Temecula Trip: Day 2

Nothing gets my morning started like a free breakfast that sates my appetite. What’s on the plate goes down the hatch, and the bold coffee that washes it down is incognito. I have no idea what brand it is, but it’s nearly on par with Peet’s or Starbucks. The banana is my after workout snack to tie me over until lunch.

To paraphrase The Dave Ramsey Show’s George Kamel, this is “bougie frugal” at its finest — and why I stay here.

I had a very productive morning. After breakfast I wrote a 500 word chapter and then started another. At around eight thirty I walked into mist. Literally. Mother nature and her archers launched an infinite volley of minuscule water droplets that pattered my skin throughout my thirty minute journey.

Before I have lunch at Meritage, I address the main reason for this trip. I’m now an official member of Callaway’s wine club. The winery will charge my credit card every other month starting on the first of April.

While signing up for the club, I sampled the two bottles I picked up today. The larger one is a 2021 Special Selection Zinfandel that should pair well with a number of things, and the smaller one is a sweet 2022 Late Harvest Cabernet Sauvignon that knocked my dress socks off.

Lunch is a repeat of my prior visit, except the chef himself cooked it. This time I paired the prosciutto wrapped halibut with a 2023 Wild Yeast Viognier that’s a better match than the recommended 2022 Special Selection Pinot Gris. Both play well with each other, and this meal reminds me of that Tommy Bahama lunch I still dream about. It’s a safe bet this varietal will be one of next month’s wine club selections.

After a short rest I headed to the indoor Promenade Temecula to look at watches, and that was an adventure in resisting the allure of Rolex, Breitling, Tag Heuer, and Omega. Everything available looked like something I already have, but I fell in love with this rose gold Bulova at first sight. The $750 price less a 15% discount was impossible to pass up. It’s not my most expensive watch, but it’s definitely the classiest. 

Bougie frugal, y’all.

I celebrated my good fortune with dinner at Richie’s Real American Diner on the other side of town. I hoped this would give me the dining experience I was denied on my last night in Coachella Valley, and I was not disappointed.

This is perhaps the first burger I’ve ever eaten that required a fork and a knife. Not only was it a feast, but it reminded me of home. My mother made burgers every Sunday night that looked and tasted just like these, only not nearly this huge. As a bonus, I brought back to my room a slice of southern pecan pie. If only I had a scoop of vanilla ice cream, I’d have yet another reminder of my mother’s home cooking.

I don’t know how tomorrow can top this glorious Wednesday, but I’ll try!