the slo-life

Please go to my web links to find out what is currently playing, to get show times and directions.
San Luis Obispo is one of the few towns that have a working drive-in theater.
If you have kids, you will want to share the experience of a drive-in, before they are extinct.

Labels: drive-in, fun, movies, san luis obispo, vacaton

I am going to organize this blog in the coming weeks, so you will be able to navigate
to exactly what you are looking for. I will also make it easier to find a recommendation
for a good restaurant, hotel or activity.

I feel when you visit a town you want to view it as a local would. I want to eat where
the locals eat. They know where the food is good.

Whether it is a bargain breakfast, a deal on a fishing trip, or staying at a 4 star hotel
for $50,00 dollars a night,

they know what's good in town and where to find it.

And now, so will you.

What is new, you may be asking yourself, or you may be asking me. I am up to my eyeballs in learning materials. The information just keeps flowing in. I learn something new, only to discover I have only hit the tip of the iceberg. (Just in case you haven't heard that saying once today.)
As you can see, I started this blog some time ago. I took the long way in getting back to what I have started, but I hope you will be pleased with the direction this blog is heading.

A new concept has been adapted here. One that will take up less of your time, and allow you to get the information you seek with less effort on your part. It sounds to good to be true. I know, but
That is my intention, I hope you enjoy the new look and feel of the slo-life.

Labels: chapter 1

Oh how time flies. I just logged on to write my post and noticed that the last time I wrote was on August 23. Time does fly, and the older you get, the faster it flies.

School has just begun for all youngins, and that means more "me" time for mothers. That had me thinking about things I enjoy doing. One of them is getting out and enjoying the warm summer weather and riding my bike. One of my favorite bike rides is the Bob Jones Pathway in Avila Beach.

This trail is known for having no hills. Great for those of us that don't sport spandex. It's approximately 2 miles and sits bellow some of the most beautiful oak studded hills. The path is parallel to the creek, so there is a symphony of nature. The birds are singing the frogs are croaking and the creek is flowing in the background.


I thought that lizards and toads were not as plentiful as they were when I was a child, but after riding this bike trail, it gives me hope that they are still thriving in areas not so well traveled.

The trail starts at Ontario Road, off hwy 1, behind Avila Hot Springs. There are plenty of places to park your car. You can park on the side of the road or at a wine tasting room across the street from the pathway entrance.

The pathway is asphalt and the bushes are kept groomed back from the trail. That is a good thing because poison oak is easily spotted usually by its red and orange leaves, but is not a threat so long as you stay on the pathway.

The trail is so peaceful that it is easy to forget about everyone else, but there are a few busy streets that you must cross. These are well marked just be aware when taking smaller children.

The end of the trail is the recently upgraded Avila Beach. A great way to spend the rest of the day or the place to turn around and enjoy the trail one more time.

You can find more information on this and other useful topics at www.avilabeachca.com

Here's something that I find interesting. San Luis Obispo has a large Portuguese population. The majority of California's Portuguese population can trace their origins to the Azores, a string of nine volcanic islands 800 miles off the coast of Europe. Portuguese people began arriving in California on whaling ships during the 19th century, California has an active and deeply rooted Portuguese community, that is big on traditions. One of the biggest and little-publicized events is the Saint Anthony festa or celebration.

The food at these Portuguese celebrations is unique and delicious. I was told that long ago the people of Portugal were hungry, so the queen sold some of here belongings to feed the people. They bought bread, meat and cabbage. They placed the items in large pots with many spices and slow cooked it. When it was ready they fed everyone. The old, sick and the hungry.

The recipe today varies, but the spices are always kept secret, and is handed down from generation to generation.

Each town celebrates on a different weekend. Last weekend it was Pismo Beaches turn for a Festa. It's like a giant family reunion. Everyone is welcome, and you will be treated like family, even if you have never been before.

If you have never been to one, It is a great experience and fun for the whole family. I have found information on these events in my newspaper, in the community or local section.

Here in SLO town, there are a lot of kids hooked up by the internet. It's nice because they aren't judged by what they look like or how old they are. They play many on line games. One of them is on the Lego web site. My son is 14 yrs. old, and he likes to build cities and games, traps and secret doors. I find it interesting and like that it keeps his creative mind thinking.

I have noticed if he makes a friend, and the teen lives out of town, it is a way for them to stay in touch and talk to each other.

He has more friends now than he has ever had before. It gives him a way to, "break the ice," when he is among strangers. As soon as he mentions the word Lego, everyone starts talking about different worlds they have seen or made.

I know computers have received allot of negative reactions because of the violence, language, and sexual content, but that has to be the parents fault for allowing them to view it and not putting some limits or controls on the system.

Lego.com is for all ages. It is fun, and I would highly recommend it.

Here are my Top 5 reasons NOT to visit San Luis Obispo.

1. You don't like beautiful weather. SLO town has some of the best weather in the United States. In the summer, the days are in the upper 70's and in the winter the temperature averages in the 50's. The yearly total of rainfall is 22.6 inches. Mild temperatures, but you can enjoy all four seasons.
2. You don't like fresh air.The town is located minutes from the ocean. There is usually a nice lite breeze, and the air is never dry. It also smells clean and fresh.
3. You like traffic jams. We don't have over crowded freeways, rude people tired of it taking over an hour to get to work, when it's less then 10 miles away.
4. Enjoying yourself is not high on your priority list. People that live here love life, and they have no problem letting you know how it's done. Stop anyone on the street, and ask them anything. Where to eat, shop, directions or recommendations, we are more than happy to share our experiences and help you find what your looking for.

Now, you may ask me ,"why is there 4 reasons NOT to visit San Luis Obispo." To be quit honest, I was going to make it 5 reasons, but I could not come up with another reason to "not visit."

So, for the rest of you that might want to come see SLO town, I highly recommend it.