California Farewell

Whenever I visit California I find it hard to leave. It is odd but every time I deplane at LAX, I feel like I am "home" in some strange way. That may be why leaving is so depressing.


We had breakfast by the inner courtyard and took our time checking out. I was in no hurry to go but a 3:30 pm flight meant we had to leave just after midday - checkout time. Before leaving, we toured the Inn for a while, wandering through low corridors and walking along balconies. We saw the St. Francis chapel and also took a look at the small museum.


The trip to the airport was uneventful, as was the flight. On the upside, it was warm in Cleveland and we were able to drive back home with the windows down, arriving just around midnight to find the house intact.

It was a wonderful vacation. I actually rested and did no work. None. I dread the thought of going back on Monday to a pile of requests and demands. But that's the price you pay for taking time off. And as ever, my Californian sojourn was all too short.

California Mission

We left for Riverside at around lunch time after breakfast in the K'Ya restaurant. My wife had no clue where we were heading but I'd booked a special deal for a night at the historical Mission Inn. I'd been there once before for dinner with a friend but didn't stay. I decided even then that I'd come back for a night.

Our suite was on the second floor with a view from the balcony into the courtyard. The architecture of the Inn is breathtaking and is a fusion of cultures, but predominantly Spanish.



I'd arranged for champagne and chocolate-coated strawberries to be delivered to the room about an hour after our arrival. That ensured we had time to shower and lounge around in soft hotel bathrobes.


That night we dined at the hotel's premiere restaurant, Duane's, where we ate glorious steak and drank wonderful Californian Merlot. As always, I ended with a cappuccino that served to fortify me before the arrival of the check. Let's just say that we probably paid almost as much for that one meal as we did for all the others combined. On the other hand, sometimes you have to remember that one day you will be dead and opportunities have to be taken whenever they are presented. Carpe diem indeed.