Day trip to Del Mar and Solana Beach

Made a quick trip last week to Solana Beach and Del Mar with friends.  We strolled down Cedros Street which has lots of great shops including Solo, Leaping Lotus and Cedros Soles (shoes).  Found a few treasures then proceeded on to Hotel Des Artistes in Del Mar.  I had read about this hotel some time ago but didn't remember it was in Del Mar until my husband and I stayed at the Del Mar Inn.  We walked past it several times on our way to dinner in Del Mar and I vowed to look into it as a possible girls' weekend destination.  It is a funky, sort of southwestern style hotel and every room is decorated in the style of a different artist.  We stayed in the Botero room which had lots of fat nude women on the walls (not us), our own waterfall outside the back door, and large fireplace and lots of cozy places to sit on the patio.  It was really comfortable and a bargain for the four of us. Jody and Patrice immediately took a nap and Judith and I went for a walk.  Right around the corner from the hotel we came upon a little, white clapboard house which looked as if it were built around the turn of the century.  Turns out it was built in 1885 and had once been the "love nest" of Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Mary Pickford.  We met the owners and their brother and they filled us in on the house's history.  Lots of other classic old homes in this area as well as some fabulous new ones.  We were only a block from the cliffs overlooking the ocean and we walked along the edge for a while.  What great views the homes at the end of street had!  Tried Swami's for breakfast on the way home Saturday; looked promising since it was packed with locals and their dogs, but we got our food very quickly and it was great.  It's right across the street from the Self Realization complex...Swami's...I'd recommend it.  We didn't hit any traffic, we had wonderful weather, we finally exchanged Christmas and birthday gifts, and we got to relax for a day.  Can't beat that!