I think I’ve exercised considerable restraint, having taken only 570 pictures so far. It’s nice that the skies have actually been blue rather that that greenish-beige you often get in LA during the summer.

Today:

• Breakfast at a diner in Eagle Rock that had orange booths, Sputnik wallpaper, and a moderately space-age sign. I like to fantasize that it’s where Bill Gannon from Dragnet (he lived in Eagle Rock) ate breakfast every morning.
• Silver Lake, Sunset Boulevard, Venice, and Westwood
• Remembered the sunblock today.
• It was quite warm, but not as bad as at home, where it’s apparently still 90F at 9PM.

Tonight:

• Twilight neon photography in Hollywood.
• Dinner somewhere.
• Plans open for later.

Tomorrow: The Valley. And other stuff.

Today:

• Breakfast at Rudford’s in San Diego.
• Drove to Pasadena and checked into the mid-century motel of my dreams.
• Lunch at L&L Hawaiian Barbecue.
• Took a couple of first-day drives around the city to soak in the essential LA-ness of it all.
• I’m glad I still love it here.

Tomorrow: Who knows? There are many possibilities.

I think I decided this once before but I have to say that I find that San Diego–at least for me–is probably the most livable city in California. If I were offered a job that would allow me to live fairly well here (which is highly unlikely) I might actually consider it. That’s significant; I can’t really say that about any other city in California. More on that later, if I feel like it.

Today:

• Breakfast by the beach.
• Toured North Park, South Park, Normal Heights, downtown, and Linda Vista, among other areas..
• Excellent Indian buffet for lunch.
• Way too much sun.
• Several used bookstores.
• Fast food dinner snack.
• Shot many vintage Safeways.

Right now I’m sitting in the room watching TV and considering whether or not to venture back out. “Not” seems to be winning. Tomorrow it’s up to LA for five nights.

…how much I like San Diego. At some unspecified point in the future, I’ll have lots to say about things I do and don’t miss about California. But tonight is not that point.

Today:

• Wound my way from Anaheim to San Diego.
• Covered the El Cajon Blvd. and University Ave. strips.
• Walked around Ocean Beach.
• Had dinner in Pacific Beach.

Tomorrow:

• A bit of laundry.
• More strips and diners and motels.
• Maybe downtown.
• At least one used bookstore.