southern california road trip to visit UC campuses

Parents Forum
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<p>Coureur--as a GUY, you forgot to mention good shopping malls in San Diego. Horton Plaza, in the gaslamp (?) district, is on multiple levels with a few large anchor stores (Nordstrom and Macys) and lots of others, including a big Urban Outfitters and lots of more local non-chain stores. </p>

<p>Also the new ballpark is supposed to be great, although of course February is spring training so...nothing going on. But often ballpark tours can be interesting for baseball fans, even in the offseason.</p>

<p>Old Town also has fun shopping--Mexican imports, inexpensive crafts, early California history stores and shops.</p>

<p>I grew up in Carlsbad, glad to see it has a decent restaurant now. In the 50s, you can imagine that it had just a diner, a "fancy" restaurant (the Twin Pines), and beach hamburger shacks....</p>

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<p>Mom60, back in my days at UCSB, Devereux beach and westward was clothing optional. I well remember my first visit from my apartment down to the beach when my conservative midwestern parents visited me over Christmas. When a guy ran by throwing a frisbee to his dog...</p>

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<p>AvoidingWork: Le Petite Cafe on Coloardo Ave. in Santa Monica. Looks like nothing. At the front end of a light industrial business park. A friend says it has the best lobster bisque she's had this side of Paris. I dunno about that but it's pretty good. And at that point, you're with three blocks of TheDad's domicile...shout "CC!" out loud and see if anyone comes running. If he looks like Johnny Depp, it's me.</p>

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<p>Actually I think that we should hire all of the above posters to give us the southern California college tour :). I am tempted to add a Claremont College (probably Scripps) to the list, but on the other hand 3 schools may be more than we can handle.</p>

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<p>What? I mentioned the malls - including Horton Plaza. I wrote:</p>

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<p>I haven't earned a black belt in shopping nor am I a licensed mall analyst, like some wome...uh, I mean like some people I know, but I tried to cover them.</p>

<p>I thought about mentioning the new ballpark, but with Opening Day still months away, there wasn't much point for a college trip happening soon.</p>

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<p>Old Town USED to have great Mexican restaurants, but Casa De Bandini and the the others are gone - closed down in some kind of business takeover. I don't know the details. From what I've heard the replacements that have since opened up are disappointing.</p>

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<p>newmassdad- I was there yesterday and I didn't see anything I didn't want to see. I walk on the bluff not the sand but still I think those days are gone. Ton's of surfer's out the surf was huge. My husband said I was torturing him having him out there without a board.Not to many joggers since school must still be on break. I never get tired of seeing the ocean.
More Mesa is the clothing optional beach and I think also the beach at Summerland.</p>

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<p>Oops, Coureur--sorry--I thought I had read through carefully but obviously not. My vision is going.....apologies</p>

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<p>I'll "third" the recommendations for Versailles in LA - I've been experimenting in my kitchen trying to reproduce (haven't hit it yet!)their garlic citrus chicken - definitely a fave of all five in our family! It's only $9 or so for a half chicken, beans, and rice. And another hearty "yes" to the Inn at Playa del Rey - just a lovely, tranquil haven amidst the noise of LA. Those are among the things I miss most since D1 left LMU.</p>