Why We Wait In Line For Donut Bar San Diego

Donut Bar San Diego Line Outside

Last Sunday we headed downtown (about 10 minutes from our house) to visit Donut Bar San Diego for the second time. The first time was so much fun we thought we’d give it a go again… and try more flavors!

So why did we wait in line for a donut place? No, it’s not because we’re crazy. It’s because it was worth it. And we really love donuts.

Not only is Donut Bar a great place to stop for an awesome donut, they have great coffee and waffless too. Yeah… my husband was pretty sold on the waffles.  [Read more…]

San Diego Restaurant Week is Coming to Town January 19-24 2014

San Diego Restaurant Week Peohes Ceviche Tostadas

Peohes’ Ceviche Tostadas

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! No, it’s not Christmas yet. But San Diego Restaurant Week is coming next week and I cannot wait!

I’m even more excited after being invited to the San Diego Restaurant Week media preview this morning and sampling a few dishes that will make their way on the menus of some of the great restaurants in our awesome city.

If you don’t have your reservations already, take a look at the restaurants participating (and grab a sneak peek at the menus they’ll be offering), and make your reservations today! You won’t be disappointment. I never am. [Read more…]

Islands Restaurant New Happy Hour Menu

Islands Restaurant New Happy Hour Menu

When my husband and I first started dating one of our go-to spots for dinner or lunch was Islands Restaurant. Not only did we love it for their great food and fabulous service, but we knew what we were getting every time we walked in the door. I don’t think we have ever been disappointed by a meal at Islands.

After having kids, Islands continues to be a great place to grab a bite to eat. And the kids love it just as much as we do. So when I was invited to head on over to the Mira Mesa location to try out a few items from their new happy hour menu I could not say yes fast enough!

We are always looking for a great happy hour spot for girls afternoons as well as our own frequent date night in the afternoons. And boy will we be heading to Islands more often for happy hour! With a great selection of appetizers and drinks for under $5, we can enjoy our favorite burger joint without breaking the bank.

[Read more…]

Valentine’s Day Ideas in San Diego 2013

Valentine's Day Ideas in San Diego 2013

Looking to do something special with your significant other but just don’t know what?

Well you’re in luck! Living in America’s Finest City has it’s perks. Great food, entertainment, and weather! The perfect combo for an awesome Valentine’s Day. Below are a few great Valentine’s Day Ideas in San Diego.

Valentine’s Day Ideas in San Diego

valentine's day ideas in san diego

[Read more…]

Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza & Grill Valentine’s Day Pizza Kits

Sammy's Woodfired Pizza Valentine's Day Pizza Kits

Looking for the perfect way to spend Valentine’s Day but don’t want to deal with the crowds? Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza & Grill will be selling their popular take home Valentine’s Day Pizza Kits beginning February 4th through the 14th.

These kits provide an easy, fun, and enjoyable way to celebrate the Valentine’s season. Plus partial proceeds from all pizza kit sales to benefit the American Heart Association!

[Read more…]

5 Great Ways for Moms to Get Out in San Diego

Being a mom doesn’t mean that we can’t get out and have fun anymore. It just means that we need to get a little creative to do so. Lucky for me, I live in a city filled with entertainment and a never-ending list of places to go and things to do.

Since my time away from the family is much valued but short lived, I need to make the most of it and really create great memories to hold me over until the next time I get out.

Here are a few ways I like to enjoy my time away from the kids and family while enjoying the city I live in.

5 Great Ways for Moms to Get Out in San Diego

1. Happy Hour – 

Now happy hour is not the same as it was pre-kids. No longer are we heading to an upscale bar after work for a few drinks, appetizers, and some girl time that goes late into the night.

Happy Hour has now become any time the girls get together at a place with food without the kids. Drinks may or may not happen but all we know is that we’re eating a whole meal without having to feed another being.

We also will be able to eat our meal while it’s still hot and won’t have to worry about asking for it to-go because of a tantrum. Meals away from the family means chit chat and girl time at its best… un-filtered!

And if there is booze involved… watch out! Cause moms are usually quite fun when tipsy (but always safe)!

2. Networking in Disguise – 

One of the best things about my life as a mom is the fact that I get to hang out with other cool moms all the time. And sometimes we get to network with each other finding out that we might be able to help each other more than we thought!

And one event that brings moms together to do just that are the SD Mom’s Night Out events. They are an absolutely amazing way to relax, reconnect, and network with other moms in San Diego who you might not have known about. From Momtrepreneurs to bloggers to stay-at-home-moms looking for a great way to get out and explore. Each event is different and has something else to offer.

The next event is their one year anniversary and it isn’t to be missed! Not only is it being held at Kin Spa, it also includes some amazing perks and goodies! To read more about the SD Mom’s Night Out Anniversary Event, check out my post here.

Click here to purchase tickets for the event.

3. My Favorite Things – 

Every few months my mom friends and I get together for what we call a My Favorite Things party. We each bring 5 $6 items that we’ve dubbed as our favorite thing and we pass them out to each other (drawing names to choose who gets what). We eat and drink our favorite things too!

I love this type of event because it’s low maintenance and it’s a way to learn about things I might not have known about in daily conversations with my friends.  Our last Favorite Things party focused on our favorite kid items. And as you can imagine it was pretty hard to chose one item for $6 or less to share. But I was amazed again at the products that were shared and have fallen in love with a few new awesome things!

4. Playdates – 

Yes, I know. This technically is not getting away from the kids but my friends are awesome. And when we get together, we are able to mingle and chat while our kids play around us. Most of the time I’ll host playdates at my home and just rope the kids off into certain parts of the house and yard. That way the moms can sit in one central location and chat without having to worry about what trouble our kids are getting into.

This option does require a little bit of work but the reward is much worth it. Not only do we each get to sit and enjoy adult conversations, we also get to tire our kids out so that when we do go home they (hopefully) take nice, long naps. Win-win!

Now these adult conversations aren’t always just about us. Usually one way or another we end up talking about some pretty fun topics. Bladder control, birth, and a few other wonderful mommyhood moments having to do with poop usually come up.

5. Shopping – 

Whether it’s for groceries or for clothes… shopping alone is always considered a great way to get out in my book. Not only do I get to enjoy some peace and quiet, I get to participate in one of my favorite activities… spending money!

While I love time with my kids, I don’t love having to worry about my kids breaking everything within reach while we’re out and about. I’ve learned that I’m a lot less stressed when I can go to a store alone and actually consider it relaxing to shop knowing that my kids are elsewhere having fun and not asking if they can have every.single.thing they see at the store.

What do you do for your mom-time without the kids?

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by SD Mom’s Night out. I received two tickets for their SD Mom’s Night Out Anniversary event in exchange for this post. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 

Mia Francesca {A Family-Friendly San Diego Restaurant Review}

Having two small kids can prove to be quite a feat when it comes to dining out. Not only do we have to be very choosy about where we go, we also have to make sure thatthe items on the menu are “kid-friendly.” And by kid friendly I do not mean breaded chicken nuggets and quesadillas (not that there is anything wrong with a good quesadilla). I mean something that will actually appeal to my children, whether it be what I order and share with them or what I order for them to eat together.

This afternoon we were invited to head over to Mia Francesca‘s newest Del Mar Highlands location to taste a bit of what they had to offer. And boy was I glad we went!

Not only is their menu simple and fabulous, everything I tasted was delicious as well! We started out with a few appetizers for the table. There were two types of bruscetta, the first was topped with bruscetta, fresh mozzarella (like… made recently fresh!), and avocado, the other was sans avocado but loaded with cheese! Both were topped with fresh basil. So good!

Next we tried the calamari. Now calamari has been one of my favorite dishes for quite some time. Not only is it delicious, but paired with a tangy marinara it just hits the spot. My son has never had calamari but when I offered him some he quickly approved and gobbled down a few pieces. So happy he enjoyed it!

After allowing our tummies to settle from our tasty appetizers, we were brought our main dishes.

I absolutely loved the kids options. Simple and, for the most part, healthy as well! I ordered pasta with broccoli for my daughter and chicken with fries for my son, knowing he’d share some of his sisters broccoli. Both shared wonderfully with each other.

The one thing I did love was that the chicken I ordered for him was not breaded tenders. It was a full grilled chicken breast perfectly seasoned. I cut it up and he devoured what I offered him. The servings were large and I could probably get away with letting the kids split a meal next time but for now we have left overs for the week!

After being undecided for quite a while about what I was going to get I decided to go with the pizza of the day. As soon as I saw fontina cheese I knew I had a winner. A simple margharita pizza with pesto sauce made my day. Sometimes a slice or two of pizza just puts you in a good mood!

The other pizzas they had ot offer also sounded yummy as well and I know my husband will want to come with us to try a few more of the menu options later on. 

While this location is a bit out of the way for us, I’m looking forward to trying out the Little Italy location closer to home. And coming back to the Del Mar Highlands location when meeting up with  my family in North County. But for the 25 minute drive, lunch was totally worth it! Both locations can be found on their website here.

If you’re looking for a family-friendly restaurant with a great, relaxing atmosphere you have to check out Mia Francesca. The patio is the perfect place on a warm day to let the kids play a bit while enjoying a great Italian meal with friends and family.

You can find Mia Francesca Del Mar on Facebook and Twitter.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary lunch for myself and my children at Mia Francesca. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

True Food Kitchen: Delicious Food and Kid-Friendly Atmosphere {San Diego Restaurants}

Move over Nordies Cafe, I think I’ve found my new lunch spot at the Fashion Valley Mall.

True Food Kitchen, the brainchild of Dr. Andrew Weil, is a new restaurant chain that follows the principals of Dr. Andrew Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Food Pyramid. It’s health conscious meets eco-friendly and the results are amazing and tasty food!

When we arrived we were greeted with a wide open room filled with smiling faces, both the diners already seated and the staff at the restaurant seemed excited to be there. And while we didn’t have to wait at all we noticed the cucumber basil water offered to guests who might not get seated right away. I’m pretty sure we’ll be enjoying this yummy water soon when we return with my husband because this restaurant is going to be packed in no time!

I requested a booth to help corral the kids and make it easier for them to enjoy their meals without having to resort to using high chairs and was seated in a perfect corner booth that gave the kids both room to play a bit and eat their food.

I was excited to try a few different things on the menu but first my son had a specific request. As soon as the waitress asked us if we needed anything he ordered orange slices. No looking on the menu, no checking to see if they actually had orange slices available. He had a craving for orange slices and wanted some to start his meal.

I was so pleased when I heard the hostess say that grabbing orange slices and quickly realized how easy it was to meet the demands of a stubborn 3 year old. They had fresh, organic produce ready and available to serve for every meal and even offered fresh squeezed juices and cocktails. A chef easily sliced up an orange and had it over to my impatient son in no time.

When a restaurant caters to my 3 year old like True Food Kitchen did, it makes me want to come back again and again and invite friends and family along with me.

We ordered a starter of shrimp pot stickers (my favorite!) since Daddy wasn’t there to veto the spicy dish and asked for a few minutes to decide on what we wanted as our main course. I was excited about the menu options and honestly wish I could have chosen more than one dish. Luckily this location is super close to the house and in the mall so I can come back and enjoy more yummy meals in the near future.

I finally decided on what we would have and settled on a Teriyaki Brown Rice Bowl to split between myself and my daughter and ordered a Almond Butter, Banana, and Strawberry sandwich with carrots for my son. He actually ordered for himself for the first time. I was so proud.

To check out the other selections for lunch time check out their lunch menu here

When the food arrived at our table it took all the willpower I had not to dig in right away without taking pictures. But I couldn’t stop my son for grabbing a carrot stick and biting before I snapped a shot.

The three sticks they gave him were gone in no time and as soon as the waitress came around again he quickly asked for more carrots before I could stop him. This time they brought out a whole plate of whole, organic carrots in various shades of orange and purple for him to gnaw on. He was in heaven!

Once we finished our meal we were given the dessert menu. It was so hard to choose but we finally decided on a flourless chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. I requested the ice cream on the side so the kids could dive in on their own.

Little did I know that my daughter would take “diving in” to a new, literal level.

She wanted nothing to do with the ice cream and instead enjoyed the chocolate cake with Mommy. She has such a sweet tooth!

From the atmosphere, open and relaxed, to the food, organic and sustainable, to the amazing service I can definitely say that we will be coming back to True Food soon. And while the pricing is a tad higher than what we normally pay, we’d gladly shell out a bit more for their food.

If you’re in San Diego and looking for a fun, kid-friendly, delicious place to eat head on over to Fashion Valley and check out True Food. You won’t be disappointed!

What tasty options would you want to try for lunch from True Food?

Disclaimer: Our meal at True Food was complimentary. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation.



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