A cool video from the local PBS affiliate about the growth in the population of seven gill sharks off of La Jolla. Unlike the nursing sharks they do have teeth and have bit people before though there have been no cases of humans being bit in San Diego in the last century. That said, the number of humans diving and swimming in local waters has greatly increased while the creation of local marine parks has meant a big increase in the population of seven gill sharks. Supposedly, these sharks have been seen to be up to 11 feet in length locally and although they aren't known to attack people they are very curious and they are known to get up close and personal with divers who have bait bags or with the fish bags of spear fishermen. Even if you don't have any food they seem curious and will get right up to divers often getting with in 2-3 feet of people just to check you out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y8wxSmsHJo
If you go down to Tijuana then Jenny and the Mexicats puts on a pretty good show. Since 9/11 tourism in Tijuana has gone off a cliff but the silver lining is the businesses which have survived have tailored themselves towards local tastes no matter if we're talking about food or entertainment. The city of Tijuana in Mexico has also spent a lot of money patronizing the arts and they've gotten people from Spain, to Mexico, to Argentina, to Italy to move there. The food reflects that diversity but so does the music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsRqWFMGpKE&feature=fvwp
Paladin suggested Hearst Castle which does look cool. Is there anything particularly worth visiting between Monterray and LA that can break up the journey and add more ticks on the list of things Im doing. Thinking about doing that section over a good few days with a night at Pismo Beach, Santa Barbara and then Santa Monica. I suppose the main issue is that these places are not very far apart. Monterray I'll enjoy seeing it and importantly Pebble Beach. We can stop in at Hearst Castle on way to Pismo. Maybe a surf lesson and chill out in Pismo See what Santa Barbara has to offer. Any suggestions? Cheers.
That's a nice selection of ideas. You might also consider doing your vineyard touring in that area. Napa is a bit of a detour and much more touristy than the coastal wine districts around Santa Barbara.
Santa Barbara is a small city with only ~100k people in it. Still, there are a lot of things to do including BBQ in and around Santa Maria (the famed Santa Maria style BBQ), a winery tour and olive oil tasting in the Santa Ynez valley, a walk down State St, visiting the old Spanish Mission in Santa Barbara which is the best preserved of all the old Spanish colonial missions, the Reagan Ranch (if you're a right winger), or visiting one of the great beaches. If you really want you can also catch a boat out to The Channel Islands National Park though I recall you weren't much into National Parks. BTW the water is going to be cold in Pismo as it is north of Point Conception. San Diego would be a better place for a surfing lesson as the water would be warmer. In Pismo's favor though is there are very few people there so you'd likely have fewer other surfers in the water competing for the waves. Make sure you have a wet suit though if you're surfing in Pismo even during the summer. Another cool thing to do at Pismo is to catch the famed Pismo clams which grow as big as your fist.
If you're headed to San Diego, there's a pretty decent wine country around here...the best area from what I've heard is Temecula, which I think is less than a forty-five minute drive from here.
Last time I was in Santa Monica I ate at The Lobster. Great seafood, a bit pricey but worth it, good view of the ocean although depending where you sit that ferris wheel on the pier can get in the way.
With all due respect, I wouldn't spend my time going to Temecula to look at wineries. Unless things have radically changed in the past decade it is more a suburban desert community. I'd rather spend the day walking around Balboa Park.
Paladin, yes i certainly will. Another week though before im home to do it so will do it properly with photos then. To summarise, thats me 1week in. Have ticked off the following: - San Francisco, both city centre + Fishermans wharf. Rode the cable car - Alcatraz - Nappa wine tasting - Clam chowder - Monterey + Carmel - Whale watching (saw humpbacks + blue whales) - Pebble beach - Drove Big Sur - awesome!!! - Shory stops at Hearst Castle, Morro Bay, Pizmo Beach - Santa Barbara - the likely site of Big Stalls HQ when the lottery ship comes in - Drove through malibu - Santa monica and venis beach including being dragged up to participate in the dancing hustlers show when they needed a tall white man. Obviously given the location and subject matter i started doing my stretches woody harrleson style before we danced off. Got some good banter with the guys, the crowd loved my accent. Whistle stop tour of hollywood LA tomorrow for the wifes benefit before we head toSan Diego. Until next time.... PS, theres been some cracking sets of tits to be seen, and a few examples if complete morons. Loving it!
Dam right paladin, im ticking boxes, never been a sit on my arse holiday type. Today, early drive from santa monica up to rodeo drive so the wife could see it and get some pretty woman style facebook pics. Then up to Hollywood. Very easy drive through the city, Sumday morning. Late breakfast at Mels dinner just off Hollywood and Highland then time to go to San Diego..... The wife decides we need to see OC areas, Newport and Laguna beaches. Not quite on my itinary but fuck it, lets go. Jesus christ, 8 lane mental highways rigjt through the middle of LA, cars cutting infront of you both sides no warnings (no wonder forbin gets angry). Im busy doing my thing, shes getting uptight, oh lets come off at this one and go on normal streets.... lets not, thats compton or maybe even south central that the bloke from jar head told you all about on his end of tour! Anyway, bigstall tamed LA's freeways, went to the OC, got to San Diego, and is now a good many local craft beers down! Time to go mexican for dinner! San Diego zoo tomorrow - show me what you got!
I'm glad you liked Santa Barbara as I lived there for five years and would happily move back if I could afford a nice place there. Sadly, a tiny 1940's era shack which looks like it would fall down in a strong wind goes for ~$800k with actual nice houses going for much, much more. Santa Barbara is basically where dot com millionaires and Hollywood stars go to live the good life after they've become filthy rich.
If you go south of the border try some of the Baja Med cuisine and maybe drive 1 hour south of the border to Ensenada where they have a wonderful fish market and just east of the city is Baja's wine country in the Valle de Guadalupe (Guadalupe Valley). Here's a list of a few excellent Baja Med restaurants: http://gourmetpigs.blogspot.com/2009/07/baja-dining-experience-tijuanaensenada.html My top picks are Mariscos La Guerrerence in Ensenada (named the best street cart in the world by the New York Times), Mision 19 in Tijuana, Los Arcos, and Bistrot L'Escargot (both of those last two are in TJ). Anthony Bourdain (an American TV chef with his own travel and food show) has his own list of where to eat in northern Baja here: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/Jul/11/anthony-bourdains-fave-tijuana-restaurants-and-bar/
It looked lovely, parking was a real bitch in Newport though, im guessing everyone in the area wanted to go to the beach yesterday. If i had time i would have tried to squeeze in a night in the area.
Yea, I guessed you would need to have a good bit of money behind you to live in Santa Barbara. The houses dotted about the hills in Malibu probably cost a few bob too
WiFi available everywhere, superb! Breakfast burrito ordered, (my debut) and then San Diego zoo! Until later......
The free wifi is one of the strong suits of the large coastal cities in California. The state subsidizes it as they feel it helps promote business travelers and small business.
I lived there for a while myself! A beautiful old beach city, such a contrast from the surrounding planned communities. The streets are spaghetti, the addresses often include fractions, and no tract homes. Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo, and Irvine are practically Gattaca by comparison. Clearly the beach cities were the first to be settled.
It is by no means an insult, it's part of the city's charm! San Clemente is kinda like a hidden gem, a locals only sorta deal, a beautiful seaside community that doesn't get flooded with tourists. Ever been to the pier? Stunning view walking out and walking back and a blast to jump from! Yeah jumping off the pier is a goodness.* *Disclaimer - Do not jump off the San Clemente pier, it is illegal and dangerous.
I haven't been to that pier since the 1980's but I remember it is there. Honeslty, even though I live in San Diego's North County the only reason I go to San Clemente is to visit my aunt and I don't do that as often as I should. WRT jumping, yeah, they've made that illegal just about every where now. When I was a kid everyone would jump from the cliffs in La Jolla (near the park and shell shop) but after some idiot teen killed himself by doing it at low tide and timing it wrong they closed it to diving.
Cliff diving sounds much more dangerous than pier jumping. Tide and timing are everything for both yet a pier spans deep water while a cliff sits at shore's edge. That said I'm game, I'd jump off the cliffs in La Jolla!
I'm interested in hearing what Stallion thought of San Diego as it is my home town. Over at city data you see a lot of threads like this from tourists who visit the area but it's always nice to hear what a foreigner has to say. http://www.city-data.com/forum/san-diego/1904486-what-amazing-amazing-city.html
I'll update it properly when i get a chance. San Diego is cool and the array of beers is out of this world! Once i sober up its time to drive to vegas. As Ron says...... you stay classy San Diego!
Google "Las Vegas like a local" or Las Vegas off menu specials" as there are a ton of special deals at major restaurants designed to bring locals in with discount prices. My favorite is the "Lucky Sevens Special" at the Las Vegas Planet Hollywood which includes a 7 oz USDA Prme steak, seven shrimp, soup, salad (or baked potato if you prefer) along with garlic bread for $7.77. Usually it's a 12 oz steak for $20 so it's a pretty good deal but it isn't on the menu and you have to specifically ask for it. There is a ton of discount stuff like that. The best buffets are at Ceasars, Wynn, and The Ballagio. The Wynn has the best sea food restaurant in the city and their creme de la creme is their Faroe Island Langoustine which is the only place in North America where you can get "the best Lagoustine lobster in the world". Apparently they pick up any pollution at all in the water and their flesh turns to mush if the water isn't icy cold so, because of its isolated location, the Faroe Islands are the king of Langoustine.
http://www.departures.com/articles/worlds-best-langoustines Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare is the place to get sea food in Vegas in a non-buffet setting.
