ramblings of a Seattle travel, food and photography hound
Some very beautiful Victorian homes line the streets of Petaluma, west of the river. These homes, which survived the 1906 earthquake relatively intact, have been wonderfully restored to their former glory after years of neglect. As a result, many motion pictures have been filmed here. We walked through the historic district, which is on the... Continue Reading →
Driving along the California coast is a spectacular experience. California Highway 1, in particular, has many rewards, not only breathtaking vistas of the Pacific Ocean but little towns that are free from over-commercialization. Take Cambria, for example. Situated about halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, it attracts travelers from both, a picturesque village of... Continue Reading →
Along the coast of San Luis Obispo county is situated the beautiful town of Morro Bay, once a center of abalone fishing that now hosts commercial and sport fishing activities. We approached it from the south along Highway 101 when we saw the town's most famous landmark, Morro Rock, that juts up out of the water... Continue Reading →
The Chumash Indians were the dominant people in a portion of southern California that includes Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties. They left behind many examples of rock art throughout this region. The most accessible site is Chumash Painted Cave State Park, just off State Hwy 154. The pictographs, done in red and... Continue Reading →
A significant architectural building in all of California is the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, built in the 1920s. It is arguably the most impressive building in the city, reflecting a superb example of the Spanish Colonial Revival style that earned it a designation as a U.S. National Historic Landmark and a place in the U.S.... Continue Reading →
Santa Barbara has North America's largest Moreton Bay fig tree, planted in 1877 at its current location. Its dimensions are so impressive that it is said that the canopy can shelter 1,000 people. It was somewhat difficult to find the tree, located on the corner of Chapala and Montecito Streets behind the railway station, but... Continue Reading →
One of our favorite places to eat breakfast when we're visiting relatives in the San Gabriel Valley is Bun 'N' Burger. The current owners bought the diner from the original one and kept all the old memorabilia on the walls and suspended from the ceiling—old pictures from WWII, plastic parrots on perches, old Coke and... Continue Reading →
One person, the proprietess of Wonton City, runs the entire operation: preps, cooks, waits and cashiers. Who we presume to be a daughter occasionally helps out. In a tiny space in the Lake Hills Shopping Center, having no more than 10 tables, she serves noodles and congee (rice porridge) at very reasonable prices. Of the... Continue Reading →
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