Pechanga Casino RV Resort

Pechanga Casino RV Resort

45000 Pechanga Parkway

Temecula, CA  92592

877-997-8386

7/5/2012, 8/13-8/20/2012, 5/19-5/28/13
SEE 2013 NOTE BELOW

We have stayed here several times and will continue to return, especially now that they are a part of the Passport America Club and the discount will be wonderful.  They are a bit pricey without it.  We stayed a week and averaged about $40 per day, we tried to get them to honor the PA but they claimed it did not come into effect until later even though they were already listed on the PA website.

The sites are huge, not only wide but long enough for a much bigger rig then ours.  They are flat concrete slabs with water, 30/50 amp electric, and sewer (just as long as you use a locking connection that they come and check before unlocking the sewer cap).  They also offer cable and WiFi at no extra charge.  All areas can only be accessed with an extra $10 deposit for a card key.

The pool and two Jacuzzi’s are well maintained and have adult only times which was great since there were more kids here than we expected but were able to have some time to just enjoy and relax our bones.

The laundry facilities were the smallest ever…you can see with the tiniest table, as if we could really fold anything on it…more machines were out of order then working.

We had great phone and MiFi coverage using our service.

For more photos, check out our Picasa Web Albums.

2013 NOTE ADDED

We have stayed here several times but always chose not to be here for the holidays due to the exuberant price they charge for the 3 days of holidays.  But now we know we will not stay here again during any holiday weekend or maybe at all, not because of price but because of the idiot weekend warriors.  Why on earth would any parent bring their children to a RV park that does not cater to children?  This is a casino, they do not have any place for kids to play except of course on the streets and other peoples sites which is exactly where they all played.  All day long and into the night we could not enjoy our site since it was full of kids running on and off using our site as 2^nd base and just running into our site and so on and so on.  Then the ultimate when the parent came on our lot to allow her dog to urinate on our things.  I was appalled and when I stuck my head out the door to ask her to please take her dog to her own site to do his duties, she first flashed me the look of death (actually it was more like the look of drunkenness), then she replied with some very nasty and vulgar remarks.  I wish I could say I did not reply but my mouth became just as vulgar and she flipped me off and stood her ground on our site so I called security.  They came and tried to explain to their group about etiquette but of course they do not know the meaning of etiquette, common sense, boundaries or not thinking that they are better than we are, so we got through the rest of the holiday without enjoying our patio since they continued to act like idiots.  This was apparent everywhere in the resort, dogs off leashes, actually on leashes with nobody on the other end and kids yelling and climbing everywhere with little or no supervision.  They never did anything about the outrageous behavior and it continued throughout the weekend.  This visit has been the worse and we will not tolerate this type of treatment again and from the other comments this has been going on for a long time so we will not be back.    

Old Town Temecula – So Much More than Just Wine Tastings

Even though we have stayed at the Pechanga RV Resort several times we had not ventured out to Old Town Temecula in the past.  Well this visit changed all of that.

We took a taxi to Old Town from the resort which turned into an adventure in itself.  The driver was old and in all honesty should not even be on the road driving, he almost sideswiped several vehicles and there were times in this very short ride that we thought he had fallen asleep, plus it cost us $20.  So for our return trip we chose to ride the RTA bus and it only cost us $3 and it was much more pleasant ride.  Normally they have a trolley for the ride but apparently they were having some issues with it so we got the bus instead.  No worries, we were happy just for a comfortable, uneventful ride.

When we first arrived we went directly to the Visitors Center to get as much information and coupons as we could before our exploring began.

We had a great day checking out all the different and wonderful shops along the roads of Old Town Temecula. 

Our first tasting was not wine but instead was olive oil at Temecula Olive Oil Company and most of them were delightful but the Roasted Garlic was superb.  The garlic flavor was perfect when we tasted it and then when she added the Balsamico Bianco Oo La Pomegranate to it the flavors were so delightful we knew we had a winner.

After a few more shops, we stopped for lunch at Mad Madeline’s Grill.

They served hamburgers galore with something for everyone but I had the Pastrami Sandwich with French Fries.  The pastrami was tender, moist and so tasty, the fries were the real thing, freshly cut, never frozen then deep fried.

Jerry had the Texas Burger which had the burger, cheese, pastrami and all the fixings.  It was huge but no challenge for him; he even finished half of my sandwich and some of my fries.

Our next stop was the Temecula Valley Museum where they were having a 3^rd grade outing so it was loud, but we were able to soak in all the information they had available about the area.  We always love learning about the history of an area and this was a great way to read all about it.  They suggest a $2 donation and even though you do not have to pay anything we gave a $5 donation.

Now that our lunch had settled, we then made a stop at the Old Town Root Beer Company for a Root Beer Float and a Sarsaparilla.  What a fun place to stop and have a taste of the past with so many different types of Root Beer, you are sure to find one of your favorites or find a new favorite.

Then it was time to do some wine tastings.  Our first stop was at Temecula Valley Cheese Company where they advertised wine and cheese tastings but we were not impressed.  It may have just been bad timing on our part but when we entered we did not feel the love, the place was a mess, empty samplings and just not inviting so we moved on.

What a difference our next stop was at Fazeli Cellars, we were welcomed with a warm and glowing approach and then it just felt comfortable.  They are a newer establishment but had the feel and warmth of a place that has been around for a long time.  John was our server with a great personality he was fun and very knowledgeable about the wines, but also listened to us.  We are not hearty wine drinkers, we love the sweet wines and unfortunately most vineyards thrive on the heartier red wines and Fazeli Cellars was no different.  Because of our tastes he assisted us by changing the regular tastes they offered by swapping out a few for the lighter ones they carry. 

We tasted their 2012 Sauvignon Blanc which was a nice fresh juicy crisp taste that changed our opinion of this type of wine that we will taste again along our travels.

The 2012 Ruby Rose had a fruity crispy lingering finish of cranberries, raspberries and strawberries that was not overly sweet. 

Then our taste buds were zapped with their 2009 Mehregan, a medium bodied blend of Grenache and Shiraz with its strong earthiness that was too hearty for our taste. 

We then ended with our first taste which was our favorite and that was 2009 Norooz, it is a white wine mix of Viognier and Muscat Canelli blend with a hint of sweetness that went down the smoothest for us of all the others we tasted.

By the suggestion of John we headed to Lorimar Winery where they have a few more white sweeter wines that we had to taste, especially with the 2 for 1 coupon he gave us.  Here we tasted a few different types that we found delightful.  Matt was our server and was a delightful young man with a wonderful sense of humor. 

We tasted the 2011 White Merlot, we never even knew they made a White Merlot and we were a bit skeptical because of the Merlot, but we were pleasantly surprised.  It had a bit of sweetness with a clean crisp ending, something we would taste again in our travels. 

Our next taste was 2011 Viognier that was crisp and clean with a very heavy floral note and was not one of our favorites. 

We then tasted our first 2012 Muscat Canelli, a much sweeter tropical fruit flavor that at first was sensational but could be a bit too sweet if planned to drink more than a glass. 

The Grenache Sparkling attacked and conquered our tasting.  Sweet but way too bubbly but would be great as a celebration wine.

2011 Riesling was a semi-sweet light wine with a very floral fragrant and taste.  Not one of our favorites but quite good for a Riesling.

Last but not least was our favorite of them all, this 2012 Field Blend blends five different varietals, Chardonnay, Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Riesling and Muscat for a mellow, sweet, clean and crisp flavor that would be a great Jacuzzi Juice.

We had such a great time here and got a lot of information for our next visit when we plan to do a Private Wine Tour of some of our favorite vineyards.  We learned why so many of the varietals of wine change with each bottle and why some become pricey while others do not.  Some of those different reasons are the year of the wine, early or late harvesting and we also learned how important it is to allow some wines breath prior to drinking.

We are slowly becoming wine connoisseurs and loving every moment of it.  Drinking for taste and enjoyment and not drinking to get drunk is a new concept for us and we are having the time of our lives with this new and wonderful adventure.

We also found our new motto...

We took loads of photos so check them all out at our Picasa Web Albums.

Retraction of Previous Post

Well after being in the Desert Hot Springs, Palm Springs area and making the comments that if we ever chose to settle down this would be at the top of our list, we must retract our statements.

Heat…dust…wind…OH MY!  Did I mention wind?

We were in the area for just a few weeks and we got so fed up with the wind, the heat was bad enough but then the wind began and never stopped.  Days went by and we could not leave our rig because the wind was 30mph and then gusting to 50-60mph. 

Our home became one big dust bowl and was in constant need of a thorough cleaning but every time we did while still in the area, the wind brought it all back and more.

We are now in the Temecula area where we will be for about 10 days until we head to the Delmar State Fair in San Diego to work until July 4th.  The air is crisp, fresh and a bit chilly but we love it.  We plan to do some touristy things the week prior to Memorial Weekend then stay close to home while the park fills with the holiday weekenders.

Our MiFi died so we are using the resorts and since we had to finally upgrade our MiFi2200 unit because they do not make it any longer, we then had to let go of our unlimited discounted plan.  We were not thrilled but we knew this day was coming.  We are now anticipating our new MiFi 5510L’s arrival and hoping it gives us all the great experiences our old one gave us.

Many years ago we were so set in our ways where change was not always a welcomed opportunity as it is now.  We still find ourselves holding on to the old and not allowing the new experiences in our lives.  This plan change was one we were holding on for dear life, but we now see it as a new and exciting experience for us to look forward to instead of fearing what it might bring us in our communicational world.

We are not the norm when it comes to changes and for most folks they think we change too often, but for us we like pushing ourselves even further and challenging our existence beyond what “normal” is to many others.  Change is inevitable if we want to grow and expand our lifestyle, so the things we had been holding onto are being let go to allow new and exciting experiences to surface and bring us to an even better understanding of ourselves.  Hope you can find that challenge today that helps you grow instead of staying stagnant in your safe little world.  Stretch your horizons and be all that you can be today and every day forward.  We plan to do so with the thoughts and ideas in our minds that we are blessed that we woke up this morning and we have more life to live.

Thanks for following our journey, we do appreciate all of our readers and all the comments too!

Golden Village Palms RV Resort

Golden Village Palms RVResort

600 West Florida Avenue

Hemet, CA  92545

866-477-6154

5/17-5/19/13

With only driving under 60 miles we found ourselves without heat or wind and it was FANTASTIC!

We paid $31 per night using our Passport America 50% discount for water, electric, sewer on fairly level gravel with a patio slab.  It is one of the Sunland properties that are located throughout California in which we have stayed at several of them.  They are on the high end with great amenities and usually close to places we want to sightsee. 

Our MiFi was slow and we could have used the free WiFi or cable they offered but we were able to muddle through with what we had for the few days we were there.  NOTE:  Later determined it was not the area that made it slow but instead my MiFi was dying a slow death!

This place is huge with over a thousand sites, some permanent and many open for RV’s.  The weekend we were there they had several special events going on that did end up taking away from our time there.  A wedding on Saturday turned all the empty sites into parking spots and it went on until late into the night without too much noise but enough to cause some discomfort to our sleep.

The laundry facilities were fabulous except they only had a few cash machines, the others had to have a card purchase but the place was empty so it did not get in our way of a quick laundry time.  We find these cards very annoying since we actually have several of them in our wallets with some monies still left on them but are never the ones that we need at the current place.

They had a great ice machine in the vending area which made it perfect to get just a small bag for a quarter and not have to throw half of it away as we usually do because even the smallest bags do not fit in our freezer if we have food in it.

Not sure if we would return because of the price, otherwise not only would we return but we would recommend it if the price was much lower.  Even with the 50% discount it was too high.

For more photos, check out our Picasa Web Albums.

Spa Resort Casino

Spa Resort Casino

401 East Amado Road

Palm Springs, CA  92262

888-999-1995

5/14/13

This casino is affiliated with Aqua Caliente Casino that is located just a few miles away.  We did not stay at the resort, nor did we boondock in the parking lot, not even sure if that was an option but we did go in and have a play day.

They have lots and lots of slots, new and older games.  We were able to play for a few hours and leave with a bit more than we had when we arrived.  That is always a good sign of looser slots.  We had fun and when we are ever in the area again we will stop by for another visit.  A surprising gem right in the middle of town!

For more photos, check out our Picasa Web Albums.

Where Do Your Choices Take You?

Everything you do is based on the choices you make.  It’s not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument or your age that is to blame.  You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make.  PERIOD!

After reading this the other day I knew we were once again on the right track.  Whenever something someone says, or does, or writes or reads hits a core deep within, we have learned to pay attention.

Life is about choices, not blame, but your own damn choices that only you can make.  Sure others can influence those choices if you allow them to, but nobody or nothing can make your choices for you and there IS always a choice.  It may not be the one you want but there are always choices.

We choose many times to travel the roads less traveled because we are never in any hurry, or at least try to plan it that way.  This time as we traveled to the resorts in the Desert Hot Springs area we chose to get off I-10 and take Dillon Road.  Even though it was much more scenic, it was also very wavy.  Those types of roads do not appeal to me but we would never have known if we did not get out of our box and try it.

We have been doing that a lot lately, trying new things.  Something we never would have done before adventuring out into this lifestyle.  New doors are opening all the time for us and we are learning to step in and see what it is all about.

How about you, do you tend to go with the normal, safe choices?  Or, do you tend to step out of your comfort zone and see what the other choices could bring you?  A few of you, we already know the answer since we keep in touch and read your blogs.  It is so nice to see the choices we all make every moment of our lives!

Writing Once Again

Guess we needed a break from blogging, and it was well spent.  We have been working on our first book in our series of “Along the Way with J&K”, this one titled “Rags to Riches…Our Spiritual Journey in a RV!”  All it needs is a tad more tweaking and it will be ready for publishing.

Then more of the series will include writings of our travels, our reviews, particular cities and places we have been blessed with being able to visit while living this wonderful lifestyle.  The series will also include books about Boondocking, finding work along the way, Casino hopping, and remodeling on a budget and so many more stories that are just wanting to be completed and published.  We have been dormant long enough, it is our time, our time to finally do what we love and have fun while we do it.

For now we are in the Palm Springs area soaking in the Hot Springs and loads of sunshine, a little too much heat coming up for the next few days but we will muddle through.  We will be heading to the Coast in just a week or so to cooler temperatures and some adventurous work and sightseeing opportunities.

We absolutely love this area and if we ever…not likely…but if we ever give up our wheels we would love to stay in this area.  We did notice the town itself Desert Hot Springs is going downhill fast, looks like a lot more transients in the area and the businesses are either closing up or becoming very rundown.  We now head into Palm Springs for any of our needed essentials, a much nicer area.

Life is always what we choose it to be, it is always our choice in what and how we view what is happening in our lives.  We are still learning to take each opportunity and make the most out of it, doesn’t always go the way we want it, but we always make it through with more knowledge then before.  These past few months have not gone as we would have liked them to go, we came in contact with some pretty difficult people that were not honest and forthcoming.  They weren’t bad people, just misguided and some very dramatic, something we do not do any longer.  This took our lives in a direction that was not clear so we made mistakes along the way and got off course, but we are so happy to announce we are back on course and ready to begin living our lives to the fullest once again. 

Mother’s Day Gifts

This post was prepared for the NerdWallet’s Mother’s Day Your Way Contest at NerdWallet.com.  Check out their site for coupons, ideas and so much more!

I have always struggled financially due to my “lack” mentality and this particular year was no different.  I was always the one who came up with the “creative” ideas, at least that is what I called them, my family called them cheap.

I have given lottery tickets with no big winners.  I have also given self-made coupons that they could turn in for hugs, free babysitting, a day of cleaning and so many other ideas.  And, the most important were the hand-made items that I have created throughout my years for my family.

This particular year I made my mother this absolutely beautifully crafted photo frame filled with years of photos of our family all in a collage form.  It also included little poems I wrote about the mother that raised her five children mostly by herself and did the best she could with what she had at every moment.   

I poured my heart and soul into this photo frame that was in grand scale.  I searched through tons of photos, not just from our childhood but from my mom’s just to find the perfect ones to add to this creation.  Searching to find photos of each of her children with their families was not an easy task since many of them were extended and guarded.  Secrets were well known in our home and for this creation I did not want to let any of them show and most certainly did not want to leave anyone out either. 

Finally after months of creating I had what I thought was the best I could have done and presented it to my mom.  Tears filled her eyes and even though she did not say it, I could see it in her eyes that she appreciated all the love I put into this present.  Unfortunately a few years later she passed away and now I have no idea where it ended up, most likely in the trash somewhere since my family thought it was just another of my cheap ideas.

When Mother’s Day comes around this year as I have been doing now for so many previously, my goal will be to make it through all the hype and hope I do not cry all day long.   Since my mother passed away and then losing my only daughter so many years ago I just pray for peace within to get me through.

Wine Tasting

It has been almost a year since we have posted any of our wine tastings...we think it is long over due...enjoy!

We usually pick up our wines at local grocery stores, Walmart and we have also found a few new places to purchase them.  We have been shopping at BevMo for a few years while in California and Arizona.  They have a wide variety ranging in prices but mostly mid to high dollar wines.

Our favorite new place is Total Wine...it has the best wines and they range low to high dollar with many in our budget range.  Unfortunately they too are limited to certain areas in Arizona.  We will keep looking for more like these in different areas.

This first one might not fall into a wine category, more like a beer but will probably not be something we try again so we included it here with the wines.

Bud Light Lime-A-Rita – We paid about $1 per 8oz, has an 8% alcohol and we gave it an 8 rating.  Produced at Anheuser Busch in St Louis, Missouri, we could taste the Margarita with a twist.    It is a malt beverage ale with natural flavors, including caramel coloring and is very refreshing.  We salted our rims as we would with a margarita, but the beer taste stood out and for that reason we would not purchase it again but it was good!

Yellow Tail 2010 Riesling – We paid $6 per bottle, has an alcohol percentage of 12.5 and we gave it a 7.8 rating.  Produced in Yenda, Australia region, we tasted a slight fresh fruit flavoring.  This wine has a little after bite and not as sweet as other Rieslings we have tasted.  The colder it got the smoother it got and we might purchase it again.  

Gascon Malbec – We tasted our first Malbec but did not take any notes, only this less than perfect photo.  We recall that it was a more stout wine than we anticipated it to be.  We do not have a price since it was a gift, nor do we have any of the other information to share with you.

Mirassou Moscato 2011 – Another California Moscato produced by Moscato Bella with such a clean, clear, light, refreshing and sweetest taste that would be great with any dessert.  It has 7.5% alcohol content and we paid $5.99 and would absolutely purchase again and again.

Macaron 2011 Moscato – Produced by Underdog Wine Merchants in Ripon/Livermore, California that has a 9.5% alcohol that we paid $5.99 a bottle.  The sweet honey, nectarines and wild flowered smelled dry but instead was very sweet.  It would pair well with bacon wrapped scallops that leaves your mouth watering for more.  A very clear fresh taste that we have on our list to purchase again. 

Ooh La La 2011 Riesling – From the vineyards in Modesto, this wine has 9% alcohol and priced at $6.99 per bottle.  We bought it for the name and the grapefruit and peach combination gave it a zingy flavor with an almost champagne feeling to it.  It is not at the top of our list to purchase but we would not refuse to drink it again.

Inglenook Sangria – A terrible bitter tasting wine from Ripon, California that has 9% alcohol that we paid $5.99 a bottle.  The citrus flavor had no sweetness, it was closer to a deep dark red, very dry wine that will not be on our list to purchase ever again!

Sutter Home Bubbly Moscato – A sparkling champagne taste with a lingering moist aftertaste, this one we rated a 9.8 and has 10% alcohol that we paid $4.99 a bottle.  With its honeydew melon and peach flavoring giving it a very sweet taste produced in Ceres, California we will be purchasing it in the future for celebrations.

Bodegas Sarviver, SL Lolailo Sangria – This wine is from Madrid, Spain with a 6% alcohol that we paid $4.99 per bottle.  We gave a rating of 9.7 because of its rich, smooth and delightfully fruity taste that is at the top of our list to purchase again.

Cavit 2010 Collection Moscato – This wine from Trento, Italy with its apricot and peach flavoring, 7% alcohol that we rated a 9.3 and paid $5.49 a bottle has a smooth, clean, crisp and bubbly taste that we really enjoyed the sweetness that left us wanting more and more.

Conte Priola Puglia Moscato – An Italian White Wine from Fossalta Di Piave with 8% alcohol that we rated 7.3 and paid $6.49 per bottle has an effervescence flavoring with a champagne touch.  With apple, lychee, peach and pear flavoring, not a true tasting Moscato but more like a sweet white wine.  It has a good clean flavor with a fresh ending that we would purchase again.

Double Dog Dare Cellars Moscato – From the Chile region, with 11% alcohol that we paid $5.99 a bottle and gave it a 9.4 rating.  It is a sweet, smooth wine with a silky finish that is on the top of our list to purchase again and again.

Black Swan 2010 Riesling – A citrus and lime flavored wine from South Eastern Australia with 12% alcohol that we paid $4.99 per bottle is not on our list to purchase again.  We gave a low rating of 6.3 because it is not as sweet or flavorful as some of the other Rieslings we have tasted.  We have noticed there is a wide spectrum of sweetness when it comes to Riesling wines and we prefer the sweeter side.

Beringer Red Moscato – From the Napa Valley region, this oldest grape variety imported from Chile has a very unique flavoring for this Red Moscato.  Having 11.5% alcohol that we paid $4.99 per bottle, we gave it a high rating of 9.5 because of it fresh fruit sweet flavor bursting with a clean ending.  It is a wine we would share with our friends for a night of entertainment and enjoyment.

Beringer 2011 Chenin Blanc – Seems as if we can’t go wrong with Beringer from the Napa Valley region.  Having 11.5% alcohol that we paid $4.99 a bottle, we rated this one 8.7 for its burst of fruitiness and a brisk ending.  This wine could be served with any meal because it is so clean and we will definitely purchase it again.

Beaujolais Nouveau – A red wine made from Gamay grapes that is produced in the Beaujolais region of France is one of those heavy, bold wines that is dry that we do not like and would not purchase again.