UPDATE! ‘Ukulele Reunion – The Lost Weekend

Camp Ocean Pines
Beautiful Camp Ocean Pines on the Central Coast of California

Register Now!

Since most folks did not want to wait until May of 2023 for the next West Coast ‘Ukulele Retreat at Camp Ocean Pines, we decided you shouldn’t have to! So, before 2022 slips away, we’re having an ‘Ukulele Reunion that we’re calling “The Lost Weekend.” So save the dates, October 28 – 30. Or, better yet, register now for 3 days of “the most fun you can have with your ‘ukulele on.”

New Registration Process

In order to streamline the process, you will register for accommodations, meals, and workshop tickets directly with Camp Ocean Pines. (Six workshop tickets are included with each registration.) And while you don’t have to stay at the Camp to join us, you might miss out on some of the fun if you don’t.

Housing Choices

Camp Ocean Pines offers a choice of accommodations, including:

  • Staying in one of the Camp’s spiffy cabins. (We anticipate no more than 3 people per cabin.)
  • Bringing your own tent or motorhome to sleep in.* (Nothing over 35 feet, please.)
  • Or staying off campus. (Lot’s of options nearby in Cambria.)

Your registration fee also includes dinner on Friday night; breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Saturday; and breakfast on Sunday. (If you are staying off campus, breakfast is not included.)

Registration fees are $384/person if you are staying at the camp and $325/person if you are staying off campus.

Register Now

*Camping was such a popular option last year that we will have more spots available for campers than we have in the past. But, we still expect those spots to go quickly. So be sure to sign up soon if you plan on bringing your own rig and please reach out to Maddy Cline, at Camp Ocean Pines, to make sure they have space: maddy@campoceanpines.org

Multiple Workshop Sessions Each Day

Each registration also includes six workshop tickets. (Additional workshop tickets can be purchased from me either online or at the camp.) There will be three workshop periods on Friday afternoon, five on Saturday, and two on Sunday morning. Each workshop period will have 1 – 3 different workshops geared toward players of all skill levels. (Stay tuned–more to come.)

We will be leaving a few gaps in the schedule to make sure everyone has an opportunity to practice what they have learned and an opportunity to get together to make music. There will be an All Camp Jam on Friday night, and we encourage you to bring a tune or two to share. We’ll have a Halloween Party (“Uke-Spooktacular) on Saturday night and will be awarding raffle tickets for the best costumes. You can earn even more raffle tickets by doing a tune for us in costume!

And while the ‘Ukulele Reunion is meant to be just that–an opportunity for attendees from past events to reunite and make music together, again, we warmly welcome newcomers and new players to join us. Wonderful friendships have been made at these events and this will be no exception.

Back by Popular Demand

Some of our most popular instructors will be returning, including Dave Egan, Gary Peare, and Nancy Piver. Rick Zeek and Rhan Wilson will also be joining us with their ever-popular Ukulele Gospel Hour. And, the Ukulele Guru will also be on hand to aid whatever ails your ukulele life. If registration warrants it, we’ll be adding a few more instructors, as well.

Dave Egan
Gary Peare
Nancy Piver
Rhan Wilson
Ukulele Guru
Rick Zeek

Just in Time for the Scarecrow Festival

And if the ‘Ukulele Reunion isn’t enough to bring you to Cambria the last weekend in October, perhaps the Cambria Scarecrow Festival will. We just missed it last year, but we won’t make that mistake, again! Now in its 14th year, this is a community-wide event featuring hundreds of scarecrows throughout Cambria and neighboring towns where you’ll see scarecrows bowling, bathing, painting, pedaling, fishing or flying. (Apparently none of the scarecrows play the ukulele…yet.)

Register Now

Registration is now open and I encourage you to register as soon as possible, especially if you plan on bringing a motor home or RV. Space is very limited If you’re planning on staying off-campus, you might also want to start looking into alternative lodging now. This could be a busy week-end.

Register Now

In Other ‘Ukulele Adventure News:

Cuba is Full!

Our Cuba in March trip is now full. But if you want to be put on the waiting list, please send me an email.

Two Cabins Left for Burgundy

However we still have two cabins left for our Uke, Bike, and Barge trip to Burgundy next September. This is such a fabulous way to “cruise” and see the French countryside, far, far from the maddening crowds. I don’t expect these two cabins to be available long, so please send in your deposit ASAP, if you’re thinking of joining us.

Alaska is on the Horizon

Stay tuned! We are putting together an ‘ukulele retreat in Alaska for next summer! Details to come.

Here, there, and wherever you are–I hope you are enjoying these last days of summer. It’s great to be able to move around the globe, again. And it’s wonderful to reconnect with old friends and make some new ones. Hope to see you in Cambria!

‘Ukulele Reunion – The Lost Weekend

Camp Ocean Pines
Beautiful Camp Ocean Pines on the Central Coast of California

No one seems to want to wait until May for the next West Coast ‘Ukulele Retreat at Camp Ocean Pines in Cambria. So, before 2022 slips away, we’re throwing in an ‘Ukulele Reunion called “The Lost Weekend.” It’s going to be three days of “the most fun you can have with your ‘ukulele on.”

Save the Date!

Our lost weekend will be Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 28 – 30. But, you can join us for any number of days, or for all of them! We want this event to work for you.

We also want to streamline the process. So, you will register directly with Camp Ocean Pines for your lodging and meal plan. Your choice of accommodations includes:

  • staying in one of the Camp’s spiffy cabins
  • bringing your own tent or motorhome to sleep in
  • or staying off campus.

Three delicious meals a day are included unless you are staying off campus. In this case, breakfast is on your own.

We’ll have more spots available for campers than we have in the past, but we still expect those spots to go soon. (And there will be size restrictions!) So be sure to sign up as soon as we open registration if you plan on bringing your own rig.

Ten Workshop Sessions

Your registration will also include six workshop tickets for each person. (Everyone must register to attend.) each day you register. There will be 3 workshop sessions Friday afternoon, 5 sessions on Saturday, and 2 sessions on Sunday morning.

There are no evening activities planned at the moment, but we are open to suggestions. We also want to make sure everyone has an opportunity to practice what they have learned and to simply get together to make music and jam. And the ‘Ukulele Reunion is meant to be just that–an opportunity for attendees from past events to reunite and make music together, again. (Though we would be remiss if we did not have a Halloween party…complete with costumes!)

Back by Popular Demand

Nancy Piver

Just in Time for the Scarecrow Festival

We just missed it last year, but we won’t make that mistake, again! Now in its 14th year, the Cambria Scarecrow Festival, October 1 – 31, is a community-wide event featuring hundreds of scarecrows bowling, bathing, painting, pedaling, fishing or flying. (Apparently none of the scarecrows play the ukulele…yet.)

Some of our most popular instructors will be returning, including Dave Egan, Gary Peare, and Nancy Piver. Rick and Rhan will also be joining us with their ever-popular Ukulele Gospel Hour. The Ukulele Guru will also be on hand to aid whatever ails your ukulele life. . . And, if we have the space, we may be able to add a few more.

There’s Nothing To Do Just Yet

Registration will open soon. In the meantime, there’s nothing to do but to save the dates. If you’re planning on staying off-campus, you might also want to start looking into alternative lodging. This could be a busy week-end.

We Still Have Space Available!

If you were thinking of joining us in Cuba in March, we still have one space left. So please contact us as soon as possible if you’re thinking about going. If there is enough interest we may open a second trip.

And we still have cabins available for our Uke, Bike, and Barge trip to Burgundy next September and two e-bikes waiting to be spoken for. (First come, first served.) So, if you’d prefer to see the French countryside by e-bike, please send in your deposit ASAP.

Here, there, and everywhere–I hope you are enjoying these last days of summer. It’s great to be able to move around the globe, again.

How to Make a Perfect Cuban Mojito

Learning how to make the perfect Cuban Mojito is just one example of some of the fun we had with Cuban Ukulele Rhythms last year. We also learned how to make authentic Cuban black beans (simply the best) and helped make our delicious lunch in the tiny kitchen at Cafe Ajiaco. (And this was after a visit to the captivating organic farm down the street that provided most of the fresh produce we ate!)

This is Cuba!

Lunch at Cafe Ajiaco

We had so much fun, in fact, that, we are going to do it all again.

Join us in 2023!

The tentative dates for 2023 are March 13 – 22, give or take a day or two. And if there is enough interest, we may be able to add another tour after this one. And though we are still in the planning stages, because enrollment in Cuban Ukulele Rhythms is extremely limited, we wanted to give you a heads up now.

Authentic, Up Close, and Personal

This is our “ride”—a 1948 Dodge limo, affectionately known as ‘Mimi.” And this is one of the reasons we restrict enrollment to just 6 people. Plus, the access we have as a small group simply can’t be beaten.

The itinerary for 2023 will be very similar to our 2022 itinerary with the addition of a few things we wish we’d had more time for last year. And while we won’t have the actual cost until we have finalized the itinerary, we can tell you that last year’s trip was $3,599. (Single supplements are available for an additional $300.)

Secure your Spot Now

Because enrollment for our Cuban ‘Ukulele Rhythms adventure is so limited, you should secure your place now. To do so you will need to send a non-refundable* deposit in the amount of $100 (USD) to:

Ukulele Adventures, 1113 Chiles Avenue, St. Helena, CA 94574

You can also pay by Venmo. (Please contact me for more information.)

*If, for some reason, we decide not to run this trip before the first payment is due, or if we can’t fit you in, we will refund your deposit 100%.

And Now…The Perfect Cuban Mojito

Whether or not you can join us next year, you can still learn how to make the perfect Cuban mojito by following the 10 easy steps below.

Step 1

Assemble your ingredients and the necessary tools:

  • a tall glass
  • a sturdy, flat-ended muddler
  • a small measuring receptacle
  • a teaspoon with a long handle for stirring
  • freshly squeezed lime juice
  • sprigs of fresh mint, 4 – 5 inches long, complete with stems
  • Havana Club Golden Rum
  • honey
  • ice cubes
  • sparkling water
  • fancy (and reusable) plastic swizzle sticks
Step 2

Carefully measure an approximate amount of honey from a recycled bottle of hooch into your small measuring device, then pour it into the tall glass. There should be at least 1/4” of honey in the bottom of the tall glass. (You can also pour it directly into the glass.)

Step 3

Squirt 1/4” to 1/2” of lime juice from a re-purposed mustard container* into the tall glass, on top of the honey. Don’t be confused. In Cuba they may call it zumo de limón—lemon juice—but it is lime juice.

*A re-purposed ketchup container will work just as well.

Step 4

Add several sprigs of mint.

NOTE: For a true Cuban Mojito you only use the mint that has the red/purple stems. (The organic gardener down the road was very adamant about this!)

ALSO NOTE: Most of the leaves have been stripped from bottom of the 5” to 6” stem, leaving just a healthy flourish of fragrant, flouncy mint leaves at the top.

Step 5

Muddle the stems of the mint (and only the stems) with a little wooden baseball bat. (You know how the Cubans love baseball!) The leaves should still be nice and fluffy and leaf-like when you are done.

Step 6

Add the Havana Club Especial golden rum…at your own discretion. (Some people had more discretion than others!) Make sure you do this with an experienced flourish…but don’t spill a drop.

Steps 7 & 8

Add some chunks of ice, but make sure you leave some room in the glass for the sparkling water.

Fill the glass to the top with sparkling water.

Step 9

Stir with the long metal teaspoon and gently coax any submerged mint leaves to the top of the glass then fluff them up a bit.

But don’t drink it yet!

Steps 10

Choose your fancy (reusable) swizzle stick and you’re almost ready to enjoy. But first…

Arriba! Abajo! Al Centro! Al Dentro!

The only thing that might be better, is to enjoy your Perfect Cuban Mojito at the roof-top bar of your casa particular in Old Havana, along with a big, fat, hand-rolled Cuban cigar!

Hope you can join us!