It's been a lot of fun accompanying my aunt Kitty this week. We were together early in my life, but her life from about seven until she left La Jolla at 19 was very much without me. Yesterday, we rode the bus route which she and my grandmother often rode (#30) with an all-day pass. She made a point to talk to the bus drivers and tell them how friendly their predecessors once were to her, thanking them, and indicating how much of an impression they had made on her as a young child. The route goes between downtown, passing by Old Town (a favorite spot), through Pacific Beach, Bird Rock and La Jolla. We traveled to Old Town, visited the shops and museum, and then had lunch in the oldest building in San Diego. We shared a delicious vegetable salad, constructed corn carnitas, and sipped some great local beer after being treated to a tasting. The restaurant was called the Cosmo, and it's on the grounds of Old Town. They've restored it beautifully to its early 1854 standards, and I recommend it highly.
Next, we rode north to Bird Rock, where we walked through our old neighborhood. I am amazed at Kitty's recall of every house on the street, and every family who lived there during her childhood. The stories she tells about their lives as kids, and the lives of their families. She knows everything about La Jolla in the 1950's, and it was fun for me to see her mind wander back to all those old memories.
She was surprised and pleased by my boldness in approaching the open front door of the house we grew up in. It actually wasn't hard, since it looked very inviting. And when Bob and Kathy Brese asked us to come in, Kitty and I immediately began sharing with them our memories of their house, and marveling at the changes they had successfully made to improve it. Our total thanks to their generosity, and our hope they enjoy many more years in the home.
Continuing on to the heart of La Jolla, Kitty showed me her nursery school and lots of other places where important moments in her life occurred. Every storefront on the main downtown streets held stories, and the children of each business owner became real to me as she related their adventures with her. We ended our day by walking from the cave near the cove to the children's pool, watching and talking with many new residents and visitors, and our memories of swimming and playing on the beaches and parks along this coast.
Unfortunately (and probably predictably), my camera battery didn't hold the charge I had given it when we got to La Jolla. It may be the universe telling me I can't capture the scenes in our heads, but the scenes before our eyes were pretty nice anyway. La Jolla has changed, but we were able to find some glimpses of yesteryear which would have been insightful.
To see the few other photos from yesterday afternoon, click on: Tuesday, May 3rd, Old Town And La Jolla By Bus
Gregory
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