Day 19 - Governor Newsom imposes new restrictions

The Mission Inn at Xmas…

12/4/20. Friday.

7:00 - …up and I can’t seem to get out of bed.  I have to acclimate myself first.

7:30–8:15 - I actually drag myself out of bed, turn on the shower, and sit in it while The Daily is going. I drink my Hydroflask and try to wake up. Lotion. Yoga pants and a sweater.  I moisturize and brush my teeth and that’s as far as I get before rushing downstairs. Thank goodness my Discussion Boards are ready to go!

8:15 – The dog is up and ready for me.  I take her outside and she pooped on the patio.  I hurriedly clean it up, then run inside for her turkey treats and my hot water with lemon.

8:25 – I post the Discussion Boards and course content just in time and all is right with the world. I start a load of laundry.

8:30-10:30 – The students are listening to a podcast so it’s quiet today.  I start inputting semester grades into the Admissions and Records database for College No. 1. I finish the three classes at 10:30.

10:30-11:30 – Kitchen duty.  I prepare vegetables and fruit for snacks over the next three days and pack in my insulated lunch bag.

11:30-12:30 – I finish packing my suitcase. I put some laundry in the drier and hang the rest up to dry.

12:30 – 1:30 – I pick up the dog poop, then water all of my plants.  I download some podcasts that I think L. might enjoy on our trip. The podcast is called Real Simple – Adulthood Made Easy and the episodes discuss the trial and tribulations of “adulting” as told by a 22-year-old and her friends…like how to live alone, cook for yourself, create a work/life/balance schedule, etc.  Truthfully, L. seems more mature than these people, but I thought she might find the podcast interesting.

1:30-2:30 – I do some personal admin., like placing my monthly order with Wine.com and paying a couple of bills.  I vet my book collection and cull out three books that I decide to pack.

2:30-5:00 – L. and I leave for our annual holiday trek to the Mission Inn!!!  One of our favorite places and the best hotel in the world!!!  It was touch-and-go there for awhile – I wasn’t sure if any of the restaurants would be open and we didn’t know if our massage appointments would be honored. BUT, the restaurants are open and we’re scheduled for massages at 3:00 tomorrow!!! I’m so happy.

-Driving

5:00 – 5:45 – We arrive and, as usual, I am struck with a feeling of homecoming.  L. says she feels it, too.  This is the one place we’ve been returning to…every year for the past decade. L. says no matter where she is living or how old she is, she will always come back to the Mission Inn at Xmas time. We check in without incident, go to our 3rd floor hotel room, and get ready for dinner at our favorite restaurant, MARIOS!!!  We have dinner reservations at 6:00.

6:00 – MARIOS!!!  I continue to be amazed by the creativity of restaurants when it comes to outdoor dining. Marios is about to go under because they were hit incredibly hard by the pandemic.  We couldn’t book our reservations more than 2 weeks in advance – each time we tried, we were told, “We don’t know if we’ll still be open.”

L. .and I arrive and we’re led through a large, empty restaurant, around a corner, out a door, through various twists and turns, until we end up outside, in an alley, between two high-rise buildings, with giant Xmas ornaments strung on clotheslines that stretch between the buildings, above the tables.  We sit at a tiny table, on top of pea gravel, flanked by two heat lamps on either side.  I absolutely love it! I get the calamari and L. gets…something???  I also have two glasses of the driest champagne I’ve ever had and I mean that as a positive. The service is incredible. Dessert is a large, crumbling wafer, on top of fruit and lemon pudding. Delish!

As we’re eating, the waitstaff learn, and tell us, that Marios is shutting down tomorrow on account of the Governor’s 3-week, shelter-in-place order. Staff says they doubt the restaurant will ever open again. I feel soooo bad for the restaurant and tip out high on the check, through my tears.

Finished, L. and I walk across the street, back to the Mission Inn.  In the past, the crowds are off the hook and people are pushing, pushing, pushing to see the “Festival of Lights.” But that’s gone now.  It is blessedly empty – no crowds, no horse-drawn carriages, and only hotel guests are allowed inside of the hotel.  Imagine that!  Only hotel guests – how novel!  The hotel is decorated for Xmas like always, as beautiful as ever, but this year L. and I are actually able to enjoy it without being jostled and shoved by gross people, because the Mission Inn is closed to the general public.

I will say that Riverside people are a bit rouge with only 80% to 90% wearing masks – the 10% who don’t mask are almost exclusively white males.  You can tell they’re Trump supporters and don’t take Covid-19 seriously as they walk amongst the crowd, looking defiant and talking loudly or shouting/complaining about something. All of them are disgusting.

Back in our room, L. and I watch Forensic Files – our routine when we travel – and I am finally able to go to bed at a decent hour.