A NICE NIGHT

fospresentation

Yesterday was one of those days where suddenly it was 4 PM and neither B nor I had eaten anything of substance all day long. We were both hungry, but feeling adventurous, so we made our way to The Patio.

A while back, B met a colleague for drinks and came home saying how we simply must go back. It’s taken us months to do so, but we finally found our way there and it did not disappoint. In fact, it was easily the greatest restaurant experience I’ve had since moving to San Diego three years ago. The food, the service, the atmosphere, absolutely everything was divine.

The very best part was that, because we hadn’t made reservations, the only seats available were at the bar by the kitchen. For an amateur chef like me, this was the best seat in the house! Have any of you ever seen an industrial sized immersion blender? Because I’m here to tell you that sucker is capital h-u-g-e.

To start, we ordered French onion soup which was sweet and savory. Not only did it hit the spot, it set the tone for the rest of the meal, which was comprised of a sampling of smaller plates. We ordered caramelized brussels + cauliflower (which I think was the winner, for me), a garlic and spinach flatbread, three kinds of hummus, and my mister had himself a burger. The chef sent us over a sample sized ahi poke taco, as well as a couple off menu truffles sprinkled with gold dust. Everything was presented beautifully and brought to our table with a smile. I left feeling well fed and well taken care of, the ultimate goal of dining out, I think.

It just so happened that we parked in front of The Front Porch, sister company to the Patio, and the sweetest little pantry shop filled with cook books and sundry seasonings, and a huge assortment of specialty oils and vinegars. A girl like me can get lost in a place like that for hours. I might have stopped in twice yesterday, once before dinner and once after, and I might have acquired a few new treats on both occasions. And since I can’t stop thinking about this book (or this one, which was featured at the class I took yesterday), I might have to make another trip in again soon. Not to mention the fact that they serve lunch + dessert in adorable packaging, made daily by the chefs at the Patio.

Don’t you just love stumbling into places like that? I do. Especially when they’re in my neighborhood.

A MOST SPECIAL BIRTHDAY

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courtesy of my favorite instagram account

Today, we celebrated 35 years of Mister Babe Elliott Baker, the most lovely human of all.

Actually, the celebration started Friday, with a leisurely date night. Just the two of us, we enjoyed an incredible meal, found this great jacket for the birthday boy, and caught a very late showing of Wolf of Wall Street. Even though I slept for more than two of the three hour film, it was our first trip to the movie theatre since 2012 and I loved every second of it. Plus, I’d already seen it (I’d like the thank the Academy for that one) so a nap on the lap of my love was pretty much perfection.

In spite of yesterday’s royal SNAFU, we managed to get ourselves good and ready to have this baby by finally ordering all the supplies for the home birth. The nesting hormones have kicked in at full throttle, and I’d have reorganized my entire house if it weren’t for this foot of mine. Why oh why did I have to break my foot? I’m still searching for the lesson in this one, though I have my theories.

We had intended to go to the museum today, but learned last minute that it is closed this week for installation! Instead, we spent the day having spontaneous adventures that included donuts for brunch, and you just can’t go wrong when your day starts with donuts, am I right? The kids and I made sure the guest of honor felt positively spoiled, and I mean, I couldn’t have had a better time if it were my own birthday. Which is convenient, seeing as today is my half-birthday.

Isn’t that cute?

SHAKEY GRAVES

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A while back, my mister and I discovered an Austin, TX based musician called Shakey Graves. It was love at first listen. Last year, while in Austin for a wedding, we got to see him play at Stubb’s and it was just perfect.

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Tonight, he’s playing at Soda Bar here in San Diego, which means I got me a hot date with my love!

shakeygraves.com // @shakeygraves