Managers of the regional AAA (Southern California Automobile Club) offices of about 20 strong converged on Solvang last week for some serious work mixed with a smidgen of silliness

  Managers of the regional AAA (Southern California Automobile Club) offices of about 20 strong converged on Solvang last week for some serious work mixed with a smidgen of silliness. To assist the group in becoming better acquainted with each other and with the town, conference planners had pre-arranged a scavenger hunt (quite a common activity for groups meeting in Solvang).  Sets of envelopes were hidden in four fairly widely separated locations in the heart of Solvang, including the Hans Christian Andersen Museum.

One of the scavengers was quite clueless about the clues.  “Hans Christian Andersen?  Who’s he?” By the time we finished the mini lecture, his cohorts had found the envelopes hidden in the Andersen Museum, under the skirts of the great Danish writer. The museum has a head-and-shoulders statue of Andersen mounted on a fabric-covered pedestal and the scavengers had to lift up the fabric to find the next clue. While those triple “A” trippers have travel on their minds continuously, the staff of The Book Loft has noticed that the arrival of warm weather and the month of May has brought a sudden influx of vacation planners. The store is well stocked for both armchair and actual travelers. 

If you’re looking for a place to go this summer, next year, soon?  Consult the fat little volume “1000 Places to See Before You Die” (Workman, $18.95).

Local Author Update

After a series of delays and disappointments during the long self-publishing process, Bernice Dotz, former Solvang businesswoman and lifelong volunteer, was the focus of a well-attended booksigning May 9, formally launching her book, “House of Miracles” ($12.95).  Now, Bernice is working on a companion DVD that will enhance her upcoming presentations to various clubs and organizations.

Retired from the Allan Hancock English Department and recovered from a health crisis, Robert Isaacson is devoting more time to personal writing projects.  Last year, under his own imprint Muleshoe Press, Bob published “The Muleshoe Cattle Company: An Anthology of Memories of Life on an Arizona Cow Ranch, 1906-1928” ($29.95), an illustrated account of his family’s enterprise.

Recently he dug into his files, gathered a collection of his poems and published them under the title “Unconsecrated Ground” ($12.95). Bob, who lives with his family on El Chorro Ranch on San Julian Road, will read some of his work during an event in his honor at The Book Loft June 13 at 7 p.m.  Mark your calendars.