Mood:
caffeinatedTopic: Travel
When I planned my trip to San Diego, CA over Thanksgiving, I was looking forward to a long weekend of relaxing, visiting with old friends, and eating turkey of course.
What I failed to realize was where I was actually traveling to...America's Finest City! My trip was more than I bargained for, in the best way possible. I left San Diego last night having seen several corners of one of the most beautiful cities I've ever seen.
My first evening in town, Angela and I went for dinner in Balboa Park. Balboa is twice the size of Central Park, making San Diego one of the only cities to set aside acreage for a park. Inside Balboa, trees and greenery from all around the world decorate the scene.
We enjoyed a meal of local seafood paired with wines at El Prado before heading over to the Old Globe Theatre to see an annual tradition, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, as a play. The Grinch is one of my all-time favorite Christmas tales, but this was like I'd never seen before. The theatre was transformed into who-ville, complete with the who-tree, who-candles, and even who-hash. The play itself was even more cartoon like than the original movie. The characters were dressed in who-clothing from hair to shoe, they didn't leave out a single song...they even added a few! The Grinch was creepy and so real, but somehow a very likeable character.
Thanksgiving was spent in the kitchen making an amazing spread of traditional, Midwestern cuisine as me and Angela are Indiana girls. We cooked nearly every side dish we'd had growing up and completed the meal with honey ham and turkey.
Friday and Saturday, Angela was off to work, so I explored San Diego on my own—something I enjoy doing very much. I took the trolley to Fashion Valley to join the masses on black friday. In the evening Angela and I drove to La Jolla, where the beach housed several seals and sea lions sun bathing before evening set. In La Jolla, I saw one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen.
We went to the top of a Mount Soledad to catch the end of the sunset and a gorgeous view of the city. Mount Soledad isthe home of a controversial symbol in San Diego—the Korean War Memorial cross. Since it's construction in 89, the cross has been involved in continuous litigationregarding its legal status as a religious symbol.
Saturday, I rode the trolley to Old Town, a street and square dedicated to what San Diego would have looked like minus the modernazations. From Old Town, I hopped on a tour trolley that took me on a 2-hour trip around the city...from Balboa to Point Loma and Coranado Island. The tour was completely narrated, so I got to hear all the fun facts about the city along the way. Saturday night, Angela and I enjoyed fine dining at Top of the Market, a seafood eatery that sits along the harbor. We saw ships and cruises passing as we enjoyed more seafood (scallops, halibut, lobster bisque) and a bottle of pineapple pino gris.
My last morning in town, Sunday, Angela and I ate brunch at the harbor before we boarded a seal tour. The tour starts of in a truck that drives to the water and then literally drives into the water out to the live bait dock where the seals sunbathe. Our last stop was at the top of Point Loma, where there was a beautiful view and a lighthouse.
Thank you Angela and Matt for having me on this wonderful trip! I hope I can visit soon and often.
