Had dinner at Taverna Blu, which is situated in the Del Mar Highlands shopping plaza off of Del Mar Heights Road in Del Mar, CA. I have gone to Taverna Blu because they participate in two separate dining programs, Mogl and the Reward Network or Rapid Rewards Dining. Anytime that I can double dip on points is a great opportunity.
Though the restaurant is in a strip mall, albeit a high end one, they do a good job of creating an inviting, modern Greek atmosphere. It always seems pretty busy when I go there, so it does attract the locals.
I arrived to find Hasani, a late 20's body builder originally from the Bay Area, tending bar. He is a very attentive bartender and a great conversationalist. I ordered a Trumer Pils to drink and the Gyro Plate with feta fries, as I have done in the past. I have never seen Trumer Pils anywhere else, but it is quite refreshing. As I ate and drank, I watched the replay of the Spain vs France FIBA 2014 game from earlier in the day. Spain, the co-favorite of the tournament with the US, was upset in the game by France.
I returned to Taverna Blu on Thursday, September 11, after my happy hour at Jimmy O's. Hasani was again tending bar. I stayed until the end of the Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers' game, which the Ravens won. Like the night before, I ordered a Trumer Pils and the gyro plate with feta fries.
I will definitely be going back to Taverna Blu on my next trip to San Diego.
Showing posts with label San Diego. Show all posts
Showing posts with label San Diego. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Happy Hour at Jimmy O's in Del Mar, CA
I met some folks for happy hour at Jimmy O's in Del Mar, CA. Since it is sometimes hard to find parking, I arrived about 15 minutes early. Jimmy O's didn't open until 4pm and I had arrived at 3:45. Luckily, they allowed me to be seated inside, since it was unseasonably warm. At about 3:55, a waitress asked if I would like something to drink, so I ordered a Ballast Point Pale Ale draft.
My first guest arrived at about the time my beer arrived, so she asked for a vodka tonic. We deliberated over the menu for a few minutes and decided on chips and salsa, plus an order of the steak bites, since the waitress had highly recommended it. It was, actually, quite tasty. The steak was very tender and the gravy complemented the bread bowl in which the steak bites were served really well. My second guest arrived after having mistakenly gone to The Poseidon, where I had had lunch the day before. He ordered a Stone IPA.
If I want to watch a football game in Del Mar, I will definitely do it at Jimmy O's.
My first guest arrived at about the time my beer arrived, so she asked for a vodka tonic. We deliberated over the menu for a few minutes and decided on chips and salsa, plus an order of the steak bites, since the waitress had highly recommended it. It was, actually, quite tasty. The steak was very tender and the gravy complemented the bread bowl in which the steak bites were served really well. My second guest arrived after having mistakenly gone to The Poseidon, where I had had lunch the day before. He ordered a Stone IPA.
If I want to watch a football game in Del Mar, I will definitely do it at Jimmy O's.
Monday, September 15, 2014
Breakfast at the La Jolla Country Club
I had not been to the La Jolla Country Club for some time and here I was for the second time in two days, dining there. Unlike my lunch the day before, we were seated in the more informal dining area. We enjoyed the same great view of La Jolla village, as we were seated alongside the window. The waitress and I had a nice chuckle, as she was the same one that I had for lunch the day before.
The breakfast menu is not as extensive as the lunch menu, but it was adequate. My host and I each selected the "Golfer's Special", which included eggs, two pancakes and a choice of meats of which we both chose bacon. I ordered my eggs scrambled and she ordered them over easy. I had coffee to drink and she ordered the cappuccino. Her cappuccino came very well presented with a stick of rock candy and a peppermint stick for flavoring.
When our breakfast arrived, it was garnished with one strawberry and one slice of de-ridsed cantaloupe, which was a nice touch. The food was good, though my scrambled eggs were a bit dry. The bacon was okay, but not as good as the bacon I had at The Mission in North Park.
Overall, breakfast at the La Jolla Country Club was adequate to good. The service, like the day before, was excellent. The view was spectacular.
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| Breakfast at the La Jolla Country Club |
When our breakfast arrived, it was garnished with one strawberry and one slice of de-ridsed cantaloupe, which was a nice touch. The food was good, though my scrambled eggs were a bit dry. The bacon was okay, but not as good as the bacon I had at The Mission in North Park.
Overall, breakfast at the La Jolla Country Club was adequate to good. The service, like the day before, was excellent. The view was spectacular.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Review: Courtyard Old Town San Diego
On the night of Thursday, September 11, 2014 I stayed in Room 428 at the Marriott Courtyard in Old Town San Diego. I had stayed there many times before, since it is convenient to the 5 and 8 highways and usually has very competitive rates. My rate for this night was the $134 AAA rate and I did not pay for parking, since I normally find easy parking on the street.
The outside of the hotel is different from any other Courtyard that I have seen. It was constructed in the Mission style to match the architecture of Old Town San Diego. The pool here is small, but the outdoor covered patio is very nice and relaxing.
Check in was easy, since they know me. The front desk person informed me that I would be getting 400 points as a gift for my stay and a Market item for which I chose a diet mountain dew. He also informed me that they would be having a wine hour from 4:30-5:30 that evening - an event that has taken the place of the free bistro item cards that they used to hand out to me when I arrived. He said that they do the wine hour Monday through Thursday. I have participated in one of their wine hours before and they usually have one choice of red and one choice of white. I could not make the wine hour, since I had a happy hour appointment at Jimmy O's in Del Mar.
Since the hotel was busy, they could not give me an upgrade, but did put me on the 4th floor in a room that faced the courtyard, rather than the highway. My room was much quieter because of it. The room looks like any other Courtyard room, since it was recently renovated. One nice feature was the Keurig machine in the room. I do not remember that the last time that I stayed here.
The bathroom was large with the normal tub/shower combo. The light took a few seconds to flicker on, while the same switch controlled the noisy overhead fan, so there was no way to turn the fan off without turning off the light, as well. The vanity sink outside the bathroom was small, but adequate for my needs.
Unlike the Sheraton Mission Valley and even the Hotel Solamar, the air conditioning at the Courtyard Old Town was great. I was able to get my room cooled down quickly and was very comfortable in the room.
My wake up call on Friday morning rang 4 minutes earlier than requested at 4:26am, so I got up, showered and packed up the rest of my belongings. The receipt for my stay was conveniently delivered under my door and had the correct charges.
I will definitely be staying here again in the future, because of its convenient location and affordable price.
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| Courtyard Old Town San Diego Review |
The outside of the hotel is different from any other Courtyard that I have seen. It was constructed in the Mission style to match the architecture of Old Town San Diego. The pool here is small, but the outdoor covered patio is very nice and relaxing.
Check in was easy, since they know me. The front desk person informed me that I would be getting 400 points as a gift for my stay and a Market item for which I chose a diet mountain dew. He also informed me that they would be having a wine hour from 4:30-5:30 that evening - an event that has taken the place of the free bistro item cards that they used to hand out to me when I arrived. He said that they do the wine hour Monday through Thursday. I have participated in one of their wine hours before and they usually have one choice of red and one choice of white. I could not make the wine hour, since I had a happy hour appointment at Jimmy O's in Del Mar.
Since the hotel was busy, they could not give me an upgrade, but did put me on the 4th floor in a room that faced the courtyard, rather than the highway. My room was much quieter because of it. The room looks like any other Courtyard room, since it was recently renovated. One nice feature was the Keurig machine in the room. I do not remember that the last time that I stayed here.
The bathroom was large with the normal tub/shower combo. The light took a few seconds to flicker on, while the same switch controlled the noisy overhead fan, so there was no way to turn the fan off without turning off the light, as well. The vanity sink outside the bathroom was small, but adequate for my needs.
Unlike the Sheraton Mission Valley and even the Hotel Solamar, the air conditioning at the Courtyard Old Town was great. I was able to get my room cooled down quickly and was very comfortable in the room.
My wake up call on Friday morning rang 4 minutes earlier than requested at 4:26am, so I got up, showered and packed up the rest of my belongings. The receipt for my stay was conveniently delivered under my door and had the correct charges.
I will definitely be staying here again in the future, because of its convenient location and affordable price.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Lunch at Las Olas in Carlsbad, CA
Had lunch at Las Olas in downtown Carlsbad, CA. I found parking on the street in front of the restaurant, but convenient, free (during the day) parking is located on the back side of the restaurant. I arrived a few minutes early and was told to take whatever table I would like. The front of the restaurant was very warm and had no cross breeze, so I sat inside, where a nice cross breeze made the temperature much more bearable.
The waitress brought me some chips and fresh salsa and the diet coke I ordered as I took a seat. The menu is quite extensive with many different Mexican dishes. It was hard to make a choice, but I quickly decided to choose an entree with fish or seafood.
As I deliberated, I overheard a conversation about Notre Dame's 31-0 destruction of the Michigan Wolverines the prior weekend. I commented that it was a truly great game. As we talked it became quickly apparent that one of the group was a Notre Dame graduate, like me. She graduated in 1994, a year after me. She and her family were in town from Denver to have some fun at Legoland.
When my guest arrived, we ordered our lunch. My guest ordered a chicken tostada and I ordered the baja style fish burrito. My baja style burrito came with refried beans and rice, but I only ate the burrito, since it was large enough to fill me up. It tasted great - light, but filling with good, but not overpowering flavor.
The customer service was very good. At first it looked like I might have two waitresses, but finally they talked and only one waitress served me. At first, she was a bit preoccupied, but later warmed up. It's not to say that she did not fulfill her role well at first, since she kept refilling my diet coke, as I needed them, but she was not overly hospitable. She became increasingly more friendly as we continued our lunch.
I have not been to any other Las Olas locations, but I would return to this one, when I am in Carlsbad. I am interested to see what might be in store at another one of their restaurants.
The waitress brought me some chips and fresh salsa and the diet coke I ordered as I took a seat. The menu is quite extensive with many different Mexican dishes. It was hard to make a choice, but I quickly decided to choose an entree with fish or seafood.
As I deliberated, I overheard a conversation about Notre Dame's 31-0 destruction of the Michigan Wolverines the prior weekend. I commented that it was a truly great game. As we talked it became quickly apparent that one of the group was a Notre Dame graduate, like me. She graduated in 1994, a year after me. She and her family were in town from Denver to have some fun at Legoland.
When my guest arrived, we ordered our lunch. My guest ordered a chicken tostada and I ordered the baja style fish burrito. My baja style burrito came with refried beans and rice, but I only ate the burrito, since it was large enough to fill me up. It tasted great - light, but filling with good, but not overpowering flavor.
The customer service was very good. At first it looked like I might have two waitresses, but finally they talked and only one waitress served me. At first, she was a bit preoccupied, but later warmed up. It's not to say that she did not fulfill her role well at first, since she kept refilling my diet coke, as I needed them, but she was not overly hospitable. She became increasingly more friendly as we continued our lunch.
I have not been to any other Las Olas locations, but I would return to this one, when I am in Carlsbad. I am interested to see what might be in store at another one of their restaurants.
Friday, September 12, 2014
Review of Alamo Midsize Rental in San Diego from September 8-September 12
As I usually do, I made my rental car reservation through Southwest, since I have found it to be consistently the cheapest method to rent vehicles, when I travel. This trip was no different. I was able to reserve a midsize car for my entire trip for less than $25 a day. After landing in San Diego on Southwest Flight 449, I proceeded to the shuttle to take me to Alamo. Luckily, my wait was less than 5 minutes for the shuttle.
When I arrived at Alamo at around 10:30pm, I tipped the driver, Enrique, and then proceeded to the kiosk to check in and get my rental car. I took the prepaid fuel option, since I would most likely use up the whole tank on my trip and I would be leaving at an ungodly early hour on Friday, September 12.
After my rental contract printed at the kiosk, I exited the main building and proceeded to check out my choices in midsize vehicles. I normally select a Kia or a Hyundai, since they have XM or Sirius satellite radio installed. This time I chose a silver 2014 Chevy Cruze, since the only two other choices were a Chrysler 200 and a Toyota Corolla.
I picked the Chevy Cruze because it had California plates (I always try to have "local" plates, just in case the police like to stop out-of-towners), looked brand new and it had leather seats. The car also drives well. It is not a car that I would purchase, since I normally look for dependability and longevity in a vehicle, but I usually rent cars that I would not normally drive.
I returned the car at 5am on Friday, September 12. As usual, the return was quick and painless, since they know me well at this location. The shuttle bus arrived just as they handed me the receipt, so I made my way to the shuttle. After boarding the shuttle, I noticed that I did not have my cell phone. The shuttle driver, JR, held the bus for the two minutes it took me to retrieve my iPhone. In fact, he radioed over to the car return area and they met me half way and handed me my phone.
The shuttle dropped me off at the Southwest terminal and I was the only person to deboard. All of the others on the bus were headed to the Delta terminal.
My experience with San Diego Alamo was what I have come to expect, since I go to San Diego at least once a month. If you need to rent a car in San Diego, I would recommend Alamo highly for the low cost and prompt and friendly customer service.
When I arrived at Alamo at around 10:30pm, I tipped the driver, Enrique, and then proceeded to the kiosk to check in and get my rental car. I took the prepaid fuel option, since I would most likely use up the whole tank on my trip and I would be leaving at an ungodly early hour on Friday, September 12.
After my rental contract printed at the kiosk, I exited the main building and proceeded to check out my choices in midsize vehicles. I normally select a Kia or a Hyundai, since they have XM or Sirius satellite radio installed. This time I chose a silver 2014 Chevy Cruze, since the only two other choices were a Chrysler 200 and a Toyota Corolla.
I picked the Chevy Cruze because it had California plates (I always try to have "local" plates, just in case the police like to stop out-of-towners), looked brand new and it had leather seats. The car also drives well. It is not a car that I would purchase, since I normally look for dependability and longevity in a vehicle, but I usually rent cars that I would not normally drive.
I returned the car at 5am on Friday, September 12. As usual, the return was quick and painless, since they know me well at this location. The shuttle bus arrived just as they handed me the receipt, so I made my way to the shuttle. After boarding the shuttle, I noticed that I did not have my cell phone. The shuttle driver, JR, held the bus for the two minutes it took me to retrieve my iPhone. In fact, he radioed over to the car return area and they met me half way and handed me my phone.
The shuttle dropped me off at the Southwest terminal and I was the only person to deboard. All of the others on the bus were headed to the Delta terminal.
My experience with San Diego Alamo was what I have come to expect, since I go to San Diego at least once a month. If you need to rent a car in San Diego, I would recommend Alamo highly for the low cost and prompt and friendly customer service.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
My First Time At the Sheraton Mission Valley
Since I am almost re-qualified for Marriott Platinum status, I decided to stay a couple of days at the Sheraton in Mission Valley on Monday, September 8 and Wednesday, September 10 at the AAA Parking nightly rate of $130, which included parking (parking is normally $16 per day). I wanted to get two stays on this trip in order to eventually qualify for Starwood Gold status. With Gold status I will be able to get Starwood points when I fly on Delta and Delta Skymiles, when I stay at Starwood properties via their Crossover Rewards program. After these two stays I have 4 total stays for the year due to having the Starwood American Express card. I only need 6 more stays this year until I qualify for Gold.
I reserved a King size bed for my stay. At check in on Monday, September 8 I received an upgrade to a King Deluxe room, which the front desk agent told me includes a pullout couch. Though I booked the AAA rate, I did not have to show my card. When I entered the room, Room 907, I was surprised by the size of the room. It was definitely larger than most of the Marriott Mission Valley rooms that I have gotten through the years. The room faced the highway, US8 or "The Eight", so it was a bit noisy.
The bed was hard, but not uncomfortable. The decor was modern and none of the furnishings showed wear. The bathroom was adequate with a normal tub shower with the sink, which had great lighting, in a sizable, separate area. The toilet, though, is ill situated in the bathroom. You either need to have the door closed to sit straight on the "throne" or you need to sit angled to the left, so that you can fit your legs by the door. Also, I am lucky that I am tall, since the toilet paper is some distance from the toilet.
The greatest attribute of this room, outside of it's size, is the balcony. It is just plain huge. The view is not anything special, but the balcony is big enough to hold over 15 people with some room to spare.
The parking at the hotel is adequate with one lot right in front and another to the left when facing the hotel from which one can use the side entrance to enter the hotel. Parking is $16 per day, but my rate included the parking. If parking was not included, I am not sure how competitive pricewise the hotel would be for me in the future. I did have troubles on both days getting into the parking, since the machine would read the key card, but the gate would not go up for me to enter the parking. Luckily, the side lot's exit gate was up, so I entered by that way.
I had a bit of trouble checking out on Tuesday, September 9, since the front desk clerk could not get the computer to cooperate. Eventually, she was able to check me out and gave my my receipt.
When I returned to the Sheraton on Wednesday, September 10, they had assigned me to the same room, Room 907, and it was ready for my early check in at 2:15pm. I was so glad to be able to get into the room early! The room looked the same as before, as if no one else had used it in the interim. I was so tired that I was not at all harmed by the noise from the highway.
When I checked out on Thursday, September 11, the front desk clerk asked if the room that I stayed in was okay and if the traffic noise bothered me. I told him that the size of the room was more important to me than the noise that came from the highway. I also told him about the problems parking and he told me that they were working on it, but were unsure of the cause. He did tell me that the call button on the parking does go to the front desk and they can open it for anyone that cannot get into the parking areas.
Overall, I was happy with my stay at this full service Sheraton. I do not think it was my best stay, nor my worst. It was definitely adequate enough to get me to Gold status with Starwood this year.
I reserved a King size bed for my stay. At check in on Monday, September 8 I received an upgrade to a King Deluxe room, which the front desk agent told me includes a pullout couch. Though I booked the AAA rate, I did not have to show my card. When I entered the room, Room 907, I was surprised by the size of the room. It was definitely larger than most of the Marriott Mission Valley rooms that I have gotten through the years. The room faced the highway, US8 or "The Eight", so it was a bit noisy.
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| My Sheraton Mission Valley Stay Review |
The bed was hard, but not uncomfortable. The decor was modern and none of the furnishings showed wear. The bathroom was adequate with a normal tub shower with the sink, which had great lighting, in a sizable, separate area. The toilet, though, is ill situated in the bathroom. You either need to have the door closed to sit straight on the "throne" or you need to sit angled to the left, so that you can fit your legs by the door. Also, I am lucky that I am tall, since the toilet paper is some distance from the toilet.
The greatest attribute of this room, outside of it's size, is the balcony. It is just plain huge. The view is not anything special, but the balcony is big enough to hold over 15 people with some room to spare.
The parking at the hotel is adequate with one lot right in front and another to the left when facing the hotel from which one can use the side entrance to enter the hotel. Parking is $16 per day, but my rate included the parking. If parking was not included, I am not sure how competitive pricewise the hotel would be for me in the future. I did have troubles on both days getting into the parking, since the machine would read the key card, but the gate would not go up for me to enter the parking. Luckily, the side lot's exit gate was up, so I entered by that way.
I had a bit of trouble checking out on Tuesday, September 9, since the front desk clerk could not get the computer to cooperate. Eventually, she was able to check me out and gave my my receipt.
When I returned to the Sheraton on Wednesday, September 10, they had assigned me to the same room, Room 907, and it was ready for my early check in at 2:15pm. I was so glad to be able to get into the room early! The room looked the same as before, as if no one else had used it in the interim. I was so tired that I was not at all harmed by the noise from the highway.
When I checked out on Thursday, September 11, the front desk clerk asked if the room that I stayed in was okay and if the traffic noise bothered me. I told him that the size of the room was more important to me than the noise that came from the highway. I also told him about the problems parking and he told me that they were working on it, but were unsure of the cause. He did tell me that the call button on the parking does go to the front desk and they can open it for anyone that cannot get into the parking areas.
Overall, I was happy with my stay at this full service Sheraton. I do not think it was my best stay, nor my worst. It was definitely adequate enough to get me to Gold status with Starwood this year.
Happy Hour at Harry's Bar and American Grill
No day is complete without a great Happy Hour! I was able to enjoy a happy hour at Harry's Bar and American Grill in the UTC area of San Diego on La Jolla Village Drive. I have been to Harry's several times and mostly during their happy hour.
I arrived a few minutes late, which was exacerbated by no valet attendant being on duty at that time. I made my way to the visitor's parking lot and then swiftly walked to the bar to meet my two guests. I made a 4pm reservation on OpenTable, but, since there was no hostess, I was unable to tell them that I had arrived. Thankfully, I saw that I received the 100 points for my reservation!
We did not get an appetizer, but shared two rounds of cabernet sauvignon and Budweiser. The service was fine, though I always got the feeling that when we did not order anything, they didn't want to bother with us.
Harry's is a convenient spot to meet people and the ambiance is good, though I have never been impressed with their food, though we did not order any food this time.
When I left, I got my car out of the parking garage and had to pay $8.75! It would have been much cheaper to valet it. My friend had parked in the valet lot, since there was no valet person there, so I might try that the next time.
I arrived a few minutes late, which was exacerbated by no valet attendant being on duty at that time. I made my way to the visitor's parking lot and then swiftly walked to the bar to meet my two guests. I made a 4pm reservation on OpenTable, but, since there was no hostess, I was unable to tell them that I had arrived. Thankfully, I saw that I received the 100 points for my reservation!
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| Happy Hour at Harry's Bar and American Grill La Jolla |
We did not get an appetizer, but shared two rounds of cabernet sauvignon and Budweiser. The service was fine, though I always got the feeling that when we did not order anything, they didn't want to bother with us.
Harry's is a convenient spot to meet people and the ambiance is good, though I have never been impressed with their food, though we did not order any food this time.
When I left, I got my car out of the parking garage and had to pay $8.75! It would have been much cheaper to valet it. My friend had parked in the valet lot, since there was no valet person there, so I might try that the next time.
Lunch at the La Jolla Country Club
After a day with a first breakfast at 6:15am and then a second breakfast at 8:00am, I was happy to have a later lunch, 12:30pm, at the La Jolla Country Club on High Avenue in La Jolla, CA. I had been to LJCC a few times in the past, but never for lunch.
I arrived about 10 minutes early, since traffic into La Jolla can sometimes be heavy. I found the hostess, who said that my hosts had not yet arrived, but would seat me in the main dining room, which is a bit more elegant than their other eating venues. She seated me at a table on the window that had a beautiful, panoramic view of all of La Jolla village. While waiting I ordered a diet coke.
In the main dining room, at dinner you have to wear a coat, but at lunch I was fine in khaki pants, dress shoes and a golf shirt. I ordered the prime rib french dip sandwich with a side of fruit. The fruit was a mixture of fresh fruit and some canned mango. The sandwich was very delicious, but I always love to have french dip sandwiches. My hosts ordered a Caribbean salad and an enchilada meal with refried beans. The presentation of all of our entrees was top notch.
The service at the Club was great and they were all very attentive. They all knew my hosts and continued to use their names every time they served them.
If I get the chance to be hosted at the La Jolla Country Club again for a meal, I will jump at the chance, since the view is to die for and the food is decent.
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| Lunch at the La Jolla Country Club |
I arrived about 10 minutes early, since traffic into La Jolla can sometimes be heavy. I found the hostess, who said that my hosts had not yet arrived, but would seat me in the main dining room, which is a bit more elegant than their other eating venues. She seated me at a table on the window that had a beautiful, panoramic view of all of La Jolla village. While waiting I ordered a diet coke.
In the main dining room, at dinner you have to wear a coat, but at lunch I was fine in khaki pants, dress shoes and a golf shirt. I ordered the prime rib french dip sandwich with a side of fruit. The fruit was a mixture of fresh fruit and some canned mango. The sandwich was very delicious, but I always love to have french dip sandwiches. My hosts ordered a Caribbean salad and an enchilada meal with refried beans. The presentation of all of our entrees was top notch.
The service at the Club was great and they were all very attentive. They all knew my hosts and continued to use their names every time they served them.
If I get the chance to be hosted at the La Jolla Country Club again for a meal, I will jump at the chance, since the view is to die for and the food is decent.
Dinner at the San Diego Yacht Club
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| Dinner at the San Diego Yacht Club |
We had dinner out on the deck, which is on the water in Point Loma near Shelter Island, surrounded by all of the boats that are moored at the marina. It was a pleasant evening with great company.
The service at the Yacht Club was good and prompt, though they did initially bring us asparagus instead of the brussels sprouts that we had ordered. They promptly returned them and brought us the brussels sprouts.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Another Stay at the Kimpton Hotel Solamar in San Diego
Any time a Kimpton property in San Diego falls within my price range, I try to stay there. Though I prefer the Hotel Palomar San Diego due to the nice suite upgrades, I settled on the Hotel Solamar for my stay on September 9, 2014. I was able to book a AAA rate of $172, which included half price valet parking. Since Kimpton is running their secret word ("Summer of Karma") campaign right now, I hoped that I could get free valet parking.
I truly love the service that I receive at Kimpton properties and the upgraded experience I receive due to my Inner Circle status. I had heard of Kimpton in 2013 and thought that my wife would really like them - at least, she would like them above the normal Marriott property. I received a status match to Inner Circle from my Marriott Platinum status. I was definitely right about my wife liking them!
I drove to the Hotel Solamar and valeted it at the door. They were very quick and efficient. I went to the front desk at around 2:20pm, hoping that my room might be ready. As luck would have it, my room was available and I had been upgraded to one of their corner King rooms. She had some trouble making my key, but after a short time they were ready. With my keys she gave me my Raid The Bar card. I said the secret word and they added a drink coupon, plus a free movie. Not the free valet that I had hoped for, but at least it was something good.
When I entered the room, I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the room. The room itself was huge and the bed was more like a California King than the normal sized king bed. At the entrance of the room was a nice seat in front of a full length mirror. The desk, though thin, had a power strip that gave me enough plugs to power my ipad, iphone and laptop.
Unlike my room at the Sheraton Mission Valley, my bathroom was huge! There was a huge whirlpool tub and right next to it was a large, standalone shower. The vanity and sink were equally large.
After getting settled into my room, I took my laptop down to the pool/LoungeSix to get some work done. While there, I used my free drink coupon I received for using the secret word. The bartender made me a margarita from scratch without sour mix, which was quite delicious, especially since it was unseasonably warm in San Diego. As payment, I gave him the the free drink coupon and a tip.
Wine Hour is from 5pm-6pm each night and the one at the Hotel Solamar was no different. In their foyer area they served a plethora of alcoholic beverages. They offered a beer on tap, Nut Brown, three wines - a red blend, pinot grigio and chardonnay, and then a rum, honey, bitters mixture that was quite tasty. I met a nice couple from Virginia, who are originally from Texas, that were in town for a conference that ended that day.
When I returned to my room after the Wine Hour, I found that my "amenity" had been delivered. The concierge had brought me two local brews, a bottle of water, a bowl of mini Reese's peanut butter cups and a bowl of cashews. It was presented in a nice way with a great note from the concierge.
After having dinner at the San Diego Yacht Club, I returned to the Solamar and got a drink at the JSix restaurant. The great bartender prepared me a wonderful Old Fashioned. It was a great way to use my Raid the Bar credit.
In the morning I had run out of shaving cream, so I went down to the front desk and they gave me a trial size can of shaving cream - much better than the shaving cream in a packet that I have received at other hotels.
Check out was a breeze. I had the $10 Raid The Bar coupon credited to my bill from JSix the night before and headed to the valet, who promptly got me my car and off to my luncheon appointment at the La Jolla Country Club.
The only thing missing from my stay was the Kimpton smell. I did not get a whiff of the patented Kimpton fragrance anywhere in the hotel. I hope they haven't done away with it - I love the smell!
I truly love the service that I receive at Kimpton properties and the upgraded experience I receive due to my Inner Circle status. I had heard of Kimpton in 2013 and thought that my wife would really like them - at least, she would like them above the normal Marriott property. I received a status match to Inner Circle from my Marriott Platinum status. I was definitely right about my wife liking them!
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| Kimpton's Hotel Solamar in San Diego, CA |
I drove to the Hotel Solamar and valeted it at the door. They were very quick and efficient. I went to the front desk at around 2:20pm, hoping that my room might be ready. As luck would have it, my room was available and I had been upgraded to one of their corner King rooms. She had some trouble making my key, but after a short time they were ready. With my keys she gave me my Raid The Bar card. I said the secret word and they added a drink coupon, plus a free movie. Not the free valet that I had hoped for, but at least it was something good.
When I entered the room, I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the room. The room itself was huge and the bed was more like a California King than the normal sized king bed. At the entrance of the room was a nice seat in front of a full length mirror. The desk, though thin, had a power strip that gave me enough plugs to power my ipad, iphone and laptop.
Unlike my room at the Sheraton Mission Valley, my bathroom was huge! There was a huge whirlpool tub and right next to it was a large, standalone shower. The vanity and sink were equally large.
After getting settled into my room, I took my laptop down to the pool/LoungeSix to get some work done. While there, I used my free drink coupon I received for using the secret word. The bartender made me a margarita from scratch without sour mix, which was quite delicious, especially since it was unseasonably warm in San Diego. As payment, I gave him the the free drink coupon and a tip.
Wine Hour is from 5pm-6pm each night and the one at the Hotel Solamar was no different. In their foyer area they served a plethora of alcoholic beverages. They offered a beer on tap, Nut Brown, three wines - a red blend, pinot grigio and chardonnay, and then a rum, honey, bitters mixture that was quite tasty. I met a nice couple from Virginia, who are originally from Texas, that were in town for a conference that ended that day.
When I returned to my room after the Wine Hour, I found that my "amenity" had been delivered. The concierge had brought me two local brews, a bottle of water, a bowl of mini Reese's peanut butter cups and a bowl of cashews. It was presented in a nice way with a great note from the concierge.
After having dinner at the San Diego Yacht Club, I returned to the Solamar and got a drink at the JSix restaurant. The great bartender prepared me a wonderful Old Fashioned. It was a great way to use my Raid the Bar credit.
In the morning I had run out of shaving cream, so I went down to the front desk and they gave me a trial size can of shaving cream - much better than the shaving cream in a packet that I have received at other hotels.
Check out was a breeze. I had the $10 Raid The Bar coupon credited to my bill from JSix the night before and headed to the valet, who promptly got me my car and off to my luncheon appointment at the La Jolla Country Club.
The only thing missing from my stay was the Kimpton smell. I did not get a whiff of the patented Kimpton fragrance anywhere in the hotel. I hope they haven't done away with it - I love the smell!
Breakfast at Brueggers Bagels in Pacific Beach
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| Bruegger's Bagels in Pacific Beach |
The restaurant was easy to find and had ample parking. It was quite clean and the employees were chipper and very welcoming, especially for that time of day. I ordered the blueberry bagel with honey walnut cream cheese and my guest ordered a breakfast wrap. We both ordered orange juice, as well. The cost of the breakfast was just right for what we received.
It had been many years since I had been to a Brueggers Bagels. At one time a local Mishawaka company, Quality Dining, had owned them, but later spun them off.
Breakfast at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe
I had breakfast at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe this morning. The Inn is a beautiful hotel in "downtown" Rancho Santa Fe, which has a great restaurant in a very serene setting.
My guest and I were seated by the wonderful hostess, Tabby, at an outside table. Though it has been unseasonably hot in San Diego, it is not yet uncomfortable in the morning. It was a very pleasant experience.
For breakfast, I ordered a belgian waffle with raspberries, blueberries and strawberries. It tasted great. My guest ordered an oatmeal with brown sugar and blueberries. We both also ordered coffee. The food was brought out to us very quickly and with a great presentation. The cost was not overly exorbitant, especially considering the cost to stay at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe.
Overall, the ambiance was great, customer service was top notch and the food was affordable and tasty. I have had breakfast at the Inn several times and will continue to do so in the future.
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| Breakfast at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe |
For breakfast, I ordered a belgian waffle with raspberries, blueberries and strawberries. It tasted great. My guest ordered an oatmeal with brown sugar and blueberries. We both also ordered coffee. The food was brought out to us very quickly and with a great presentation. The cost was not overly exorbitant, especially considering the cost to stay at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe.
Overall, the ambiance was great, customer service was top notch and the food was affordable and tasty. I have had breakfast at the Inn several times and will continue to do so in the future.
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Lunch at The Poseidon in Del Mar, CA
After my breakfast at The Mission in North Park and checking out of the Sheraton Mission Valley, I had lunch at The Poseidon in Del Mar on Tuesday, September 9. I chose The Poseidon, because of it's awesome location on the beach in Del Mar and for it's participation in the OpenTable and Mogl dining programs.
I arrived at 11:45am, valeted my car for $4 and entered the restaurant. I had made a reservation on OpenTable (earning me $1 in OpenTable dollars!), so I said that I was early, but had a reservation. They seated me on the outside porch, as close to the ocean as you can be. If you have not been to The Poseidon on their porch, you need to try it. Unfortunately, the greeters did not see my guest when he entered at a few minutes before noon, so he sat himself at the bar. At around 12:15pm we finally found each other and had lunch.
We started with the rolls and butter that they brought to the table and ordered the sesame seed ahi tuna for an appetizer. I would have much preferred it with just plain wasabi and soy sauce, instead of the creamy wasabi that they provided. Overall, though, it wasn't too bad.
As my entree, I had the Thai chicken salad. It was a pretty good sized portion with a whole chicken breast with lots of veggies and dressing. It wasn't the best Thai chicken salad I have ever had, but not the worst. I was not disappointed, since I go to The Poseidon for the view and not so much the food.
I tipped, Claudia, our waitress 20%, since she was quick at refilling my diet coke and had a great demeanor.
After paying for the meal, I received a text from Mogl that I had just earned $4.78 for the meal. Not quite 10% of the total, but a nice little kickback for eating a restaurant with a view second to none. Not including what I earned on my credit card, I earned $1 through OpenTable and $4.78 for the meal.
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| The Poseidon On The Beach in Del Mar, CA |
We started with the rolls and butter that they brought to the table and ordered the sesame seed ahi tuna for an appetizer. I would have much preferred it with just plain wasabi and soy sauce, instead of the creamy wasabi that they provided. Overall, though, it wasn't too bad.
As my entree, I had the Thai chicken salad. It was a pretty good sized portion with a whole chicken breast with lots of veggies and dressing. It wasn't the best Thai chicken salad I have ever had, but not the worst. I was not disappointed, since I go to The Poseidon for the view and not so much the food.
I tipped, Claudia, our waitress 20%, since she was quick at refilling my diet coke and had a great demeanor.
After paying for the meal, I received a text from Mogl that I had just earned $4.78 for the meal. Not quite 10% of the total, but a nice little kickback for eating a restaurant with a view second to none. Not including what I earned on my credit card, I earned $1 through OpenTable and $4.78 for the meal.
Breakfast at The Mission in North Park, San Diego
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| The Mission in North Park, San Diego |
I arrived at the restaurant promptly at 7:30am, but my guest was running a few minutes late, so I entered and took a seat at a booth on a window. There were only a couple of other patrons in the restaurant. The server was attentive and brought me some coffee. The coffee was their house blend and was decent.
This location has a lot more parking than the one in East Village. It also is not surrounded by a homeless population, since North Park is further along in its gentrification. The restaurant has air conditioning, as well, which the East Village location does not seem to have.
I ordered the blueberry cornmeal pancakes with a side of scrambled eggs and bacon. I thought that the pancakes would be small, but they were 3 huge cakes, which I could not finish. The bacon was semi-crisp and fatty, which is fine with me. The eggs were done well.
The prices at The Mission were not exorbitant, either. Everything seemed to be in line with other similar establishments in the San Diego area.
Overall, I enjoyed my time at The Mission in North Park and would recommend it to anyone that needs to have breakfast in North Park.
Monday, September 8, 2014
Southwest Flight 449 Chicago to San Diego Trip Report
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| Southwest Flight 449 Chicago to San Diego |
As I walked to the TSA line, the iPad guy had me go through the PreCheck line - hooray for me! After having someone cut me off before getting my identification checked, it was smooth sailing. I got through TSA by 6:05pm and my 7:25pm flight (Southwest Flight #449 to San Diego) was to board at 6:55pm. I checked the monitor to verify that I would be taking off from Gate B19 and off I went. After being seated, the gate was changed to B1, though an almost inaudible announcement was made to let us know of the change. I never received a text from Southwest to notify me of the switch.
Of course, my flight was delayed by 30 minutes, though no reason was given. We finally were asked to form the boarding line. I had A20 this time due to my A List Preferred status and the wonky Southwest algorithm for assigning my place in line. There were 5 "throughs", so they boarded first. There were some "preboards", or "blue sleeves", as well. Regrettably, the gate agent allowed several family members board with some of them.
They called for A1-A15, then A16-A30 and off we went. When I got on the newer 737-800, the first 5 rows were pretty much full, so I made my way to row 6. After waiting for a guy to put his carryon above my seat, then proceed to row 7, take a few things out of his backpack and then place the backpack in the overhead above his seat, I settled into seat 6C on the left side of the aisle facing forward.
I ordered two Fat Tires, while on board, but, when I paid with my Southwest Premier Visa, I was told that her machine was broken and could not print a receipt. She said that she would check with another flight attendant to see if they could print a receipt for me. She never came back around to give me a receipt. I will need to find another way to get reimbursed. For my snacks, I picked the Wheat Thins 100 calorie pack and Ritz cheese crackers.
Unsurprisingly, we landed in San Diego 30 minutes past our scheduled arrival time. I deplaned and made my way to the shuttle bus to take me to Alamo so that I could procure my rental car.
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