2022-12-27 We Dine And Visit The Mission Inn
But first Paul gets the stitches removed in Long Beach at 8:30 AM. It was so quick and Mary's doctor's appointment was canceled that we stopped by Old Ranch and had a wonderful breakfast. Charlotte dropped in on her way to the first hole, she had a 9:00 AM tee-time.
Sitting across the table from her makes my day!!!
Our waitress had to take pictures of us!
Paul got a Christmas Goose!
All smiles!
Now we are lit up!
We are headed home.
Merry Christmas Old Ranch
Robin is a saint always taking care of her sister Mary!
We had a glass of wine and swapped the latest gossip!
Ready for my wine!
Colleen's Christmas gift to the Duda's had just arrived!
What could it be?
A little space man!
The search for a ga-zen-ta was begun immediately!
Nick knows where all the plugs are!
Found one! Ready for a test!
Wow!! Robin was amazed at the clarity and this is out of the box,
no customization yet!!
We love to visit the Disney Tree!
It stands by itself in the family room.
The classical tree is in the living room!
Mary captures the magic!
We got a choo-choo running around the tree!
Santa is everywhere!
Of course, with Mrs. Claus.
Disney is not far away!
Down the hall to the family room the projector is running!
The magic of astronomy!
The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa's Festival of Lights is one of the nation's largest holiday light collections, voted "Best Public Lights Display" by USA Today. Every year The Inn's festival gains new energy, grows in popularity, and ushers in an increasing number of visitors to the Riverside area. Countless individuals make the yearly trek to The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa.
We got parking very close to the dining area; we were amazed!!
The inn was fairly busy!
Did You Know? - The hotel has played host to U.S. Presidents and celebrities and was the setting for Hollywood productions including 1915ʼs "The Vampire", 1938ʼs "Idiotʼs Delight" and 1997ʼs "Man in the Iron Mask". Presidents Roosevelt, Taft, Hoover, Nixon, Reagan and Bush Jr; social leaders such as Booker T. Washington, Susan B. Anthony, Amelia Earhart, Albert Einstein, Helen Keller and John Muir; and entertainers including Judy Garland, Bette Davis, Clark Gable, Tom Hanks, Barbra Streisand and James Brolin have all stayed, dined and relaxed at Mission Inn throughout its storied, nearly 150- year history.
Mary was excited seeing all the decorations!
Beware of the fearsome foursome!
A force to be reckoned with!
We are going by buy new teeth for Nick so he will smile!
Oops! He smiled!
Did You Know? - Decorated in colorful tiles, vaulted ceilings, ornate wall sconces and marble accents, the Mission Inn Restaurant's centerpiece is a state-of-the-art display kitchen, where chefs prepare signature comfort foods and light fare.
The Spanish Patio represents a castle's inner court and offers amazing views surrounded by awe-inspiring architecture and beauty. This location is a guest favorite and one of the most beautiful courtyards in the country.
Recognized as a "Top 100 Best Outdoor Dining Restaurants in America" by OpenTable Diner's Choice Awards the adjacent Spanish Patio is an al fresco dining spot surrounded by the bell tower, Anton's Clock and Glockenspiel, a collection of bells from missions throughout the United States, and a circular tiled fountain.
We had 4:30 PM reservations at the Mission Inn Dining Room
Nick samples the wine!
"Hey, this is the good stuff!"
We got another opinion from Robin.
The house Chardonnay was "poopy"!
Mary selected Chardonnay from her home, Medford Oregon!
Steak-bite appetizer!
"Come on Nick, mussels are good for you!!"
Did You Know? - Mussels have more iron than fillet steak! It's quite amazing to think that such a small morsel can have so much iron, but it does. Mussels are a great source of iron. They are a lean protein and will keep you feeling fuller for longer. Steamed mussels are healthy, delicious and super easy to prepare.
In every mussel, you will find omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A and B12, zinc, iodine and selenium. Those vitamins and minerals can help improve brain function, reduce inflammatory conditions, regulate thyroid hormones and contribute to your overall immune system and healthy eyes and glowing skin.
He was still not so sure about this dish so Papa Paul devoured the entire bowl!
The lobby roses were spectacular!
A nice lady took our picture!!
(PAul is wearing his new duster Mary got me for Christmas)
"Not a good idea Bob, he remembers!"
Someone was on the naughty list!!
Awe... Mary was on the good list!
Robin was also a good girl!
Definitely a "must have".... for someone else!
Up and down every aisle in search of the perfect _________!
Paul thought of cousin Claudia when we saw the Precious Moments
Ah ha! Vintage clothes; this requires further investigation!
Old odds and ends from collections everywhere!
Mary examines another potential treasure!
She is smiling, she is getting close!
Do you remember the aluminum Christmas tree craze in the late-1950s?
Did You Know? - The craze started in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in 1959. As with all grand advances in civilization, the credit goes to those who made them commercially viable—and the Ford of the aluminum tree was the Aluminum Specialty Company, based in the small, blue-collar city on Lake Michigan.
According to the Wisconsin Historical Society, Tom Gannon, toy sales manager for the Aluminum Specialty Company, saw a metal tree in a store window during a visit to Chicago in 1958. Modern Coatings, Inc., had a patent on them, but its version was expensive and bulky. Gannon brought the idea back to his engineers, who made the trees cheaper—the price went from $75 to $85 down to $25—as well as easier to mass produce and easier to put up and break down. Aluminum Specialty took a gamble and produced hundreds of thousands for the following Christmas, eventually branding it the "Evergleam."
Soon after, several aluminum manufacturers found themselves in the Christmas business, and the trees were everywhere, ranging from tabletop models to eight feet tall; silver was popular, but they came in a variety of colors. Trees were paired with spotlights and color wheels that made them twinkle in rotating hues. In one popular variation, the needles erupted into a kind of pompom at the tip of each rigid branch, like shooting stars.
And then came Charlie Brown, and he ruined everything.
They even had vintage incandescent light bulbs!
There has got to be a frog in here somewhere!
Scout gets frustrated with Snowmen!
The twelve story Christmas tree was on the adjacent building!
We walked to the car via the front of the hotel; it was beginning to rain!
Mary spotted the "Festival of Lights" sign!
Scout got what he wanted this year!
She began to lead us, to the car!
"Please, don't get my wings wet! I won't be able to fly!"
The more we walked, the more the rains came!
We ducked inside the hotel and walked through the lobby to get to the car!
Watch out for these two!
It could be scarier, Colleen could have been here!
Love those hotel ornaments!
Santa! What are you doing? A peeping Santa??
A view from our parking place!
