Old Town San Diego: So Much To Do

A few weeks ago my friend Linda, who lives in Bakersfield, called to tell me she and her husband Rod would be in San Diego for a few days for a business meeting. Would I like to come to Old Town and spend a few hours with her, she asked? Of course I would. Most of the time I have spent with her has been at her beautiful home in Bakersfield or in the Taft visiting room. A chance to see her somewhere else would be great. Well, I drove to Old Town, found a free parking space on the street, and was set for a day of fun.

Linda was staying at the Best Western Hacienda, right in the heart of Old Town. If you have visitors who want to stay in that area, this is an excellent choice. It has a very Mexican feel, with tile roof, and Mexican decor. The beds were very comfortable, and the lobby has several computers for the use by guests.

We started at the Morman Museum. I didn't even know it existed, but it was a 45 minute guided tour through a museum to show what it was like for the Morman Batallion, a group of 500+ volunteer Mormans who travelled from Iowa to California during the Mexican American War. Some brought families with them, others sent for wives and children after they were settled. It was quite interesting and something I didn't know anything about.

The tour made us hungry, so we headed for Casa de Guadelajara, a well known Mexican restaurant in Old Town. We had a beautiful table on the patio, and with weather in the 60's, it could not have been more perfect. A basket of chips and a chile releno later, we finally left to do a little shopping.

Lots of cute stores have been added to the newly remodeled Plaza. I only bought one thing, a bottle of hazelnut agave (sugar subsitute). If you haven't tried agave, you should. Linda bought two little leather bracelets for her and her daughter-in-law. We also stopped in the Temecula Olive Oil store, which is always fun to browse. They have a new store in Solana Beach, but the Old Town store is much larger and has more merchandise.

Our last stop was the beautifully renovated Victorian homes. Old Town has a small street with 5-6 homes, some of which you can actually go inside. A beautiful coral tree shades the area, and with benches for relaxing, it's the perfect spot to leisurely enjoy. One final note, the oldest Jewish synagogue, Temple Beth Israel, built in 1889, stands among these elegant historic homes.

Linda and I had a great time. She's a very crafty lady and a great cook, and was kind enough to bring me a delicious Asian plum sauce, made by her, from plum trees in Bakersfield. I couldn't resist opening it right away and trying it. I had some left over stir fry veggies and chicken that was fantastic with the plum sauce. She had also made a plum-vanilla concentrate that when added to seltzer water makes a refreshing fruit drink. I can't wait to try it. Anyway, our day was so much fun and I saw lots of Old Town which I hadn't seen before. Thank you Linda, for showing me part of my city in a new way.