January 21, 2026 We are on a mission to visit all of California’s 21 historic Missions (pun intended). The Mission San Diego de Alcala was established in 1769 and is the first of the historic Californian Missions. For that reason, it is sometimes called the Mother of the Missions. It is named for a FranciscanContinue reading “Mission San Diego de Alcala, San Diego, California, USA”
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Old Town, San Diego, California, USA
January 21, 2026 Old Town, San Diego, is the site of the first European settlement in California, dating back to 1769, when it was founded by Spanish Army officer, Gaspar de Portola and Franciscan missionary, Juniper’s Serra. Today, it mainly caters to tourists, with restaurants, stores and markets selling Mexican food, pottery, and assorted otherContinue reading “Old Town, San Diego, California, USA”
USS Midway, San Diego, California, USA
January 20, 2026 Commissioned just eight days after the end of World War II, USS Midway was the largest aircraft carrier in the world until 1955 as well as the first ship that was too big to go through the Panama Canal. She operated for 47 years and saw action in the Vietnam war andContinue reading “USS Midway, San Diego, California, USA”
Signal Hill, Long Beach, California, USA
January 10, 2026 Signal Hill is the highest point in Long Beach. In 1921, oil was discovered there and within a few years the hill was covered with so many wooden oil derricks that it was nicknamed “Porcupine Hill” by the locals. In fact, during the twenties it was the most productive oil field inContinue reading “Signal Hill, Long Beach, California, USA”
San Juan Capistrano / Laguna Beach, California, USA
January 8, 2026 San Juan Capistrano is a town in Orange County, about an hour’s drive south of Long Beach. We started our visit there by having lunch in the Los Rios Historic District, which is California’s oldest continuously inhabited residential neighborhood. The main attraction in the town is its Mission. There are 21 historicContinue reading “San Juan Capistrano / Laguna Beach, California, USA”
Lakewood, California, USA
January 7, 2026 One thing Long Beach and Lakewood have is an abundance of classic American diners, so we have decided to start checking them out. First on the list was Heritage Family pantry where we enjoyed a classic diner breakfast of eggs over easy, hash browns and a side of turkey bacon.
Tarzana, California, USA
January 1, 2026 Lauren’s sister, Marcy, lives in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Tarzana. Located in the San Fernando Valley (AKA The Valley), the land it sits on was once owned by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the creator of Tarzan, hence the name. Burroughs led an interesting life. Born in Chicago in 1875 he graduated fromContinue reading “Tarzana, California, USA”
El Dorado Nature Center, Long Beach, California, USA
October 29, 2025 Right in the middle of Long Beach is the El Dorado Nature Center, 105 acres of forest, surrounding a stream and two lakes. Our daughter-in-law, Kylie, guided us through the trails that wind through the Center. Along for the ride was our new grandson, Oli, who was experiencing his first stroll throughContinue reading “El Dorado Nature Center, Long Beach, California, USA”
Pasadena, California, USA
October 23, 2025 Our good friends Todd and Kristin live in Pasadena, which is about ten miles northeast of downtown LA. Todd took us for a tour through their beautiful neighborhood. First stop was the home of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The US Courts of Appeals review decisions from the District Courts andContinue reading “Pasadena, California, USA”
Palos Verdes, California, USA
October 22, 2025 The Palos Verdes (Spanish for green sticks) peninsula lies just west of Long Beach. With its beautiful views over the Pacific, it is home to some of the area’s wealthiest neighborhoods and fanciest resorts. We drove over there and went for a walk along one of its coastline trails. We came acrossContinue reading “Palos Verdes, California, USA”
Mal and Lauren 