Easter cupcakes by tweens

Last week, TC had a couple of her friends over. Earlier that day we checked out a new pizza place in Hillcrest and explored a bit of North Park...But when we got home, they immediately got cracking on their Funfetti cupcakes...

I didn't have any "nice" pastel colors so it was either Christmas themed cupcake liners or these cool Halloween ones...

South Park Walkabout - The Food

We did a bit of walking to scope out the general area before actually having anything to eat. While the Miho Gastrotruck looked promising, the lines were long and there was no place to sit...

We thought we'd give Station Tavern a try, but that place was a total zoo!

South Park Walkabout 2013 - The Sights

Last weekend, TC and I had the pleasure of attending the South Park Walkabout with Cy and her son...

Neither of us had been to this event before so we thought it would be fun to check it out...

Diver down dude! Fathom Bistro Bait & Tackle

Yesterday, we all enjoyed a nice day out starting off with brunch, exploring the bridges in Banker's Hills (those posts will be forthcoming)...

and enjoying the awesome views of San Diego Bay at Shelter Island.

I thought Bert would really like this new craft beer place that just opened up on the pier...

JaCiva's Chocolates - aka The LAST Oregon 2012 post!

And finally, the last damn post of our Oregon 2012 trip from last year...

Before we returned to San Diego, I wanted us to check out this neighborhood bakery and chocolate shop for some sweets...

It was also a few doors down from some frou frou pizza place we were curious about...

The Torrey Pines Gliderport

After our super fresh and fantastic lunch at Green Acre, Dennis had to go back to work, but before leaving, suggested that Cathy and I take a quick peek at a prime viewing spot nearby...

I'd never been to that particlar spot before so Cathy offered to show this place to me...

Seafood Friday #7 & 8

This was a first for me...

(image from technologybloggers.org)

Last week's Seafood Friday post will be MIA...

A rotating milk carton and the Hawthorne District ...

Since I'm such a sucker for roadside oddities, I couldn't help but take a shot of this...

The Sunshine Dairy Foods rotating milk carton on 801 NE 21st St.!

This rivals, no, surpasses in size and scope the rotating giant ice cream sandwich on top of the It's It building" in Burlingame, CA...

Return to Ruby Jewel Scoops

As we drove around the Alberta neighborhood, we noticed that the banners were all different.

I liked the use of negative space in this one. It was also cool seeing the different stickers and posters all over the telephone poles...

We thought we go back to this ice cream place we visited earlier during our visit...

Green Acre Part 2 - The Food

Now where was I?

Oh yes, last time we were admiring the fantabulous gardens belonging to Green Acre, located in the Nautilus Three building in an office park in La Jolla...

Collage

After our lunch, we headed up the street where this Malcolm X mural caught my eye...

The mural was on the side of the House of Umoja building on the corner of 17th and Alberta Street. Umoja is Swahili for "unity" and is also one of the seven  guiding principles of Kwanzaa.  I found out later that the House of Umoja was a non profit organization and mentorhsip program aimed at helping former gangmembers with job and life skills, assist with addiction treatments and job opportunities. Very admirable.

Across the street from House of Umoja was a store that caught our eye.

Thai Noon

Damn, these chicks are awesome!

We were so bummed that we weren't able to catch a roller derby match while in Portland. A few days earlier in our trip, the Breakneck Betties were set to play against the Guns 'n Rollers. The tickets were already sold out. We'll have to catch a match in San Diego with our local teams. One of my friend's younger sister is on a team and we can't wait to see her in action...

After our quick dessert stop at Pix Patisserie, we headedover to the Alberta Arts district for lunch...

Prop 8

Supreme Court, it's in your hands.

Do the right thing.

Green Acre Part 1 - The Garden

Last week I had the pleasure of having lunch with my awesome friends Dennis of A Radiused Corner and Cathy of mmm-yoso. Sadly, CAB of CAB Cooks was sick that day, so she was M.I.A. Hopefully she is doing much better so that we can meet up for a future lunch date.

Dennis had the honor of choosing the restaurant and we were only too happy to oblige for our meetup at Green Acre.

Man, I hadn't driven up here in years. Reminds me of when Bert was still in college at UCSD. I've never felt in my element in the La Jolla area...

Krispy Kreme - Eastlake

While I do enjoy a good donut now and then...

my taste for donuts doesn't compare to Homer's donut eating prowess (from the episode where Homer sells his soul for a donut)...

Return to Lil b's

It's been a few months since my first visit a few months ago with Cathy of mmm-yoso.

Today, TC joined MFH and I to meet up with our former co-worker and his wife for lunch at lil b's in North Park...

West Coast Cafe

Our day in IB wasn't done quite yet...

We saw this cool wave mural while walking back to our car.

It reminded me of this classic scene from "Fast Times":

In the TV version, perpetually stoned surfer Jeff Spicoli says, "Those guys are FOOLS!" At least it wasn't homophobic like his original choice of words. I didn't know it until years later, but the interviewer, Stu Nahan was a real sports commentator. When he died last year, I recognized his name in the obituaries (hmmmm, wasn't that the guy who interviews Spicoli on the beach?). It's funny to see Sean Penn in his FIRST role...from Spicoli to Oscar winner!

Our next stop was less than a minute away...

Cow-a-bunga Ice Cream

When I think of the word Cowabunga, I immediately think of this...

(image from adamventures)

Remember when that used to be a big catchphrase when the Simpsons first came on the air?

The word seems to be associated with "surf culture"  but had it's origins as a silly (and most likely made up) greeting by a white man playing stereotyped Indian chief Thunderthud on the old 50's tv show, "Howdy Doody". Nice going for cultural sensitivity there. The phrase was later popularized by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles...

Scenes from IB

A quick left onto Palm Avenue from 13th and we were on our way...

I love superlatives like this!

One time, way back in high school, a friend and I drove past the Tijuana Estuary (which is NOT in Tijuana) and explored the beach near the border. This was the late 80's and before the border fence was built. We went there so we could stand on a corner with one foot in Mexico and one foot in San Diego...

K-Pasta

So far TC and I have been enjoying our vacation.

I vowed for us to visit different places daily and it was nice to not have to drive far this particular day...

Imperial Beach is only twenty minutes away from Chula Vista and it's in an area that is still pretty laid back and unpretentious.

After months of driving by this place and noticing the new outdoor seating area, we finally got a chance to visit...

Yog-Art

Right across the street from the dinosaur mural is another row of shops.

I had a coupon for the yogurt place next to Ramzees (a mix of Meditteranean/Mexican food).

Murals on Ray Street in North Park

Turns out that the owners of the thrift store on 30th had gone out on an errand and were therefore closed...we ended up going on North Park Way, a side street that connect with Ray Street.

I liked that the year on the sidewalk was the same as my parents' birthyear...

This was in the shadow of the Bargain Center, a military gear surplus store...


Bert probably would have liked to explore in there. It was a bit too Rambo for us so we forged on...

Subterranean Coffee Boutique

With TC and myself on break, it was time to get out of the house...

and have some coupon lunch adventures...

So off we go!

Once again, Oasis...

Since this place was just across the street...

it was time to pay Oasis another visit...

COPAO Philippine Faire

This past weekend we went down South to check out the Philippine Faire...

which was held at the corner of Saturn and Coronado at Egger Park. Many of the district's students were there to perform their spin of native Philippine festival dances...

Roasted Chicken with Spicy Orange Sauce

There's nothing like the sight of an open chicken cavity staring you straight in the face...

I thought I'd try something new in keeping with my nearly forgotten resolution of trying either new recipes or ingredients every week...

The Magnificent Seven

It's that time of the year again...

(image courtesy of offwestend.com)

No, not March Madness but the 7 Year Blogaversary to PCaRH!

Seven years is a lot in blog years, eh, but still I keep doing it because of the connections (old and new) I've made through my blog...

You Spin Me Round...

Well hey there children...remember these things?

(image courtesy of yesteryearremembered.com, "45 Records")

Those of you over the age of 35 at the very least should know what that is.  If not, you must live under a rock or have never experienced the joy of touching a jet black disc of vinyl on it's crisp edge and dropping a needle onto it's lined grooves...

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

This was my first attempt in making this recipe...

in went the stout and on went the lid...

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2013

Did you wear your green??? 

(photo courtesy of turningkey.blogspot.com)

Well, did you? If you didn't, this guy will pinch you!

Today was also the first time I cooked a real corned beef and by real, I mean, not from a can!

Choco Treasure - the wanna be Kinder Egg

Nothing screams "Easter" more than a Yoda or Captain American  Easter basket...

Not. Yeesh, points off for that craptastic Capt. America.

My visit to Target yesterday was specifically in search for something that is quite similar to an "illegal" food item...

(Fake) Leather and lace and metal

Bang your heads dudes...

(image courtesy of allesandrafaria.com)

There are many things I associate with the phrase "Heavy Metal" such as the 1981 animated movie (logo seen above), Steppenwolf's "Born to Be Wild" which makes a reference to "heavy metal thunder", and of course, one of my preferred genres of music...

Seafood Friday: Week 5 - Return of shrimp burritos

And because I'm lazy...

Tonight was a repeat...

Pix Patisserie - N. Williams location

After our brief visit to the Cullen house, we headed over to what they facetiously refer to as "The Fifth Quadrant", the North, which used to be an African American area which has, over the years, become increasingly gentrified.

Our destination was the second location of Pix Patisserie, a well known sweets shop in Portland. The same morning on the local news channel, we saw a feature about their Easter offerings and thought we would pay the shop a visit before returning to San Diego...

The Cullen House

I'm finally finishing up our Portland posts...nearly ONE YEAR LATER!

Better late than never I say.

On the last day of our spring vacation, we headed over to a quiet neighborhood in the NW quadrant of Portland that borders Forest Park.

(image is a screen shot from the movie, that's not my Volvo! )

Does this look familiar to any, uh Twilight fans out there?

Use Your Illusion

If you stare at this long enough, it will give you a headache!

(image courtesy of wallpoper.com)

At least is does, for me...

I'm a big fan of black and white clothing and when I saw this print a little over a year ago, I took a risk...

Put them in the Iron Maiden....

This is one of my favorite references to Iron Maiden, courtesy of Bill S. Preston, esquire and Ted "Theodore" Logan:

"Bogus...."

Which brings today's sad new for Maiden fans...

Get on your boots...

Even though I don't listen to her music and generally think of her as an annoying airhead celebrity (remember her reality show with her ex Nick Lachey?)...

(photo courtesy of getty images)

I have to say that I like some of the styles of Jessica Simpson's shoe collection, notably the boots...

Brunch at Eclipse Chocolate Bar & Bistro

Yesterday, on my way to brunch, I noticed that there were now painted lines and numbers in the Gala Foods Parking lot.

Compare that to the parking lot one mere month ago when we went to the grand opening of Eclipse (below)....

I was excited to have a brunch meetup with two supercool ladies, one that I would be meeting for the first time...

Starstruck

As promised...

Bite this yo'...

A few weekends ago, TC and I were out doing errands. A quick drive by on Palm Avenue proved what I was hoping to be true...

Yellow Sky

Last weekend, I attended a baby shower for my friend's daughter...
It was quite lovely, with a lavender, black and white color theme wih damask and the Eiffel Tower as the other design elements. There were desserts galore (full post will be forthcoming)...

It was also an excuse to dress up. My friend is one of my workout galpals and we normally don't see each other in clothes other than workout clothes...

Seafood Friday - Week 4: Fish Tacos & Grille City

Just a few pics from today's seafood offerings...

My Israeli couscous with garbanzos and almonds with garlic shrimp:

Along with my very sad fish taco lunch from the school cafeteria. The complete meal was $3.25 and included milk, jello, salad (not shown), beans, shredded lettuce with tartar sauce and two limp fish sticks in two corn tortillas. Ugh, never again.

Things however, did get better later on that evening...

Spiked

My love of hardware has traveled from my boots and jewelry to my clothes...

(image courtesy of dedicatedaudio.com)

Those are actually speaker spikes (whatever those are!). Now, if they would only supply spikes and circular and pyramid studs 'n shit with the Bedazzler!

Then I'd be in BUSINESS!

Seriously, I would be in my room bedazzling every fkg thing I could get my hands on. My leather jackets, my pajamas, my sock hems, and my underwear. Just kidding.

I want to have a rhinestone and pyramid studded pair of Daisy Dukes.   Not.