SOLTuesday: A Busy, Busy Day in San Diego

            In my first full day here, after four days in Los Angeles and a train ride yesterday down the coast, I had a lot to do.

            First, laundry. I am staying at a Shell Vacations Club location, which means each guest room is a tiny apartment, with full kitchen, and a laundry room in the basement. So I could do my laundry just as if I were at home and not wait for the usual “next-day service” of a hotel.

            Next, I had to get a senior public transit card. This trip I haven’t rented a car, hoping to do a lot of walking, and buses when necessary. When I was in L.A., I thought I had purchased a reduced-fare card at a machine, but it still charged me the full adult fare on subsequent rides, so I decided I had to buy my reduced-fare card from a human being, showing whatever ID was needed. But how to get to that person?

            One of the desk clerks gave me directions, by bus and trolley, to the Transit Center, which didn’t take too long. Once there, I went back and forth with the clerk about what would be the best method, since reduced-fare cards were available only as a one-day pass or a monthly pass. Since I’m here for a week, it made more sense to get the monthly pass ($25) rather than a one-day pass ($23), because each day I would have had to tell the bus driver that I was paying for a one-day pass and pay $3 in cash. With the monthly pass, I just hold the card against a special reader on the bus.

striped bass lunch

            Okay, now I had the card. Where next? I had to get to an Apple Store because the battery on my iPhone has been acting erratically for the past few days. But I also needed lunch, since it was after 2 p.m. So I took the trolley and bus back to the neighborhood where I’m staying and where I’d had dinner with an old friend the night before. This was at Cocina de Barrio, an upscale modern Mexican restaurant with Oaxacan specialities. Last night, I’d had the braised short ribs with traditional mole; today for lunch, I had the striped bass fillet with a mole amarillo. Both were delicious.

            Finally, on to Fashion Valley Mall and the Apple Store. I only waited a few minutes to see a techie, and indeed, I did need a new battery. Replacement only took 40 minutes, time enough for me to visit a nearby Banana Republic and buy two long-sleeved sweaters, since the weather has been cooler that I had packed for.

            Back at my hotel, I’ve missed the wine and cheese on the rooftop lounge, but next Sunday, my last full day, there will be nachos and margaritas up there. I won’t miss that.

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