I see a text from my friends Nancy and Matt from Orange County that they’d like to drive down to San Diego to meet with me today. I’m excited to see them again after about 2.5 years. We had a lot of fun last time with some of the highlights being that they took to me to Disneyland and also to a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert. They’re some of the friendliest people I know.
First I do my morning workout and after breakfast I head to the Starbucks where I also worked yesterday. It’s again very cold this early in the morning, but when the sun is coming up I see it’s going to be a beautiful day again. Bright blue skies, I really love the Californian weather. Work is not too busy. It’s nice that it’s a bit quieter around Christmas. Around eight in the morning my friends arrive at the coffee place. It’s great to see them again. It actually doesn’t feel like it’s been a few years since the last time. Matt proposes to go to a place called Julian. At first I think that’s neighborhood in San Diego, but when we start driving out of the city he explains that its an old miners town in the mountains. Being with Matt and Nancy is always a fun surprise and so also today. It’s about an hour driving during which the landscape changes quite a bit. The town of Julian looks really cozy and old-fashioned. There are a lot of restaurants and cute little shops. As we walk by an old diner, I propose to go inside. It’s a great place with many things to see. There are vintage signs, 50s style booths and a long bar where we take a seat. There is an old-fashion soda fountain where they hand make soda’s. I see a Sunday ice cream on the menu and decide to go for it. Matt also orders some fries which we happy share. The ice cream is huge, with brownies in the bottom, vanilla ice cream and whip cream on top. The people at the restaurant are really friendly and there is a lot to look at. Close to the ceiling is a rails with a little toy train riding all around in the restaurant. There are old signs on the walls and in the corner is a basement with a sign Candy Corner. It’s decorated like a cave and inside it’s filled with candy. Everything is very original and I enjoy being in this place. I feel so happy while enjoying the ice cream and handmade soda. This morning I had no idea that the day would go like this. Life is full of great surprises.
The rest of the day we spend walking around town and checking out the little stores. It’s a bit colder here in the mountains, but I love the fresh air. My favorite weather is when the sun is warm and the air is cold and fresh.
In the afternoon we have delicious barbecue food and some great local IPA beers at one of the restaurants. And before we leave, we enjoy some Julian apple pie, something the town is famous for and part of the reason why my friends came up with the idea to visit Julian. The pie is really delicious, I understand why it’s famous. We walk a bit more through town after that. Time flies by and when it’s starting to get dark, we drive back to San Diego. Like always with Matt and Nancy, it’s a really fun time again. Today was a great surprise and I enjoyed every moment of it. I definitely hope to meet with them again some time during this trip.
