Annie is my longest known friend (August 1980). While I'm sad that they are relocating to South Carolina, I so get it. In order to get a quality friend fix, we loaded up the camper and headed to Anaheim. We even had the opportunity to hang out with Annie and Bob's friends, Earl and Claire. Neat night.

We arrived in time to visit with Steph, Annie's sister who has already moved to South Carolina, leading the exodus. She was in town for the week. What fun to be able to see her... one more time (at least on the west coast).
Located in the neighbor's yard is this adorable Little Free Library. I totally scored an awesome new tome- The Magic Kingdom: Walt Disney and the American Way of Life. What a treat.
And how adorable is their house? It is located in the Anaheim Colony Historic District, the city's first and largest Historic District. The boundaries of the Colony match the original German Colony founded in 1857 (North, South, East and West Streets). Over 1,000 qualified structures are located within this 1.8-square mile area. We could not have camped in a better spot.

We traveled to Anaheim to spend a couple of days with Annie and Bob. Soon they will be retiring and leaving California so we stopped at their favorite food shop and had way too much il divertimento selecting lunch items for a culinary trip down Memory Lane.

Cortina’s is family owned and operated and has been serving the Orange County community since 1963 when Papa Tony and his brother, Victor, first opened its doors. From that day on they have built their reputation upon loyal customers and lovers of food that taste the difference and relish the freshness in their quality products.

We felt that we had entered a world in which Italian food reigns. A world in which we discovered intriguing ingredients and products that could be used to make an Italian masterpiece-of–a-meal. Artisan salami and homemade Italian sausage, sauces and meatballs, an impressive selection of the finest prosciutto and a dazzling selection of cheeses, all had us salivating (and purchasing).

We even had a chuckle as we waited for our goodies to be gathered. So dang fun.

How could we not celebrate this unique holiday? We were off to the Salvation Army Leap Year Sale. Woo hoo.

I love getting good deals while helping charities. The Salv is well known for its network of thrift stores which raise money for its rehabilitation programs by selling donated used items such as clothing, housewares and toys. Part of the proceeds go towards its emergency reliefs efforts and programs, too.
It is also a gathering of kindred spirits.
We went with a detailed list and actually checked off quite a few items. Fun.
Refueling happened at Rubio's. After lunch, we got to meet the man who famously brought us fish tacos and so much more in 1983. This is me and Ralph Rubio, co-founder of Rubio's. I was a tad star stuck. He told us that this Temecula location was dear to his heart as it is his 15th out of 200 restaurants. What a fun connect. Temecula offers so much diversity. Wow.

This amazing place is 104 years old. We don't get to it as often as we should due to the fact that it is way in San Diego. Since we had to be near for an appointment we visited the world famous San Diego Zoo.

We visited last March with a different emphasis. Today it was mainly about reptiles and the like.
Can you imagine what this giant tortoise has seen in his lifetime? Wowzers.
 
We haven't visited the new Reptile Walk before so off we went.

The exhibit features three new reptile areas for turtles, amphibians, and a space showcasing Southern California's native reptile and amphibian populations. The enclosures are built to mimic the look and feel of each animal's native habitats, including marshes, swamps, vernal pools and bogs, enabling visitors to walk through the exhibits and see the animals in a more natural environment. More than 50 reptile and amphibian species are on exhibit at Reptile Walk, including poison frogs, the critically endangered mountain yellow-legged frog, mossy tree frogs, giant horned lizards , king snakes, Malayan giant turtles, leaf tailed geckos, and more.


 



In additional to live things that can move, the botanical wonders here are absolutely stunning with more than 4,500 species of plants. Prized collections include orchids, cycads, fig trees, palms, and coral trees. Naturalistic animal exhibits are heavily planted and resemble the animals' native habitats. Some plants, such as bamboo, eucalyptus, acacia, and hibiscus, are grown for animal food. Just something more to admire while strolling about.

Part of our visit was meandering through the aviaries. Such beauty in motion.

We even spotted a tourist.
A highlight for us was to explore Africa Rocks. This new area of the park spotlights the amazing biodiversity found on the African continent, with unusual and striking species ready for their rise to fame. Ushering us into each new habitat are rock formations unique to their regions—from the craggy granite outcroppings of the kopje, to the jagged, layered tsingy rocks of Madagascar, to the smooth, wave-worn boulders of the South Africa coastline. So unique.
 
Penguins always please. So dang cute and cool to see them being fed.

I realize some people have different opinions about zoos. This is not your zoo of yore. The Zoo is a protected haven where breeding and caring for endangered species can help protect against extinction. It provides opportunities for animal behavior and health studies that would be difficult, if not impossible, to conduct in the wild. The results of these studies are shared with other zoos and wildlife parks, and help guide animal conservation efforts in field projects. And they educate. We are members to support this exceptional program. We return because everytime we're here we learn something new and find amazement. We 💗 the San Diego Zoo. Always have. Always will.

The Temecula Valley Historical Society, of which we are now members, hosts intriguing monthly presentations. What's perfect about this group is that it is located in the most historic part of Temecula- The Vail Ranch Headquarters (1867).

Wanting to make the night an event, we met with friends (Suzanne, Max and Gail) for dinner first in the Cookhouse (a food court of sorts).
For seven decades, this historic 1880 Cookhouse was the location in which ranch cooks lived, prepared and served hearty meals. You know how I love to eat in history! Fun.

Tonight's lecture was described as, "We hear the name Audie Murphy in relation to a real estate venture in Menifee, but few of us know who the man was. Thanks to Bob Kent, an avid researcher, we will learn about the life of Audie Murphy."
For those who don't know, Audie Leon Murphy (1925-1971) was an American soldier, actor, songwriter, and rancher. He was considered the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II. He received every military combat award for valor available from the U.S. Army, as well as French and Belgian awards for heroism.

After the war, Murphy embarked on a 21-year acting career. He played himself in the 1955 autobiographical film To Hell and Back, based on his 1949 memoir of the same name, but most of his roles were in westerns.
Locally, Murphy bred quarter horses at the Audie Murphy Ranch (AM Farm) in what is now Menifee, California. Sadly, Audie's gambling problems caused him to sell the ranch in 1963 to Bob Hope. Mr. Hope held onto it for twenty years before selling it to a developer who paid homage to Audie Murphy by naming it after him. How many millenials live there and have no idea for whom their community is named?!
No matter the turns his life took, including an untimely death at age 45, Audie Murphy is a true American hero. He is buried, with full military honors, in Arlington National Cemetery. His gravesite is the second-most visited annually, surpassed only by President John F. Kennedy's. The U.S. Army has always declared that there will never be another Audie Murphy. After tonight's presentation, we better understand why.

Our friend Scott inherited this pristine 1966 Schwinn Exerciser and passed it on to me. So dang cool.

My previous find will be strapped to the top of the Camper when we head back to Tahoe. Steve won't trust me on a real bike in a very long time.
I found the catalog showcasing this tool allowing "year-around cycling in your own home!" Most of the 1966 bicycle models are being displayed in Disneyland. This is an amazing snapshot of the "happiest place on earth" 54 years ago. What a treasure this Where Schwinn Takes a Trip to Disneyland catalog is.
About my bike, from the description, "There's nothing like regular daily exercise to help keep fit and trim, and now it's so easy and convenient for all the family, in the privacy of your own home. Quiet, smooth-running, the Schwinn Exerciser has built-in timer, speedometer, and odometer, and adjustable pedal resistance for easy or vigorous workouts." The price for the XR1 Schwinn Exerciser............$66.95.

Did you noticed the vibrating slimming belt machine? Wild 60's memories are evoked by that (my mom had a Jack LaLanne Gym membership with one of these in it). Hysterical!
More memories were evoked by this catalog image. I'm pretty certain we had these bikes, too. Fun stuff. Thanks Scott!

Our week looks promising. Got to love Winter in SoCal.