HAERR TRIPPIN': January 2022

Hiking Monserate Mountain...

Monserate Mountain is one of a number of beautiful preserves managed by the Fallbrook Land Conservancy. The trail takes a no-nonsense approach up the west side of the mountain through the typical mix of chaparral and coastal sage scrub, leading to panoramic vistas of Fallbrook’s avocado orchards, the Pacific Ocean, and surrounding mountains. Because the trail is steep and exposed, it is best enjoyed in cooler temperatures. Not a problem. When we began it was 49°...a perfect hiking temperature.

I love the markers along the way. We actually climbed to the 110th floor! It was a workout but worth it.

Normally we take the Trail Loop, a 4.1 mile lightly trafficked path that is rated as difficult (it has a 1,381' elevation gain). Since there was a trail closure (until December) we had to retrace our steps back to the trailhead.

John Muir said, “Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” It has been a while since we did this hike (January of 2019). It was good to have dirty boots again.

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Are You a Wordle Wonder?

Each morning I pour myself a cup of coffee and log on to my laptop to play the new word craze: WORDLE.

This simple word game is the newest social media and pop culture phenomenon. The task is to guess a five-letter word. You have six tries. After each guess, the tiles change colors to show which letters are not in the word (gray), which letters are in the word but in the wrong position (yellow) and which ones are correctly in the word and in the right position (green).

What makes it extra fun is that not only am I playing, but Steve, our boys, their wives, and some of our friends have gotten into Wordle, too. The game allows you to share your score without giving away what your words were (no spoilers, below).

Wordle 225 4/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜

⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜

⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

It also keeps track of your stats so you know how well (or how poorly) you have done over all your attempts. And it counts down how long you have to wait until you can play again.

What I love is the fact that the game is the same for everyone with a new, unique word each day. In addition, you can play only once a day (no falling into a Wordle rabbit hole).

When delving into the mental math of Wordle and how it’s ushering in a sense of community, Smithsonian Magazine quotes psychologist Lee Chambers, as saying “it [Wordle] leads to the release of dopamine, a chemical that causes people to seek out a positive experience again”. “The fact that we are all trying to solve the same puzzle brings us together. There’s both a sense of community in terms of ‘How difficult did people find it this time?’ and a competitive angle in terms of ‘How well did I stack up in finding this word compared to everyone else?’”

What's not to love? I can't wait for tomorrow morning!

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Vail Ranch's Starlight Bazaar...

Every last Friday of the month, this historic spot hosts a night to remember. It was an evening of family fun, good food, adult refreshments, live music, shopping, and even a delightful train ride.

"As we get older, it matters less where you are

and more who you're with."

— Crystal Woods

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Carlsbad Farmers' Market & History

Steve's mom lives in Carlsbad and when we see her, we try to explore a bit more of this seaside treasure.

I 💗 Farmers' Markets. They really stimulate all five senses. And the sense of community is heartwarming.

Carlsbad is a beach town (note the figure on the directional sign) yet is has history, which I appreciate. It began as a whistle-stop on the new California Southern Railroad. In the 1880s, a former sailor named John Frazier dug a well in the area. He began offering his water at the train station and soon the stop became known as Frazier’s Station. A test done on a second fresh water well discovered the water to be chemically similar to that found in some of the most renowned spas in the world. Thus, being named after the famed spa in the Bohemian town of Karlsbad.

I learned of O.U. Miracle while looking down in Oceanside. I do enjoy discovering concrete stamps. Orville Ullman Miracle (the greatest name ever when you say just the initials and last name, Oh You Miracle) began a career in the cement business in about 1901. He later established the Miracle Pressed Stone Company, manufacturing and selling “Miracle Concrete Blocks” across the upper Midwest. However, it was his cement business that brought him the most success. He traveled from Iowa to South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and even Montana, pouring cement for roads, sidewalks and curbing for cities and townships. Fun stuff.

I have meandered around the Village a few times and this small one-story building has been missed until now. It was associated with the South Coast Land Company, the firm largely responsible for the early 20th Century growth of Carlsbad. This company was formed in 1914 and the building was likely constructed at about that time. When first built, it was one of just a few miscellaneous buildings scattered along what was then First St. (now State St.). Now dwarfed by total infill, this small and unobtrusive building symbolized the development of Carlsbad.

When not looking down for sidewalk concrete stamps, I look up at the sides of old buildings, hoping to get a glimpse of what once was. I have no idea when this was the Carlsbad Sundry Store, but I would have loved to shop there, perhaps for the advertised Coca-Cola.

Carlsbad has amazing murals and one day I hope to see more of them but for this day, we rested under Jason Markow's The Robot (2014).

When we arrive home, this was what greeted us. It was a very good day.

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A Temecula Day with Friends

On a gorgeous afternoon, Steve and I embarked on the De Portola Wine Trail to meet our friends David and Karen at local winery.

We met in Italy in 2011. And this view evokes memories from that wonderful friendship beginning.

This sign explains the reason for choosing this particular place, "Welcome to Cougar Winery & Vineyard! Why do we grow the Italian varietals that we do? Well, they grow in Temecula well, and we love them. Rick & I have been making wine for over 20 years, (beware home winemakers, this could be you). As winemakers & wine lovers we built a winery that we would visit. We hope you enjoy! Cheers!! Jennifer Rick & our furry-kids

While the others imbibed on the exceptional wines, I was content to just savor an eggplant panini. Oh man, delicious!

After our leisurely lunch, we headed to Old Town for gelato at Bottega Italia. "Everything you love about Italy" is the restaurant's fitting motto.

Buon cibo, buon vino, buoni amici

(Italian to English Translation):

Good Food, Good Wine, Good Friends

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Our Coronado Day...

On Sunday, January 23th, the temperatures were to exceed 73℉. What that meant to us was it was time to drop everything and head to the beach. The seaside town of choice was Coronado Island.

Lunch was at our new favorite spot, Feast & Fareway, at the Coronado Golf Course.

Armed with Coronado's Architectural Gems, we hit the ground strolling.

We began at the Marjorie Massey House (1540 Tenth Street). This Folk Victorian was occupied by the first chef of the Hotel del Coronado. This is possibly the oldest home still standing in Coronado. Moved from National City across the San Diego Bay on a barge, circa 1887, the date of construction is unknown.

Its 40+ year old historical plaque tells a little different history. I'm sticking with the information from the current Gems.

The Thompson-Waggaman Residence (848 Glorietta Boulevard) was built by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Thompson, in 1920. Architecturally Italian Renaissance Revival, additions were made throughout the years, but the original structure remains intact. In 1936, a large Star Pine was transplanted from the grounds of this residence to the intersection of Isabella and Orange Avenues, where it serves as Coronado's annual Christmas tree.

I loved the simplicity of the Pueblo Revival home of Dent Hayes Robert (1000 Glorietta Boulevard). William Templeton Johnson designed this home in 1916, for Mr. Robert, a retired journalist. Kate Sessions, renowned horticulturist affectionately known as the "Mother of Balboa Park," planned the original landscaping.

I appreciate when a builder incorporates the construction date somewhere visible. This "1916" is carved above the door.

Okay, this home, while not spectacularly unique, it is a first which makes it special. The W. F. Dummer House (1005 Adella Avenue) is a Tudor Revival built for Ethel Sturges Dummer, wife of prominent Chicago banker, civic leader and capitalist, William F. Dummer, hired Chicago architects Pond & Pond to design this house, Coronado's first vacation home, in 1903. Mrs. Dummer's sister, Clara Sturges, married to San Diego architect William Templeton Johnson, founded Francis Parker School in Mission Hills.

The Kneedler Home (1000 Adella Avenue) is a Craftsman Bungalow built in 1902. William Sterling Hebbard designed and built this home for William L. Kneedler, U.S. Army physician and personal physician to President William Howard Taft. Initially it was located at 1007 Ocean Blvd, but a 1905 storm washed away most of the oceanfront walk and necessitated a move to its present location.

William Sterling Hebbard and Irving Gill (mentioned often in this blog) designed this home in 1898 for Mary G. Pratt (Mrs. Bernard McKenzie) at 1517 Ynez Place. Dr. Raffaele Lorini, a prominent Hotel del Coronado physician, later purchased the home.

Not every Gem can be included in the self-guided historic tour. This beauty, built in 1893, just had to be shared.

I've mentioned before that history was stamped on Coronado sidewalks. If one slows down, what one sees are the “marques" of the construction firms who laid the sidewalks in a town. Stamps in solid concrete tell us when and by whom they were laid. As we meandered, it was like a scavenger hunt of sorts. We discovered, underfoot, numerous permanent memories of those who came before us.

Nothing says Downtown more than this Neoclassical Bank of Commerce and Trust Building (Museum of History & Art) at 1100 Orange Avenue. This structure served as the first bank building of Coronado and was designed in 1911, by McDonald & Applegarth, noted San Francisco-based architects. It is the present home of the Coronado Historical Association and the Museum of History & Art.