T MINUS 4....

Temps for July 7th in Valley Center are to be in the mid 80's. That's nice and warm, but don't feel like you are going to be sweating out. The sun dips over the hills and and it cools down quite quickly. A sweater or wrap is not out of the question...in fact, it is a must if one plans to enjoy the s'mores over the open fire and sip a night cap into the evening hours. The gate code for the community is : 5482. Don't repeat that.

BASIC FACTS...THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

The wedding ceremony is at 1:00 p.m. at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Dana Point.

The reception venue 14220 Ridge Oak Pl. Valley Center, CA 92082 is approximately an hour away.  Traffic is always a possible factor, but is typically only spotty at this particular time of day heading southbound.

While the ceremony is coastal, the reception is inland (approx 15 miles) so the weather will be a bit different.  A little warmer during the day, and cooling off more so in the evening.

The reception is to follow immediately after the ceremony (allotting for drive time) with an extended arrival and cocktail hour to allow for folks to trickle in.  Expect to arrive around 3:30-4:00 most likely.

THE RECEPTION IS AN INDOOR/OUTDOOR EVENT...MOSTLY OUTDOOR THOUGH.

Valley Center is a rural community.  Google "RURAL" for more information.

COMFORTABLE FOOTWEAR is recommended as there is limited pavement in these here parts.  :0)  TERRAIN DOES VARY THROUGHOUT THE GROUNDS.  Terrain does vary throughout the grounds.  I don't mean to suggest you will need hiking boots, but at the same time, your 3+ inch heels may be an unfortunate choice of footwear...I'll leave it up to you to decide.

Evenings can cool down quite a bit even in July.  It can also get a little breezy as we will be in the hills.  You may want to bring a sweater or a jacket for when the sun sets.

WILDLIFE IS ABUNDANT.  Rattlesnakes are the primary concern.  Children should NOT be left to wander about the property and should be supervised at all times.  Stay on designated pathways and prepared areas.  Other critters both hazardous and not include: Scorpions, Tarantulas, Rabbits, Squirrels, Coyotes, and Frogs.  Other animals I am sure exist around here, I just have not seen them yet.

MORE INFO TO FOLLOW SOON...

DRIVING DIRECTIONS...DO NOT RELY ON MAPQUEST, ETC...

Valley what?   Valley huh?

Exactly.

Look...I had never heard of Valley Center either, but then I decided to move here!  Not asking you to do the same, but one day out of the OC "Bubble of Love" or wherever you feel safest won't kill you.

However, not following the directions on the OFFICIAL INVITE, or the ones detailed in this post just may kill you...or severely injure you, so use them.  Your awesome GPS and $600 smart phone are useless, so don't rely on them to get you to the open bar.

The fact that you have never heard of Valley Center is Ok.   Apparently Google and all the other map services are right there with you. So without further ado, here are the tried and true directions from St. Edward AKA "The Ceremony" to Valley Center AKA "The Reception":

EXIT CHURCH PARKING LOT AND TURN LEFT ON CALLE PRIMAVERA
LEFT ON CRYSTAL LANTERN ST
LEFT ON PCH
I-5 SOUTH
MERGE ON HIGHWAY 78 EAST
CONTINUE ON E LINCOLN PKWY
E LINCOLN PKWY BECOMES E LINCOLN AVE
RIGHT ON EL NORTE PKWY
LEFT ON VALLEY PKWY
VALLEY PKWY BECOMES VALLEY CENTER ROAD
CONTINUE UP THE GRADE
RIGHT ON RIDGE RANCH RD
RIGHT ON ENGLEMANN
RIGHT ON RIDGE OAK PL

The Ridge Ranch Community will be providing a special event code for the day of the event. It will be communicated in a later post so do come back for the update!

PLACES TO STAY NEAR VALLEY CENTER

Below are some suggestions as to where to stay in the North San Diego County area if one so chooses to do so.

As the reception is located in Northeast San Diego County, there are some great options to turn your trip down to Valley Center into a nice San Diego weekend trip! From pools and spas, to golf and casinos there is something for everyone! Distance from reception is in parentheses.

Castle Creek Resort and Spa (10 miles away) www.castlecreekinn.com
JM says: Pretty cozy and conveniently located.  No frills, has golf course.

La Costa Resort and Spa (26 miles away) www.lacosta.com
JM says: Beautiful more coastal spot.  Just completed a major renovation and the spa is award winning.  Furthest from reception but worth it for the spoils.

Welk Resort (11 miles away) www.welksandiego.com
JM says: Fun and close to reception.  Golf, several pools and play zones with water slides and such for kids.  Super family oriented these days which equates to noisy pool areas.  Rooms are nice.  Beware the sales pitch.

Rancho Bernardo Inn (17 miles away) www.ranchobernardoinn.com
JM says: Great rooms, great atmosphere, great patio restaurant, pool is not the main attraction, but the golf course is popular.  Close to Rancho Santa Fe and shopping and easy access to other San Diego points of interest.

Valley View Casino (5.3 miles away) www.valleyviewcasino.com
JM says: Super close to the reception.  Slot machines galore and classic table games with the typical indian spin on them.  Weekend has live music and such.  Clean property and on the newer side.  Can be smokey and, well...its a casino!

Harrahs Rincon San Diego North (7 miles away) www.harrahsrincon.com
JM says: See Valley View Casino comment.

Of course there are many, many other options to chose from, but these are places I am familiar with and have either stayed at or been to and would go to again.

The information contained herein may severely impact your summer plans...

In the event that you have not yet been notified, it has been confirmed by an extremely reliable source that Shannon Nicole Hancock, AKA "Squaw", AKA "Little White Dove" has accepted, the said to be most romantic proposal of marriage from Jonathan Patrick Mann, AKA "Running Bear".

This union is scheduled to occur on July 7th 2012 at 1:00 p.m. at St. Edwards the Confessor in Dana Point.

Further information regarding the aforementioned joyous occasion to follow on a weekly basis.

END OF TRANSMISSION