San Diego Surprise #2: Moxie Theatre

Latest production - Moxie Theatre 

This surprise *is* in San Diego proper, near San Diego State University.  It's a theater founded in 2004 to showcase works by female playwrights, called, nicely enough, Moxie Theatre. It's tucked into the corner of a shopping mall, next to a lot of massage parlors and smoke shops.  Not a particularly promising location.

It was girlfriends' night out, and frankly I had low expectations. We were about to watch Herland, an original play by Grace McLeod, who is all of 23 years old.  Originally, I thought it was going to be about the 1915 book of the same name, but instead it was a delightful ensemble act about three ladies in their 70s who hire a high school intern to help them plan a Utopian alternative to an old folks' home.  The action takes place in Jean's "office" in the garage, former home to Jean's ex-husband's Bruce Springsteen cover band.  Subtle and funny and identifiable, it exceeded my expectations. More than that, I enjoyed it immensely.  Local hardscrabble theater can be good. And you're bound to get a good seat, because there are so few of them.

Next up is Hookman, an existential slasher comedy. Check it out if you're in the neighborhood.

Always a good seat at the Moxie.  

 
 

San Diego Surprise #1: Deer Park Winery and Auto Museum

Samuel admiring a Frazer convertible.
Only manufactured for five years, 1946-1951
Deer Park, Escondido 

Okay, so the first surprise is not in San Diego proper.  It's in Escondido.  A combination winery and auto museum, Deer Park is nestled in the boulder-strewn hills of eastern San Diego County.  A friend said it was an unexpected gem, and we took our sons out there one weekend while they were on college break.  Advertised as the largest collection of convertibles in the United States, Deer Park has an abundance of mint condition automobile beauties, including many cars no longer produced. Heard of Crosley Motors?  Frazer?  How about Hudson, Studebaker, Edsel, Nash?  All here. And mixed in with all these cars are all manners of old appliances, clocks, bikes, vintage Coca-Cola machines and advertisements from a by-gone era. Even if you are not a big car aficionado, you will still be delighted. The cars are sprawled across three buildings with vineyards in between. In the lobby you can buy old fashioned candy and for $10 do a wine tasting of the wines produced there. (Tasting is free if you buy a bottle. We did.) 

Benjamin in the Oldsmobile collection.

Steven and Samuel in the vineyards. Auto museum in the rear.
Great place for a picnic.