Shaunna's Soliloquies

A Must-See Event

I don't think I'll ever go to Sea World again. Or any other aquarium with trained dolphins, for that matter.

And while I don't know if I have the nerve to watch The Cove -  after reading about it and watching this trailer - I feel it's important to support the filmmakers and the message they're trying to bring forth.

The next time you go swimming with the dolphins at a resort, remember the carnage... and at what cost it took for that industry to exist.

Boycott.

Stop it. 

Drive Your Car... (Beep beep'm beep beep yeah)

                                                                  

                                           
Time does fly, turn around turn around, yada yada... and before you know it a week's gone by and it's time for Travel Tip Thursday.

I really did plan on a nice longish post full of pics about one of my favorite nearby places, Ojai, California.  But it's already getting late and I don't have the fortitude to stay up until midnight.

Consequently, my tip today is merely to avoid the freeway whenever possible. Especially on a Sunday afternoon.
Southbound 101 going through Ventura... fifty miles to Los Angeles, and it remains like this the entire way on Sundays.

I'm pretty sure this is a consistent happening around any major urban area. As much as NorCal likens themselves superior to SoCal the freeway situation simply isn't all-that-different, as another view of the southbound 101 going to San Francisco illustrates:


It's backed up like this for a solid fifty miles north to Santa Rosa in Sonoma County, but The Gate is so recognizably picturesque.

Beep beep'm beep beep yeah.

O Happy Day

What a joyous video... it simply brings a smile to my face. (And lets me momentarily put aside cynicism regarding matrimony.) Thanks to Kevin and Jill for sharing their auspicious start and dance to Forever (groom's own description with an seconding "yes Forever") down the aisle with the rest of the world:

 Taking a cue from my sis Psuedo it's time for Travel Tip Thursday .   

                                          

The idea is to enjoy what's available nearby, and share those local amenities from a vacation mindset. Isn't life much more agreeable when everyday drudgery is shrugged off for a bit?

I live in Ventura, California (the formal name is San Buenaventura), and the town is the absolute essence of the quintessential California beach town. It's fifty miles north of Los Angeles, and the county's still rooted in agriculture. Which means it hasn't quite yet become part of the monster sprawl that consumed all points south between LA and San Diego.  There's lots to do and future Thursdays will have further nifty travel tips, but as today the temperature was in the 80s we're going to the beach.

Point the car north on Highway 101 for approximately twelve miles and stop on the Ventura/Santa Barbara county line. This is The Rincon... world renowned surf spot and one of the best beaches ever.  You can either turn left or right for public parking, smack dab in the center there are pricey beachfront homes.  I prefer to go right and park high on the bluff, where there's a long sloping trail, or a set of steep stairs going down to the beach. For thirty years Bates was the local nudie beach, but that's all past now. It's a long gorgeous beach, a great walk, and best of all sometimes there's shells.

                                

                                

                                
    
Another favorite is about twenty miles south of Ventura (Hwy 101 to Los Posas Rd., Las Posas west to Hwy 1, then Hwy 1 south), and you're on the way to Sycamore Cove Beach.  

                              

The road leads to what once was Surf and Sand (what an fantastic school bus ride that was twice a day, eh?) Anyhoo, it's now a state park, and quite the nice place to spend the day.

                                 
                               South side, Castle Rock (& flock of pelicans)

                               

                                        North side, Hwy 1 over Sycamore Creek

There are lots of other local beaches, but perhaps we'll leave them for another Travel Tip Thursday. For now, here's a sunset view from Ventura to the Island of the Blue Dolphins.

                                 

Sarah Palin's coming to Ventura County.

And Carrie Prejean.

Of course, both events are in the far eastern part of the county... Simi Valley.

Another illustration of why west is best.  Besides the fact that the ocean's over here.

 

Let's Go To the Beach

 Taking a cue from my sis Psuedo it's time for Travel Tip Thursday .   

                                          

The idea is to enjoy what's available nearby, and share those local amenities from a vacation mindset. Isn't life much more agreeable when everyday drudgery is shrugged off for a bit?

I live in Ventura, California (the formal name is San Buenaventura), and the town is the absolute essence of the quintessential California beach town. It's fifty miles north of Los Angeles, and the county's still rooted in agriculture. Which means it hasn't quite yet become part of the monster sprawl that consumed all points south between LA and San Diego.  There's lots to do and future Thursdays will have further nifty travel tips, but as today the temperature was in the 80s we're going to the beach.

Point the car north on Highway 101 for approximately twelve miles and stop on the Ventura/Santa Barbara county line. This is The Rincon... world renowned surf spot and one of the best beaches ever.  You can either turn left or right for public parking, smack dab in the center there are pricey beachfront homes.  I prefer to go right and park high on the bluff, where there's a long sloping trail, or a set of steep stairs going down to the beach. For thirty years Bates was the local nudie beach, but that's all past now. It's a long gorgeous beach, a great walk, and best of all sometimes there's shells.

                                

                                

                                
    
Another favorite is about twenty miles south of Ventura (Hwy 101 to Los Posas Rd., Las Posas west to Hwy 1, then Hwy 1 south), and you're on the way to Sycamore Cove Beach.  

                              

The road leads to what once was Surf and Sand (what an fantastic school bus ride that was twice a day, eh?) Anyhoo, it's now a state park, and quite the nice place to spend the day.

                                 
                               South side, Castle Rock (& flock of pelicans)

                               

                                        North side, Hwy 1 over Sycamore Creek

There are lots of other local beaches, but perhaps we'll leave them for another Travel Tip Thursday. For now, here's a sunset view from Ventura to the Island of the Blue Dolphins.

                                 

West Is Best

Sarah Palin's coming to Ventura County.

And Carrie Prejean.

Of course, both events are in the far eastern part of the county... Simi Valley.

Another illustration of why west is best.  Besides the fact that the ocean's over here.