So, I'm In Temecula, CA, on a Wednesday Night in Early November

My new boss runs a business based in Temecula, CA, and I'm here for a few days.  Flew out from Cincinnati, OH, Monday morning, spent Monday in the office I manage in Culver City, CA, then drove down here Tuesday morning.  For those few of you who haven't made it to beautiful Temecula, it is an old desert city, probably 60-70 miles west of Palm Springs, 80 miles or so southeast of Los Angeles, and about 50 miles northeast of San Diego.  Hard-pressed against I-15, Temecula has all the popular big-box stores, national restaurant chains, and an Indian (think American Indian, not Bollywood Indian) Casino.  There is an old town, which is kind of cute, and some wineries near by (won't see any of them and am suspect of California wineries in the middle of the desert).  Temecula boomed in the early and mid-2000's as the California/American dream of home ownership spread, and people were willing to pay $400-$700K for houses here so they could own one and drive an hour or two to their jobs in San Diego, Los Angeles, etc.  Now the houses are worth about half, and the chance you can sell one is slim.  Nice weather though, mostly sunny, hot in the summer, but nice most of the rest of the year.

Went out to dinner tonight with a 10-12 colleagues, restaurant was named Harry's Pacific Grill.  Nice place, large, next to a very big mall here in Temecula.  Walked up to the bar, bartender asks me what I'd like, I ask what kind of boubon they have, he says what do you like/want, I say Blanton's, he says never heard of it, I say how about Woodford Reserve, again a blank stare, so I say what do you have and he says Maker's, at which point I want to say you don't have any bourbon, but I order a gin and tonic instead.  Don't act like you know something when you don't!

Later, the waitress takes my order, I order a steak, she asks what sides I'd like (2 come with the dinner), I say I'll have a caesar salad, she says is it okay if the salad comes with the dinner or else she will have to charge me extra.  I said no, don't bother bringing me the salad!  How stupid is that!  Classless, shows they don't really have a clue. 


Food was fine, wine was good, but will never go back there on my own!

Wanted/needed a decent bourbon before going to bed so went to "Old Town" Temecula.  A bar named "The Edge" was recommended by the young lady at the front desk.  Pretty cool place, but we repeated the bourbon quest there.  Nice, attractive bar tender had no clue about real bourbon but the did have Gentleman Jack, a fancy Jack Daniels, so drank that.  Didn't know the bar was also a comedy club, but found out after listening to a couple of the "comics" that it really wasn't!  Pretty pathetic.

So, one more day night here, then heading home Friday out of San Diego.  At least there is some real bourbon waiting for me at home in Loveland, OH.  

Dave