Today is Thursday and the first morning I didn't have to pack so we headed out of the city to....Julian!
What and where? Shop, eat and stroll through Julian, CA
Why? It's a great place for a day trip, get out of the city, go through the mountains and a long winding road until you reach a town created back in the gold mining days. In Julian you can actually experience the seasons with the trees changing color in fall, with snow in winter and warm summers. It's also well known for it's pies which you can find in several grocery stores in San Diego.
I've been there several times, and one of the shops I always go to is Julian's Cider Mill where I always buy apple boysenberry cider, sesame sticks and whatever else that looks tempting.
Money saving tip: I've eaten in several places and for the most part the prices seem steep and the food is OK, nothing great. So far the place I've found the best deal for lunch is at Apple Alley Bakery where you can get soup/salad, half sandwich, a bag of chips, a pickle and a slice of pie for $10, you pay extra if you want the pie a la mode and the drink is not included. But it's still a good deal and even though it doesn't look like much, the food is very hearty and you leave very satisfied.
As for the shops, a lot of them have tourist prices, I can understand it for handmade or antique items, but some things cost way too much. But on this trip I discovered Pistols and Petticoats, located on a second floor. In this shop you "Go back in time to the old west in this unique gift store. You'll find items from the parlor to the boudoir reminiscent of old saloon days"...and it's true, the items are so cool, very western, kinda metal, sexy and cheap!!! What made me drool was they're selection of carnival masks, with the cheapest at $2, which was a beautiful mask that only covered the eyes, to the most expensive one at $30 which was a full face mask with lots of peacock feathers. Too bad I couldn't take pics inside the shop, but I did take pics of what I bought. This time I was lucky I only took cash, so I was limited in my shopping....next time, I'll be sure to get there with my card!
This is what I bought at Pistols and Petticoats
What and where? Shopping and Gambling at Viejas Casino
Why? The outlet part of Viejas looks so great, with a Native American theme, just walking around it is great, but even if you don't want to you'll end up shopping. I've found great deals, I always like to stop at Anna's Linens can't beat the prices. Click here to check out the stores.
But if you want a bit of gambling then go inside the casino, which looks like any other casino, lots of red, lots of lights, slot machines, blackjack tables and of course, the buffet. We both played on the slot machines but lost very quickly (I only put in $7).
Money saving tip: none....go crazy!
What and where? Coffee at Lestat's on Adams Avenue in Normal Heights
Why? One of the few coffee shops open 24 hours, with the walls full of art and all the "interesting" people (to put it mildly), always a great place to people watch and if you're a creative person, you can meet writers, painters, gamers, computer geeks and just plain weird people. When I go I can sometimes write uninterrupted for hours or get nothing done because I'm talking to people until 4 in the morning. Never a dull moment!
You can see a glimpse of my favorite chair
