Social Distance Road Trip: Lunch in Santa Barbara, Dessert in Ventura

The pandemic has certainly limited our movement, keeping us close to home for much of the year. So on Sunday, we decided to pull off a quick road trip for lunch — specifically, La Super Rica in Santa Barbara. Made famous by Julia Child, who was a fan, La Super Rica is always a stop when we make it up to Santa Barbara. But on Sunday, it wasn't just a stop — it was the destination.

Guisado's is still my favorite taco, hands down. But La Super Rica does an amazing chorizo taco — and as I discovered today, its hongos (mushroom) taco is also something special. The line is always long, and the wait is some time as well. There's currently no restaurant seating, so we took ours to go and set out to find a park to eat it at.

Our first stop was the Santa Barbara Mission. Beautiful grounds, but no real shade. We moved on to...

... Alameda Park, where we ate. And then we strolled across the street to the Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden, a nice oasis complete with lagoon and many, many ducks and turtles.

Lots of turtles.

And more turtles.

From there, we headed back down to Ventura for dessert. The kids have been asking for Dole Whips ever since we hit Kings Hawaiian Bakery's Local Place a few weeks ago, but didn't get any. A quick Google search turned up Coastal Cone Ice Cream in Ventura Harbor Village.

The price was a bit on the high side -- $5.95 for a small -- but I did like the presentation. And it indeed hit the spot. 

Our first time at this part of Ventura Harbor.

The view while enjoying our Dole Whips.

This was quickly consumed.

Across the Ventura Harbor Village, the beach.

The waves were strong and the surfers were out.

A quick walk on the rocks.

And from there, back home. Another socially distant road trip, with more hopefully to come.

Scenes from a Solvang Trip

Solvang, of course, is probably best known as the Danish-inspired town in the Santa Ynez Valley, home to around 5,000 people (and more tourists). But it has also become a destination friendly to pet owners, oenophiles, bicyclists and fans of pastry.



Yeah, this is kind of disturbing. Solvang has its detractors as well. But how can you not enjoy a small town with so many bakeries and wine tasting shops?



The expansive view outside of the Mission Santa Ines.



Hiking, south of Solvang.



More hiking.



Keep an eye on mountain lions.



Mission Santa Ines, a quick walk or bike ride from anywhere in Solvang.



More views.



The fields across the street from Sunny Fields Park.



The boys were fans of Sunny Fields Park, located on the outskirts of Solvang (and near plenty of wineries, which Maria and I were fans of).



Inside the park.



More views.



The park is a big attraction for kids.



Our hotel was dog-friendly; which helped since we brought our new rescue dog, Jacks, along for the trip. Solvang turned out to be amazingly friendly both to pets and to kids. One bakery even gave us extra pastries when we bought cookies for the Blogger boys. Solvang may be a small town, but its restaurants, bakeries, shops (including a cool book store) and outdoor activities make it a worthwhile stop. And its close to plenty of wineries and nearby towns, like Los Olivos, with their own draws.

Live Like the Bluths: A Saturday Afternoon On Balboa Island

It was a Saturday worthy of "Arrested Development." We visited the setting of the late, lamented comedy (although it wasn't shot there) -- Newport Beach and Balboa Island -- and yes, it's true: They do love their frozen bananas there. We failed to run into any Bluths, however.

Located off of Jamboree Road and accessible only by ferry or a single bridge, Balboa Island is a dense, 0.2 square-mile destination popular for its mom-and-pop shops as well as boating and its vacation rentals (as well as those bananas, as referenced on the show). We spent the night this weekend in Newport Beach and decided to visit the island, and were indeed charmed. (Homes go for millions of dollars on Balboa Island, so yes, it's strictly a place to visit.)


Balboa Island post office


Starfish, found near the water


Blogger Kid and cousins walk along the water


One of many personal piers


Cow guards over a shop


Painter gets in a bit of inspiration before the sun sets


Dad's Frozen Banana Stand. Don't like bananas? The "Balboa" bar is a square of ice cream covered in chocolate and sprinkles.

Daytripping to Riverside's Mission Inn

The Mission Inn

It's not often that the Franklin Avenue crew makes it to the Inland Empire -- er, the 909. But our pals Denise and Geoff were finally making things legal, so it was off to San Bernardino county on Saturday.

The couple -- who met at Variety, by the way (it's a Hollywood trade paper romance!) -- got hitched at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church (across the street from Boys Republic) in Chino Hills, then held the reception at Riverside's famous Mission Inn.

We've always wanted to check out the Mission Inn, particularly during the holidays, but never had the urge to drive all the way to Riverside. Turns out it's not that bad a haul, as long as you take the 210 east. And Riverside's downtown is a pleasant surprise, although we didn't get much of an opportunity to explore it (we'll be back). It's nice to see the historic Fox Theatre being restored, and quite a selection of shops and restaurants surrounding Mission Inn.

But clearly, Mission Inn is the heart of Riverside's downtown. And rightfully so. It's such a fascinating oddity, with nooks and crannies on the inside and outside that command exploration.

According to Wikipedia (which is always right, right?!), Mission Inn began as the two-story, 12-room adobe boarding house "Glenwood Cottage" in 1876, pre-Riverside. Christopher Columbis Miller began the project; his son Frank continued building onto it until he died in 1935.

Says Wikipedia:

Miller built in reinforced concrete and developed an accomplished, expressive vernacular style drawn from random historical styles. Accumulating one section over another, addition upon addition, the result is an enormously complicated and intricate built environment, comparable to.. a self-contained medieval European city.

Funny, that's exactly what Maria remarked when we bumped into the St. Francis chapel, as seen below.


St. Francis chapel, on the second floor.

More from Wikipedia:

The Mission contains narrow passageways like a Tuscan village, exterior arcades, a prominent medieval-style clock overlooking the Spanish patio, a deep but sun-drenched five-story rotunda, innumerable patios and windows, towers, minarets, a Cloister Wing (with Catacombs), a high pedestrian bridge, and a five-story spiral staircase, among many other features. The 1914 Spanish Wing in itself contains a castle courtyard, open arcades, Mexican tiled roofs, flying buttresses and Mediterranean domes.

Some pics from our Saturday visit:


Inside the Mission Inn lobby


Mission Inn's courtyard


Random flourishes are everywhere.


Outside archways


Image of the Mission Inn, painted on an enlarged apple orange.


Riverside!

Meanwhile, 2008 is shaping up to be our year of the Daytrip. Check out our other recent excursions here.

Last Call for Snow

It may be 80 degrees down in the Valley, but up above in the Angeles National Forest, there's still snow... for now. Given these temps, I can't imagine it will be around much longer.

That's why you oughta drive up there in the next few days. If you want to get in some sledding or a good snowball fight, act now, before winter is officially history.

We got quite a bit of reaction from our last visit up into the mountains a few weeks ago. When I tell people of how we "drove up to the snow," and suggest they do the same, everyone assumes we were talking about Big Bear.

Too far, and too much traffic, they said.

Exactly. That's why you should be heading up the Angeles Crest Highway -- also known as the 2 -- instead. From our home in Glendale to the snow, it's about a 45 minute drive. That's it.

On Saturday, we recruited a few family members -- including two of Evan's cousins -- to once again hit the snow. After lunch at Newcomb's Ranch (the only restaurant up there; review to come), we still found huge hillsides full of snow.



A lot of snow has definitely disappeared since our last visit; but seeing how it was several feet in places back then, there's still plenty to go around.

This time, we came prepared: Container tops that doubled as sleds. Ski pants. Gloves. It may be 60 degrees up there, but the snow itself is still cold.



A few tips, if you're gonna head up there in the next few days:

-- It's warm up there right now, so light jackets are fine. Perhaps ski pants and gloves, since you'll still be playing in the snow. Bring snow toys, such as a sled. And your camera, to send shots of you frolicking in the snow under 70 degree temps for your unbelieving friends and family.

-- Fill the tank and bring a few snacks. You're driving into the forest, and there are no gas stations or stores, save the Newcomb's Ranch restaurant.

-- From L.A., take the 2 freeway north to the 210 east. Get off on the first exit, the one that reads "Angeles Crest Highway." Take a left on to the Angeles Crest -- and that's it. You'll be driving straight up into the mountains. Once you pass La Canada Flintridge into the mountains, it's a curvy drive the entire way.

-- Purchase a $5 parking pass at the ranger station you encounter about 20 minutes in; this is at the one fork in the road, where you have an option to drive to Palmdale. (Don't drive to Palmdale.) The pass allows you to park anywhere in the Angeles National Forest. Also, for peace of mind, ask the ranger if there's snow up above.



-- Keep driving, even as you start to see snow on the ground. For the ultimate experience, you want to drive above 7,000 feet, where the snow (at this moment, at least) remains plentiful. How will you know you've made it? Once you pass the Mt. Waterman ski resort, which is still bustling with snow play. At that point, keep your eyes peeled for relatively flat breaks in the hills, and parking on the side of the road. Yes, this is D.I.Y. snow play.

-- Marvel at how you left your house at noon, drove up to the mountain and spent an hour in the snow, and were still back home by 3.

Catching Crabs in Oxnard

We've been on a quickie road trip kick lately; you may remember our jaunt up to the Angeles National Forest to see the snow a few weeks back. That same weekend, we hit Oxnard.

Oxnard? As in, Ventura County, but not Ventura? Yes -- and for one reason: Seafood.



Oxnard's Fisherman's Wharf (located at Channel Islands Harbor) is pretty much a sad shell of what I assume it once was; with redevelopment on the way, for now it's mostly empty storefronts. But I kinda like it that way. The experience is almost that of heading to an old, run-down town in New England. Crowds are sparse, the buildings are closed, yet yes, it's still alive with boats (we watched a Coast Guard vessel come ashore for lunch). The architecture is also very Cape Cod.



We came for lunch. While most of the wharf is empty, the Channel Islands Seafood Market is still open, and still packs a crowd. It was there where we met up with the extended family to celebrate the birthday of Maria's brother Jeremy. Crab, fish, etc., all there and prepared to your specifications.



A few more pics:


Having been fed around the wharf for years, the birds here are aggressive. Our nephew walked a way from his plate for just a minute -- but that was enough time for a pack of birds to swoop in and devour his slice of birthday pie.


Stay Classy, Oxnard!


Boats, kayaks, etc. rented here.


What will come of the Fisherman Wharf's fake lighthouse, among other things, once redevelopment finally gets underway?

As the Ventura County Star has been covering, Oxnard has approved an almost complete teardown of its Fisherman's Wharf, to be replaced by a new multi-use development.

The new development promises as much as 200,000 square feet of shops and restaurants and nearly 800 apartments. But it's not without controversy:

Ventura County, which owns Channel Islands Harbor, spent years searching for someone to take on redevelopment of the crumbling Fisherman's Wharf center. In June, the county awarded (developer Edward) Czuker a five-year lease, with an option for 65 more years, if he spends at least $20 million on improvements.

That lengthy deal has concerned some. Meanwhile, Czukerhas come up with a Mediterranean-themed set of three buildings that will house stores and restaurants on the first floor, with two to four floors of apartments.

A new Fisherman's Wharf is still years away; plans aren't expected to be approved by the California Coastal Commission until late 2009 or early 2010, the paper said.

That means you still have time to take in the solitude of the current Fisherman's Wharf, before it turns into another dime-a-dozen mixed use property on the water. (Take the 101 north.)