Halloween 2014

Regretfully, this will be the first year we won't have any carved pumpkins gracing our front porch...

We just didn't have enough time this year so we will just have to double the effort next year...

Return to La Nueva Bakery

Taking a rare day off, I did a few errands before heading up to Kearny Mesa to pay for traffic school (yes, I got a $#@ ticket...). But first, a quick stop at a bakery I hadn't been to in nearly a year...

which is La Nueva Bakery, located in this strip mall. Look at the top of the sign.  Yes, it is  non tampered sign with KD's Donuts (as opposed to D's Nuts)....

The return of Pan de Muerto

It's that time of yearagain...

where sweet orange/anise flavored breads topped with bones abound at local Mexican bakeries...

SF Roadtrip Day 2 - John's Ocean Beach Cafe

[Update - This place is now GONE as in FOREVER.  The whole block was torn down May 2015 to make room for a new commercial/business development. Sad panda.]

It's the return of the SF Road Trip pix from when we went up for my former student's wedding, which was held here, the SF Zoo...

located right across the street from this local eatery, John's Ocean Beach Cafe...

which is literally steps away from the beach. You can see the Great Highway  at the intersection and after that is San Francisco's own Ocean Beach...

But first, breakfast on Day 2 of our mini road trip...

Jalapeno Taqueria & Nestle once again

A few weeks ago, I had to go to the mall to do a few returns. While here, TC and I enjoyed a small snack at Jalapeno Taqueria...

which is at the westernmost end of the mall near REI and Fruit & Beyond...

Donuts & "The Delano Manongs" documentary screening

Last night I drove up to Miramar College to support a FANHS, San Diego event for Filipino American History month in which the documentary by Emmy award winning filmaker Marissa Aroy, "The Manongs of Delano" would be screened.

First however was a quick run to Donut Stop...

to pick up a little something for us to enjoy the next day....

Return to Le Parfait Paris

TC had dress rehearsal downtown for the big show.

Being downtown meant another opportunity for me to kill time, and visit Le Parfait once more...

Coupon Hits & 1 Fail...

I had to buy TC some makeup for dance so it was off to Macy's Mac counter.  While there, we used one of the newer coupons in the Entertainment Value book...

If you buy this, you also get extra online coupons by using their app, which is pretty cool. It's like doubling your investment...

Coupon Fail - Fig Tree Cafe, Liberty Station

After our mini hike in Balboa Park's Palm Canyon, we were tired and hungry...

I thought we could check out the new location of Fig Tree over in Liberty Station...

Downtown Eats - Panera, The Hub Market and Starbucks

Once again, while TC was doing dress rehearsals, we grabbed a quick bite nearby...

Believe it or not, I've never been to a Panera...

Skybound Coffee & Dessert Lounge

Although we just had dessert earlier at Le Parfait, I wanted to check out a fairly new dessert place downtown...

It was just a few blocks west and gave Bert and I a chance to walk off our calories from that awesome almond and chocolate croissant...

Le Parfait Paris, Gaslamp Quarter

I read online that the downtown location of Le Parfait Paris had finally opened...

which meant a convenient visit, since Bert and I had free time that morning since TC was at dance practice.  If you plan to brave downtown, it's not that bad in the early morning and you can park in the Horton Plaza parking garage...

Balboa Park - The Botanical Garden and Palm Canyon

After our quick coffee break at Industrial Grind, we headed over to Balboa Park to enjoy the morning...

where it was still nice and early and we scored a great spot behind the beautiful Spreckles Organ Pavilion...

PASACAT Extravaganza - E14

Tonight is opening night for the PASACAT Extravaganza...


We watched that rather than "Honky"....

Another two-fer: Fuddrucker's and Nuyo with the girls plus Dolphins at night...

Sometime during the break, I took out TC and KDD once more...

Dessert would be decided by the girls, lunch by me (and agreed upon by the teens)....

Eccentric International Chefs Bakery & Deli

Our last stop in Santee was also down the road...
where you will see this sign. Look for GTM.

It just says 'bakery' on the sign since the full name would take up too much space...

The Cupcake Store and The Friendly Used Book Store

Before heading out, we walked the short distance from Kaffee Meiste over to the other side of the strip mall where these two businesses reside...

I was actually planning on just going to the cupcake place...

but was tempted by the rolling carts filled with used books and movies (yes, on VHS and yes we still have a VHS player, ha ha!)....

Return to Mystic Mocha & Industrial Grind Coffee

[Update - Industrial Grind is now CLOSED as of 2017]

Bert and I have been enjoying our Saturday morning breakfasts these past few months during TC's marathon dance practice. It's like "dating" all over again, but with breakfast instead of dinner...

The big shows are coming up quite soon and we probably won't be doing this morning thing that much longer...

Katy's Cafe & West Coast Cafe 3x plus return to Seaside Candy, Star Dust and Niederfrank's...

During the last week of vacation, KDD spent a few days with us...

She and TC have been friends since they were born and KDD's mom and I are both thrilled that they are still friends...

Return to Kaffee Meister

Earlier this morning, Bert and I met up with Cathy and her Mister for coffee...

once again, in their 'hood, Santee...

We had the coffee last time and now we wanted to give breakfast a try during one of our last "breakfast while TC is at practice" outings...

Juice Adventure

Last week, our lunch trio of me, Mr. TJ and La Ley went here...

Juice Adventure has been in this strip mall across from Southwestern College for at least 17 years and is located between Los Panchos taco shop and Otay books (catering to the college kids across the street)....

Lazy Hummingbird

Let's pretend we took the DeLorean back in time and gave the old flux capacitor a run for its money....

Sandwiched between our visit to Hodad's and Beach Sweets was a short jaunt a few streets over to a coffee shop located in the Ocean Beach Business Center...

which shares space with  FedEx...

Jungle Java, lunch @ Hodad's and Beach Sweets

As seen near the corner of Abbot Street and Newport in OB...

fresh from NOT seeing the tidepools but from enjoying the waves and fresh air, we headed up OB's main drag to kill some time before our early lunch...

More scenes from OB...

Sometime last week, Bert took a day off (since he wasn't on fall break like TC and I)...

We took TC and a friend to OB to hang out...

and to enjoy our beautiful "Fall" weather...

A trio of Caffes - Caffe Italia, Influx Cafe and Cafe Zucchero + our beautiful skyline as viewed from Coronado

I vowed to use a coupon every day of the break. TC and I finally went to our original destination from the previous week...

when I took a wrong turn and totally bypassed the Little Italy sign and ended up on the freeway instead. Instead of Italian, we had Mexican that day...

But no worries, we were here now and I was able to snag two hour free parking a few blocks away...

Coupon two-fer - Subterranean for breakfast and return to Santos Coffee House

A few days after TC and I were in North Park, Bert and I had our "turn"....

wanting to give breakfast a try at Subterranean on 30th...

Zarco Cocina de Baja + return to Tartine

[Update - This place is now CLOSED. It didn't even last that long. As of 8/9/15, it is now known as 277 Cocina Artesanal]

A few Fridays ago,, Bert and I went to check out the fairly new Zarco Cocina de Baja in the heart of downtown Chula Vista.

Zarco is the latest incarnation of the former Indulge restaurant, which was also headed by Chef Flor Franco...

Gone were the swirled black and white awning which were replaced by the bold oxblood red of the new Zarco...

Beach 'n Boba Cafe Fail...Plan B - Return to Eggette's

We found out while trolling that four lettered site that many places close by either 9 or 10 pm in the Sunset district. My cousin wanted us to try this place called Beach 'n Boba Cafe, which was on Taraval.

I remembered seeing it while on the streetcar.  My cousin and my niece (her oldest who is in college) really like this place and wanted to take us there...

Marco Polo Italian Ice Cream

After walking up and down several blocks to explore, we went back a few blocks the other way to hit up this place...

We were on vacation and yes, we wanted dessert every $%#@ day...

Recent meals and snacks...

A few weeks ago, KD gave me these lovely things....

which are passion fruits. It was my first time eating a real one,instead of a flavor that's been infused in syrup, iced tea, or ice cream...

Bobalicious

After our awesome lunch at Cape Town, we headed over to the stripmall with Target to seek out a particular place that sold cold drinks...

saddled with the name of "Bobalicious"...

and of course, being a place that I had a hot little coupon to use up...