Olivenhain Colony

Although I have driven down Rancho Sante Fe Road many times, I only recently went far enough east to discover the Meeting Hall, Shanty and…

…boarded-up Hotel.

It was quite a surprise to see these old buildings in San Diego, just a few miles from the ocean and situated in a neighborhood of upscale family homes.

Charming.

But so out-of-place.

As if they were transplanted from the East Coast.

I walked inside the Meeting Hall on Saturday to check out their Craft Fair.

Sample homemade dill pickles.

And best of all, check out the interior.

What a treat.

And I am not just referring to the beautiful knitted finger gloves and matching hats on display and the boxes of homemade toffee.

Chance of Rain

Earlier in the week, they were forecasting 100% chance of rain for Saturday.

Then it dropped to 50%.

And started raining Friday night.

So it seemed highly unlikely that we would get much precipitation today.

Which is why I left my rain boots at home.

And wore flip flops.

But I took a sweater and an umbrella just in case.

The puddles just got deeper and deeper.

Palm trees got soggy.

And even though I made a mad dash everywhere we went, my ten little piggies still look like ten little prunes.

Pouf

If I could take home anything in this store.

It would probably be this ottoman.

The large.

Which sells for well over $2000.

It is cozy and homey and presents itself as a big ball of knitted yarn. And I don’t think this photo does it justice.

Mixture, on Kettner Boulevard, is filled with modern home furnishings and accessories.

With sleek lines.

Bold prints.

Interesting curves.

Check out their spacious showroom.

They also offer an enticing selection of soaps, jewelry, bags, books and ornaments.

It is not the same as taking home a Pouf.

But infinitely more affordable.

Problem with Lint

Over time fluffy fabric particles can transform into archeological finds.    

Our dryer went on the fritz.

It made all the right sounds but would only produce wet items.

Prior to this, our machine had been in a drying frenzy. Clothes were hot to the touch by the time we retrieved them. Even in the OFF position, the machine would keep spinning. Sometimes spontaneously turning itself on even when it was empty. This situation was managed by wedging a magazine to keep the door from engaging.

The washer was also problematic. It tended to take a walk when the clothes became unbalanced. A short-term solution involved rigging a piece of wire that kept the inside bucket nice and steady.

But it was time to think about replacements.

So we had a new Whirlpool washer and dryer delivered. The old set with the quirky personalities were loaded on the truck and hauled away.

Time to deal with the mound of laundry that had piled up.

The new washer not only cleaned the clothes but kept them tangle-free after the spin cycle. A definite plus.

The new dryer was the problem. The door opened, the light went on (a really fun feature) but it took three 70-minute cycles to dry one load. Which seemed odd.

Was this an energy efficient feature that wasn’t advertised?

Decided to check the manual.

Yep, we installed a new gas line.

Yep, we installed a new vent.

The duct should be cleaned out twice a year. TWICE A YEAR.

Oh.

That is a problem.

Come to think of it, there have been times, over the years, when fluffy pieces of lint appeared on our front lawn.

Time to climb out our second story office window and see what was going on.

Found the problem.

Our lint build-up had choked off the top of the duct.

Gloved hands dug out the mess.

Now all is well.

The rest of the clothes dried super fast.

I will make a mental note.

Do not wait 16 years to do this again.

Gelatina Encapsulada

At first glance, I thought these were glass paperweights.

Which goes to show my ignorance.

Because they are edible flowers.

Made from JELL-O.

Apparently it takes a deft hand and a syringe to create these too-pretty-to-eat Mexican desserts.

Dia de los Muertos

Last night I attended a celebration for loved ones that have passed away.

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a Mexican holiday.

Pictures of the departed and a tiny taste of something they enjoyed were placed on an altar lined with candles.

A Mariachi band entertained us all night long.

Skeletons were prevalent.

In sugar.

 Hanging in trees.

And painted on faces.

Diamond Jade, the San Diego psychic, was on hand to read tarot cards.

I started off fine with the High Priestess card and then got a hug when the Three of Swords turned up which is certain to cause pain. Was told that a person named Chris would be someone to look out for and not in a good way.

Not ten minutes later, these two fun-loving party-goers..

introduced me to their friend Chris and we all had a big chuckle.

It was quite a night.

Next time I will know what to wear for this type of event.

Architectural Salvage

If you like pieces with a bit of history.

Which I do.

Then this is the place to shop.

Because while you are busy perusing items like wall sconces...

and door hardware...

you might come across a perfectly adorable dentist sink with a pressure gauge that will cause you to stop and ponder.

Do I need this?

Where would I put it?

It is a shop designed to inspire and ask those kinds of questions.

So if you lean toward decor that has a past.

Head to Architectural Salvage on Kettner, near the airport, slightly off the beaten track.