Who Says You Can't Be Lazy?
Tip of the Week: April 12, 2008
I want to be lazy
I want to be out in the sun
With no work to be done
Under that awning
They call the sky
Stretching and yawning
And let the world go drifting by..
--From the song LAZY- Irving Berlin
Close your eyes. C'mon. Just do it. Work with me. Imagine a place planted in a rural valley. Now, locate it within 6 miles of John Wayne's old cattle ranch and now the Pauma Valley Country Club. Paint some casinos nearby. Picture the tallest mountain in San Diego behind it, elevation 6200 ft. Oh, add an observatory on top of that mountain peak. Now, think circa 1950 and add in one motel complete with a full restaurant. Get this, make sure you include a tree growing through the middle of the bar. Back up. Yes, a tree in the bar. Finally, envision the likes of Tony Curtis, Vincent Price and Betty Ford having a cocktail right there in the bar as they were known to do.
Now, open your eyes. TIP: A place like this exists. Just 15 miles east of I-15 you can drive along Highway 76 and if you are driving too fast (you know who you are) you will fly by this place and miss out.
Look for the sign for Lazy H Ranch on Highway 76. When you see it, turn right. The property was developed back in the 1920's. This gem has been open to the public since the 1950's. If you like martinis and screwdrivers, this could be your new secret haunt. If you like to gamble, Indian
casinos nearby. Palomar Mountain and the Palomar Observatory are a short distance away.
This is one charming little spot. For those of you who grew up in Southern California, it might remind you of Palm Springs back in the day. Sit outside at night and look up at the stars. Yes, out there you can actually see the stars. By day, grab a book and sit by the pool. If you want to explore the area, and stay overnight, weekday room rates start at $70 and weekend/holiday rates start at $90.00. If you just want to take a gander and/or have a meal, you can do that, too.
The Lazy H Ranch isn't the Four Seasons Hotel. It isn't a resort as we know them to be today. You won't get a buffet list of recreational activities du jour. You won't get a swanky cabana with a 60' TV monitor poolside. What you will get is 6+ acres of nostaligic cool. After 50 years, this place hasn't changed too much. And that's a good thing.
"Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now."
-Comedian, Steven Wright Lazy H Ranch
16787 Highway 76
Pauma Valley, California 92061
(760) 742-3669
lazyh4@lazyhranchresort.com
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