Sunday’s Farmers Market- La Jolla

IMG_8605Vista may host the oldest and longest running Farmers Market in the San Diego area, but La Jolla has one of the best- the La Jolla Open Aire Farmers Market. A couple dozen international food stalls serve breakfast and brunch foods for you to snack on while you shop at a wide variety of produce stands- organic and conventional. Need to pick up some specialty oils, vinegars, or specialty food treat for a gift (or a treat for yourself)? La Jolla’s Farmers Market has you covered. To top off the variety of vendors the market includes upwards of forty or more stalls selling hand made clothing, trinkets, art, and the odd collection of curios for sale.

IMG_8633One guy dives shipwrecks, for instance, and has a small table of items he has brought up from the ocean floor. He’s dived all around the world and has brought up literally millions of dollars worth of gold and artifacts. Go visit him and ask questions- he’ll tell you about the most expensive individual find, oldest, surprising, and the dive that made him the independent hobbyist that he can be today. It was quite fascinating to hear his stories.

IMG_8610 IMG_8613 (1)Smit Farms sells at several markets I visited this week, and I bought their cherry apple cider at Mira Mesa’s market, their onion and garlic pistachios at the Ocean Beach market, but The Husband was the one to cave in to their produce this time. The apple samples pushed him over the edge- we are now the proud owners of two pounds of honey crisps and one pound of those delicious grapes.

IMG_8620Anyone selling cage free eggs had great prices here- as a matter of fact, they were some of the best prices that I can recall from all the local markets. Some of the egg vendors really appreciate it if you can bring back the cartons and reuse them, how’s that for reusing and recycling?

This is a wonderful, lively, varied, great place to shop. We know people that spend the entire morning and afternoon here in La Jolla- they attend their church’s early service, eat a nice breakfast at Harry’s Coffee Shop, then hit the Farmer’s Market. I think they have a great thing going, for sure.

Did you know that Kashi foods started in La Jolla?
Did you know that Kashi foods started in La Jolla?
Beautiful bracelets and colorful gifts for sale. Fabulous prices, too- those bracelets are $1 each!
Beautiful bracelets and colorful gifts for sale. Fabulous prices, too- those bracelets are $1 each! From Ariela’s Unique Gifts
I didn't know
I didn’t know “chayote” were a soup squash…
Never tried a guava... holy cow, they were delicious!
Never tried a guava… holy cow, they were delicious!

More than one person buying from Belinda’s Cocina swore to us that they eat here every weekend because it is The Best Mexican Food in The Entire Area. Our chile relleno and chorizo burritos were fabulous.

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The chorizo burrito (right) didn’t stand a chance against The Hungry Husband. It was indeed DELICIOUS! So was my chile relleno burrito (left).

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New Sights for Old friends

“Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold.”
origins unclear

Today I greatly enjoyed bringing old friends to some of our favorite places around the greater San Diego coast.

Started with lunch at the Cliff Hanger Cafe- the best sandwich in town where you can watch hang gliders and para sailors jump off a cliff for fun and profit… with stunning ocean cliff views, to boot!

Italian Roast Beef sandwich with sun dried tomatoes. Loved it.
Italian Roast Beef sandwich with sun dried tomatoes. Loved it. Cliff Hanger Cafe is the best.
Debbie, quit taking photos of the nude beach down below!
Debbie, quit taking photos of the nude beach down below!

We then stopped by the World famous Torrey Pines Golf Course where we may or may not have picked up a gift for someone… I may have to pick up golfing, this is such a beautiful place!

Torrey Pines Golf Course
Torrey Pines Golf Course
Torrey Pines Golf Course
Torrey Pines Golf Course

Next place on the list was a short walking tour of the village of La Jolla and the water front from Shell Beach to The Cove…

A new photographer has caught the bug.
At the rocks over Shell Beach in La Jolla, a new photographer has caught the bug.
Gelateria Frizzante for a sweet break!
Gelateria Frizzante on Prospect Ave. for a sweet break!

We finished the day at Pizza Port in Solana Beach, stopping to admire the view at Fletcher Cove, first.

A new beer from Pizza Port for me- the Sea Side Stout on nitro. this was smooth and creamy, but not too heavy- under a 4% alcohol. I’d get it again.

Introducing old friends to one’s favorite places to visit make for a great day.

Sea Side Stout
Sea Side Stout

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"Remember back when we were goof-balls in preschool?"
“Remember back when we were goof-balls in preschool?”
Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.
Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.

Burros, not Burritos- Have You Discovered El Pescador Yet?

IMG_6619One of the first places we discovered upon moving back home to California was a leetle-beety-teeny-tiny fish joint El Pescador. In its new location, right across the street from the old, El Pescador now has an eat-in area for the patrons at least by ten times the original spot’s size. As a regular, let me say THANK YOU to the owners for this move! La Jolla has a bajillion places to eat fabulous food for all budgets, and if the absolute freshest seafood is on your list, do not miss this place.

IMG_6620El Pescador has a fresh fish counter with mostly local catches, but also offers popular items flown in from far-away sites. The menu features some of the best fish sandwiches, according to The Husband, and I love their seafood salads on greens. Check out their menu here.

IMG_6625You don’t order a burrito at El Pescador, you order a burro. And yes, they are pretty big. I finally ordered something other than the FABULOUS mixed seafood salad and tried the Burro of the Day- a halibut and shrimp (both local) monstrosity with black beans, fresh spinach and a yogurt based white sauce, served with salsa and chips. A two word summation: Holy yum.

IMG_6617I am a creature of habit and this really shows in my dining choices. I will order the same thing at restaurants- it is always linguini with red clam sauce at the Italian join instead of the special, only a ham and cheese sandwich at our favorite deli, never a turkey club, always the same three sushi favorites at every Japanese restaurant… enough was enough, and I have been loving it. Nothing like a public forum to hold myself accountable, yea, WordPress! I picked a winner Monday night… but might go back soon for that seafood salad?

Change of Plans and Tuna Salad Needs Jalapeños

I love helping drive the field trip carpools for my kid’s school- I love these kids! The morning trip to the courthouse and afternoon doctor appointment left me with having to change today’s plans… but as one of the teachers who trained me used to say, “Tomorrow is another day!”

Instead of my go-to favorite sandwich I tried something different today- a Tuna Salad on Whole Wheat with Jalapeños.

The jalapeños made me suspicious… I like chilis, but don’t like food that hurts! I went ahead and tried the tuna instead of my favorite ham and cheese on a croissant… Tuna Salad Needs Jalapeños!!! The blackberry iced tea was nice, too, freshly brewed and not fake fountain tea. This was a huge sandwich and I was so glad to find that one of my friends was happy to take the other half off of my hands.

Tuna Salad with Jalepeños from Pannikin Coffee and Tea
Tuna Salad with Jalapeños from Pannikin Coffee and Tea

http://www.pannikincoffeeandtea.com/

Pannikin Coffee and Tea has two locations- Encinitas and La Jolla, and a third if you count San Diego Int’l Airport…