Mission Ranch August 16, 2009

It's our last night at The Tickle Pink so we wander down to the deck for the final wine party. Bob and Jan are there and we decide to have our Last Supper at the Mission Ranch. We just love the Mission Ranch and used to stay there years ago. The restaurant there is a favorite of the locals and just wonderful.

Here are a few images of what the Mission Ranch encompasses:


Years and years ago it was a working dairy but now they raise sheep on site. There used to be a dog named Pete who was the sheep dog but he's gone. For some reason, these sheep don't seem to need any guidance at all.

Here's the lovely Honeymoon Cottage.

Here's the Farm House where we stayed years ago when our entire group stayed there. Great fun.

Tonight, it's just Bob and Jan from Austin. . .
s
and us from Dallas.

Jay's just happy to be here . . .

and our delightful waiter gives us a Carmel Magazine.

I've packed and Jay is doing the same. We're both totally ready to go home.

But as always, it was great fun and we look forward to returning next year.

August 16, 2009 - Concours d'Elegance

Well, I failed again! The crowds were enormous today so getting any good images was nearly impossible. There was a very large yacht out in the bay so I took this shot as there were few people there as well. I think you can see that the smoke from the Santa Cruz fires are still hanging over the area. Thankfully, the Herald said that the change of winds helped the firefighters in containing the fires. Over 7,000 acres have burned.

Leno was here again, as usual, but was very busy filming interviews. Ed Hermann was the emcee and, as always, does a terrific job.

There was also a noted celebrity here this year, who had two Porsches entered. If you look really closely, he's directly in the center, dark suit, talking to two young girls - Jerry Seinfeld. He was kind enough to pose with one of the kids behind us, shook the kid's hand and called him 'sir.' Seemed like a very nice man.

I looked long and hard for Adam Carolla, but came up empty.

We parked our chairs by 9 am, but tons of folks were there earlier. It's always fun watching the Class winners drive over the ramp to collect their trophies. We've never stayed for Best of Show as it's bad enough leaving when we do.


It was fun this year, but always more fun with the regular cast of characters who didn't make it this year. We met a nice family from Salt Lake City who we will definitely visit if/when we go to Utah.

One more wine tasting later at the TP and then dinner at a location to be determined. I sure wish I could twitch my nose and get us back to Dallas tonight! We're both ready to be back in our own beds with our own pillows and our Tivos! Creature comforts!

xo

August 15, 2009

The way I've NOT been taking photos, you would think I'm paying for film and developing! Crazy! Jay takes way too many photos of cars, so I'm the people/scenery photog. Turns out that some dear friends didn't make it this year so fewer people photos.

Today, we went to the Historic Car Races at Laguna Seca. Our friend, John Furlow, races his Kurtis, and Mark Brinker races one of his Devins. We got to visit with them both but didn't stay for their races as they're racing late and we've got other commitments this evening. So much stuff going on.

We did, however, run into an old friend in the Flagroom [where we met 18 or 19 years ago], Bill Kotasek from the Denver area. He's not been out here for a few years and it was nice playing catch up.

I just took these photos and I'm sure I've done the same shots time and time again.




You can sort of see the haze from the Santa Cruz fires. Now, there are two fires and still not contained.

Tonight, dinner at Mission Ranch, Rio Grill or Sea Harvest - then back to the RM Auction for more drama - and possibly a strawberry ice cream cone. We'll be out at Pebble Beach for the Concours d'Elegance WAY early tomorrow. That's always fun. Jay watches the cars and I watch the people.

Later!

August 14, 2009

The Quail: A Motorsport Gathering. If you say it aloud, affect a British accent. Too much! We've been several times, but I hope this was the last. 2006 was the last time we were there and things have changed. I didn't take one picture while we were there. Sure, there were some really nice cars but nothing I hadn't seen before.

There were five or six food 'stations' positioned around the area. The best was the French with the California a very close runner up. The salads were so fresh and delish. There were several vineyards pouring their wares but I only tried one and can't even remember the name - that's how memorable the wine was. We left around 2 and then headed over to Monterey.

One of the many car auctions this week is the RM. It was interesting but not real. Car sellers can't get the prices they want and buyers don't want to let loose of their money. Can't blame them.

So, we walked over to the wharf and had dinner at Domenico's, one of our favorite places. The almond crusted halibut was great but huge. No way I could eat it all, but I tried. Here's the view from our table.

The weather today was terrific and the ash from the Santa Cruz fire wasn't falling on the cars as it was yesterday. When we left yesterday morning, our car had quite a layer of ash and we didn't know where it came from. We thought the fireplaces had been cleaned and blew out on the cars. Then, we found out about the Santa Cruz fire which started Wednesday and as of 4:30 pm Thursday, was zero percent contained. 2500 people had been evacuated and more were expected. I've not seen or heard a newscast today so am not sure how it's doing. The sunset tonight was brilliant which indicated smoke in the atmosphere, we're told.

Tomorrow, Laguna Seca for the Historic Car Races.

Now, bedtime!

xo

PS from August 13, 2009

The Tickle Pink finally has a good connection and I was able to upload these shots from yesterday. Pacific Grove is my most favorite place on the Monterey Peninsula. Each time we leave Monterey to return to Carmel, we drive along the sea. I LOVE these huge plants. They're a succulent and a lot like an aloe plant. In fact, might be a variation thereon. Most of these plants are 5 to 7 feet tall.


Lazy sealions sunning.

Just a couple more shots of my dream location.

August 13, 2009 Recap

ARGH! The Tickle Pink lost internet connectivity yesterday and just got it back. I tried to upload a few photos but it's taking too long. I guess the bandwidth is sluggish.

Yesterday, Jay got the drive the not-yet-released Mercedes E6.3. I was given the opportunity to drive it but turned it down. Being a passenger was fine for me. VERY nice car.

We had lunch at Bahama Billy's and the Crab Mango Bisque was yummy. They have garlic bread with kernels of corn sprinkled on it. Very yummy.

We did some picture taking but alas, you'll have to wait to see them - if you even care. Last evening, we went to Tarpey's with Bob and Jan, friends from Austin. The Buffalo strip was very good. However, Bob ordered what looked to be spectacular lamb chops.

We just had breakfast down on the deck and will be leaving to go to The Quail: A Motorsport Gathering in a few minutes. There should be tons of picture taking opportunities there.

Ciao for now!

August 12, 2009 - McCall Event

After a lackluster day of running around, we went, to the McCall Event, f/k/a Wings & Wheels, at the Monterey Jet Center. Old and new planes as well as old and new cars. I was particularly taken with the new four-door Porsche - very nice and VERY expensive. We ran into an old friend of mine from Fort Worth - Gary Laughlin. He and his wife, Sandy, now spend most of their time at their home in Pebble Beach. The food and wines were provided by outstanding area restaurants, as well as Bernardus and Roederer. YUM.

Here are a few random shots from the party:
















We drove along the ocean on the way home and were lucky enough to catch a sunset without the marine layer blocking the beauty. We stopped along the coast and enjoyed the beauty of the sunset and the wonderfully cool temperatures. Would sure like to bottle it and take it back to Dallas.






Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day as Jay's not feeling up to par. We have an appointment for each of us to drive the Mercedes C63 [whatever that is] so that should perk him up.

Time to get into my jammies and think about calling it A DAY!!!

xo

August 11, 2009

It's been a long day but few photos. We left Bodega Bay before 8 am without breakfast - which isn't very good for me. I'm on a food schedule and don't react well if not fed in a timely fashion. Jay FINALLY pulled into a Peets coffee shop in San Francisco around 11. Grabbed a scone and a tea but couldn't drink the tea for at least an hour as it was WAY too hot.

Got to Seaside around noon thirty and Jay went into the Automobilia thingy while I sat in the lobby of the hotel enjoying the latest In Style and a nice chat with my sister. I've been into those thingies and don't care to go again. Smelly and full of old farts trying to decide who has better collection of crap that should be thrown away.

Finally, around 2 pm, Jay emerged wanting lunch. Well, we couldn't go get a normal lunch as we had plans to meet a friend at 6 for dinner. So, we went to Lovers Point and grabbed a hot dog. They're always good and didn't fail this time.

At 3:30 we checked into the Tickle Pink, unpacked and met friends at the 4:30 wine gathering. Arlin and Carol Kurtis from Bakersfield, and Bob and Jay from Austin. We really wanted to stay but had to meet John so we left while fun was happening.

Dinner at the Mission Ranch on Tuesday of Car Week has been going on with John Furlow for 18 years. Some years, his wife, Martia, is there; some years friends from the car world; some years his children. Tonight, it was Jay, John and me. Terrific evening of good friends, good drinks and good food. Jay and John ordered the prime rib which was GREAT. I ordered the scallops which were a tad too rare for my taste.

While we were there, we notice an old friend - Anita Roth who use to live in Dallas. Her mother used to have a home in Carmel but is now back in Dallas in a condo. Anita now lives near Menlo Park but gets back to Dallas quite often as her mother is in fragile health. It was good seeing her.

So, we had a lovely evening and when we walked out into the parking lot, there was this:

A beautiful Porsche Speedster. Probably 1957 through 1959. Gosh, but it was beautiful. The picture really doesn't show it. The color was brilliant.

Here's John and Jay. Eighteen years of Tuesday Nights! And good friendship. By the way, John races at Laguna Seca - a Kurtis. Great.

This is the Farm House at the Mission Ranch where Jay and I stayed way back when! In the late 1980s. It has six bedrooms and our group had the entire house. Oh, my - we had fun. late

Off to the Tickle Pink and hopefully a good night's sleep.

xo all.

August 10, 2009

Wonder of wonders! It's finally the 10th of August and we're off to Carmel via a one-night stopover in Bodega Bay. It was EVER so hard getting up this morning. In fact, I set the alarm for 4 am but work up every 30 minutes all night. So, at 3:40 am, I just got up, showered and ready to go.

Met some folks at the gate who were also going to the Car Who Ha at Monterey. Nice folks and we've made arrangements to get together this week.

We got the car and drove north on PCH 1 across the Golden Gate Bridge. This picture doesn't do it justice. Several years ago, Carol Oien and I walked across and it was the most fantastic walk of my life - so far. Not this year, though. Just the drive.


One of our favorite places is Point Reyes so we drove out to the end of the spit of land to the lighthouse. This is looking north and is considered a stormy section of the Pacific Coast. Wonderful.

This is the trail down to Sir Francis Drake Beach. No, not this time.

We did, however, walk the mile and a half up to the crest and this looks down on the north beach. These trees are so bent from the prevailing winds.

And this is Point Reyes Lighthouse. We've walked down two times but not today. . .

primarily because . . .

Pretty nice place though, don't you think?

We stopped in Point Reyes Station and looked at a gallery where we'd bought a painting several years ago. Man, has it changed. Not a thing there that we really liked.

So, off we traveled north on PCH 1 to Bodega Bay. Before we checked into our Lodge, we drove over to Bodega Head. This 57' sailboat was abandoned by its owner when he couldn't pay his slip fees. It's just out there but isn't in the channel so the Coast Guard isn't worried about it. The Town of Bodega Bay would have to pay thousands to remove it so there it sits - - until and unless they can find Bill Macilicudy, the owner.

This story was told to us by our waitress at the Tides Wharf where we had a lovely fresh seafood dinner.

Back at the Lodge/Spa, sitting on our deck, listening to the sounds of the foghorns, the barking seals, the squawking birds - and sipping a Sonoma chardonnary. Not too shabby.

All the succulents here are just amazing.

This little flower was holding up well under the assault from the little bug.

I think it's about time to hit the sack. There's a fire in the fireplace, the doors and windows are open and it's time to say Good Night. Tomorrow - Carmel. Hopefully, we'll find an In n Out Burger joint on the way south.

Hugs.

Sub-Zero Fiasco - August 2009

While my Sweetie doesn't do much in the kitchen, he wanted to make a nice kitchen for me about 11 or 12 years ago. We have a Viking 6-burner gas range; a Viking double oven; and a Viking dishwasher. Believe it or not, he even bought a Viking toaster a little over a year ago. Everything is stainless steel.

He researches like a mad man and found that the Sub-Zero is the best on the market. So, he had one installed. Of course, it's built in and he had to have work done to accommodate it. After just a few years, a compressor went out. Then, a few years after that, a compressor went out again. Well, guess what! The very nice service man just announced that we need a compressor, but it will have to be ordered. This will affect only the freezer so we're not going to lose all our food. Thankfully, I've not been to Costco or Sam's to stock up on meats so there's not a whole lot of stuff in there. However, there's probably over $100 worth of Vita Tops, veggies, Jay's creamed chipped beef [yuk], soups, and various other tids and bits. We'll eat the spaghetti sauce I made and try to finish off or give away the other items.

We've spoken to a gentleman at Sub-Zero who said the first time a compressor should be expected to fail is between 13 and 17 years. Here we are at year 11 and going on our third compressor. It's a fluke, he said. Yes, it's a lemon and we can't even make lemonade because the freakin' freezer won't make ice!

So, while it's going to be costly, not nearly as costly as buying a new unit. Hopefully, my next blogs will be filled with pictures of the environs in and around Carmel!

See you then.

August 5, 2009 - Jay's Birthday Dinner at Trader Vic's

Remember these words: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. For over 20 years, Jay has requested Dinner at Lawry's for his birthday and while not always a five star experience, it's always good and the service is great. This year, he requested Trader Vic's, mainly because he wanted a Navy Grog which he hadn't had in YEARS! So, being the ever-accommodating mate, off we went. We got there a little after 6 and there were no people there - nary a soul in the dining room - two people in the bar. We thought about it and decided to stay.

Our waiter, Cary, came to our table announcing he'd lived in St. Thomas and knows all about good food and fine wines [why, then, is he working there?]. He also told us HE doesn't eat dinner until 10 p.m. and that HE sleeps until 10:30 or 11:00 a.m. I don't remember either of us asking him. He tried to engage us in way too much of his life.

We ordered drinks: Navy Grog for the Birthday Boy and a Mai Tai for me. Jay said the Navy Grog was just as he'd remember it. The Mai Tai was good but somewhat on the small side. We ordered a PuPu Platter to go along with our drinks and it was good but the items got cold very quickly. Crab Rangoon doesn't hold up cool. The tealight candle didn't do much to keep the platter warm.

He encouraged us to look over the wine list as it was quite extensive and filled with popular California wines. Not so much.

We placed our orders from an extremely limited menu and I ordered a glass of Malbec to go with my meal. Cary brought the Malbec out immediately - the food didn't arrive for over 30 minutes. To any of you who know me, I HAD to order another glass to go along with my meal. Cary, rightfully, said HE would pay for my wine because it was taking so long.

Our food was OK but certainly not what we were expecting. And it, too, seemed to cool off really quickly.

So much for opting for a place other than Lawry's. Also, Jay said he's had a bit of an upset stomach and can only link it to the food from last night. Bless his heart! He said he would go back again but just in the bar for his Navy Grog and the PuPu Platter. We'll see.

Friday June 19, 2009

Here we go! We leave Dallas around 7:30 am. We head south on 35E. There's a little place in West [the kolache capitol of Texas] that has a really terrific breakfast, called The Stockyards Cafe. No kolaches - I'm not a fan. On Thursday evening, there was a cattle auction and the air was heavy with the scent of cow poo. However, the cafe held only the smells of amazing bacon, coffee and pancakes light and airy. The clientele are locals and it's great fun to be a part of it all. EVERYone was so very friendly and cordial - and it's just 90 minutes south of Dallas!!!

This hungry specimen wasn't sold. I don't know why - very friendly er uh bovine.

This is the place - west side of 35E, Exit 351!!! Try it - you'll like it.

Thankfully, there was a heavy cloud cover all the way down. We stoped at the LBJ Ranch and decided to take a tour. I'd been there with my sister Vicki several years ago but Jay hadn't been there. We decided to take the 'self' tour rather than the two hour bus tour. We were provided a map and a CD to guide us.

This is the Pedernales River which we crossed to get into the Ranch.

Here is the announcing signage.

Looking back across a field near the cemetary, is the Trinity Lutheran Church. Since the Johnsons weren't Lutherans, they only attended sporadically.

Here is the resting place of LBJ. Lady Bird doesn't have a headstone as yet, but her plot is noted with the appropriate flowers to his right.

Just some more signage.

Signage announcing the reconstructed birthplace of LBJ. Years back, we toured the home in Johnson City with my Mom, Steve and Kathy, my youngest sister. It was August and HOT HOT HOT, but not so today. Lovely cloud cover and a brisk breeze.

Here's LBJ's reconstructed birthplace surrounded by old pecan trees. A very nice setting.

"Hello, Lyndon. Washington's calling."

On the ranch, this bovine group was having their TGIF happy hour.

It's the same all over. Girls just want to have fun.

These old guys just didn't give a hoot.

We tried to stop in Fredericksburg but there were no rooms at the inns. So we headed on to Kerrville. We did a little touring around the area - hills and dales - and then had dinner at The Branding Iron which is part of the YO Ranch Resort. We had lovely libations and Texas fare for dinner. The bear was glad to see us leave!

Tomorrow, we're going to go back to Fredericksburg to tour the town and then - well, who knows. Hopefully, tomorrow the hotel will have proper bandwidth!