Julian in autumn is a soothing escape for apple pie, ice cream, laid back Americana

Julian's famous Julian Cafe and Bakery has delicious pies and ice cream flavors.  Here, Cookie shares with Nick & Nora.

TRY JULIAN, CALIFORNIA, FOR A RELAXING, SATISFYING WEEKEND IN THE COUNTRY

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

Cookie's sister, Misha Minesinger, exits cheery Two Sisters Cottage in Julian.

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

Click here for Lilian's Last Dance

 THE APPLE CAPITAL of the world has a nice rhyming nickname.  It also offers a get-away both soothing and exciting.
Julian, California, a small, quaint mountain town in southern California, offers history, fun hotels, shopping, scenery and perhaps the best fruit pies in the state.
Man cannot live by pie, alone.
There's plenty more to do, though, including the famous fall apple fest.
JULIAN'S EAGLE  and High Peak Gold Mine affords the opportunity to step back in time into a real gold mine dug out of a mountain with picks and your own pan.

Julian has an annual October Apple Festival,
celebrating the fruit that keeps people coming back.

You can feel your blood pressure dropping on the drive from San Diego to Julian, a small mountain community in Southern California located at the intersection of California highways 78 and 79. It's only about 50 miles northeast of San Diego.
The historic town, founded just after the Civil War, is nestled among oak and pine forests between the north end of the Cuyamaca Range and the south slope of Volcan Mountain.
JULIAN IS a throw-back to the late 1800s, in many ways.  Take out the autos and modern dress and imagine your great-grandparents strolling the streets of Julian.  People say hello.  Dogs are welcome.
The entire township of Julian is a Designated Historical District. Its image as an early California frontier town with pioneer store fronts, historic sites and guided tours of the mines explains its continuing modern appeal. Tourism is Julian's largest industry, followed by cattle.  The mine and

The apple: Julian's star attraction.

California Wolf Center are worth visits.

Try a bite! It's heresy not to. Julian pies are known throughout California.

There are dozens of places to stay, from the historic downtown hotel with its few, antique-bedecked rooms, to B&Bs, luxury inns and more modest lodgings.  We recently enjoyed the Two Sisters Cottage -- apropos of my Atlanta sister's visit!
WE HAD cocktails in the large yard, and appreciated that the inn is dog friendly.  Two comfy bedrooms and a pleasant kitchen were stocked with pans and tools to prepare a meal!  Eagle's Nest Bed and Breakfast is another of our favorites, for its pretty rooms and lovely views. Most of the lodging options, such as the historic Gold Rush Hotel are right in town,

Mining lore is one of Julian's attractions, so take the tour!

and the rustic and private Julian Pines is close by. You'll want to stop at Julian Pie Co. or any of the other options for sampling the apple and berry pies that make the town famous.
STROLLING Julian is fun, too. We shopped for bird houses, chocolate and earrings in the same couple of user friendly blocks. Restaurants and cafes offer plenty of choices for a long weekend. Romano's  is a fine, intimate and tastefully decorated Italian restaurant with delicious veal and pasta dishes. On the way home to San Diego, stop for lunch and Dudley's Bread, known throughout California.

Two sisters, Misha Minesinger and Cookie Meyers,
enjoy time together in Julian, at Two Sisters Cottage.

JULIAN IS is unique among Southern California communities for its cool-winter climate, ideal for growing apples. Julian apples are sold as pies, cider and whole fruit. Each October, 10,000 apple pies are baked weekly in Julian, when Southern California tourists flock for fall colors, cool breezes, frontier atmosphere and the Apple Festival.
ANOTHER NICE aspect to a small town is that you can call the local Chamber of Commerce and get a human being who'll help with lodging or make dining suggestions.  We've had good luck on short notice by contacting them at 2129 Main St, Julian, CA 92036,   760 765-1857; www.julianca.com

COMING UP:  In researching our novel, "Lilian's Last Dance," we drew upon other stories of sharp shooters, including the legendary Annie Oakley, played by dozens of actresses. Remember, carpe diem, so explore, learn and live and check us out Wednesdays and weekends for a fresh look at travel, the arts and contemporary life: www.whereiscookie.com