Here Be Dragons

Weekend Roadtrip! Wine tasting in Temecula

2013-05-23T18:32:00.001-07:00

What do we do in San Diego on the first hot weekend of the summer? Do we hit the beach? NO! We head inland, where it's even HOTTER, because we had a vineyard tour reservation. Yes, my friends and I had bought one of those TravelZoo vouchers, and they were about to expire. We had tried to go in April, but the soonest weekend date they had available was mid-May. So, instead of donning our bikinis to catch some rays, we were cruising up the I-15 in a convertible, trying to stay cool in 100 degree heat!

Europa Village is a new vineyard with big plans. They have a cute little place, with dreams to expand. B&Bs! Spas! Restaurants!

Our tour guide was fun, educational, and funny. The wines were... meh.

Jack Daniels Live event on the USS Midway

2013-04-19T08:30:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago, I entered to win tickets to the Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears concert. I did not win... But my roommate did! Lots of free swag, fun music, and an amazing night view of San Diego in the rain.

Bread & Wine

2013-04-11T22:11:00.004-07:00

"Get those away from me!" my roommate just exclaimed.

Now that I've safely hidden away my dangerously delicious bacon-wrapped dates for tomorrow's brunch potluck, I can write about the inspiration for my making something involving dates. (Which before today, I'd never purchased.)

A few weeks ago, my copy of Shauna Niequist's Bread & Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around The Table With Recipes arrived in the mail. I'd recently heard Niequist's books Cold Tangerines and Bittersweet recommended, and was looking forward to reading some of her work. I didn't expect it to resonate quite so much with me.

I loved how Niequist illustrates how central to life and relationships food can be. There really is nothing quite like sharing a good meal with friends. Some of my favorite memories are of close friends piled on couches and pillows around our coffee table (we don't have room for a dining room table), bowls of jambalaya balanced on knees and red wine within reach. This year for my birthday, I chose to have dinner with a small group of 8 at my favorite good (yet reasonably priced) restaurant.

Early in the book, Niequist recommended reading the book, and then taking it to the kitchen, trying the recipes, staining the book with red wine and food. "Not my style," I thought to myself, settling in for a readthrough. Nevertheless, as soon as I'd finished, I couldn't stop thinking of those bacon-wrapped dates (with goat cheese) that she'd raved about. Before you knew it, I was doing that exact thing - book propped up on my kitchen counter as I sliced dates, stuffed them with goat cheese and wrapped them carefully in bacon.

The recipes really are ones that I'd like to try. (Lasagna style enchiladas? Yes, please!) And the prose made me realize what it is about friendship, food and hospitality that I appreciate.

In the chapter entitled Open The Door she writes:
What people are craving isn't perfection. People aren't longing to be impressed; they're longing to feel like they're home. If you create a space full of love and character and creativity and soul, they'll take off their shoes and curl up with gratitude and rest, no matter how small, no matter how undone, no matter how odd.

I appreciated that paragraph, as I live (and mostly always have lived) with roommates. Our home is a modge-podge of varying styles and colors. My home is not as put together as many of my friends'. However, it is what I have to offer to my friends, and so I open the doors wide - for dinners, book clubs, game nights, movie nights.

I got an advanced reading copy of this book, but it's out now! I definitely recommend this read! (And I'll let you know how the bacon-wrapped dates go over tomorrow.)

Jazz lounge in an airport?

2013-02-08T20:32:00.001-08:00

Why, yes! The San Diego airport has an Arts a Breve concert series in the terminal 2 baggage claim.

And then.... The clouds cleared

2013-02-06T17:15:00.001-08:00

After a chilly, cloudy day, the sun came out as I visited my local sidewalk cafe.

I had just swung by the post office, where it cost more to mail the cute stuffed hugging heart to my niece than it actually cost to buy. The downfall of living far from family.

Free pool night

2013-02-06T17:14:00.001-08:00

Tuesday is free pool night, so we took advantage. Started strong! And then fell apart.

One good burger, Dood!

2013-02-05T08:25:00.001-08:00

San Diego has some seriously good burgers. The most recent addition to my mental list of top burgers is The Dood burger at Doods Foods in The Tin Can Ale House.

I was in the Bankers Hill area west of Balboa Park and wanted to meet a friend for dinner; this place popped up on my radar. For $4, you can get the Dood burger. Or, what I did, $7 for a cheeseburger combo. It was also happy hour, and I was tempted by the Sofia Coppola sparkling wine.

The burger was delicious & the fries fresh & hot (if super greasy!). I will be here again.

Addicted to books

2013-02-02T14:51:00.001-08:00

I may have a slight book addiction. I can never resist a library or a book sale. A few weeks ago, Better World Books had a flash sale and I splurged. Then, today, the books finally showed up on my front door step! I'll be snuggled on my couch for a bit from here on out!

French brunch in South Park

2013-01-27T15:54:00.001-08:00

I have always been lured by the French cuteness of the creperie Cafe Madeleine in South Park. When a friend mentioned that she had gone last Monday for MLK Jr day (a holiday!), I got jealous and decided to go this weekend.

My friend and I determined that sweet crepes were best, so we both got the panini and were going to split a sweet crepe for dessert. We must have gotten full, because we never got around to having the crepe! Such a shame! But that only means I have to return to this cute little cafe!

It Never Rains in Southern California....

2013-01-25T14:30:00.000-08:00

.....except today, when it rained all day.

Livin' like I'm on vacation

2013-01-20T16:38:00.000-08:00

This was a gorgeous weekend, and after a day at church and beach cruising around Coronado, we stopped by the sundeck at the Hotel Del Coronado for drinks with friends. A perfect end to a perfect day. (Though it wasn't ACTUALLY the end, since I then went on to dinner at a friend's house, where I finally watched Slumdog Millionaire.

Hiking: Elfin Forest

2013-01-19T20:00:00.000-08:00

Wintertime in San Diego means very little beach time. I miss the sunshine, so instead I spend my weekends hiking. I've become the unofficial hike planner among my friends, so I'm always looking for new hikes to explore.

So for this particular weekend, after a chilly week, I decided on Elfin Forest, up by Escondido. It sounds very magical and woodsy, but once we got beyond the trickling stream and hiked up to the crest (about 1.5 miles), it was a dry dirt, full sun hike around a reservoir. Great views of the reservoir on one side and Lake Hodges on the other. We even saw Bernardo Mountain from our hike a few weeks back!

Overall, we had a good, someone relaxed 8 mile hike.

A little night music

2013-01-18T11:00:00.000-08:00

Balboa Park is one of my favorite places in San Diego.

The Prado is one of my favorite places for late night happy hour.

And listening to random music that was a bit like SNL.

Enjoying the last of the sunshine

2013-01-16T16:31:00.000-08:00

A winter evening walk on Coronado Beach.

Nado Biking

2013-01-14T18:00:00.000-08:00

My dear friend is moving to Washington, so before she left, we went on one last bike ride around the island - though my one-speed beach cruiser had a bit of trouble keeping up with her bad-triathlete self!

Italian Pizza!

2013-01-12T16:29:00.000-08:00

One of my go-to spots in Little Italy is Landini's Pizzaria. They have a special for 2 slices and a soda for $6. A filling and affordable lunch for those days when you're out and about wandering in San Diego's Little Italy. Or if you just want to soak in the sunshine after a chilly week!

Resolve

2013-01-09T21:30:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year to make resolutions - and if you're my friends, write them out, put them in a bottle, and seal it until next year!

2013: 5: Game Night

2013-01-06T11:17:00.001-08:00

Come on! Who doesn't love BananaGrams?

2013: 4: Bernardo Mountain

2013-01-06T11:12:00.001-08:00

As it is winter in San Diego, I've been taking advantage of the cooler weather to hike most weekends. Therefore, in pursuit of a new trail, I discovered Bernardo Mountain Summit Trail. I read that the trail passed by the pedestrian bridge has intrigued me every time I see it on a return to San Diego on the I-15. So, instead of starting at the proper trail-head on the east side of the 15, we started on the other side of the bridge, hiked across and continued up the summit trail for a total hike of just over 7 miles (according to Map My Hike, which I forgot to start until a good half mile into our walk.)

The hike was a bit rocky (not my favorite), but slowly wound up the mountain to a summit with a 360 degree view. The 5 of us on this hike took some time to relax and enjoy the view.

This hike will never replace Mt. Woodson, Iron Mountain or Mt. Laguna as one of my favorites, but I wouldn't be surprised to find myself doing this hike again some day.

2013: 3: Coronado beach

2013-01-04T07:10:00.002-08:00

2013: 2: Sampling

2013-01-02T22:11:00.001-08:00

Just trying out one of my latest Christmas gifts. Got the shaker, now I just need the martini glasses!

2013: 1: Mission Trails

2013-01-02T07:10:00.000-08:00

Out for a hike in Mission Trails Regional Park in eastern San Diego. A perfect way to kick off the new year!

DPP19: Coronado Sunset

2012-12-19T17:08:00.001-08:00

There are days I wish I were a painter. Today is one of those days. No photo I took tonight could accurately capture the astounding array of pinks, greens and purples shining in the ocean tonight.

DPP18: Someone's watching you

2012-12-18T18:00:00.000-08:00

The trees have eyes:

DPP17: Christmas Coronado Style

2012-12-17T17:30:00.000-08:00

This is how we roll in Coronado: