Back in the USA…

Last week was a busy one..Jenny Klitch from Florida visited for the week, Jenny Rens Keller and Christina Kaus, her 2025 gold medal winning Alice Marble Cup teammates cleared their tennis schedules and we had cameo appearances by Kathy Settles & Jen Beindorf (W 55/Connolly Cup team 2025), Jami Jones and others. I have never practiced so much doubles in my life, it was a blast.

We played at the Rancho Santa Fe Tennis Club in Rancho Santa Fe, which has two green clay courts. They are good courts, especially in the morning!

We played doubles Sunday morning, then went to Cardiff by the Sea for lunch (takeout from Seaside Market, what an interesting market..I will be back!), followed by a visit to the Swami “Self-Realization Fellowship” garden. The garden, abutting a cliff above the Pacific Ocean is beautiful (and free). Below the garden is the Swami’s public beach.

Monday afternoon we went to the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club and took a walk along the La Jolla Shores public beach to the Scripps Pier. It was crowded (high tide, cool weather & summer), but fun and we saw an elaborate sand castle built by some visitors from Ohio and Arizona. Adam Keller (Jenny Ren’s husband) and Christina met us at the Beach Club later for dinner..really fun evening, the Beach Club is legendary.

Tuesday I showed Jenny K around Torrey Pines State Reserve and beach (my favorite beach hike), and La Jolla (seals, excited sea lions, views), and houses with views before meeting up with Jenny and Adam, and Jen Beindorf at their home for more visiting, views and dinner.

Wednesday we had 7 am doubles with the 55s, Kathy Settles and Jen B (below).

The rest of the week was more tennis (Christina, Jenny K and I had a late happy hour lunch in Del Mar Thursday).

Saturday night after doubles the Jennys, Christina and Adam came to my house for dinner (Jenny K and Christina picked up pizza..Blue Ribbon in Encinitas which is quite good). We watched Taylor Fritz play in Washington (Taylor is from Rancho Santa Fe, and lost a heartbreaker), and generally had a very fun evening.

All in all, I saw a few places I hadn’t visited before and had a lot of fun playing tennis, eating with friends and enjoying “America’s Finest City”.

Next stop: Lake Tahoe, CA. Never stop moving!