the irish lass

Things you should do in California


I've nearly completed the list I'll be submitting with my application to serve on the California Tourism Commission. Any last minute suggestions?

1. Sing at the Piano Bar at the Mission Ranch Inn, Carmel
2. White Water Rafting on the Kern River, followed by Prime Rib at Ewing's On the Kern, Kernville
3. Sail the San Francisco Bay
4. Watch the polo matches in Griffith Park
5. Take a night hike in Topanga State Park, Pacific Palisades
6. See a show at Yoshi's Jazz Supper Club, Oakland
7. Make a wish in the Snow White Fountain at Disneyland
8. Have a drink at Yamashiro's watching the blinking light at the top of the Capitol Records Building spell out "Hollywood" in Morse Code.
9. Shop with the musical geniuses on Haight Street, San Francisco
10. Sip some Barbera at Villa Toscano Winery, Amador
11. Drive a Convertible on the 17 Mile Drive, Pebble Beach
12. Hear a Jazz Singer at the park in Marina Del Rey
13. Watch Irma the Ghost play the piano at the Magic Castle in Hollywood.
14. Learn to Race at Thunderhill Park, Willows
15. Tour the State Capitol (will be way cooler when Arnold arrives)
16. Rent a beach cruiser in Santa Barbara
17. Jay Leno Show, Burbank
18. Take a hiking break at the Tourist Club Chalet, Mill Valley
19. Ride the Big Dipper in Santa Cruz
20. Go to Corky Carroll's Surf School, Huntington Beach
21. Rent a Houseboat on Lake Shasta
22. Watch a Whale, San Mateo
23. Enjoy Opera at the Bear Valley Music Festival
24. Hike the Tahoe Rim Trail
25. Fireworks on the Beach in Santa Barbara
26. Visit the oldest McDonald's in Downey
27. Make out in the garden @ the Norton Simon in Pasadena
28. Have a Bolivar at the Grand Havana in Beverly Hills
29. Stay awake at the Buena Vista Cafe
30. Brush Up On Your Shakespeare in Lake Tahoe
31. Be a Hip Chick at a Shag show.
32. Squish some clay at the Sawdust Festival in Laguna Beach
33. Sing Summer Nights behind the stands at Marshall High
34. Row through the canals of Venice
35. Get certified to officiate at a California wedding at the Norwalk City Hall
36. Let Steven Spielberg's mom cook a kosher meal for you in West LA
37. Sleep on the beach at Pt. Mugu
38. See the Giants beat the Doggies in (newly named) SBC Park, San Francisco.
39. Kayaking on San Luis Obispo Bay followed by soaking in Sycamore Springs
40. Have a beer at Brennan's and watch the turtles race in Marina del Rey
41. Cut a rug with Buck Owens, Bakersfield
42. Watch the planes take off and land while you get drunk at the Encounter in that building at LAX
43. Go old-fashioned to the Victorian Christmas, Nevada City
44. Count Koi at the pond at the Sportsman's Lodge
45. Lose yourself in books in Brentwood
46. See some blood at a Rugby Game
47. Place some flowers on John Ritter's star on the "Walk of Fame" in Hollywood
48. Crash a party in Holmby Hills
49. Cruise by the Governor's Mansion, Sacramento
50. Swingtime at The Derby, Los Angeles
51. Dance at the Sacramento Jazz Festival
52. Have an afternoon beer at the Awahnee Hotel, Yosemite
53. Visit the Donner Memorial at Truckee, CA -- make bad jokes about cannibalism.
54. Go to the Rose Bowl Flea Market and get some really GOOD junk to replace your old worn-out junk.
55. Take your Harley on the Avenue of the Giants
56. Ride the cable cars in SF
57. Watch the Christmas boat parade in Newport Harbor.
58. Go off-roading in Death Valley
59. Place a wager on the horses at Del Mar ("And away they go!")
60. Take a cruise on the Tahoe Queen, Lake Tahoe.
61. Watch the sea otters play in the water at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and read Steinback's Cannery Row while enjoying a bowl of Clam Chowder soup.
62. Feel the celebrity handprints at Mann's Chinese Theatre.
63. Taste a Syrah at the Firestone Winery, Maybe you'll run into The Bachelor and Jen, Santa Barbara.
64. Ride a hot air balloon in Napa.
65. Pan for gold in the American River where John Sutter started the Gold Rush, Coloma (near Placerville)
66. Climb Half Dome in Yosemite (there's a trail up the back side).
67. Watch the sunrise over the Mojave Desert from the (aptly named) Sunrise Highway in the Laguna Mountains.
68. Waterski the Delta
69. Watch the hangliders take off at sunrise from Glacer Point, Yosemite NP
70. Visit the ultimate hands-on science museum, the Exploritorium in San Francisco.
71. Eat a lumberman's breakfast at the Samoa cookhouse, Humboldt County
72. Don't get cheated at Pat O'Shea's Irish Bar, San Francisco
73. Attend Gilroy's garlic festival and learn what good food really tastes like while those around you pass out:
74. Watch the sunset over the San Francisco Bay from Grizzly Peak Blvd in the Berkeley Hills.
75. Hang out on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley
76. Have a pint of quality microbrew in the garden of the Mendicino Brewing Company in Hopland, CA.
77. Shop at the Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market.
78. Enjoy an In-N-Out double double with grilled onions while watching a drive in movie.
79. Try to figure out the Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz.
80. Help assemble next year's Rose Parade float.
81. Ride a boogie board on the waves at San Clemente.
82. Watch the seals sunbathe on the beach at Children's Pool in La Jolla.
83. Celebrate the return of the swallows to Mission San Juan Capistrano on St. Joseph's Day, March 19th.
84. Take the tram to the top of the mountain in Palm Springs and go hiking.
85. Drink and dance the Sunday afternoon blues away at the Whole Enchilada and Moss Landing Inn, Monterey.
86. Roller blade along Venice Beach.
87. Take the ferry to Avalon on Catalina Island.
88. Surf in the Morning, Ski in the afternoon.
89. Have brunch at the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego.
90. Visit Julia Morgan's grand design at Hearst Castle, Cambria
91. Go to the Big Game at Stanford or Cal.
92. Pamper yourself at the Golden Door Spa, San Diego
93. Hang with Tiger and Kevin Costner at the Tap Room, Pebble Beach
94. Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge
95. Shop on Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles
96. Celebrate Fleet Week on the Jeremiah O'Brien (one of the last remaining Liberty ships) in San Francisco.
97. Run the Rock-N-Roll Marathon, San Diego.
98. Bike and Drink in Calistoga, unwind with a mud bath
99. Cross the border at the Cal-Neva Lodge where Frank use to hang out, win a big jackpot, bring the money back to California to spend it, and
100. Have a Schnitzel at Schatzi's.

What numbers have you done?