We were back in La Jolla for just a few days, but as always, David and Ira managed to pack in a full slate of bonsai work and I squeezed in a beach walk before the two of us went on our next adventure. What began with a towering bald cypress ended with us tucked into bed in a quiet Mexican neighbourhood, wondering what the next morning would bring.
David was especially anxious to tackle his biggest repotting project yet: a magnificent bald cypress. The soil had begun decomposing, making watering difficult, but the main motivation was aesthetic. He felt such an impressively tall tree deserved a more dramatic presentation than its plain brown pot. Ira's job was to make that vision a reality by creating a multi-level slab planting.
With the help of a friend's twenty-something son providing brute strength, they began.
Bald Cypress starting point
First step: off the pedestal and out of the pot.
Next: removing the dense, gunky soil that was suffocating the roots and preventing proper aeration.
Out of the pot, ready to work the soil
Once the roots were cleaned, attention turned to the slab. Holes were drilled and wires threaded through so the tree could be firmly anchored. Stability is everything in bonsai--movement damages the delicate roots and can ultimately kill the tree. At one point, the sheer weight of the cypress even bowed the worktable beneath it.
Additional slab pieces were added to create visual interest and suggest a natural landscape. Finally, a carefully prepared bed of soil and moss completed the composition.
Prepared bed for the tree
The finished result was stunning--a tree transformed, now looking every bit as grand as David had imagined.
While Ira was working, Dawn invited me for a walk along the beach to explore the tide pools at low tide. Having never lived near the ocean, tide pooling was a brand-new experience for me. We wandered among the rocks, discovering tiny hidden worlds--sea anemones blooming like underwater flowers and hermit crabs darting too quickly to photograph. It felt like discovering secrets the ocean had briefly agreed to share.
That evening, we relaxed by catching up on the series Drops of God. I can't remember the last time a show made me so eager to watch the next episode. It's beautifully done and completely engrossing.
Drops of God Trailer
But morning came early. Very early.
Our 5:30 a.m. wake-up call launched us toward the Cross Border Xpress, the pedestrian bridge that delivers you directly into the Tijuana International Airport. It's one of the best travel hacks around--flights within Mexico are often far cheaper from Tijuana than from San Diego.
CBX crossing
While walking through the airport, we passed a gate that instantly made us smile and think of The Shawshank Redemption.
Do you remember the name of the town?
Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things....
It made me want to watch it all over again--perhaps this time in Italian.
Soon we were airborne.
Three hours later we landed in Mexico City, followed by a short hop to Guadalajara.
By evening, Ira's Uncle Kirk and his son Ryan greeted us and drove us about 35 minutes to his home in San Antonio Tlayacapan, in the community of CieloVista. Waiting for us was his wife Gabby and Benji the dog--not to mention a delicious homemade meal of ropa vieja.
Benji
After a long day of travel, it was exactly what we needed.
We ate, talked, and before long, sleep was calling.
Uncle Kirk had already made plans: pickleball for Ira in the morning and yoga for me with Gabby. I'm quite sure I got the better end of that bargain.
This morning we went over to the apartment. We made sure to go early since there's no electricity or lighting at the moment. Many of the rooms look the same, aside from the pile of old doors and materials that have now been cleared. The biggest change by far was the terrace. From the guest bedroom, you can see the progression: what it looked like last spring, what it looks like now...and the rendering of what it will someday become. Notice that the old bathroom is completely gone--you can now see straight through to the terrace. Guest bedroom Spring 2025 Guest Bedroom Winter 2025 (minus the terrace bathroom) Guest bedroom rendering Unfortunately, it doesn't look like they've been able to save many tiles. Our original plan was to repurpose whatever survived into a medallion or faux rug in the foyer. So...we may be moving on to plan B. Tile demolition Below is the view looking out through the former bathroom door--soon to be a window--looking out on the terrace. The thickness...
Just when we started feeling a little smug about knowing our way around town--having our favorite cafes and go-to spots--something happened to remind us how much we still have to discover. Today we had lunch plans with Tim and Izabella. We told them to choose the restaurant, and they picked one we had never even heard of: Villa La Boccia. There are no signs pointing you there, no flashy advertising, nothing to catch your eye as you drive past--which we apparently do regularly without ever noticing it. So naturally we were curious about this "secret" local spot. When we arrived, the parking lot was completely full. Completely. The restaurant itself was large, with indoor dining and a courtyard, and every seat seemed taken. We were stunned. How had we missed this place? Luckily Tim had made a reservation--he told us he had tried before without one and failed to get a table. Good thing he planned ahead. Inside, the place was buzzing and the menu was extensive. It was hard...
Our last week in San Diego arrived faster than expected, and David is feeling the pressure to get as much bonsai work done as possible. If he'd had his way, Ira probably would have been working every daylight hour and only released at night. Unfortunately for David's plan, we already had a few things scheduled. One of those plans was a long-anticipated trip to the zoo with RC. With everyone's busy schedules, this was the first day that worked for all of us. And really, we had to take advantage of our annual pass, right? Kai arrived proudly wearing the gorilla shirt we'd bought him the last time we visited the San Diego Zoo . He was eager to show us how fast he could move and had a great time climbing and weaving his way through the polar bear exhibit. This time the polar bear was just as active. It definitely pays to visit early in the day. Sadly I stopped recording too soon because right after he jumped into the water, swam toward us, climbed out, and shook himself dr...
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