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THE LOCALE AND LINKSIt is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with
tranquility: they must have action; and they will make it if
they cannot find it. ~ Charlotte
Bronte (British novelist; 1816-1855), from Jane
Eyre
Today’s Weather click here I will be your refuge for a while and trust you will enjoy spending lots of time within my shelter. In addition, I hope your stay will be long enough to enjoy some of the splendid recreation and entertainment nearby. I have been intrigued by so many tales of adventure and delight as my guests returned from a day out and about. Yet, as I am stationary and cannot give you a first-hand account, I am providing you with a glimpse into what is available on the Central Coast. A Perfect Hideaway – Come and stay awhileHalfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, quietly sitting between the Pacific Ocean and the rolling hillsides of open ranchland is the small town of Los Osos. It’s nestled along the southern tidal estuary of Morro Bay, on the smog-free coast of Central California. Los Osos is a short 20-minute drive from San Luis Obispo through lush agricultural and cattle grazing countryside, a short 5-mile drive from Morro Bay (home of the well-known Morro Rock) and is just a few hours drive from major metropolitan areas. The community is easily reached from Highway 101 on Los Osos Valley Road or from Highway 1 on South Bay Boulevard. With a population of nearly 15,000 the town is off the beaten tourist tract and is surrounded by thousands of acres of State Parks and nature preserves overlooking Morro Bay. The north coast area of San Luis Obispo County is a haven for artists, wine and food aficionados, water sports enthusiasts, antique collectors, hikers, mountain bikers, equestrians, and people who appreciate quiet, undiscovered get-away locations. When the lure of open spaces calls you, follow winding country roads to award-winning vineyards for wine tasting, or to grassy hilltops for a picnic overlooking the Pacific. Beautiful Hearst Castle is just 35-minutes away, and beyond that is the splendor of the Big Sur coastline. Mileage To Los Osos
San
Luis Obispo County Calendars of events . Wine & Dine Here, you will find a wonderful variety of dining choices — from elegant, richly appointed fine restaurants to good old-fashioned home cooking in cozy western ranching atmospheres — serving for a full range of budgets. Each restaurant is unique in character, and many offer an excellent dining experience. Each area within the county has many great dining choices covering almost every cuisine, from "five-star" restaurants to fast food and carryout. In Los Osos there are many choices, including: La Casita, 10th Street Grill, China Palace, Noi’s Little Thai Takeout, Big Daddy’s Pizza, Celia’s Garden Café and Desserts, DiStasio Ristorante Italiano, Jimmy Bumps Pasta House, Las Cazuelas, and Sylvester’s for the world best hamburgers. Carlocks Bakery is open everyday except Sunday and Monday, and the 3rd Street Bakery is only open on Saturday mornings, but is worth driving all the way from LA just for their fabulous breads. Morro Bay is 5 miles north and features a fabulous array of cafes and restaurants. Some of the most popular with locals and visitors are Harada’s Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar, Bayside Café, Flying Dutchman, Windows on the Water, Dorn’s Original Breakers Café, Galley Restaurant, the Hofbrau (for a fabulous waterfront lunch) and Taco Temple on Highway One which features a unique fusion of Californian and Mexican flavors. In Cayucos, 12 miles north, try the Sea Shanty, Hoppes, Duckies Chowder House, Cass House, Schooner's Wharf, Café Della Via, Martins, Skippers, O’Neills Coffee, to name just a few. Cambria, about a 30-minute drive north, has many excellent restaurants including the Black Cat Bistro, Cambria Pines Lodge Restaurant, Linn’s, Robin’s Restaurant, Mustache Pete’s, Moonstone Beach Bar & Grill, The Sow’s Ear Café, to name just a few. San Luis Obispo, located 12 miles southeast on U.S. Highway One has many choices. Most of the area’s restaurants feature local wines that rival France's finest wines. San Luis Obispo County now has over 170 wineries and most offer tasting rooms and tours. Many area restaurants feature local produce and fresh, locally caught fish and many will prepare meals "to go" which is especially fun for a day's wine-tasting excursion to the wineries throughout the area. A growing number of local restaurants serve locally raised Hearst
Ranch beef. Since 1865, the Hearst family has raised cattle on
the rich sustainable native grasslands of the Central Coast. This
extraordinarily flavored beef is grass-fed and humanely raised. The Heart of the Wine Country -- Destination After a long dormancy, modern commercial viticulture began to take hold in the early 1970s. Acreage of vine has increased almost four fold since 1990 with 27,600 acres currently under vine. Of all these appellations, Paso Robles is gaining the most attention with structured Cabernet Sauvignon and Rhone varietals, produced by a dynamic group of young winemakers. A maritime influence affects the southern appellations, as their east-west valleys allow cool Pacific breezes and coastal fog to enter unencumbered. Towards the north, York Mountain has just one winery, the longest continuously operated winery in the county. The largest and warmest appellation is Paso Robles that is protected from much of the coastal influence by the Santa Lucia Mountains. The southern portions of San Luis Obispo County wine region is comprised of three pristine viticulture areas: the Edna Valley, Arroyo Grande Valley and Avila Valley. The small, mostly family-owned wineries are well known for their handcrafted bottlings of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, Grenache, Viognier, Zinfandel and more. The number one wine grape variety in San Luis Obispo County is Cabernet Sauvignon with 8,600 acres. Merlot is second with 4,200 acres. There are about 170 wineries in the County. In the north county, near Paso Robles, the distinct microclimates and diverse soils, combined with warm days and cool nights, make growing conditions ideal for producing more than 40 wine varietals from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, to Syrah, Viognier and Roussanne, to Zinfandel, the area’s heritage wine variety. For more information go to: California’s New Oil Boom – Olive
Oil Area Points of Interest The Hearst Castle In 1927, William Randolph Hearst told architect Julia Morgan that he wanted to built "a little something" on the California coast. Eighteen years later, Hearst Castle crowned La Cuesta Encantada, Hearst's "Enchanted Hill" above tiny San Simeon. The castle is a 165-room Moorish castle with 127 acres of gardens, terraces, pools and walkways, furnished with Spanish and Italian antiques and art, flanked by three large guesthouses. When Mr. Hearst was still alive, Hearst Castle had a zoo, tennis courts and two magnificent swimming pools. After he died, the Castle was donated to the state. Today the state Park Service preserves Hearst Castle as a State Historical Monument. There are a variety of daily tours offered and it will take more than one tour to see it all! Reservations are required for the tours (800-444-4445) but the Monument headquarters at San Simeon is open daily and offers film tours, a gift shop, and museum. http://www.hearstcastle.com/ The Seals of Piedras Blancas Lighthouse This is one of California’s largest populations. The elephant seal colony is currently 7,500 strong and is a rich educational opportunity for people to see, study and photograph these amazing mammals. Trained docents are on hand to answer questions. The seals come to Piedras Blancas to mate, birth their pubs, and sun themselves on the sandy beaches. There are viewing areas provided for the public to pull off of Highway One. Bring your camera! Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Antique Shopping & Artist Village Morro Bay As a bird sanctuary, Morro Bay provides a nourishing habitat to more than 250 species and over two-dozen threatened and endangered species including the Peregrine Falcon, Brant geese, Brown Pelican, Black Rail, and Snowy Plover. Bird watching The estuary holds both State and National Estuary status, is the largest area of its kind left unspoiled on the West Coast, and is a major stop on the Pacific Flyway. http://www.mbnep.org Outdoor activities http://www.slocountyparks.com/facilities/golfcourses.htm Morro Bay was named for Morro Rock which rises up 576 feet out of the ocean waters and is 50 acres at its base—so large it once served as a navigational landmark for commercial ships at sea. It’s still used by recreational boaters to welcome them into the harbor’s entrance. The Rock is one of nine extinct volcanic peaks known as the Morros that run in a straight line for 12 miles inland, and is about 21 million years old. Chumash Indians once lived here. The Rock was first seen by the Europeans when Juan Cabrillo sailed past in 1542. He dubbed it, "The Gibraltar of the Pacific." It remains the most famous of all the Morros’ nine peaks. It was once completely surrounded by water, but is now accessible by land. Morro Bay State Park Museum of Natural History features interactive
and engaging exhibits, informative lectures and nature walks. Central
Coast Natural History Association Los Osos: Butterfly & Bird
Watchers Paradise Montaña do Oro State Park The Jewel and a Historic Mission The city originally arose out of Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa,
founded in 1772. Located in the heart of downtown, the church is
still active and Mission Plaza is the site of many special events
throughout the year. The Mission is the fifth in a chain of the
21 original California missions. It is open daily 9 am to 4 pm.
The Mission is wonderfully maintained offering self-guided tours
and a rich sense of history. The most popular and endearing ongoing event is the San Luis Obispo
Farmer's Market, held every Thursday evening (except on Thanksgiving).
It is far more a party and celebration than simply a produce market.
Local farmers do offer a wide variety of gorgeous produce with
many free samples. Local restaurants have stands where barbecue
and other finger foods are sold. Free and varying entertainment,
often bands, is staged on the intersecting streets. Downtown San Luis Obispo also has its own mini-riverwalk along San Luis Creek that runs parallel to Higuera Street. It has been developed with walking paths and stairways to Mission Plaza and other downtown locations. Many of the restaurants have outdoor patios overlooking the creek. The Carnegie building holds the county's Historical Museum at
697 Monterey Street, with its rich displays of photographs and
artifacts. The San Luis Obispo Children's Museum, at 1010 Nipomo
Street, has just completed a multi-million dollar renovation and
has been designed just for children. It offers many hands-on activities
and displays. In the evenings, you can enjoy the nightlife at many
clubs offering live music and dancing. A world class Performing Arts Center is the cultural and entertainment
center of the county. It is located on the Cal Poly campus and
features a concert hall with 1,282 seats. National and internationally
famous artists perform during the year. For more information, San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden Water Sports There are endless places along the beach to explore the tide pools, watch the sea otters, seals, birds, or just enjoy the colorful sunsets. Inland up in the surrounding mountains, Lopez Lake, Santa Margarita Lake, and Lake Nacimiento are perfect choices for fresh water fishing, boating, water skiing, sail-boarding and much more. In Atascadero, rent a paddleboat to enjoy the calm waters and view the wild bald eagles that nest at Atascadero Lake Park Pavilion. See: http://www.mbyc.net/ Fishing & Whale
Watching There are several local sport fishing charter companies for deep-sea fishing and whale watching that offer day fishing trips during the season. Don’t forget fishing off the Cayucos Pier, the catch is great and you don’t need a license. http://www.slocountyparks.com/activities/fish.htm Zoo Golf See: http://www.slocountyparks.com/facilities/golfcourses.htm Additional resources: Farmers’ Markets Hiking trails Kayaking, boating and scuba Museums State Parks Natural areas to visitCayucos State Beach Elfin Forest Los Osos Oak Preserve Montaña Oro State Park Morro Bay State Park Morro Strand State Beach Morro Bay State Preserve Restaurants and wine country Wine of San Luis Obispo County Restaurants of San Luis Obispo County Weather "You see, dear heart," said he, "that they
will not leave the old dog in his kennel when the game is afoot." ~ Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle (Scottish writer; 1859-1930), from The
White Company
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