San Clemente with Cindy...

We went to the Spanish Village by the Sea for some long overdue girl time!

We began by fueling up at this très merveilleux bistro.
I fully agree with this description from the website, "From the moment you step inside, Moulin transports you to France with the smell of fresh, artisan breads, the sight of fresh chickens turning in the rotisserie and the sound of people speaking French."
"If you are French, the Croque Madame tastes just like you remember from your childhood. If you have visited France on vacation, then the touch of cream on your lips after enjoying a delicate pastry will remind you of the one you enjoyed at that little café near your hotel in Paris." 
Our history lesson began in the historic Casino San Clemente. But first, a little about the town's history is in order. In 1925, a man named Ole Hanson had an idea to build a "Spanish Village" in a remote undeveloped tract of land half way between Los Angeles and San Diego. He wrote, “I vision a place where people can live together more pleasantly than any other place in America. I am going to build a beautiful city on the ocean, where the whole city is a park. The architecture will be of one type, and homes will be built on sites where nearly everyone will have their view preserved forever. The whole picture is very clear to me. I can see hundreds of white walled homes bonneted with red tile with trees, palms, and flowers lining the drives. I can see sidewalks of red Spanish tile and streets curving picturesquely over the land. I want plazas, playgrounds, a school, a pool, a golf course, a fishing pier and a beach enlivened with people getting a healthy joy out of life.” Voilà!
The Casino was built, in 1937, with a team of a thousand craftsmen. This was during the Great Depression when workmen were plentiful and labor was cheap. The estimate was a cost of $25,000. The original plan was for construction to be completed in time for a scheduled event over Labor Day weekend, just ten weeks away. They beat their deadline by a whole month, tripling the final cost to $75,000.
Due to the early completion, it was decided to have an Opening Gala. The grand event included dancing to the nationally known CBS Radio Orchestra, under the direction of Sterling Young.  In true Hollywood fashion of the day, large searchlights heralded the event, seen miles away along the coast and by hundreds of people passing by on the train. It was publicized throughout Southern California. An estimated 5,000 people swarmed into the Casino for opening night. Since there were few hotel accommodations in town then, it must be assumed that most of the partiers drove home after a long evening of dancing and drinking. Oh to have been a fly on the wall then. Wow.



The Casino gets its name from the Italian word casino, meaning a "gathering place".  FYI.

Modeled after the famous Casino on Catalina Island, this property is rich in local history. It featured many an evening of renown musical entertainment, live radio broadcasts, dinner theater and even the crowning of Miss San Clemente. The Hall of History is lined with those who came before us.

We then wandered about ogling and planning our next explore.
This is one of the cooler weathervanes I've discovered. When the San Clemente Beach Club opened on May 27, 1928, just in time for the summer season, it was much more than a swimming pool complex, gifted to local residents by Ole. It was designed to make a statement. “It was designed to be a signature building that would greet visitors and prospective buyers.” Towering above the gleaming-new beach club’s red-tile roof, in 1928, was a weathervane depicting a fair maiden diving into the water. Over the decades, the maiden was lost, but this recreation is a delightful replacement.
Nature abounds and we were in awe.






We plan to return to learn more and to definitely sample all la gourmandise  (deliciousness) this Village by the Sea has to offer!

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1 comments:

Four Points Bulletin said...

How cool. I didn’t realize they had a Casino! Not that I have spent too much time in San Clemente. But I will definitely keep it in mind the next time we go. That and the pier. And Paradis ice cream. And Pizza Port pizza. And Casa Romantica.

May 23, 2021 at 10:00 PM

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