (I was at work). So now I'm waiting 6 shipping days for new caffeine bliss to be delivered to my door.

Isn't that amazing? Now is that customer service, or what?? I'm thrilled. : )

Black Beauty

2010-05-06T20:39:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl, I was crazy about horses. I'd gallop around the school yard neighing like a horse and pawing the ground. I didn't care if I looked like a fool, I was in my element. All I could think about 24/7 was horses....and my first favorite book was of course, Black Beauty.

Black horses have always been my favorite; it's funny, but true black horses are hard to find - bays, with the chestnut body and black mane and tail, are very common.

I've been watching the arrival of the many foals at the horse farm near my house (see post below). About 12 have arrived so far and almost all are bays, except for two: a future grey and a light chestnut who is a dirty-blondish-type color.

This afternoon I stopped to see if my favorite mare, Lucy, had given birth yet. Nope - as I pulled up, I saw that she was still in the meadow with her swollen belly, chewing on a few strands of alfalfa. But when I entered the barn I saw that a bay broodmare had foaled this morning - and it was a beautiful black colt!

Unsteady on those long legs

Trying to figure out where to nurse....

Ack! Wrong end!

What's interesting about this little guy is that his mother is a "carrying mare" - she's not his biological mother. His biological mother is the horse below. Her name is Sonnengirl, and she is a champion jumper.

And this is his father, a stallion named Sir Caletto.

Although this wasn't the colt's "real" mother, you would not have been able to tell. As I walked quietly up to the stall she walked quickly over to me, prepared to protect her baby from me if I was a threat. She stood quietly as the foal looked for the teat and waited patiently as he found the right place. When he'd had enough and stretched out flat for a nap in the straw, she stood over him and seemed to gaze at him in wonder. This was her first baby - she is what they call a "maiden" - and she was a good mother.

I've discovered that at times even the experts can have difficulty determining the color of a horse, and the true color of a foal before it matures. The owner can take a snip of hair and send it away to one of those companies that does DNA tests, so I don't feel bad not knowing if this little black colt may mature into another color like silver or blue roan...but right now he's black, and to me that's very cool.

Cambria/Cayucos

2010-05-02T07:41:00.000-07:00

At Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

I'm such a sucker. I'll use any excuse I can come up with to hop in my car and take off down the road. Last week I had two good excuses (or reasons): I had been so anxious about finding employment, I'd been sporting a nasty headache 24/7 for more days than I could remember - plus the fact that I thought I HAD a new job, but it wasn't official yet. Time to hit the road!

I was in the mood for something easy to get to, not too long a drive, and not too expensive. Something relaxing where I didn't have to worry about dressing up when I went out....so I decided on the mid-California coastal area - and I had a hell of a good time with some new discoveries.

CAMBRIA

Cool TV -not one of those 12-inchers

I decided to try the Creekside Inn again in Cambria; I'd had a not-very-good-experience the first time (the room was very unpleasant - see earlier post), but I wanted to save some money, and their room price was reasonable. After calling them to make sure they had good wifi - which is important to me, as I'm a single traveler and I rely on my computer for evening entertainment - I paid ~$80/night for a double room (the only one they had left). It turned out to be quite nice, although it was a pet-friendly room and in some places it showed.

[To the owners of Creekside Inn: paint Room 12, please!]

I really liked the balcony and sat there while using my laptop. Nice view, very peaceful.

The bathroom was clean

The Inn had a Continental breakfast on weekend mornings. I stopped by the office to see what was there - the pastries looked just ok....and the coffee was weak. Uck. Being a caffeine fiend, I took one look at their Java and headed to the bakery down the street for a latte - needed my morning fix.

Food:

I ate at the same place all 3 nights I was there: Indigo Moon. Holy Jesus, their food was good enough to make a grown man cry. Cashew-encrusted halibut...pappardelle (wide egg noodles) with peas, olives, and chicken in a fragrant tomato sauce....fettucine with a light wine and lemon sauce, prawns, and artichokes. Ahhhh..... After I discovered it, I just kept going. I liked the interior vibes and decor, and the servers were friendly without being in-your-face. It was just a couple-block drive from the hotel.

Traveler Tip:

In Cambria at the northwest side of town, there is a Shell gas station that carries EVERYTHING. I've bought headphones and hot dogs there, and their bathroom is immaculate. They always have boxes of low-priced sweatshirts sitting outside and their coffee is great. Highly recommended.

Hearst Castle:
I had decided early on not to go on any of the Hearst Castle tours. I've done all ad nauseam. However, I did want to stop by their Visitor Center to take a look at their ceramic tiles, which I can't find anywhere else; they are always outstanding. I have two of them hanging in my house...

..but nothing really turned me on this time. This was nice, but I wasn't going to spend $64 on it

If you go on any tours:
I made the mistake of going on two tours one afternoon and evening, with only a few minutes in between. I was STARVING after I finished the second tour (all that climbing and walking), and all the eating areas in the main building were closed when we returned - couldn't figure that out! So if you do two tours in a row, make sure you buy something like a bag of nuts or crackers to munch on till you can get to a restaurant.

Be sure to catch the short movie that's included in the price with Tour 1. It's worth it. And - I highly recommend the Hearst Castle chili and hot dogs.

You can tour the small museum - it's easy to miss - that's tucked away at the back of the visitor's center while you're waiting for your tour. Oh, and on your way out to the bus, you'll be asked to pause and pose to have your picture taken - another way for the place to make some money off of you. You can decline it if you want to (which I always do).

Olallieberry Inn:

For my last night, I decided I had to celebrate getting a job after 4 long months of fending off the wolf at the door, so I made a reservation at the Olallieberry Inn. I'd heard such wonderful things about it, and it was the only bed; breakfast in the town of Cambria proper. Coincidentally, the Inn had a garage sale that morning, which I happily inspected.

Afternoon wine & snacks

Lovely flowers on the rear deck

The Inn truly is a wonderful place to stay - their breakfasts are outstanding (pastries are made from scratch) and BIG - no chintzy portions there. My breakfast consisted of: homemade olallieberry (natch) Danish, yogurt, fresh fruit, the Inn's trademark granola (very good, and I'm not a fan of granola), 2 kinds of salsa, their Bisquick-type egg puff, homemade ranch beans, and tortillas. URP!!

My room, the Harmony

The rear deck

There were two things I would have liked while I was there: a TV in the room (because I travel alone, I rely on a TV and my laptop to keep me occupied in the evenings), and there was no common-area sitting room downstairs, which I thought was a bit odd. There was an "office", a small room at the front of the house that was used for checking-in, but it was closed to visitors at other times. There were a few straight-backed chairs situated near the breakfast area, but that was it. Because the deck is the only place to gather, what do they do if it's raining?

HARMONY

No, it's not what I whistled while I was driving...it's a town...a very small town. You know that adage, "You blink your eyes as you drive thru and it's gone"?

To find it, go south on Hwy 1 from Cambria to Morro Bay. Two miles out of Cambria, you'll see a small green sign: Harmony. Make a left. The town consists of the post office (left) and a couple of stores and that's it.

I spent a few minutes looking around at the Harmony Glass Works. They had some great stuff.

Food:

None

CAYUCOS

The small town of Cayucos, an area I hadn't yet explored, was next on the list. What a nice surprise that was! It reminded me of Santa Monica, my home town, in the 1950's. The weather was lovely - a gorgeous, warm, sunny day, and the town was deserted. The main street consisted of three or four long blocks of businesses and restaurants, with a very wide street in between.

Yeech, it's probably crazy busy and packed in the summer!

The town is situated at the water's edge and the pier is just a few yards away from the main street. While driving through the residential areas, I noticed how small and quaint each house was. Very cute.

I spent a lot of time wandering the antique stores on the main drag and bought a wonderful antique light-weight cast iron frying pan. Although I collect chamber pots, I didn't notice anything intriguing.

Food

I had lunch at Duckie's on the first day, right off the pier. Fried oysters and garlic fries. Yum! Six plump perfectly fried oysters with fries that were covered in parmesan cheese and garlic. Actually they could have done without half the cheese and used more garlic, but it was good. They have eating areas at the windows, bar-style, and the windows are open on sunny days. Very pleasant.

One place you cannot miss in Cayucos, if you're hungry: Ruddell's Smokehouse. It's fantastic. I found it thru the reviews in Yelp, and they were right-on - the tacos were superb. I love cooked oysters of any type, so I ordered a smoked oyster taco and the albacore tuna taco. The oyster taco was my favorite - note that all tacos come with about a pound of salad on them, consisting of lettuce, veggies and chopped apple. The smoked tuna was a bit sweet for my taste, but it was very good.


A tuna taco

The smokehouse is a very small, nondescript hut near the pier with outdoor seating only (can be cold on cloudy days). The owner's wife does all the cooking and for some reason she takes a LONG TIME to put out orders....I've heard of wait times as long as 90 minutes, so to preserve your sanity, get there before the noon rush.

Wondrous signs of spring....

2010-04-13T10:31:00.000-07:00

I had no idea there was a horse farm in Half Moon Bay until I went on one of my exploratory drives a few weeks ago and stumbled across it. I made a right turn down a country road, navigating around potholes the size of Idaho, and soon came upon several lovely mares and their tiny foals in a large paddock. A man with a delivery truck had also stopped and was taking pictures. He said, "My kids will love these pictures - there's another mare with a foal in the barn there", indicating a building behind him with a nod of his head.

Since that day I've come to know the owner of the farm, who has no problem with my visits. She raises Holsteiner horses, bred for jumping, seen at those showy/fancy/English rider-type gatherings that we tend to ignore unless our gross annual income tops....well, you know. Lots of money.

This particular farm has 20 foals entering the world this spring. I have a new surprise every time I stop by.

There's something magical about putting your hand out to stroke a tiny soft velvety muzzle, chin hairs softly tickling your palm, enormous eyes taking everything in for the very first time.

This little boy will be gray like his mother as he gets older

Living in an outdoor hotel...

2010-03-21T13:32:00.001-07:00

...yup, that's where I live - in an RV park, aka an outdoor hotel.

Let me explain, but first an aside:

When I was 11, I saw the Hitchcock movie, "North By Northwest". Do you remember the scene at the beginning where Cary Grant strides through the lobby of the Plaza Hotel to the elevators? At that time he actually lived there.

(Another aside, courtesy of IMDB.com: Mr. Grant once phoned hotel mogul Conrad Hilton in Istanbul, Turkey, to find out why his breakfast order at the Plaza, which called for "muffins", came with only one and a half English muffins instead of two. When Grant insisted that the explanation - most people eat only three of the four halves brought to them - still resulted in being cheated out of a half, the Plaza changed its policy and began serving two complete muffins with breakfast. From then on, Grant often spoke of forming an English Muffin-Lovers Society, members who would be required to report any hotel or restaurant that served fewer than two muffins.)

I digress....

When I saw that movie at my tender age, I fantasized about living in a hotel....having my room cleaned every day, crisp white sheets every night as I climbed into bed...my personal valet bending over me, asking: "Is there anything else I can do for you, madam?" The cheerful - and properly subservient - doorman saying as he holds the door open, "Hello Miss Kendall, and how are WE today?" Hmmm.....ah, yes.

SCREEEK! (fingernails across the blackboard)

Back to reality!

My RV park is definitely not the Plaza, but it has its delightful moments. I love telling people that I live next to the beach; I always get the same response: Oh wow! Really?? And then when I tell them that I save $1000 a month on rent by living in an RV, they have their looks of grudging admiration.

This is how things work at my park: People check in, driving in with their RVs, after 1 PM. Most come on a Friday and stay until 1 PM Sunday, just like at a regular hotel. They pay approximately $50 per night for a space, which includes hookups for basic cable, electricity, and water. It takes them a few minutes to hook everything up, then they are free to explore the beaches or the lovely town of Half Moon Bay. Lots of guests bring their bikes and spend the day in town, wheeling back in the afternoon.

Because I live here full-time, I'm one of the "Monthlies". There are around 20 Monthlies here, who have lived here for varying amounts of time. I'm the newbie, having been here for only 9 months (one couple has been here for 17 years). The people who come in, then leave after 1 or 2 nights as in a hotel, are predictably called "Nightlies". Our park is quite strict and has a lot of rules, which is a good thing. It's quiet at night; we have a resident manager who doesn't put up with any funny business. It's also peaceful during the days. Motorcycles are greatly discouraged; we can't keep storage sheds in our spaces, and Monthlies can't work on their cars or RVs when they're here. We can only wash our RVs twice a year. Sometimes the rules seem a little too much, but in all I'm grateful. I've seen other parks in the SF Bay area, and mine is by far the nicest.

There are some hotel-like features that I love. I no longer have to pay a gardener - the landscape person does all the gardening. I don't have to pay for water or electricity, and although we get basic cable included in our rent, I pay for a higher level of cable and internet with Comcast. There is a front desk (well, an office actually) and they have some supplies that come in handy at times - ice cream, bread, milk, and the occasionally crucial RV toilet chemicals. They treat us like guests and guard our privacy. Another plus: if we feel like moving on, we don't have to give any notice. We don't have to clean and hope for a refund of our deposit, because we had no deposit. We just move on.

Because my space has a great view of the ocean when my row is empty, I always rejoice when we're not busy. These past few months of winter have been heaven!

My view

I'm always dismayed when someone pulls in next to us - there goes the view for a few days!

And then there are the dogs. I think on average, 95% of RVers have dogs who travel with them. Some of the many unusual breeds I've seen:

Basenji
South African Mastiff (I don't know how I recognized that one)
Affenpinscher
Afghan Hound
African Wild Dog
Shiba Inu
Black & tan coonhound
French bulldog
Bedlington Terrier

And then there are those more common, scary-looking ones who actually are sweethearts after we've been introduced:

This little guy just wanted to play, but my Chihuahuas were too intimidated.

I've hated saying goodbye to some wonderful people: the couple from the San Joaquin Valley who come for a month every year, bringing fresh vegetables from their farm as gifts for the Monthlies. The two ladies from Sacramento, great conversationalists who fed me wine and a sumptuous dinner the first night they were here. Alice and Bob and their beagle from Silicon Valley, regular Nightlies who were here for 3 weeks last summer, and invited me to all their family dinners when their grown children visited on weekends.

Yes, I live in an RV....and it's not always fun. It's cold enough 3 seasons out of the year to have the heaters on 24/7. Sometimes the the wind and rain off the ocean feel like they will sweep my 5th wheel away to the distant mountains. It rains so much in the winter that no matter what I do, my front entry turns to mud. My shower is so small I can barely turn around in it, and my refrigerator is the size of a large bread box. But there are the good times to outweigh all the bad ones and sometimes I'll find myself thinking, "Are these the good old days?"

Cambria Again

2010-01-16T15:52:00.001-08:00

Life sure can throw you some curve balls, and in January I'd had enough of them....it was time to get outta Dodge. Cambria is one of my favorite places to visit; it's within reasonable driving distance (4.5 hours by car from my house) and I could do it on a small budget. Hearst Castle's tours are fairly cheap at $24 per, and I managed to find an inexpensive room at a local motel.

I decided this time to take the coastal route instead of the inland 101 route, and I took my time going thru Big Sur - which, as a native Californian, I've never seen (shame on me!) My God, it was gorgeous! The ocean was such an outstanding shade of royal blue, that I felt like I was in Hawaii at times. I snapped several pictures, but the pics really don't do it justice.

Halfway there, I noticed a small A-framed house made out of glass on the right, perched above Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Beach. Now if you've read Jane Fonda's recent autobiography, where she talks about Ted Turner's courtship, she describes a small A-framed glass house on JP Burns State Beach, where Ted Turner took her on one of their first dates. Hmm...looks just like she described, and it's in the right place...very non-descript, totally made out of glass, and deserted.....hmm....

...and 3/4 of the way there, as I approached the far end of a large concrete bridge, I saw a large white flatbed truck go off the road, make a sharp u-turn, and totally disappear down a steep decline. Wow! Where'd it go? OK....being the curious and impulsive person that I am, I followed it. The truck was driven by two young women with the state forest service, and they taking water samples from the creek. It actually was a small picnic area under the bridge with a porta-potty bathroom and really no beach. That meant that the rocks I was standing on basically ended right at the surf, 10 yards in front of me. Standing right next to the water, at a tiny park under the bridge.

I decided to try a motel in town that I hadn't used before - the Cambria Palms. It was next to a small motel I'd visited before, the Creekside Inn, which I hadn't cared for at all (being a single female traveler, if there's one thing I hate when I travel, it's being treated like, "oh she's alone, so we don't have to waste any time and energy on her"; they gave me an awful room in back of the office - ugh!)

The Cambria Palms was a nice experience - basic, cheap, clean, and it had everything I wanted - the price was only $63 for the room. The bathroom was decent, the bed's pillow-top mattress was very comfortable, and there was basic cable TV. Best of all, my room looked out on the back patio and barbecue area, which had been carefully landscaped. My room also had a small table and chairs next to the rear sliding glass door, with a wonderful view while sitting there - perfect for painting!

My latest

It was a very comfortable night. Although the room initially had everything I needed, it lacked one basic necessity: a good wireless internet connection. Because I travel alone, there are two things that are absolutely required in my room: cable TV and internet. The connection was so slow, at times I couldn't get onto a browser. So unfortunately, I had to say goodbye to the Cambria Palms. After visiting a few small motels in Cambria, I decided on the Bluebird Inn - smack in the center of town, really ideally situated. Nice place. Cozy, and the internet connection was adequate. It had one of those all-wood-paneled lobbies that looked like it belonged in a hunting lodge. Warm, inviting, soft lighting, coffee and snacks on the sideboard, and a raging fire. Perfect for reading in the afternoon. Of course I did my usual trip to Hearst Castle. Note that starting in March and thru June, there will be a new type of tour - self-guided, that you can take on your own through the gardens. This is only in the afternoon on Friday and Saturday....after June, it will be daily. I did some talking with the guides while I was there. They were a little nervous about the advent of the self-guided tours because they were afraid of layoffs. I empathize with them, but on the other hand I can't help thinking about being able to stroll the gardens on my own and taking pictures at my leisure, instead of having to keep up with the fast pace of my group. I decided last year to put together a screen saver for my computer of all the lovely lamps at Hearst. It's turned out very well. Here are a few of them:

Feeling safe again....

2009-10-14T05:27:00.000-07:00

I've always had a very soft spot for my 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle. Not only did it project my true personality, it brought back nice memories - my son was with me when we bought it, and that evening when we took our new car out for a spin and I turned on the lights, we exclaimed, "WOW!" - the interior lights were a bright combination of red and blue.

I've had many expensive problems with it over the past two years. During my road trip to Arizona six months ago, the persistent "Check Engine" light came on yet again - and I had just paid $2,000 to get it fixed. At the time it came on, I was about to cross the San Joaquin desert with my little elderly dog Missy in the back seat. Poor Missy was violently ill with carsickness - there's nothing like dealing with a dog having bloody diarrhea and vomiting, then having that cheerful little Check Engine coming on. I pulled over, called my mechanic, and after several discussions on the phone, we decided I should get Mr. Beetle to Los Banos, CA and hook it up to a car computer to see what it read.

After two hours at the shop, trying to keep Missy comfortable in the 99 degree heat, and finding out that the Check Engine light did NOT show a really serious problem, I had to decide what to do. I tried to rent a car, but there were none to be found in Los Banos (which means "The Bathrooms" in Spanish, BTW)...so I decided to just keep driving. I figured either my car would do ok or it would break down again in the desert, or it would completely die. By that time I was so fed up that I just didn't care. Luckily everything turned out ok, although the light stayed on until I spent another $2000 to get it fixed (turned out the problem was an innocuous little sensor in the engine that went out).

Two weeks ago my mechanic finally said, "Roberta, it's time to get another car". A part of my heart sank. I'd always enjoyed driving my 2001 New Beetle, especially because it had a turbo engine; I loved its power and passing other cars going up steep hills. But the turbo itself was the cause - it was leaking oil, and it would cost close to $3,000 to fix it. Plus I never knew when it would break down again, and it had cost me a fortune lately.....time to say goodbye to Mr. Beetle.

As usual I did lots of research before my big purchase and I ended up with a 2009 Honda Fit Sport, painted a deep dark purple (Blackberry Pearl) with spoilers on the front and back - rated the best compact car of 2009. It was a smart buy with its good mileage, and it's fun to drive...but I do miss my Beetle.

Living In Paradise

2009-07-10T21:16:00.000-07:00

I gazed up at the trail rising above me and thought, "OK, this can't go on much longer....." Although the climb was steep, I was enjoying the sunny day and the beautiful views. I stopped to take pictures of the Half Moon Bay airport and the distant mountains against the cobalt blue sky.

So here I was climbing up, up, up...but where was the top? I crested a final hill and walked a half mile to the cliffs overlooking the ocean…oh my! I really was in paradise! I had taken my car to be smogged at a small repair shop near the Half Moon Bay airport.

Because two people were there before me, I had a wait of at least an hour. I noticed a trail leading up one of the hills behind the building and thought, “Time for a hike!” I was glad I had my camera with me - when it’s sunny, Half Moon Bay is spectacular. There were wild masses of fiery red and white wildflowers along the trail, and every so often an invisible animal would rustle the bushes as it scurried away. I was at Pillar Point with the large sci-fi-looking satellite dish thingy on the mountain. I’ve always wondered about it, and this was my opportunity to really check it out. There were no reptilian aliens waiting for me on the other side (bummer!), but there was something even better: a cliff with a fantastic view of the ocean….deep blue, with a shallow shelf of rock under the water that extended for at least a mile. It reminded me of what I’d seen in Hawaii many moons before. ### When I was laid off from my job at the end of April 2009, I knew I wanted to change my life in some way. I wasn’t happy rattling around alone in my rented 3-bedroom house; my kids had moved to Washington state and I was bored and sometimes lonely. I had a nice severance and thought for several months about what I wanted to do with my life. Because I wasn’t working, I really had the freedom to go wherever I wanted...how about an RV? I’d always considered living in one. So I’d buy an RV and live in it…the idea was tantalizing, but I had to be smart about it. The timing was perfect because I wasn't working. For weeks I researched RV living on the internet, staying up late at night to read web sites and asking questions on forums. I created a detailed spreadsheet of my living expenses for continuing to live at my rented house, vs. an RV. The result was so startling, I verified the figures with my friends - I’d save close to $1,000 per month in an RV! It was time to get moving, because the longer I stayed in my house, the more money I would spend. My first step was to research all the RV parks in the San Francisco Bay area on the internet and list their contact information, rent amounts, and negative or positive comments from reviews. I had no preference in regards to location, I was totally open. I considered locales as far as Napa and Marin. Then I chose the three that received the best reviews, and I was left with parks in Half Moon Bay, El Granada, and Pacifica. Time to get in my car and take a good look at them. After visiting all three, the park in Half Moon Bay won hands down. What did I like about it? I was impressed as I looked around; it was clean, quiet, and the people I talked to said they enjoyed living there. The manager was friendly and we had a good rapport. But what really blew me away was the surrounding area. The park was situated right next to the Ritz Carlton, a luxury hotel at the ocean. I walked along the scenic trails at the golf course adjoining the park and wondered, "Will I ever become tired of this view?" I knew this was the place for me. I checked out the town and enjoyed walking around Main Street with its antique shops and coffee houses. There was a farmer’s market on Saturday mornings, and numerous roadside stands sold fresh fruits and vegetables (which are my passion). A new organic market a la Whole Foods was open in town.

Everything about it was perfect! I had my answer about what to do with the next ten years of my life, and in June I happily started my new life in the RV park – but that’s another story…. ### I’m working now and I can't wait to get home every day. While driving down the freeway, I look forward to reaching the Crystal Springs Reservoir – it’s the end of the city and the beginning of the mountains that lead to the beach. On a sunny day, the surface of the water looks like it’s dancing with diamonds. My VW Beetle drives over the bridge and I relax with a sigh...I’m almost home.

Ahhhh...Arizona & Nevada :: May 2009

2009-06-11T16:49:00.000-07:00

I have always loved the desert. When I was a pre-teen, my step-father owned land outside of Barstow, California and we'd visit it often. Barstow wasn't much of a town at the time. It had a main street and...well, that's about it. Whenever we traveled, my parents would reserve two rooms at the hotel - one for them and one for my sister and me.

We'd drive forever to Barstow, check into the hotel, and my parents would set up their portable bar in their room and turn on the TV. My sister and I happily spent each day in the pool.

Standing in front of the Liquor Barrel, one of our stores in Culver City

Perhaps those early days in Barstow fed my affinity for the desert; on one of our trips I walked alone to the back of the hotel and stood there, listening to the silence of the desert. There's nothing like that desert silence and once you've heard it, you never forget it.

So now was my chance to go back to the desert. I was going to visit a long-lost relative in Bullhead City, Arizona; I hadn't seen her for 30 years, and I was really looking forward to it.

* * *
As I left Bakersfield and drove towards the Nevada desert, I started to remember what I loved about the area. The multi-colored mountains and never-ending roads that you can see forever...the Joshua Trees standing naked against the sky....the brilliant sunsets. I fell in love with it all over again.

Sunset on the river in Laughlin, NV

I was surprised at how quickly I arrived in Arizona - there were a few hours of driving through the Nevada desert, then suddenly I was there!

We did a lot of sightseeing and I had loads of good food - I saw the London Bridge in Lake Havasu, the casinos in Laughlin (just across the river from Bullhead City), we popped into Las Vegas for lunch (only a two-hour drive from BHC) and wandered thru the streets of Oatman to buy ice cream and pet the burros - but more about that later.

Not surprisingly, the casinos are also reflecting the poor state of the economy - we had dinner at the Grand Buffet at the Edgewater Hotel & Casino. The lack of diners was startling. Two years ago there were lines going out the door and down the hall, but when we arrived at the register, we were the only ones in line. Dismal. By the way, the buffet was GINORMOUS, quite tasty, and high-quality. They must be going broke.

The following day was our trip to the London Bridge. I'd seen it before in some old movies (wasn't it in "Waterloo Bridge"?) and I was eager to see how well the old girl survived her journey across the ocean. Lake Havasu was....well, kind of boring. It's a total resort kind of city, lots of shops catering to the filthy rich, fast food joints, coffee houses....the bridge is in the center of town and surprisingly, there aren't any signs directing you to entrance for driving over it. We had lunch in a restaurant right next to it, where I got some fairly good pictures.

Las Vegas was the same ol' Las Vegas, however this time it was spectacular because we had lunch at the Top of the World restaurant, perched like a big cherry on top of the tall spire of the Stratosphere Hotel & Casino. It reminded me of a restaurant - long gone - called the Equinox, at the top of the Hyatt Regency here in San Francisco. It had the same principle - spinning around as you eat....but this was so much better; although the air wasn't as clear as it could have been, we could see California. It takes 1 hour and 15 minutes for it to make a complete turn.

We stopped in the tiny town of Nipton on our way back.

Now for Oatman, which totally deserves a section of its own. Oatman was named after Olive Oatman, a girl from Illinois who at age 14 saw most of her family killed by Apaches and was kidnapped by them. She grew up with the Apaches and then was traded to the Mohave Indians, who tattooed her on her chin and arms, which was their custom - she eventually was returned to "civilization", got married, and adopted a son. Don't miss this fascinating story about her on Wikipedia, which has a picture of her with those tattoos.

Oatman is also the place where Clark Gable and Carole Lombard spent their honeymoon after getting married in nearby Kingman. You can view the official marital bed for a small fee at the Oatman Hotel, but it was being renovated when we were there so we couldn't get in.

The best thing about Oatman is its wild burros, which come into town every morning and return to the desert at night. They are descended from the old miners' burros and they are absolutely charming and delightful. I was surprised at how pretty they were, with their splotches of white, brown, black and grey. They act very much at home in town and will sometimes walk right into a store to look for food. Just about every store carries bags of carrots which you can purchase for $2.00 to feed to the little critters. Although they act quite tame, there's always the disclaimer that they can come out with some radical behavior (i.e. kick the crap out of you), so you need to be a little careful around them.

It was really difficult to come home this time. I felt at ease in Arizona and my visit went very well. Usually I hate hot weather, but the dry heat of the desert didn't bother me as much as I expected. Missy, who normally takes a while to warm up to people, also was happy there and I hated subjecting her to that long drive again.

Things went well on the drive back and surprisingly, I made it home in 9 hours. This is definitely something I'd like to do again, but perhaps I'll leave Missy home the next time.

RANTS & RAVES:

The Reserve At Fox Creek: The development where my relative lives. Man, I loved it there. I even checked out homes for sale, but realized I'd have to wait till retirement age if I did that. This community consists of modular homes that are lovely and affordable, averaging $95,000. The "space rent" in the park is $375/month. The good: great services for retirees such as a fully-equipped clubhouse, exercise equipment, clubs, two pools, and saunas. The bad: well, the heat, which feels like it's slamming you when you walk outside during the day. Most people hibernate during daylight hours and only come out in the very early morning and late afternoon/evening. Although it's damned hot, those modular homes are easy and cheap to cool. We were in a home that was next to an arroyo, and I'd go outside every morning to watch the little cottontails run around. Sigh...if only I was independently wealthy!

Casa Serrano: If you're ever near Laughlin, check this restaurant out - it's across the river in Fort Mohave, and it's a fairly short drive. Mexican food can be bland at times, but Casa Serrano uses garlic in its dishes - yum! They have a great vegetarian dish, steamed veggies over brown rice smothered with cheese. Highly recommended!

Edgewater Hotel & Casino: The best thing about the Edgewater (and other casinos around it) is the Laughlin Riverwalk outside, which runs the length of the river. You can stand in the warm air and look down at the ducks and gigantic carp swimming in the water. There's a water taxi that goes up and down the river for your convenience, if you don't feel like walking to the other casinos. One of the bigger docks was outside the Edgewater, where people were waiting for the taxi.

I tried to capture the silence of the desert when we were in the middle of Joshua Tree State Park. Unfortunately the wind caused some noise interference on this video, but at the end you can hear the wind rustling in the tree - very cool.

Bakersfield :: May 2009

2009-06-11T15:10:00.000-07:00

Bakersfield....ugh. I will, in the future, try to avoid it as much as I can.

I didn't have any kind of traumatic incident there....I wasn't robbed or assaulted in any way (thank God), but as a woman alone, I just felt...uncomfortable and out-of-sorts during my brief overnight stay.

I've always heard bad things about Bakersfield - "the armpit of the valley" is one of them. I'm a pretty cheery gal and I try not to form early opinions.

I was actually passing thru Bakersfield on my way to Arizona and had my long-haired Chihuahua Missy in the car. I would have left her at home, but Missy needs daily sub-q fluids for her chronic renal failure, so she came along. By the time we arrived in Bakersfield, Missy and I were worn out from an entire day of driving and mishaps -the car breaking down near Los Banos in the sizzling hot San Joaquin Valley, waiting for a diagnosis at the mechanic's, looking (unsuccessfully) around Los Banos for a rental car, spending loads of time on the phone with my mechanic, and finally deciding with him that my car would probably be ok for the long drive thru the desert to Arizona as planned, but with the Check Engine light on.

Missy wasn't used to the hot weather or the car and had diarrhea'd all over the back seat in between the events outlined above. At one point I called her vet to ask for advice and was told to give Imodium AD post-haste. This was done and accomplished via a Walgreen's drive-thru, but the medication took its own sweet time to start working. We finally arrived in Bakersfield at the LaQuinta Inn. I'd stayed in LaQuintas in the past and liked them, so I had high hopes for this one. The hotel itself was nice with an elegant exterior and large tasteful lobby and a cozy breakfast eating area. The room was clean and we were very happy to arrive.

Missy was especially glad to get out of that car.

The bathroom toilet was one of the strangest (and highest) I've ever seen.

The day before I departed, as I usually do, I had checked the regular travel sites such as Yelp.com and TripAdvisor.com for the best places to eat and visit in that area. I didn't come up with very much. I decided that because I was there for such a short time, I wouldn't attempt to explore the city.

The hotel was in a bad area, which was dirty, neglected, and industrial; the local inhabitants looked like escapees from "Deliverance" and were a little frightening.

After getting Missy set up in the bathroom with her food, bed, and heating pad, I left for a short time to have dinner at the Denny's across the street....I skipped my planned swim in the hotel pool and went horizontal in bed.

RANTS & RAVES:

Bakersfield itself - don't bother

La Quinta Inn: Be sure to ask for a room on the bottom floor AWAY from any stairs - those areas tend to be more noisy. They have a good breakfast in the morning. The wireless internet works well.

Food: You can eat at the Denny's across the street. If you're a woman alone, I wouldn't recommend walking anywhere alone at night.

Roberta's Hotel & B&B Awards

2009-05-25T17:17:00.000-07:00

1. Bathroom: Tie between the Blakely Hotel, Manhattan & Churchill Manor, Napa

2. Porch for sitting and reading a book: Barretta Gardens Inn, Sonora

3. In-house animal: the marmalade cat at the Georgian House, Portland

4. Outside animals: the carriage horses (they were brothers) and the cattle at the Carriage House Vineyards, Templeton CA.

5. Prettiest sight before going to sleep: the top of the stairs at the Georgian House, Portland

6. Best place to get stinking drunk when alone on Christmas Eve: Steakhouse at the Madonna Inn

7. Innkeepers: Walt & Gina Vickrey at the Pickford House Inn, [CLOSED] Cambria

8. Breakfast: 3-way Tie: The Olallieberry Inn, Cambria, the Abel House, Elma, WA and the Barretta Gardens Inn, Sonora

Notes on bathrooms in New York & other places

2009-05-25T09:00:00.001-07:00

Andrew says I have a bladder the size of a walnut. That's probably an exaggeration, but as a female, I try to know in advance where the bathrooms are. New York was a challenge and really honed my bathroom-finding skills: 1. THE WINNER: Starbuck's. Lots of them around - I could check my email, get a caffeine jump, and pee all in the same place - and I didn't have to pretend I was a customer to empty my bladder (you should have seen the line at the Starbuck's Empire State Building!).

2. Department stores. I like going into stores that have spas so I can rub elbows - at least temporarily - with the rich. In New York after entering the spa at Saks Fifth Avenue, I was pounced on by a woman who watched me like a hawk and stuck to me like a burr. Me: "Hi, I'm just killing time waiting for my husband but I want to take a look at your facial cleansers - and I also want to use your bathroom."

You really have to be authoritarian with people like that.

3. Restaurants: They all have bathrooms, but just try using one in a tourist town if you're not a customer. When I see signs that warn, "Restrooms are for customers only", I enter the restaurant pretending I'm looking for someone. Looking for that elusive someone, I scope things out with an eagle eye, cock my head, and head back towards the bathrooms. Works every time.

One bathroom in New York had lovely peonies in the washroom area. Nothing like peonies when you pee!

Napa & Sonoma :: November 2008

2009-05-22T11:18:00.000-07:00

One of my favorites.....because I was there in the fall, the grapevines and trees were turning brilliant shades of scarlet and orange, and there was a hazy and sleepy element to the air. Although Napa can get quite hot in the summer, in November it was just starting to get seriously chilly - perfect for me, as I avoid hot weather.

I must have been feeling flush financially at the time because I reserved a room at the Churchill Manor, a showcase B&B in Napa that was quite expensive.

I paid $250 for my room for one night - I now consider that to be quite foolish, because of my current circumstances. The room was nice but the bathroom was stupendous and almost as large as the main room. I have this habit of taking a bath in every B&B (I'm normally a shower gal), and in the tub I inevitably think, "Is this worth [insert price of room]?" My mental response will indicate whether I feel I've wasted my money. And at the Churchill Manor, it was an emphatic "YES!"

But the best thing about the mansion was the mansion itself. The owners have taken 20 years to bring it back to its former glory, with museum-quality antiques galore in the main rooms. Every room had walls of polished walnut. There was a large veranda/porch encircling the house and I spent some lovely hours there.

While driving through Calistoga, I came across signs that advertised "Petrified Forest". When my sister and I were small tots, our parents took us on a trip to San Francisco and the surrounding areas. I've always wondered where the petrified forest was, and upon entering the forest, I nearly cried. There was the little prospector, the same little guy I'd been looking at in my pictures for almost 50 years (oh, and if you click on the colored pic below, you may see someone else hiding in a tree).

I did a major amount of driving around the area in this trip, and I had a blast doing it. I'm not a wine devotee, so I didn't visit any wineries. It's really important to get up early to start driving because there's only one main highway thru the valley, and it gets crowded very easily.

I discovered that there was a huge VA-type of place on a mountain above Yountville, where old soldiers went to fade away. As I drove through the property, I noticed empty wheelchairs, sitting there like sad dogs waiting for their owners - and learned later that the residents take the bus into Yountville, drink all day, then return at night to their wheelchairs.

Rants & Raves:

*Churchill Manor: definitely recommended, if you can afford it. There are three floors however and there is no elevator so be prepared to lug your suitcases, which is not uncommon in B&Bs. They have high-speed wireless, but only in the library below and not in rooms. No TVs in rooms but one in library. Very clean, amenities like soap/shampoo are a high-class organic brand that I tried to find when I got home. Beds have down comforters and pillow tops, very comfortable. Breakfast: food was very good and you have a choice of what you'd like to eat from the paper menu, which is handed to youwhen you arrive at the table. But - the portions are much too small - have you ever seen a baby omelet? - something I've run into with many B&Bs - why do so many owners feel it's ok to gyp you with mini-portions? It's tacky, it's bad business, it doesn't cost them much more to give you a full-sized portion, and I don't like it at all. : [ HUMPH! Oh, and coffee was weak (uck).

Surprisingly, Churchill Manor is on the edge (i.e. right across the street) from a bad part of town but if you walk up one block, you're in the good part with some cool mansions. You have to go for a walk if you stay there! I walked into downtown Napa several times which was a good stretch, but perfect as I needed exercise.

*Towns (definitely my humble opinion, others may think very differently):

-Sonoma: very touristy (VERY) - quite crowded on weekends. There is a "square" downtown which is where most people hang out. Lots of restaurants, antiques, galleries, specialty stores. There are two really old hotels directly on the square and one is supposed to be quite haunted. Hotels are expensive and not as nice as the Churchill Manor, but are a kick to walk into and explore.

-St. Helena. Disappointing. There is one main street and that's it. Cute stores, but the main drag (the only drag) gets VERY crowded during the day and it's impossible to find a place to park (I tried many times).

-Yountville. I loved Yountville. It's beautiful, slightly off the main highway, and it has a small-town, homey, friendly atmosphere to it. There is a farmer's market on weekends. Gorgeous area, just below the big VA-type place.

-Calistoga. Really liked Calistoga, although the stores on the main street are a little disappointing. I had fun going into Indian Springs Resort (very hoity-toity). I wanted to see what the women's spa looked like, so I walked in, pretended I was one of their wealthy clients ("Can I help you?" "Oh, I'm only looking until my husband can join me - meanwhile I want to buy some soap"). If you need a bathroom, they have the best bathroom around (and the soap was lovely).

Restaurants: Had one of my best dinners ever at the Ristorante Allergria, which is situated in a former bank in downtown Napa. Here's a link: http://ristoranteallegria.com/ I loved the fact that they turned the vault into a private dining room ; ) The building itself reminded me of a bank my mother took me to in Santa Monica when I was very small. I sat at the bar to eat, mainly because the bartender was sexier than hell.

Sonora :: August 2008

2009-05-21T19:30:00.000-07:00

Sonora was most definitely a memorable trip! A week before I was to depart, I broke my toe. I'm talking I REALLY broke it, with a spiral fracture on the middle toe and it hurt like hell. Not only was I in pain, I couldn't walk.....I really couldn't walk. But because the reservation was already made at the B&B, I had to show up.

I stayed at the Barretta Gardens Inn. Really nice place - I had the room that was literally in the treetops, and it had lots of windows wrapped around it. There was a wonderful soaking tub in the room and I spent happy hours in it, always keeping my foot above the water (ya, it's not easy).

There was a long porch outside my door and I sat on it every evening and morning, looking at the trees while re-bandaging my toe.

It was very hot but the room was air-conditioned. I remember it was 96 at 6 PM. Wow. I couldn't live there. Sonora was not my favorite town. For one thing, there's really nothing to do there. You can sightsee, but how long does that keep you amused? Since I travel alone, I tend to rely on my computer and my TV to entertain me in the evenings, and I had neither at the Barretta; the wireless didn't work and the TV? Hopeless. It only played DVDs and I swear - was only a 12-incher.

One day I spent several hours driving around the area. It was fiercely hot. I went out to the wilderness and thought, "Goodness, if you get stuck out here, you're hosed." I came across an adorable donkey and was going to pet him but he looked churlish, so I left him alone.

Drove around some more, got to town, and my Check Engine light came on while going up one of Sonora's very steep hills. Shut the engine off, got the manual out, and did some reading. Since the light wasn't flashing, I was ok to drive a short way to a mechanic. The first one didn't do cars, only tires - directed me to someone else. Meanwhile I was praying that I wasn't killing my engine by continuing to drive it, and my foot was throbbing.

Found the other mechanic and by this time the outside temp was 102 in the shade. The next mechanic was nice, but said he was so booked there was no way he could help me. He wrote down the names and numbers of two others and I got in my car, drove around the corner, and burst into tears. All I could think of was how lucky I was that this didn't happen out in the middle of the Sonora desert - can ya see it? "Woman found dead in desert with disabled car". I called the next mechanic, he said he also was booked. Dialed the final one, my hand shaking....very nice woman: "I'm so sorry, we're totally full." (did all of Sonora's cars break down on that weekend?) She volunteered to put her boss on the phone, who repeated the litany, "I'm sorry, we're too busy to help you." "Oh please, I'm from out of town, I have a broken toe and I can't walk, it's so hot, and I really need helppppppp!" Success! Nice man. Turned out my car was in bad shape, the brakes blew a line plus two hoses in the engine exploded. I was very lucky.

So I spent the rest of my vacation at the B&B, hungry the first night because I couldn't walk to a restaurant and of course, the B&B only serves breakfast - the next day I sent out for a pizza.

Rants & Raves

*Barretta Gardens Inn - recommended (although if you're alone, make sure you bring something to read). Owners are very nice and their breakfast was wonderful - full-sized and they offered seconds. Internet is practically non-existent, although wireless is advertised on their site (internet service is terrible in Sonora). TVs are tiny....can't beat the view though, plus the gardens and fountains outside. The afternoon lemonade and cookies are home-made and delicious. You can have breakfast either on the sun porch in the morning, or in the dining room inside the house. *Sonora area - boring as hell and hotter than same in summer. The entire town has mountains, not hills, which can be murder on your car (one of them gave my car the coup de grace).

*Restaurants - nothing to write home about. There is a casino that's supposed to be good, but I didn't go there.

*Antiques - if you're into antiques, there are some good shops in town.

*Sightseeing - go to the old town of Columbia, it's interesting. There's a great soap shop there, where you can buy cakes of soap that actually aren't cured enough and you have to store them for a month when you get home - where else do you see that? There are lots of caverns in the area and I wanted so much to see them, but I couldn't walk, much less hike : (

*Of all the towns I saw on my drives, I liked Murphys the best. Actually if I was to go up to that area again, I'd stay there. It was such a bummer not being able to walk, which meant I was really limited on what I could see.

Bummer trip.

Welcome To Robbie's World!

2009-05-21T18:57:00.000-07:00

Meet Robbie. Ghost writer :::rider::: extraordinaire! If you should choose to accept, you can follow the adventures of......................robbie? You get the drift. Get in, sit down, shut up, and hold on! Vroommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm