Thursday, October 7, 2010

San Diego Dining

We're in San Diego.  The weather all week has been dreary -- rainy and cloudy.  Seems Joe and I have a knack for bringing the odd weather with us...where it should be hot and sunny, it will be cold and rainy....where it should be cool and comfortable, it will be blazing hot and suffocating.... this trip is no different!
Dreary San Diego

However, since my work is indoors, and since I have plenty of it, the weather has not been a big deterrent.  Each evening, Joe and I have tried to find some place to eat, that would give us the "local" flavor.... so far, we have pretty much struck out.
Still Dreary San Diego

Dreary San Diego GasLamp District
Late Saturday night, or early Sunday morning, the disastrous pizza was deemed a complete waste of money.  Monday we decided it was too cold and dreary to really walk around the town, so we opted for the cafe right next door.  It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great...still, it was better than the pizza.  Tuesday evening, giving up on waiting for the sun, we ventured out, walking about a mile, reading menus and such in the "GASLAMP" district.
Dreary San Diego Sightseeing
Vintage Cars -- San Diego Style
This very touristy area was a little too touristy for our taste and we ended up giving a little, modestly priced Chinese restaurant a try.  I suppose it SHOULD have been an obvious clue when the waitress, questioned as to what was good there, confessed that she does not know...she does not eat there.

Still, we ordered our food and it arrived...lots of it.  I will say this about that.  They did not skimp on portions.  I wish they had.  My General Tso's Chicken did not taste remotely like what I am used to.  The fried rice was clearly white rice with a hint of soy sauce, not fried at all, and the spring roll, was, I think, from LAST spring.... the soup, hot and sour soup, was profoundly tasteless, though I considered myself lucky I had NOT ordered the "egg drop soup" Joe had ordered, which smelled VERY strongly of fish!  In the end, I ate most of my soup, and a couple of bites of the "chicken" and determined I would be better off eating nothing more, than forcing myself to eat something that would likely make me wish I hadn't.

Ummm -- Not So Good Chinese Food
So Wednesday night, the night we'd planned to go over and visit with my brother Ray and his family, arrived and off we went.  Happily, the cuisine, though not perhaps the "taste of San Diego," was a welcome taste!  Denise, my sister-in-law, had whipped up some of the most tasty snacks....apricot wrapped with bacon.... I had never tasted anything like these and they were delicious!
Visiting in the Kitchen While Denise Cooks
I could not believe how TALL my nephew and niece are!   Last I saw them, they were still little... I SWEAR they were!   And here they were, both of them now taller than me, for goodness sake!  We talked about Andrew, and his learner's permit, and his excitement about driving.  And we talked of Haley and her recent role in the production of Les Mis....  (Whore #1???).  After visiting while Denise cooked, we all sat down to a lovely supper of beef stroganof, broccoli and crescent rolls.

Good Food, Good Company

We told stories, laughed, caught up on everything and ate until we'd had our fill.  Before we retired to the living room to play and sing, Denise brought out the brownies, and we all managed to find just a little more room in our bellies for the chocolately delight!

Ray -- Strumming his Six String...
Having Fun Making Music
With our appetites sated, we moved our discussion to the living room, and before long, the guitar appeared, as did the harmonicas, and the CD filling the air with musical favorites was replaced with the six of us playing and singing old standbys.

Andrew and Denise
Audience Participation Song!
It was a fun, comfortable evening.  Just before eleven, cognizant of the fact the kids had school in the morning, we called a halt to our singing and playing and bid them all farewell.  It was wonderful getting to see them and we might have a chance for a repeat visit this weekend, though nothing is yet firmed up.
Ray, Judy, Haley, Denise
Today the sun finally decided to grace us with its appearance.  It is a welcome sight, especially since I also wrapped up the on-site part of my work today.  Tomorrow might actually offer a little sight seeing opportunity. Tonight we will try once more for the local flavor, but, if we strike out again, at least we had a decent meal ONE night in this town!

Sun Trying to Peek Out
Sunny San Diego



1 comment:

Sharon said...

Oh, man, being a tourist in a tourist town and trying to find decent food! Hint: Ask the doorman, front clerk or maid where they go out to eat when they don't eat at home. The tourist restaurants could care less about their food, they probably won't see you again anyway.

MMmmm! Beef Stroganoff! Love that stuff, the real stuff made from scratch.

Oh, try a taco/burrito stand where the locals go. I've not been to San Diego but they had some pretty good Mexican food up in Pasadena!