St. Augustine Lighthouse

Posted on August 29, 2009 by TheJessicaness

It took us three visits before the weather was nice enough to allow us to the top – lighthouse policy. We met the 44-inch tall requirement and with military discount paid our $17 admission. We had access to climb the 219 spiral steps to the observation deck, about 14 stories high. This lighthouse was built of brick to replace the one made of coquina (sedimentary rock) and first lit in Oct. 1874. Since then, the lighting technique has been changed but the history remains. Staring out, now, through the windows there is still flat land as far as the eye can see, filled with little sailboats sitting in the Matanzas River and St. Augustine Inlet.

The lighthouse is surrounded by flowers and tall trees along a little path and small buildings for oil storage and the lighthouse keeper. The lighthouse has a first-order Fresnel (fray-nel) lens that allows the light to shine up to 24 nautical miles (approx. 28 land miles). The construction of which is thinner, larger, and flatter than the pre-Fresnel lenses prior to 1822. The complete lens is about 12 feet tall, six feet wide, and weighs three tons. A great place to visit to learn about the hard work and dedication many took, not only in St Augustine but, in many ports to ensure the safe arrival of sailors to our sandy shores.

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Fort Matanzas

Posted on July 19, 2009 by TheJessicaness

This was once the fort used to protect the rear entrance to St. Augustine; only firing once upon an enemy. Built in 1740 and commemorated in 1924, matanzas in Spanish means ‘slaughters.’ We arrived by a guided-boat tour and there was a guy on “duty” to teach us some of the fascinating history. We were able to climb through a small hole, about a square foot, using a vertical ladder that leads from the Officers Quarters, bed and desk, to the Observation Deck. Once up here,  we were able to see two original cannon and other replicas used for cannon firing demonstrations.

This is the Matanzas Inlet, the view from the Observation Deck, once protected by seven soldiers in a one-month rotation from a fort on Rattlesnake Island, now protected by the National Park Service. There is hiking trails available. I didn’t see any snakes or the Anastasia Island beach mouse, found only on the island, but saw plenty of the fiddler crabs (known for their one large claw) which is another popular inhabitant to these 200+ acres of salt marsh.

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Three Miles to Mexico

Posted on May 14, 2009 by TheJessicaness

pyramid of rice in Nile flood

I love vacations, birthdays, and imaginary deadly diseases. Birthdays are great but they only happen once a year – for some people. I associate birthdays with gifts and the present so any day that I have laughed until I cried or tried something new or taken a great photo is a birthday to me. Vacations are just as great. Any night not spent at home is usually a vacation, unless it’s prison, than I’d rather stay at home. I added the last one to the list for most people most of the time, but I know that time will come for me one day when I can blow my whole retirement, not going to be much, on a crazy trip to (insert anywhere here) and engage in some death-defying stunt because at that point I won’t have any excuses not to: rent, religion, bills. Good thing I don’t plan on a casket anyways!

Far from my birthday and no diseases yet, unless you count travelitis, this trip was another vacation. Even cooler was that it felt like I was having multiple vacations back-to-back. I went on a coast-to-coast vacation with Sparky, then we stopped for a week-long vacation with my Dad, and now another five-day vacation with Caleb. After this it will be another month of vacation as we make our way back to the Atlantic coast. This week would be spent mostly in the sand and near dining establishments between San Diego and Imperial Beach.

plastic pedestrian

Caleb had a friend that was familiar with the area and recommended we visit Old Town, San Diego and visit Cafe Coyote when we get hungry. We would know it was the right place if there were Mexican Tortilla Ladies out front making tortillas by hand. We showed up hungry, as did the birds, determined to eat. We ordered plates of burritos, fajitas, enchiladas, and ordered some more chips and salsa while we waited. The waitress watching my water get low offered to bring me a more refreshing drink – I accepted.

Oops, there must be some mistake. That doesn’t look like lemonade, but perhaps the waitress is bringing me a fish-bowl special – I’m vegetarian. Turns out, the waitress thought I was thirsty so she brought me the largest margarita available. So much for being hungry. We packed the rest of my food to go while I sat and attempted to finish at least half of this icy beverage. Thankfully Caleb was thirsty too or that would’ve been the end of our day. After hours more of walking, I needed a bathroom and we just so happened to pass by Clayton’s Coffee shop with pies, floats, and 80s music.

I ordered a slice of each pie from the menu while I ogled their register that had been around since the 60’s. More walking before calling it a night. I would have pie for breakfast and we were back out exploring. I wanted to go to Mexico but we don’t have passports – yet and Caleb would have to fill out a lot of paperwork when we get the chance. Three miles from the border was close enough to see the traffic and still have time to turn around and see the Welcome to California sign. Then we saw another sign more local to the area.

CAUTION - Running Families

Some people can’t believe I pulled over to take this picture; I can’t believe this sign actually exists. I thought it was used in a comedy once, but this sign can be seen going north from Mexico on I-5. Finding signs like this gives me insight into the unique situations that people of different areas find more common in their daily routine. We missed the chance to get any active pedestrians to go with the sign but it made for safer driving to the Gaslamp Quarter where soon I would be hungry again.

This time we stopped at La Fiesta and I had fried cheesecake with strawberries and whipped cream. Sparky was with us and the serving crew said he was fine outside as long as he sat on the other side of the fence for health-code reasons. That would’ve been fine if he couldn’t fit through the fence and he was scared of the visitors that he seemed to draw near. California never seems short of entertainment with street performers, live bands, and humorous homeless.

Another day in the city would bring more lights – day and night, music – cafes and boomboxes, art – museums and street corners, entertainment – people watching and window wishing, nature – green stuff, and food – lots of it. It’s great when I can visit somewhere and be immersed in culture and a medley of decades but I also enjoy being somewhere consumed completely with the time period or regional distinctions.

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A Night at The Wilshire Motel

Posted on May 10, 2009 by TheJessicaness

Santa Monica Beach

Caleb was enrolled in Outboard Engine Overhaul School at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. After he would get out of school in the afternoons we would take Sparky to the Dog Beach where he was allowed to run around without a leash, the dog that is. After school finished we would begin the drive across America to his next duty station, Naval Station Mayport. He was in school for two weeks and this gave us a weekend of exploration in southern California. For both outings, my Dad had kindly prepared a half guided/half reserved itinerary which kept us from getting overwhelmed with the big ‘what to do?’ question. I had picked this information up on my way through Phoenix, AZ.

Our weekend began early, as do all our vacation days. We reached Huntington beach at 8:00am and got out to stretch our legs. We are not use to all the pedestrian traffic on  a non-holiday/event weekend; we get caught up in the ambiance temporarily before we are back in the car. We drove through West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica. We got our picture taken with people dressed as celebrities and then walked Hollywood Blvd’s Walk of Fame and visited Grauman’s Chinese Theatre Forecourt of Stars’ Footprints.

Woody Woodpecker

Having lived in a place that has a tourist season, Virginia Beach, I should’ve known that a place that has tourists all year would have the same ‘No Public Restroom’ policy. I got lucky eventually when I found a place willing to sell me a bottle of water, how helpful, (I could drink it down and then use it) and give me a coin to insert into their bathroom door lock. Just so happens, the janitor was in the doorway and I got to use the bathroom and keep the coin as memorabilia, or in case I needed it later.

My Dad recommended Mashti Malone’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream for rose water or saffron falooda. We found lunch next door at the Sultani Restaurant. After all this energy intake it was time to burn some off at the beach; toes in the sand, wind in the hair, sun on our faces. Where we parked the car we could see houses and trees on one side and big rocks, sand, and surf on the other. We made our way around birds, kids buried in sand, plants washed ashore, sunbathers and enjoyed some time letting the water touch our feet.

Pacific Coast

Off to the Wilshire Motel to get good parking. We had been reserved the room directly across from the office and were able to park our car in the cubicle-like space available between two rooms; there are not many of these great spaces available so we were grateful. For those that arrive after us, they would be offered free parking around the corner. If we thought that was going to be a long walk, we were in for a treat to the 3rd Street Promenade.

We took our time getting down to the beach taking pictures of plants, birds, window art, signs, structures, people, and paintings in the making. We get there early and walk to the pier and along the park. Tonight’s entertainment will consist of many a street performer singing, flipping, balancing, dancing, juggling, and making money disappear. We got to enjoy trees lit up with white lights and patio dining at all the restaurants. We had another early day ahead of us and a long walk tonight.

pigeon booth on Wilshire Blvd

In all the excitement, I hadn’t realized we walked three miles to the beach; we would walk just as far before we could rest our tired parts. Caleb ended up carrying Sparky for awhile to try and speed up the process between my random picture taking. Now I have some insight as to why some people get strollers for their dogs – the cement on the sidewalk can eat away at the padding on their feet or they have lazy dogs. Sparky was ready to curl up in the nearest bush and Caleb was more than willing to use him as a pillow.

The room was sufficient for what we needed: a bed to sleep in, a shower to wash in, and an over-sized area (closet) with dresser for our one bag. Out before the sun and we are on our way north to Malibu which is not as Malibu-Barbie as I expected. We pass fancy homes cliff-side and beautiful terrain adjacent to the road. Soon we are in the hills pausing in the road to keep the view available awhile longer. It’s marvelous to see hills, trees, bushes, sand, water, and fog all doing their part this morning to paint us a wonderful piece of eye-candy.

hard-pressed wooden faces

I enjoy what seems to be random in this area. There are winding roads that sometimes you lose sight of and when out of the car could imagine you are somewhere else entirely. There are cactus and homes of adobe that give a desert feel to the countryside filled with purple wildflowers and jackrabbits. We miss our exit, unknowingly, and this gives us the chance to see a home in the valley down a steep drive, to see white wildflowers and rocks stare at us from the hills, and to drive through thick fog with a few feet of visibility.

We are closer to our lunchtime goal when we notice a grey car covered in red reflectors except for the lights, windows, and tires. We are lucky to pass a local market and get close parking to check it out. Sparky is not allowed to look around with us, so he guards the car in the shade. We get to try local cheese and oranges and almost buy an entire cake before we realize we already have plans for lunch on the corner of Willoughby Ave and N Fairfax Ave at the Oki Dog. We order a pastrami burrito and some fries; what we got was a whole leg of cow, a grocery bag full of veggies, and a sandcastle-size bucket of cheese and flavoring all wrapped in a couple of feet of tortilla.

objects in image are larger than they appear

There had to be at least three whole potatoes worth of fries on our tray! The service was fast and served with a smile. The price was great considering the mound of food we had to contend with. It’s sunny out and we’re in no rush, but I don’t remember how much I finished before I was in a taste-overload induced semi-coma. Caleb is busy reconsidering my Dad’s math skills – when he said enough for two people, “Are you sure he didn’t mean four?” This will be all the food we need to get us through the rest of the day. Is it noon yet?

There is another market going on; it looks like a tent event. We get our little green star stamp of approval for entry and make our way around. There are homemade dresses, purses, jewelry, dog wear, wood crafts, and metal arts. There are food vendors that we keep at a distance. Some booths seem more like yard sales with old family pictures, chairs, and shiny heirlooms. The weather is nice, the people are friendly, the food is filling, the activities never ending. The only thing so far not to like about this place – smog.

next to Tailwaggers on N Fairfax Ave

Off to the LACMA, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, to drive around to find the underground parking which will keep the car and the dog cool. I expected a line and the place was built for one but we must have arrived just as the first wave made their way inside. There was some art that caught my eye but the main piece was a steel installation almost 13-feet tall, Band, done by Richard Serra in 2006. The museum itself had some eye-catching architecture and designs.

Three hours later it is time to drag ourselves away from here to have a peek at the Le Brea Tar Pits and they are just that – tar. The pits are part of the Page Museum and offer a different view into the preserving ability of tar, a deadly substance. A drive through Korea Town and soon we are walking around Little Tokyo checking all the windows of the over 50 restaurants and shops looking for a circular bread item – imagawayaki. I almost got distracted by Boba tea, taro is my favorite, and then I saw them.

imagawayaki at Mitsuru Cafe

A couple of years prior my Dad had taken me on a trip exploring the different regions of California, or perhaps just the culturally different foods of Los Angeles. We had stopped at a corner shop somewhere and he had me try this foreign, strange to me at the time, snack. I thought it a bit too sweet at the time, but something about the snack kept it entering my mouth until it was gone and I was determined to find this experience for my husband. The treats are made while you watch, and sold, at Mitsuru Cafe.

I didn’t realize they actually sold anything else. I watched the lady flip the bean paste-filled mini-cakes and then quickly ordered ten to go. I was oblivious to the cost or my surroundings as I took that first bite; they are still sweet, but still utterly delicious. I’m not sure Caleb shares the same taste, but he was happy, as always, to see me smile. I do have to agree with others that have tasted them – they are better hot off the grill. This would be our last stop for the day before heading back to Coronado; or so I thought.

sunset in Oceanside

The sun was getting close to the horizon and I wanted to watch it set. We raced to the nearest exit and parked in the first empty spot we saw. We went running down the sidewalk to catch a glimpse, well worth it and amazing, and then lingered on the beach and walked out on the rock jetty to soak in the moment. To finish the night we would stop at Robin’s Nest Cafe for an alcoholic beverage and something to replace the space Oki Dog had filled all day. And now, we could head back to Coronado, still an hour away, and the sky would be an excellent shade of darkness to help us enjoy the lights of the bridge even more. Weekends can make the best vacations.

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Dear Jessica

Posted on February 27, 2009 by TheJessicaness

It has been ages since you wrote a letter to yourself. You have miscellaneous entries all over the place but I figured now was a good time to once again evaluate your life. I’ve been trying to eat healthier food (without pesticides and BS in them) and use natural shampoo and I jog 4.6 miles most days (jog means a run under 10 minutes).

Caleb and I have been together for 4 years and married one. He has been on 13 months of deployment and at least 6 months of underways [out to sea]. If I had to describe him in 3 words they would be 1) smart – beyond his years and more understanding than he knows, 2) strong-minded and willing to choose friends and habits, and 3) sexy, we can go with 3 S’s.

We have a two-year-old rat terrier named Sparky “mostly white on the right” who is also my running partner. Our 2007 Hyundai Elantra has had three bumper replacements [two I wasn’t driving and the third I was rearended]. Out of all the places we’ve stayed in VA the one we’re in now is the smallest but it’s all the space we need with a loveseat on one wall and a TV screen as big as me on the other [at Indian Lakes].

As for friends, Eugene and his wife (and 3 kids) are the longest-standing in 4 years but Tiffany Melzer will always be on top [until she’s not]. After 2.5 years in the Navy, I went to 7-Eleven for 1.5 years. I work out at home and have yet to try yoga or volunteering, which would really get me out there. I want to meet other couples or cool individuals who like to eat healthy, play brain games, exercise, travel, try new things, volunteer, donate, and create new experiences and life memories.

I don’t know how long it will be until you read this again [15 years] but remember you are 22 and beautiful and healthy (doc checked) and should keep it that way. In the past 6 months, I’ve had my blood checked (something about my lymph), ears, and eyes. The doc says that my vision will get worse through my 20s, and I’m at – 0.75 now [shortsighted].

I won’t get glasses till I’m 50 [or 36]. My mom needs them at 44 and borrows her husband’s. Caleb is at -3.0 vision, wearing glasses his whole life until he switched to a contact in his right eye because his left is no good [for clarity and depth perception]. I recently got my wisdom teeth removed.

Next on my list of things to do is acupuncture, get my teeth whitened, and Sparky’s teeth cleaned. That will run me $140, $130, and $260. Peanut [my longest childhood dog] passed last year after 13 good years. Until next time self. I hope to hear from you soon.

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