Stardust and Ca Marco

Fine, fun day. Ellen picked me up at 11:00 and we went to "Stardust," a mobile home community. It's a very neat, clean, and quiet place and we looked at the outsides of some of the homes. Went to Ojai after and saw a few others. This small mountain town was crowded on a beautifully sunny day and we didn't see a place where we really wanted to have lunch. Then I remembered that years ago--at least ten--she and I had eaten at a small restaurant a little way out of town. We weren't sure it was still there or if we could find it, but it was and we did.
It's called "Ca Marco"; El said "ca" is short for "casa" or "house," so "House of Marco." There were just four other people in the cozy dining room, which was decorated in an Italianate, but low-key, tasteful style. They had pizza, but not the usual thick slabs slathered with red sauce and piled with cheese. Ellen ordered one and it had a thin, delicate crust, with various thinly-sliced meats and veggies on top. She gave me a pizza and I liked it, although I'm not a big pizza fan. I had melon slices wrapped with prosciutto, really delicious and accompanied by tiny slices of strawberries and plums. I thought a Corona was called for and it came in a frosted mug with the obligatory wedge of lime. Altogether, that was about the best warm-weather meal I've had all year.
My friend texted El while we were out to the effect that they were just approaching Sedona on their Arizona trip. Think I'll try texting her sometime; she'll be amazed.
Back at Stardust, we went in one of the new homes and saw others from the outside. They're lovely and about as far as it's possible to get from a "trailer park" habitat, in both size and style. It was when the prices were mentioned that the reality of living in this area hit home. Not only are the places themselves expensive, certainly half again as much as they would be in Jersey, but the "space rent" on top of that is higher than my mortgage.
Good thing we were just looking around and speculating. Anyway, I love to tour both old and new homes, just speculating or not. El lent me a lawn chair and we put it in my trunk, as I want to take my lunch now and them to that wonderful park on Poli Street. She dropped me off about 4:30--the sun was starting to fade!--after a fine day.
Happily, I slept well last night and when I got up, had welcome e-mails from my friends, Aline and Vivian. I had met the latter at Wellspouse when Pat was so sick; she has cared for her husband for thirty-some years. He has MS and is almost completely immobilized. She said her son, who is a musician and had been employed by the Disney group (ugh!), had moved to L.A. and was trying to break in as a music producer. I wrote back to Vivian, but didn't mention I might approach my nephew's wife to see if she has any relevant contacts.
Or I might not.