If you haven't been to San Juan Bautista, you need to go. It's a little ways south of San Jose, an hour east of Big Sur, a long but not impossible trip from San Francisco. Mara and I were there last winter, and I keep meaning to spread the word. It's a real getaway with good old-fashioned California heritage and big cacti and a nice bakery and a good vibe.
Chickens running around.
What can you say? SJB got style.
It's also got a mission, and it's in the heart of artichoke country. They say that hard times are when the big ideas really take hold. Maybe it's time to get that marimba you've always wanted.