Once a year, the Organization of Women Executives has a delightful Spa Weekend. I have been a member of this group since 2000. Even though I left Los Angeles fifteen years ago, I have continued the membership and I have enjoyed this specific weekend. This year, the weekend was back to the Bacara Resort, a Ritz Carlton in Santa Barbara.
Because of the service and reception for Sara's mother, I arrived late Saturday afternoon. Girlfriend Honoria Vivell was once again my roommate. Honoria and I made arrangements to stay an additional night --- Sunday, too! We attended the Saturday night dinner, the Sunday brunch, and bid farewell to the rest of the ladies. We just hung out at the beautiful resort and had a delicious dinner at the Bistro Restaurant.
The next morning, we leisurely prepared ourselves for check out and departure. It was a two hour drive to Honoria's home in San Marino. Then, I drove the final one hour back to Soledad Canyon RV Resort in Acton. Tom cheered my return! I arranged to not pick up the dogs until the next morning. So, we enjoyed the evening --- just the two of us.
Tuesday, early afternoon, we picked up the dogs. They were happy to greet us! Near the boarding facility is Vasquez Rocks State Park. Since we were in the area, Tom and I went there with the dogs. This park has some amazing geological rock formations. This setting has been used on numerous occasions for movies and commercial backdrops.
This was our final day at Thousand Trails Soledad Canyon RV Resort. We had pork chops, apple sauce, and spinach souffle for dinner.
In the morning, we headed off to Palm Springs RV Resort --- a 142 mile easy drive.
My friend, Linda Brockie, is a ranger at the Thousand Trails Palm Springs RV Resort. For the past two seasons, she has been so kind in letting me know what pull-thru sites might be available when I arrive at the park. While I have a confirmed reservation, the sites are not assigned. So, it is nice to arrive at the park before 11:00am. This way, I have time to find a suitable site. This trip, it is site #51.
An enjoyable activity when in this area is to go to Sam's Sushi for dinner. This was no exception. Baked lobster roll, yellow tail sushi, and soft shell crab are favorites. Thank you, our sushi chef!
Tom has been in the market to buy some new tennis shoes. I recently learned that New Balance has actual retail stores. Sure enough, there is a New Balance store in Palm Desert. Tom likes the New Balance shoe, as many have wide toe boxes. So, off to the El Paseo shopping area and hello to new shoes!
The Street Fair at College of the Desert is every Saturday and Sunday, from 7am to 2pm. Two days ago, I realized that I forgot to pack my pickleball wide rim visors. When I played pickleball on Friday, I donned one of my sun hats. It worked, but was not as efficient. So, Tom and I went to the street fair. There, I bought a black sun visor and a new protea cut flower. The dried protea cut flower at home is several years old. It will be nice to have a replacement!
Across from the College of the Desert street fair was the Palm Desert Recreation Center which was the venue hosting the 2018 Desert Senior Games for pickleball. Tom and I stopped by the courts to see some of the mixed double play.
On Sunday, I decided to go to the Coachella Valley Christian Church. It was going to be a surprise visit to see Reverend Stephen Sloat and his wife, Karen. Karen was Richard's law office secretary in the early 1980s and is now an attorney in her own right. When I originally met Stephen, he was a navel chaplain in Hawaii. Years ago, Richard and I went to Karen and Stephen's wedding at Lake Avenue Community Church in Pasadena.
My friend, Linda Brockie, has been a ranger at Thousand Trails Palm Springs for a number of years. This season, she works three shifts a week --- Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday from 4pm to midnight. It was fun getting a shot of her Tuesday --- in her ranger uniform!
Wednesday was Valentine's Day.
A month ago, I made reservations for the two of us at a local Hungarian restaurant called Chef George/Picasso in Bermuda Dunes. I had been there once before --- with Ellen and Mark Burson. It is casual dining and the food is delicious. They had live music --- a nice female singer --- and room for some dancing. We enjoyed it!
Friday was my last day of pickleball. It was nice to get a photo of several of my friends --- Martin from British Columbia, full-timer Larry Parks, Gloria Hayden from Michigan, and full-timer Wayne Irvine.
The final day that we were in the desert was February 16 Chinese New Year --- Year of the Earth Dog. Linda Brockie wanted to host a pot-luck at her site. Perfect! And we had a theme --- Chinese New Year with Chinese food. There were about 25 people who contributed food and attended the gathering. Laurie and Mark Irwin from Central Oregon...
Gloria and Bill Hayden from Southern Michigan...
And Monique and Bernard from Quebec, Canada...
The next morning, we left Southern California and drove back to home in Williams, Arizona.
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