Our anniversary trip to Portland this July turned out to be quite a wonderful experience. It reminded me of Mumbai to Goa getaways back in India, mostly because of the short flight from Los Angeles and the laid-back pace of Portland. It’s always nice when we can fly out of Burbank airport (just 15 mins from home) instead of LAX, which turns into an ordeal due to traffic close to the entrance. Thanks to easy Burbank to Portland flight availability, our travel was absolutely hassle-free.
Portland
The plan for the vacation was simple – spend 3 nights away from the city in Mcminnville in a sprawling vineyard, and then 3 nights in the city of Portland exploring its famous food scene. The Youngberg Hill Vineyard and Inn was in most part a rejuvenating experience with magnificent views from our room and a really cool vineyard with many charming spots to take walks and hang out. A day trip to Cape Meares Lighthouse was a great way to experience the Oregon coast. We even enjoyed the 4th of July fireworks in downtown McMinnville right thorugh the large windows of our glorious Jura room at The Youngberg Inn. Unfortunately, we had to cut our stay at the Inn one day short due to a wasp incident at the Inn and unavailability of staff to help us out. (This changed our rating of the place from 5 stars to 3.5 stars). Nevertheless, Best Western came to our rescue for one night, reminding us that sometimes the simplest of hotels can do a fantastic job of hosting guests and making sure they have a good time. We were still able to keep our dinner reservation at the La Rambla downtown and left for the city the next morning.
Our Airbnb stay in Portland was simply PERFECT. The Japanese zen-themed apartment overlooking a green cliff was just marvelous. Thanks to our gracious host, we felt at home right away and the thoughtful, artistic decor in the apartment put us in quite the dilemna – how much time to stay in vs how much time to spend outdoors exploring the city? Thankfully, we didn’t have to plan too much as just going with the flow worked out fine for us.
Cape Meares
Walking up and down the NW 26th Ave and streets around it gave us a good taste of Portland. Food at places like Duck House, Swagat, Papa Haydn was impressive. Our most memorable gastronomic experience was Janken where we had our anniversary dinner. The way the chefs brought out the food and explained each course reminded us of our favorite show, The Bear. The interior of the restaurant was pretty and worthy of a special occasion. Staff was really sweet and professional. Some other aspects of Portland we enjoyed were – taking the stairs to easily go from the top of a hill to a different part of the city, Powell’s books (this book store is huge – takes an entire block), dessert at Papa Haydn, a drive to the Columbia scenic river gorge, visits to some charming coffee shops, and the absolutely stunning and serene Japanese garden.
Historic Columbia River Gorge
All in all – Portland feels like a cute, charming city which doesn’t try to catch up with other big shots. Traffic is manageable, you can relax or got out and have fun as you please, people seem generally happy, weather is considered to be pleasant all year (we did go during a heat wave weekend and were still happy). You have the hills, the ocean, cute houses, great food and drinks, and enough inspiration for a whole TV show that has its own channel now. Can’t ask for much more, no?
For several years, when I used to back pack across India or take trips with my friends, I used to imagine a time in the future when the woman I love will be with me and we will travel to gorgeous locales around the world. That vision seems to be coming true, one trip at a time. I am living in it now.
I started writing this post from one of the most charming hotels I have stayed at! A majority of this post will be about the wonder that is Green Gables Inn on Ocean View Blvd. in Pacific Grove. Other parts will be about how we started the new year with some amazing views, great food and happy, hopeful hearts.
The drive from Paso Robles to Monterey (near Pacific Grove) was just under two hours. Once again, the route was scenic with puffy white clouds swimming across the vast blue canvas. The weather stayed cool and with the sun out, we didn’t need any layers in the car for the drive over. As soon as we hit Ocean View Blvd, I knew we were in for a treat if the hotel was anywhere on it. Thanks to Summer’s previous stay at one of the Four Sisters properties, we had gotten an excellent deal on Green Gables Inn for this trip. When we actually got to place, I was simply ecstatic.
Green Gables Inn
The inn is a converted Victorian mansion built in 1888 with glasswork reminiscent of the era. It is the first of the Four Sisters properties to be converted into an inn back in the ’70s. As we walked into the lobby, I noticed 4 beautiful, simple chandeliers, each laced with a layer of shells. There is a fireplace, perhaps fed by a gas pipe, but it has the charm of a cabin-in-the-woods fireplace. The instrumental music added to the timeless vibe. Our check-in was easy and the hotel receptionist showed us around explaining the location of all amenities. And then came the icing on the cake. Our room – called the Chapel Room – had a direct view of the ocean before us. It was cozy, clean and the architecture sent us back to another era. The triangular high ceiling with wooden beams going across it made us feel like we were staying in a chapel indeed. Over the next three days, we spent a lot of time listening to the waves and taking in the magnificent view from our room, and from the inn lobby. It’s the kind of view I imagine all the fancy Gilded Age characters had from their Newport mansions.
View from Green Gables Inn lobby
We started our Pacific Grove vacation by taking a walk to Lighthouse Avenue, one of the cool streets of the area. Here we had lunch at Victorian Corner while taking in the laid-back ambiance of the neighborhood. We then made our way back to Ocean View Blvd where we took a stroll by the ocean. Around dusk, we ended up on Lighthouse Ave. again and Summer showed me the Gosby Inn, another one of the Four Sisters Inns where she had stayed during her last visit. Dinner was at the nearby Pacific Thai Cuisine and it consisted of some warm sake, Pad Thai and Tom Yum soup. Later, we drove around the street and spotted something called the Ice Cream Shoppe playing loud music. Naturally, we were intrigued – not enough to walk in but just enough to Google it. Turns out that it is a shop with a lot of ‘Beatles’ memorabilia and some decent ice cream.
We had breakfast at Green Gables the next morning as it was included in our package. I enjoyed the scrambled eggs, toast, maple syrup and some hot French Roast coffee, while Summer made the healthy choice of oats and fruit. This was followed by a shower in the private bathroom across the hallway (we were given a key) which was well-equipped with a fancy vanity section and cute shower room. We then took a 15-min drive to Carmel as recommended by our brother-in-law, Chris. That afternoon, we walked around some of the fancy streets flanked by humongous trees and trendy stores, had lunch in the patio of a lovely restaurant called Village Corner. It had a fire pit. Here, I tried something called the Mai Tai beer which tasted a lot like a regular IPA. Summer and I split a salad and a pizza while appreciating the European ambiance of this restaurant patio and the quiet streets around it.
Village Corner in Carmel
Walking around some more, we were excited to spot names of my sisters-in-law and mother-in-law on stores and plaques. We visited Pilgrim Books, something Summer had seen on Instagram, and had a chat with the nice owner. After this, we drove to Asilomar looking for Phoebe’s Cafe but it was closed – we did spot a deer crossing the street though. Later in the evening, it started raining but we kept our dinner reservation at Fandango, one of the fancier places in town, where we had a delicious pasta and dessert.
Lovers Point
The rest of our vacation was just spent relaxing, enjoying the marvelous space at the inn, and walking around Pacific Grove by the ocean. We walked to Lovers Point, where Summer saved me from the glare of some wild squirrels. We also took a 10-minute walk to Cannery Row – the more touristy part of this location. One of the highlights there was lunch at A Taste of Monterey. With huge, comfy sofa chairs placed right at the large glass window facing the bay, this restaurant had just the right ambiance for a leisurely vacation lunch. Our waitress, Elyse, was really sweet and also handed us some binoculars, that come attached with a picture sheet of marine life you can spot in the bay right from your seat. As we enjoyed our wine flight, salad and nachos, we were able to spot otters, dolphins, seagulls, pelicans, a row boat and a buoy. The otters were particularly cute, Summer thought. It was also quite magnificent to witness the changing colors of the sky as the weather changed from gloomy to gorgeous.
View from ‘A Taste of Monterey’
On our walk back, we visited Lighthouse Books where I picked up “The New Lifetime Reading Plan”. A quick trip to the Reusable Records store turned out to be quite fruitful as I got 4 records from talented artists for our new gramophone at home. I have been listening to these since my return and I can’t get over the beautiful voice of Joanie Sommers and one of my absolute favourites – Jim Croce.
We bid goodbye to the inn the next morning. I knew well that I will miss the natural sound of crashing waves, the extraordinary architecture of the Chapel Room, sights of jogging men and women, e-bikers, happy couples, but mostly – the water turning turquoise to deep blue to gray to pitch black with white waves during the course of the day. I was excited to get back home though, as I felt rejuventaed and ready for the New Year.
Gorgeous woman at Green Gables Inn
We stopped at Solvang for a day where walked around and hit our usual spots – Mortensen’s Bakery, the windmill, the Belgian Cafe for breakfast, and Olsen’s Bakery for some irrestible danishes. A new place we tried this time for dinner was Craft House at Hotel Corque. We quite liked the ambiance, cocktails and the food here. Summer was particularly impressed with the Gnocchi Alfredo.
Gnocchi Alfredo at Craft House in Solvang
The drive back to Los Angeles took around 2 hours 45 minutes on account of some traffic soon after we got out of Solvang. It was a plesant drive overall and a wonderful vacation that almost felt like our second honeymoon. I came back, as mentioned in the beginning, with joy in my heart and great energy and enthusiasm for the year to come.
I have always enjoyed traveling during wintertime. Most of my happy solo backpacking trips back in India happened during winter. So did my long motorcycle trips with my partner in crime, Nikhil aka frozencolor. Many a time on such trips as a bachelor, I used to imagine a future when I will be embarking on such vacations with my soul mate. Now that I have found her, it’s an exciting time in my life as I get to explore some wonderful destinations with her. For our last trip of 2023, we chose to do a road trip and stay within California in the interest of time and convenience. Also, I have come to learn that this state is a country in itself with everything you might look for in a vacation spot, readily available someplace nearby. And the weather is almost always just… heartwarming! We planned a week-long cusp vacation to bid goodbye to 2023 and welcome 2024. Our pick to ring in the new year was someplace pretty, quiet and peaceful – not a dead town with nobody around but not a bustling city with ostentatious bells and whistles on New Years Eve either. There were quite a few worthy contenders but the winner this time was Paso Robles.
Indian man posing at a winery
Having been to Paso a couple of times already, we knew what we were in for. The drive was spectacular with California 46 bringing the drama. Magnificent skies and open roads flanked by hillocks, rainbows, meadows graced us all the way till Paso Robles. We arrived in time for our check in at The Adelaide Inn where the lobby was spruced up for the holidays with a festive Christmas theme. Our receptionist guessed that we were an Indo-American couple from, well, our looks. She mentioned that she would love to attend an Indian wedding someday as there is always some drama and an angry “aunty”. I joked that there was nobody angry at our wedding (that we knew of). We then proceeded to our room that was simple, clean, spacious and provided all the comforts we could ask for. The television cabinet was pretty neat with sliding doors to conceal what’s inside i.e. the TV. I got excited about the Starbucks across the street and got a coffee as soon as we settled in. The weather stayed around 50-60 degree F (10 to 16 degree C) making us feel the cozy, holiday charm of winter.
California 46 to Paso Robles
We were quite well-prepared for this 2-night stay at Paso Robles, having made reservations for most major meals. Our first dinner was at Taste Craft Eatery – a wonderful slider and cocktail place in the heart of downtown Paso Robles. We got there ahead of time so we walked around the streets, as we usually like to do. We entered a general store called “General store” with a cool collection of items. Here, I indulged in my last impulse buy of 2023. You see, I have been growing a bit of a paunch, giving me a cute but undesirable ‘skinny everywhere else but big and round in the middle’ kind of shape. My goal for next year is to make my body a bit more symmetric and desirable to people who don’t love me already. So when I saw a book titled “Salads”, I knew I had to buy it so that I can incorporate it in my meals for all of 2024.
Hometown House salad at Taste Craft Eatery in Paso Robles
Two young ladies greeted us outside Taste and one of them escorted us to our table deep inside the space. Our drinks and food at Taste were quite delicious. I am usually a beer guy and Summer, though not a big drinker, likes whiskey better than beer. This time, we switched preferences with me getting a whiskey sour and Sumer going for a blood orange beer. The Hometown house salad was very satisfying and our variety of siders (two “Duo”s) did the trick for a nice, satisfying dinner. The next morning, we simply walked to the nearby Margie’s Diner and had a lovely breakfast sticking to our usual choices – Denver omelette with potatoes for me and oats with fruits for her.
That afternoon, we had a reservation at Calcareous Winery – one with some fond memories for us. On our last trip to Cambria when we got engaged, we had driven down to this winery to make the calls and inform our loved ones about my moment of courage when I went down on my knee, and Summer’s moment of weakness when she said “Yes”. This time, we were visiting this beautiful winery as a married couple. We took in the gorgeous view, enjoyed their tasting with an impressive list of wines (one white, three red and a bonus), and split a lip-smacking burger that was brought in looking like Julius Caesar.
Burger and chips at Calcareous Winery in Pas Robles
After the short drive back to town, we visited the cute Spearhead Coffee Shop for a little sip-and-chat. We then made it for our reservation at Buena Tavola for some cocktails, salad, and pasta. My experiment with Negroni for a cocktail did not go down well with my taste buds (lesson learned!). The ambiance at this restaurant was akin to what I had watched in the movies. It was a cozy Italian place with tables near enough to each other that it felt like one big community dinner. We could easily overhear conversations but we tuned into our own in a few minutes. I tried my best not to stare too long at other people’s food. We finished the meal with a memorable chocolate soufflé which was plated like a champ.
Soufflé Al Cioccolato at Buena Tavola
Our next plan of action was to take a sneak peek at the big event that was the talk of the town – the bonfire. Wherever we went, everyone we interacted with asked us if we were going to the bonfire. Naturally, we were intrigued. Thankfully, the downtown park where this event was happening was just a block away from Buena Tavola so we found a convenient parking spot nearby for the whole evening. As we started walking towards the park after dinner, we could already sense the hustle-bustle from a distance. The whole town seemed to have assembled at the downtown park for this bonfire surrounded by well-lit, decked up trees and happy party-goers grooving to a LIVE band. And here I witnessed the irony of life, as I saw three firemen throwing huge logs in a bonfire to keep the flames going up.
We walked around the bonfire, clicked some pictures, exchanged some smiles with strangers, danced to the music for a bit, and decided to call it a night to head back to our champagne and chips at the inn. The remainder of the night was spent watching the saucy Sigourney Weaver, sipping champagne, and finally wishing each other a Happy New Year at midnight – our first one as Mr. and Mrs. 😀
The next morning, on New Year’s Day, we took off on our first road trip of 2024. More on that in my next post.
“This place has been on my list since June,” said my cousin Sunil when planning a quick pre New Year’s eve meetup. With him being one of the most passionate foodies we know, and having wanted to see him and Dips before the end of the year, Summer and I were onboard in a jiffy. We looked up “Baar Baar LA” online and were particularly excited about the bar menu which showed cocktails named after popular Indian movies. The website mentioned that it’s “A brilliant, evolved play on Indian cuisine and culture, tailored to the taste & sensibilities of Los Angeles.” We were naturally intrigued.
The drive from Studio City to downtown (usually 15 mins) took around 40 minutes on account of Friday night traffic. While Baar Baar had its own valet for $15, it was difficult to pull in with a couple of cars waiting, so we decided to park in the public parking down the alley next to the restaurant. We then walked in through the huge front door where the doorman greeted us with a smile.
The place had a cute lobby with the bar to the left of the reception. I was instantly impressed by the elegant decor and lighting design of the place. I had not expected it to be this huge. A lady escorted Summer and me to a table once I mentioned to her that the reservation was under “Sunil”. We were surprised to find a lady already seated at a table that was clearly reserved for a big group. We sat down anyway thinking that may be Sunil has invited some others to this feast. After a few moments of awkward silence, the lady at the table asked us, “Are you here for Sumi?”. That’s when I realized that the receptionist probably heard the name wrong. So we went back to the lobby, laughing about the mixup and explaining it to the receptionist. This is when I met Mr. Kushal, the man behind the restaurant. It’s also when Sunil and Dips walked in and we started chatting with Mr. Kushal as we waited for our actual table. I was also happy to learn that Mr. Kushal happened to be a fellow Mumbaikar who grew up in the Matunga region of Mumbai and has been in LA for 25-odd years. We spoke about our favourite eateries in Matunga and his frequent annual visits to India. He credited his wife for the excellent location of the restaurant and I got a moment to congratulate her before we were escorted to our spacious table.
Front to back – Munnabhai MBBS, Sholay, DDLJ, Lagaan
We started with the cocktails which were all named after popular movies and had an interesting mix of ingredients. Dips noticed that we could buy the fancy cocktail book for $15. This made sense as the cocktail menu book had movie pictures and fun facts about the movies the cocktails were named after. Drinks arrived soon and Sunil’s ‘Lagaan’ got a special fancy bubble on top while being served. We had a hearty catch-up while sipping our drinks as we were meeting up after a while. It looked like the restaurant was fully booked as we did not see an empty seat anywhere. The chatter sounded mostly happy and I saw smiles all around whenever I looked.
The food order had to all be placed in together (appetizers and main course) so we spent some discussing what we would like. After some deliberation, we chose the ‘Green Pea Kulcha’, ‘Dahi puri’, and ‘Chicken Malai Tikka’ as small plates. With some help from one of the waitresses, we understood the right portion and sized our order accordingly. We ordered the ‘Grain & vegetable biryani’, ‘Whole seabass’, and ‘Paneer pinwheel’ for large plates.
Vegetable biryani, whole seabass, and paneer pinwheel
A chef brought out every dish explaining its ingredients and preparation. Personally, I enjoyed the seabass and kulcha the most. My drink, ‘Munnabhai MBBS’, turned out to be pretty neat! The ‘dahi puri’ didn’t hit the spot for me – perhaps my expectations were different having grown up on Mumbai chat 😉 I was happy that none of the dishes were too spicy for Summer, whose spice tolerance is growing with every passing day.
Dahi puriGrain and vegetable biryaniChicken malai tikkaGreen pea kulchaWhole seabassPaneer pinwheelOutside Baar Baar LA
All in all – it was a fun evening at a cool new restaurant in the heart of downtown LA. Baar Baar’s ambiance was noteworthy and it was great chatting with the couple behind the elegant setup. While it’s not easy on the pocket (4-people meal and drinks cost around $300 with a 4% service charge included and suggested tips start at 20%), it does make for a different experience. The food was good enough for us to plan another visit. Mostly, it felt great to be with loved ones for one last social dinner before the end of the year.
My boss Jim first mentioned Pedaler’s Fork in Calabasas to me a couple of years ago when we were looking for a lunch spot. While we couldn’t get lunch there at that point as we had arrived during a time they were only serving coffee, I was able to go there a few months later with my then girlfriend now wife. As we browsed through the impressive menu, we picked a couple of fancy drinks and took in the wonderful green surroundings. The waitress returned after a few minutes and said something I had never heard before – “Sorry, we have eighty sixed that drink.” Although I understood the context, I had to Google what the term meant. Wikipedia said that it stood for a food or drink no longer available but also for persons not welcome on premises. One of the slang meanings also seems to be “to kill or execute”. And that is my first memory of this marvelous place that we have now visited a few times since then.
Sharing some pictures from our recent visit to Pedaler’s Fork – an extraordinary cycle shop/restaurant/cafe with some lip-smacking food and an excellent variety of drinks. The indoor decor is elegant and the outdoor patio provides a slice of Calabasas greenery. Fun fact – we recently finished watching the Netfflix show Beef featuring Ali Wong and Steven Yeun and were thrilled to spot Pedaler’s Fork in a couple of scenes 🙂
Scotch NewfangledPedaler’s Fork on Calabasas RdA fancy glass and a Bloody MaryChicken Banh MiGiant oak tree on Calabasas RdThe Frida
Knowing that we Indians don’t deprive any part of the world of our presence, I have been wondering where all the Indians were in Los Angeles. Well, I found them all this Thanksgiving weekend in a cute little Danish town in California. Talk about one world, eh!
I pay a bunch of money to keep this website alive but I haven’t really been using it well. One of the things I wanted to do here was post my travel stories regularly, but due to a mix of laziness, busy ness, motivelessness (ok, enough with the language butchering) and discouragement on seeing so many wanderlusters hashtagging away, I have refrained from posting too many articles here. Of late though, I have been missing my blogging days. So, I figured I’ll get right back on the horse. I have so many pending travel posts and wondered where to begin. To keep things simple, I’m starting with my most recent weekend trip to Solvang.
Hamlet Square
A 2-hour drive from Los Angeles (make it 3-4 if you’re traveling during holidays or weekends as this is a popular route), Solvang is a charming Danish town located at a convenient driving distance for both northern and southern Californians. Therefore, you can expect to see a bunch of tourists here on most weekends and holidays. We were here during Julefest 2023 and as expected, the place was bustling.
Pretty day in Carpinteria, where we stopped for lunch
We stopped at Carpinteria at The Spot for some lip-smacking burgers. This is a popular eatery and we expected there to be a line. Fortunately, it took us just a few minutes to get our order and grab a table (free seating). After enjoying our burgers and milkshake while taking in the pleasant town view, we were back on the road to reach Solvang by 4 pm (check in time at our hotel).
If I were to describe Solvang in one line, it would be – happy, old-timey town full of bakeries, wineries, cool Scandinavian-style buildings, and an eclectic mix of tourists (but mostly Indians 😉 ). It is very walkable and has several souvenir and art shops for those who like shopping.
Olsen’s Bakery on Mission Dr
Breakfast places open early and have long queues if you don’t get there in the first half hour. Bakeries here are also extremely popular for their treats, so expect long queues unless you get really lucky or are there during their early hours. The Solvang Brewing Company is open late (midnight) for pub-lovers. Fitzpatrick’s Tavern closes at 9 pm but is a sweet Irish pub with several TVs for sports lovers.
Bit O’ Denmark
We started our trip by hitting the Sanger Family of Wines located a stone’s throw from our hotel. After treating ourselves to their fine selection of wines and a decent cheeseboard (our friend Kirsti’s cheeseboards have ruined all other cheeseboards for us), we decided to walk around a bit to make some room in our bellies for dinner. As it started getting dark, we saw queues forming outside all restaurants. Thankfully, we were smart enough to make a reservation at Osteria Grapollo nearby so we were able to just walk in. A delicious pasta, salad and glass of wine later, we were ready to turn in for the night.
Mushroom and sausage pasta at Osteria Grapollo
We started early the next morning to beat the long breakfast queues. One of the great things about our hotel, Hamlet Inn, was that we were literally on the main street and could see what’s going on from our window. I was so excited about this that when I woke up for a bit around 1 am, I peeked through the curtains to see what was going on outside. And voila – four Indians were walking down the street. Anyway, we saw in the morning around 7:30 am that there wasn’t a long queue outside Paula’s Pancake House. So we got there quick and got a table within 15-20 minutes. When we had the buttermilk pancakes and Danish omelette here, we understood what the long lines were for. Following breakfast, we stood in another small queue at Olsen’s Bakery next door, as my dear wife wanted to bring home some sweet snacks.
Other than the town itself, Solvang is a great destination for wine lovers on account of its proximity to Santa Ynez (15 mins) and Paso Robles (1.5 hours). Both these places have numerous wineries and vineyards, where you can enjoy wonderful tastings with lovely views. The drive to Paso Robles is very scenic and worth the road trip. Some of our favorite wineries in Paso Robles are Thacher, Kiami and Opolo. In the Santa Ynez area, we had been to Stolpman in our previous visit. This time, we visited a winery recommended to us by our friend Kirsti, and it was the highlight of our Thanksgiving weekend.
Posing at the Roblar Winery & Vineyards in Santa Ynez
Roblar Winery and Vineywards in Santa Ynez was just a 12-min drive from our hotel in Solvang. We made a lunch reservation for 11:30 am and got there in time to get a good table right by the vineyard. The day was gorgeous with the sun shinging bright enough to give the sky a radiant blue hue. The weather was perfect – not too hot or cold – with a slight breeze making it fun to be outdoors. We were surrounded by plants and flowers of various colors – green, lavender, red and maroon. A couple of hummingbrids kept us company by buzzing around in the background, while we tasted a variety of wines and treated ourselves to some delicious marinated olives, caesar salad and a kale-mushroom pizza.
Black garlic Caesar salad at Roblar Winery
I was particularly excited to find a Grenache wine that, I’ve been told, goes well with spicy Indian food! Our afternoon at Roblar was as lovely as Kirsti had told us it would be, and we were happy to head back to town with no expectations of things to do for the rest of the day.
We ended up having some great coffee at the Good Seed Coffee Roasters, followed by a walk to the Book Loft where I had an epiphany. We had driven past a farm full of horses on our way to the winery and I was wondering about various horse breeds. I was browsing through the science section in the store when I saw that there was an entire “Horses” section on the other side. This side was next to a window and as soon as I got there, through the glass I saw two horses pulling a carriage across the road. And that’s how I stopped browsing and ended up buying a book called “Great Stud-Farms of the World” from The Book Loft. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing indoors.
Good Seed Coffe Roasters on Mission Dr
The next morning, we had brunch at Mad & Vin located just a minute’s walk from our hotel . This was a posh fine-dining restaurant with elegant decor and a pleasant view to the minimalistic, green patio. We kept it simple with eggs, toast and bacon but the skillet this came in looked quite fancy (as expected). Our average cost of eating for 2 at most places ended up being around $40-60 which was not bad at all given the service and quality of food.
The drive back from Solvang to LA was quite fast since we decided to beat the traffic by leaving before 10 am. So we were home by noon. I have been on this route multiple times but still get blown away by the spectacular views of the ocean. The waves crashing against the rocks as viewed from the road between Carpinteria and Ventura is quite special. This is something I also had the opportunity to witness up close on my Pacific Coast train ride from Los Angeles to San Francisco, as the tracks are right up there next to the water.
Cheers to Solvang, that has proven to be a wonderful weekend getaway yet again. Leaving you with some more pictures here –
Roblar wineryChicken pot pie and beer at Fitzpatrick’s TavernWifey and nature at RoblarSimple, cozy room at Hamlet InnKale & hearty – Roblar winerySolvang Brewing Company on Mission DrOmelette and hash browns at Paula’s Pancake HouseOlsen’s BakeryPancakes and eggs at Paula’s Pancake HouseFudge KitchenRed wine at Osteria Grappolo
Childhood memories of garden visits came rushing back when I visited Descanso gardens a few days ago with my wife. The recent Los Angeles rains have provided a fresh bout of lush to all the greenery in the city’s landscape. Spending some time amidst sprawling trees and blooming flowers rejuvenated us and reinstated our faith in the simple pleasures of life – like a weekend drive to a nearby garden!
The more time I spend in Los Angeles, the more I admire all that it has to offer. While the city has its issues (like most other cities in the world), to me the pros far outweigh the cons. You are never too far from spectacular skies with dramatic clouds, gorgeous weather with the sun shining bright (and yet no sweat), gushing ocean waters with acrobatic surfers, bustling pubs with hearty laughters all around, farmers markets laced with celebrity sightings, mesmerizing valley views, lip-smacking food from all around the world, friendly people who always greet you with a smile, and much more. The things I have experienced in my time here have made me feel at home, and I have barely scracthed the surface. My visit to Descanso Gardens was just a small reminder of all the beautiful things around and that I have so much more to see. Sharing some details and pictures below –
Address: 1418 Descanso Dr, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011 Ticket: $15 Hours: Daily 9 am to 5 pm
It’s been a really speedy Q1 of 2023. You already know about Cambria, Hearst Castle and my engagement. The days following the Cambria trip have been about informing family members and loved ones, eating at our favorite spots , watching a cool production of 1984 at The Main, visiting the office and meeting some colleagues for the first time, hiking, celebrating a friend’s birthday at Anaheim, and of course – wedding preparations. From scouting venues and vendors to picking our guest list, invitation design, website content, and food menu – it’s all been one exciting adventure (and we are not done yet!). For the sake of the 2 readers who check out my website, here are some pictures from the last few days –
Hiking to Top of Victory – Yes, those are my hiking clothesHappy Birthday SaloniOur heartwarming engagement present from Jenny and JoshSummer’s awesome radio showPosing at a Paso Robles wineryOur farm stay 5 miles out of CambriaAfter hours with work colleagues1984 at The MainHearst Castle
It was always going to be in Cambria. It was the first place we had visited together as a couple and we had been wanting to go back ever since. I thought I’ll do it from the heights of Hearst Castle with panoramic views of the ocean on one side and hillocks on the other. But the castle tour turned out to be a bit ostentatious for us. Not to mention the fact that we were surrounded by 50 other tourists. So I had to improvise a bit. Thankfully, our plan to watch the sunset on all of our evenings in Cambria came in handy.
My initial plan was to propose at the Moonstone Beach grill. The idea was that I will order beer and onion rings and then use one of those rings to propose. It occured to me later that she might not take this seriously and also that she can’t be wearing this onion ring all the time. So I rejected this idea. Then, while we were strolling around on our second vacation day and she visited the restroom, I disappeared for a bit. I texted her making a lame excuse that I was looking for a birthday present for her (7 months ahead of time!) and that she can wait for me in the car. Then, I walked into our favourite antique store (Rich Man Poor Man) and bought an emerald ring which I thought suited her personality. I hid it in my jacket pocket and carried a different bag with some other purchases making her think that her present was in the bag.
Later that afternoon, we took the Hearst Castle tour (more on that later) and after the bus got us back down, I suggested that we hit our usual sunset point. But Summer had other plans – she wanted to check out the elephant seals which were at a vista point just 3 miles from the castle. We were close to sunset time and I figured that it will still be pretty there so that’s the way to go. We got there at sunset, watched the sun go down, and I was about to take the knee when some seals started losing it! It got a bit loud and Summer started joking about what they might be saying – “Look, look… I can crawl on my belly!”. And I thought it’s the perfect moment for me to get on my knee and go – “I think they are asking you to say Yes”.
Selfie taken a couple of minutes after engagement
I was about to do it when these two kids popped out of nowhere right next to us, all excited about the varying sizes and sounds of the seals. Their parents had walked further ahead, leaving these two menaces unchecked, loitering around ruining other people’s proposals. I waited patiently for them to get bored of the seals and move on so that I can propose. They hung around for 3 minutes or so (it certainly felt longer) before realizing that the parents are too far and it’s time to skedaddle. Then, I was ready again and as I was about to lunge, Summer started getting really cold from the chilly winds.
Typically, whenever we went to a cold place, Summer stayed with me for a bit and then left me alone (as I love the cold) while she went indoors to get warm. It was windy at the vista point and she couldn’t take it anymore so she said, “I’ll wait in the car, you come in whenever you are done enjoying the view.” As she started walking away, I shouted – “But if you go now, I won’t be able to do this!”. She turned around and found me on my knee holding the ring in my hand. I don’t remember my exact words but it was something to the effect of – “This is it for me. If I’m ever going to be a husband, it’s yours. What say? Let’s do this!”
Engagement champagne at Cambria Pub
Ever since we started dating, I had been implying that marriage is not for me. In our conversations about the future too, there was no indication of getting married (anytime soon anyway). So the proposal came as a huge surprise to her. Even with the lame birthday present excuse, she didn’t imagine that I might have been buying an ENGAGEMENT RING. It took her a while to even understand what was going on and if I was being serious. This is where the real ring instead of an onion ring helped. She pulled me up and hugged me and mumbled something I couldn’t hear. I could feel that she was happy but she hadn’t answered me yet. So I got out of the hug and went back on my knee. And then she threw her hands up in the air and said – “Okay!”. And just like that – we were engaged!
Dinner and art appreciation at Robin’s in Cambria
We hit the Cambria pub for some champagne followed by our favourite restaurant Robin’s for dinner. It took some time for us to grasp what had happened. Our farm stay 5 miles from town provided the perfect ambaince for us to take it all in and begin a new chapter in our lives! Exciting times ahead…
When Summer told me she was doing a radio show, I obviously thought it would be a voice performance that’ll be available somewhere to listen to. I was surprised when she explained that it will be staged. I was naturally excited to see what the amazing cast and crew that gave us ‘Nancy, Who?’ and ‘Murder on the Newhall express’ will create this time. And once again – they did not disappoint!
The cool poster for Valentines Radio Show
The show consisted of three stories – ‘Flash Gordon’ and ‘The Thin Man’ before intermission, and ‘The Lone Sheriff’ after. Each one of the shows was crisp, funny and performed marvelously by the talented cast. The interactive element made it all the more engaging. The man playing the MC kept everyone interested throughout and the various accents and voice modulations employed by the actors were quite charming.
The cast and crew at curtain call
It was a great evening for me also because I got to hang out with Summer’s sisters, mom and brother-in-law as part of her cheer squad. I was so proud to see her perform in her third production since I met her. While I have been pondering over what to do next in acting, she has showed up for rehearsals and made things happen for herself. Talk about dedication and love for the craft!
Then, while the rest of the nation was busy watching the Super Bowl, we all got some food and drinks in the Newhall refinery next door. We “murmur”ed and said “Hooray” (just as they asked us to do during the show) to this lovely production 🙂
