There’s so much to do in San Diego – it’s overwhelming.
I know… tough problems.
The food here is unreal and we’ve been steadily working our way through my (ever growing) “restaurants to try” list. However, there’s a ton of other things to do that Vegas and I have been neglecting. This weekend we decided it would be playtime! I think both of our stomachs breathed a sigh of relief.
Friday I finally manned up for something I’ve wanted to do since joining the gym in San Diego – I took my first Spin class in years. It wasn’t half bad! That room was like a sauna though. I think I lost 5 lbs in water weight alone!
I also had too much fun playing with my new InstaSize app.
Vegas and I have wanted to do more cooking together. When my landlady asked me to make a chocolate cake for her dad’s birthday party, Vegas and I decided it was the perfect first project.
I used Smitten Kitchen’s Chocolate Stout Cake recipe. I’d made it once before and it delicious – perfectly moist and not teeth-achingly rich. I followed the recipe to the letter, except I reduced the coffee in the ganache to 1/2 tsp (I found it to be a bit overpowering previously). As my landlady’s hubby said, “It’s the perfect adult cake.”
Apparently this is a crazy El Niño year, meaning San Diego is uncharacteristically hot and humid. It feels like I’m back in Atlanta. All this to say, we had salads for dinner. (Followed by a teensy “tester” muffin of that cake.)
My salad was a rainbow of cucumber, rainbow carrots, red bell peppers, avocado, hemp seeds, and tempeh topped with sriracha. For the tempeh, I just sliced it, slathered it with a mix of hummus and lemon juice, and baked it at 350 for 15 mins.
I should have taken a “Hers and Hers” pic of our dinners. Vegas had a salad, but she won’t eat tempeh (or sriracha). Instead she had a baked potato and chicken.
Saturday morning we needed some serious breakfast fuel for our activity of the day. So I went a little experimental. Savory waffles topped with guac, cherry tomatoes, and #yolkporn.
This strange-but-goodness will be on the blog Friday!
All that fuel was for a new adventure – a beach bike ride! We intended to start doing this months ago. Doh.
You really can’t beat a ride with a view like this:
Mission Bay bike ride
Obviously, we couldn’t do anything half way. For our first outing we rode 17.5 miles! Holy soreness.
We stopped half way at the site of the birthplace of the modern triathlon for a pic. Yes, there is actually a plaque dedicated to it. Vegas has done a few tris. She told me I should consider it. One day I’ll learn “never say never,” but HELLLLL NO. I hate to swim. Good thing we moved to the beach…
After the day’s biking adventure, we decided to have a movie night. We watched The Family with Michelle Pfeiffer. It was ok… maybe not the best idea to watch a mob movie before bed, but whatever.
It was still hot as hell – did I mention we live in a 1929 house that doesn’t have A/C? That demands homemade Greek Froyo for dessert. It’s so easy!
- Mix 1/2 C Greek yogurt with half a scoop of protein powder and add any favorite mix-ins.
- Then stir in enough liquid to thin (I use unsweetened vanilla almond milk).
- Placed bowl in the freezer for about half an hour.
- Top as desired and devour!
Vegas wanted chocolate and I wanted peanut butter, so she got BSN Chocolate Cake Batter
We happily gobbled it down with the movies. Vegas looked surprised as she admitted that she really did like it.
You’d think we would lay low the next day… but no. We walked 2 miles to the Hillcrest Farmer’s Market for the week’s veggies. We always get Thai Coconut Pancakes to snack on at the end – they’re so light and fluffy! I think all that’s in them is crack rice flour, coconut milk, and sugar.
Clockwise: Hillcrest pride flag, veggie booth, and pancakes.
We walked back home and got ready to head to the beach! This should be relaxing – and it was once we got there. We went to the Black’s Beach, which requires a relatively short but super steep hike to get to.
Did I mention it’s the nude beach? Yup. The one I went to a couple weeks ago. Vegas needed to experience it for herself. I think she agreed with my observations. I could make jokes about the phallic rock structure we were laying next to… but I’ll just leave this here.
Back home after Vegas finished cursing at me for the steep hike back up we cooked an awesome together dinner from out farmer’s market finds.
Fresh pasta topped with a roasted red pepper sauce (a la Vegas) and grilled chicken. I marinated the chicken in oregano, thyme, and balsamic for half an hour before cooking. I have no idea what Vegas did for the sauce but it was fabulous. The side salads were made with fresh veggies from the market too. We love all the delicious local food to be found here!
***
It was a marvelously active weekend! Over 50,000 steps in 3 days… *yawn*
Do you ever make separate meals for you and your significant other or kids?
Cycling: Do you prefer spin, road, or trail biking? Or no biking…
wait NUDE BEACH WHAT??
I must experience that some day.
🙂
And I do make different stuff for the child sometimes.
but mainly mostly she eats what I do…so theres no hope for her to be normal 🙂
I nearly tried some of those coconut pancakes at Borough Market on Friday but went for pad Thai instead.. I shall have to return!
This looks an awesome weekend 🙂 I’m all about the road biking, trails scare me and you don’t get the wind in your hair feeling on a spin bike!
Oh, you have to try them! It’s a totally different thing than pad Thai, but just as delicious!
You guys sure do know how to weekend!!! I think you should also add “bitching” to the title…and totally justified for the humidity…we’re experiencing the same on the east coast and it’s horrible.
I love the birthplace of the modern day triathlon and, never say never :-))))
I think I need to come live you with you guys.
And yeah, I made separate meals sometimes. My meals are more….creative? And Jason’s are more normal. And then Alexander would be perfectly happy eating just cheese and mandarin oranges.
You’re always welcome! You and I can eat my food and Vegas and Jason can have pizza. 😉
Luckily my husband is a super adventurous eater and will basically eat everything…. including any weird concoctions I make (including the ones that go wrong and I don’t like)…
It’s so hot in Phoenix I can’t even go outside then wearing a huge knee brace for my broken leg has me sweating even more. Where is the rain this year? Believe me, I feel your pain but no a/c? That is horrible!
Please don’t tell me that. We’re going to AZ Wednesday. Oy.
That sounds like an amazing weekend! I’m right there with you re the triathlon – I think that sounds like hell on earth. That pasta looks delicious!
So much to do and see there. I love seeing the pics from all of your adventures. I love a good spin class, but haven’t been to one in years (since my gym closed). I don’t just love riding bikes b/c I’m a huge chicken, but I do ride with hubby who really enjoys cycling. It’s a nice way to be outdoors together at least.
Thank you! I find something new every day it seems. And yes, biking together has been fun. I’d have never done it alone!
17.5 miles? I”m impressed! why don’t you bike yourself down to texas and bring me some cake. deal?
Riiiiiigth. I’ll be there in 3445445 hours. LOL!
What a gorgeous cake and fun filled weekend! I prefer road cycling all the way which is one of the reasons we live out in the boonies: for the cycling!
I don’t make separate meals in total for my husband but I will leave out mushrooms and tomatoes for him and give them all to me!!!
I love that thought – more for you! I do that with anything spicy. 🙂
OK.. all of your food pics have me drooling!! That cake.. OMG – so yummy!
SO um, can I have your life!?
Hi Laura! When my hubby and I first moved to San Francisco almost three years ago, I started a restaurant list, and we’ve been adding to it ever since. It’s fun to try new places! And it’s SUPER hot here too, which I’m totally over. But it’s not humid at all, like you guys are feeling. As far as swimming? I grew up in Florida, yet I still don’t love to swim, so I would NEVER do a triathalon either. Thanks for sharing all of your delicious eats! Happy Monday!
Love San Diego! Obvi! And I too love Yolk Porn and that cake looks amazing! Next stop: Beer tours!
OMG – we totally need to make a beer tour happen!
I love spin classes (never get to take them) and I love biking outside (rarely do) so I bike inside in my living room….not much fun, but I still get to bike and is my cardio of choice ALWAYS!
Sounds like a fab weekend!! I feel your pain, our house – built way later than your place – doesn’t have A/C either. I’ve found out that it’s pretty common in SD – but whew, in July & August I wish we had it! Instead we have a heater that I literally have never turned on…. any who, I love biking in SD! My favorite is mountain biking, but I also love biking along the beach.
People keep telling this is worse than usual because of El Nino. Next year I hope to be spoiled. 🙂
I need to pick your brain on places to mountain bike!
Have never gone to a spin class before, however I do love biking! Loved seeing all of your awesome eats this weekend!
Holy active weekend Batman! It sounds super fun though. I was never a huge fan of Spin classes until the last few months, but I love them now. I have never really done any other sort of biking though. I am sure it is more fun than sitting in a room. And I almost always make different things for my husband and daughter. The base ingredients are the same, but the add ins are usually different.
That tempeh- yum!!! My husband will pretty much eat anything, so the only time I make separate meals is if I am not really wanting a traditional dinner (but oatmeal or eggs), he usually wants “dinner.”
Haha, I never make separate meals – my husband eats whatever I cook (though I will say, at least I *think* I am a pretty good chef)! 🙂 As for cycling, I’m 100% about the road. I like the outdoors, but am not agile enough I feel like to ride on trails (though I have given it a whirl a few times).
I’m with you on the trail rides! I want to do it but I know I’d break my neck.
I was really lucky that when I decided to stop eating meat my husband chose to do so too, so I never had that situation where I had to make two different meals.
What a wonderful weekend. I love seeing you two enjoying San Diego. It’s such a wonderful city. I think I told you before my Aunt lived in Hillcrest (or very near there, on Robinson and 14th, I think? Does that sound right?). It’s such a fun, funky little area.
That’s really close by! It’s a fabulous part of town. And close to Whole Foods. Haha!
NEED that pasta! Seriously, looks so fresh!
It was! There’s nothing like homemade pasta.
That looks like an ideal weekend! David and I spent the weekend exploring more of Perth and we found our local weekly farmers market – oh wow it was incredible, the fruit and veg choices are insane! I cannot wait to go back and get more.
We explored so much on Saturday that we tracked our walk when we got back and realised we had walked almost 14 miles! We need to go cycle shopping soon!
That’s so awesome! 14 miles without realizing it is perfection.
I am in love with San Diego, in fact my husband and I talk about how we want to retire there (expensive) but so beautiful. I do sometimes make separate meals for everyone. My husband has digestion issues, my kids can be picky and I like to eat mainly veggies. Oy! It’s complicated, but I do try and make everyone happy and others times I like, “this is what you get. Don’t like it? Then wait for the next meal.”
You should! Come for a visit any time! 🙂
I get it… I actually made Vegas eat salmon tonight because I didn’t feel like cooking meat separately. Shhhh…
I ABHOR spinning and tempha or what ever the fuck that shit is……. Gives me the shits in fact, bah ha ha!
But I do love me that grilled chicken, and your sweet ass, so I guess I will let it fly … FOR NOW
Wait. Does it REALLY give you the shits?!
Would I lie about something like that? lol
I can’t believe I ever doubted you.
Of course you love biking. Especially after a bottle of Amarone and Whiskey.
You write these posts on purpose. I know it.
I’m still shocked I survived.
I’m a fan of nude beaches, I’m always looking for excuse to show off my body, lol I guess that ‘s what happens when you lose 100 pounds. 🙂 You had one busy weekend! love all the food pics
Hell yeah – show that awesome sauce off!
So happy to have found your awesome blog via Pinterest!! Love it so much!
Thank you so much! Pinterest is the jam.
Love spinning, but spinning in a sauna doesn’t sound as pleasant.
Congrats on the bike ride. I always thought biking in the heat wasn’t too bad. I found it better than walking since you have a better breeze! Although in Houston, we used to multiply our “fitness difficulty” by 1.5x when we would cycle in the summer because it felt more difficult.
Otherwise, I totally don’t envy your lack of a/c. A lot of the old homes here also don’t have a/c. Thank goodness, when we bought our new house, it was still 80 years old but with a/c, otherwise we’d be dying right about now.
There’s absolutely NO way you could live in Houston or ATL or anywhere warmer than here without A/C. It’s unreal!
Ohh Thai Coconut Pancakes sound so good! I’ll have to look for them, hopefully at a market closer to me. I’m always amazed at your posts because you do so much in them! I’ve been eating out like crazy but hope I can make it a priority to cook a little more as well as kick up my workout efforts. Perhaps for my three-day weekend coming up!
I think we do so much because everything it so new here… I’m sure we’ll wear ourselves out soon. LOL!
Hope you had a great weekend! The Thai guy is at Little Italy too, btw!
The birthplace of the tri? So cool. San Diego is such an awesome place but I haven’t been since I was little. I really want to go back!
I love spinning.
I want to go to the nude beach.
I say do the TRI. I want to do one too.
Your food game is on point.
Come here and we can spin and then nude beach it. No tri. Extra food game.