If there is anything easy to find in Temecula it is a restaurant.  The number and variety of cuisines seem endless.
We had heard good things about Bluewater Grill Seafood Restaurant & Fish Market in uptown Temecula and so decided it would be perfect for dinner one evening.  However it took some finding on our part since we took an unwanted tour of the Promenade seeking it.  Finally using Bluewater's Hostess as our guide by phone we found it and were most grateful when we finally met Sophia. 
Once seated all went well.  This restaurant is all about seafood and shows a casual seaside ambiance both in the spacious dining room and bar lounge.   We looked over a menu that was perfect from our standpoint since we love seafood. Then we met General Manager Chad Simpson  who suggested we might want to try a couple of  the specialty  entrees by sharing two.   This proved an excellent plan.  I opened with the New England clam chowder then for our entrees we had the halibut  which came perfectly cooked with meat flaked as you touched it with the fork.  It came on a bed of corn bread topped with spinach..  My dining partner ordered and shared the pan seared sea scallops in a tasty sauce on a bed of grits and surrounded by corn and asparagus tips.
Now it was time for dessert and on the menu was Mud Pie, an item we had not seen in some time.  When it arrived it was not only most tempting but huge in size and even though both of us attacked with vigor we could not finish it.
We were so impressed with Bluewater Grill that we asked Manager Chad about some of the other locations and learned that both Santa Barbara and Redondo Beach also had Bluewater Restaurants.  In Temecula it is located at 25700 Ynez Court in the Tustin area.  Telephone 951 308-2722, web www.bluewatergrill.com.

One of the things we immediately noticed on arrival was how Pechanga is now a family oriented Resort.  Parents with small children were everywhere and the Pool and outdoor areas were especially popular for all ages..
Among the many new looks and services Pechanga now has a Spa in a separate two story building.  Here all the amenities and services of a modern Spa are offered.  My partner went for a massage while I chose a haircut to shed some of my curly locks.  Both of us left smelling and looking very well, thank you.  The Spa also includes an upstairs lounge equipped with refreshments and a perfect view of the adjacent golf course.
A tour of the wedding facilities showed a scenic outdoor setting as well as private dressing rooms for both bride and groom.   I inquired if golf reservations were available for the groom but this did not seem to be appreciated by the ladies present.
Wedding receptions are available at the skyroom atop the new North Tower which offers breathtaking 360 degree views of Temecula and its surrounding vineyards as well as the rugged mountains that shape what is known as the Rainbow Gap.  This Gap allows breezes from he Pacific Ocean to funnel into the Temecula Valley most afternoons, perfect for the vineyards and the quality grapes they produce.
The 18 hole Journey Golf Course has a clubhouse which almost defines description.  Walls and columns are constructed with natural rock and the club house  offers extensive facilities for the golfer.  In addition there is an outstanding restaurant and here we enjoyed a leisurely  breakfast.  My time as a golfer covered decades but was now over but as I looked over Journey at Pechanga I must admit to some pangs of  the game that can be loved and hated at the same time.
Besides its five hundred new rooms the North Tower also has a number of meetings rooms and during our visit a craft beer showing was taking place in one of immense halls.  On one of its elevated levels one evening we were treated to a preview of some of the new desserts that will be available including such delights as a chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich.
One aspect of Pechanga we especially noted.  This was the helpful attitude and courtesy of the staff which was immediately apparent.  This was always present and available.  We also liked the security offered which  while always present was never an inconvenience.

On our arrival at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula are first thought was wow, who needs Las Vegas.  Now with completion of its new North Tower there are one thousand sixty rooms, plus a complete Spa in its own luxurious setting,  and a pool with numerous private cabanas.   All these additions to the Casino which seems unending and a challenging golf course.
During our three day stay we fortunate to enjoy some of the many amenities and amusements that are available.  Our room on the fifth floor of  the new North Tower offered a scenic view of the surrounding mountains as will as fairways and greens of the golf course which is named Journey at Perchanga.
The room came with king size bed, a comfortable desk just right for a laptop and a bathroom would have liked to take home with us.
One evening we were treated to a buffet al fresco at what is called The Cove which is adjacent to a huge pool  surrounded by several smaller ones.  Here too  cabanas for use by families and private groups.  Our buffet was a showplace for the hotel chefs that cater private parties and weddings at the Resort.  This included a choice of salads with lobster or prawn toppers, then a selection of entrees like browned scallops pulled pork and sliced beef filet in a bacon wrap.  The desserts were especially designed for wedding receptions with ornate chocolate covered cheese cake and cookies with Mr. or Mrs. inscribed on them.  Wines were available from nearby Callaway Cellers located on Temecula's famed wine road.
Over the weekend we  visited several of the Resort's many restaurants and places for lighter fare including the Food Court at the Casino.  Here the choice includes American, Asian, Italian, and Coffee and Bakery among others.
One morning we had breakfast at Blends Coffee and Pastry and ordered bacon and egg sandwiches on a Bagel as well as a tasty blueberry muffin.  For lunch one day we were at The Cove adjacent to the Pool with a menu with offerings like popcorn shrimp, lettuce wraps, hamburgers, hot dogs and pizza, all in a shaded patio ambiance.  The walls here were living plants adding a refreshing touch of greenery to the scene.
The Pool area is huge and a center place perfect for families with small children as well as adults.

The fascination with America's Old West is world wide, much of it due to Hollywood Cinema.  However there are still towns that have maintained appearances of earlier eras and one of these is Julian located in San Diego's scenic back country.  And in Julian there is the oldest continuous operated hotel in California.  And here is a story.
Julian exists because an ex slave from Mississippi discovered gold in the surrounding hills and promptly started a gold rush to the region.  Another ex slave, this time from Missouri, decided the new town needed a hotel and opened one.  His name was Albert Robertson and the hotel was named Robertson Hotel which opened in 1897.  The Hotel quickly achieved fame especially the food served by his wife, Margaret.  After Albert's death she sold the Hotel in 1912.
 Since then it has passed through several owners but always remained in operation.  This makes it the oldest hotel in continuous operation in Southern California and as the result was placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of Interior in 1978. 
Today it is named the Julian Gold Rush Hotel..  Owners and operators are two generations of the Ballinger Family and under their management  is rated one of the best Bed & Breakfast hotels in the nation.
While offering 16 rooms and cottages, that all have private baths and air conditioning , the rooms show the furniture and decorations of early eras.  A stay here is a look back to another time while enjoying the present.  This was certainly our impression after our recent two nights and days spent at the Hotel.  Not only the guest rooms but the parlor and dining room of the main building are exquisitely furnished with all the trapping of an earlier century.
Some of the cottages have adjacent  secluded patios and our room looked out to Julian's main street and on a classic old western veranda there were chairs so we could sit and watch the activity of the town.
At Julian Hotel the breakfast served each morning was delicious and could have been from a much earlier menu.  Also there is an afternoon tea and this was a must for us both days served in such a picturesque setting.  Here this Writer met Janice Jack, Hotel Innkeeper and discovered that both of us were Brigham Young University alumni.  This allowed for much conversation.
Julian Gold Rush Hotel Bed & Breakfast is located at 2032 Main Street, Julian, Ca. 92036, Telephone 760 765-0201, e mail:julianhotel@gmail.com, web www.julianhotel.com.  Reservations 800 734-5854. 

Temecula and the surrounding valley is all about food and wine.  On our most recent visit one of the places we wanted to revisit was Thornton Winery's Cafe Champagne.   Through decades it has been a consistent award winning restaurant.  We knew that the restaurant had been redecorated and was showing a new menu as well.
When we arrived we were greeted by Tonya Wake, an old acquaintance, and when we stepped inside we were delighted with the bright color theme, a new arrangement of the seating and how it has all added to the ambiance.  Still intact are the picturesque views of the surrounding vineyards from the many windows.  Joining us for lunch was David Vergari, Thornton's winemaker and we had many questions for him as to the new vintages that have recently been added to the winery's portfolio.  Also joining us was Executive Chef  , who has been with Thornton twelve years but confesses to been in a kitchen for most of his 41 years.  This life long occupation also extends to David who spent years first in college and then in Napa and  vineyards in Northern California.
This presented the perfect opportunity to view and discuss the new menu as well as the matching of food and wine which has always been a hallmark at Cafe Champagne which has been a delight for locals and visitors since 1988.. 
At Thornton David produces a remarkable number of wines including several sparkling vintages.  Now he has a new Chardonnay as well as  Tempranillo and Syrah.  Also new is the French Malbec as well as two Italian varietals,  Sangoivese and Nebbiolo.
Chef  Ceasar Solarzano shows a menu this is large with many entrees showing his personal talents such as his salmon, filet mignon and chicken flatbreads or side dishes like warm duck confet.
Our luncheon opened with another of his specials, Brie en croute, then a salad with raisins, cashews with a special dressing.  Our Flat Bread steak proved to be a colorful display with both fruit and veggies.  From a long list of tempting desserts we chose the white and dark chocolate smoothed in cream and sliced strawberries.
Our wines were a sparkling rose, then a Syrah.
Cafe Champagne is at Thornton Winery located at 32575 Rancho California Road and the start of the wine trail.  It is open seven days a week, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Telephone 951 699-0099, web www.thorntonwinery.com.