Staycations California

Staycationer JoJo described it best as she passed through the double doors at Canterbury Gardens in Escondido, California, she said, “it made her smile.”

As you walk in, there is room after room of displays or vignettes of classical, new age, and specialty Christmas decorations and ornaments.   You will find nutcrackers, villages, trees, lights, and all sorts of Christmas items.  In very corner there are trees with themes such as the cool beach themed tree with surfboards, mermaids, starfish, etc.

An ornament on the beach themed tree

Continue reading “Canterbury Gardens and Gifts”

I guess the first question has to be, “Who is Lawrence Welk and why does he have a bunch of resorts named after him?”

Well, here is the answer.

Lawrence Welk was actually a very famous bandleader who is best known for his variety show that was launched in 1955 and lasted 16 years plus many seasons in syndication.  This popular TV show included music, comedy routines, guest musicians, and singers.

Even though his roots were in the entertainment industry, Lawrence Welk stumbled into the resort business in 1964. The story goes that he was driving in the north county of San Diego to potentially invest in an orange grove but instead purchased a motel and a nine-hole golf course.  He later staged one of his shows there and it became an instant hotspot especially for the multitude of Welk fans.

Today there are five resorts including the original in Escondido, California which we are featuring in this story.  Situated just off of the Interstate 15 freeway, this location has two golf courses, a theater, shops, vacation homes, and timeshares.  The other resorts are in Lake Tahoe, Cabo San Lucas,  Palm Springs, Branson, Mo.,  and are ranked among the top resorts in the world by TripAdvisor.com.  All are still owned by the Welk family and managed by the grandson.

The Escondido resort

I have had the pleasure of visiting the Palm Springs resort and was very impressed by the grounds, rooms, and especially the pool. Although I have never stayed at the resort in Escondido, I have been there many times for either a round of golf or to the theater for one of their high caliber musicals.

Continue reading “Lawrence Welk Village Resort, Escondido”

The Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve and Ecological Reserve is quite the tongue twister but what the locals call it today and I what I called it when I was a kid is simply, the Back Bay.

Many, many years ago it was designated as an area for speed boats and water skiing.  It was far away from the mansions and homes in the main bay so the noise and wakes never affected any residents.

Back then, I remember seeing my first water-skier riding high behind the boat, holding on to the rope as if for dear life.    I couldn’t figure out how they stayed up without sinking.   I guess I was too young to understand physics.  Still it was fun to watch as this part of the bay was filled with life.

Today, the drone of speedboat motors is long gone only to be replaced by the much quieter kayaks, stand up paddleboards , and outriggers.

The quietude is interrupted once in awhile when a low flying airline from John Wayne Airport takes off to who knows where.  I was thinking what a bummer that these million dollar homes are right under a flight path.

Have Kayak will Travel
The Upper Newport Bay is a coastal wetland that encompasses 1,000 acres of small water-ways, a larger channel, reeds, and marsh.  It is also home to hundreds of different species of birds.

A bird flies by with the Newport Aquatic Center in the background

On land, there is a ten mile loop for joggers, bicyclists, hikers, roller bladders, and for about 3 miles of it motor cars can join in on the road.  On water, there are plenty of nooks and crannies for you to explore via kayak or SUP.  If you don’t have your own, across the bay the Newport Aquatic Center has plenty of rentals.

Continue reading “Sunday Drives, Newport Back Bay”

The Lost Art of Window Shopping
I bet if you asked a 10-year old today if they knew what surfing the web was, they would rattle off at least 5 different online stores.  Ask them again what window shopping is and they will probably give you a blank stare.

The true appeal of window shopping is being able to wander around the store fronts gazing at their displays while hanging out with your friends or holding hands with your partner.  It is a true bonding experience.  If you are so inclined you will enter the store and if you are even more interested, actually buy something.

The window displays act like a beacon to lure you in to see what goods they have inside.

Marine Avenue on Balboa Island is all of that.   It is a long street filled on both sides with a vast collection of novelty shops, antique stores, restaurants, surf shops, clothing boutiques, dessert stands, bakeries, and much more!   It is all there for your window shopping enjoyment and of course buying pleasure too as I am sure the store owners are hoping.

Balboa Island itself can be only entered a couple of ways.  One way is by taking the lantern filled bridge that drops you right off into Marine Avenue. The second way is to take the four minute-or-so ride on the ferry boat from the Newport Peninsula.

The Island is mostly homes with the exception of Marine Avenue and a few stores over by the ferry landing.  It is a great place to visit for the holidays as at least 75% of the homes decorate.

Plan the day to do lunch and then the rest if the time to enjoy the unique shops situated on the route.  There are quaint restaurants on the Island that serve up all sorts of cuisines and you must save room for dessert as Balboa Bars and chocolate covered frozen  bananas  have been mainstays here for well over 70 years.  They allow you to pick your toppings and for me, chocolate sprinkles on a Balboa Bar are the only way to go.

Continue reading “Balboa Island, Marine Street”

Driscoll’s Wharf

It seems like there is an imaginary line between Driscoll’s Wharf and its neighbor, Point Loma Marina. Both are part of what San Diego calls the America’s Cup Harbor, but that is where the similarity ends.

Point Loma Marina is a new addition to San Diego with its metropolitan design and homey feel.  Cozily nestled below the foothills of Point Loma, it is only minutes to the main bay and features a few shops, restaurants, a fully-stocked tackle store, plus boat rentals are nearby.  There is a small grassy area between the buildings for you to relax and enjoy the atmosphere.

Point Loma Marina in the distance

I wrote a blog on the Point Loma Marina a few years back but didn’t walk as far as Driscoll’s Wharf.  Being on a parking time limit, we didn’t get a chance to explore as far as we would have liked.  This time we strolled along the sidewalk all the way to the end which is nearer to the main San Diego Bay.

An Imaginary Line
You could visually see where one area ends and where the other begins by the buildings alone.   As you enter Driscoll’s wharf, you leave behind fresh, award winning, and modern architecture, only to arrive at old faded buildings that looked abandoned.  Paint was chipping off and all the windows were closed.

Right where the blue building ends starts Driscoll’s Wharf

Buildings in need of a paint job

Continue reading “Driscoll’s Wharf”