Just when I thought San Diego couldn’t get any better…
Seeing the 30 degree temps in Atlanta seals the deal too.
This weekend happened. Â We started Friday with a new tradition: date night picnic in the park. Â If you haven’t been to Balboa Park in San Diego, add it to your bucket list. Â It’s huge – think Central Park on steroids. Â There are 65 mile of trails, museums, a zoo, a theatre, and more gardens than I can count.
We packed turkey sandwiches, hummus, and veggies and set out for a picnic in the rose garden. Â It’s my favorite part of the park. Â The best part was laying around after we ate and taking in the view.
Woking from home also means that breakfasts are awesome.  I roll out of bed, make our morning cocktails, and work for a bit in my PJs before roaming back into the kitchen to create something fun.
Fresh eggs have been on the menu lately.  This open faced (read: I over-stuffed) breakfast tacos with arugula, chicken, red bell pepper, and #yolkporn is one of my favorites.  Extra-hot salsa.
Vegas and I went to the most epic farmer’s market ever. Â The Little Italy Farmer’s Market is the biggest I’ve ever seen. Â It went on for blocks and blocks. Â Vegas very patiently tailed me as I stopped at every booth, grabbed samples, and bought all sorts of things we may or may not have needed.
I had to have some buttery Prosciutto di Parma
Vegas refused to split a live sea urchin with me. Rude.
I loved my slice of raw vegan pizza. Vegas passed on this in favor of Thai street food. Â More for me!
Vegas also didn’t want any part of my turmeric shot, despite the festive umbrella.
She had NO problems joining in at the brewery though!
We’ve been told that all we do is eat and drink. Â This isn’t entirely true! Â We’ve been walking and/or running 5-10 miles a day and hitting the gym.
Prosciutto and beer gainz!
We’ve also found different way to be active. Â Sunday morning we woke up earl to pick lemons and oranges! Â The excess fruits go to those in need. Â Super cool program and the view was marvelous!
***
I’m already looking forward to next weekend’s market. Â Vegas has found a coffee shop to wait on me hang out in.
Would you have eaten the sea urchin?
What’s your favorite farmer’s market buy? Â I got a ton of greens, berries, and fresh seed bread too!
Dude San Diego sounds amazing- so much fun stuff to explore! Vegas would hate coming to the market with me too- I love to look at every single stall, ask questions and sample as I go along – only way to do it!
When I visit, can we split a sea urchin?
That park sounds ridiculous….Imagine getting lost there!
don’t go till i go! then we can have an URCHIN FEST! LOL! And lucie too, right Laura?
Urchin for everyone! He also had urchin ceviche!
ahhhhhhh there is nothing I miss more than my OAKLAND FARMERS MARKET.
<3 <3 NEED TO COME VISIT YOU <3
Come on already!!!
Ah Balboa Park!!! I remember it well. All this talk of picnics and out-of-this-world farmer’s markets make me want to move to a REAL CITY!!! You sealed the deal with BUTTERY PROSCIUTTO DI PARMA – LOVE!!!!!
I love to get my cheese on at farmers markets! I would definitely pass on the sea urchin lol. I am so not that brave! I would love a turmeric shot though! Fascinating. Looks like life is but a dream for you these days, Laura! 🙂
The shot was surprisingly good. It thought it would be harder to drink, but it was sort of sweet.
So jealous of your farmers market! I’ve yet to find one in Phoenix that’s not just salsa.
How exactly do you eat a sea urchin?
They just cut it in half and hand you a spoon!
Ha, it seems that all I do is eat so I feel ya! I haven’t had a picnic date for sooooo long but I will be in two short weeks hehe
I can’t wait to hear all about this one!
LOVE THIS POST! I am in love with Balboa Park and my sister used to live in Little Italy so she’d take me to that farmer’s market every time I visited….so epic! All the samples are amazing! Do they still have that humus booth?! OMG so good.
Hahah – which one?! There were like 10 varieties of hummus. It was awesome!
The west coast looks good on y’all!!
One of our goals is to have a picnic in the park before we leave Miami 🙂 And I wish I had known years ago about how amazing farmer’s markets. LOVE all the (cheap) produce!
Thanks! It’s pretty awesome here. I can’t wait to hear about your new digs!
I love it! This sounds so ridiculously good that I damn myself for not having San Diego on my USA route this year! Our local farmer’s market is really boring. Greens, cake, meat, eggs and honey in 2 neat rows. A stroll takes you about 2 minutes. But I am glad thre are no sea urchins there. I can think of little that repels me more!
Oh! That’s too bad. Please let me know if you’re ever out this way!
Each time you write about San Diego a little part of me wants to be a west coaster.
This park sounds amazing, what a treat to live so close to so much awesome!
Gaaaaaah,…. your life seems (and I hope it IS) completely IDYLLIC.
Love it.
LOL! It sort of is… so crazy to even think that!
Still never been to San Diego but it’s on my list of places to go. Looks amazing! And the good omg! Never tried sea urchin tho hahahs!!! Maybe another time lol!! And that yolk porn deliciousness yummy!!
Add it to that list and come on for a visit!!!
I might have been tempted to try the sea urchin just out of curiosity!! I definitely would have been in for the brewery!!
It’s happening when Lucie come to visit. I need someone to split it with!
Love Little Italy’s farmer market,but you need to check out Hillcrest market on Sunday also
That’s on the agenda this week! We want to to the fish market at the harbor this Saturday so we’re alternating. 🙂
I was in San Diego for work a few months back and used it as an opportunity to stay with my BFF’s mom and catch up — she lives in Little Italy and took me to the Farmer’s Market. You’re not lying…it was awesome!
So glad you’re enjoying Cali life! Though I’m not sure how anyone couldn’t 😉
I’m so glad you got to see it! Let me know if you come back!!
First off, I love that Vegas has embraced your morning cocktail! That’s f-ing adorable. I want to visit California so badly. I have a good friend who lives in San José. I’m trying to get there. Money and work…when I have the extra $$$ to travel, I can’t possibly take off work. And when I’m slow at work, I’m tight on cash. I need to figure out why I go on shopping sprees during peak (luxury) real estate season…oh. Stress/anxiety/panic/rich people are scary when they want to sell?!?!?!
I would totally eat sea urchin. I love to eat weird sh•t. If it won’t make me sick. I’m not picky about obscure foods. Everything is worth a try. I’m curious about the turmeric shot…what was in that? I’d totally try it. Anything with a tiny umbrella has to be a winner.
We have a few great farmer’s markets in Charleston. But there is SO much fresh produce. Obviously, that’s amazing, but I waste fresh fruits and veggies because I just don’t use them up in time. But thankfully, Charleston is pretty farm friendly. Our grocery stores, (even chains, Harris Teeter, Publix, etc.) carry local produce. So if I know I need some squash or sweet potatoes for a recipe I’m making this weekend, I can go to my Teeter and snatch up local produce.
Your shoulders look great! As much as push healthy eating/lifestyle, I totally enjoy my wine or beer when I close down the day. I mean, red wine = antioxidants. Beer? = carbs. Just balance your macros…right?
When you do make it out this way, you better let me know!!!
Charleston is a great town. I love eating and shopping there. And you guys have King of Pops there now! Have you tired it? It’s ATL-based and one of my favorites.
I LOVE King of Pops. And we do have some great restaurants—and great chefs who opt for local ingredients which can’t be beat! I’ll let you know if I make it to Cali, but you need to tell me if you come back east for a visit! There’s a lot to do in Charleston, especially the food + wine + bar scene. And I have a few fabulous running routes to help burn off the indulgences.
That turmeric shot sounds pretty intense, but they really make it look sweet and innocent with the umbrella. I respect that. Ha! And if I ever make it to San Diego, Balboa Park sounds AMAZING! Especially with a picnic in the park as part of the plan.
It really wasn’t! I thought it was going to make me gag, but I could have had another.
OK…. I am jealous. Looks like so much fun!
Thanks friend!
I just love a Farmers Market. I can stay there all day and never get tired. I am so loving this amazing market as well. And just look at that #yolkporn. Girl you had me cracking up when I saw that hashtag. Amazing post as always ;).
Kay of Pure & Complex
http://www.purecomplex.com
You know I love a good farmers market and this one sounds ridiculously amazing. Also, I like this Vegas more and more. Down with the sea urchins, up with the brewery.
Whomp whomp. You guys can have beers. LC and I will meet you there after the urchin.
oh dang i wanna live your life right now, can i just be there please? really? you’re livin the dream girl, livin it! we are about to move into the midtown area of houston and there are lots of farmer’s markets, but i seriously doubt they will be as epic as your in SD. but i’ll still go check em out and assess of course.
i’d be down with trying fresh sea urchin, even if i don’t like it, it’s just not something i’d pass up. any food described as the “nectar of the ocean” by chefs is a food i must try at least once, and fresh is always best. i tried sea urchin years ago in a sushi joint, but i didn’t like it because the guy i was with was such a douche. it wsan’t the urchin’s fault so i hate that i associate urchin with douche’s. oh well, i’ll make up for it!
love all the walking, it’s my FAV thing to do in any city or place. i stayed in santa monica one summer and just walked everywhere… great farmer’s markets there, too!
I love Houston though! Rice Village is my favorite part. 🙂
If you get the chance to try it again, I recommend it! I haven’t done the whole urchin but had a similar thing at a sushi place – it was like butter!
ohhh you know Rice Village, that rocks. yes, i dig that area. my hubby is about start his MBA at Rice so i imagine we will be hanging out there more often. we are going to live right off buffalo bayou, next to the best dog park in the world… i can’t wait. i might be more excited than the dogs, oh well!
That’s a great program! My dad was there at MD Anderson getting treatments for the better part of 4 years. We used to love going to this little Italian place there called Prego and the gelateria around the corner!
Prego is one of the best restaurants in Rice Village, it’s been there forever and it’s always good!!! in fact it’s my brother’s favorite and we have to go there anytime he’s in town… gah you have good taste, ha! i love that area, many many good eats. and a farmer’s market nearby so win-win. whoot!
No way on the Sea Urchin! I haven’t been to California in years-can’ t beat the weather.
Amen to that!
That park sounds amazing.
No sea urchin for me.
At the market here I stock up on fresh fruits and homemade pasta.
We were looking for some pasta but must have missed it. Next week!
I will drive back down to San Diego just for this Farmer’s MARKET – we should go, buy 3 ingredients and then MAKE SOMETHING AWESOMEEEEEE on video!
I’m game. I swear. Chopped, strange but good edition.
On the list: Farmers Market in little Italy, Balboa Park (LOVE IT!!!) and the gym.
Consider it DONE! Just get here!!!
Didn’t I tell you that the Little Italy market is THE BEST?!!! Ahh I love it there… Did you try PB Peanut Butter? He is one of my favorite vendors – so many PB flavors to try! Okay so let’s plan a meet up at the market sometime soon?!! Eating, drinking and working out is pretty much how I spend most of my free time too 🙂
It’s fabulous! And yes, the PB was the jam! I really do want to meet up. Do you ready FitSwissChick (Lucie)? She’s going to be here from Switzerland in May too!