We went to Temecula, about 20 minutes from Lake Elsinore, and checked out Old Town Temecula. This is a cool area, full of old restored buildings, as well as replica old buildings. There are lots of interesting stores, restaurants and bars here, as well as large crowds. Very well done.
To celebrate our wedding anniversary (21 if anyone is counting) we wanted to go for a nice meal, but on a tight budget. After some online research, we learned that one of the San Diego casinos was offering a free buffet to new player's club members, so we decided to check it out. On the way to the Valley View casino we stopped into the Harrah's casino, which was amazingly busy for a week day. At Valley View, we signed up for the player's club (for free) then went for our free Lobster Buffet. This was the best casino buffet we had ever had, loaded with split Maine lobsters, oysters on the half shell, crab legs, mussels, clams, shrimps, seafood salads, soups, sushi, and all kinds of other foods. Normally $28 a head this is probably a bargain, but for us it was FREE! What a deal. We stuffed ourselves to the breaking point, and it was all good.
A few days later, we drove to San Diego, and toured the Seaport Village at the Embarcadero. A really cool tourist area by the navy pier (where the USS Midway is parked). We had a microbrewed local draft beer to quench our thirst, then walked some more. After building up an appetite we decided to eat at the Fish Market restaurant (which was highly rated online). It was a nice meal, enhanced by being over the water. We watched a sailing regatta as we dined on fried cod, shrimps, scallops and oysters. Delicious!
We tried to take Ben to a wilderness area for some fun. When we got there, we found NO DOGS ALLOWED. This is typical California thinking: No dogs allowed, but plenty of wildlife everywhere! Also, no smoking allowed in this huge outdoor area. Also no fires, but they do have fire pits and stacks of pre-chopped firewood. We ate our packed lunch, and then toured the nearby San Antonio mission.
On Tuesday we went to LA to have lunch at the Farmer's Market. We did not like the idea of paying $14 for 3 ribs and a potato served on styrofoam plates, so we walked next door to the Grove outdoor mall and had a fine lunch at a Greek restaurant called Ulysses Village, complete with white table cloths and Greek music, in a nice setting. We had Greek beer, fried fresh calamari, a lamb gyro plate and roast leg of lamb. It was all really good, and served on nice plates by attentive staff, for about the same price as food in the Farmer's market.
After our lunch we drove to Venice beach and watched the weirdo's passing by. Surfers were enjoying the weather, and we walked the beach. Also noticed the large numbers of doctors' offices along the waterfront selling legal marijuana permits to anyone with any kind of ailment and $40 to spend! After Venice, we headed back to Lake Elsinore, a 75 mile freeway drive that took TWO AND HALF HOURS. The traffic abysmal, with long stretches of freeway turned into parking lots. People actually commute this back and forth each day. It would drive us crazy!
We were going to go to visit the Richard Nixon library and museum, and do a few other LA things, but now we really don't want to make that nasty drive again.
We have just one more week left here in California before heading to Tucson by way of Quartzite and Phoenix. We really like Lake Elsinore. It is very pretty here, and even Ben likes walking along the shore. At first, he was reluctant to go in the water, but each time he walks a little further into the warm lake. Marlene enjoys all the variety of birds here, but misses her bird watching book to help her identify all the different types.
Pictures above are from Temecula, Venice beach, from the parking lot at Valley View casino, our meals, mission San Antonio, San Diego, etc.
