Saturday

Sea Caves

Yet another adventure we can cross off the list. Kayaking through sea caves- check! Seeing a huge school of dolphins, double check!!

Future contestants on the Amazing Race? More like future winners!

Friday

Sunny State Street

State Street- with its countless restaurants, beautiful and colorful designs and pathway to the beach. What's not to love!



Thursday

Filorium Nature Preserve

Husband and I took a leisurely hike with my parents to Filorium Nature Preserve. I love when my parents do active things like hiking. Family bonding at its best.



As usual, Husband took this opportunity to practice his mad climbing skills and I took to practicing photography. What's better- clear and vivid or rustic and vintage?



Wednesday

Breakfast Quinoa

Husband and I stumbled upon a new idea for breakfast- quinoa. Crazy I know. Move over oatmeal, you have met your match.

PB&J Quinoa with cashew milk and local jam // Quinoa with cashew milk, fruit and nuts

Tuesday

Pinnacles

It's amazing the nature that's in your backyard. Case in point- Pinnacles. It's a short 25 minute drive off the highway and once you're in the park, it feels like you've gone to another world. Nature truly is spectacular.



Monday

Andersen's Pea Soup

I have passed the sign on the highway for this place countless of times and wondered, should I stop in and try this highly publicized pea soup? Well wonder no longer I did. Husband and I stopped at the locally famous Andersen's pea soup for (what else)- pea soup.



Verdict- If it's on your way, totally worth it. The place is truly an establishment full of interesting snacks and cheesy trinkets, including a year round Christmas section. The pea soup was excellent and since that's what they are famous for, getting our respective bowl of pea soup was quick and painless despite the tourist frenzy. Happ-pea and Pea-wee were we :-)


Friday

Ladies Who Lunch

It was a girls outing for lunch today, complete with an addition to the hummus challenge, a healthy pizza and a not-healthy round of cupcakes. The lunching ladies went to CPK for lunch and tried the hummus with wheat flat bread, and the thin slice California club pizza.
The wheat flat bread was great, the hummus was eh. A little too oily and runny for our taste.

The pizza on the other hand was amazing! The thin crust was thin but not too crispy and it was piled full of arugula, avocado and tomato, with just a sprinkle of bacon.

As part of my continued quest to eat everything with bacon as a component, we stopped at Sprinkles for their limited time maple bacon cupcake. 




Normally I'm not a big Sprinkles fan because their frosting is a bit too sweet for me and their portion size is quite large which of course leads to eater's remorse. However, I have had a change of heart. The maple bacon and the German chocolate cupcakes had very balanced frosting and the flavors were so good that there was not even a slight inkling of regret. My only regret was not getting this sooner!




Every busy work week should end with lunch with the ladies. This is true living. #livablesnotbillables.

Thursday

Vitamin D

After hearing me say for the millionth time how great lechon is, Husband's response: "Yes, lechon is chalked full of Vitamin D- Vitamin Delicious."

Me: "You get me, you just really get me."

Go Pig or Go Home

Best plaque ever, courtesy of the Basque Center.

Wednesday

9to9 Grind- Truck Load



I've gotta hand it to my job; they sure know how to throw a good family party. Husband and I headed to Venice Beach for a beach picnic with my felow 9to9 grinders, complete with sun, surf and a truck load of food. No seriously- it was a truck of food!






Lobster rolls, crab sliders, fish tacos and s'more bites courtesy of Shark Bites and Mai's. Needless to say there was definitely some waddling back to the car. I guess summer really is coming to an end, but thankfully we've got a camera full of great memories.


Tuesday

Patio Filipino

Husband and I had a serious craving for some pork, sisig style so we headed to Patio Filipino for the classic stylings of pork sisig, complete with a bottle of Red Horse, sans the extra strong. Truly one of the best places for pork sisig ever, although lesson learned to try to avoid the mass family parties if we want to eat quickly. Filipinos love them some pork.



Monday

Beach Perfection

A sunny weekend deserves a day at the beach. His included a new toy; Hers included a new magazine. Peace was achieved by all.




Sunday

4 Courses

A roundup of the best servings of the week:


Course 1: Family & Friends



Course 2: Food

  • Crossing off the cronut (or the faux equivalent) off the list



Course 3: Fitness



Course 4: Forever Remembered



Here's to a great week and an even better one ahead. 

Saturday

Grape and Grain

Husband and I took to the streets in search of a new watering hole and found ourselves at Grape and Grain, a very relaxed lounge in the Peninsula where one can grab a glass of grape or grain and indulge in some old school movies and great conversation.


The movie of the evening was Ghostbusters, a true classic and a great bar movie. Fortunately the place wasn't crowded; can definitely see this place losing some of its appeal when the masses are present. A great find nonetheless with its fantastic assortment of drinks (including an incredible stout that Husband ordered) and one we will definitely be back to.




How can you not love a place with a mural in honor of the Hypnotoad! All glory to the Hypnotoad. Where can I find me some slurm?!


Friday

9to9 Grind- The Sea

It's recruiting season which means 1 thing- free lunches! I took advantage of the occasion to take a recruiting candidate to The Sea, the new seafood companion to Alexander's Steakhouse.

 Amouse bouche of chilled watermelon and herbs

 Hamachi shots


The highlight of the meal was definitely the lobster scrambled eggs. That's right - lobster + scrambled eggs. Not quite the combination you'd expect but expect the deliciousness.

Ending the meal right- with cotton candy!