3 Weeks, 7 Cities, 6 Countries, 5 Currencies

No time was wasted getting 2019 travels underway. We had a whirlwind few weeks with a a trip to San Diego and beyond the border to Tijuana. Followed by a European adventure that includes London, Amsterdam, Stockholm and Frankfurt. We came away with fun memories, and I can start my very own currency exchange with dollars, pesos, pounds, euros and kronas.

Needless to say there is much to share. Let's begin with San Diego.

The trip was impromptu. It went sort of like this.

Me: Tacos sound good.
Frank: Tijuana?
Me: Ok!

I snagged a cheap flight on Spirit and booked a good deal on a hotel via Hotwire. And just like that sunny skies, sea breezes and tacos were on tap! Frank's aunt and uncle were coincidentally in San Diego, they were flying home to Chicago the next day; after a week's stay at their place in San Felipe. So, they picked us up from the airport and we caught up over beers at Stone Brewing inside Liberty Station. Both the beer and the company were great. Before we parted ways they dropped us at our hotel, the Manchester Grand Hyatt. The location was great and the accommodations were comfortable.





From sun up to sun down, we hit all of our favorite haunts: La Puerta, Con Pane Bakery, El Indio and the Cuban Cigar Factory. Plus, they have opened Salt & Straw in Little Italy so we also made two trips there for ice cream. The coffee bourbon was love at first taste months ago at the Los Angeles Arts District location. All the flavors are really outstanding. I've been a fan since first trying it in Portland, but now, it's an addiction.



Limes and the like have taken over the city. You could literally trip over them there are so many. We use the electric scooter to commute between the Gas Lamp and Little Italy. If I said I wasn't terrified, I'd be a liar. It's not my favorite way to get around, but it got the job done.

Believe

Everyone should believe in something. I believe I should be on the beach sipping on a margarita. That's where you'll find me as you're reading this. That's right, we left the states for fun in the sun in Mexico. Specifically, the Riviera Maya. So... in the meantime, I'll share about our visit to San Diego. We've made countless trips by car, but the drive takes longer and longer each time. When Spirit ran $70 RT fares it was a good excuse to try flying. Frank flies each year for his annual trip to Del Mar. It's always worked well for him. It seemed promising. As an added bonus, Spirit joined TSA PreCheck just in time for our trip. Their enrollment was flawless, which was appreciated since we had such a problem using our KTN on Frontier.

We flew out on the first morning flight and touched down in San Diego by 9:30 AM. It was the shortest flight I've ever been on, 44 minutes. The San Diego airport was smaller than I expected and very easy to navigate, I believe it was the fastest I've ever made it from gate to exit as well. It was only 30 degrees & dreary when we left home; we were at the tail end of a week long cold spell, the wintry weather had taken its toll so it felt like sweet relief to feel the warm sun once we stepped outside. It was tempting to sit and soak up the sun right there at the airport, but we had other plans. Important plans! Breakfast at Con Pane Bakery. We hailed a Lyft over to Liberty Station. We were noshing on sandwiches and a cinnamon roll in no time. The Italian on rosemary olive oil remains my favorite sandwich in all the land. The cinnamon roll was mighty delicious too, per usual. However, Frank also had them toss in a Gouda and Herb Scone. Good lord, it was the perfect savory treat. So moist, flaky and cheesy... just wonderful.



We walked over to Von's for odds and ends, and Starbucks. We sat in the courtyard because it was too lovely not to. Yes, there is a courtyard in the middle of Von's. I don't think I'd mind grocery shopping quite as much if ours were like this. Anyhow, with our errand out of the way, we Ubered to our hotel in hopes of checking in. I snagged a great deal at the Omni on Hotwire. The deal was made even sweeter when our request to check in early was granted, and they even upgraded us to premier view on the 17th floor overlooking the bay. Stunning, truly.





As tempting as it was to climb in bed and never leave, we couldn't resist the sunshine. We wandered the waterfront from the Convention Center to Seaport Village.





We grew thirsty so we stopped for cocktails. A margarita on the rocks for me, and a beer for him. Neither were particularly good, but the view was lovely. All the walking must have worked up a hunger, because we found ourselves in an Uber headed to El Indio. A fish taco and taquitos were the perfect snack. We strolled the neighborhood a bit before taking the trolley back to the hotel. Before heading up to the room we stopped at a nearby liquor store so we could have cocktails in our room while viewing the sunset. It did not disappoint.



After an early evening siesta, we sought out dinner options. We knew we wanted to try something new. We decided on Phil's BBQ because I've had it bookmarked on Yelp for years, it has 4.5 stars and over 10,000 reviews. Our Uber driving confirmed it was tasty, but admitted he preferred a place called Grand Ole BBQ Y Asado. We bookmarked it for a future visit. Walking into Phil's I was a little underwhelmed because there was no scent of smoked meat in the air. It's just one of those things I've come to expect. I reserved my judgement and was excited to try the ribs, link and onion rings folks have raved about for ages. We were given a buzzer and we anxiously awaited our order.







The ribs were very tender, grilled with a dry rub and sauce was served on the side per our request. Which was wise, it was a bit too tangy and tomato-based for my liking. They were good, but definitely not Texas good. Where's the smoke ring? I've come to realize I'm officially a barbecue snob. After dinner, we walked over to Target in hopes of finding Chargers gear on clearance, but no such luck. We caught a ride back to the Gaslamp and the nightlife was in full swing. We weren't feeling it. Instead, we opted for the best bar in the city. Which just so happened to be right in our room. Seating for two, amazing view, we choose the music and no wait for the restroom. We did not regret our decision.

We slept wonderfully with the window open. Don't ever underestimate the power of fresh air! I can't be the only one that hates being cooped up with recycled air in the winter and summer months, can I? Frank was up before me, he went to the gym to get a work out in. I showered, and managed to flood the bathroom floor while doing so. The only flaw with the room was the shower curtain was too small for the curved shower rod. Thankfully, they had us well stocked with absorbent towels.

On the way out for breakfast we stopped to see if late check out was possible. The hotel was fully booked due to the convention, but they did extend check out to 2pm. We were grateful. We grabbed a bite at Werewolf. Frank had to try the Pork Belly Benedict. They also had Chilaquiles on the menu so I was easily sold. Curiosity got the better of us and we added on an order of breakfast balls. We started with the balls which were mashed potatoes and bacon fried balls drizzled with gravy. They were pretty darn tasty. Our entrees were too. The pork belly was perfectly rendered and quite possible the most beautiful poached eggs were nestled on top. At bottom of each stack was a potato pancake to sop up the rich & silky goodness. The chilaquiles roja's flavors were well balanced, not too acidic or spicy. I only wished there was more tortillas to soak up the sauce. Overall, we were quite pleased, it was a nice find.







Next, we caught a Uber over to Coronado Island. It seemed like an ideal place to enjoy the perfect weather, sunny skies and 75 degrees! We wandered around the island and Frank introduced me to the Bloody Mary served at Hotel Coronado. Surprisingly, I've never tried one before. I honestly didn't think I'd like it, but I did. He asked for it extra spicy. It's funny, though, it reminded me more of soup than a cocktail. A gazpacho, if you will. I now understand why many are served with antipasto, sliders or a meatnormous amount of bacon. People watching was superb from the patio. People came from everywhere and anywhere.





Back at the hotel, we rested a bit and then, packed up our belongings and left our bags at the bell desk. We caught a ride to Liberty Station. We had a late lunch at Con Pane Bakery. Unfortunately, they were out of the rosemary olive oil bread. It's still better than most on sourdough, but it just wasn't the same. Luckily, we did snag a cinnamon roll, because someone failed to show for a pick up order. You win some, you lose some. We walked around the park and along the water until the sun began to set. Our last stop was the Cuban Cigar Factory. We often visit when in town, Frank enjoyed a stick (or two) and much to my delight they had Pliny the Elder in the cooler. Which we typically only find in San Francisco. It's a good way to pass the time!

The time had come to gather our bags and return to the airport. We were met with a large group of protesters, but it didn't slow us down. Security was quick and easy, and we arrived at our gate with ease. The flight home was timely. I must say flying is pretty darn convenient. It's not a fit for every trip, but we'll definitely take advantage of cheap fares in the future.

Better Than Chicken Soup for the Soul

Frank and I snuck off for a quick trip to So Cal. Stopping in LA for pastrami at Langers, taking in a ballgame in Anaheim - Go White Sox!, brewery hopping with an old friend from jr/high school, and running off to San Diego for tasty eats at Con Pane Bakery and El Indio, and ocean breezes in La Jolla. It's stuff that's just good for the soul.



In Anaheim, we visited The Bruery, Bruery Terreux and Noble Ale Works. All great finds, but my favorite was Noble Ale Works. Not only is it walking distance from Angel Stadium, but it also has amazing beers! Nosecandy had all the flavor of a full bodied IPA, but lacked the punch. The ABV of only 4.4% made for some easy drinking. Man's Milk was an outstanding milk stout - creamy, roasted coffee and rich dark chocolate flavor with only a scant of sweetness. The perfect dessert (at least in my book) might just be the Naughty Sauce. Also a milk stout, though, more golden in color, rich roast flavor, but with vanilla, reminds me of chocolate chip cookies. This will be a must stop whenever we catch a game!!



We sampled quite a bit from the Bruery. My favorite was a sour exclusive to Society members, Sour in the Rye 2016 - we were fortunate to get a sample. It was fantastic. I only wish we could've brought a growler home. They recently opened a second tasting room called Terreux. It has a great patio and a nice selection of sours. However, none were as good as that members only selection over at the Bruery.





Angel games are always fun, but we had an added bonus of friends from Vegas join us - both couples are originally from Chicago too. Plus, this night had fireworks after the game. It was a nice display and it softened the blow of our loss.



We had a nice stay at the Holiday Inn Anaheim. Better than expected considering its aimed at families visiting Disneyland. We met our friends for breakfast at Anepalcos. It comes highly recommended and they're known for chilaquiles, so I was mighty excited. They looked beautiful, but the sauce was more acidic than anything and as a whole the experience was rather disappointing. Bummer.



Rather than stay in Anaheim, we made a last minute decision to head to San Diego for the night. I was able to secure a surprisingly good last-minute deal on Hotwire at the Hotel Indigo which is right in the heart of the Gaslamp, only a stone's throw from Petco Park. The hotel was great, only complaint was that parking was pretty pricey, but that's typical downtown. The rooms were without carpet and I was in love.



There was a rooftop lounge with a nice view of the ballpark. We hung out there for the final innings of the game.





In addition to eating at our favorite places, we also returned to the Cuban Cigar Factory which has undergone a renovation since our last visit. It's a bit more comfortable now, it's a great place to enjoy a stick and try a variety of local beers.

No trip to San Diego is complete without a stop in La Jolla. There are few places better than being perched on the cliffs above the Pacific. It is definitely our happy place.

A Quickie in San Diego

After weeks of Frank working extremely long days and me being cooped up in the apartment with a busted ankle, we were anxious to get away. We booked a trip to San Diego the first chance we got. Unfortunately, hotel rates were insane. The highest I've seen. It was a week after Comic-Con so I'm not quite sure why, but I turned to Airbnb as an alternative. I was able to secure a private room and bath in a charming house near the airport. The location couldn't be more centralized. In the past, I've only booked entire places so I was a little curious how this stay would go.

Getting to San Diego took ages, it was a 6.5 hour drive. Which is highly unusual especially since we left Friday morning. I expected little to no traffic, but it was stop and go the whole way. We were starved by the time we arrived at El Indio. We couldn't decide between taquitos, fish tacos or tamales. So, we got it all. It hit the spot.











Thankfully, our host was flexible with our late check in. She met us at the house, showed us around and let us know she'll be staying at her daughter's so we'd have the place to ourselves. The accommodations were comfortable. It could only be better if it was a king bed, but we knew it was queen when booking. We spent a lot of time on the front porch, it offered nice views from downtown to the airport. We even could see the nightly fireworks at Sea World. Because we were blocks from the airport, the planes were noisy. They didn't disturb us, though, we enjoyed watching them fly overhead. Frank grew up next to Midway so it bothered him none, and I had no issue since flights were halted overnight.





Friday night, we barhopped; beginning at Ballast Point. Sculpin IPA is what converted me into a lover of hops. I've loved everything I've tried from Ballast Point since, so I was most excited to check out the brewery. I tried 5 or 6 beers and not one was disappointing. At 9pm the patio closes due to a noise ordinance or something which is kind of ironic since planes are flying overhead. We bonded with a couple over beers, and learned we had so much in common we became fast friends. They recommended we go to Kettner Exchange, it was a trendy bar with a relaxed vibe. Plus, a nice beer selection. We snacked on a burger and tacos, which were really good too. Our last stop was The Waterfront, San Diego's oldest bar. It's more of a dive, but I like dive bars. We had a lot of laughs. It was a good time.



Storms struck the next morning and lingered most of the day. So, no beach for us. We, of course, hit up Con Pane Bakery first thing. We stuffed ourselves silly. Hit up La Puerta for happy hour before the Padre's game. Thankfully, the clouds parted and skies dried up just before game time. It was my first ballgame this season. It was long over due. We were undecided on dinner for that evening, but ultimately we opted to make late reservations for Juniper & Ivy. We had no trouble securing a 10:30 reservation about an hour before.

The restaurant unexpectedly opens up into a cavernous space. It was a pleasant surprise. Delights continued, we were immediately drooling over the menu. I wish we had the appetite to try one of everything, but we reeled it in and chose a few items to share. We started with flaky light biscuits, followed by Baja Yellowtail, Baja Stone Crab, Duck Pastrami, Grilled Carrots and Rabbit Loin.













Everything was really delicious, but the duck pastrami was the least favorite. The carrots and rabbit loin were the best surprises. And I'm still thinking about the yellowtail. These dishes were expertly executed it was so much more than flavor, texture and beauty were showcased. Nothing was by accident, every detail was considered. I really appreciate meals that entice diners in this manner. We chose great wines from the suggested list, too. It was a top notch experience in every way. I can see why Richard Blais achieved such great success with Top Chef.

We finished our night in the Gaslamp at the Cuban Cigar Factory. People watching on 5th street is always entertaining. Leaving, we walked a few blocks to avoid the madness when called for Uber. Unfortunately, our driver was stuck in it. So, it took a while for pick up. We had slow service in Little Italy too. However, pick ups were a breeze from the Airbnb house. Still, San Diego definitely provided the most sluggish ride sharing, we've encountered so far. Even so, it's incredibly convenient and I adore it. It seriously needs to get back up and running in Vegas!

After check out on Sunday, we loaded up with goodies to take home from El Indio and Con Pane. Then, hit the road for home, in hopes to avoid traffic on the way home. There was still a lot of stop and go, but we made it in about 5 hours. It is amazing how even the shortest getaways can recharge the batteries. Since we missed the beach, this time, we'll have to arrange another trip sooner rather than later.

Cabin by the Sea

Last weekend, I surprised my mom with a trip to La Jolla, CA. It's not often that we're all together, and it's extremely rare that we can take a vacation together. So, I started planning about two months ago. I knew I wanted to rent a house, near the beach. I scoured VRBO and AirBnB, my first choices fell through. A few weren't available. One was in Oceanside, but it wasn't my desired location. I decided to spend a little more and get something that really suited our needs. La Jolla is my favorite place in California when I found a property that looked like a cabin by the sea, I knew it was meant to be. "Cabin by the Sea" is one of my all time favorites by the Dirty Heads.

Frank was unable to get away from work, so it was just me, Mike, mom, Amy and the kids. I had to rent a van to transport all of us. It was my first time using the rental car facility. It is pretty convenient despite my experience being a bit flawed. There was a long wait to be greeted at the counter, and it took an hour to get the van on the lower level because none were available. I never guessed it would've taken 1.5 hours to pick up a rental. Thankfully, drop off was breeze. Even with paying the added airport fees, it was cheaper than renting from an alternate location. One thing to note is that all rental companies at the rental facility charge a daily fee for an added driver. It was not worth the $11/day to me.

Our drive down took forever. I mistakenly followed directions and followed the 215. I should know better, Frank has learned to take the 15. But it was my first time driving to San Diego and I couldn't recall for certain... so I listened to google. We stopped for dinner at Habit Burger, and finally made it to La Jolla after 9 o'clock. Two hours later than I intended. Oh, well.

The cottage I rented was the lower unit of large house. The upper unit is a rental. The tenant had moved out the day before. The owner is 83 and lives in the back part of the house with access to the rooftop lanai. He built the house. The surfing on Windansea beach brought him down from LA. He still has lots of spunk, we saw him chasing waves on the beach. It was a pleasure chatting with him and I'm so grateful he opens his home to visitors seeking a taste of life in La Jolla.

The cottage looks like a cabin, it is rustic, dark and a bit damp, but that's part of its charm. The space was larger than I expected and the accomodations were comfortable. The patio is shaded which offers privacy and protection from the sun. The location cannot be beat. We were a stone's throw from the ocean. You can hear the waves crash as you lay in bed. It's awesome.















The bench pictured above was my favorite place to watch the world go by. We'd sit out at night, the morning and afternoon. The ocean is a bit rough, and there is little sand at high tide, but Mike and Nick made the most of it. Saturday afternoon there was a pop up wedding in the cove directly across from the house. It was distracting and a bit of an annoyance. Mike and Nick were asked to move to the next cove over. The comings and goings caused a lot of noise and congestion, but we didn't let it impede on our fun. The weather was perfect and the water was warm (well, for the Pacific).







Addison was a real trooper. Not even two months old, and she had already flown, took a road trip and seen the Pacific Ocean. She wasn't too fond of the bright sun, but she seemed to enjoy the ocean breeze.







The next few photos were taken by Amy (and the one above of me).









La Jolla has several great restaurants, but they are crowded and parking can be a chore. It wasn't really conducive to our needs. We ended up at Sammy's Woodfired Pizza. We have them in Vegas, but we've never been. The restaurant was fairly easy to access and there was only a five minute wait. Our dinner satisfied our hunger, but none of our pizzas were particularly tasty.

I will add driving a large vehicle in Southern California is no easy feat. Driving the mini-van was a nightmare at times, particularly in Von's parking lot, when it was at max capacity due to shoppers, diners and visitors of the farmer's market. I had an Austin Powers moment like when he was stuck in the tunnel.

The next morning the ocean was fierce. Only surfers were in the water. It was great entertainment watching them ride the waves and simply watching the waves crash on shore. The marine layer was thick so the sun didn't come out until noon, but that's the California coast for you.









Our time was up much too soon, even Addy didn't want to go.







As soon as we were all packed up and ready to hit the road for a quick tour of San Diego, the sun decided to shine. It was so hard to pull ourselves away.



The last leg of our trip took us to Con Pane Bakery, Coronado Island, a cruise along PCH, and then to El Indio for a snack before hitting the road home to Vegas.

I'm happy that I could give my mom a beach getaway with all of her kids and grandkids. She didn't feel particularly well, but I had anticipated that. Which is why the Cabin by the Sea was so perfect for us. Even from bed, she could enjoy the ocean. Nick and Mike could come and go to the beach as they pleased. I'm thankful for the memories.