The Great Urban Race

Do you guys watch the Amazing Race?

It's such a good show!

I always watch it on the edge of my seat,

constantly fantasizing about how the husband and I would do if we were ever cast on the show.

Luckily, I didn't have to sit around and wait for the producers to call,

because San Diego hosted the Great Urban Race this weekend,

and guess who had a chance to participate?

THIS GIRL!

Now, I have to be honest.. this wasn't my first rodeo. 

I've actually done a few of these types of challenges in the past,

but the Great Urban Race was by far the most fun I've ever had. 

If you've never done anything like this before, 

I highly recommend you to sign up next time. 

The concept is fairly simple - in the beginning of the day,

your team gets a clue sheet that essentially acts as a scavenger hunt map.

The hardest part is figuring out the riddles that hide the location of each destination.

You have to know the city you're participating in pretty well.

Not a challenge for this San Diego lover!

We kicked the day off at Whiskey Girl - a prime location in the middle of the Gaslamp district.

The whole event was a party from the jump,

and how could it not be, 

with the main event sponsor being Bacardi Oakheart?!

We may have taken longer than we were supposed to when working on our clues,

because those Bacardi mixed drinks were going down way too smooth. Hah!

Once my team figured out where we needed to go, we were off to the races!

This challenge took us all around downtown San Diego - 

from Seaport Village, up to Cortez Hill,

and everywhere in between. 

Each destination presented us with a different challenge. 

From eating larvae to showing off some yoga moves,

we had a chance to do a little bit of everything that day,

and I even captured some of it with my flip cam, provided by Bacardi Oakheart. 

I'm so glad I have some of this footage. 

So fun to look back on the great memories and get excited for next year!

Who'll be joining us?

I'll see you there, Bacardi in hand. 

What do you think?

Are you ready to sign up for the next round?!

A huge thank you to Bacardi Oakheart for sponsoring me and my awesome team!

Taste of Fall

It's finally beginning to feel like fall around San Diego. 

The temperature is cooling down, and the fallen leaves have colored my whole front yard in shades of auburn. 

The change is noticeable not only in my wardrobe selections, 

but also in my menu cravings. 

I find myself pinning recipes for rich, warm dishes, 

full of seasonal favorites like squash, apples and pumpkin. 

I love when restaurants incorporate fresh seasonal produce into their menus,

and was thrilled to be invited to check out the fall tasting menu at Davanti Enoteca and Mia Francesca last week. 

The two restaurants are the first So Cal outposts born of the highly successful Francesca's Restaurant group in Chicago.

Mia Francesca features a large open patio, indoor trattoria style dining and a 50-person private dining room. 

Its classic Italian fare is inspired by the flavors found in Rome and surrounding areas of Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio. 

Davanti Enoteca's two San Diego locations, (Del Mar and Little Italy),

take their cues from the small villages of Italy. 

Each location's chef de cuisine lends a unique  cooking style and presentation to the dining experience, 

featuring a selection of appetizers and main courses, expertly prepared with a twist of modern flare. 

The evening's menu featured comforting selections that left me satisfied and inspired. 

The standouts for me were definitely the Seared Scallop & Pork Belly from Enoteca,

and the Ravioli de Zucca from Francesca. 

So delish!

The tray passed cocktails did not disappoint either - 

the Sparkling Cider made of crisp Prosseco, Captain Morgan and cinnamon was a perfect way to get the evening started. 

Roasted butternut squash, farro, goat cheese, hazelnuts and watercress salad. 

Seared scallop & pork belly, spaghetti squash, pear.

Ravioli di Zucca - pumpkin filled pasta in a sage browned butter sauce with veal reduction, fresh tomatoes and parmigiano. 

Gnocchi Bolognese - sauteed in a tomato meat sauce with carrots, celery, onion, and fresh herbs topped with parmigiano.

Mele e Mascarpone - caramelized apples, mascarpone and crumbled graham crackers.

F21 Blazer, Alexander McQueen scarf, H&M bf jeans, Celine Cabas bag

It was a gluttonous night, so I'm glad I wore my boyfriend jeans. 

Can't wait to go back!

If you're in Del Mar, and are craving some seasonal delicacies, 

be sure to stop by.

Davanti Enoteca & Mia Francesca

Del Mar Highlands Town Center

Del Mar, CA 92130

Discover Vessel

Last week I was invited to a writers dinner at the newly revamped Vessel restaurant,

located inside the Kona Kai Resort & Marina. 

The hotel, which has recently been acquired by Noble House Hotels and Resorts, 

(same owners of one of my favorites - Riviera Palm Springs, and other noteworthy properties),

is going through a $22M renovation, but I'm having a hard time imagining how this place can get any better.

Located right on the marina,

the restaurant offers breath-taking views of the San Diego Bay, alongside delicious, regional coastal fare. 

The event happened to coincide with another special occasion in my life - our third year wedding anniversary!

Needless to say, the night felt extra special,

as we devoured six exquisite courses paired with some amazing wines. 

We kicked off the evening at the Vessel bar, 

where the knowledgeable staff offered up their favorite cocktail selections to pair with some appetizers. 

I sprung for the Noble Sunset cocktail,

while the husband made a bold proclamation that the Proper Old Fashioned may have been "the best he's ever had".

After warming up at the bar,

we made our way over to the dinner table,

where we joined a handful of other lovely San Diego foodie bloggers for a feast to remember.

First course: Tomato & Burrata salad, paired with Esperto Pinot Grigio.

Second Course (and possibly the prettiest): "Loup de Mer" Crudo, paired with Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc.

Third course: Shrimp Ajillo, paired with a 2011 Pouilly Fuisse. 

Fourth course: Mole Marinated Pork Loin, paired with Gary Farrell Pinot Noir.

Fifth Course: Surf & Turf, paired with Justin Cabernet Sauvignon. So yummy!

Sixth course: Whipped Cheese Cake & Warm Berry Cobbler, paired with Late Harvest Riesling.

Every course was as delicious as it looks, 

but the surf & turf combo was by far my favorite.

Luxuriously rich, and paired perfectly with that Justin Cab. 

If you're looking for a new date night spot,

or even a cool place to grab happy hour,

I would definitely recommend the Vessel restaurant. 

The drinks, the food, the VIEWS - another winner for San Diego. 

Be sure to check out their website for nightly specials, and maybe I'll see you there next time!

Vessel Restaurant 

Kona Kai Resort & Marina 

1551 Shelter Island Drive 

San Diego, CA 92106

Railay, Thailand

Railay is like a dream.. 

Accessible only by boat due to the high limestone cliffs cutting off mainland access,

this island is a quick (yet cumbersome) trip away from Krabi. 

After almost getting wiped out by multiple waves,

we arrived to one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen. 

We spent the day exploring around the island, 

hanging out with monkeys, running from bats in caves, catching sun rays and drinking cold local beer.

Absolute paradise!

Holding on for dear life during our rough ride to the island. The trip takes about 45 minutes each way, from the Ao Nang pier. 

So remote.. we saw maybe 10 other tourists besides ourselves throughout the whole day. Loved it.

"Let's go explore inside the cave", he said. Uhm.. may have been a good idea until I almost passed out from claustrophobia. Did I mention there were bats? Loads of them. All over. Never again! Ha ha. 

But I must admit, it was incredibly cool inside. 

Where do I sign up?!