Sea and Smoke

I'm not the type that runs out whenever a new restaurant opens. I usually wait until I've heard more about it, or until the initial crowds subside, or at least until the kinks have been worked out. But I had been hearing about Sea and Smoke from a couple different sources and made the mistake of checking out their website. First, I learned that it was owned by the same people that do Solace, in Encinitas, one of my favorite venues in north county and the home of my all time favorite veggie burger. Second, I looked at the menu. It made me want to eat my computer screen, and I was only looking at the descriptions of the offerings.

After plans for a weekend trip to Temecula got shot at the last minute, I felt the need to do something extra special to make up for the fact that I was no longer going to be sipping on wines in a perpetual state of buzzed bliss. Which is how Marc and I ended up at Sea and Smoke on a Friday evening.

We sat on the back deck at a cozy table for two, and instantly began scrutinizing the drink menu. No matter what your poison, you would be well satisfied here. Extensive wine menu, quality LOCAL beers (always bonus points for that in my book), and unique cocktails. I myself tend to be a beer or wine girl, in that order, and it's rare for me to pass on a menu that has so many good craft beer choices, but I decided to emulate my husband and go outside the box for this one, ordering a Cuke Mule (cucumber infused voda, ginger beer, and key lime), while Marc settled on the Bison Smash (buffalo trace bourbon, honey, lemon, mint basil). Water and drinks came, and I instantly began picking up on the details that to me make a dining experience unique and worth the trip (and the money). The water glasses looked like redesigned mason jars, stylized with the sea and smoke logo, the centerpiece was a simple gravy boat with a bit of greenery spilling out, and each drink had unique garnishes. And, I must say I greatly enjoyed my cocktail. I tend to avoid cocktails because I like to taste something, and often I feel like I get a mix of sugary somethings with an alcoholic after taste. But the mule was refreshing, not sweet, and easy to drink. Most of the drinks on their cocktail list seemed to follow the pattern of creating a unique taste based on the alcohol, not covering up alcohol with sugar. So far so good.

We decided to order an appetizer, and our waiter recommended the cast iron prawns. The appetizer consisted of four charred prawns, served on a black bean puree and ancho aioli, with avocado and coriander. For me, the char on the prawns was what brought out the taste and went well with the puree and aioli. Marc and I enjoyed the appetizer thoroughly before we realized we forgot to take a picture.

Sea and Smoke is based on a more family-style approach for dinner, with meat entrees served a la cart and sides ordered separately. There were also four vegetarian full sized entrees for those foregoing meat. Marc and i were a little unsure how much to order, but we decided on an entree each and then two of the sides to share. Marc ordered the salmon with a pomegranate gastrique, I ordered the scallops with a black olive crust, and for our sides we decided on the multigrain risotto and the oven roasted mushrooms. The entrees were fabulous. Each of my scallops came in its own individual clam shell, a small bowl marinating and capturing any stray bread crumbs and sauce. Marc declared his salmon the best he'd ever had. In my opinion, this would be a great place to come with more people, because I would have liked to have tried more of the sides. The multigrain risotto was creamy, but I really loved the mushrooms. I love mushrooms when they are done right, with that deep umami flavor. I would have liked to have tried a little bit of a few more sides instead of being limited to just the two (we could have ordered more, but it would have been too much food on a bill that was already going to be high). Regardless, Marc and I were extremely satisfied with our meal.

We wrapped up with dessert, ordering the "Mini-Bites" option. What a wonderful idea. We were given several different items with different flavors and tastes, so we weren't overwhelmed with an intense chocolate cake or left wishing we had gotten someone else's dessert upon sight. It was perfect for sharing, and apparently the offerings rotate, so you can order again and again and be surprised by new tastes each time.

At the end of the day, Marc and I had a great experience, both food-wise and atmosphere (Marc's only complaint was that the chairs were not very comfortable). The bill ended up coming in relatively high, but when we broke it down to what we got - drinks, appetizer, entrees, sides and dessert, it seemed about right. Definitely not a place I would be able to go to all the time when on a budget, but definitely worth it to spend the money when you do. We'll be going back.

Fish 101 - Oyster Bar and Fish House

I had heard good things about Fish 101 - Oyster Bar and Fish House, but Marc and I had not yet made the journey to Leucadia to check it out. For me, part of the reason was that I was envisioning a fancy-ish fish joint where you pay a lot of money for some fancy shmancy fish plate in a quiet upscale setting. Not that there's anything wrong with that particular type of venue for a nice romantic evening, but it just wasn't the vibe that I had been craving lately.

But I was in the mood to try something new, and gave Marc the choice of a couple different restaurants for dinner on a Friday evening, of which Fish 101 was the only location we had not yet been to. So, after a quick debate over what we felt like eating, we found ourselves cruising up Highway 101 ready to experience something new.

I was extremely surprised to find that Fish 101 was nothing like I had expected. It was a much more laid back, relaxed environment. The mood was instantly set by the communal tables on the patio out front and a line of hungry customers line up from the front counter and going out the door to order food. There are additional wooden tables in a patio out back, as well as some limited indoor seating.  This was a definite break from the white tablecloths or frou frou waiters I had thought we would be encountering. In fact, they proudly display shirts over the counter stating that "This place shucks."  And instantly we have character!

Marc and I placed our orders at the front counter where the menu was displayed, as well as the daily specials, on a large chalkboard in the back. They also had paper menus at the entrance, cutting down on the ever annoying customer that waits to decide what he is going to order when he arrives at the counter. Efficiency people! When I am hungry I appreciate any attempts to streamline the process. 

Fish 101 has an extensive local craft beer menu, both on tap and in the bottle. Being focused on fish, the wine menu targeted more white wine than red. Once we placed our order, we were given a number to display and found a table out front that we shared with another couple. I instantly oogled their food. "Damnit! I should have gotten the corn! That looks awesome." I was pleased by the implications of the look of our neighbors food. What hadn't looked exciting to me written out on the chalkboard specials list looked amazing in person.

Despite being jammed, service was quick. Our drinks showed up almost almost immediately after we sat down. I was again pleasantly surprised to find that not only was Marc's beer served in a mason jar, but my white wine also came in a mini mason jar. I'm a sucker for details like that. Nothing bunks pretentious fish house like wine in a jar. The details were all coming together to paint picture of a intimate, friendly laid back fish house. We sipped our drinks in the glow of the heat lanterns, enjoying the communal atmosphere.

No sooner than I had snapped a few pictures of our drinks, our albacore tuna poke appetizer arrived. Marc and I were both impressed. It was fresh, crisp, and the perfect size. We were left properly primed for the arrival of our dinner.

I ordered the mahi mahi, with a side of black beans and the seaweed salad. Marc had the fried shrimp po boy and ordered the seaweed salad as well. Fish 101 states that it sources all its fish in accordance with the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch Program, which is a huge added bonus that eliminates the necessity of digging out the iPhone app to aid in my decision making. When ordering, nothing was off the table for eco-conservation issues. The fish was cooked perfectly, and that seaweed salad was the perfect accompaniment. If you go, get the seaweed salad. And Marc's sandwich was very well balanced, perfectly fried shrimp, with a good tang from the pickled red onions on bread that had just the right amount of crunch. 

We will definitely be going back. There were plenty of other sides that I want to try, as well to see how their other fish offerings stack up. In addition, we didn't order any oysters, which considering the joint was a fish house and oyster bar was probably a mistake on our part. But now we have something new to look forward to on our next visit. 

The Kook

Few people call it by its original name, "The Magic Carpet Ride", but instead affectionately or not-so-affectionately refer to the towering surfer in Cardiff-by-the-Sea as "The Kook". The spritely surfer has held court at the corner of Highway 101 and Chesterfield since 2007, watching over the San Elijo Campgrounds and the myriad of walkers, runners, and bikers that pass by him every day. He looks serene and graceful, as he calmly rides his imaginary waves. Of course, therein lies the issue that sparked controversy and cultivated a culture of playful vandalism for the last six years and counting.

The Controversy
The surfing statue was originally commissioned by the Cardiff Botanical Society, and sculpted by Matthew Antichevich. It was installed in 2007 and immediately received negative reviews. Locals complained that its stance did not depict how an experienced surfer would look, hence its nickname of the Kook, slang for a poor or wannabe surfer. For a town smack in the middle of San Diego's surfing community, it was considered by some to be an insult.

What many people don't know is that we are looking at an incomplete representation of what Mr. Antichevich envisioned for his Magic Carpet Ride. He described the positioning of the Kook, errr, I mean surfer, as a "backside floater", which could only be apparent with the addition of an actual sculpted wave to the statue. Alas, as all too often is the case, the project ran out of money, so the surfer was installed sans wave, an incomplete picture in the mind of the artist. Unknowingly, the "vandals" of north county have been working to complete the statue ever since, and the Kook has become a constantly evolving community project.



Hardly a weekend goes by without the Kook emerging in some ridiculous outfit or another. Sometimes it's the celebration of a birthday or a holiday, advertising some local event or cause, or sometimes for no reason at all other than that he is there. Quite frankly, I consider the Kook to be almost naked when he doesn't have a sign hanging form his arm or a funky hat perched on his head. Without his eclectic garb he looks lonely and solitary, something hard to be when you are a surfer in some of the popular and crowded beaches of San Diego.



The Best of the Best.
It's no question that there have been some amazing displays on the Kook. But in my mind, there was one that really upped the ante. Back in 2010, it began merely as a few paper mache fins that had been placed around the Kook. Each day, they were moved a bit closer, and then one day...

photo courtesy of: http://www.thecardiffkook.org/blog/eaten-by-shark-kook/

It rocked North County. It was on the news, cars stopped, people took pictures, it was amazing. Since then, the "culprits" have struck again, turning the scene into a prehistoric diorama, complete with pterodactyl about to fly off with the Kook himself.

The Culture 
The Kook has further permeated the culture of Cardiff by the Sea, not only with websites chronicling the almost weekly get ups of the Kook, but you can even purchase a calendar of the Kook and enjoy a new picture of the Kook each month.

Additionally, the Kook has inspired an annual 5K costume run (usually falling on Superbowl weekend), which also includes a more competitive 10K race. Both races have spectacular views as participants run both up and down the coast along Highway 101. Runners dress up in costume, sometimes mimicking past costumes that Kook himself has been clothed in, while for some there's no rhyme or reason to the costume, other than that it's fun! In addition to awards for those that run fast, there are awards for the best costume, both individual and groups. All in all, it's a great event celebrating a unique landmark in North County.

Sources and More Information 
http://thecardiffkook.org/
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiff_Kook
http://www.cardiffkookrun.com/

VG Donuts & Bakery

I have a love hate relationship with VG Donuts. Each morning I run up the 101, sweating, working hard, proud of my daily dedication to my fitness and health. I pass by the Kook, and as he looks down on me I'm sure he's approving of my efforts. I push on, a healthy start to another beautiful San Diego day...

And then I smell it. Sweet, sugary doughy goodness. It wafts over the train tracks and wraps itself around me. I am no different than Pavlov's dog as I suck in the drool that is threatening to make an escape (and right in front of the Kook, too. How embarrassing). I'm delirious. I manage to make it out of the stream of the intoxicating aroma, but the idea has been planted. I finally reach D Street in downtown Encinitas, the turn around point in my run, and then several miles later it's back, stronger than before, or perhaps it's just the six miles under my belt and the lack of breakfast. But I spend every morning daydreaming about the pastries that are prepared in VG Donuts and Bakery.

VG has been around since 1969, sending out its intoxicating smells each morning to the myriad of walkers, runners, and locals enjoying every San Diego morning. Most known for its donuts, the bakery offers other treats as well, including cookies, cakes, muffins and bread. I had always assumed VG was someone's initials, especially since most everyone I know refers to it as "VGs" as opposed to just "VG". But VG actually stands for "Very Good", not very creative or exciting, but I guess it's to the point. And once you've had a treat from their counter, you can't really argue with the name.

The bakery itself exudes a chill beach town vibe. You walk in to see an old fashioned long glass counter displaying the morning's fresh pastries and donuts. Racks are haphazardly scattered behind the workers with the overflow from the mornings session. It's slightly chaotic, with customers pointing behind the glass counter at a holiday specialty, but oh, what is THAT over there and I'll have two thank you very much, and do you have any more glazed twists? Regulars know the drill and quickly list off their order. Children smash their faces up to the glass fogging their view, overwhelmed with the decision they have to make. And as boxes and bags are filled for customers, the line will often snake out the back door as people strain to see what the day's offerings are. Note that there is a ten dollar minimum on cards, so either bring cash, or be prepared to eat a lot of donuts. Or you could be like me and "forget" to bring cash, thus justifying the purchase of over a dozen donuts.

What many people find surprising is that the bakery also does wedding cakes. And if you take the time to look through the catalog of their work, you might also be surprised to find that their cakes are really beautiful. A place known for their donuts produces surprisingly unique and elegant cakes. If you are interested in having a VG cake for your wedding, you can meet with one of the bakers and she'll show you binders filled with images of cakes they have created and will tell you about the flavors. But my favorite part is this: They will make you two "mini" cakes with your choice of cake, filling and icing to take home, share with family, and then choose what you would like for your wedding. If you want to try more, no problem! - they'll make you additional cakes for $5 each. Spending most of my life only miles from VG, I knew this was where I would be getting my wedding cake, so I ordered three samples after our meeting: marble cake with chocolate Bavarian cream and crushed oreos, white cake with fresh strawberries and Bavarian cream, and chocolate cake with mocha filling. Let me tell you, these were no "mini" cakes. We shared them with friends and family at dinner one night. And there was plenty left over so I took the rest home and proceeded to eat cake every night for over a week. And there was STILL cake left, but my husband insisted it had gone stale and we needed room for real food in the fridge. He had to wrestle the remaining cake from my sticky sugary fingers.

Sources and For More Information:
http://vgbakery.com/

Kate Sessions Park

I had never even heard of Kate Sessions Park before I met my husband. We had known each other only a few weeks when he sent me an invite to a gathering of friends he called "Park Day" at some park I had never heard of. I was out of town at the time, but it became a constant topic between us as we began the courting process. It wasn't until Valentine's Day that he finally took me to this hidden gem, so we could sit at benches at the apex of the park and gaze upon all of southern San Diego. It was breathtaking.

Some History
The name Kate Sessions is not well known in San Diego, except maybe to those that have found the secluded park tucked away between Pacific Beach and La Jolla that was named after her. But to those that enjoy strolling through San Diego's iconic Balboa Park can see the legacy this little known woman has left us. In 1892 Kate Olivia Sessions, a botanist, horticulturist, and landscape architect, agreed to lease 30 acres of land from the city in what is now Balboa Park in exchange for planting hundreds of trees on the mostly barren land. Now, anyone who has spent some time in the part can attest to the beauty of the vegetation in the area. Most of the older trees that are there were planted long ago by Miss Sessions. She was San Diego's very own Johnny Appleseed.


The Park
The park itself is 139 acres, 60 acres of which is preserved in its natural state. There is a one-mile walking trail that loops through it. The rest of the park offers such amenities as barbecue pits, picnic tables, a play ground, bathrooms, faucets, and of course the large sloping grassy expanse that gives way to impeccable views of downtown, mission bay, pacific beach, the ocean, and on a clear day even Mexico.

Kate Sessions Park is often filled with people playing Frisbee or catch, or just relaxing on the grass and taking in the views. Humans aren't the only ones that enjoy this piece of nature. Dogs are allowed off leash at the park, and its rare to not find our furry four legged friends dashing up and down the grassy knoll making new friends with enviable ease.

Why Go?
The obvious reason would be the view. Even on a not-so-clear day its gorgeous. Just sitting on a blanket on the grass, or perched on one of the park benches that line the highest point of the park, you can't help but pause from the whirlwind of life and just take a breath. Aside from the scenery, there is ample parking, bathrooms, drinking fountains, and a huge expanse of grass perfect for games, just laying in the grass, or playing fetch with your favorite fuzzy companion. In a city known for larger than life activities like the Zoo, Sea World, the Gaslamp, and Balboa Park, this quiet and peaceful park is truly a locals' paradise.

Sources and For More Information 
Wikipedia on Kate Sessions
www.sandiegohistory.org
The San Diego Reader - Kate Sessions

The Regal Seagull

I fully admit I am biased towards the coastal north county region of San Diego.  Especially anywhere that I can get to via my beach cruiser. So it's not uncommon for there to be a place on my list of "Must See (or eat, drink, experience, etc.)" that goes sadly ignored for extended periods of time due to it being located more than 5-10 miles from my home base in Solana Beach. So imagine my excitement when finally a place I wanted to go to came to me.

The Regal Beagle is located just on the outskirts of downtown San Diego. I've seen it from the freeway on every drive back from the San Diego airport since I was told by a former co-worker that due to my love (obsession?) with GOOD beer, I had to make my way there. And each time we pass I lean over to my husband and point it out. "That's it! The Regal Beagle. They have good beer. I want to go there sometime." He always smiles and agrees, as if it's not the tenth time I have made that exact statement on this exact same drive.

So imagine my excitement when I overheard some friends discussing a new bar opening in Leucadia called The Regal Seagull. The owners of The Regal Beagle were opening a new restaurant in my part of town. I came home to my husband that night and informed him that we were going to the Regal Seagull. They had good beer. And we didn't have to drive downtown to get to it. Within weeks we called some friends and planned to meet up for drinks and dinner at the new Leucadia bar.

The Atmosphere
One of the essential elements of any dining experience for me, be it drinks, dinner or both, is the atmosphere  I always have an extensive beer and wine menu at home, and consider myself to be a fairly good cook (plus i actually enjoy cooking), so if I'm going switch out of comfy sweatpants to pay good money for someone else's food and beer, I need more than just the food and drink to be good. I need an experience. In that, the Regal Seagull did not disappoint.

The place is relatively small, but there is ample seating at the bar, and a few 4-seater tables along the window that almost entirely takes up the wall facing the street. There are additional tables on a patio out front, which is a huge bonus and something that many local bars are sadly lacking in such a perfect weather city. The menu is printed on a chalkboard that takes up the entire southern wall, and the beer list is found on the wall behind the bar, with each beer offering printed out on individual chalkboards. It was the little things that hooked me in: the humorous descriptions of the menu ("sweet potato fries- voted best sweet potatoes fries - by us" and French Fries that "are actually american"), the binder clip that was used to transport each customer's order along a string connecting the bar to the kitchen, and that for each order from the kitchen, instead of asking your name, the bartender gave you a ticket with a fictional name, anything from Luke Skywalker to Danny Tanner, which would later be announced over the loudspeaker when your food was ready. Great personal touches.


The Food
If you are looking for healthy or vegetarian food, you may want to keep driving (though kudos for having a veggie patty on the menu). If you like sausages and bar food, look no further. The Regal Seagull has an extensive menu of sausages and brats, with multiple toppings and sides. My husband and I started off with an appetizer while we waited for our friends. We waited for our name to be called (Trapper John) and then began to chow down on fried mac'n'cheese. My husband pointed out that the mac'n'cheese was almost certain Kraft, or a close imitation thereof (which I thought was fine but he saw as a negative), but there can be no denying that no matter what type of mac'n'cheese you fry, it's going to be deliciousness. When the rest of our crew arrived, we ordered four varieties of the sausages, plus an assortment of sides, including friend green beans, which ended up being one of my favorite food items of the evening (refer to above, fried = deliciousness). I'll admit to not being a huge sausage fan in general, but to me, with the combination of the unique atmosphere and the solid selection of beer, it worked. And if you aren't in the mood for sausages, the dinning experience was not essential to enjoying what The Regal Seagull had to offer.

The Beer
I was a huge fan of both the selection available and the amount of information at your fingertips to make that selection. Each beer was allocated its own small chalkboard complete with the brewery name, beer name, type of beer, price and alcohol percentage. The staff was knowledgeable about their beers, ready with suggestions and opinions on the various brews. And the menu was not overwhelming, i'd say about 24 options on tap. The beer drinking experience was what sealed the deal for me. It was a place you could feel comfortable grabbing a beer or two, chatting it up with the bartenders at the bar, or enjoying some California sunshine on the front patio. In fact, I was surprised to see that, despite being open only a few weeks, the place already had regulars, including some that used to brave the long trek from North County down to the Beagle just to soak in some of the beer/brat environment. And as convenient as having the Regal Seagull open in my own neck of the woods is, my experience there has only convinced me more that its downtown partner will be worth the trek.

San Diego

There's this question you are supposed to answer to figure out what you should do with your life: What would you do if you had millions of dollars and didn't have to worry about money? Some people would feed the starving and build homes for the homeless. Or they'd save stray puppies. Or they'd save the rain forests. Well, let's just admit right now that those people are better than me. Before that money was cooling in my bank account I'd be on a plane. Doesn't even matter where it's going. Because I would spend the rest of my life exploring every nook and cranny on this planet. I'd immerse myself in every culture, gaze at every building, and experience every climate. I'd learn each city's history and hidden gems. I'd be an expert on nothing, but at the same time everything.

But I don't have a fortune at my disposal, not even a small one. So I found a day job that keeps me happy and as a bonus it pays for trips now and again to new places so I can get my traveling fix. But in the back of my mind there's still that stupid question, nagging at me like some unresolved issue. It's whispering to me that I am an explorer. Why am I not living like one?

So often we pine for what we want. Woe is me, I wish I could...and then we scarf down our breakfast on our way to the office. Well, I'm inclined to do something about it. How lucky am I to be able to live in one of the most exciting cities in the country, even the world. There is always something to see and experience. Some new dish to eat or some new festival to attend. There's a new brewery one week, and a new restaurant the next. There's secluded parks even locals don't know about, and hidden gems within the places us locals all know and love. And each one has a story that we don't even touch on as we rush in and out, performing the daily grind. We rush through our day-to-day lives oblivious to the fact we live in a place that others are itching to visit, if only for a few days.

So I've decided accept who I am. I am a traveler. I'm going to live my life here in San Diego as a tourist, digging deeper into the stories of the people and places that make this city what it is. It will be a never ending journey, as this city is constantly growing and evolving. I'll never wake up and feel I've seen and chronicled it all.

I am a Local Tourist.