SF Road Trip Day 3 Highlights

I wanted us to hit up that popular bakery in the Outer Sunset right when it opened.

(poster on the bakery's window)

Luckily, there wasn't a big crowd yet. We knew the bride's cupcakes were from here and this place was also highly recommended by my cousin so of course, we HAD to, since we were "in the area"....

SF Road Trip - Day 2 Highlights

The weekend started off right with a really great breakfast at a nearby eatery...

where I had the BEST pancake I've ever had in my life (of the banana walnut persuasion)....

followed by a short walk across the street which led us to...

SF Road Trip - Day 1 Highlights

It was fun taking a day off work, making this a "four day weekend" instead of the typical three for Labor Day... The occasion? We were invited to attend the wedding of one of my former students up in San Francisco which of course meant another road trip!

If you know our MO, then you should already know where these pastries came from....

Here are just a few highlights of today...

Fourteen

It helps having a kid born in the year 2000...

you always know their age just from looking at the year! All kidding aside, today is TC's 2nd year of "teenhood"...

Kaffee Meister

This weekend Bert and I had the pleasure of meeting up with Cathy and her "Mister" in their 'hood...

This coupon was burning a hole in my pocket...

and we both wanted caffeine before going out to a late breakfast (or brunch, you could say)...

Happy hour at Gun Control, I mean Gunco Ramen + Moreliana revisit

I am still getting used to my new phone (Samsung Galaxy S-5). Never had a smart phone before so this Auto Correct business when texting really rritates me.  I was texting Cathy that we were going to have dinner at Gunco Ramen and it came out as "Gun Control". Nice....

Bert and I were on our own that night. TC was with her friends at a summer concert held at her high school. We remembered when we were that young and wanted to go to dances and games just to be out of the house. This would be her first "night" function" for high school  (sniff sniff)...

The evolution of the KD's Nuts sign...

If you are from down south, then you know of this place...

Mainly because of their sign with the missing letters...

Miscellaneous photos from the past several months

It's one of these posts again, the kind where I compile random photos that don't warrant a full post like this one....a truck I saw while at a light.

"Puro Pedo" is slang term that means"chill out" or "relax". La Ley told me it could also mean "bullshit".  If you want to translate it literally, it would be "pure fart" but that doesn't make much sense. I wonder if they are sponsored by the Puro Pedo clothing brand I sometimes see folks wearing...

In any case, here are more random pix for your perusal...

Roast Coach Coffee Bar, East Village

With the same numerical street address but a few blocks away was the second location of Roast Coach Coffee Bar, a small pour over coffee bar which had it's start in North Park.

This location is on the corner of 9th and J near the Southpaw Social Club, right on the edge of Petco Park...

It was time for my coffee fix...

Bake Sale Cafe & Bakery

[Update - Bake Sale is CLOSED as of Spring 2017]

After a whole week of not blogging due to being pretty damn tired from work and the stress that comes from the opening of the school year, I have returned...

It was another beautiful Saturday morning in what is becoming a new routine for Bert and myself...

Filippi's Pizza Grotto, Eastlake

I recently had lunch at the new Filippi's  with La Ley and Mr. TJ...

La Ley was curious to try the new Eastlake location, having enjoyed the other locations in San Diego. This used to be the old Eastlake Brewhouse, which closed unceremoniously two years ago...

UCSD - The Sun God, Stonehenge, the Che Cafe and a free lunch

We were recently on UCSD campus a few days ago...

TC and the troop had a cultural dance performance for UCSD's Oasis Summer Bridge and Triple SSS (Student Support Services) Programs. Bert also wanted to see several former colleagues from Bridge...

Thai Taste 2

Last weekend, we had a super late lunch (or a super early dinner) at the new Thai place in Bonita...

It's in the same strip mall as the original TJ Oyster Bar...

Two bridal shower tea parties

This past summer, I attended not one, but TWO bridal showers for former students. The theme for both showers was "tea party"...

Both girls graduated in the year 2000, the same year that TC was born. It's hard to believe that 14 years have gone by so quickly and now these young ladies whom I knew as teenagers are now young adults and ready to tie the knot...

Lemon treats from Donut Panic

Our "breakfast" at the Korean wanna be Starbucks kind of sucked. I wanted something else, so being a weekend and all, asked my dear husband if we could go here...

 because one, I wanted something way better than what we had an hour ago, and two, he hadn't been there before, and three, I wanted to see what flavors were available...

Tom n Toms Coffee, East Village

[Closed - This did NOT last long]

Saturday mornings have become a time for Bert and I to explore new places.

Earlier today, we found ourselves with time on our hands after dropping off TC for a marathon dance practice. The troop is practicing for a major event in October.  I remembered this new Korean wanna be Starbucks downtown...

It was early enough to not have to deal with crappy downtown parking, so we took a chance on this place...

Ruddell's Smokehouse (aka Lunch part 1)

When we last visited Cayucos in 2011, we remembered seeing the Smoked Fish sign of this establishment, Ruddell's...

Our stay was short back then but since we were here for a few days, we wanted to make sure to give Ruddell's a try...

A Deli & Pieman Pies twice

Earlier that morning, we had breakfast next door at Top Dog Coffee Bar and took a peek next door...

We picked up a small pie and then ended up coming back later to get a few pies for dinner...

The new Brown Butter Cookie Company

You can see how small this town is...

We never thought we would end up coming back here, but it seemed like the perfect summer getaway from San Diego. The summer crowds hadn't yet arrived so mid June was quite optimal. Last time we were here, we remembered this building. It wasn't the Brown Butter Cookie Company yet, since it was located at the northern end of Ocean Ave. The old building is now a private residence/rental.

The Brown Butter Cookie Company now has bigger digs and even more flavors than before...

The Cass House, views of Cayucos State Beach and the Cayucos Pier

We peeked into Pieman's and ended up going back a little later to pick up a few things for a snack and diner later.  It was time to check out the Cayucos Pier...

(sign seen in a window near the coffee shop)....

As you can see, the beach town of Cayucos has that old fashioned "Wild West" look and feel...

It was very quiet and sleepy that cloudy morning, but we enjoyed the peace and stillness...

Dad's 75th + my parents' garden update

Noodles, noodles, noodles...

Even though it's not pancit, such an abundance of seafood pasta means "Birthday" time....

Now for something different...the fried perch at Supannee

Fresh from our visit from the night before, where we enjoyed dessert, Bert and I took a break from the conference to have lunch at our new favorite Thai place...

where we bumped into several friends/conference attendees who happened to choose the place because it was the closest Thai restaurant to the hotel...

Pomodoro Ristorante Italiano & dessert @ Supanee

This past Friday, Bert and I had a lovely dinner spent in the company of two friends whom we hadn't seen in more than four years...

Our original spot was, Supannee Thai (yes, I'm trying to eat my way through their menu, ha ha), but since my friend is allergic to peanuts, we didn't want to chance anything.

Both she and her husband were staying in Shelter Island for the 14th FANHS National Biennial Conference (which I will post some highlights later). We didn't want to stray too far from their hotel or aggravate her allergy, so we went to Pomodoro across the street from Supannee...

Lunch with Wandering Chopsticks @ Kafe Sobaka & dessert @ Hammond's

A few weekends ago, I got a call from Wandering Chopsticks if we could meet up for lunch...

We meant to meet up earlier this year but our schedules didn't quite match up but this time, the stars were in aligment. Remembering she hadn't tried Georgian cuisine yet, I suggested Kafe Sobaka over in Golden Hill...

Chillin' with our Fizzios...

Traveling up Laurel Street  via Harbor Drive...

Cathy is the queen of side streets. It's always fun taking the "scenic route" with her....

United Portuguese S.E.S. Market 3x

Right across the street from Supannee is a tiny street called Avenida del Portugal...

It is quite fitting then that the United Portuguese hall and market is located. These buildings are the hearts of the Portuguese American community which has long standing ties in Point Loma.  Cathy showed me two specialty markets earlier today. It was time to see one more...