2 Senior Southerners Visit California: Post 5 -- I'll Never Wring All the Water Out of My River Rat

My Silver Fox knows the North Alabama portion of the Tennessee River ALMOST as well as he knows the Bible -- particularly the Book of Proverbs.  He grew up a block from Blue Haven swimming pool in Decatur and rarely missed a day there during the summer, stopping only to hurry home to eat a quick bologna sandwich and then head right back.  He probably started learning to cast a rod and reel shortly after he took his first step.  Under the careful tutelage of their father, Steve and his brother David spent many hours trying to lure a big bass into the boat.  I wonder just how many pictures were made through the years of the three of them with their day's haul of fish proudly displayed.  Just between us, they all looked mighty similar to me, but THEY can tell you almost without fail where they were caught, what baits they used, and how much they weighed.

For those of you who "aren't from around here," allow me to explain that the Tennessee River runs between Athens, AL and Decatur, AL, but is MUCH closer to Decatur.  People from Athens have occasionally referred to people from Decatur as "River Rats" -- in the most affectionate way, of course.  Steve grew up in Decatur, and I was born in Athens.

We didn't meet until college days, but I learned quickly that Steve Pearson and the river (or almost any body of water) were synonymous.  When we started to "get serious," I figured my best chance to capture his attention would be by agreeing to go fishing WITH him.  Our children are probably doubled over laughing at that sentence since they know that I can't even swim, and they probably saw me sipping lemonade and perusing the latest Southern Living magazine while I was in the boat more often than they saw me "reeling in a big one."

Never mind all that.  The point of this post is that Steve LOVES the water, and actually, nature in general, and in recent years he has added a love for photography.  He had a ball on our recent trip to California.  Well, think about it, endless stretches of the Pacific Ocean coupled with the waterfalls and river flowing through Yosemite -- how could he NOT like it?  I caught him making an occasional picture of a flower or two -- mostly at my insistence, but the majority of his photographs involved the water and nature in general.  And, he looked pretty happy waiting for good meals to arrive and when he was hanging off the side of a cable car in San Francisco.  You'll see his signature Auburn hat in quite a few of the pictures, too.  Just sit back, keep scrolling, and see some of the sights that I saw most frequently on our trip.

I love you, hon.  You're fun to have around.  I hope we get to have many more adventures together.

2 Senior Southerners Visit California -- Post 4: My 3 Favorite Moments

You have them, I'm sure.  Tiny capsules of time that will stay with you forever.  From our California trip, I have identified 3 that were my absolute favorite moments of the trip.

1)  After spending the first three days in and around the city of San Francisco, riding a cable car, eating sourdough bread and seafood on the Wharf, taking a boat cruise around Alcatraz and under the Golden Gate Bridge, and experiencing cool, foggy mornings burn off into warm, sunny afternoons, our tour bus crossed the bridge for the final time and headed out of town toward Yosemite National Park.  Our Tour Guide made the brilliant suggestion for us to all just be quiet and listen to Tony Bennett's version of his iconic song:  "I Left My Heart in San Francisco."  For a music lover like me, it was sheer perfection.  The best possible song played at the best possible time.

"The loveliness of Paris 
Seems somehow sadly gay 

The glory that was Rome 
Is of another day 

I've been terribly alone 
And forgotten in Manhattan 
I'm going home to my city by the bay.

I left my heart in San Francisco 
High on a hill, it calls to me. 
To be where little cable cars 
Climb halfway to the stars! 
The morning fog may chill the air 
I don't care! 
My love waits there in San Francisco 
Above the blue and windy sea 
When I come home to you, San Francisco, 
Your golden sun will shine for me!"

Happily, I "took my heart to San Francisco" (Silver Fox himself), but I got to bring him right back home with me.  :)

2) I was awed by the natural splendor of Yosemite National Park.  The thunderous waterfalls.  The towering walls of granite.  The rushing river.  The majestic trees.  The air was so clean, and the sights were so magnificent, I just couldn't imagine a more splendid example of God as Creator.

3) When we got to Hollywood, our group made a tour of the SONY Studios buildings and grounds.  It was okay, interesting but not particularly gripping .  . . . . UNTIL. . . .

We were led into a sound stage/studio.  Microphones, movie screens, music stands and equipment, director's podium, mixing boards, the works.  And then, the guide said, "In this room on this spot (as he pointed) is where Judy Garland stood when she recorded "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" for the movie The Wizard of Oz." All of a sudden I felt I had entered a kind of wonderland.  The guide went on to describe how John Williams went about scoring the soundtracks for E.T. and Star Wars also in the same room.  We weren't allowed to make pictures, and it's just as well because pictures could not have captured the magic of that place in my mind.  Another perfect moment that I will savor for a long time to come.

2 Senior Southerners Visit California -- Post 3 -- Surprises Along the Way

Those who know me well will completely understand this statement.  I'm hard to surprise.  I'm a Control Freak.  People of my "persuasion" do our homework.  We study everything we can get our hands on before we take a trip.  We read reviews.  We look at maps with magnifying glasses.  We call it "planning for every eventuality," but it's still just our pathetic attempt to be in control.  Sad, I know.  So, on our recent long-anticipated, highly-researched vacation in California, I figured everything I knew would just be confirmed.  I didn't expect to actually gain an abundance of new knowledge.  I was wrong, and I'm glad I was wrong.  Here are just a few of the many "well, blow me down" moments/insights/experiences during our trip.

1) On our flight from Chicago to San Francisco, I never dreamed that we'd be flying directly over both the Rocky Mountains AND the Grand Canyon.  Looking out the window to see both of those sights from the "above perspective" was breath-taking.  I'm so glad it caught me off guard.  There were no words.  I merely gazed in wonder -- the very first of my Psalms moments while we were away.  "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof . . . " (Psalm 24:1).

2) As a Controller Extraordinaire, I was anxious/bothered/somewhat agitated, hey, let's just say it.  I was WORRIED about being on a Group Tour, under someone else's leadership, with a bunch of strangers for 6 full days.  Well, I wasted a lot of worry time.  It turned out to be a terrific experience.  Our fellow travelers were delightful.  The bus was comfortable, clean, AND HAD A BATHROOM!!!  The driver was careful, polite, and helpful.  But, most of all, our Tour Director was outstanding.  Her name was Judy Toler.  She and her husband live in Oregon, but she is originally from Great Britain and has the wonderful accent to prove it.  Her knowledge of everything from each sightseeing stop, to the history of the region, and even to every plant about which we inquired was VAST.  I've never seen anything like it.  And her vocabulary?  Wow!  I found myself just keeping a notepad handy to write down her unique descriptions and colorful word choices.  She had read extensively and shared her book list specifically regarding the region we had traveled together on the last night of our trip.  What a difference she made for all us!  And, a big thank you to all who were with us.  NO ONE was late or caused a single problem.  Have I sold you on a Group Tour?  If you take a Caravan Tour, be sure to ask for Judy.

3) I had not expected to observe so much farming and agriculture because my mind was focused on the coastline.  However, going to and from Yosemite National Park AND because we had to take an alternate route to avoid the wildfire near Malibu, we got to see a lot of the Central Valley region.  Mile after mile of vineyards, lettuce fields, sugar beets, almond and pistachio trees, artichokes, strawberries and cotton (yes, cotton).  I learned that if California was considered to be a country by itself, it would be ranked 8th in the world in agricultural production.  Amazing!    Here are just a few of the sights we glimpsed, most of which were not anticipated in any way.

Almond trees

A field of artichokes

4) I didn't know that Italian cypress trees were abundant in California.  They made Van Gogh's painting "Starry Night" come alive for me.

 5) Because of our detour around Malibu, we stopped for a mid-morning break at the picture-perfect town of Solvang.  The town fathers were Danish, thus the theme and architecture.  Ahhhhh, the Danish pastry fresh from the oven.  What an unexpected pleasure!  I only wish we could have stayed longer.

6) The smell of yeast in the winery caught me completely off-guard.  I honestly looked around for the homemade bread.  As I've told you before, Steve and I walked in having "never tasted alcohol," and we walked out the same way.  Nope.  This is not a moral issue.  It's not a heaven or hell deal.  It is just a personal choice based on the fact that we've never found any good reason for trying it, and we've found many reasons for NOT doing so.  The tour, however, was informative and enjoyable.  Steve sipped a carbonated grapefruit drink, and I drank a California version of Orange Crush, and we were happy as larks.

7) We didn't expect to have the chance to see the movie "42," but we found ourselves with a free night and were within walking distance of a theater.  The audience's spontaneous applause at the end was heartwarming.  See it.  You'll be glad.

8)  How have I missed the color of the Golden Gate Bridge all my life?  It is War Eagle Orange.  I promise it is.  What fun to discover that great fact.  I think the folks out there call it "architectural orange," but I know better.  See for yourself.

9) I was happily surprised to see that someone else has a Silver Fox.  Oh no.  Nothing or no ONE can compare to mine, but some boat owner in San Francisco has a fun version, albeit a poor substitute.

So, I'll have to say that I've become more "open" to surprises.  There is STILL much for me to learn.

2 Senior Southerners Visit California -- Post 2: California-Style Eating, 2 Weeks Without Casseroles

Steve and I loved California cuisine, and we're here to testify that it's not all tofu and oranges.  We found some tantalizing restaurants with delightful menu options.  If this blog post doesn't make your mouth water, then I give up.  We likely consumed 40 different meals while we were on the West Coast.  In San Diego alone we could have chosen a different option every night for a couple of years without running out of choices.  If you are a Foodie, then California is a great place for your taste buds.  No wonder we didn't have a single moment to miss Southern comfort cooking.   Here are just a few highlights:

First morning, first meal.  Beach Street Grill within sight of Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco.  Encountering our first menu with "organic," "farm to table," and "free-range chicken breasts" as prominent words to describe the food.  Steve's whole grain pancakes and my omelet were both wonderful.  We felt healthy just eating there.

After taking a cable car ride, we needed some fortification, so we went into a burger place that looked like San Francisco's version of Dub's in Athens or Penn's in Decatur or Hartselle.  Notice the choices for topping your burger.  Have your ever seen a list that included EGGPLANT???

After touring Napa Valley and a beautiful vineyard, we stopped for lunch in the pretty town of Sonoma.  The group scattered, and Steve and I happened upon MAYA, a Mexican place.  It turned out to be a great choice, serving some of the best-tasting Mexican food either of us had ever eaten.  Take a look at the chicken enchiladas and the oh-so-good nachos (that was actually the name on the menu).

Sourdough bread pretty much originated in San Francisco, so we certainly weren't going to miss having that as many times as we could.  Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside.  Heavenly!  Here is just one of several versions we tried.

In Monterrey, we had dinner at Isabella's on the Wharf.  The chef had just been elected president of the West Coast Culinary Association so every patron was treated to free dessert.  Cannelloni, anyone?  It was entertaining to watch the sea lions play and hear them bark from our seat on the upper deck.

Near our hotel in Beverly Hills, we were able to walk to a great Italian place for dinner called Toscanova.  The food was good, but the best part was probably our genuine Italian waitress named Carla.  What a zest for life!  We dined on Paccheri Contadina and Pizza Caprino.  Mama Mia!

After touring Hollywood and other points of interest around Los Angeles, we bade farewell to our tour group and struck out on our own for San Diego.  Along the way, we stopped in La Jolla and enjoyed lunch at George's at the Cove, a place that also boasts of their renowned chef.  We shared a spicy tuna melt and a fantastic grilled fish taco.

After spending the night in Mission Valley, we luckily spotted a Mimi's Cafe for brunch.  Mimi's is one of our  favorite places in Montgomery, AL, but apparently California folks like it, too.  Mimi's is famous for their muffins, but the quiche is awesome, too.

After a trolley ride through all of the major parts of San Diego, we ate at Miguel's which had been recommended by our friends, the Clardys, from Hartselle.  They steered us in the right direction.  Yummy.

When our trolley driver took us through Little Italy, she specifically mentioned a place called Filippi's.  We found it the next night.  From the smells and the atmosphere, we could have imagined we were in the heart of Tuscany.  It instantly became one of our favorite places.  Take a look at the size of those meatballs.  I had eggplant parmesan, and Steve had lasagna.  Delectable!

It just so happened that I have a cousin living a couple of hours from San Diego -- Summer Greenhaw Christopher.  I talked to her while we were in the area and asked for her recommendations.  She suggested Hash House a Go Go, and in her words: "just order one meal because the portions are huge."  She was absolutely right.  Believe it or not, this is a chicken pot pie.  We could have easily fed THREE people with it.

For our last meal on the West Coast, we chose the Fish Market adjacent to the USS Midway and the Bob Hope Memorial.  It was right on the bay, and we were craving fresh seafood.  That's exactly what we got.  Steve had yellowtail tuna, and I had trout.  We splurged and decided to share a piece of key lime pie.  Too bad I didn't make a picture of that pie.  It was pretty as well as delicious.  We did get to watch the sunset from this place.  A fitting end to our great vacation.