RoundAbout San Diego

Alex has been bugged by a patch of bare soil

in our back yard. So he planned a carpet of green grass. He tilled, weeded, and sowed his seeds. He watered on a regular basis to germinate the seeds and they sprouted just as they were supposed to do



And after all his hard work he finished up with this luscious patch of greenery



It all died during a heat wave a few days after this last photo.

Better luck next time Alex.

Gosh! What a huge disappointment Trophy's was last Friday for our weekly happy hour. Charlie, Alex, and I were out as a family and decided on Trophy's because of it's sports theme - we thought Charlie would enjoy it. Happy hour is Monday thru Friday, 4-7pm and we arrived around 5pm. The place was pretty empty which is odd because it's in the middle of a shopping mall (Grossmont Plaza). Other bars in the mall are quite busy during happy hour.

First off, the happy hour menu was not particularly interesting and the only beers on special were Bud and Bud Lite. Although the online happy hour menu offers 7 items, the actual bar menu only offered 5. We ordered the cheesy fries which I thought were great, the french dip sliders and the mini cheese quesadillas. The filling in the sliders was dry and somewhat chewy and the au jus did not help much. The quesadillas were just boring. Still hungry but with no options that appealed to us on the happy hour menu we moved to the main menu. Charlie and I decided to split the lobster bisque and the Sante Fe quesadilla and Alex went for the soup (mushroom/artichoke) and sandwich (hot pastrami) combo. The bisque was returned after one taste each - not good. The quesadilla was loaded with chicken, green chiles, black beans and jack cheese and was pretty good - very filling. Alex's soup and sandwich were mediocre at best. I'm not into sports and the food was not very good so it's doubtful I'll ever go back.

I would like to point out that our server was very friendly and did not charge us for the bisque.

I love a frittata for dinner. They can be quick and easy and served with a salad make a very satisfying light dinner. I always make a full recipe which usually serves 4 people so I have leftovers for lunch the next day. Once again, many thanks to epicurious.com

Potato and Boursin Frittata

8 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes (from a 16-oz bag)
1 bunch scallions, chopped (2 cups)
1 (5-oz) package Boursin garlic-herb cheese, chilled

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
Whisk together eggs, salt, and pepper until just combined.

Heat oil in an ovenproof 9- to 10-inch heavy nonstick skillet over high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add potatoes and scallions to oil, stirring once, then cover and cook until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Stir potato mixture once, then cover and cook 3 minutes more.

Pour beaten eggs evenly over potato mixture and crumble cheese over eggs. Transfer skillet to oven and bake frittata, uncovered, until set and just cooked through, about 15 minutes. Invert a plate over skillet and, holding them together with oven mitts, invert frittata onto plate and serve immediately.

2805 Emerson Street
San Diego, CA 92106
(619) 223-1109

Point Loma Seafood is a fabulous place for lunch for all you seafood lovers. The place is located near Shelter Island close to the airport and set on the edge of the marina. You can eat in the indoor patio or outside at picnic tables. The service is quick and friendly but don’t stand in the way of those that know what they want if you are still undecided.
I’ll never forget the first time I had lunch there when I arrived a little early and joined about a dozen or so other people already there. While waiting for the doors to open several of us started chatting about where we were from and the best places to visit in San Diego. Meanwhile a group of locals were standing as close to the doors as possible and as soon as they opened it was pretty obvious why. There was a mad dash to the counter and all the locals started yelling their orders to the 5 or 6 servers behind it. We all got into the game and after hemming and hawing a bit over the menu started putting in our orders. The food arrived amazingly quickly and was so fresh they must have had someone out back with a fishing pole in the water.

You can also buy fresh seafood to take home including fish smoked on the premises. If you enjoy deep-sea fishing you can drop off your catch of the day and they will clean, fillet and smoke it all for you.

This is the type of place that makes you stop and wonder why you don’t live in San Diego – the sun, the views, and the food.

Alex is out with his writing group again so it's my time to have something he doesn't like. Tonight's menu was glazed grilled salmon with a salad.

Glazed Grilled Salmon

3 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
4 teaspoons prepared Chinese-style hot mustard or Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
2 7-to 8-ounce salmon steaks (about 3/4-inch thick)

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Combine brown sugar, mustard and soy sauce in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Transfer 1 tablespoon glaze to small bowl; mix in rice vinegar and set aside. Brush 1 side of salmon steaks generously with half of glaze in medium bowl. Place salmon steaks, glazed side down, onto barbecue. Grill until glaze is slightly charred, about 4 minutes. Brush top side of salmon steaks with remaining glaze in medium bowl. Turn salmon over and grill until second side is slightly charred and salmon is just opaque in center, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer salmon to plates. Drizzle reserved glaze in small bowl over salmon and serve.

Serves 2

Cabrillo National Park

There’s no better way to start showing a guest around San Diego than taking them to Cabrillo Point. With incredible views of San Diego, Mexico on a clear day, whale watching during certain months, as well as a lesson in the history of the area, it’s a great start to a vacation for anyone, no matter their age.

Why do I like Cabrillo Point so much? There is so much to do and see. The park highlights some of the early history of San Diego. Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo landed close to the point and the park commemorates his landing.

Start off at the information center and walk around the museum. Enjoy the exhibits and learn about Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo. You can visit this page for further information

The Juan Rodrigues Cabrillo monument offers stunning views of San Diego and Coronado Island. On a clear day you can see for many miles into Mexico and all the way to the Cuyamaca Mountains which might be covered in snow during the winter months. With San Diego being home to a major navy base you might even see an aircraft carrier slowly passing by the point. And while taking in all the sights how many languages do you hear around you while you take in the views?

From the monument take a slow walk up to the old lighthouse. As you walk take note of all the plants, which are native to California. When you arrive at the lighthouse you can explore the main lighthouse that has been refurbished to show life in the 1800s, and the assistant keepers quarters with interactive features.

Further on past the lighthouse is the lookout point, where you can watch the ocean for water spouts (binoculars recommended). A waterspout is a clear indicator that there are whales in the area. It is possible to spot whales during the months November through March. The whales migrate south to the bays of Baja, Mexico, to give birth and nurse their young before heading back north up the coast for the rich feeding grounds of the arctic.

A great way to end your visit to Point Loma is to drive down to the tide pools on your way out. Just past the exit turn left to go down the hill where you’ll pass the new lighthouse on your way to the tide pools. On a warm day this is a great place to picnic and climb along the rocks.

I’m sure you’ve noticed that throughout this entry all the web pages I’ve cited belong to http://www.nps.gov. The National Park Service offers a wealth of information for all parks nation-wide. Remember to take care of our parks when you visit by taking out all the trash you carry in.