Central California: Pinot, Pinnacles, and The Pacific
Enchanting Big Sur, San Luis Obispo and the Earth Day Wine Festival,
April 2008
Page 4 of 4
 We
continued our hike past many waterfalls like this along one of the forest
canyons of south Big Sur, a pristine and less-visited part of Big Sur that
is no less enchanting. |
 You
may have seen giant talking tree spirits in "Pocohantas". But here in
south Big Sur, you can speak them in person. |
 A
gorgeous forest canyon in south Big Sur, hiding its beautiful brooks and
waterfalls and ferns from casual passersby.After our lovely hike, we again continued going south on Pacific Coast Highway. |
 More
of the dramatic meeting of land and sea in south Big Sur as we continue
driving towards the town of San Luis Obispo. |
 As
we turned inland on Highway 1 (PCH) in San Luis Obispo County, the scenery
was no less gorgeous. The green farmland SLO County was peppered with
rocky peaks thrusting upward. |
 We
got into the town of San Luis Obispo, eating at Oasis, a Moroccan /
Mediterranean restaurant. While I've never eaten a tagine that was
even as remotely delicious as the ones I ate in Morocco daily, the Oasis'
beef and potato tagine was at least tasty...and actually cooked in a
traditional clay tagine. |
 After
sleeping ten hours again, we visited the Old Mission San Luis Obispo de
Tolosa, yet another mission founded by Father Junipero Serra in the late
1700s. |
 Laborers
were brought from China by Ah Louis to construct the Pacific Coast Railroads
and various roads in the late 1800s. The Ah Louis store was the center
of this once-burgeoning Chinatown in SLO. Today, the Mee Heng Low Chop
Suey shop is the last remaining shop from this culture, as the Ah Louis
Store Building is now an antique store.The Ah Louis store sold general merchandise and herbs, and also served as a bank and post office. |
 After
visiting the Mission, we continued up the 101 to the small rural town of
Santa Margarita, which was hosting the Earth Day Wine Festival. The
festival is an intimate celebration featuring earth friendly cuisine,
sustainable produced wines, live entertainment and educational exhibits
highlighting innovative products. The award winning foods and wine featured
are grown on local Central Coast farms committed to environmentally friendly
practices that protect both our natural resources and communities. |
 An
antique car just outside the Earth Day Wine Festival at the historic Santa
Margarita de Cortona Asistencia in Santa Margarita, CA. Established in 1787,
this historic ranch is nestled amid the rolling hills and vineyards of
California’s scenic Central Coast. |
 Although
a wine festival, one of the treats is the gourmet food also served there.
Here, a chef prepares delicious paella in an enormous pan. |
 We
drove along Route 58 for a while, admiring the beauty of SLO County outside
Santa Margarita. |
 A
lone tree atop a hill in Santa Margarita de Cortona Asistencia in Santa
Margarita, CA. |
 You
know where we decided to stay in San Luis Obispo? You know the Madonna
Inn, with its orgy of wild pink '50s kitsch? Yeah. We stayed
right next to it at the hotel next door. I walked over to the Madonna
Inn to have a look around at its bar and dining room and carved entry doors. |
 After
another long sleep, we headed south towards home. But as many road
travelers in California know, it's impossible to drive anywhere near
Buellton without stopping at that mecca of pea soup and, uh, cold pack
cheese food.
And I love Pea Soup Andersen's so much that I will now devote three photos to it. Sure, it's wrong to feature this green palace more than a festival of sustainable gourmet cuisine, but it's time that someone paid tribute to these split pea pioneers. Maybe the title should read: Pinot, Pinnacles, Pea Soup, and The Pacific. |
 Split
Pea and Hap-Pea welcome you after every finished bowl of soup. And if
you get the Traveler's Special, you can finish as many bowls as you wish. |
 Lisa
Split-Pea and Ken Hap-Pea split some peas. As Buellton is the gateway to the
Santa Ynez Valley, we wished that we could have spent a few days more
here as we did several months ago, but there will be other trips.All text and photos by professional pea soup photographer Ken Lee using a Nikon D50 and18-200mm AF-S DX VR lens. |
Central California: Pinot, Pinnacles, Pea Soup, and The Pacific, April 2008
Page 4 of 4
Central California April 2008 Home Page
Eleven Shadows Travel Page
Contact photographer/musician Ken Lee
