Meredith Comes to Town

When we decided that we were moving to San Diego, there was one friend that came to mind that I just knew would visit. Sure enough, before we had even moved from VA, Meredith had booked her visit to sunny San Diego. Last Friday she arrived around 8pm and we really had such a fantastic weekend! Meredith is just plain fun to be around and she never has a shortage of hilarious stories that keeps everyone laughing!

Saturday we had a low key day- working out, riding bikes around the neighborhood, lunch in La Jolla and just a little bit of shopping. It was just so great catching up with her- take me back to my 1101 days in college.

On Saturday evening- Meredith and I embarked on what would become a real life video game challenge (think the Sims or Super Mario Cart) of sorts to get to the Civic Theater downtown to see the Lion King. “You know how to get there because you went to see Wicked there, right?” you may ask. It is true that I have in fact been there- but I can tell you I had no idea how to get there- not a shocking surprise to anyone who has been exposed to my abysmal sense of direction. Not to mention that this place is the most confusing place on earth to find. I watched the clock tick anxiously as it grew closer to the start of the opening number as we dodged various obstacles (again, we were in a video game) and drove around for what seemed like forever. Finally we found it. We got parking and raced to the ticket collector. One problem…wrong theater. So off we ran, in our heels and dresses down the street overshooting our destination by about 3 blocks, as a nice police officer kindly told us.

So now we are running back and FINALLY reach the Civic Theater. We were unable to go in because the opening number had begun so we were forced to wait patiently until the theater worker told us we were able to go in. Finally, we were able to enter the dark theater as Zazu the bird enters the stage and the play was continuing on. I’d seriously been grasping to the tickets we needed to get in for the last hour and sure enough, as soon as we stepped into the dark theater- I couldn't’t find them. I’m was dropping things out of my purse on the floor, eventually finding the tickets to stand up just in time to see some random woman taking the Playbill out of Meredith’s and asking if she can have two. She definitely thought Meredith worked at the theater. The look on Meredith’s face was priceless. After crawling over people in the dark, we finally got to our seats and enjoyed what I think is one of the most imaginative and well done plays I’ve ever seen.

On Sunday, Meredith and I jumped on the highway and started driving North- our destinations: LA, Beverly Hills and Hollywood. We shopped like the stars (Kitson, Tory Burch) and ate like the starts (at The Ivy) and with “Pretty Woman” playing in our heads, we drove down the fabulous Rodeo Drive. I shouldn't forget we also made a pit stop for the yummy Pinkberry!

Mimosas and $20 eggs at The Ivy. Such a cute place!

Hollywood was like nothing I’d ever seen (well, except probably Times Square in New York). There were so many people there- tourists, street performers, impersonators, weirdos, etc. The ultimate people watching spot. Madame Tussauds Wax Museum was so much fun. We couldn't’t get over how real they looked! It was kind of freaky!

Mere and George snuggling

Hanging with the Fresh Prince

Brit from the VMAs- the start of her triumphant comeback

On Monday, we made a visit to the San Diego Zoo. It was awesome! I can’t wait to take my little nieces when they come for a visit. They animals all seemed reasonably happy (compared to those at the National Zoo in DC) and we saw everything we wanted to see. I think our favorites were the rhinos that chased each other around, the pandas, the giraffes and probably the cute meerkats. I can’t wait to try the Wild Animal Park too!

It really was a great visit. The best part is Meredith is already talking about her next visit. Just what I like to hear!

The Line Up

November is going to be a FUN month! Mike and I have plenty of great friends and family coming to visit and we cannot wait to show them our new home!

The line up:

Tomorrow (Nov 6): One of my dear college friends and sorority sisters, Meredith, is coming from Charlotte, NC. I cannot wait to see her! Meredith and I always have such a great time and she never fails to keep me laughing.

Nov 14: Jaime is making her annual trip out west where she will be participating in the Susan G. Komen Three Day breast cancer walk. I'm so inspired to Jaime's dedication to this great cause. I hope to do it with her next year.

Nov 25: Mike's parents and youngest sister, Katie, will be out here for Thanksgiving. I can't wait to make my very own Thanksgiving dinner as a wife. Sounds kind of old fashioned for this working woman, but oh well :) We will miss Kelly and Nick (and Polo of course!) but it should be a lot of fun and especially nice to host family on our first Thanksgiving as a married couple.

Oh and on another visitor note- the Petersons will be making their way out here in early February! Wahoo!

Pumpkin Carving!

With the weather holding steady at between 65-75 degrees and sunny every single day and the palm trees not changing the autumn colors that I'm used to seeing, I was worried that it may not feel like Fall/Halloween. I was wrong. People in California love some Halloween! All the store windows have decorations, some people go all out on their houses and I've heard advertisements for about 50 "haunted trails". On Friday, Mike and I decided to go to a local pumpkin patch to pick out our pumpkin :0) The patch was small but had a lot of choices, hot apple cider and the carving knives needed to make a masterpiece.

See the results below...it's clear who we are rooting for this Sunday...

My side of the pumpkin- Go Giants!

Mike's side of the pumpkin- Go Yankees!

We had a fun time and after we made some pumpkin seeds to eat! Takes me back to my childhood days...YUM!

A perfect desert getaway!

One of the things Mike and I were most excited about when we moved to California was the opportunity to see so many areas we'd never seen before- in a part of the country we really hadn't spent ANY time in. Well we got our chance to experience a perfect little desert getaway when Kathleen and Martin invited us to join them in Palm Springs this past weekend. A Wiggins' family friend has a house there and was so kind to let us use it for the weekend.

It was an amazing time! The mountains really were breathtaking and I loved the (VERY!!) warm desert weather- about 100 degrees each day. We ate, drank (lots of wine), laughed, hiked, star gazed and just had a really relaxing time.

The set up. I know, ridiculous! Pool, hot tub, palm trees and a mountain backdrop that looks so beautiful, it almost looks fake!

The newlyweds.

The lovely Martin and Kat. They're so darn cute!

So, like I've been saying, I loved those mountains and wanted to experience a little hiking while we were there. After nagging the boys, Kat and I convinced them to come with us. It was gorgeous. I really enjoyed seeing the town of Palm Springs from above. I also realized that if I was ever stuck in the desert (like Survivor Man or Bear Grills) I would never survive. No chance.

One word of advice: don't go hiking in 100 degree weather in the desert after drinking multiple bottles of wine the night before. Just not really the best idea. Needless to say, the hike really wasn't that long!

Thank you again, Martin and Kathleen! It was a great weekend and we can't wait to go again sometime....maybe next time we'll get that smoothie ;)

Best. Hair Experience. Ever.

You never realize how much research you need to do when you move to a new city- new doctor, new dentist, new gym...new hair salon. As many may know, I hate getting my hair done. It takes a ridiculously long time and I end up spending a ton of money. Well I found a real gem here in San Diego. It is a chic little place called Paper Doll Salon located on Garnet in Pacific Beach. I loved it! The decor is super cool/funky, the pricing is reasonable and best of all....they give you wine! So within less than two hours (very efficient for my unruly mane) and 3 glasses of wine, I was no longer channeling Madonna circa 1986 with my awful roots and had a little buzz. Hair and happy hour...I like! Another plus- the hair stylist engaged in just the right amount of conversation- not too much, not too little. I hate when they want to chit chat and all I want to do is read my trashy celeb magazine!

Salon down- now on to doctor and dentist...good thing I knocked out the important one first! ;)

A mini herb garden

Living in an apartment doesn't exactly give you a whole lot of room for a garden, so we needed to get a little creative :) A couple weeks ago, Mike took it upon himself to transform our balcony to host a little, mini herb garden. He did a great job! We are now the proud growers of basil, rosemary, chives, cilantro, peppers and aloe! It is really nice to be able to walk outside and snip some fresh basil for a caprese salad and use fresh cilantro in some homemade guacamole. Our next home, however, will have a much bigger garden!

Our little garden

Serrano and Jalapeno Peppers

Our aloe plant- inspired by the Aloe Man we met in Antigua while on our honeymoon. The guy carried a huge aloe plant on his head and walked around the beach selling it to people. He would skin the plant right in front of you, rendering a jar full of aloe, and sell it for 10 bucks. Not a bad deal considering - according to Aloe Man- it is not only good for sunburns but for pretty much every disease and aliment known to man.

Our First Visitors!

Well, it has been a while since I’ve posted- very bad form in the blogging world, I know. I have a good excuse though: we had our very first visitors to our new home in San Diego…the wonderful Mom and Dad Valluzzo!

The parental units arrived on Wednesday evening after their luxurious flight in first class. They got a free upgrade, but still oh so glamorous, Fran and Steph. Did you know you get free drinks up there!? Anyways, we picked them up from the airport and I was just so excited to show them around my new home. I know my mom misses her “baby” and I think she enjoyed seeing where we live, what our neighborhood is like, etc.

On Thursday Mom and Dad went off on their own to downtown San Diego and to Seaport Village, since I had to work. I left work a bit early and we enjoyed a very yummy dinner at the neighborhood eatery, Beaumont’s. That place is super cute, good food and a fun atmosphere. Good times were had by all :)

On Friday we ventured out to Temecula to do a little wine tasting! We had so much fun trying three different wineries: Thorton, Maurice Car'rie and La Cereza.

Thorton

This place was just gorgeous with a huge herb garden that Mike loved (more to come on our own herb garden!). We shared some great appetizers and tasted 4 types of wine and 4 types of sparkling wine (aka champagne). Some were good, some were not my cup of tea.

Yummy!

Beautiful!

The tasting room!

Lovies

Maurice Carie

This was a suggestion from Kathleen and it was great. I loved the big house with the huge wrap around porch. We tasted 6 types of wine here and really liked most of them! We had nice picnic out on the porch including cheese and crackers and some kiwi. Unfortunately, since it was Friday and not a weekend, they were not serving their famous home cooked sourdough bread with brie that Kat raved about. To my surprise and delight, my mom was able to purchase the sourdough, complete with cooking instructions and we were able to make it at home. I loved it!

THE bread

My two favorite guys

La Cereza

This place looked just like a little Tuscan villa…which of course won me over from the start. But most importantly, we found our favorite drink of the day here- a peach sparkling wine that was just so refreshing! Mike even ended up loving it so we bought a couple bottles.

A little cigar tastin' too!

Saturday we walked around Bird Rock and got some beach time in as well. It was a gorgeous day and nice and warm.

The last time my parents came to San Diego, which was in 1994 for a business meeting my Dad was attending, they went out to an exquisite dinner at a place called the Marine Room. Although it had been 15 years, they said we just had to try it- the food had been amazing and the restaurant itself was literally right on the beach. On high tide mornings, the water actually hits the side of the restaurant. Well, the Marine Room did not disappoint. Mike even said it was the best meal he had ever had. I would probably have to agree…it was AMAZING! We even celebrated Mike’s birthday about 5 months early- my Mom’s ridiculous rationalization for spending so much money on a fancy dinner. Happy (VERY) early birthday, Mike!

Sunday we just relaxed and with peach champagne in hand, watched a ton of football.

We really had such a great visit. Can’t wait for the next time they come out!