Direct From Hadsten House In Solvang, California:Los Angeles And/Or Bust!!!
This morning I went to hear mass at the Mission Santa Ines in Solvang. The brightly decorated stucco walls in this historic church along with the beautifully painted pictures, statues and the elaborately decorated alter gave me a feeling of peace and yet also a feeling of pride that I belonged -----and was made to feel very welcome by those who regularly attend service at the 8 am mass on Sundays.This feeling was in contrast to the anticipation that I felt while going to and driving through the Sunset Strip yesterday.
Los Angeles was never a place that I wanted to drive to from Santa Barbara. I travel regularly to Toronto on a daily basis and that is enough big city for me. Going to a city that I am unfamiliar with is not my idea of spending a vacation even though it was a working vacation. Going there with two teenage girls and a wife who loves to give directions is even worse.
I had promised Taryn that I would take her to Los Angeles the next time we came to California but I never thought that it would be this soon----or ever. Taryn had this thing about California ever since she became enthused (and that's putting it mildly) with American Idol. She is a fanatic about Simon and Paula so it was a must for her to go to LA.
Bill Phelps gave me great directions on how to get there. My apprehensiveness was based on my supreme knack of getting lost and taking the right turn when I should have turned right. Matter of fact, I did do it twice but managed to catch on very quickly so we did not get lost.
The route that we went on through the Malibu Canyon with its majestic mountain scenery and the Pacific Coast Highway with names that we had learned to recognize such as Malibu Beach was something else----- Then came Sunset Blvd and Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Hollywood, Hollywood and Vine and all that came with it.
The girls and Darlene did go shopping at the Beverly Hills Center just off Sunset Blvd. and we did stop off to get some eats but unfortunately they did not see what Taryn wanted to see and that was the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. They did see the Hollywood sign however, though they complained that it was too far away. I wasn't about to go sign hunting!
In all, the girls did get an eyeful and managed to take in an Equestrian Centre towards the end of the trip. I was never so glad to get back on the 101 North and back to the Solvang area.
A shower, glass of wine and a pizza made me feel much better. The comfort of Hadsten House certainly did much to get me back into gear!
Los Angeles was never a place that I wanted to drive to from Santa Barbara. I travel regularly to Toronto on a daily basis and that is enough big city for me. Going to a city that I am unfamiliar with is not my idea of spending a vacation even though it was a working vacation. Going there with two teenage girls and a wife who loves to give directions is even worse.
I had promised Taryn that I would take her to Los Angeles the next time we came to California but I never thought that it would be this soon----or ever. Taryn had this thing about California ever since she became enthused (and that's putting it mildly) with American Idol. She is a fanatic about Simon and Paula so it was a must for her to go to LA.
Bill Phelps gave me great directions on how to get there. My apprehensiveness was based on my supreme knack of getting lost and taking the right turn when I should have turned right. Matter of fact, I did do it twice but managed to catch on very quickly so we did not get lost.
The route that we went on through the Malibu Canyon with its majestic mountain scenery and the Pacific Coast Highway with names that we had learned to recognize such as Malibu Beach was something else----- Then came Sunset Blvd and Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Hollywood, Hollywood and Vine and all that came with it.
The girls and Darlene did go shopping at the Beverly Hills Center just off Sunset Blvd. and we did stop off to get some eats but unfortunately they did not see what Taryn wanted to see and that was the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. They did see the Hollywood sign however, though they complained that it was too far away. I wasn't about to go sign hunting!
In all, the girls did get an eyeful and managed to take in an Equestrian Centre towards the end of the trip. I was never so glad to get back on the 101 North and back to the Solvang area.
A shower, glass of wine and a pizza made me feel much better. The comfort of Hadsten House certainly did much to get me back into gear!
posted by Chuck Byers - Wine Consultant | 9:12 AM
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