Mission Inn History Under the Stars Tour

This evening we went to the Mission Inn in Riverside for dinner and a History Under the Stars Tour where we will get to hear stories about the Mission Inn and walk through some of the areas that most people never see.

Mission Inn

At this time of year, the Inn is beautifully decorated for Fall -
but we can see that the extensive process of decorating for Christmas has already begun

A peak at some of the Christmas lights

The Mission Inn was a dream come true for founder and builder Frank A. Miller . . .

Frank A. Miller, Founder of the Mission Inn

Close Up of the Plaque Below the Statue

Mr. Miller had two beautiful macaws, Napoleon and Joseph, who lived at the inn for many years and greeted many famous guests, including President William Howard Taft, Henry Ford, Teddy Roosevelt, and Albert Einstein.  Napoleon's name came from the blue and gold plumage that resembled the uniform worn by Emperor Napoleon.  Joseph's "coat of many colors" earned him his name.  The tradition lives on . . .

Meet Napoleon and Josephine

Our evening began with dinner in the Mission Inn Dining Room . . .

Here we are about to enter the Mission Inn on our way to dinner
L-R - Dixie, Debbie, Barbara, Seema, Leslie, Chris, Sharon, Joy

Entrance to the Dining Room

Our Dinner Menu

Ready to eat!!!

The desserts were amazing -
Creme Brulee and New York Cheesecake
Which to choose????

After dinner, we met our guide and started our tour of the Inn, beginning in the Formal Dining Room, beautifully decorated and filled with gorgeous works of art.

A picture is worth a thousand words, so here's just a sample of the beauty of the Mission Inn . . .

Some of the rooms circle around this gorgeous indoor/outdoor area -
This is the view from the bottom looking up

The Mission Inn Logo

And from the top looking down.

View at the top - the honeymoon suite is under that dome

We got to go inside some of the special suites, including this one that was enjoyed by many famous people including the Kennedy's . . .

It was an absolutely gorgeous night, and we really enjoyed the views from the roof, both overlooking other sections of the hotel and the area in general.

Construction on the Inn continued for many decades and the architecture
reflects many different styles.

View of the interior courtyard of the inn from the roof

Look at that beautiful full moon 

Looking down into the courtyard

And the chapel

Just to the right of the chapel is the
Famous Fliers Wall which honors
special airmen and airwomen from around the world

Famous Fliers Wall

Entering the Chapel

The chapel is small but very beautiful and ornate
This is the view from back to front

And from front to back

A closer look at the alter at the front

Stained Glass Window

Group Photo in front of the alter

Check out these super tall entry doors

Would you have guessed there is a normal
size hidden door?

Queen Debbie

Thanks Queen Debbie for arranging this really interesting and fun evening for us.  We all had a great time and we learned a lot!  Can't wait for our next adventure.

Big Bear Weekend Getaway - Day 3

Sunday Morning.  Our last day.  This morning's breakfast was basically do-it-yourself.  We laid out the leftovers from yesterday, along with some Danishes and more fruit, and everyone just helped herself when she was ready to eat.  We cleaned up, and packed up, but before we headed out, Carol N led us in a little devotional about the importance and specialness of friendship.

Carol N speaking

Everyone listening intently

Carol N included a special "sweet treat" and a recipe for friendship . . .

So cute!

Sadly, it was time to say good-bye to our little weekend retreat and head back down the hill.  But first, one final group photo . . .

Clockwise from Left:
Debbie, Carol L, Barbara, Carol N, Seema, Chris, Leslie, Joy, Sharon

On the way home we stopped for lunch at Applebee's in Highland.  Thanks F.R.I.E.N.D.S. for an unforgettable weekend. See you at our next adventure.

Big Bear Weekend Getaway - Day 2

Saturday morning, while everyone else was enjoying the opportunity to sleep in, these two were up at the crack of dawn, having coffee and enjoying the early morning quiet  . . .

Early Birds - Sharon and Carol L

One by one the ladies stumbled out of bed and made their way to the kitchen, where a scrumptious breakfast of quiche, cinnamon French toast, and fruit was waiting . . .

Gathered around the breakfast table

After breakfast, while some of the ladies were getting ready for the day, others went out for another walk . . .

Hi There!

Check out these beautiful trees!  Gorgeous!  

Once everyone was ready, we took a moment for one more group photo on the cute little bridge in the front yard . . .

Clockwise from Left:
Joy, Carol L, Barbara, Carol N, Chris, Debbie, Sharon, Seema, Leslie

Before heading into town for some sight-seeing and shopping . . .

Look Out - Here Comes the Red Hatters!

We walked through lots of cute little shops, and found some really interesting and unique items - some to look at and put back, some to scoop up and take home.  Couldn't resist these cute little bears . . .

L-R: Joy, Carol L, Debbie, Chris, Barbara, Carol N, Sharon, Seema, Leslie

And of course, no trip into town is complete without . . .

Ice Cream!!!!!

The most fun was making our own candles.  We picked the shape, colors, and fragrance, and had a blast designing our original creations . . .

Too much fun!

The official candlemaker

Our finished products.  Really really fun!

By this time, some of the ladies wanted to continue shopping in town, and some wanted to check out a couple other areas.  So we split up and agreed to meet back at the house later.  Barbara, Carol L, Debbie, Chris and Leslie stayed in town . . . (if you took any pics, please forward them to me and I'll add them here).

Sharon, Seema, Carol N and Joy stopped at a really nice Quilt Shop . . .

Bear Country Quilts - with adorable Fall decorations out front

And then visited one of the Wood Carving Places where they make the cute wooden bears and other statues we'd seen all around town . . .

Amazing

By the time everyone arrived back at the house, dinner was ready and we were ready to dig in . . . Spaghetti, Salad and Garlic Bread . . . Delish!

Oops - Bad Timing.  Caught everyone with a mouth full.

Later, we changed into our PJ's again and settled in for a nice relaxing movie night . . . complete with . . .

A cozy fire

All snuggled in for a nice evening.

After two movies, it was time for beddy bye.  Night Night.