A look at the weekend from my iPhone’s point of view…
On Friday night we went to the Trolley Barn Park’s Summer in the Park concert series. The free event, held Friday evenings through August 1 in the cozy University Heights park, hosts different musical stylings each week, and this past Friday we were serenaded to some old school funk from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. This is definitely a family-focused event, but that’s not to take anything away from it. Everyone picnics with friends, dogs, kids, whomever, and there’s even a little area in front where people get down. Some woman in the front looks like she’s doing a yoga chaturanga, and I don’t hate her for it.
After having such a great half day in Encinitas by myself last weekend, I wanted to take Eaman to show him my new favorite neighborhood. We started with Cafe Ipe in Encinitas, a new-to-me coffee shop that reminded me a of a much more relaxed version of L.A.’s Sycamore Kitchen, which is to say it was awesome. We snagged a spot on the patio and thoroughly enjoyed our latte, a breakfast sandwich (not pictured) and to balance things out, a donut from the popular VG Donut & Bakery (Cafe Ipe sells their pastries). A sweet musician named Rosie Mac sang acoustic with her banjo, and somehow nearly 2 hours just floated away. I can’t remember the last time I wasted away at a cafe without a laptop involved.
I later went back to the Self-Realization Fellowship’s Meditation Gardens because I wanted to show Eaman just how cool that place is, and I must say, after spending last Saturday and this Saturday in Encinitas, I think I need to move to the quaint surfer ‘hood in the sometime future. I love the energy, the beaches are fantastic and not gonna lie, I love that it’s a little (OK, a lot) hippie.
On our way back, we stopped for lunch at Bull Taco, a shack of a Mexican restaurant that proudly pegs itself as “inauthentic Mexican.” The Cardiff location sits literally atop San Elijo beach, so the al fresco seating is quite choice. We got our nachos (cheese, cheese and more cheese) within 10 minutes, but it took one whole hour to get four tacos. I know we had an amazing view while we twiddled our thumbs, but it was ludicrous after 30 minutes. (They had a sign saying the current wait time would be 20 minutes.) Hopefully they had a good reason and yes, I know it was a perfect Saturday in the summer, but either way, I’m not sure it’s worth the wait.
Comic-Con, the annual convention for pop culture geeks, took over San Diego last week, and because my bread and butter is entertainment reporting, I got to report from the red carpet for PeoplesChoice.com at Entertainment Weekly‘s party downtown. Two highlights: Angela Bassett called me “Arshaa” and after doing about a dozen of these things in New York City, I finally realized that flats are the only way to go when you’re standing on the red carpet for hours.
From interviewing TV stars on the red carpet to cleaning my apartment in PJs while cursing myself for eating Domino’s Pizza at 1 a.m. — that’s just the ultra-glamorous life I lead. Eaman’s family arrives for their week-long visit today, so we spent Sunday getting the apartment in order, making time to play with Teddy and Tilly (our friend’s golden whom we dog-sit from time to time), and finally hanging up photos of our backpacking adventures. The finished gallery wall looks pretty cool, and I’ll share the result on Wednesday.
For now, happy Monday!
maan those beaches, I havent been to beaches in forever – i am jealous.
welcome to my part of San Diego! Encinitas has some really awesome stuff going on. Have you heard of the Quail Botanical Gardens? I’ve heard good things but have yet to go. There’s a place called Betty’s Whole Pie close to it that I’ve heard great things about. Some more ideas for when you head up this way again.
And Solana Beach has some great stuff in the Art District.
Lucky girl! I haven’t heard of Quail, but thanks for sharing. I love Betty’s and the Cedros Design District!
My boyfriend & I just visited the Self-Realization Fellowship’s Meditation Gardens this past Saturday. Definitely a beautiful place to relax and just enjoy, but it was too hot to sit and meditate. After that we went to Bull Taco and waited 30 minutes for an order for their carne asada tater tots. It seemed like everyone was getting their food right away, except us. &&& yes, the donuts from VG are wonderful, especially their blueberry buttermilk donuts. We went right after Bull Taco for dessert and we got lucky because they had plenty!
How funny—we had almost the same day! Glad to hear your Bull Taco wait time was a lot shorter than ours. And I’ll put that blueberry buttermilk donut on my to-eat list. Thanks!