San Diego Love : First Lap Around Carlsbad by the Sea

Recently I took some time after work to explore a new-to-me part of San Diego. I have been missing the Portland Love posts that I use to do and figured that it was time to explore the place I've been living in for so many years.
Lately I've been taking the time after my morning job to take myself on little dates to eat and take pictures around my workplace.
I can't believe I haven't taken time to explore this place before! I mean, the beach is beautiful, the different food places are cute and delicious... basically this should be my new hang out area.

The latest me date went a little like this:
I couldn't decide what I wanted for food after I found out that this pizza place I want to try is a food card and you can only find where they are through facebook and twitter (SERIOUSLY? But the pizza looks soooo good.)
Anywho, after giving up on that kind of thin crusted pizza I decided I would try a local hotspot called

Señor Grubby's and had their California burrito. I have to admit, I was very skeptical of this place at first.

I wondered just how good their mexican food could be considering it looked very... well, white.
It was soooo delicious. 

I stopped myself (somehow) from eating the whole burrito so I could stop by Boxd: Handcrafted Waffles.

The place is adorable. It's this little box type thing, looks like a huge storage box but they made it into a small restaurant (Portland food carts... I'm sure you were a part of the inspiration) where they make sweet and savory waffles.

Now, it's no Waffle Window with seasonal berry waffles and lemon curd but goodness they are still delicious. I ate my waffle with nutella and banana and talked to some strangers that came to the shaded seats where I was.

Did I mention the seating area is outside on fake grass with lounge chairs? SO CUTE!

So basically, if you are in the Carlsbad by the Sea area check these places out. I think next on my list is to stop by Red Oven Pizza when they make a stop somewhere convenient for me and then who knows.

xoxo

Memory Lane: Old Town

As mentioned in a previous post, I started a Meet Up group a couple of months ago. For our second walk around I chose Old Town. At first I couldn't think of a specific place to meet but then I decided to search for a random landmark in the middle and go from there. So Johnson House it was. I never even went in the Johnson House but we did walk around the circle of the old style store fronts. 

Once we did a tour of that area and found all that we wanted to take pictures of I led the group to where I thought one of my childhood houses was. I was so right on the dot! I had NO IDEA when I was little that I had lived right in the middle of Old Town. How crazy is that? I mean, I was 5-7 years old at the time we lived there so I guess I can't get too mad at myself for not paying too much attention, but it's pretty rad.
So many little things had changed but the parking lot of the restaurant we lived right by was the same. I remembered learning to ride my bike in that parking lot. As I looked at the gate and the awning in front of the house I thought how odd it was that I didn't remembered it even though it looked like it had been there for a while. Then I realized it's been about 20 years since I've lived there. Twenty. years. Holy shoot!

After my little walk down memory lane we went back into the craziness (it was a Sunday after all) and found more things to take pictures of.

At one point we walked by the Whaley House but we didn't want to pay to go in so we just kept walking to a small cemetery.

At one point we went into the Church of Immaculate Conception. Part of me felt odd taking pictures in there, but I just found the things so beautiful. Even if I don't believe in what they preach (there wasn't a service going on) can I still appreciate the beauty of it?
Honestly, if I were to get into a specific religion I could see Catholicism calling to me, mostly for the beautiful art that is created in it's name.

Brian and I ended up getting really, really hungry so we ended the walk after about two or so hours, but it was another great time and I'm so stoked about how it's turning out.

I'm just trying to figure out how to get other people to come out to the events. It doesn't matter if I plan it a good two weeks in advance... so I've been emailing the people that have joined and seeing what they are hoping from the group.

If you're in San Diego join up and we'll have some photo adventures!

xoxo