March 12, 2014
I recently stumbled upon ModCloth, an online curiosity shop of clothes that veer hipster, home decor that veers funky, and odds and ends that seem just a little out there. You might not fill every room with things like a quirky creamer or plasma bulb night light, but I do think a piece here or there makes for a great gift or conversation starter. Here are some of my favorite finds from the site:
March 10, 2014
You know that feeling when the winter frost has melted, flowers begin to bloom and you can smell spring in the air? There’s an intangible excitement about being able to frolic outdoors and ditch the heavy coats. There’s an extra skip in your step.
Well, even though we SoCal folks are spoiled with phenomenal weather year-round, after last week’s “storm”—4 days of a little pouring, a lot of drizzling—some San Diegans seemed to have that same out-of-the-woodworks excitement—like we had just endured a horrid polar vortex. Even I was a little extra excited about being outdoors. I guess California does make you a bit soft.
Minus less-jazzy tasks like laundry and work, we spent much of the weekend out and about. It was just so good. I actually got a little nostalgic for it last night. Here’s a little glimpse at the action:
Above: I felt like I hadn’t had a proper brunch out in some time, so Eaman and I tried Naked Cafe in Point Loma. It’s located in a strip mall littered with Core Power Yoga devotees, so expect to see lots of fit bodies here, as the menu leans extremely healthy. We got the multi-grain blueberry pancakes, which were more healthy than delicious (not necessarily a bad thing), and the green & red pagoda, an egg entree with rosemary toast, soy sausage, avocado, artichoke and sun-dried tomatoes. That was amazing. Bonus points for a dog-friendly patio.
March 7, 2014
As I get more and more into the world of natural, holitsic, healthy living—a by-product of growing up + living in California—I’m discovering more and more health food blogs, something I never used to be that tuned into. Much to my delight, one of the blogs I found was by a San Diego-based holistic health coach. Chassie of Forkin’ Healthy shares recipes that are approachable and easy to understand without forcing us to buy all sorts of expensive natural food ingredients.
She also teaches cooking classes, offers detox programs and hosts events around San Diego. (The next one is March 22.) And much like many health food bloggers, Chassie didn’t always have such a well-balanced diet. Girl loved Slurpees! And if a girl who loved Slurpees can blossom into a holistic health coach, then we know there’s hope for all of us.
Today Chassie talks about her current favorite cookbook, raising chickens on her one-acre property (!) and how bunnies can be a total buzzkill.
around san diego - San Diego eats + drinks
March 5, 2014
My favorite foods veer into the adolescent arena: pizza, sandwiches and ice cream. Since moving to San Diego, I’ve secured two favorite pizzerias (Buona Forchetta in South Park for Neapolitan, Luigi’s in Golden Hill and North Park for New York-style) and a mom-and-pop ice cream parlor (Mariposa in Normal Heights), but oh, the elusive sandwich.
Much like the duality of pizza, I believe in two camps of sandwiches: gourmet and casual (subs are a whole other category; don’t get me started). The casual spot is TBD, but I have a new favorite spot for gourmet sandwiches: Con Pane Rustic Breads & Cafe.
March 3, 2014
On the spectrum of San Diego neighborhoods, La Mesa doesn’t usually rank high on the “cool” end, but you’d be surprised to know that this quaint suburban area with a pedestrian-friendly downtown village is absolutely worth checking out. It’s charming and laid-back, with a small-town feel. The people are warm, the time seems to move so much more slowly, and much like South Park, it feels like a community.
No, there aren’t blocks upon blocks to explore, but what La Mesa lacks in size it makes up for in quality. You’ll find hip restaurants, a ridiculously cool florist shop and a phenomenal selection of antique shops. (We all know the antique shops in less-visited ‘hoods have the best stuff—and just wait until you see what I scored for $25.)
La Mesa is also incredibly dog-friendly. Errbody wanted to meet Teddy. One woman stopped her car in the middle of the street—it’s that quiet there—once she saw him and showed us her 6-month-old golden retriever pup in the front seat. Even the antique shops were happy to have Teddy inside (we didn’t bring him in; that animated tail would knock over everything)!
Here’s a look at the best of La Mesa, thanks in large part to recs from La Mesa local Cara-Mia:
