Party Down in SLO Town

Our home away from home was how we felt about SLO all those years we lived in the alternately hot and smoggy/chill and foggy Central Valley. Every chance we got on weekends, we’d pack up the camper and head out to the Central Coast; we even discussed moving here, but various circumstances kept us in the Valley for the remainder of our working lives.

One of our first stops in SLO was always Mo’s Smokehouse BBQ. This time, after a 3-year absence, was no exception. Tucked away in our favorite (and only) booth, we were in Southern barbecue nirvana again, savoring tender flavorful mouthfuls of hickory smoked pulled pork and beef... ahhhhh.

SLO’s wild reputation is hardly surprising in a California coastal college town. What students don’t love to party? And what better environment than the bright sunshine, invigorating marine air, and mild, balmy nights that grace this town at the foot of Cuesta Grade? Contention between city officials and partygoers has existed for many years concerning February Mardis Gras celebrations, an event that began in SLO in the mid-‘70s. By 1997, ballooning attendance led to increasing injuries and arrests. In recent years, Mardis Gras festivities escalated into "riots", with complaints about loud and rowdy behavior, including drunkenness and flashing, and police called for outside assistance to control crowds estimated in the thousands of revelers. The 2005 Mardis Gras was toned down, thanks to the cool million spent on pre-event planning, publicity, and police presence. We’ve attended the parade several times; it was fun and festive. The problems stem more from after-parade activities in student apartment complexes.

Swingin’ SLO: Strolling Higuera Street after a satisfying Mo’s barbecue, we spotted old folks and young’uns spilling out of Mother’s Tavern to the infectious beat of Swing music. The sweating old swinger cooling off for a minute outside told me Mother’s has Swing nights every Sunday, and he doesn’t miss a one. Mondays, free Swing nights take place at Madonna Inn from 8 to 11pm.

Thursday Farmers Market on Higuera is worth staying an extra day for. Admire the organic coastal crops; buy a floral bouquet to decorate your living space. Sniff your way up and down the street, savoring the smells of barbecue, honed here to art and entertainment. Enjoy music and dancing on various intersections along this queen of street fairs. People-watch to your heart’s content.

Quick Tips:

For what’s happenin’ in SLO, pick up a copy of the provocative, irreverent New Times, available on street corners, stores, and businesses all over town. It’s the best alternative weekly I’ve read anywhere, giving necessary information about entertainment, movies, festivals, and almost anything happening in and around SLO, plus interesting feature stories and often heated letters, editorials, and opinion columns by the likes of The Shredder.

Marine air can quickly turn the warmest day cool, or vice versa. Dress in layers or bring extra clothes along in your car.

For a good flick… check out the retro Palm Theater. The Smartest Guys in the Room (ENRON) was playing while we were there. Visiting years back, I was delighted to see a Dutch film at Palm (Bob, less delighted, had to read subtitles).

Possibly the only bubble gum alley in existence can be found off the 700’s block of Higuera Street. People began depositing their chewed wads on the walls here in the ‘60s; in the ‘70s, it really took off. Now it’s SLO’s most unique tourist attraction, and worth a peek, maybe even a contribution. Check out the virtual gummy tour and Ira Hirsch’s acid-tongued critique.

Best Way To Get Around:

Getting here: Highway 101 and Pacific Coast Highway 1 pass through SLO, located about midway between L.A. and San Francisco. Airlines serving San Luis Obispo County Airport include American Eagle, America West, and United Express. Avis, Budget, Enterprise, and Hertz provide car rentals at the airport. Amtrak Superliner stops at the historic station. Greyhound’s bus station is located at 150 South Street, with daily buses from and to San Francisco and L.A.

Getting around while here: Car is your best bet. In the downtown area, a free trolley takes people around. Parking downtown is metered but not that hard to find, cheap, and a good way to rid yourself of heavy change in your pocket. Drive just beyond downtown in any direction and the meters cease. Meters stop counting after 6pm anyway. Word of warning: Meter-readers are on top of it here; we found out the hard way one time. Don’t assume just because it’s almost 6pm, you won’t be ticketed. There are low-cost parking garages on either side of Higuera Street (first hour free, 60 cents per hour after the first).

Best Things Nearby:
San Luis Obispo attractions; coastal towns of Morro Bay, Los Osos, Cayucos, Cambria, and San Simeon (north); and Avila Beach, Shell Beach, and Pismo Beach (south)

Best Things About the Resort:
There were private, secluded sites; trails; botanical garden; and a golf course.

Resort Experience:
Centrally located between San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay, El Chorro Campground is a friendly and fairly economical place for RV or tent camping. We camped here years ago, when all sites were primitive. It was fascinating to return and experience the many new developments since then. Two more camping loops have been added to make a total of three, and the back two loops now have water, sewer, and electric hookups, plus camp hosts. The sites are well-spaced apart and secluded, with strategically growing foliage between sites. In the center of both loops are grassy open areas. Peak season (summer) costs are $26 nightly or $156 weekly at developed campsites.

For old time’s sake, and to economize, we camped "primitive" in Bishop Loop without hookups, but with a picnic table and grill and plenty enough space for our large rig. Cost: $17 per night. Bathrooms with pay showers are nearest this loop.

El Chorro is first-come, first-served, unless you’re a group requiring 6 or more sites, in which case they’ll take reservations. The 62 campsites fill up fast on summer and holiday weekends; arriving by Wednesday or Thursday will improve your chances of snagging a site.

Behind Romualdo Loop you’ll find AIDS Living Memorial Grove, a tribute to loved ones who have died of AIDS. Created in partnership with AIDS Support Network of San Luis Obispo County, it’s meant to honor those whose lives have been cut short, as well as their partners, family, and friends. This gentle grove is a place to grieve, remember, meditate, and hope.

In earlier years, we loved to hike out east of the campground on open hillsides with clumps of cattle grazing. Now that area has become 18-hole Dairy Creek Golf Course, popular with locals, including a clubhouse and the Fairway Restaurant. Campers are welcome to bring clubs and play there (for a fee, of course).

But there are still trails, such as self-guided Eagle Rock nature trail. On its 1.8 miles, watch out for poison oak, which flourishes in these hills. On the way to the Eagle Rock viewpoint, you’ll find evidence of mortar holes made by Chumash Indians, the earliest residents. The viewpoint offers vistas of the Nine Sisters, a row of ancient and unique volcanic peaks between San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay. The most well-known of these is rounded Morro Rock, standing partially submerged in the waters of Morro Bay. These peaks are also known as morros, or cerros.

Dairy Creek Trail provides welcome shade on hot days creek-side, and the Bridge Trail connects campground to day use area. Day-use facilities include picnic areas, big barbecue pits, softball fields, volleyball courts, playground, and botanical garden.

Historically, this area was used for cattle-grazing and a milk-cow dairy, then became part of military Camp San Luis Obispo, original home of the California National Guard. In 1972, the El Chorro portion was deeded to the county by the federal government for use as park and recreation area.

• Campground Type: State/Province Park
• Campsite Type: RV
• Price Range: $10 - $20
• Cleanliness: Excellent
• Campground Facilities: Very Good
• Recreational Facilities: Very Good
• Campsite Satisfaction: Very Good
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Very Good

Give or take 20 years ago, Larry Kowalski and a buddy took a memorable road trip. Already in the restaurant business, he aimed to discover the secrets of Southern barbecue firsthand by visiting over 80 barbecue restaurants in 10 states in the Southern barbecue belt. On one wall, a map of states with red string and blue pins shows their route. Larry and friend picked up recipes, tips, inspiration, and chairs (all antique and unique) for the new restaurant on Higuera. Enlarged photos of barbeque joints they visited hang on the walls, along with license plates with barbeque themes and extra antique chairs.

Pigs reign supreme at Mo’s. Many pigs hang on the walls, in wood and metal, even a pig weather vane and Pig X-ing street sign (mama porker followed by piglets). A pig cookie jar sits on a shelf. Once you place your order, you’re given a numbered wooden pig to take to your table. Mo’s has a child-friendly atmosphere. Children (and young-at-heart) can grab a tin of Crayolas and color the happy pig in a chef’s hat, captioned I ate it at Mo’s. The real good ones get hung up on the wall. Which may be making you wonder, is there anything not hung up on the walls at Mo’s? Not much actually, other than tables, antique chairs, and customers.

You can buy a Mo’s T-shirt for $10.95. They hang from the rafters with catchy phrases like Just Say Mo, Eat Me (on a pink pig) and Ribbed for your Pleasure (showing a full side of pork ribs). Mo’s consistently wins top prizes in the yearly Rib Cook-Offs; this year, they won People’s Choice award for best pork. The winning plaques are, you guessed it, hung up on the wall.

You can eat indoors or at one of the tables out front; there’s good people-watching out there on Higuera. Once you taste your order, you come to realize how well-deserved Mo’s many prizes are. Our favorites are the Virginia barbeque pork sandwich, their house specialty. Shredded pork in a heavenly sauce topped with coleslaw right in the French roll. And the barbeque beef sandwich with Memphis seasoning, wickedly tender and tasty. Wonderful sides to these are baked beans, extra coleslaw, and homemade potato chips. Not to forget a pitcher of beer. Our total cost for the meal was $28.

Several secrets of Mo’s success include the authentic Hickory-smoked meats, smoked and cooked on the premises, and their own sauces, which you can buy by the bottle in four flavors: regular, spicy hot, sweet Carolina, and Philthy Phil’s, vinegar-based with mustard and brown sugar.

For heavier appetites, all kinds of hefty rib dinners are offered, as well as half a hickory-smoked barbeque chicken. Lunch specials Monday through Friday are sandwich, chips, and a (nonalcoholic) drink for $5.95. Mo’s also does catering and large quantity orders. You’ll find mo’ Mo’s in Pismo Beach, Huntington Beach, and Chico, California. Wanna start up yo’ own Mo’s? Just say MO!!!

We’ll never forget our first time at Margie’s. Someone had told us they serve really good breakfasts. Sipping our hot coffees while gazing out the large windows at the misty SLO morning outside, we selected a couple of omelets from the ample menu. In not too long, our server delivered our orders, and both our mouths gaped open in disbelief. The menu warned, Our omelets are BIG, but that was an understatement; they were HUMONGOUS! We ended up eating too much of the delicious omelets, accompanied by tasty fried red-skinned potatoes, sides of toast, and a hefty chunk of watermelon and orange wedge. We still had enough left over to carry a good half home in a container.

Subsequently, we split the meals, ordering only an extra side of toast. Margie’s serves lunches and dinners too, but we’re stuck on their Diner Special omelet, a tasty concoction of diced ham, green pepper, onion, cheddar, and jack cheese, topped with salsa. We have them add a load of sautéed button mushrooms to that.

Margie’s is divided into three sections: tables by large windows, the main dining room with booths and tables, and the diner-style counter. Though we mostly pick booths, we like the light and spaciousness of the section with tables.

Margie and Ken started their diner with the intention of serving only real food. It's a no-nonsense eatery that prides itself on avoiding "flim-flam" such as additives, artificial flavorings, and frozen foods. This year, as in most years, they won SLO’s "best meal for your money" category and tied with Cowgirl Café for second in the "best breakfast" category in the New Times Best of SLO.

Margie’s lunches are served all day and include "huge, hot and tasty" sandwiches, soups, salads, and burgers, of course. Dinner selections begin at 4pm, and there are eight of them. Steaks, pork, ham, chicken, meatloaf, and even a vegetarian selection can be ordered. All dinners come with soup or salad, rolls, vegetable, and choice of potatoes or onion rings.

Margie’s menu is full of funnies. Examples: Good cup of coffee: $1.75, Great cup of coffee: $1.75; and Margie’s diet program: She’s going to make everyone else fat. All kidding aside, we’ll keep coming back to Margie’s for that killer omelet, even if it does make us fat. There are at least four other Margie’s Diners in nearby towns.

McLintock’s has been another of our favorite SLO restaurants over the years. The most well-known McLintock’s is in Shell Beach, and besides a saloon, contains a dining house and country store. Driving up coastal Highway 1 from Pismo Beach, you can’t miss it, on the east side of the highway with a giant wooden cowboy in front of the rough-hewn wooden complex. Famous for its high water pour, it’s quite a surprise when you don’t expect it to have your server pour your water with pitcher held high above the glass. But the Saloon in SLO is a less flashy, more modest place, tucked away between Tom’s Toys and a small Italian restaurant, and partially obscured behind the smooth-barked fig trees that line Higuera (and give the street its name).

On Thursday evenings, however, all of Higuera comes to life with Farmers Market, and the cooks at McLintock’s set up their massive pit barbecues and begin grilling ribs, kebobs, sausages, and burgers. They also engage in entertaining banter and antics taking orders, and the line in front is always long. After we’d finished our curbside turkey leg appetizer (from SLO Brewing Co.'s barbecue pit) and strolled Higuera a little longer, ending up in front of rowdy McLintock’s, we figured we’d earned a sit-down dinner and even a beer. (Dogs and liquor aren’t allowed on the street during the Farmers Market.)

There are a couple of choice tables with tall chairs at McLintock’s by the big front windows, especially choice during Farmers Market when it’s a front-row seat to watch the barbecuing. To our surprise, though, the place was packed, and that’s where we got seated. We sipped our beers and decided to share the Trail Camp Steak, a 12-ounce tri-tip that came with salad, beans, garlic toast, and choice of potatoes; we chose baked. The steak was good, though not quite of the caliber of the Peppermill Steakhouse in Valentine, Nebraska. McLintock serves 100% USDA-choice corn-fed beef, and they’re butchered and cut on site. In the New Times Best Of, they won number one for best steak, and second in tri-tip, ribs, salsa, and kid-friendliness. The meal, an extra side of beans, plus two draft Buds, set us back only $22.

Who ARE these guys? I began to wonder. John Wayne’s initials in the 1963 movie McLintock! were G.W., but the restaurant is "F." Fact of the matter is, two guys with less catchy names got together 30-something years ago, buying out octogenarian Mattie Smyer, proprietress of a hole-in-the-wall Shell Beach eatery. Their names: Bruce Breault and Tunny Ortali. The second generation Breault (Toney) now runs the business, and it remains family-owned and operated, not interested in franchising or going public, despite its success.

McLintock’s SLO saloon is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Besides steaks, they offer burgers, sandwiches, "C" food, and salads. You’ll also find McLintock’s in Arroyo Grande, Paso Robles, and Steamers of Pismo in Pismo Beach.

As I stepped under the arched vining arbor into the square brick building with green trim, awnings, and red-tile roof, my vision was assailed with Dutch sights, and if I could have smelled, I’m sure, the smells of Dutch baked delicacies. The Dutch bakery was a completely unexpected, delightful surprise. The shelves were stocked with containers of baked Dutch cookies of all kinds and familiar Dutch brands, such as De Ruyters, with boxes of chocolate hail, a favorite open-faced bread topping from my childhood.

A sign above the counter advertised, "We make everything from scratch." Behind the glass display case lay an abundance of from-scratch evidence: delectable-looking pastries, and on the shelves to the right, loaves of freshly baked bread and buns in baskets. Noticing there were chairs and tables indoors and out, and surprisingly extensive breakfast and lunch menus, we determined to return for breakfast on another day.

That day rolled around, and we sat outside on the patio, shaded from bright sunshine by the parasol-shades above the tables. The Peet’s coffee we were sipping was deliciously strong and robust. I’d never heard of it before, but learned that Dutchman Alfred Peet started the small store, Peet’s Coffee and Tea, in Berkeley in 1966. His wonderful imported arabicas, dark-roasted the European way, attracted a growing clientele. Alfred went so far as to teach his customers how to grind the beans and brew the coffee. He was the inspiration and "spiritual grandfather" behind Starbuck’s; its three founders in Seattle ordered their personal supplies of coffee from Peet, and one worked at Peet’s to learn the trade. Since then, Alfred is no longer connected with Peet’s Coffee, which went public after he sold it.

Our breakfast croissants were ready. Bob’s was scrambled eggs with ham, bacon, and cheddar. I really enjoyed my "veggie" croissant, eggs with cheddar, sautéed mushrooms, onions, and red bell peppers. Our dessert was a pecan pastry that Bob didn’t think was sweet enough, but was just right for me. The cost of everything was under $15.

Utopia’s lunch menu is mouthwatering, with both American-style and European-style sandwiches. I’d like to try the Dutch Bear Claw: meatballs with grilled onions, topped with spicy peanut sauce on a French roll. Salads, soups, wraps, and quiches are also on the menu, and everything was very reasonably priced, most under $6. Besides coffee and tea, specialty coffees, chai, juices, sodas, even beer (Heineken of course!), and wine are served. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, there’s Dutch poffertjes and pannekoeken, and live music on Sundays. "Dutch Territory" since 2001, Utopia Bakery looks and feels like Holland, including several Dutch staff members. For more information, check their website.
Open Monday to Saturday 5am-6pm
Sunday 8am to 6pm

We’d just arrived in SLO and decided to check out what was happening downtown. Parking near the mission, we could see there was something going on there, with booths, a Big Bounce, and lots of people wandering around. Walking past food and informational booths, I soon heard music and found that the mission steps and patio were serving as a stage for performances. What I’d stumbled onto was Mosaic of Multitudes, Cal Poly’s 9th annual Culture Fest. This celebration of what’s different and shared between cultures is mostly planned and implemented by Cal Poly students, with support from staff, faculty, local businesses, and community members.

Piecing It Together was the intent of this year’s event. Community building, social justice, and true democracy are the stated principles underlying Culture Fest. I’d already missed over an hour of performances and was disappointed to discover Aztec dancers among those missed. But the Vietnamese hat dance was elegant, followed by poetry readings by an earnest young man from Michoacán. His readings were poignant, expressing alternate pride, regret, and mixed emotions concerning his family, background, and the dominant culture. A crowd of young people, in mostly black-and-red clothing, had been attracting attention near the stage area due to their good looks and high energy. It turned out they were the next act, PCE Modern.

Modern is hot. From the moment they took the stage, the audience was engaged and excited. Hip-hop and urban pop dancing, the troupe told stories with their bodies, interactions, and music, showcasing individuals and smaller groups within the larger. PCE stands for Pilipino Cultural Exchange, a Cal Poly student group active since 1973. Modern does not require prior dancing experience, nor even Filipino ethnicity to join. But motivation and willingness to practice whatever it takes to master the dance routines are mandatory.

Dance contest: The afternoon spun out enjoyably with traditional, as well as contemporary, dances and performances by other student organizations. Then it was time for the dance contest. The student MCs put forth great effort persuading audience members to participate, mostly met with refusals. Finally, four young guys were corralled (or coerced?) and the music began; each had to demonstrate their dancing skills individually. To my surprise, the geeky-looking, white computer-science major was an excellent dancer and won the contest.

More than 20 student associations and several Greek houses (sororities/fraternities) participated in Culture Fest 05. Hillel had a juice booth (get it? Jews, juice?). The Black Student Union danced a mean hip-hop. The Polynesian dancers offered free hula lessons to anyone interested following their dance. I didn’t stay for the closing, getting impatient phone calls from a hungry Bob waiting for me at Mo’s BBQ some blocks away.

If nothing else, plan your trip to SLO to include Thursday evening. The Thursday Farmers Market experience is an integral part of SLO life and not to be missed. This gala weekly festivity began in 1983 for a combination of reasons, including an effort to discourage cruising Higuera and downtown merchants’ worries about competition from a newly opened shopping mall. What developed was beyond mosts’ wildest expectations – and goes way beyond the selling of produce. Blocked off to traffic by 5pm, Higuera Street undergoes its weekly transformation.

Veggies, berries, blooms, and more are sold by local farmers and gardeners at booths bursting with color. Produce looks as if it was picked just minutes ago, and almost as quickly, is bought up by eager customers. Mounds of large artichokes, boxes of bright red tomatoes, artistically arranged piles of spinach, lettuce, brassicas, and beets make me wistful for the days we had two refrigerators.

Smoke wafts down Higuera Street. But no fire engine sirens wail, and no buildings are burning. It’s from many massive pit barbecues along the length of Higuera, stoking up their fires to tantalize us with carnivorous fare. Though difficult, refrain from scarfing down the first delectable rib or kabob you see. There’s a wide selection, and you’ll burn off a few more calories walking Higuera debating and deciding. For our appetizer, Bob and I shared a giant turkey leg from SLO Brewing Company’s barbecue pit. We felt like Neanderthals gingerly tearing steaming meat off bone, trying not to burn our fingers. Curbside dining (literally – there are no tables or chairs) was challenging but delicious. We were glad we knew the location of the nearest semi-public restroom (downstairs at Cisco’s) to wash grease and barbecue grime off our hands and faces. Alternatively, a pocketful of wet wipes would’ve been helpful. McLintocks Saloon’s army of oak pit barbecuers puts on the best show. They grill cuts with precision, efficiently, and lots of hollering and fun. McLintock’s was our choice for dinner.

Music and dancing on the streets enlivens the atmosphere more. At least three scheduled performances highlight bigger intersections, but impromptu musicians and performers set up anywhere, with small or larger crowds gathering. My favorite, an indigenous Andean band, wasn’t there this time; in their stead was a troupe of belly dancers. A solo keyboardist and singing guitar player and drummers rounded out scheduled entertainment. A purple-shirted modern-dance troupe, Variable Velocity, danced and mimed among the crowds.

Beyond edibles, booths of all persuasions line the street, from $5 massages, face-painting, and political parties to handcrafted items, you have an interesting array of items, services, and ideas to peruse and consider. For people-watchers, it’s loads of fun observing how they handle ingesting their messy barbecued meats. The old "Wrath of God" guy with (badly) dyed black hair and sign warning sinners of impending doom is always there. A well-fed homeless guy advertises his homelessness and asks for help sandwiched between a sign. A word to dog-lovers: no canines allowed.

SLO’s Botanical Garden is a labor of love in the making. The 2-acre preview garden is a glimpse into the future, a 150-acre garden focusing on ecosystems and plants of the five Mediterranean climate zones of the world: Western and Southern Australia, Western Cape Province of South Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, central Chile, and of course, California. The climate is mild, with warm, dry summers and rainy (15 to 18 inches) winters. While camped at El Chorro, one morning I walked the Bridge Trail from the campground across Dairy Creek to the day-use area and the Botanical Garden. At the entrance kiosk, I picked up a self-guiding map that enhanced my visit to this lovely garden.

At each bed, I learned interesting things about the plants growing there. Adaptable Australian banksias are killed by fire but regenerate from their trunks or specialized tubers at their base. Many Cape Garden plants are succulents, blooming during fall and winter in the northern hemisphere. Mostly aloes, this bountiful species provides foods, fibers, and medicines. Fragrant lavenders originated in the Mediterranean Basin. Derived from the Roman lava, meaning "to wash", Greeks and Romans bathed in lavender-scented baths. Arabs used lavender medicinally as an expectorant and antispasmodic. In Europe, it was used to heal wounds and rid children of worms. During the dark years of plague in the 16th and 17th centuries, wearers of lavender-scented gloves, or those who bathed in lavender water, seemed to escape the Black Death.

Summer drought characterizes the Mediterranean climate zones. Leaf adaptations that minimize water loss include needle-shaped leaves, as well as hairy leaves. Succulents close up during the warmth of day, but open their stomates in the cool of night to minimize losses from evaporation. Bed D contains succulents of all five zones. Even their coloring serves to protect from water loss: silvery grays, soft greens, subtle mauves.

About halfway through the preview garden, I came across a man who was preparing for a presentation about digital photography of plants in the garden at the small amphitheater. He’d been with the garden project from its beginnings. They are committed to teaching at all levels and age groups, with lesson plans and tours appropriate to each. The Education Center building is in construction, maximizing ecological and solar temperature control and lighting. Plant Family Camp, two sessions held during summer, provide kids and adults with memorable and educational experiences. This year, the focus is on creating a sustainable future, with fun games and activities based on the "reality" TV show Survivor. Families in the Garden are offered the second Saturday of every month and involve various activities and learning. Check out the most recent newsletter for the latest on what’s happening in the garden. For more info, call 805/546-3501, or check out their website.

Outlandish best describes this fine example of roadside America. Criticized as kitch, ghastly, and tasteless, perhaps not inaccurately, Madonna Inn emits a certain bold and unsubtle attraction. Umberto Eco, in his brilliant Travels in Hyperreality, describes the inn as an LSD overdose-induced nuptial catacomb, only one of many hilarious analogies.

Now that your curiosity is whetted, just what is the Madonna Inn and who is responsible for its creation? Alex Madonna died at age 85 in April 2004. Of Swiss immigrant stock, his grandparents farmed California’s central coast. After his father’s death, young Alex started Madonna Construction Company after graduating from high school in 1937. The company was successful, especially in highway construction, and Alex branched out into cattle ranching, using a construction-inspired pick and shovel emblem as a brand symbol. In 1949, he married Phyllis Boyd, and together they planned to open their dream motel.

Madonna Inn opened in 1958 with 12 rooms. Alex had a fondness for huge boulders, the Swiss chalet style, Old West elements, and ornately carved wood. Phyllis’s interior decorating is bright, bold, and unlikely. We never overnighted here, but my first reaction to the rooms was, "I can’t believe this." See for yourself! The Madonna Inn room tour shows every one of the 109 individually decorated, no-two-rooms-alike rooms, ranging in price from $147to $330 per night. Larger suites are family-sized.

Cerro San Luis, one of the Nine Sisters, is the backdrop to Madonna Inn. Some think it should be renamed Cerro Madonna in honor of Alex. Though his unorthodox architectural tastes and politics sometimes didn’t set well with more architecturally conservative SLO citizens, the couple contributed more than business and tourism to the area. The annual Madonna Fashion show has been a fundraiser for the SLO County Women’s Shelter since 1987. He was also a generous philanthropist to local organizations and schools.

For the hungry and thirsty, Madonna Inn complex includes the Copper Café and Pastry Shop, Alex Madonna’s Steak House, and Silver Bar Cocktail Lounge, used for an Avon Lady convention on our last visit. A massage center, a women’s boutique, and a men’s clothing shop are also on the grounds. The Classic Gourmet and Wine Shop has been expanded and relocated in the old gas station entrance.

A world-famous urinal can be found in a men’s room in Madonna Inn’s main building. A light sensor activates a waterfall flow into a massive rock urinal when it’s, uh, used. After voiding, guys can wash their hands in giant clamshell sinks. A lesser-known but also spectacular urinal consists of copper trough with water wheel, again activated by use. It’s really fun for guys to go to the bathroom here!

Madonna Inn is a popular honeymoon destination and has been described as a Hearst Castle for "poor" people due to its opulence and reasonably priced rooms. Undeniably garish, it is, however, unique. I like to think of it as an expression of Alex’s and Phyllis’s union.

The railroad came to San Luis Obispo in 1894, stimulating growth in this mission town, which had grown slowly since its founding in 1722. With a current population of around 45,000, it’s still not all that big. We’d visited the railroad station in previous years, and since this time we were staying nearby, Bob and I took several walks around the railroad area of town. A fairly busy station, San Luis Obispo is a major stop for north and southbound passenger and freight trains.

Osos-Jennifer Street Bridge, just south of the station crossing over the tracks, was new since our last visit. This impressive walkway has ramps, making it handicapped- and bike-accessible, besides stairs, to climb to the great views of Railroad Square, the station, and a good stretch of railroad tracks. It’s also a good crossing point to get to the Railroad Recreational Trail, stretching from the station a couple of miles south to Orcutt Street.

Inside on the walls of the historic railroad station are photos of some of earlier station incarnations, including a wooden structure circa 1900. Six passenger trains and 16 Amtrak busses make stops here daily. The southbound Pacific Surfliner to L.A. was stopped at the station while I was on the bridge above, giving some fun photo ops. Rail2Rail connects Amtrak with L.A.’s Metrolink, allowing cross-ticketing. The Coast Starlight (Seattle-L.A.) passes through twice a day. Buses connect coastal rail travelers to the San Joaquin passenger trains. Freight trains still chug their way up steep Cuesta Grade east. An as-yet-unfinished railroad museum is in the making a few blocks south of the station.

Railroad Square is an attractive collection of historic buildings housing restaurants, galleries, offices, and other small businesses. On a circular plot at its center stands a statue honoring Chinese railroad workers and other Chinese pioneers of SLO County. The Iron Road Pioneers statue, sculpted by Elizabeth MacQueen, was dedicated in 2003. Though people of Chinese ethnicity currently number less than 2% in SLO, their ancestors played a vital role in the development of the railroad and the town.

On Wong, better known as Ah Louis, immigrated from China at age 21 and moved from San Francisco to San Luis Obispo on the urging of his friend Captain John Hartford (who operated nearby Port San Luis). He began working as a hotel cook, but soon was in charge of recruiting many Chinese workers for the Pacific Coast Railway. Later, he became foreman of Chinese miners working in Cambria’s quicksilver mines. Ah Louis weathered discrimination and thrived in his store, which still stands on the corner of Chorro and Palm, in SLO's Chinatown. I’ve visited inside this historical store that’s more like a museum in past years, but this year it was closed and fenced off, with a forbidding sign by the city warning it was "unsafe to occupy this building." Construction is going on all around. One wonders what’s in the making.

Behind the shops and restaurants on Higuera Street’s north side, in downtown San Luis Obispo, you’ll find some lovely surprises. Mission Plaza is one. San Luis Obispo Creek is another. And, of course, the mission itself is the third.

The creek sets the mood. We’ve seen it muddy, swollen, and torrential with winter rains, peaceful and gently trickling along on sunny summer days. San Luis Obispo Creek originates high (well, 2,200 feet is high compared to 234 feet, SLO’s elevation) on Cuesta Pass, east of town. In its 18 miles, it descends to SLO town, flows right through it, and continues on to the Pacific Ocean at Avila Beach.

Mission Plaza sets the stage, often literally. Next to historic Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, the plaza is the heart of downtown and SLO’s social and cultural center with frequent community events on its grounds. The Mission Plaza project, with its inception in the 1960s and dedication in 1971, continues to evolve. The plaza itself takes up two blocks, with seating areas, amphitheater, arbor patio, restrooms, a historic adobe, pathways, and bridges across the creek.

One of those bridges leads to the Network, a building containing a variety of shops and restaurants, most notably, Cisco’s. This eatery is a sandwich place in the perfect location. Its brick patio above San Luis Obispo Creek and across from Mission Plaza hosts live music just about every time we’ve been there, between noon and 4pm. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it to Cisco’s this last time we were in SLO, but it’s always been a treat for us to spend an hour there, kicking back with a snack or a sandwich and a beer, the creek on one side, a good group or soloist playing and singing favorite tunes, and young and old enjoying themselves all around.

Steelhead are returning to San Luis Creek in various forms, live fish in the waters and painted plaster creations on its banks downtown. For many years, influx of chlorine and ammonia from the SLO sewage facility made San Luis Creek unlivable for the native steelhead trout that used to thrive here. After a sewer upgrade in the early 1990s and many stream-restoration projects by the Land Conservancy since 1988, the steelhead are returning. They’re still endangered, and they still face many challenges, including competition for their habitat, the water.

Fish no like dish. As for the plaster fishies, it was born as a fundraiser for the Prado Day Center, a haven for the homeless. Twenty-five fiberglass trout sculptures were placed all around downtown, the plan for an auction to be held at summer’s end, with proceeds benefiting the shelter. Almost as soon as the fish were installed, they began disappearing or getting vandalized by the rowdies about town. One was returned with an apology note, but others may remain ensconced in living spaces as trout trophies. Those remaining, the vast majority, enhance the streets and plaza and are really quite lovely. I hope the promoters don’t get too discouraged…

It all began... in Tixlini. This was the Stishni Chumash name for the obscure settlement the Spanish chose in 1772 as the site to build the fifth California mission, San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, naming it after Saint Louis, bishop of Toulouse, France. Bears were abundant here, and Spanish hunting expeditions met with success in taking down grizzlies with their lethal weapons. Though it’s reported some Chumash were impressed with how easy it was for the Spanish to kill the powerful bears, undoubtedly others were appalled and angered at the decimation of what they considered to be a guardian spirit.

In any case, the Chumash Indians were initially noted for their friendliness, hospitality, and relative affluence. However, this was to turn to a longer-lasting hatred as they continued to be oppressed and exploited over the years. The mission was built by the hard labor of the captive Stishni Chumash. With Mexican independence, the missions were secularized. Mission buildings were used as schools, courthouses, even jails. In 1850, California became a part of the United States, and mission lands were returned to the church. Restoration of Mission San Luis Obispo to its original Spanish style began in 1933.

Tuqusk’ Wa Suwa is the name of the bear fountain on Mission Plaza. It’s a focal point and a great attraction to children. In October 2004, sculptor Paula Zima added two bear cubs to the fountain. See their creation/construction from beginning almost to end.

Creekside pleasures await you if you take the time to leisurely stroll along the walkways on both sides at various levels above San Luis Creek. Ducks and children love to splash in its waters. Shaded by native plants and trees, more sculptures can be found along the walkways, sometimes even in adjoining backyards. Whether your pleasure is live music at Cisco’s, steaks on McLintock’s back patio, or a burrito for lunch at the Burrito Wagon, SLO down and enjoy it.