SOLVANG

It's the name of the Dutch town where the California foursome of which I was a part ate our final California meal.  You see, Reader Dear, after visiting that second mission, we drove to Solvang because it is known for its many bakeries.  It's true, Dear Reader (true that it's got lots of bakeries; true that, in spite of our bakery lunch, and the fact that we would soon be searching for supper, we needed more bakeries [I use the term "we" very loosely here. One of us in particular was on a mission for more sweets]!)

Mere minutes after our arrival in the town, we were seated near a fully-stocked case of freshly-baked pastries.  
(Some of our party ate pastries. [One of our party felt that the salted-caramel wonder she'd consumed at lunchtime should be her day's allotment of sweets; she abstained!]) 

 

Amazingly enough, our entire party was ready to search for our final California meal a short time later.

All were determined we should eat outside, due to the extremely pleasant weather and the finality of the meal (I use the term "all" somewhat loosely here, as one of us was downright insistent).  And, though it took a little searching, we found a restaurant where we could enjoy the outdoor patio.  

I savored the food.  I savored the wine.  Most of all, I savored the splendid California outdoor air!

As we finished our final California meal and walked back to the rental car, I was pondering tomorrow evening's dinnertime weather.  I was dragging my feet.  The sun was definitely setting on this California vacation.

However, we still had a more-than-two-hour drive to our hotel room, waiting for us  beside the airport in L.A. (that's Los Angeles, my Dear Russian Reader).  Every single one of us--The Yard Man, His Sis, The Bro-in-Law, and myself--were all intent on having a dessert of gelato while we were en route to the hotel.  So the Bro-in-Law searched his smart smartphone for a little gelato shop near L.A. Though we were all tired and sugar-laden, we anticipated this last California treat, and were hoping to eat it under the stars.*

.............

*And then. "It's in a mall!" we all exclaimed (with varying amounts of  disgust in our voices), when the realization set in. (How was The Bro-in-Law to know; there was simply an address listed on his [hmm, not-so-smart] smartphone!

Aargh, we were tired!  But, after talking it over, the four of us decided to tramp through that colossal shopping center, all the way to the upstairs food court.  And we all ate gelato (one of us plunging right ahead and adding to her daily allotment of sweets, regardless of her earlier discretion).

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And that, Reader Dear, is how I ended my lovely California vacation in a noisy mall!*

*(Well, if you don't count the noisy airport the following morning)