Sisters in San Diego (cont.)

Day 3

The next day, we awoke fairly early and headed to nearby Breakfast Republic. We LOVED this place! I chose the delicious and filling San Diego benedict, Grace got the crab cake benedict, and Laura had the veggie breakfast tostado. Throw in some OJ and bottomless cups of coffee, and we were some very happy campers! Portions were HUGE (I could only finish half of my benedict.), and prices were definitely reasonable for what we got. (For everything, the tab was around $45. 

After filling up the tank, we hopped into our rental car and headed for the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. I'd really wanted to swing by here on my previous trip to San Diego, but I hadn't been able to make it happen. I was thrilled to make it there on this trip! The place is gorgeous! Because we arrived a little later in the morning, there were no parking spaces to be had further in the park. After paying our admission fee, we parked the car in the lot at the base of the cliffs and hoofed it up the main road to the trailhead.

We started with the Guy Fleming trail, an easy loop that offers stunning views of the cliffs and the water, as well as up-close encounters with the reserve's namesake trees. We found that it was warmish on the trail when we weren't fronting the water, and chillier when we were, due to the lovely ocean breezes. Then, we made our way to the head of the beach trail an hiked down it to the water. Again, lovely vistas.

Views from the cliffs at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

When we made our way to the water, we kicked off our shoes and let the surf tickle our toes as we made our way down the beach to the parking area. We took time to examine smooth rocks, their edges worn off by the tides, and marvel at the sea, the sun, and the air. Lovely.

After we finished our hiking, we took a quick drive to Del Mar. Once there, we found a public parking spot (small fee) and pointed our feet towards Poseidon on the Beach for a bit of lunch. We got a seat by the window and sampled a mix of shrimp cocktail, calamari and tacos. Delicious!

Nibbles at Figaro!

Sated, we ambled along the beach at Del Mar, near Powerhouse Park. There was a lovely little park with some green space, plenty of sand and sun, and great people-watching. We decided to lie in the sun a while and enjoy the fine afternoon. Kids flew kites in the park. We walked along all the beach trails. After a few hours, we climbed back into the car and headed back to the house for a nap.

We weren't too hungry that night, but we felt the need to get out and about for a bit. We decided to explore the main drag in North Park. We ended up at Figaro Dessert Cafe, inhaling fruit tarts, opera cake, and other yummies. We walked around the neighborhood, stumbling across Bottlecraft, a great beer and spirits shop with a lovely selection of cheeses and meats. We couldn't resist buying the ingredients for a first-rate meat and cheese board, along with a bit of wine, for later.

Then, it was home to bed!

Day 4

Up, up, and away!

The next morning dawned EARLY for Laura and I. I'd booked us a sunrise hot air balloon ride in the wine country north of San Diego. That meant we had to get up before dawn to make our way there. When I'd booked the experience with California Dreamin', they'd told me that, due to safety regulations, pregnant women weren't allowed to ride in the hot air balloon. So sadly, we had to leave Grace behind.

At any rate, Laura and I made our way there in the dark. After navigating to a very deserted winery parking lot, we called the company. It was then that we learned they'd forgotten to account for the recent time change, so they'd told us we'd need to be there an hour before was actually necessary. Facepalm.

We'd passed a Starbucks a few miles back, so we headed there to warm up and get some coffee. We then arrived back at the rendezvous point at the *correct* time, joining two other couples in the van that would take us to our flight.

Our pilot worked with his crew to determine the best place to inflate the balloon. We ended up in a small field with several other balloonists, and it was beautiful to watch them all inflating their airy ships as the sun began to rise. Then, we climbed into our balloon, and with a few quick blasts of fire, we floated heavenward.

I don't know how to explain this experience. It's silent. You're gliding over the scenery noiselessly, watching your shadow trail you on the ground far below. People saw us above them and waved happily. We waved back. At one point, during the highest point of our flight, we were above the clouds. Up there in the rare air, the gentleman in one of the couples we were flying with proposed to his girlfriend. I filmed the whole thing on his phone!

Aloft. Scenery was gorgeous.

And when we flew close to the ground, we saw sweet little bunnies, coyotes, and other wildlife. It was such a treat to watch them from above!

After about an hour, it was time to land. Our pilot and his ground crew brought us to the earth smoothly and expertly. As they packed up the balloon, we loaded back into the van, which dropped us back off at Vindemia Winery for a delicious breakfast. Fruited breads, Brie with crackers, hot coffee, mimosas, fruit, and more. Complimentary glasses of wine and slices of chocolate cake were also served, as one of our flying companions was celebrating a birthday. It was a wonderful, wonderful experience, and I'm so glad we did it. I can't believe I waited this long to fly in a hot air balloon!!

A progressive dinner in Little Italy!

After breakfast, Laura and I did a little shopping in Old Town Temecula. We found some souvenirs and a lovely lavender shop. (Their linen spray is divine. I sleep like a rock when I use it!) Then, it was back to San Diego to reunite with Grace.

After a little cheese-noshing, showering and a short nap, we dressed up for a night on the town. We planned to eat our way through Little Italy! I'd downloaded their official app for self-guided walking tours, which we decided to cover as we went. First, we learned about Juan Cabrillo and Little Italy's roots in the fishing industry. Then, we enjoyed appetizers and drinks at Mimmo's, where I had two Italian cream sodas: one that literally attacked me, and another that I attacked. (Apparently, if you stir an authentic Italian cream soda too vigorously, there's a chance it can erupt like a high-school science fair volcano! Luckily, my lap napkin was water-resistant!) We also shared a quick plate of calamari. (FYI - We learned on our walking tour that Mimmo's was once a horse stable! History is everywhere!)

This is the second drink. The one that didn't attack me.

After that, it was more learning - market culture and the impact of WWII on the area. The view of the harbor and its encroaching ocean. The fishing nets, some of which still hang on a forgotten fence at the end of a parking lot.

We stopped at another little restaurant for some al fresco wine, pasta and bread - clams, shrimp, and other seafood studded a plate of noodles in a light sauce. By this time, Laura and I were a bit toasted. We sang a quiet rendition of Bella Notte with harmony before paying our bill and taking our leave.

More history - We learned about the impact of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake on the area and peeped at some community gardens and wine cellars. We also practiced some basic Italian phrases.

We ended the evening at Barbusa, a lovely place with delightful staff. We managed to slip into three seats at the bar with no reservation, and we had more wine and a few desserts - the deconstructed cannoli and a creamy lemon confection. Bursting at the seams, we waddled back to the car, drove home, and hit the hay!

More to come . . .