You know, in retrospect, it is completely insane to me how few photos I actually took on this trip. Anytime I go anywhere I’m almost guaranteed to take over a thousand, but this time around, I barely scratched 500 and most of them were from the final day! Insane. Nonetheless, I have some real gems here from the mid-section of my trip, so please, do enjoy!
The first several pictures highlight the whirlwind day I spent with my Aunt Debbie. We had the best time roaming around Escondido, San Marcos, Vista, and Carlsbad. If it was along that 78 pipeline, we basically made a stop. Part of what made this day so memorable and wonderful was that so many of the places we tried to go see were closed, but that didn’t dampen our spirits, we would get out, walk around and take a few photos, then get back in the car and head to the next spot. The closings only served to amplify the awesomeness of the day because it just became comical for us.
It was just terrific and I got to learn about Escondido’s Grape Day Festival, which I had never once heard of prior. I thought it was crazy this century old festival escaped me given how I spent thirteen months working at the Macy’s in that city and with all the various community outreach programs and such that Macy’s would donate to, I was shocked this never once came across my radar. Nonetheless, it was incredibly interesting to learn about now and they had the cutest little park dedicated to this celebration that began all the way back in 1908 as a way to celebrate the city’s grape harvest and promote the town. 2023’s Grape Day Festival falls on Saturday, September 9, so all my California people should go check this out and send me all your cutest photos! I wanna see what I’ve been missing!
After my outstanding outing with Aunt Debbie, I spent my evening in Oceanside meeting up with someone I had never once met before. My good friend, Megan, has a boyfriend, Seth, who is in the Marines and stationed at Camp Pendleton near Oceanside, so what started as a joke in my trip planning about meeting up with Seth quickly became a reality and I couldn’t be more thankful for it!
Megan is quite literally simply the best! She’s wise beyond her years and has a sense of determination unlike few others I’ve ever known. I knew prior to meeting Seth I was going to love him too and I was most definitely correct! We had dinner at this trendy place, The LAB Collaborative – which I mistakenly failed to snap any photos of. I told you, my photo taking on this trip was subpar at best – chosen because it reminded me of my sweet Melissa, who wasn’t on this trip with me in person, but always in spirit. The food was totally fine and delicious and we got seated outside, which provided us with some awesome views of Oceanside’s vibrant and newly enhanced downtown area. The table was unique in that it had a large fire pit centered in it, I had to have them turn it off though because I felt like my skin was going to melt into my pasta as those flames were so hot!
Seth and I talked like we had literally known one another forever, so needless to say, dinner was the best! Obviously we knew quite a bit about one another from Megan, but getting to know him in person was just wonderful and it didn’t take me long to see why Megan loves him so much. He’s clever, witty, personable, an excellent conversationalist, just an all-around awesome individual. In a vacation full of highlights, meeting up with him was certainly one of the best and I’m thankful to have made yet another amazing friend.
Following it, we took a walk down to the Oceanside Pier and stumbled upon the Top Gun House, which is aptly named for the blockbuster movie starring Tom Cruise it was featured in. This victorian cottage was used in the film, Top Gun, as the home of Cruise’s love interest played by actress Kelly McGillis. I saw the house years ago when it was boarded up and fenced all around, so I assumed it had long been demolished, but seeing it that night and learning it had been turned into a hotspot restaurant and movie museum made me so happy! Top Gun is amazing, but Top Gun: Maverick is easily one of my favorite movies of all time. I just love it, so seeing this house really put the cherry on top of a perfect day.
Now I know this’ll be my third complaint about my lack of photo taking and there is no one to blame but me, but I hardly took any photos of me and the triplets and this really has me pissed off. Like, what was going through my head!?! Clearly nothing because OOF! I’m an idiot! HUGE oversight! Nonetheless the next couple feature me and the boys then me and Gabby. Love these three so much and am thankful for every second I get to spend with them. Also, you may have noticed with me and Seth, but you’ll see again with me and Logan and Garrett, I got SUNBURNED! That afternoon on Coronado Island had me aloeing up my face the entire rest of the trip!
I went north from Temecula one evening to Fontana to see Kamber, Charles, and their three kids: Kaell, Maerick, and Charlie. We went and had dinner at the Rainforest Cafe where we had the best time! Kamber is one of mine and Melissa’s longest friends and we love her and her family dearly. Thankful that we get to see Kamber again so soon when we go to Walt Disney World together at the end of this month!
The following day I got to spend with my Uncle Joe and yet again I find myself irritated beyond reason with myself for not having taken a photo of me and Joe together. I should’ve had someone take one of the two of us when we were at this Winery Member’s Dinner that evening, but alas, I failed. I was quite literally the polar opposite of Tom Cruise’s Top Gun character while on this trip because I served up nothing but photographic losses. I was most definitely no Maverick. Sad.
Anyway, Joe and I went to Fallbrook where there was this enchanting hiking trail we walked up and down on. It ran alongside a river, which is a real rarity in Southern California, so that was awesome to see. Now by Illinois and Missouri standards this river was more of a stream, but nonetheless, the hiking was wonderful and extraordinarily scenic and we had a terrific time. The winery dinner that night was phenomenal and the white wine I had was outstanding. The sunset views that night couldn’t have been any better and it made the perfect penultimate full day for my trip.
Cooper, Joe’s dog, is just too cute to handle, so I had to include a photo of him here. He’s just so loving, I love him.
As always, THANK YOU so much for viewing! I appreciate you greatly! Feel free to leave a comment below as I love reading and responding to them! I’ll return soon with Day Three, so until then, I wish you all, all the best!
More from this trip:
Great pictures nonetheless! I’m shocked about the white wine. My Californian babies are growing up so fast. 🫤 I probably should go and see them.
You really should! I’m sure they miss their Miss Lynda!
hey
cool blog 🙂 will give it a follow and a like !
Thank you so much and I love that you loved it!