Pismo Beach — April/May 2024

 

We took this short trip to Pismo Beach and nearby sites. Happily, the weather was mild and it didn't rain. The trip began with a ride to San Luis Obispo aboard Amtrak's Coast Starlight train.

Here's the view from our Pismo Beach hotel room:

More photos:

 - The trip as a whole

 - Sculptures at Sculpterra

 - Frank Lloyd Wright building in San Luis Obispo

In Paso Robles the next day, we visited an olive farm and Sculpterra winery and sculpture garden. (Photo album of the sculptures)

The following day we were at a Clydesdale horse ranch, including lunch in a barn with several of the horses. After lunch, we went on a short Morro Bay cruise. In the evening, we returned to the weekly evening downtown farmers' market in San Luis Obispo that we had visited in December. This time, I made a point of stopping at the doctor's office designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. (Photo album of this building)

We stopped at a luffa farm on the way home.

Autographs — John Scalzi

 

Today at the LATimes Festival of Books.

Click here for two photos from the event:

- John Scalzi and panel

- Barbara McQuaid

(Index to autographs) 

 

Autographs — Justin Torres

Justin Torres spoke at Occidental this evening. I haven't read the book yet, but given the subject matter and the appearance of many of the pages (see below), I'm surprised and impressed that it won the 2023 National Book Award for Fiction. 

(Index to autographs) 

Mérida — Jan/Feb 2024

Victor with his mother

Queso Relleno Yucateco made by Victor's sister

We go to Mérida so often that I don't usually blog about it, but here are a few photos from our recent visit.

One of the highlights was Parque De La Plancha, opened in November 2023, built at a what used to be a railway station. Over fifty acres, it includes covered walkways, bicycle paths, a large amphitheater, an auditorium, a wading pool, a lake, an outdoor gym, a multipurpose sports field, a large food court, the Railway Museum, children's play areas, a skating rink. Click here for a photo album.

A few photos in Progreso:

And two more photos:

In one store in downtown Mérida 

At a Miró exhibit in downtown Mérida