What an Incredible Day

I could not get enough when I walked this morning. Even cruising on Oceanside Blvd. on the way to work the Moon showcased what an incredible day it would be. So clear even after yesterday where the overcast cooled the sun in the afternoon. I hopped on my beach cruiser and headed down Wisconsin Street from the 101. I get an ocean view as soon as I look West and cruise down to The Strand. The first picture is of my beach at the bottom of my hill. Since this was late most of our regular surfers had already gone to work so few got to enjoy this days waves. I found only a few enjoying Swings at the Pier, picture two. It is always cool to see the Moms and their three wheelers exercising along The Strand, but it warms my heart to see Dads, picture three. I guess I am jealous of them since the only three wheelers around when my kids were small were either motorcycles of old folks bikes. And of course there were many fishermen at the beach today. Today is going to be tough to stay at work.

Warm Summer Days are upon Us

The beach is filling up with visitors. More each day and its the June Gloom month wait until the real heat begins. Everything tells us that this will be a great visitor season for our guest. It is the time to check out the suits along the Famous Strand where Tom Cruise rode his motorcycle up to the now highly recognized Top Gun House on Pacific Street. Don't forget sunscreen.

Woodies find their way to the 101 Cafe

Woodies at the Cafe are not an unusual sight, but it is always exciting for our guest to see them. These reject station wagons of days gone by have found a place in the visual landscape of the California Surf Culture and have made their owner's the elite of the road. The surf connection was strongest in the fifties and sixties when surfers used these inexpensive used wagons to haul their long boards. Bruce Brown's epic Surf Movies including 'The Endless Summer' emblazoned the wood sided cars as a surf vehicles in our minds. Now wherever they cruise they are noticed in a big way. The 101 Cafe has been a part of the Woodie's heritage since 1928 when the Model A was massed produced. From the beginning, these were specialty vehicles used for many reasons including hauling guest from trains and to resorts. Maybe you will see or bring a Woodie to the Cafe and make us happy.

We are blessed to have the Greatest Woodie Show in the country just off the Historic Highway 101 in Encinitas, Wavecrest . Make a point to check out the coolest cars on the Coast September 20th. If you check them all out you may get 'Wood Burn'.

Blessing or Curse at the 101 Cafe

The 101 Cafe is 80 years old this year. It is not hard to imagine that it must have been painted maybe 15 or twenty times in its life on the 101. For the last twenty years we have either painted or touch up every year for the twenty years David and I have owned it. In the beginning we hired or traded food for painting, but in the last ten I have been mainly responsible for the bright white walls surrounding the Cafe. I have come to learn that no matter what season I paint the sun will come out and beat down on me. Today is a perfect example. This morning was the beginning of the perfect(yuk) June gloom day. After yesterday's gloom which included light showers and drizzle I never even gave a thought to today being a Hot Sunny Day. I guess you can thank me for the sun, because if I choose not to paint the gloom probably would have continued all day. I guess the San Diego Chamber of Commerce will hope I paint all week so the US Open at Torrey Pines will have the 'Perfect Chamber of Commerce Weather'. Call me if you need sun at least along the 101. Check out the perfect blue sky and surf right down the street from the Cafe

US open in San Diego at Torrey Pines

For the first time ever the US Open will be played on a public golf course, yes only in San Diego. Torrey Pines was built in 1957 and has hosted many Professional events including the Buick Invitational. It is over sixty years ago that the open was even played in California. Tens of thousands are expected to follow the players around the course along the bluffs above the Pacific Ocean. The Open is being played along the Historic US Highway 101 and next to Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve where the rare Torrey Pine tree flourishes. Speculation is that this years open is Tiger Woods to lose. It will be his first tournament since his surgery. Clearly this will be great for San Diego North.

101 Cafe Old, but New

In 1928 the Ekegren family opened a small twenty seat cafe along the new US Highway 101 in Oceanside, California and named it the 101 Cafe. Little did they know that it would survive through a depression, World War, many other Military confrontations to become the oldest Cafe on the Historic Highway 101 on the entire West Coast. The 101 was bypassed to the present location of the present day Interstate 5 in 1953.
Many of the traditions presented by previous owners are carried on today. The Cafe was last remodeled in 1954 and we strive to keep the look which was then Graham's Drive-In the same as then. The booth and counter seating remains and while the old jukebox has worn out many times we play XM Radio's oldies music all day.
You can imagine how many of the items on our menu are drawn from menus of days goneby. Our burgers and breakfast menu is steeped in the past while we have add healthy choices for today's world. Hand-packed milk-shakes put smiles on our guest faces and the classic beer battered onion rings are the absolute best we can offer.
Many of the items on our menu have been donated by cooks from another time, they will be honored by the smiles on your face while enjoying their food.
We hope all will enjoy our classic Cafe, the food and the service we put forward for everyday.

Summer is here early in Oceanside California

It may only be June 7, but the beach is where to be. Mid 70's and beautiful blue sky and cool water make the beach the number one hangout. Swimming, surfing, building sand castles are only some of the activities to partake in. Go down and check for yourself if you question wether its really Beach Time.