Isola Pizza Bar

Last weekend, Bert and I enjoyed a rarity...

which was practically a whole day without TC who was gone for a field trip with her school...

A whisper to a scream...

"What...is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?"

(image from etsy.com)

"What do you mean? An African or European Swallow?"

Quotes are from the "Bridge of Death" scene in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" in which almost every scene is quotable!

I could have used another "swallow" reference from "Austin Powers the Spy Who Shagged Me", but...

Brunch at d bar

Last weekend, we took the scenic route to Hillcrest via the Gaslamp...

via Barrio Logan. We had just visited the SD Public Market and I was kind of irritated that one of the farmers who promised he'd bring rhubarb for me forgot to bring it. I'd never worked with rhubarb before and wanted to make a chutney. Oh well, next time if it's even in season...

We wanted to use a coupon I'd been holding on to...

The Incredible Cheesecake Company

Traveling east on Adams "between the Heights" (University and Normal), you will pass this bridge...

Well stop right there at the dark maroon building on the corner if you wants a sweets fix...

The Old Trolley Barn Park

Continuing on after our lunch from the bfd, we headed north up Park, passed the University Heights arch and hung a right on Adams...

At the foot of Adams and Florida street was this park we'd always wondered about...

BEE EFF DEE (bfd)

OMFG....

BTW, WTF is this supposed to mean?

Seafood Friday: Week 2 - Rubio's

This will be a quick and dirty post.

Thanks to the powers of Blogger, I'm posting yesterday's lunch today and dating it from yesterday. I know, no BFD for the tech-savvy, but it's me we're talking about, eh.

Trolley Adventure: Part 3 - Downtown, through the Valley's and to La Mesa

Right in front of the Convention Center...waiting for the Green Line

and enjoying the sunshine...

Trolley Adventure: Part 2 - Cafe Istanbul, the Chinese New Year Festival, & the Gaslamp

So yeah, no visit to Hustler for us!

Bert chose Cafe Istanbul for lunch because he wanted to have something Mediterranean. The other choices were pizza (eh) and Thai (which TC wanted).

Trolley Adventure: Part 1 - Riding the Blue Line

A few days ago, Bert, TC and I decided to have a little fun with public transportation...

and explore our fine city via trolley....

And your bird can sing...

Yes, it's time to...

PUT A BIRD ON IT!

Mambo gelato!

After our lunch at Ikuru and our botched attempt to get dessert at Chi Chocolate which was closed, we ended up going to Gelato Vero Caffe...

It may not be as chic as some of the newer gelato spots, but it's one of our tried and true favorites...

Clearing out random pix...

Last weekend Bert and TC had fun playing some old school video games...

Too bad the joy stick fire button was broken! We still have Mr. Drummer's Atari console but this was the 'new fangled' version...a Namco video game system.

The San Salvador build site

A few days ago, we thought we'd check out the San Salvador build site in Spanish Landing...

which is a park across from the San Diego Airport. Turns out there are two parts and we went on the wrong one...

At the end of that particular lot, we saw this really spectacular tiled bench. Another review of the map online pointed us in the right direction...

Number one with a bullet...

I've been on a necklace kick lately...

but this time with bling...

The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes

So, what's black and white...

and red all over?

Seafood Friday: Week 1 - Ikiru

Thank goodness for the four day weekend! We were both fortunate to have Friday off so we went to check out the recreation of the San Salvador galleon in Spanish Landing that morning (post will be forthcoming).

Since we were in the area, we thought we'd give Point Loma Seafoods a try, being the first Friday of Lent and all..

Sugar overload

Valentine's desserts were smartly bought the day before...

away from the crazed hordes of yesteryear all clamoring to get that last fruit strudel or chocolate dobre torte...

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Maple-Cream Sauce

When I got home yesterday, this is what greeted me on the counter...

All of the ingredients for tonight's dinner were bought the night before so I set out do make our Valentine's meal...

I wanted to make something really simple but inexpensive...

The Last Beat of My Heart Valentine's playlist

"I just switched to Sanka...so have a heart"
quote by Mr. Vargas, the science teacher from "Fast Times at Ridgemont High"

Happy Valentine's Day (or not)

No blood this year!

I thought I'd change it up and do a playlist, or what used to be known as a 'mixtape'...

Coop's West Texas BBQ - Chula Vista

[This location is closed as of 2014]

After about a month or so after their soft opening, we decided to make the relatively shorter trek to the newest location of Coop's West Texas BBQ...

When we saw the smoker, we knew we were in the right place...

Miguel's Cocina

A few weeks ago, I went out with a few GF's from the gym..

My friend wanted to have her belated bday gathering here at Miguel's...

Oregon Day 10 - Downtown, Powell's Books

Come hell or high water, I will finish last year's Spring Portland trip posts!

Well, maybe not in one shot, but I'll probably end up stretching it out like an awesomely bombastic Neil Peart drum solo...

Loved seeing these random horse rings all over Portland...This was down the street from our "place" (not a hotel) in the Goose Hollow neighborhood. We wanted to make a trek to one of the biggest  independent bookstores in the Pacific Northwest...

Another One Rides the Bus...

Of course, since we were in PB...

We had to go here again (this photo was snapped right after the Hare Krishna with blinged out sunglasses strolled by).

Twice as nice - Return to Sugar & Scribe Bakery

One of these days I'll have to actually check out Cow Records which is next door to this cute and charming bakery...

It was really nice being on on a Friday afternoon. Normally I'm in the office and a her classmate's dad brings her home. It's always good to have a change of pace, especially when sweets are involved!

Israeli Cous Cous with Garbanzos and Almonds

In keeping up with my resolution to try at least one ingredient and/or do a new recipe...

I made one of the easiest side dishes ever...

Giant spiders, dinner, Embassy Row, and T & T

As we left the Parliament Hill area, I snapped a quick glimpse of this...

Egads! A giant spider...

There Must Be an Angel...

I know this is a little early to be posting this but...

my wish came true the other day..

"It's a Wonderful Day for Pie" - Return to Papa Luna's

Last Friday, I took TC out for a few treats. I took the day off early to attend her school awards assembly to spend some time with her.  Afterwards, we headed up to PB...

(Yeah, I know the video is about fruit pie not meat pies!)

I was bitching a few posts ago about how I hate parking here. Well, the secret...at least for this particular establishment, is to park in the back!

Yes, just go behind the alley and you will find the holy grail, a tiny private parking lot...

Candy candy candy...I can't let you go

And now a little ditty from the late Isaac Hayes (aka "Chef" from "South Park", "Shaft", "Truck Turner"):

"Stick them in your mouth and suck 'em!"

I think I'll have to make some of them chocolate salty ballz one day! And speaking of chocolate, one week later....

the bars that we made last week at the "Build-a-Bar" workshop at the new Eclipse's grand opening...

Return of iPod roulette

I haven't done one of these in awhile...iPod roulette!

As you can see, I have thousands of songs, many of which I don't normally listen to on a regular basis. Perhaps some of you with iPods have certain playlists that you listen to whenever certain moods strike you, or if you're lazy like me, will occasionally put your iPod to "shuffle''...

Child Labor - Basic Pancakes with Sugar and Lemon

When I got home from work today, TC had a surprise for me...

She was in the the process of trying out a recipe she sought out on her own...

Apple, Onion, and Leek Stuffing

In keeping with my desire to learn new recipes and ingredients...

I whipped up a relatively easy side dish that I was pretty happy with...

Build-a-Bar Workshop at Eclipse

Remember taking a quick glance at these during our coffee break at Captain Kirk's?

These babies were the fruits of our labor. They are calling our names so we can rip open those wrappers like Augustus Gloop and snarf them down like there's no tomorrow.

Just kidding, they are still ensconced in their protective foil swaddling. The "Build-a-Bar" workshop was a unique chance to play chocolatier for a day and was an opportunity we couldn't pass up...

Sweet 'n savory bites from Eclipse

So without using the flux capacitor or any hallucinogenic drugs, we shall go back in time to earlier that late morning...

when the line was out the door

Fab Shopping on Fern...

You gotta love the bubbles on this sign!

One of the places we passed while heading back up Fern Street to while away a few minutes before checking if we won the big raffle...

Captain Kirk's Coffee

We'd passed by this little kiosk on our way to Eclipse and back to the taco truck...

I never noticed this place before but I couldn't help but laugh at it's name...

Mariscos Nine Seas (formerly Mariscos German)

TC and I headed south on Fern to get something to eat. We kind of did things backwards by having a tiny bit of dessert first at the grand opening of the new Eclipse Chocolate Bar & Bistro...

The mariscos truck we were headed to is housed in the Gala Foods parking lot. You will notice there are no painted lines for parking. It's a free for all here but it looks like people know how to give each  other car space. The lot is also a plus if you want a place to park to get some tacos and seafood...

Eclipse Chocolate Bar & Bistro- Grand Opening highlights

This will be a quick 'n dirty post showing just the highlights of today

in which we attended the Grand Opening of the new Eclipse in South Park!

BeaverTails and ice cream

The word "beaver" conjures up many images such as this old photo of Jerry Mathers...

as, "The Beaver"... (that's from an old black and white show called "Leave it to Beaver" for you young 'uns out there)

Now this photo shows the best and words of both words...

Actually, "bieber" does mean beaver in German...

But what most dirty minded guys associate with the word "beaver" (which has now been mentioned four times) is this...

Happy Groundhog Day!

Happy Groundhog Day people!

"I Got You Babe!"

I think Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow today because even though the day started off sunny and slightly warm, it got ugly and cloudy by the early afternoon and stayed that way!

More of Ottawa

After snacking on and off at the ByWard Market, we walked around some of the main streets in Ottawa, the capital city of Canada and the fourth largest city in their nation...

I found the fish on the stone coat of arms interesting. There were several variations found as decorative elements on a building we passed by.

The heat was quite oppressive coupled with high humidity...yet we didn't want to miss out while we were in Canada's capital...