Thursday, 10 October 2019
Tucson, Arizona

AHOY, MATES—

It has been several months since you have heard from LFLatSea, but here I am, back with much to report and to look forward to.  It will probably take a day or two to catch up and present my next cruise, for which I leave Tucson next Friday, 18 October.  But before I get to that news (no spoilers here), I will describe briefly my recent trip to Carlsbad-by-the-Sea, CA, with my dear friend Anita (Part 1). 

And since I don’t post much on Facebook or other social media, this will be a good place and time to catch you all up on the recent details of my non-travel life at home in Tucson with my spouse, Will, and our two cats, Luke and Jake (Part 2).

And then it will be off to . . . (keep on reading Part 3).

Part 1:  Carlsbad, CA
2-6 October 2019

As a brief vacation before my cruise vacation, I am happy to keep Anita company on her annual trip to the Hilton Marbrisa time-share, situated on a bluff standing above Carlsbad, CA, and the Pacific Ocean.  You may recall (or re-visit the 24 September 2016 blog page) that we spent three days here over the July 4th weekend in 2016.  On this year's visit we have a two-bedroom unit, with views of the Pacific from the balcony in each bedroom.  The unit also has a large living-dining area and full-size kitchen, with an added small kitchenette attached to the second bedroom.  As you will read below, we did not spend much time in the kitchens!

View of Pacific Ocean (in Distance) from Bedroom Balcony

Hilton Marbrisa Lobby Enrance

Carlsbad is one of many picturesque communities that line the Pacific shore north of San Diego.  It takes about seven hours to drive from Tucson to San Diego, mostly on freeway, first through the southern Arizona desert, and then through the more picturesque hills and valleys of southern California.  There isn't much novelty as we speed through the northern edges of the Sonora and Mojave Deserts from Tucson to Yuma, but once I-8 crosses the state line, the scenery changes dramatically as the highway climbs and dips over a series of mountain passes.  At one point, we are so close to the Mexican border that we can actually see the "wall."  The contrasting scenery of sand dunes and mountains is much more interesting than the flatness of Arizona's desert.  Even more importantly, as we drive over the first range of California mountains, the daytime temperature plunges from the low100's to the mid-70's, where it will remain for the rest of our trip.  

Besides its quaint old town, beautiful Pacific Ocean beaches, and fine seafood restaurants, Carlsbad is well known for its shopping, especially its Outlet Mall, which harbors some of the best-known and prestigious labels, from St John, Brooks Brothers, and Coach to more popular brands like Skechers, Calvin Klein, and Adidas.  This is one of Anita's favorite places to shop (hence the yearly visits), and with a special 40% discount on already reduced outlet prices, even I couldn't resist some shopping this time.  Tonight's dinner is at one of the branches of Vigliotti's, a local Italian restaurant.

Carlsbad's Outlet Mall--Before Customers Arrive

After our full day of shopping we spend our time pursuing more scenic and cultural attractions.  The next day we enjoy the 90-minute drive to the mountain village of Julian, CA--home of (arguably) America's best apple pies, baked from local fruit.  Julian is a picturesque two-street town with quaint shops and restaurants, many bakeries, and a bracing mountain climate.  Our day here happens to coincide with the local high school Homecoming Parade, consisting of a four-person honor guard, two fire engines, four student-constructed floats, and a couple of antique cars carrying the student "royal court."  The pictures should speak for themselves.  After an afternoon nap back in Carlsbad, we drive three villages down the coast to Del Mar, for dinner at the Brigantine (yummy tempura lobster tacos!).

Julian's Main Street

One of Many Pie Bakeries in Julian

Homecoming Parade

On our last full day in California--another day of beautiful fall weather--we take a one-hour drive down the freeway (it's Saturday and the traffic is light) to Coronado Island, part of the city of San Diego--most well known as home to the Del Coronado Hotel, the central location of two wonderful films, Some Like It Hot (dir. Billy Wilder), and The Stunt Man (cir. Richard rush).  After returning to Carlsbad it is time to pack for tomorrow's return trip to Tucson, and then out for a final dinner at P.F. Chang's.

Del Coronado Hotel

Part 2:  Tucson, AZ
April-October 2019

After returning from a a month-long trip to Asia at the end of March, I have played the homebody for the intervening months. My husband, Will, spent two weeks in September visiting family and friends in upstate New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire.  He especially enjoyed the break from the three-digit temperatures we suffer through in southern Arizona.  This summer was especially brutal, since the monsoon was below normal, and we did not enjoy the almost-daily rains that summer weather usually brings.

I did not accompany Will on this trip, although I have enjoyed my visits to Syracuse over the years.  Since both of our cats must have eyedrops in both eyes twice a day, I served as care-giver while Will was away.  Catching each cat to carry him to the kitchen counter for medication is sometimes a chore (they are very good at hiding and running away), but once they are tightly wrapped in a towel, they accept their medication easily.  Except for the two days a week that Luke gets a syringe-full of liquid medication, when we engage in quite a struggle.  It helps that Luke and Jake both know there are cat treats waiting for them after the medication.

Jake and Luke

We continue to enjoy visitors from the cooler climates.  This week, Will's niece, Lisa, and her husband, Mike, from Detroit, are enjoying their annual visit to Tucson for the third year in a row.

Enough of all this catching up on the past.  I will close today's blog at this point.  Tomorrow I will begin posting news about my upcoming trip--now just one week away--that will take me from Tucson to Newark to Athens, and from there onward to. . . .