thought I’d take you traveling for tea today since my thoughts seem to keep going back to our recent getaway…
SLO stands for San Luis Obispo…
I did a Silent Sunday post that showed a few photos of this neat town here…
we had a lay over in San Francisco and boarded a small 30 seat propeller plane to continue our journey a little further down the California coast…
there was plenty of time on our stopover to get a loaf of our favorite Boudin’s sour dough bread…
landing at San Luis Obispo airport helped trim about four hours of driving time which was most welcome after traveling the skies all day from Virginia…
we found their one baggage claim carousel a pleasant surprise…
SLO was cited as one of this country’s happiest places by the Oprah Winfrey Show…
home of Cal Poly…
we began and ended our California getaway there…
a fun little college town with nice shops and a creek running through it…
we stumbled quite by chance on gum alley…
very interesting…
we did a walk by and kept our distance with no urge to actually walk down the alley…
if I haven’t grossed you out too much let’s keep walking and visit Kreuzberg’s Coffeehouse and Books…
I had a nice refreshing Kombucha and Mr Magpie had a cappucino…
Loved the lamps hung upside down from the ceiling and the perfect coffee house atmosphere…
We write our epitaphs on walls with gum,
And though it may be meaningless to some,
We have a symbol of our gummy youth,
Whose walls may not tell some glorious truth,
But eloquently speak of better times,
Of cruising, shopping sprees, and nursery rhymes.
If gum is all you see upon our wall,
Your mind is closed, your spirit shrunk and small,
Though memories of youth may never last,
Gum Alley is our present to our past.” ~”M”, Arroyo Grandewell alrighty then…
wishing you all a very Happy T Tuesday…
I am still finding reentry back into “real” life pretty challenging on several fronts…sigh 🙂
Magpie's Nest ~*~ Patty Szymkowicz 
Patty; oh – these photos take me there again! Wonderful and so transcending! Boudin’s sour dough brings back special memories for me and my husband when we were out there. In fact; we used to send away for their packaged breads and have them here. Again; beautiful photos and I thank you for sharing so much! The Gum Wall is interesting and I do love the quote! xxoo
LikeLike
o i know what you mean…i always feel so discombobulated when i get home from anywhere…i was just reading on nina bagley’s blog about focus and organization, advice from leslie riley…i just don’t know if i have that in me…anywhere…your shots are great, the gum thing gives me the oogies…have you seen the movie ELF? where he eats the gum off the handrailing??? ewwww….i LOVE the portrait paintings in the coffee shop and the beautiful salmon….looks like a great place to visit!! happy tuesday, patty!
LikeLike
What a fun post, Patty! Had hoped to make it to SLO for Remnants of the Past, but Germany trumped all other plans. Thank you for sharing the photos which entice me to make it there in the very near future (excluding Gum Alley!)
xox
Karen
LikeLike
Looks like it was a wonderful trip! Love the pics in both posts! Love the upside down lamps in the coffee shop too!
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing this wonderful moments with us. Your pictures take us just there!
LikeLike
I can certainly tell why it’s hard to reenter the “real world” the place was beautiful (maybe not so much gum alley LOL). Happy Tuesday!
LikeLike
yUP, YOU WERE IN ca!! lOVE THE slo BUMPER STICKER IN THE WINDOW, THE CROOKED MIRRO IN THE COFFEE HOUSE – GIVING ME AN IDEA…..!!!! hMMM, MY CAPS LOCK IS ON THE FRITZ….DROP BY FOR TEA…………..
LikeLike
Quick stop 🙂 I know how you feel. Photos are wonderful, love the large tree! The gum wall is amazing 🙂 the picture wall is too.
LikeLike
Love all your photos……. bought a sourdough loaf today in the market and so (with a lot of effort) will try imagine myself on the Californian Coast when I slice into it!!
Love Gum Alley (and the relevant prose)…. somewhere to stick it I suppose rather than underfoot! And that coffee/bookshop is to die for…. could spend some serious time in there!
Thank you again for sharing more of your memories. xx
LikeLike
so much to love about this post!!!
sourdough bread – yum!
s.l.o. = slo down
the gum alley – just like ours in seattle – totally gross 🙂
the college vibe – even a well used book shelf of books that are actually read!! (so disorderly a collection, it must be perused regularly!)
and the upside down lamps – brilliant!!!
happy tuesday Patty!
LikeLike
Ohhhhhh, quirky and fun! It seems that there was a photo op everytime you turned around. The gum wall was interesting…..icky but interesting! LOVE the coffee shop with those ceiling lights upsidedown and can see spending lots of time there reading, drinking and watching people.
Ok, I’m putting this quaint little town on my list of places to see. It’s already feels homey!
LikeLike
This sure does look like California and now I feel as though I’ve made a nice journey with you. Great selection of photos from that little town.
LikeLike
Aren’t college towns the best!!! College Station has “bottle cap alley”….not as gross…..and you walk on them! ha!
LikeLike
i do miss it when you travel but i also like it because i know you’ll come back and take me with you, through your photos and stories. thanks! (do i still get airmiles? no? didn’t think so ;-))
LikeLike
Thanks for the little holiday Patty. I feel like I’ve been there. Love the Coffee House, but Gum Alley….errrrgh!
LikeLike
I understand why your thoughts keep traveling back to CA. You saw so many beautiful things!! With the exception of the gum alley…EWWW!!!!
LikeLike
Thank you for sharing beautiful work and traveling xoxo
LikeLike
The Gum alley is so cool and hilarious! Love the upside down lamps too!
I know how hard it is to get back in the swing of things when you come home from a fun trip. Happy TEA day!
~donna~
LikeLike
I stopped by Kimmie’s early this morning, but she wasn’t awake yet. I finally made it back. Looks like you found me, anyway. Lovely, lovely photos, and yes, I thought the gum alley was a bit gross! Loved that you showed it, though.
LikeLike
I was wondering a worrying a little about your reentry today. I almost wrote you tonight. Gum Alley grosses me out a little. I am glad you didn’t walk through…;-) i also wonder about the tea you had. Isn’t that the one made out of a big mushroom or fungus? I know it is sposed to be healthy but it sounds…SCARY!!!!
Big hugs,
Suz
LikeLike
The gum alley reminds me…just yesterday I was arguing with one of my little brothers about getting rid of his jar full of already chewed gum he was collecting. Yuck! Lol I’m passing the “Tell Me About Yourself” blog award to you! Please see my blog post and follow my lead…you can see it here: http://justmethroughwords.blogspot.com/2011/11/tell-me-about-yourself-award.html
LikeLike
Coffee house looked cool I really like that huge tree and yet bubble gum alley (disgusting ewh) No wonder you stayed clear (how many germs?)
LikeLike
Wonderful photos, thanks for sharing.
LikeLike
Oh Patty what a great tour and a lot of fun. I know its been ages since i caught up with you my friend but its been a very tough year., I hope all is good with you and sending big hugs
June
LikeLike
Gum Alley? Definitely a fun thing to see, but I have to admit I agree about not venturing to walk through it. Some enterprising politician here took it upon himself to have a shoe tree cut down recently and the hue and cry has been incredible. The coffee shop looks like it would be a neat place to spend an hour or so!
LikeLike
Looks like you had a wonderful trip! Always nice to go see places 🙂 Thanks for your visit, glad you enjoyed the music 🙂
LikeLike
Dear Patty,
thanks for sharing xour beautiful traveling photos, love it to look all the fantastic places, where I never would be.
oxo Anja
LikeLike
Awesomeness!!! Love the gum alley! LOL! Too funny! And the upside down lamps! What a wonderful sense of whimsy and fun someone has!!!
LikeLike