Goodbye San Diego.  Things went well enough returning to Honolulu from San Diego.  Some disappointments included having to wait more than an hour for the Hawaiian Airlines desk to open at the airport, then we found out that the company is supposedly putting together an executive club not yet ready.  Also, even though Hawaiian has merged with Alaska Airlines, as business class passengers, we could NOT use the Alaska lounge.  Finally, the flight left late.  So I missed taking a perfect sunset photo.  Here is one when we were in flight. By, the way, should you wear a mask throughout a flight?  First, you can't if you wish to eat and drink.  But no matter, this info to the left says that there is just about no chance of getting infected by COVID or the flu or anything else respiratory if you keep a mask on for the whole plane ride.  Who does that?  What is the rate if you don't wear a mask?  People were coughing behind us.  Maybe 5...

 Left Honolulu on Hawaiian Airlines, and truly enjoyed our 5.5 hour flight. Began with some bubblies, the  Johnny Walker Black Label and beer with brunch of fruits, pork sausage and egg soufle with a musubi. Saw the movie The Holiday, an okay film given 51/80 ratings from  Rotten Tomatoes. Got into San Diego. A replica of the Spirit of St. Louis is here because Charles Lindberg's plane was build here. View from our Marriott Marquis room at sunset. Went down for our free wines, then to M Club for some snacks. Creative assemblage of colorful vegetables. Yellow and purple carrots, gold and purple broccoli, purple turnips and green cheese. I haven't been to  San Diego  for at least a couple decades. Historically the home to the Kumeyaay people, for they migrated here at least 9,000 years ago, and has been referred to as the Birthplace of California. In 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo claimed the area for Spain, and named the site San Miguel. In 1602, Spanish explorer ...

Today is the beginning of summer.  From  Condé Nast:    How Summer  Solstice is Celebrated Around the World : The summer solstice occurs in each hemisphere annually, when one of the earth's poles has maximum tilt toward the sun. The result is the sun reaching its highest position in the sky, causing the longest day of the year. For thousands of years, the solstice has drawn people together for ancient celebrations, from gatherings at Stonehenge to romantic rituals in Belarus . I yesterday featured red wines, and particularly spotlighted Paso Robles and Petite Sirah.  I have one more story that has nothing to do with either, but is relevant because of close proximity and utter fear.  In these drives between Stanford and Oxnard up and down Highway 101 from 1958 to 1962, we also always passed by Atascadero.  Here is located the  Atascadero State Hospital . This all-male maximum-security forensic institution houses mentally ill convicts on its 70...