Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve County Park (Guadalupe, CA) 11.30.11

Where is Guadalupe?

Wanting to get out of the house for a bit and being ubber broke, I decided to go for a hike. Not only is it free, but I can work off some of the lbs I'm trying to lose. I drove 20 minutes from Santa Maria passing by various farms on Main Street westward to the Dunes Visitor Center, which apparently is closed on Wednesday. Note to self: call places before you go, especially in small towns like Guadalupe. A big city girl like me doesn't think of things like that. At least they had maps telling me where the Dunes are.




The Dunes cover roughly 18 miles of Central CA coast line from Point Sal Beach to Nipomo. They boast a wide ecological diverse environment and compromise of various parks including Pismo State Beach, Pismo Dunes Natural Preserve, Oso Flaco Lake Natural Area, Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve  County Park, Paradise Beach County Park, and Point Sal State Beach.  

After driving on a dirt road, reading a sign  warning me of mountain lions, and watching bulls graze off in the distance, I finally arrived at the Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve County Park.

 
 The trail leading to the beach is .75 miles and consists of slightly hilly sand dunes. This park has the highest sand dunes on the west coast up to 550 ft high. There is no way in hell I'll be climbing up those.

Looks like a desert, but we're at the beach

The trail only marked with orange wooden sticks

 As I slowly make my way up the trail, I see a dark blue lake to the left full of ducks and birds flying.

Lake

 

At the end of the trail is the pacific ocean with the beach empty untainted by tourists. I love the serenity of being lost in my thoughts as I stare at the waves crashing on the sand.

 

Caught red handed trying to steal my food

I miss the beach, and I can't wait to go to Pismo and the Oso Flaco Lake Park soon.

Until the next adventure, cutiee23

Links
Dunes Visitor Center; 1055 Guadalupe St. Guadalupe, CA 93434
Guadalupe Nipomo Dunes Center

Driving up the Central Coast 11.27.11

Thanksgiving is over, so back to work. That means sitting in traffic along with other people who are doing the same thing. Driving up from LA on the North 101 freeway though can be an adventure. This freeway follows the Pacific Coast Hwy and essentially the Pacific Ocean. Not a bad view to see for 3 hours.

It was stop and go traffic around the border of the Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. Not only did it have a great view of cliffs and the ocean, it was sunset. Great place to stop and enjoy the view.

Below are pictures from Rincon Parkway, located off exit 78, Seacliff. Just make a right and drive down until you see the ocean.

Its November and you still see people at the beach wadding in the water and in the tidepool. There were 2 guys paddle surfing and dogs running off leash. This location offers overnight RV parking and a great way to comfortably camp at the beach. That will be on my to do list.

 

Other beaches than can be viewed directly off the 101:
El Capitan State Beach
Refugio State Beach
Gaviota State Beach

Until the Next Adventure, cutiee23

Links:
Ventura County Beaches
Santa Barbara County Beaches

Thanksgiving Hike @ Eaton Canyon (Pasadena, CA) 11.24.11

Whenever we have free time, Paul and I try to hike, especially @ Eaton Canyon. I love living in LA, but I also love being in nature, especially in the mountains. Hiking here lets me escape the city, but I only have to drive 10 minutes to get there.


As far as I know, there are 2 major trails @ Eaton Canyon. We call one "the flats," even though its a 5 mile hike up. I think the top is kinda like a plateau that has amazing views of LA. Paul says there's like a lookout point with picnic tables. I wouldn't exactly know how that looks like cuz I've been too out of shape to make it. One day I will.

 The other trail leads to the waterfalls. Its about a mile or so. Not too bad but you have to cross streams, so make sure u have comfortable shoes that have a lot of traction so you can have a good grasp on the rocks. Lots of people bring their dogs who love splashing in the cold water. Gidget, my precious 10lb fur baby, who is spoiled rotten, required to be hand carried, of course.

Eaton Canyon Trail is the one that leads to the waterfalls. It first follows the empty river beds, then streams that lead up to the waterfalls. PLEASE NOTE: On this occasion I didn't end up at the waterfalls, so my pictures reflect that.

Finally made it across!











Until the next adventure, cutiee23

Links:
Eaton Canyon: 1750 North Altadena Drive, Pasadena, CA 
Eaton Canyon in Pasadena, CA
Eaton Canyon Hiking Trails
Directions

I thought we were @ Noodle World (Alhambra, CA) 11.23.11

I'm back in the LA area for thanksgiving. Stopping by for late night pho, but saw the big boy inside. Confusion.

 

Links:
Noddle World: 700 West Valley Boulevard, Alhambra, CA 91803
opens late until 1am
Noddle World

Hitching Post Restaurant (Casamalia,CA) 11.22.11

 

Santa Maria, CA its known for its own bbq style favoring the tri tip cut cooked using red oak and seasoned with a special Santa Maria seasoning composed of salt, garlic salt, and pepper. Being here for awhile, it was my personal requirement to sample this regional favorite. When I asked some locals where I should go, they pointed me towards the Hitching Post. This Hitching Post is quite off the beaten path and required us to drive through winding roads deep in Santa Maria Valley.  

It is important to note that is not the same restaurant that is featured in the movie "Sideways." That Hitching Post is about 30 miles South off the 101 in Buelton, CA. Its real name is Hitching Post II. I learned the hard way off this difference when I was asked to meet someone at the Hitching Post, and I went to Hitching Post II.

Links:

Hitching Post: 3325 Point Sal Rd, Casmalia, CA 93429; (805) 937-6151

Hitching Post I 

Hitching Post on FB 

Hitching Post on Yelp 

Info on Santa Maria BBQ 

 

The front of the building looks like a red barn. 

Watch your food get cooked in their indoor bbq.

Food is Amazing. It is probably the best bbq I've ever tasted. Dinners are reasonably priced and start at about $25 for a dinner which includes a shrimp cocktail, salad, baked potato or fries, meat, coffee, and dessert. I could tell that the Italian dressing and BBQ sauce were freshly prepared. The bbq sauce has the right balance of smokey, sweet, and tart. The pork bbq ribs pictured up were well seasoned with the right ratio of pepper, salt, and garlic.  It was right own the money! They were orgasmic!!

The staff is really friendly. My friend and I came early and sipped wine at the bar. The bartender gave us wine novices a quick education, and free tastes of 2 wines. Any place that gives me free booze is good with me =)



Until the next adventure,
cutiee23

Madonna Inn (San Luis Obispo) 11-19-2011

If Barbie had her own hotel, Madonna Inn would be it. Pink is everywhere from the wallpaper, chairs, and even lights. Its the week before thanksgiving, but inside its already Christmas. Decor in 1920s glam. Love it!! Started as a motel in 1958, it now has over 100 rooms, each with a different theme along with a bakery, coffee shop and steakhouse. We asked if we could tour some of the rooms (they said no), but have postcards of each room in the hotel lobby. You can also check their website. (Look at the links below) My fave is the Romance room, which is done in robin egg blue in a modern victorian like style. Few years back, in the E! show Girls Next Door, one of Hef's former girlfriends Bridgette had her bday there and she toured some of the rooms. I guess that's the one of way to see some of the rooms. It's cheaper than buying over 100 postcards or buying their coffee table book.

As for the steakhouse, I thought it was pretty pricey for what you get. I didn't like how my steak was kinda burnt on the outside. =( They have all the typical cuts, and lots of tempting desserts. They are known for some pink champagne cake, which I found out is really champagne chocolate cut really thinly to look like a bow on top of the cake.

Up until now, I've been using my camera phone to take pictures. I need to make a note to myself to get my digital camera. Its so hard to take pictures at night.

Links:
Madonna Inn
My fave room: Romance 
Ubber Pink Room- Carin

 Top 3 pics from Miranda (She's has a waaay better camera)

Madonna Inn @ Night

    

It's Christmas...all over again..

Apparently it snows in the African Plains and Simba Celebrates Christmas

I love the carved wood everyone in the hotel, from frames, doors, even their bar.

Who doesn't love a downstairs wine cellar?? I swear, before the end of this rotation I'm going to be a wyno.

Table in the Coffee Shop looks like its set for a grown up tea party

Inside the Restaurant...

Look at all the Christmas Decor!!! (pic courtesy of Melissa)

Barbie's Dream Dining Set (pic courtesy of Melissa)

I guess on saturday nights they have a small band who teleports you to the 1950s. It's so romantic to so elderly couples still dancing and in love.

Keeping warm by the fireplace

-Off to plan another adventure,  Cutiee23

Love the pink sofa!!! I wonder if my fiance will let me have one.