Taking the train to the "Real SoCal"

I left Santa Barbara today (boo!), and boarded a train to Solana Beach (San Diego/Del Mar) for the start of a few days of work office visits. After learning from the train conductor that the only coach seats were upstairs, I lugged my 50 pound suitcase up the narrow staircase, and settled in for a little over 5 hour trip. I’ve mentioned it before, but traveling on a train is really the way to go. Most of the time you can get a seat without having someone right next to you, and you have access to a plug so you’re not limited to the 3 hour battery laptop life, there’s no line for the bathroom, and you get lots of leg room. :)

I got to the Solana Beach station right on time, and Vanessa was there waiting to pick me up. I recently reconnected with Vanessa via Facebook. She and I were roommates for a year while we both worked at Dell, about 7 years ago (whoa, times really has flown the last decade!!!). After working in IT in Austin for a long time, and not finding any sense of happiness in that industry, she made the decision to go back to grad school, and moved out to San Diego about 3 months ago. Go Vanessa!!! When I learned that I’d have an evening there before my training, I immediately contacted her (and Eric) to see if they would be interested in meeting me for dinner. Eric is a friend from my college days at A&M, with whom I reconnected about a year ago when Lora and I were in San Diego to audition for The Amazing Race.

We had plans to meet up at the Solana Beach location of Pizza Port, a local pizza dive. It was the perfect treat! The pizza was great – we let Eric choose what to get since it was his birthday (Happy Birthday Eric!). Pesto Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and good old fashioned Meat Medley were tasty choices.


It was great to be able to spend some time with old friends while I was here for work. Up early tomorrow for a LONG day of work!!

P.S. I was told that SB isn't really SoCal, it's more MidCal....and that San Diego is the "Real SoCal". :)