Don and I were excited to get back to the little town that we fell in love with, a few years ago. The idea that we could stay in a cute motel, in walking distance to shops and restaurants was pretty exciting!
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There was no snow in Nevada City when we arrived, but we drove through some to get there. This is how our inn looked in the 1940's I'm guessing. Kate Smith and her husband owned and operated the motel and convenience store for 60 years.

The Creek Side

This is the same view today. It was a little chilly for lounging by the creek, but it looked a lot more inviting than the snowy scene.

Outside Inn, Since 1997

Evans Phelps purchased and renovated the motel in 1997. Her daughter and husband run it now. Not only did they keep the retro charm of the past, but they added a lot more fun to the place.

Office

We checked in about 4 and the young woman working the desk was very welcoming. 

We must have been the first to check in, since the cars filled the space later. There was a nice sitting area and grill towards the back of the circle.

Pool

In the summer, the pool would have been fun. Maybe next time.

This is the only photo I have of Scott and Chali's bicycle themed suite. I loved the little kitchen with yellow wooden cabinets and table.  So did Lola.

The Winter Room

Our room was right next to the office. We stepped inside and I just grinned. I love a theme and I love old. They did both well. Usually I'd cringe at paint over knotty pine, but I loved the icy, purple-blue paint, with silver snowflakes and the antique skis!

Kitchenette

We didn't have a full kitchen, but we had no need. There was a tiny fridge and microwave and an adorable vintage sink and lots of knotty pine. Plus a wonderful view of the creek!

Built-ins and Woodwork

I have no clue if the little built in desk is original. I don't know if the wood framing the door is old. I just loved the feel of it all. The desk area was cozy and the cute bathroom had corner shelves for your stuff... plus a window to the creek!

Some Art, too!

I loved the painted, blue furniture with glass tops on the bedside tables. The quilt was pretty without being oldie-moldie. There was  a TV, which I was sort of an unexpected treat.

Morning

A coffee maker was equipped in the kitchenette. I made a little before heading outside. I was excited to see a daffodil. We don't get those in Houston. I loved seeing the "free veggie cart" even though it was empty. In the summer, locals and guests can donate and enjoy!

Our Back Door

Again, the weather was a little cool for sitting out. But we had a backdoor to the creek and patio. I wandered a bit.

For just over $100. we were able to spend the night in a delightful, family run inn, in a charming town. I know rates go up in summer, but how I'd love to come back and enjoy Outside Inn... inside and out!

In October, Don and I spent 1 night in a lovely Victorian mansion in San Francisco's Mission District.  The mansion, once home to the English family, is now an inn with 20 guest rooms.  There were no cars in 1872, so I'm not sure what the garage area was for.  But we were the lucky guests who got to use it!  It wasn't an easy task pulling into the crowded space.  

Office Under the Stairs

After arriving, we climbed the porch stairs and found the "office" in a cute little nook under the stairway. Our host was very welcoming as we checked in. Before taking us to our room, she gave us a tour, starting with the main drawing room.
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Flowers and Food

The dark green room felt very Victorian with Oriental carpets, velvet, fringe and lace. I especially liked the marble fireplace with fresh flowers and fruits.  There were cookies and candies and drinks available as well. There was also a little fall decor, which took away from the authentic feel.  I don't believe they decorated with fake cob webs and hay bales in the Victorian era.

Garden

Outside there was seating in the garden with fig, avocado and California walnut trees. There was also a redwood hot tub tucked into a gazebo, but we didn't have time to make use.

There were a couple lounge chairs and table for 6 on the roof terrace. A family, enjoying happy hour, introduced themselves.  "We're from Colorado!"  They announced, as if they had just moved there and were waiting for someone to ask where they were from. They offered us some of their Doritoes, but not any of their wine. They did however, offer to take our photo.

Morning View

The 360-degree view was even more dramatic before daylight. Early morning, I crept out of the room to catch a peek before the sun came up. I passed a few men in robes with coffee mugs. Luckily the robed men stayed downstairs and I had the roof and view to myself. I could see the lights on the hills, as well as the Bay Bridge and colorful surrounding neighborhoods.

Room #10

Usually we go for the bargain rooms, but we ended up getting one of the "Spacious Rooms" which was a treat. The space had once been the formal dining room, when the English family lived here in the late 1800's. 

My Favorites

The marble bathroom was especially nice, with welcoming robes and a yellow rose! The ornate carved fireplace was quite a sight. Evidently, the 7 English children were not allowed to dine with the adults this room.  

Candles

In the evening I was pretty excited about the festive touch of lit candles. After we returned from an evening in Chinatown and the Fairmont Hotel's Tiki Bar, we tiptoed into the parlor to make some hot chocolate and grab some cookies.  They even had whipped cream in the fridge.

Hiding in the Mirror

In the morning, the candles were lit again and the marble mantle was covered with quiche and cereals. The fake cobwebs allowed me to take a photo without being too revealed in the mirror.

More Food

On the round table in the center, there were platters of meat and dishes of fresh fruit. There were muffins and assorted breads and china plates, instead of disposable! There were also bottles of sherry and bourbon that we could have enjoyed while studying the portraits. But we couldn't see the images through the cobwebs!  

​Another Drawing Room

Our sofa spot was perfect for eavesdropping on the table gang.  I held up my paper and peered over it, like Harriet the Spy. These were much more interesting people than the Colorado folks.
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What's Notable?

It's hard to believe this oddball collection of buildings was once a seaside motel in the 1920's.  Evidently some of that original motel remains on the land that became a timeshare property in the 1970's.  1970's brick and stucco is still retro, but oh how I would have preferred the original look of a roadside motel, standing beside the Pacific Coast Highway!
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The Office

The office was tidy and proper, with a we prefer no kids feel to it.  That's probably not a bit true.  I just have memories of crabby motel owners in Florida who fussed when forgot to wear my bathing cap or scolded when the kids got too noisy. 
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Curious Design

This is the back of Laguna Shores, facing the ocean. The rooms and apartments jut out to offer views as best they can.  It's a funny maze of little buildings and Don and I were pretty relieved to discover our studio did have a view.

Shared Balcony

We were on the second level, sharing a balcony with another room.  We had a view of the ocean, plus a view of that awesome fountain... which didn't seem to have water.

Morning

The view was the best in the early hours, with no cars parked on the coast highway.   This was a top dollar view, from our not so ritzy room, with not so top dollar prices! We know to appreciate this, since Don and I lived 2 blocks up the hill back, almost 35 years ago.  We were renters. Oh if only we could have invested in property then!

We had a less lovely view when we didn't shift our chairs towards the beach. This photo only hints at the amusing image of our neighbors' windows and balconies. The air was dry and warm and everyone had open windows and curtains.  As evening turned to night, it became as entertaining as Hitchcock's "Rear Window" with all the characters on display.  But there were no murders going on and no ballerinas or jazz trumpets or arguments, like the movie.   It was sort of a retiree hang out, after all.

The Fine Interior

Timeshare stays are not usually included in my Notable Nights, but this place was just curious.   Luckily rooms had been updated since the 70's, but nothing too recent or classy.  What I did love was the grand wooden feature on the left!

Voila!

Besides the kitchen, bed and bath, we had a sweet little table for 2 where we could dine with a view.  Or be the view for our neighbors.

Pool

There were no swim caps required for the pool and the no metal umbrellas to remind me of the old seaside motels of my past.  The lounge chairs were comfy and the weather was warm enough for swimming, so we made use.

Coffee and Popcorn

There was a lounge area not far from the pool with a TV, fireplace and more tidy decor.  Coffee was self serve and popcorn was available around 4.  I love my popcorn, so I kept an eye on the clock.  I was kind of surprised to see empty chairs and tables.  The atmosphere seemed pretty ideal for coffee and and a game of Bridge. Not that I play Bridge and know what would be ideal.

We made good use of this little balcony. And we hardly bothered with TV, since we had the same view from our couch.  What was it that made us enjoy this little world at Laguna Shores?  Lord knows we've stayed at ritzier places, with beach views that didn't include a little highway traffic.   Why is it, we so fondly keep recalling this fun little getaway from 2 years?  

Don and I have visited the California Wine Country twice and both times were with our underage kids. In other words the big focus was not on wine.  Our focus on this trip was a family wedding, so we didn't exactly end up making full use of the wine world or the natural baths at our historic resort.  But we couldn't have asked for a better setting.

Coming from Texas, we tried to absorb as much of the heavenly California weather as possible.  Don and his brother in law, Bernie made good use of the porches.  I loved our homey cottage, with wicker seating and open windows!

There was nothing fancy about the inside.  We hardly needed that much space or even a kitchen, but there was a nostalgic feel about the place.  It reminded me of the motel/apartments my family of 6 used to rent when I was a kid in Florida.  Of course they were never quite this nice.

Those worn out Florida motels never offered plush robes for the whole family. We made sure to put our spa robes to good use when we marched over to pool house for a night-time swim. 

The Olympic-sized pool, built in 1913 was filled with thermal mineral water drawn from geysers on the property.  We actually had a few lap swimmers in our group, but even at night the waters were too warm and our swimmers turned into loungers.

We got up early the next day to make full use of all the outdoor activities before wedding focus took over.  The steam rising above the pool house was dramatic in the morning light.

The shuffleboard brought me back to the Florida motel days.  But those beachside courts never had mountains in the background! The tetherball brought me back to grade school days.  Those memories weren't so pleasant, since tetherball is not so fun when you are short.  I always lost quickly.

Pingpong and Croquet was more my style.  And because all the other hotel guests seemed to be indulging in wine tasting excursions or expensive mud baths (using the property's volcanic ash soil) we had all these crazy games to ourselves.

I will always remember the hotel as an old fashioned retreat in the middle of a glorious landscape!  It was such a calm and peaceful atmosphere for lounging around playing retro yard games!  I've heard the resort has undergone some huge renovations recently.  I wouldn't mind going back and sipping some wine... in a mud bath!

In the fall of 2013, Don and I stopped in the old, California boomtown of Grass Valley.  We were lucky to get one of the 27 rooms on a Friday night.

This lobby photo makes the hotel look peaceful and cozy. It was actually pretty hopping at about 4 pm.  Live music was pouring out from the hotel's saloon and a group of musicians had just finished rolling equipment through the lobby.

The hotel was built in 1862, but the vintage car we parked next to in the back, was almost 100 years younger!

Checking In & Heading Up
As we checked in, we chuckled with the desk clerk about hotel hauntings.  The Holbrooke, as with most historic hotels, has a few ghost stories. 

I've seen a lot of 80's-era parquet floors and green wallpaper in old hotels. There must have been a lot of hotel renovations going 30+ years ago.   

I don't even know Mr. Barry, but evidently he was one of those silent movie actors who became less popular when transitioning to "talkies". 

I'm glad they didn't mess with the bathroom floor.  The hexagonal tile with the "H" was a pretty nice touch!

I love a claw footed tub, with a shower option.  And I love a comical old toilet tank, if it works.  And it did. The lace curtains in the bathroom window didn't offer much privacy, though.  Of course there was a brick wall about 6 feet across, so I don't think we probably needed curtains at all. 

There was a parlor off the lobby that offered some nice seating and maybe even a fire, had it been cooler.  

By early evening the hotel's Golden Gate Saloon was filled with a mostly middle aged crowd being entertained by a decent singer and guitarist.   

And these locals didn't seem to be your typical small town bar crowd either.  The fact that tennis instead of football was playing on the TV above the bar hinted at that.

Seeing such tennis enthusiasm let me know we had something in common.  Before long, the man who called himself G.G., was seated at our table talking about his passion for nearly an hour.  He told us about his time in the service during the Korean War and how being on the tennis team made the difficult flight training program bearable.  He talked about his later years as a Pan Am pilot.  I had to ask if that world was as glamorous then as we've been lead to believe.  He laughed and steered the conversation once again to tennis. He hinted that overseas travel got tedious and tennis gave him something to look forward to.  "Wherever I landed for the night, I always made sure I had a match lined up!"  

After getting a little lost, we finally found our B&B just outside the old mining town of Julian. We parked and wandered the property in search of our hosts.  The office, within the family home had a closed sign.  We began walking towards the back of the house and paused to take in this view of the pine and oak covered mountains. Then we heard voices. 

Tricky Communication

The family on the patio below us seemed to be rushing to set up for some kind of event.  A young man looked a bit panicked when he spotted us. He moved towards us with a rather frazzled looking woman who seemed to be in charge, but spoke little English.

I had seen pictures of the waterfall shower and the rock sink.  You can barely see the face on this internet photo, but the sink had one.  I was even willing to put up with the impractical wooden swinging saloon doors that shield the toilet. What a hoot that the carved figures of Mr.and Mrs. Gnome have to cease their smooching when you pass through! 

We had a stressful 5 minute conversation with lots of translating by younger folk.  The woman's face seemed very apologetic as she explained in broken English, that there had been a glitch of sorts. She said the owners were out of town and she hadn't expected guests.  They were preparing for a family party that night, but they would honor our reservations.  She shooed three of the young people to go clean the Gnome Home for our stay. They rushed off and returned with sheets and cleaning supplies, then stumbled towards our funny little 2-room getaway, dropping the vacuum twice.  Our worried woman, who must have been the caretaker, apologized again and begged us to please let her know if their party got too loud that night.

 It suddenly seemed stupid to pay $150. for this experience.  I rushed back and told the fretting woman that I was concerned, since our stay had included afternoon tea and full breakfast in the family home.  She shook her head sadly to let us know there was no way that was happening.  When we told her we had decided not to stay, she looked incredibly relieved. 

It was a gorgeous Thursday afternoon when Don and I boarded the ship.  We were on day 11 of our 4-week road trip, so we were a little worn.  It was a treat not going through the security lines and passport checks. 

After dropping luggage in our room it was time to explore, which is what I do when I get to any hotel. But hotels don't usually have decks with masts or smokestacks...

... or old red lifeboats!

The view across Long Beach Harbor was more impressive than I expected.  We could gaze out at the pavilion and Ferris wheel for as long as we liked...since the ship wasn't going anywhere. I felt like I had to sort of remind myself that the scenery wasn't going to change.  If we wanted a change we just had to keep ourselves moving.

Portside

There was an entertaining view on the portside as well.  Hearing the bells and announcements coming from a nearby Carnival Cruise Ship made us feel like we were actually getting ready to set sail. And having a nice view of the curious geodesic dome that housed Howard Hughes' immense Spruce Goose, was an added perk.  Evidently the dome is now used by Carnival to check passengers in and out...when it's not being used as a Roller Derby arena!

Haunted Interior

Exploring inside was extra entertaining since we seemed to have the ship practically to ourselves. 

Rarely did we see another guest.  Maybe people are too scared to stay on board. After all Time magazine named the ship in their list of "Top 10 Most Haunted Places in America".

Here I am lounging for about 3 seconds.  The bed felt luxurious and I could have stayed forever, but we had more wandering to do.

There are 346 first class staterooms that range from about $79. to $250. You pay more for one of the 9 suites.  We paid a little more for a Deluxe so we could enjoy the original wood paneling and art deco built-ins.  I loved it that we could open our portholes to let in the fresh air. We also had some funny vents that blew the air around.  I'm not sure where that air was coming from.

To enter the bathroom we had to step over some kind of room divider. That was odd. The tub was a bonus that I didn't expect on a ship.  The black and white tile and art deco light fixture looked original.  But the most amusing feature (besides the funny push handle for flushing) was the set of 4 faucet handles.  Hot sea water, cold sea water, hot fresh water, cold fresh water.  Sadly, we didn't have the sea water option.  No salt water soaks for me.

The grand looking shopping area made me feel like I was traveling first class, back in the day.  I enjoyed a little browsing in a tiny book store  until I began to think I was on Candid Camera.   The soft spoken shopkeeper began a non-stop ramble the moment I entered.  I kept looking around to see if she was talking to someone else because she never looked at me and I could barely understand what she was saying.  She became a little bolder with her chatter and she seemed to have a lot she wanted to tell me about the merchandise.  She wanted to demonstrate to me how the key chains won't break when you drop them.  I broke free about 15 minutes later with a few postcards, feeling perplexed and somewhat tortured.

Grand Salon

This 3-story ballroom just reeked of wealth and elegance. This was once the first class dining room. Now it's the largest of 14 salons that can be rented for events. Maybe when it's my turn to host Book Club, I'll have it here.

Wood 

To me, the grandest part of the Grand Salon was the wood.  On board the ship you can find over 50 different kinds of wood in the walls, floors and carvings.  The QM has a lot of nicknames and  "Ship of Woods" is one of them!

You have to love a mural that tells you important things.  Not only did this gigantic piece of art in the Grand Salon look impressive, it announced current information. The clock presented the time and the transcontinental map showed the ship's two routes. There used to be a crystal model of the Queen Mary that actually moved on the map, so you could follow the ship's progress.

Doors in Grand Salon


I would love to make a dramatic entrance through the polished brass doors beneath this festive hunting mural!  It would take me a long time to decide what to wear for that entrance.

Door to the Telephone


I would love to step into this polished phone booth along with a martini, perhaps. I could sit and sip and chat with my dear friend while the ship sailed the Atlantic.  That's such a crazy thought, because I never even felt like it was possible to make a phone call when I was on a Princess cruise, just a year ago!

Revolving Doors?

I'm assuming this was a revolving door at one time. I do love a revolving door and I would have enjoyed a few revolutions in this oldie!

I enjoyed this display that offered a glimpse of what you might have found in the first class nursery.  They had separate nurseries for second and third class passengers and it's a little sad to think those kids probably didn't have elephant chairs.  Maybe they didn't have eerie artwork either...and that would be a good thing.  There are so many rooms that are now gone that I wish I could have seen. I would love to have peeked into the dog kennels or looked at the squash courts.  There was even a Jewish prayer room, a small hospital and a music studio.

There wasn't time to count floors, but I wonder how many different kinds they have.  From old parquet, to big fat linoleum tiles, to carpet with floral or geometric patterns.  If I'd been an employee back in the cruising days, I would have avoided the job of floor cleaner. When you see the columns with their railings, you're reminded of woozy travelers and upset stomachs.  Don was happy to put on a sickly expression and demonstrate how to grasp hold. I guess the railings might still come in handy for "passengers" who have had one too many. 

It's always fun staying in a hotel where celebrities have slept. The Queen Mary has carried some of the best from the old Hollywood days. I like to imagine that I was leaning up against the same railing that Spencer Tracy and his wife leaned on. Clark Gable and Charlie Chaplin also cruised on the QM in the late 1930's, before World War II. By 1939 the ship no longer carried the rich and famous.  After just 3 years of luxury cruising, the QM was transformed into a troopship.

I have the faintest memory of being 6 years old and seeing the Queen Mary, docked in the Hudson Bay.  That was in 1963, just a few years before the ship departed on its final voyage. What I also remember is spotting a photo of the ship a month or so later in Life Magazine. The image was of 2 young girls peering out at the ship docked in Hudson Bay.  I cut it out and kept it, since I wanted to believe the photo was of my sister and me. 

But this photo of the QM in Hudson Bay is very different.  She was stripped of her colors and nicknamed the "Grey Ghost", so she could transport troops across the Atlantic at record speeds during WWII.  I was excited to read some of the history displays and take some photos for my friend Ken back in Texas.  Ken served during WWII and he has shared stories with me about traveling with the troops on the QM.  Seeing images of the Grey Ghost reminded me of Ken's description of seeing the Statue of Liberty when they returned home after the war... and spotting the Manhattan office building, where he knew his father was working that day.

Don and I worked up an appetite and thirst after absorbing over 70 years of history. Just before sunset we headed towards the bow of the boat for drinks in the Observation Bar. There were no bad seats.  We could gaze out at the same Art Deco features that Leo DiCaprio enjoyed when they filming a scene from "The Aviator" here.

Or... we could stare out the window at the bow of the boat and the lowering sun.

Then we decided it was silly to be looking out the window when we could wander on deck to watch the sunset. It was nice not having to share the picturesque setting with other tourists. We could be as goofy or as romantic as we liked.  I guess I'm showing my age, because I didn't once think about doing the Titanic Pose at the bow of the boat.  I'm picturing that now and I've concluded that would have been goofy, not romantic.

There were 5 dining areas to choose from on the ship.  We picked the Chelsea Chowder House, with the shiny tile floors, decorative tin ceiling and windows overlooking the harbor.  If we'd brought some crayons we could have drawn colorful ship scenes, since there was butcher paper on top of the white table cloth.  I guess that's a British Chowder House thing.  I didn't order chowder, which is their specialty, but the scampi with fettuccini was excellent.  Don's glazed salmon was mouthwatering and just the right amount of sweet!

Ahhhh, Sleep!

I'm not sure what time we got back to the cabin, but we both slept well. There was no rocking to lull us to sleep, but there was a pleasant hum from those little air- circulation-vent-things.  In the morning I did have visions of the movie Poseidon Adventure, when I stepped over the raised threshold into the bathroom. (Many of the movie scenes were filmed on QM)   The bathroom floor appeared to be slightly flooded.  It was more comical than annoying, so I won't go into that.

What is Noteworthy?

We only had about 8 waking hours on board the Queen Mary, but that was just about right.  If we'd stayed longer I would have had time for a ghost tour or another good meal, but the day tourists were starting to board and I didn't want them to taint my memory.  So I must say, the most memorable part of our stay was... exploring.  The QM was once the grandest ocean liner in the world and we sort of had it to ourselves.  I felt like Don and I were 2 little kids with big imaginations, just playing ship.  As we wandered I imagined the passengers in their 1930's clothing and the scenery they viewed from the deck.  But I didn't have to imagine all the colors and textures of the grand old ship because those things were still there. I'm just so grateful that Long Beach bought the ship in 1967 and numerous organizations and companies have taken on the leases and renovations over the years.  It's an amazing historical landmark and I'm glad to be able to say I was a passenger.  

Don and I finally spotted the  sign at the base of Indian Head Mountain, but where was the hotel?

We drove down a long dusty drive to get to the gravel parking lot.  There we found our little oasis hotel, in all its modern glory. This classic mid-century hotel, with lots of steel and glass was built in 1958, to replace the 10 year old original hotel after it burned down.

The hotel was then called The Hoberg Resort.  It was quite the retreat for Hollywood stars and socialites who wanted to escape the public spotlight.

We parked next to 2 Vespas in the nearly empty lot and headed inside to look around. We were greeted by this modern floating staircase that must have really been something in 1958.   But there didn't seem to be a person in sight.  We wandered the dimly lit space, enjoying some of the reminders of earlier days.

There was something almost eerie as we explored...like a modern version of The Shining. So many reminders of the past when the hotel was buzzing with guests...but no real people to greet us.

Almost 20 years ago, the current owners David and Cindy began restoring the property.  The hotel and bungalows had been empty for years, but this couple embraced the history and took on the challenge. I had hoped to meet them...or anyone. Obviously someone was around, since there was a fresh pitcher of ice water with cut lemons.

We did see a few faces at least...on a painted brick wall. It was fun to see Bing and Marlon, Marilyn and Clark... and even the Wizard of Oz!  These were a few of the celebrities who once escaped the stress of Hollywood by hopping on planes and landing on the hotel's private airstrip.

A woman finally appeared from the kitchen and for a moment she seemed perplexed to see us. Then she acknowledged our reservations and handed us a key and some pool towels. We headed up the floating staircase that took us to the outdoor walkway on the second floor.  All 8 hotel rooms were upstairs, overlooking the pool and mountains. We kind of chuckled as we used our hotel key to open the sliding glass door. (Strange for a hotel) The door was a little feisty and reminded me of large and clumsy, sliding doors in my childhood.  I hope renovations continue and the roof area becomes a terrace again.  It was a little neglected and we stayed safely on the walkway, but it could be such a fun space for sitting out and enjoying the view.

We didn't have much of a greeting at the desk, but we did find a plate with fresh cookies waiting for us in the room. The cookies and water pitcher seemed to be  reminding us that we were being welcomed...by someone.  The closet was huge and there was a floor fan, in case the window unit didn't do its job. I liked having the comfy chairs and a large coffee table.  We could have done a jigsaw puzzle, since there was a basket of games and books. And there was a flat screen TV, so we did have some modern conveniences.

The Olympic sized pool was a big deal in 1947 and it still is the star of the hotel, to me.  The busy spring season was ending, so we had the pool to ourselves. (The extreme temps make summer the off season) The empty pool deck made it easier to imagine the ghosts of  Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe lounging with their martinis nearby.  The pool must have been just dazzling back in the day.  I loved the way the shadow of the date palm was resting on the bottom of the pool, not far from the mosaic palms!

This photo reveals an underwater window in the deep end. On the deck above the window, there was a platform that once held the diving board.  I can just imagine a few Hollywood gentlemen in the viewing room holding martinis and cigars, watching divers cut through the surface... with hopes of catching one of the ladies with a swimsuit malfunction.

Don made use of the lap lane, and I tried to figure out which chaise lounge had the best view. I liked this view with the mountains and that wonderful west coast modern building.

Hot Tub View

This was nice, too. There was a lot of bunny activity to watch  in the surrounding gardens.

Cozy Spot

But I picked this spot with the two soft chairs, enclosed by a rounded brick wall.  

After a swim, we wandered the grounds a bit more to explore some of the "ruins" from a different time in the hotel's history. The hotel once included 56 private bungalows and the remains are just down the road. After those glam years in the '40's and '50's, the property spent 20 years hosting other kinds of visitors besides Hollywood stars. It was a nudist retreat for some time and a detention facility for young boys.  When the current owners bought the property, it had been vacant for 15 years.  They turned their focus to the hotel and the two casitas by the pool and have been continuously renovating over the years. For some guests, this reminder of the past would be an unsettling eyesore. Why is this still here?  But I loved snooping around and pondering the past.

Patio Dining

For dinner we had a quiet meal in the Coyote Restaurant overlooking the pool.  The food was amazingly good.  It's hard to believe it's possible to have a good chef in such a small desert community!

In the morning we ate on the patio, which was heavenly.  Our room included our choice of breakfast off the menu.  Again, we were incredibly impressed by the choices and quality of food. (I had eggs benedict!) But a warning for travelers who come "off season" since the restaurant does not have regular hours in the summer.

For some, the desert location is not a plus.  But the fact that we could slide open our glass door at 5:45 in the morning and walk to Anzo-Borrego State Park was an amazing plus.  We hiked the shady Palm Canyon Trail for 1.5 hours (Spotting coyote and jack rabbits, but sadly no big horn sheep) until we arrived at the palm grove...just as light was hitting the top fronds!

What's Notable?

I will remember our stay at The Palms as our Mystery Oasis Night.  It did seem like something was missing.  I guess the lack of hosts was odd.  But I kind of liked the eerie empty feel to the place.  I will always remember the giant pool, surrounded by blowing palms and miles of desert and distant mountains and how we seemed to own it.  If we'd come to be pampered, we would have been disappointed, but we know how to pamper ourselves, just fine. I wish we could have stayed more than one night.

My Dream Hotel

I can't resist the idea of a 126 year old hotel on an island.  I first saw the image of that spectacular cone-shaped roof years ago, in the movie "Some Like it Hot".  I've wanted to visit this place for a long, long time.

When Don and I started planning our TX-CA road trip, I hoped we could stop by to see this iconic hotel, built in 1887.  After a bit of pondering we decided to bite the bullet and pay for a night at this dream getaway. The Del Coronado was even grander than I expected.

I was giddy as we stepped into the lobby, once called the Rotunda!  Ritzy chandelier and flowers... rich dark wood in the ceiling and gallery... and a golden, cage-like Otis elevator!  Classic! 

The Ballroom?

I didn't get to see the ballroom!  That's the room that is beneath the red-turreted roof.  I guess you have to plan a wedding or... a ball, to use the ballroom.  But I was able to enjoy it from about every angle when I was outside.  I could just stare at it and think about the famous people who have been inside that ballroom.  Or I could imagine being famous, then I could ask to see the ballroom and they would probably let me peek in. 

Or wait a minute, maybe I could have just asked. I didn't even ask to go in the ballroom!

Okay, I am not one of the famous people associated with The Del, but at least I have enough nerve to put my photo side-by-side with Marilyn.  This is to show you the then and now view from the beach towards the  red-turreted roof.  Little has changed since "Some Like it Hot" was filmed here in 1958.  During those Hollywood years, there was a constant flow of stars at the hotel. But there were also presidents and poets and other interesting people back before movie stars discovered the hotel.  One of my favorite writers, L. Frank Baum,  supposedly wrote 3 of his Oz books while staying at The Del.  I'm sure plenty of celebrities still visit the hotel, but when I asked the bartender to name a few recent sightings he could only name sports figures.

I'm always up for a people encounter, famous or not.  My friend Lorrie told me about a wonderful elevator operator, so I walked up a couple flights of stairs to insure at least a partial ride without a crowd. Andrew was indeed quite entertaining.  When he heard Don and I were from Texas he admitted he hoped we weren't Texas A&M fans.  When we laughed that our kids had gone to UT, Andrew softly began to sing The Eyes of Texas. Don and I chuckled to hear the song we'd often heard at UT events, suddenly being sung by this shy, uniformed man. 

I must mention that there may be more than one interesting elevator operator at the hotel.  After I emailed this photo to my friend, she admitted this was not the elevator man she remembered!

 Bird Encounter

When I first saw this man holding a stick with a sort of brush attached, I thought he was washing windows. It turns out he was hired with his Harris hawks to keep the grounds free of annoying seagulls.  We chatted for quite a while as his sweet hawk flew off and returned numerous times.  It was obvious that his work with hawks was more than a job.  He admitted that the commitment to his birds and their care made traveling and even relationships tricky.

The little kid in me wanted to go around and count crowns. They were everywhere.  The adult in me wanted to dress up and eat in the Crown Room that looks like a capsized ship with lovely crown shaped lights hanging down. But the Crown Room is only open as a restaurant for Sunday Brunch and it was Tuesday. Of course if we'd stayed until Sunday and gone to brunch, I would have once again searched for the kid in me, with kid menu prices.  The adult price for brunch is $85.

While wandering the hotel we stepped out onto a little porch with a great view of the courtyard, full of palms and bouganvillas and pathways.  You could even see over the roof to the ocean where the sun was due to set in a few hours. Since our first floor room had no ocean view, we kept this spot in mind for the evening.

Courtyard

Our room was off the courtyard on the first floor.  That meant no more rides with Andrew in the elevator.  But it was an easy room to reach and we could peek out at the garden setting.

There's no such thing as a bargain room at The Del, but we took the cheapest they had for about $350. There was more of a classy, modern feel to our room than a quaint, historic feel. Which was fine.  I'm all for squeaky floors and antique beds if the price is right.  But if I'm paying for luxury, I want a nice bed and good shower.   Now, if we'd arrived in 1888, we could have gotten a room, plus three meals for about $2.50.  And that was with electricity, which was mighty impressive back then!

Don is fiddling with the Keurig coffee maker in this pic.  To us, that's a big perk for a hotel room. In the other pic, I'm fiddling with the champagne that just arrived with some jumbo sized truffles.  That was a perk we paid extra for.  It's called the Celebration Package and it adds about $85. to your room bill.  It makes you look like you're very Romantic or very Rich, but in truth it comes with a $100.oo dining credit, so you might as well buy one if you're planning on eating at the hotel.  The other perk that comes with it, is the fun of having it delivered by the room service guy who was just adorable.  He looked like he'd been working at Del Coronado for about 80 years and his little uniform with the cute round hat was just charming.  I should have gotten a photo.

In the evening we crossed the street to the marina with the original hotel boathouse.  "1887 On The Bay" is a restaurant now, but we just sipped a couple drinks in the upstairs bar where the boathouse keeper once lived.

Dinnertime

We headed back to have dinner at Sheerwater, the patio restaurant with an ocean view. We had reservations for 8:00, but stalled when we noticed the sun about to set.

People Watching

The lowering sun was beautiful, but the people watching was equally entertaining. There were actually 2 bridal couples attracting attention.  One of the couples we spotted posing in at least 10 different spots around the hotel during the evening.  I might add they did not look a bit happy and their smiles were forced.  The perfect Romantic setting does not make you a perfect couple!

Dinner!

By 8:30 we were seated under a heater and enjoying lump crab and lobster mac-n-cheese.  Between the patio and the beach was a private lawn party that was a good source of entertainment.  Folks mingled and dined and occasionally picked up a croquet mallet or bocce ball for some lawn fun. All the while a trio of musicians played on a small platform in the grass.  A few times the trio played a jazzy little number that made think Jack Lemmon and his bass had just come back to life in a scene from "Some Like it Hot".

Morning

All was quiet on the beach at 7 am the next morning. I walked out to see the sandcastle that had been surrounded by a crowd the day before.  It was a treat to have that huge beach to myself for a moment. I wasn't even close to the water when I took this photo, but I was finally far enough away to fit the whole building in the picture.

What's Notable about our stay? 

I'll always remember grinning when we approached the hotel.  It was bigger and better than I imagined.  The nicest surprise was that there was no over the top snooty feel to the place. I don't think you can be 126 year old and put on airs.  No coats of paint and fashion updating can completely hide the age or the stories or even the smell of this charming old hotel. I like that.

4th Stop on Road Trip

I didn't plan on including timeshare condos in my 90-Nights blog. But if there is something quirky or unusual about an overnight, I feel like I have to share it.  We made reservations for the Welk Resort months in advance, but it wasn't until we were just about to arrive that I made the connection of the resort to the famed accordion playing, TV host and bandleader, Lawrence Welk.

I grew up snickering at the corny Lawrence Welk Show... unless I was sitting beside my beloved grandmother as she sweetly complimented the barbershop quartet or polka dancers. Then, I would hold back my giggles.  But in the passenger seat this past April, I squealed out loud as we headed down I-15 towards the mountains north of San Diego. I grinned at the map and announced to Don (who is as calm with the steering wheel as Lawrence is with his baton)  "WHAT?  We're gonna turn right onto Champagne Boulevard!  Then we turn left on Lawrence Welk Street!  Did you know this had something to do with Lawrence Welk!!"

We were pleasantly surprised to find the condo modern and comfortable.  Mr. Welk may have bought land and a motel here in the fifties, but our one bedroom condo was built recently.  There were a couple of large flat screens and 2 fireplaces and a nice patio and bath. No complaints.

And the resort itself was lovely, although I actually dislike the term resort.  It makes me think of boring people who need to be entertained.  And resorts that are built around golf courses, with connections to Lawrence Welk, conjure up images of Bermuda shorts and cigars and very old people. But there were a lot of young families and the grounds were quite beautiful.  We made use of 2 of the 8 pools. I got in some runs on the pathways connecting the different lodging areas, with their special names..."Melody Hill" and "Harmony Hill".   You have to love a pathway with bronze musical notes embedded.

But I'm ashamed we did not make full use of the Welk possibilities. We somehow didn't find time for an evening at the Lawrence Welk Theatre, where they sometimes do a Lawrence Welk Nostalgia Show. We never hit the "museum" when it was open, therefore we did not see the largest champagne glass in the world, which is displayed on a red velvet covered pedestal.  I didn't bump into Mr. Welk's grandson, either. He has evidently been running the resort since Welk's passing nearly 20 years ago.  But we did enjoy seeing the bell shaped street lamps and the quarter note fountain, while a woman sat on a nearby patio bench and entertained us with her smooth as silk accordion playing. 

Champagne Lady

For a moment I got to pretend I was Mr. Welk's Champagne Lady, as I snuggled up to his bronze arm.  Good old Lawrence was quite the TV personality, but he was also a shrewd business man, back when he started his show and invested in real estate.  (You can see the banner celebrating the resort's 50th anniversary) He knew what his mostly older, conservative audiences wanted, which is why he danced with his Champagne ladies now and then. He even held onto a slight German accent from his immigrant parents, because the people seemed to like it.  As I posed for the photo I swear I could almost hear those well known Welkwords starting up the orchestra, "A-one, An-A-Two!"

What's Noteable?

The Welk Resort was not old and moldy.   The atmosphere was comfortable and relaxing...which are words one might have used to describe the old TV show.  Don and I did have a bottle of champagne while staying at the resort, in honor of LW and his music that became known as Champagne Music.  I wish we'd had an old tape of the show to watch, with Lawrence and his orchestra on the bubble filled stage. Which suddenly reminds me... I actually had a bottle of bubbles in the car on that road trip. (don't ask me why)  If I'd thought of it, I could have used  those bubbles during my photo pose with the statue!  Now that would have been, "Wunnerful!  Wunnerful!"