I love everything about Mexico - the culture, the food, the people. We've visited Tulum, Cancun, Mayakoba, Holobox, Isla Mujeres, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, and Puerto Aventuras over the years. We can't get enough of the warm hospitality, alluring beaches, and wonderful cuisine the country offers. One of the perks of living in San Diego is its proximity to the many coastal towns of Mexico. On this memorable trip, we took a two-and-a-half-hour flight from San Diego on Alaska Airlines to Puerto Vallarta. We then picked up our car rental from Enterprise and then made the easy fort ..read more

March has dragged by at a torturous pace, the days stalled while each weekend felt a world away. This slow pace was mainly due to our son's college decisions finally coming in after months of awaiting his fate. We all know the cliche that time flies - I'd like to add that it does, except in March. One of my favorite ways to pass the time during a slowly moving month is by dining with good friends who entrust me to choose our dining destination. It's such a reward for me to introduce our friends to a fabulous spot they may not have enjoyed otherwise. March may have lagged, testing my patience f ..read more

I am thoroughly relishing the personal challenge I set for myself in 2024, as I explore new and enjoyable activities while continuing my quest to discover the best dining spots in San Diego. By intertwining these two objectives, I am gaining a deeper understanding of the city I call home, fostering a growing affection with each new revelation. Having documented the culinary scene in San Diego for over a year, I find myself continually enthralled by the endless array of restaurants to explore. I am honored to share my favorite monthly finds with you, enabling you to join my journey of embracing ..read more

Our first visit to Carmel was in November of 2020. I instantly fell in love with this charming town packed with some of the best restaurants, the cutest downtown architecture and collection of shops, and incredible proximity to the sea and other coastal towns like Seaside and Monterey. Carmel was one of the three California cities we considered moving to when we left the East Coast (along with Laguna and La Jolla). It's upscale yet laid back and has access to breathtaking vistas along the California coast, including Big Sur, just forty-five minutes away. What I especially love about this coast ..read more

One of the goals I set for myself in 2024 is to delve into new experiences in addition to discovering restaurants worthy of a recommendation. I like this resolution as it pushes me to look deeper into life in San Diego and encourages me to take advantage of this city's many opportunities. Moving forward, I will continue to highlight five great restaurants with the bonus of a fun experience, or two, to inspire my readers to get out, eat at a fantastic restaurant you haven't dined in yet, and have some fun in new places. Young Blood (Downtown) To find this thirty-seat speakeasy you'll have to en ..read more

The Black Stallion, our loyal SUV, led us from San Diego to ,,Las Vegas to ,,Park City, and ultimately steered us to ,Jackson, one of my favorite cities in the ,USA. Jackson is an ideal year-round destination, one you'll especially love in the winter when the mountains are draped in snow under a vast blue sky. Winter here is spectacular. The air is crisp, the sun shines bright, and the endless surrounding beauty is mesmerizing. Many others share my adoration for this ski town - it is quickly becoming one of the ,,most expensive cities in the country. The food scene is unreal, there are loads o ..read more

In true road trip fashion, for our winter vacation we drove to Park City from San Diego with a stop in Las Vegas to break the drive. The transition from coast to canyons is spectacular - for this journey, I gazed out the window more than at my phone. Driving to a destination will always be my first choice. There's nothing like packing your car, filling your tank, and hitting the road. Park City, is a great winter destination that appeals to everyone. Historic Main Street is lined with art galleries, shops, and restaurants to explore when you find yourself off the slopes. The loc ..read more

It's been twelve months of digging into the San Diego food scene while sharing my favorite restaurant destinations with my loyal readers each month. An entire year has come and gone and my list of where to dine next continues to grow. This year has been an incredible journey of many meals shared with loved ones, making memories around a table filled with delicious food, and even better conversations. My family has now lived in San Diego for two years and four months, and somehow we never seem to be able to run out of things to do, places to explore, or eating establishments to visit. Officiall ..read more

I've been listening to Kid Cudi's Pursuit of Happiness on repeat for quite some time. Actually, its been one of my favorite songs to blast in the car on a sunny day and I always listen to it while working out. Initially, I connected to the upbeat rhythm and the journey toward happiness that we are all on. Recently, however, the lyrics began sounding more grim to me. I was first introduced to this song by my teenage son, I tend to gravitate towards his playlists. Playing this track made me feel closer to him as I imagine the magnitude of Cudi's words in a seventeen-year-old's mind: Living my l ..read more

Some say that San Diego doesn't have seasons, yet I definitely felt the change of season kick in this month as temperatures dropped and the air became crisper. Like most, I tend to eat more on cooler days finding myself craving hot, carb-heavy foods more than usual. I also enjoy cooking more in the fall and winter months cherishing my kitchen more and reveling in the dominating scents of the spices I use that integrate warmth into the air. Half Baked Harvest Every Day is my go-to recipe book for decadent meals during the colder months. The recipes are for dishes that are heavier than what I wo ..read more