Day Tripping

Oh, the pure joy of a summer day and a train to the beach.  Surely one of the best deals right now here in my soCal area is the Metrolink Weekend Pass.  Ten dollars buys unlimited rides from Friday night through Sunday night.  Gas & parking can easily be five times that amount.  It was, to my way of thinking, my moral duty to spend ten dollars and ride the train.  Can't let those seats go the waste.

San Clemente was the destination.  Riding the train to the beach is very entertaining.  There are all manner of families and friend groups schlepping all manner of items for a day on the sand.  By far, the most entertaining was the young gentleman (a teen, and yes he was a gentleman) who brought out his guitar and strummed softly.   Initially my seat mates and I thought that a soundtrack had been added to the services of Metrolink.  It was only when we turned around to scope out the rest of the riders that we discovered the group and our own personal rolling minstrel.  

Strolling the farmer's market was just what one would expect.  Mostly.  A few free samples, flowers, succulents, bread, fish, lots of fruit and some veggies.  Strolling the shops in San Clemente can easily chew up most of the afternoon.  

Best of Britain is small and filled with gentle surprises like this one.  According to the website Mitchell's Wool Fat Soap was "first produced in the early 1930's under the premise that the natural lanolin content of wool fat, which kept the hands of sheep shearers and wool sorters soft, could also be beneficial to delicate complexions and sensitive skins."  Displaying it in the ram soap dish  added to the charm.

 This jolly greeter guards the door to Strands Knitting Studio where I was lucky enough to snag a skein of Pagewood Farms sock yarn in the Forest Camo colorway.   Christine runs a calm beach community yarn shop and it is fun just to chat with her and poke through the bins of seasonal colors.

This was view that accompanied lunch.   Sitting by the pier, sipping something cool, enjoying a meal with friends and sharing dessert.  

Thanks to Metrolink, a visit to paradise is only ten dollars - - such a deal.

PS - no knitting, but there was crocheting.  More on that later.