San Diego April 2006 Journal

 
San Diego, California, 21-28 April 2006
 
I was in San Diego for a week, which took a Grants training class for my job.  I left Maryland on Friday April 21st so I could have the weekend to tour around.  It was my first time to San Diego
 
I flew on Southwest airlines, which I hate!  I didn't think about doing the online check in and ended up with a boarding pass of "C", the third group to board. I got stuck in the middle seat, which was very narrow and very uncomfortable.  I would be sure to access the Internet on Thursday to get my boarding pass for the return flight.  I did pick up a sandwich for lunch, as I was told that SW doesn't serve anything. 
 
My flight landed about 30 minutes early, but then we had to wait what seemed forever to get our luggage.   The travel office that booked my tickets booked my rental car through Thrifty.  I was shuttled to the location, which was quite a distance away. In fact, I could see the Holiday Inn on the Bay and told the drive he might as well drive me there.  Once at the rental place, I waited another 1/2 hour.  I did get a nice convertible! 
 
It was just a 5-minute drive to the hotel.  The hotel was fully booked, so I ended up on the 10th floor of the south tower (1084) facing the city.  I really wanted a room facing the bay. 
 
After unpacking a few things, I headed out for the afternoon first stopping at the tourist office just down the street.  I bought a ticket to tour the aircraft carrier Midway ($15).  It was quite interesting, but very similar to the Intrepid in NYC.   Many guys were setting up chairs and tables for some sort of tiki party.  Up on deck a ceremony was taking place.  I sat to listen to a docent talk about the process of a jet taking off with the catapult.  I was glad I had my jacket with me, as it was cool (about 65 degrees) and windy on the deck of the carrier. 
 
After my tour, I headed to the SeaportVillage.  There were many little shops and eating-places, including a place where one can purchase Talavera tiles.  I was getting hungry, so I walked to the Fish Market restaurant.  I arrived about 4:30pm.  I had called earlier to make 6:30pm reservations, but by 4:30 I was hungry!  I sat inside at the window, so I had a nice view of the bay.  I started my dinner with their panko calamari.  Thank goodness I hadn’t order my main meal yet.  I realized that a full dinner would have been too much, so I ordered a shrimp salad.  It was good but pricey for the amount of shrimp I got. I did have a glass of wine with my meal.  Service was very slow at the beginning.  I finally had to flag down a waiter to wait on me.  Several had passed me but didn't stop. 
 
I saw a lot of homeless people hanging around, so I was glad I was able to walk back to the hotel while it was still light outside. 
 
I stopped at the Anthony's fish grotto for a drink at the bar.  The place was packed!  I spent the rest of the evening hanging out with a young couple who sat next to me at the bar waiting for their table.  They invited me to join them at their table, so I did.  They were a lot of fun.  I ordered a cup of the clam chowder, which was pretty good.  They wanted to go to the bar at my hotel, so I went along.  After a while, I said my goodbyes.  It was getting late and I wanted to try to keep on east coast time (that didn’t happen).
 
Saturday, April 22nd.  I woke up to cloudy skies.  I had plans to spend the day with my friend Jeff, who I originally met on my May 2003 Mediterranean cruise.  We also sailed together again last year to the Baltics.  He picked me up around 8:15am and we had breakfast at Busters Beach House in the SeaportVillage.  I ordered a 1/2 stack of pancakes and could eat only 1/2 of that! 
 
Our plans were to head over to Coronado on the ferry, but we had some time before the next boat.  He drove around the city area, including the Gaslamp quarter, Little Italy, and over near ShelterIsland.  We passed by the Navy base where stayed for the rest of the week. 
 
Back on Harbor Drive, we parked the car and bought our $6 round trip tickets and took the 10am ferry.  It took about 20 minutes to get to Coronado.  From there we took the local shuttle bus ($1) to get to the Coronado Hotel.  This is the hotel where Some Like It Hot was filmed.  It's a beautiful hotel with lots of wood paneling and wood ceilings, lovely ceiling fans and a huge chandelier in the lobby.  Out back facing the beach is a restaurant, a pool for guests, etc. 
 
One thing I really liked about this area is all the tropical plants and flowers.  It made me think I'd like to move back to Hawaii or even in San Diego.
 
We caught the shuttle bus back to the ferry station, picked up some sodas and headed back to the car.
 
The rest of the day consisted of a nice drive heading north along the coast, stopping along the way to such areas as MissionBayPark, PacificBeach, La Jolla, etc.  We stopped at one point to Children's Pool in La Jolla where a dozen or so seals were basking in the sun on the beach and rocks.  There were a few young seals too. 
 
We stopped for lunch at Charlie’s at Cardiff By The Sea.  We just shared an order of the chicken quesadillas (very good!) and had a round of drinks. 
 
After, we headed to Carlsbad and toured the Flower Fields (of course I can't tell anyone that Jeff visited the fields too).  It got us in at $7 versus $8 using my military ID card.  (I should have asked for a discount when I went on the Midway).  The fields were absolutely beautiful!  These flowers are in bloom for about 6 weeks.  The bulbs are harvested for sale at their location and across the USA.  They also sell fresh cut flowers.  These flowers are grown on 50+ acres of land and the colors are set in rows. 
 
Jeff and I chatted with a woman, who stopped us asking if we knew what kind of soil the flowers were grown in.  Her name was Sandy and very friendly.  We later asked one of the employees, who stated it was "...just sandy soil."  We laughed! 
 
We stopped in Encinitas so Jeff could access the internet (he's always working).  I walked around the town for about 30 minutes, which after he picked me up.  We headed back to the city and we were both tired.  I told him we could skip dinner together and he was quite agreeable. 
 
After dropping me off at my hotel and freshening up, I walked to the Gaslamp quarter.  It took about 40 minutes, but it was a nice walk.  I went up Broadway and then right on 5th avenue.  The area was packed with people and people filled the restaurants.  Jeff recommended Dussini's, which is located close to the stadium.  While walking there, I saw several homeless and also young guys, which I felt a little uncomfortable.  I decided that I would take a taxi back to the hotel after dinner.  Dinner was excellent.  I ordered a glass of white wine and their ragu Bolognese.  The prices were very reasonable.  As my starter, I had some delicious olive bread, sourdough bread, and flat bread with olive tapenade, a sweet butter, and a hummus.  I could have had that as my meal!  I could eat only 1/2 of my meal and took the rest back to the hotel.  My taxi ride was $6.20, which I tipped $2.  After my shower and a little t.v. watching (well, mostly looking over my tour stuff) I went to sleep.
 
Sunday April 23rd.  I didn't sleep well at all last night.  The Amtrak trains were coming and going till at least midnight or so.  They were tooting their horns constantly!  I got up at 6:30am, packed my bags and headed to the zoo.  I would also visit the OldTown and later in the day would drive to Del Mar to meet Jeff and his girlfriend Pat for dinner at Fresh Seafood Restaurant. 
 
I had a nice time at the zoo. I arrived around 9:15am.  About 100 cars were already parked.  I purchased the "group" ticket, which consisted of the entry fee, the 45-minute bus ride around the zoo grounds and the tram ride.  I got a 10% discount using my military id card.  The zoo is set up on a lot of hills, so the bus, tram, and express bus were great to use.  My favorite sights were the giraffe, elephants, 100-year-old Galapagos turtles, the pink flamingos, and polar bears (although they didn't enter their pool while I was there). 
 
It had started to rain when I arrived, but stopped about 40 minutes later.  It turned into a beautiful day!  After about 2.5 hours at the zoo, I drove to OldTown.  Fortunately there is free parking, a rarity in this city.  I did some window-shopping and had a great lunch at the Old Town Mexican restaurant.  I sat at the bar, as the wait was at least 45 minutes to an hour.  Hungry diners waited in line outside.  I enjoyed one of the house specialties:  Pork Carnitas served with tortillas, cilantro, onion, avocado, tomatoes and beans with shredded cheese on top.  Also, wedges of lime were included to squeeze on the food.  I also enjoyed the 1800 Cadillac margarita, made with 1800 Reposado Tequila and Grand Marnier.
 
Jeff had called a couple of times so we could make dinner plans along with his girlfriend Pat.  He gave me directions to the Fresh Seafood restaurant in La Jolla.  It took only 20-25 minutes to get there from the base.  I met them at 6pm.   We all had a nice time together and really enjoyed the food.  It was expensive (dinner entrees ranged from $22 to $32) but delicious.  Jeff and I ordered the Coriander Crusted MahiMahi served with a shrimp risotto and port reduction ($25.95).  Pat ordered the White Prawn Crusted Seabass served with spinach.  With a couple of glasses of wine and tip, my meal came to just over $50, which I think was worth the price for the food, ambiance, service, and of course being with good friends.
 
After dinner, I followed Jeff and Pat to MountSoledad, which as spectacular views of San Diego and the surrounding areas.  We said our goodbyes and I drove back to the base.  I did stop at a grocery store so I could have bottled water in the room (and for class), as well as a bottle of wine for the week. 
 
Monday April 24th.  Since my first day of class didn't start until 1pm, I took a morning drive up to Point Loma to see the lighthouse. Along the way I stopped at the FortRosecransNationalCemetery, which looks over towards the ocean.  I toured the lighthouse, which was very interesting.  I couldn't imagine living there in the late 1800s managing the lighthouse.  According to the notes on the boards, people rarely came by to visit the family living at the lighthouse, as it took a full day to get there from San Diego.  It must have been a very lonely life.
 
Before class, I had lunch at Miguel Cucina, which is near the base.  Another one is located on Coronado.  Their chicken quesadilla Suprema with avocado, melted cheese, and sour cream, was very good and quite filling.  They also serve with their tortilla chips a white cheese dip, salsa, and pickled carrots. 
 
Class lasted between 1pm and 4pm.  I liked that!  There were 22 students in the class.  Fridays test would be open book with 35 questions. 
 
For dinner, I drove to the Gaslamp quarter and parked at Horton’s Plaza.  As I drove into the parking garage (with no immediate exit), I saw the sign:  "20 minutes $2.00."  I was floored!!  Then I saw a signed that stated "validated...3 hours..." so I decided I had to buy something so I wouldn't have to pay a fortune for parking. I first walked out and to the travel store 1/2 way down the block (4th street).  Lots of good travel items, but a little pricey.  I did purchase a foldable jewelry purse.  I went back to the mall and walked around before dinner.  I had plans to dine at the Star of India but then I noticed at the food court there was a Star of India Express.  I decided to order dinner there and get my parking ticket validated at the same time.   I had a good dinner:  chicken tikka and ground beef dish with peas and carrots; and nan.  It was a huge amount, so I took the rest home for lunch another day.
 
Tuesday April 25th.  After class (subway sandwich for lunch) I drove to Andre's restaurant for some Cuban food.  It was wonderful!  I ordered the ropavieja, which included black beans and rice.  Along with a glass of wine (and bread with garlic and olive oil on top) my bill came to $23.88.  I had plenty of leftovers for lunch another day.  It was a little difficult to find, as Morena Blvd splits (stay to the right).  The place was pretty empty - just a few couples - but by the time I left, most tables were filled.
 
Wednesday April 26th.  I picked up my friend Melissa Change (from Honolulu) after class, who was in town for a couple of days.  We drove to the Gaslamp quarter and parked at the HortonPlaza.  She was able to get the parking ticket validated with a purchase she made.
 
For dinner, we dined at the Dakota Grill and Spirits.  It's a lovely restaurant, quite lively, and filled with office workers relaxing after their day at work.  We started our meal with the Bacon Wrapped Sea Scallops (3 huge scallops) with sautéed wild mushrooms drizzled with a balsamic reduction.  They were delicious and perfectly cooked ($10.95).  For our entree, we ordered the Mixed Rotisserie for Two, consisting of a pork prime rib, half chicken, and beef tenderloin (cooked rare - perfect), served with garlic mashed potatoes and green beans ($42.95).  I thought this was a very good deal compared to the other very expensive menu items for 1 person.   With 2 glasses of wine and tip, my bill came to $49.51.
 
We got back to the car in time - 3 hours for validation.  I dropped Melissa at her hotel after a few wrong one-way streets.  It was good to see her and I'll see her again at my house in June.
 
Tony had called while we were in the restaurant but since the place was very noisy, I didn't hear the phone ring.  It was too late to call him.
 
Thursday April 27th.  I paid my hotel bill so I wouldn't have to worry about it the next day.  I want to be able to get to the airport early enough to get a good seat - window or isle.  For lunch, I enjoyed my Cuban leftovers!
 
After class I went to my room to freshen up and packed most of my clothes.  I decided to dine in town at the SeaportVillage, San Diego Pier Cafe, which was recommended by a co-student.  Since I wanted to return my car earlier than planned, I thought a nice little walk around the village would be nice.  It was cold in the late afternoon, so I didn't walk around too long.  I had an early dinner sitting by the window.  This place has nice water views, as the building hangs over the water.  I had a delicious salmon meal with rice pilaf and a nice portion of avocado and salsa.  There was also a white sauce.  The sourdough rolls (3) were huge.  I also had a glass of wine.  This meal was probably one of the better-priced meals and it was very good.  The dish I ordered was one of the chef's specials. 
 
After dinner, I drove to the Thrifty car rental off Pacific Highway and Laurel Street.  I took the shuttle bus to the airport, and then a taxi to the base, although I could have walked it (only 1 mile west of the airport).  My very short taxi ride cost me $6 (with tip).  Back in the room I called Tony and finished my packing while having the last bit of my white wine. 
 
Friday April 28th.  I got up a little earlier, as class was going to start at 7:45am.  After chapter 6, we took our exam, which was an hour long.  I did very well on the exam. Now I'll be able to get my next contracting certification (Level III). 
 
After class, I walked back to my room, picked up my suitcase and box lunch, and walked to the gate entrance to wait for Kevin (co-student) pick me up and take me to the airport.  He was a great help in that I didn't have to worry about flagging down a taxi.
 
It's 1:18pm now (in-flight) and we're just now being served their wonderful box travel snack that is served on Southwest airlines.  This morning I prepared my own box lunch consisting of the sourdough roll (and butter), and my leftovers from Dakota's (chicken, which I cut into pieces), the pork and the garlic potatoes.  I just ordered a glass of wine to enjoy since I'm still getting per diem and don't plan to buy any other meals today. 
 
I really enjoyed my visit to San Diego.  I got to see a lot, although I missed many museums and other sights.  I would like to visit BalboaPark the next time and dine at the Prado restaurant.  Next time I'll also go to the wild animal park.
 
Monica