SoCal Trip September 2007

I spent a fun 7 days down in Southern California with the boys. I wanted to get warm and boy, did I ever! I hit it right when they were have a heat wave and it was hot! Really hot! So hot they were keeping libraries and community centers open so people could get into the air conditioning.
I rented a car and drove down to Vista to Cody's new house. Flying into Long Beach was good - it's a small airport so I got out of quickly, and surprisingly, hit no traffic even though it was 4pm. It was wonderful to see them both, and the new kitty.
Cody has his shop set up in the garage and was very busy with a big project. But we took time to head to the beach early so he could surf at Oceanside. That has always been one of my most favorite things to do, so it was a real treat.
On Saturday we went to the local Farmers Market in Vista. A lot different from the one in Port Townsend, with all the warm weather veges and lots of tropical fruit. We found granadillas and cape gooseberries and I bought a plant for them to grow down in the orchard. Cody remembered the taste from South Africa. Lots of goodies and we bought stuff for dinner - the fresh salmon was less expensive than here in Washington.
Vista is a great area, still fairly rural in parts, like where Cody and Mel live. Their neighbor is an Arabian Horse Ranch and most of the lots around them are more than an acre. And there are lots of small - and not so small - farms around. If I ever move back to California, I think that is where I would like to be.
Ryan and his friend Garrett came down on Sunday and we all piled in his M5 BMW and went to San Diego to a cool Thai restaurant for dinner. Rama is in the gas light district and you enter through a long passage, passing the lounge. The dining area is a large room but so beautifully decorated with sheer fabric falling in cascades from the high ceilings, separating each table. Very effective. And the back wall is one big waterfall! And the food was great too! On the trip down there, Cody drove and we went 115 mph - the fastest I have ever been - and I was in the front seat!!!
Ryan headed back to LA after dinner and I headed up there the next day. Again, I missed a lot of the traffic and managed to find his place in Studio City. I cooked dinner for them - quite a treat as they eat out most of the time. I also got a tour of the Big Brother house - how bizarre - walking around on the outside of it, looking in on the people. The can't see you through the glass but still, it really is voyeurism at it's best (or worst).
On Tuesday Ryan had to work but I went shopping for something to wear to go to the Pantages to see Wicked! That was a real treat! The theatre is amazing, so ornate and old but beautifully maintained. The theatre was packed so it was difficult to see all the artistry of the building but definitely fun.
Next day, it was up early and off to the airport and back here to the gray.
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