San Diego to Los Angeles By Train

Recently, we saw the launch of a brand new express train from San Diego that will significantly cut travel time to many cities on the west coast and beyond. The northbound Pacific Surfliner Express Train is expected to cut travelling time by nearly half an hour on the journey between San Diego and Los Angeles.

One of the ways it will gain this extra time is by cutting the cities of Fullerton, Laguna, Niguel / Mission Viejo, Orange, San Juan Capistrano and Santa Ana from the normal Pacific Surfliner route. Instead, the new express route (the train will be called the Express Surfliner #563) will depart from downtown San Diego and the Santa Fe Station at 7:05am and will stop at Solana Beach, Oceanside, Irvine and Anaheim before arriving in Los Angeles.

Tickets for a one-way trip will cost $31 and the journey time between San Diego and Los Angeles is listed by Amtrak as taking 2 hours and 28 minutes. This will bring the journey time between San Diego and Oakland / San Francisco down to about 13 hours by train.

Click to read more ...

San Diego Condos: Gaslamp Adventures

Last night downtown San Diego Gaslamp  hosted a gigantic private party.  The one fantastic thing about being in the Downtown San Diego Willis Allen office is that we are usually in the thick of things.

Yesterday was not an exception.  We had people running to and fro bringing in materials and setting up tables and stages and seating, etc.  The musical group Train, practiced and rehearsed during the afternoon, and it was like having your own private concert.  Dancing girls practiced on stages right out our front window,and when the event kicked off early evening, things got even more fun and enticing.

My favorite table was just across the street from us and you can see why it was my favorite.  Dick's Last Resort, next door to us, generously gave us cold water as we watched all the other fantastic food being set out on party tables.

Stilt girl was fun to see.  Usually you see men on stilts and I was trying to remember the last time I had seen a girl on stilts, and could not remember.  She ambled up and down the street, weaving in and out of the crowds.

Since we were not actually part of the event, we couldn't eat or drink so we went over to Buca di Beppo's for dinner.  They were packed, and as always our food was great.  When we returned to the office area, Train was rocking full force and all the attendees were having a wonderful time.

This is one of the many reasons we love downtown San Diego and Willis Allen.  We continue to be in the heart of things.  Downtown San Diego is the perfect place to own a condo and if you want to know the inventory, give Victoria a call.  You can also look at the companion blog with this that shows how much condo prices have started to creep upward.  I know the economy is hard on everyone, but Downtown San Diego condos continue to be great buys.