A Sunday Driver

Historic San Clemente Golf Club

Golfing, like skiing, is a rich man's sport. Or so I thought until I found myself putting in front of a local golf club - ocean sparkling in the distance, whir of carts driving by, and coffee still warm in my belly.
"How can this be free??" I thought to myself, as I focused on keeping my arms straight and aligning my feet.

Putting with a glimpse of the ocean

Golf can be a gaudy sport - How many clubs do you have? What kind? What brand? Do you own a cart? Are you properly dressed and cleated? Where did you learn? Are you a member? Have you eaten the ahi tartar down at the club?
But I have some news for you - ANYONE can enjoy the benefits and beauty of a golf course on a quiet morning or warm evening without breaking the bank, and I highly recommend it.

It all started when some friends invited Jordi to play golf with them on Saturday.
"But you don't play golf," I pointed out.
He figured he could borrow a club and whack some balls without prior lessons, and deciding to forgo his flip-flops in lieu of shoes at the last moment, he was out the door.
Once my spy to the Promised Land returned, he told me tales of rolling green hills flowing with milk and honey - or more specifically how one could putt for free in front of the restaurant, and drive for cheap, enjoying the spectacular views so many Orange County courses provide. Throw in a breakfast or Happy Hour and we had ourselves a date. Plus he assured me that this pertained to just about any golf course there is.

Misty morning and hot coffee

After dropping a Hamilton at Play It Again Sports for a couple of used clubs and balls, we set about researching the menus for clubs near our house. We most certainly wouldn't want to show up and Not Eat!
We decided on the San Clemente City Golf Course, located at the South end of town, just a few miles from us. Situated in the middle of a neighborhood, the atmosphere is not too exclusive or intimidating and they even have a restaurant that advertises in the local paper. We sat on the patio overlooking the greens, warm under a heat lamp in the quiet misty morning. We had breakfast and coffee and read the paper, and then went out front to try out our new clubs and balls. We putted about for awhile and Jordi gave me my first lesson. It was really fun to have a reason to hang out in the beautiful morning, the sun warming our backs as we purposefully practiced.

A couple weeks later, we went for another golf adventure. This time we were on a bike ride, and decided to stop by the golf course for some driving and a drink. They have clubs for borrowing and a basket of balls costs $6. We then found a spot on the line-up and practiced schwacking the balls into the netherworld. Once our basket of balls was out, we sat by the fire-pits at the outdoor patio. Jordi ordered a beer and I got an iced tea. Drinks and driving set us back about $15, and provided fun, mellow outdoor entertainment on a beautiful spring day.

Driving range

I'd like to explore some different golf courses and check out all the different views and menus they come with, while practicing my stance and aim. My favorite aspect of golf, or in our case putting and driving, is that it gives us an excuse to be social, outside, and affordably "fancy", all in the same swing. Southern California has some of the best weather in world -  so get off the internet and go for a midweek putt or a 'Sunday drive'!

Greens at the Golf Course

The local line-up. (Picture by Nic Romano)

It was a rainy Saturday morning, and as I drank my tea I remembered some chatter from the night before about an organic farm stand at the golf course.  Friends had come over for dinner and after a bottle of wine and talk of packing suitcases and getting on a train to Oregon, the benefits of raising goats, the odds of winning the lottery, how to blog on Wordpress and other topics of conversation throughout the evening, I couldn't be sure if the farm at the golf course was a dream or a real thing -- or as real as our plan to raise goats in Oregon. Maybe we had also planned to farm the golf course? So I decided to trek off to find the mystical organic farm stand somewhere in the fog of my memory and the San Clemente hills.

Turning off the street and down a lane with cypress trees on each side, whisking me to the front doors of the elegant Bella Collina club, I felt a bit self conscious with my put-puttering car whose ceiling is falling in on my head and whose dashboard is held together with silver duct tape. No matter -- I rather like pretending I belong when I obviously don't, so I held my head high as BMW's and Mustangs passed me on their way out the cypress-lined drive through the heavy oak gates. 

I spotted some green umbrella's on the hill side and sighed in relief at the sight of a miniature farmers market taking place. It was real after all. 

I marched up the stone steps and Farmer Nic greeted me, though I didn't know his name until later. Try some raisins, he said, pouring some plump and juicy dried grapes into my palm.

I sampled the fava beans, sucked on a honey stick and picked my own rainbow chard as Farmer Nic packed me a basket of seasonal produce, freshly baked bread and pizza doughs, with a packet of raisins thrown in for good measure.

He told me how his grandfather traveled from Italy to the mines of the Midwest in search of a future. How his grandmother refused to leave her hilly, goat-herding hometown to meet her husband in America, but eventually succumbed to his pleading when he threatened her with divorce. Once in America they grew their own vegetables fertilized with manure, raised their own goats, chickens and children, and baked bread on Tuesdays. 

And here he is now, farming a faux Tuscan hillside with organic procedures and a vibrant heritage. Maybe he came straight out of a book, or maybe the book is just waiting to be written. I thought for sure a farm stand in the golf course must have been a figment of my imagination, but it's as real as the goat-herder from Italy and his golf course greens-growing grandson Nic. 

Villa Romano Green Farms located at Bella Collina Towne and Golf Club

Open from 10-1 on Saturdays

To pre-order a Harvest Basket e-mail farmernic@vrgreenfarms.com

*Although not certified organic, Farmer Nic uses all natural, sustainable practices -just like his family before him. 

Visit my website at www.kirstenrenee.com 

A Hike in the Canyon, With Fudge

Hiking in the hills of Ortega Canyon

     I had been on Ortega Highway once, winding through the canyon from Lake Elsinore to the coast.  In spite of feeling carsick, I thought the scenery was very pretty. But until I kept hearing people talk about their weekend adventures, which seemed to always take place in Ortega Canyon, I didn't realize there was so much to discover off the road.

Ortega Oaks Candy Store and Goods, on Ortega Highway

     So the other day, when neither of us had work, I put my foot down for a trip to Ortega Canyon, which is part of the Cleveland National Forest. My husband was reluctant, as we had no idea where to go, where to park, if you needed a Park Pass to hike or how much that would cost, or how far we would have to drive before finding something - if anything.
     But I had heard about a good hiking trail behind the Candy Store on Ortega Highway. I figured that was enough information to go on, so I packed our lunch and waters, tossed Jordi the car keys and hopped in the front seat.  (Kind of like a dog holding his leash when it's time to go to the park....)
Being the good sport that he is, he followed suit and started driving us off to our adventure. The coastal fog receded as we drove into the Canyon, giving way to a beautiful sunny day. Houses became sparse, and eventually we found ourselves officially entering the National Forest.

Inside the candy shop

     We finally came across the Ortega Oaks Candy Store and Goods about 20 miles from the 5 Freeway and located on the South side of the Highway. Apparently this little store sells day use passes for $5 to park in the National Forest. You hang one in your car and it's good until 10 a.m. the next morning. We pulled into the little parking lot next to a simple blue building on the side of the road, with picnic tables and umbrellas outside. We walked through the screen door and into the shop, which felt more like the kitchen and living room of an old aunt with a bad sense of style, a welcoming heart and a talent for cooking fudge.
     With bins full of nostalgia-inducing candies (Andes mints and salt water taffy are my favs)
 and homemade chocolates, we couldn't simply walk off with our park pass, but picked out some dark chocolate almond bark as well.
     Trail heads go up from behind the candy shop, as well as from the parking lot across the street. Hiking and horseback riding are allowed on both sides, but mountain biking is only allowed on trails North of the highway.
     We opted for a trail that began behind the shop marked "Bear Canyon Trail". From that trail, we ended up doing a loop about five miles long. We stopped along the way to have our sack lunch - a typical meal of pb&j, carrots, fruit and BONUS: the almond chocolate bark we picked up at the candy store.

You can't see the bees, but they were there. The hive is
in the dark spot of the trunk.

     Walking back we heard a loud hum, and stopped to see a large swarm of bees who had taken over a tree trunk lying across the creek. I wished I could dip my hand into the fresh honey, but thought better of it and satisfied myself with a picture instead. I'm definitely going to buy some Ortega Canyon honey next chance I get, though!
     We finished the rest of the loop in no time, and were back at the car in a few hours, tired and content. Finding some homemade chocolate in the middle of nowhere, purchasing a pass for only $5, hiking in the woods with no one but the birds and bees, and a beautiful, relatively short drive to get there made a great success out of our uncertain outing!

Quick Trip to SLO Town

View towards town from the bridge over the railroad tracks.

     Try saying San Luis Obispo over and over, and you will understand why the locals call it SLO. However, it's an appropriate nickname for this pretty little town, where bike lanes and independent coffee shops outnumber luxury cars or fast food. I graduated college here five years ago, and still run into people I know downtown - it's the kind of place that will stick with you forever.
     My husband and I both went to to school at Cal Poly and always welcome an opportunity to come back and visit. Some friends of ours recently bought a house up there, and very courageously invited a whole slew of college friends and significant others to a weekend reunion/housewarming party. Although in all honesty the weekend mostly consisted of talking, laughing, drinking wine, staying up way too late and generally pretending we were all in college again, we did find a bit of time to do some of the SLO things we love.

Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa

     After working on Friday, driving, staying up talking and getting a few hours of sleep on the floor next to everyone else, Jordi woke up early Saturday morning and headed across the train tracks towards downtown for some coffee before everyone else woke up. Linnaea's is an old-time favorite, with a cute patio outside and a laid-back barista, probably wearing gardening clogs or sporting dreads, whipping up your drink. After a round of chess with an old man named Mark who needed a partner, Jordi finished his coffee and headed back to the house where I was just waking up, and wanting MY morning cuppa!
So off we went again across the bridge, over the train tracks and down into town. One of my favorite little spots is called Uptown Coffee, which apparently has changed its name to Black Horse. At any rate, I love the bustling vibe, the fresh scents of coffee and pastries and the little fireplace inside with stacks of newspapers next to it. Hipsters instead of hippies serve the coffee here, there's plenty of space for laptops, and the bike racks are full of single-speeds. Choosing your coffee shop is almost like choosing your identity - but luckily you can frequent them all, knowing you'll encounter tasty brews and smiling baristas.
     With my steaming to-go cup in hand, we strolled downtown towards the Mission San Luis Obispo, which was founded by Friar Junipero Serra in 1776 and named after French Bishop, Saint Louis of Toulouse. After the War of Independence from Spain broke out in 1810, the Mission remained self-sufficient, receiving hardly any funds from Spain, nor from the new Mexican government, but by that time the community around the Mission was well established and lived on to to be what is now San Luis Obispo. The small Mission and it's gardens in the back are definitely worth a look around. On the other side of the plaza are steps down to the San Luis Creek. A path next to the creek makes for a pretty meandering walk.

     We made it back to the house by the time everyone else was waking up, hanging out for awhile until they went off to the SLO Beer Fest at the Veterans Hall, while Jordi and I opted instead to take our bikes for a ride. I'm of the opinion that you can't fully appreciate San Luis Obispo if you don't ride a bike. For three years I lived here relying solely on my bike, and not only is the whole town bike-able, but it's also more enjoyable on a bike. Not every town is better on a bike, so take advantage! We pedaled along the quiet tree lined streets into town and parked outside of Big Sky Cafe, one of my favorite all-around restaurants in SLO.

Add caption

     Made to feel like you are outside in a European square under the stars, the food is fresh, local and delicious. You can get hot beignets or a big plate of farmers market produce, come on a date or with the entire family. The gourmet or homey options are all made with natural ingredients, drawing you back to test their breakfast, lunch and dinner menus! 

     After eating, we walked around town and ran into an old roommate of Jordi's who was busy building out a restaurant space for his soon-to-come eatery called Old San Luis BBQ. We then rode back over the train tracks and visited another friend who has a super cute house in the nighborhoods, complete with a vegetable patch, fruit trees, glass milk bottles in the windowsill and decks everywhere (having a good porch is a prerequisite for the SLO life). 

On our way back to the house where we were staying, we detoured through the park where we used to play tennis during the summers, which also boasts a baseball feild, bbq's, pool center, frisbee golf, and is located just off the bike path.

Bike path on the other side of the train tracks from

Downtown, near Sinsheimer Park.

     Once back at the house, we spent the rest of the evening with friends.
     The next morning, after packing up, breakfast and goodbye's, Jordi and I hung out in downtown for a bit more. We love the big ol' Barnes and Noble, with a coffee shop and windows overlooking the square below. It's one of the busiest places in town and also the best hang out "homework" spots. On this rainy day it was packed with little kids, families and studying college students, with people sitting in every corner and standing in every isle. We bought some CD's to listen to on the road, and continued our walk down memory lane.
     Hands Gallery is one of my favorite shops, selling anything from furniture and books to glassware and jewelery. Then of course there's Bali's self serve frozen yogurt, a SLO classic, located towards the top of Higuera Street. One of the first frozen yogurt shops around, the self serve yogurt and toppings are affordable and make for a fun outing. Next door is the University gift shop, Cal Poly Downtown, which is appropriate because both Cal Poly and Bali's are almost equally important to the town of SLO. And right up the street lies another local hotspot, Firestone Grill, which makes for the perfect trifecta of what SLO entails - Cal Poly pride, Firestones tri-tip sandwich and Bali's fro-yo. Throw in a bike, a front porch and an orange tree, and there you have the SLO life.

     As we headed out of town, I remembered I wanted to stop at the Madonna Inn to get a piece of chocolate cake. Enough said - even if we passed the off-ramp, the chocolate cake is reason to turn around. At any rate, Madonna Inn warrants a visit if you are in SLO, simply to see the elaborate and custom-made details, or as Wikipedia eloquently says, "some tourists stop just to peek at the famous rock waterfall urinal located in the men's washroom, a feature designed by Hollywood set designer Harvey Allen Warren." Like a quick trip to Disneyland... Apparently they have amazing steak, but all I've ever ordered is the chocolate cake, which is six lush layers of decadence that I highly recommend. And if you're thinking of getting married, it makes for an awesome wedding cake - I speak from experience ;) Madonna Mountain is right in the backyard of the Inn, and if you have time while in SLO, a hike to the top of this hill, or one of the many others in the neighborhood, will grant you great views and a couple hours of outdoor exercise.

     We drove through the hills and back towards reality, leaving behind San Luis Obispo, a little fairytale land where everyone seems to be outdoorsy, friendly and relaxed. When the entire coast is covered in fog, SLO is always sunny. Where the biggest issues seem to be which craft beer is organic or whether to go to Paso or Santa Inez for some wine tasting. If you find yourself driving up the coast, make time for this sleepy little town. And the longer you stay, the less sleepy it will seem. 

                                                                                                                                              

Dining room at Madonna Inn

Brews and Views

     Food and activities just GO together!  Whether it's surfing and breakfast, rock climbing and espresso, yoga and sushi, or even hiking and…beer tasting! Many of us  like to eat or drink a special something following some physical exertion.  For example, after an early morning surf with my dad, I love to get breakfast and a hot cup of tea. My brother-in-law owns two bouldering gyms which geniusly supply excellent  espresso to the die-hard climbers (they say they’re addicted to ‘rock climbing’…) And this weekend we found out that beer tasting goes perfectly well with hiking! 

     We planned on visiting Stone Brewery for my mother-law's birthday, an establishment just as famous for their gardens and family friendly atmosphere as for their strong IPA’s. While we were in the area (Escondido) we also wanted to hike around Lake Hodges, which I had never been to before. The plan was to stop by Stone and get passes to their brewery tour (which fill up quickly), then head out for a hike, returning later to take the tour and taste the beers.

     However, a trip to Stone cannot be taken lightly, especially on a weekend. After barely getting a parking space, we walked into the large and impressively architectured building with rock, stone and wood components in every aspect. But we didn't let the huge beams of wood, concrete countertops or lulling garden loops seduce us - we were there only to pick up our passes! As it turned out, getting a brewery tour on a Saturday is next to impossible - it's first come first serve and requires waiting in line for a very long time! We decided on a change of plans** - enjoy the sun and the last open table, forget the brewery tour, and hike afterwards. 

Jordi's mom & sis on the patio 

So that being settled, the five of us (me, husband, his parents and sister) snagged a sunny table, and our extremely friendly and knowledgeable waiter brought us our beers - ranging from light to dark, crispy to hoppy. Did you know that light colored beer does not mean light tasting? Coloring and taste depend on the way they roast the barley and hops. Anyways, we ordered appetizers which were fantastic although definitely expensive. Going to Stone, with families and strollers, young and old couples, groups of girls or guys, is truly something you can do with anyone. There are lots of paths and garden areas for kids to play, and plenty of outside and inside seating. It's the closest thing we have here to a garden pub we would have gone to in Cambidge, England - a place to come eat, drink and relax outside for the entire afternoon with all your friends or family! (Only the waiters here are way more cheerful...)

As the sun started to get low we headed out to the lake for an evening hike. It's about a 10 or 15 minute drive from the brewery to the trailhead at Lake Hodges. Lake Hodges is a reservoir, created in 1918 and supplying water to most of North County San Diego. Since it used to be a river, it's now a pretty long and windy lake. You aren't allowed to swim in it, although boating and fishing is allowed, and there are abundant trails and loops around the lake.
We parked at a trailhead at the corner of the parking lot and immediately started a little climb uphill. If you want something different, there are also flat trails along the edge of the lake, single track mountain biking trails or hiking trails in the hills. We did a little loop that went up a hill, along the ridge and down near the waters edge, before dumping us back in the parking lot. There are definitely more trails to explore and I would love to go back again! (Click here to see a map from the brewery to the lake,

Do rattlesnakes like port-o-potties? 

 where we parked, and the loop we hiked.
Either follow our path or be a trailblazer! )
Open spaces in Southern California are hard to come by, and compared to our hikes in San Clemente, we felt like we were in the wilderness. After being around so many people, it was relaxing to be out on the quiet hills by ourselves.   
 Lake Hodges gets hot in the summertime, so now is the time to go! But even if you do get sweaty while hiking, there's always Stone, a stone's throw away, to get cooled off...

**Flexibility is a key ingredient to successful wandering! 

Taste of the Central Coast

Driving from Cambria to Paso Robles, with a view of Morro Rock and Central Coast hills

     I'm beginning to feel like Groupon is the great Chess Master, determining the fate of Jordi and I. (If you've never heard of Groupon, it's basically a daily deal sent to your email.) Most of the time, Groupon determines where we go out to eat, where we see a movie, or what gifts I buy people. It even determined this last little adventure - a two night stay in Cambria on the Central Coast, which I bought months ago knowing that we always love an excuse to visit the area.
     The excuse came last week - my husband's flexible work as a contractor is great sometimes, but he hadn't had any work in a couple weeks and we were both a bit stir crazy. I had a few days off work and decided that instead of barely putting up with each other, we should enjoy the time that we both unexpectedly had together - and get out of the house to do it! Although zipping off to a motel by the beach when neither of us were working feels like splurging in a time of need, I didn't doubt he would eventually get more jobs and we would be too busy to go later.
     So as soon as I got off work Wednesday afternoon, we threw our suitcases in the car and squeezed through LA before rush hour traffic (this could never work on a Friday), pulling up to the Cambria Palms Motel several hours later. After unpacking, we went for a walk around the quiet town. It was FREEZING - we had to hurry back because I was afraid my face might fall off - that's how cold it felt. Luckily our room boasted a heater, which we took full advantage of, and although the shower wasn't fancy, it was hot.

Biking along the beach in Cambria

     The next morning we used the complementary beach cruisers to go for a fun roll through town and down to Moonstone Beach, which was beautiful. From there we rode the frontage road up the coast for a ways. A nice boardwalk also parallels the ocean, but is for pedestrians only. We parked our bikes in a little parking lot with picnic benches at the end of the road and went for a short but scenic walk along the bluffs.

Walking along the bluffs in Cambria

After biking back to the motel, we quickly changed and headed out for some wine tasting in Paso Robles. We've both been to Paso numerous times, but haven't been back in years. Luckily we had some good tips on where to go from Jordi's uncle and wine connoisseur. We headed out through the hills, Ryan Adams blaring (The Hardest Part - classic wine-tasting song from college. I have absolutely no idea why.) The views from Highway 46 heading east are absolutely gorgeous. For much of the way you can see to the ocean, and at some spots you can even get glimpses of Morro Rock. It was one of the most beautiful drives I've been on, and a fantastic way to be whisked into wine country.

Cork Tree

Vineyards in the wintertime

   
 


         

   
     Our first stop was at a vineyard called L'Aventure, owned by a Frenchman who only recently became aware of the American custom to casually wine taste (Lucky for us!) He brought over his Rhone blends from back home and successfully grows the varietals in Paso, which apparently is primo property for grapes hailing from the Rhone region in France. A very knowledgeable attendant, not much older than us, kept us rapt for at least an hour explaining all kinds of history and methods. But of course the most fun part was actually tasting these wines, which were explosions of color and taste in every sniff and sip - if you've ever seen Ratatouille, you know what I mean. This is NOT your average Trader Joe's wine. I love that although we would never be able to spend that much on a bottle, we had the opportunity to taste and talk for quite some time - all by ourselves! (Better than Temecula? oh maybe...)

Although some vineyards weren't open (we were there on a Thursday and the biggest days are Friday -Sunday) we were able to get to Terry Hoage Vineyard, organically grown yet completely delicious wines, where we once again had the place to ourselves and another friendly attendant informatively chatted with us for a while. We also visited Opolo, and Tablas Creek - more great wines and pleasant pourers.

Santa Rosa Creek Road

      Returning to Cambria, we drove the back way on Santa Rosa Creek Road, another gorgeous drive where we didn't meet a single car the whole time! We cruised by the beautiful beaches and headed into town to find a restaurant that wasn't closed. We got a window seat at Black Cat, and although the food wasn't astounding, it was a cozy atmosphere and a nice night out.
We headed back to the motel to watch the first round of American Idol (this is the most entertaining round) but had to pick up some dessert-to-go first. We stopped by Linn's, famous for their Ollalaberry pies, which we should have bought instead of the so-so cookies.

     The next morning was rainy and drizzly. Jordi braved the cold and brought us back some coffee. We then both went for a walk through town and up to a really old cemetary, which was interesting and serenely pretty.

     We came back and hopped in the car to go see the Elephant Seals about a half hour north in San Simeon. By the time we got there the drizzle had become rain, but the baby seals were loud and they were all fun to watch! Seeing the 700 pound lugs on the beach gave me some assurance that a shark would be so much happier to eat one of those than us bony surfers.

     With that in mind, we went to go find some surf - the storm that was bringing the rain was also causing some good swell.

Elephant seals lying about on the drizzly beach.

  We went back to Cambria and packed up - the surf there looked pretty stormy, so we checked out of Cambria Palms and went to Cayucos. It didn't look very good there either, but we had packed a lunch which we ate on the pier and OF COURSE got some Brown Butter Cookies - my absolute favorite!!

     It started raining in Cayucos, so we raced to Shell Beach, just south of San Luis Obispo.Meeting up with an old friend, we finally found surf that looked fun. We paddled out in the gray rain, and had it to ourselves for a while.

     Once we were sufficiently cold, we got out and said goodbye to our amigo. We headed south to Santa Barbara for a quick dinner, and with no traffic, we were home before 10. We had beat the storm!

There's a saying in Spanish called "Llena y contenta" meaning full and satisfied. Waking up in my own bed the next morning listening to the sound of rain, with memories of wine country, empty surf, and beautiful bike rides, I felt very llena y contenta - at least until the next adventure! 

We stopped to check out Harmony on the way to Cayucos.
With a population of 18, this is literally all there is...

View of Cayucos, coming from the North.

Across the Border

Our balcony at Las Gaviotas

Our living room area 

Walkway to the beach

Puros Burros, near La Mision

Carne Asada Taco

 

Surf spot we weren't allowed to surf. A place here runs around
$400/month - no electricity.

     When is the last time you went to Mexico? Living in Southern California, going to Mexico is like playing in your backyard: Less rules, more adventure, exciting but still safe. However, a backyard becomes less inviting when passports are demanded for entrance and exit , police officers become notorious for pulling tourists over for bribes, and there is a drug war of unknown proportions going on somewhere down there. All that, coupled with our many family changes in the past few years has made for the sad fact that we haven't visited our downstairs neighbors in nearly five years!

But I thought it was high time to get down there - to take advantage of the great rates, get out of California, and see for myself how it is. Besides, we were pretty partied out from Christmas, and escaping to Mexico for a relaxing New Years sounded really nice.
My parents and little sister were pumped on the plan and decided to come with us - an impromptu small family vacay, not unlike the many family vacations we took in the past to our favorite little spot south of Rosarito - Las Gaviotas.
Las Gaviotas is a gated community built in the 70's located on a surf break and even boasting it's own little private beach. It's guarded 24/7 and many of the helpful guards are associated with the Rosarito Police. The houses are mostly built in the Spanish style, with lots of tile and color. My family has always loved Las Gaviotas because there is something for everyone - surf, beach, tide-pools, lap pool, jacuzzi, tennis courts and enough cobblestone streets to go for a morning run. Across the street is a mercado - perfect for firewood, flats of Tecate or some peñafiel (mexican fruit flavored soda) and enough pottery shops to entertain the shoppers. 

So with Las G on our mind, we cleaned out the car, packed our bags, gathered our passports and OH, guess what? My passport was recently expired! I couldn't believe the irony of me putting together this whole entire trip to find that my passport, which apparently you now need to get in and out of Mexico, was four months expired.
I raced to the post office to gather information, but was only handed a stack of papers to fill out. I called the National Passport Information Center, who gave me the number for the Border Patrol. The most I could deduce from all this was that Mexico would probably let me in because they want tourists, and you're supposed to have a valid passport to get back. I figured if I could slide in, I'd worry about getting home later. The getting home part was much more vague. No one seemed to know what would happen if I showed up at the border with an expired passport, but what else are they going to do with me if I'm an American citizen?
"I'll take my birth certificate and Social Security Card, just to be extra safe," I declared to my husband, Jordi. When I got out my birth certificate, written in Spanish and stating my Guatemalan birth, Jordi replied, "Yeah, that'll help."
Hmmm. Finally I called my dad to explain the situation and he advised me to contact the man who we were renting the house from in Las Gaviotas, both to give him a heads up and to get his input.
So I called our knowledgeable half-expat rentor, told him my passport was expired, and asked what he thought I should do. "Oh, you're fine!" he assured me. "Heck, you would probably be fine with just a license, but an expired passport works just as well, I do it all the time."
So I happily took his unworried advice, and continued packing up the car - relieved I would not have to try and expedite a passport in 24 hours.
In true family vacation style, we had to wait two hours for my dad to figure out how to put racks on his car. So unsurprisingly behind schedule, we caravanned down the freeway on our way south.
It's a quick drive with no traffic; before we knew it we had to pull off the 805 at the E exit to buy insurance at MexInsure (affordable and a good idea), and get some Diet Coke at Carl's Jr. next door.
As I slurped my soda I realized we were on the other side of the giant border wall. WHAT! That's it? No stopping, no guards, no one caring about my expired passport, as we flew into Baja.
I like how different Mexico looks from San Diego. It's more interesting to look out the window, maybe just because it's not what I normally see every day. The scenery is beautiful - and lets us imagine what California would look like before it sold its soul to developers.
We pulled into our old stomping grounds of Las Gaviotas, but it is definitely not a secret spot - the place was pretty crowded with Californians who came down for the New Years weekend. We walked around for a bit and surfed before it got dark. Although we had fun, it was weirdly like surfing at home. Every single person in the water and staying at this little place was speaking English and lived in California. Welcome to T-Street, Mexico.
So the next morning we decided to drive out and find our own waves - or at least less crowded ones - after all, the rest of Baja was outside our front door.
A huge swell had rolled in making the point break at Las Gaviotas really fun, but the whomping beach breaks up and down the unprotected coast were unsurfable.
We watched the massive waves at a few different spots, and even found one point break that looked fun - but you can only surf there if you live in the little clifside community.
My dad had mentioned a little taco shop that he knew someone who was the cousin of the owner (or something like that), so we found the place near the highway and stopped for some undeserved delicious lunch. (Or as my brother-in-law would say, 'pre-workout reward' - we were going to surf later...) Abel and his wife took our orders and cooked us up some of the best food ever - the fish and carne asada tacos were amazing, but the carnitas torta might blow your socks off!
We went back to the cold house, with the fire in the fireplace our only source of heat. Although it was sunny and warm when we were packing for the trip, it ended up being extremely overcast and cold the whole time we were there (except the hour before we had to leave, of course) We spent the rest of the day surfing with the crowd, playing tennis, going for a swim or squeezing into the crowded jacuzzi for some pointless "So, where are you from?" chatter through the steam.
My parents made an amazing meal of homemade pasta and our family spent the evening playing games and sipping champagne or Martinelli's, with the distant sound of waves in the background. How much more relaxing can New Years get?
After jogs and surfs, breakfasts and packing, we went up on the deck to enjoy the bit of sunshine finally peeking out before heading back home.
Smooth sailing back up the coast turned into a cauldron of confusion as we approached the border. We went around in loops for at least 20 minutes, following conflicting signs through the barrios of Tijuana before finally finding the back of the line to cross the border (they want to KEEP you in Mexico!)
Once securely stopped in traffic, I hopped out and crossed the highway to the sidewalk looking for a bathroom in the shops, but as luck would have it everything was closed for the holiday, and we were out of luck until San Diego - I really hoped I wasn't detained for questioning!

Border Crossing:
Guard - Hello.
Us - Hi!
How are you?
Great!
So where did you come from?
A little surf trip Las Gaviotas! (Jordi and I stare at each other - we forgot to coordinate who would do the talking)
Where?
A little surf trip.
Las Gaviotas.
     We hand him our passports. He looks at them and asks me to take off my sunglasses (DUH! How did I forget to do that in the first place?)
He hands back our passports and says,
Thank you!


EEEEEEEEEE!!!!! I got back to the States with no questions about my passport!* I KNEW they weren't going to care! We stopped at the nearest restroom, and were back in San Clemente before you could say Bob's Your Uncle. "Gosh, the border took us less time than driving through LA," I commented. We'll hafta drive South more often....


*Disclaimer: This is only my experience. I'm not sure what they will do if YOU go down with an expired passport or only a license.