The biggest full moon of 2012 took place on May 5th. (The full moon coincided with the moon’s closest approach to earth: You can read about it Here) so a group of friends and I decided to take a night hike up Cowles Mountain, which is part of the Mission Trails Regional Park. The mountain is within the city limites of San Diego and 1,593 feet high, making it the highest point in SD. The mountain was named after an early ranching pioneer, Geoge A. Cowles. (Officially pronounced “Coals”) It was many people’s first time to make the hike–including mine and my faithful dog’s–Sampson.

I equipped Sampson with a red blinking light so that I could find him if I let him off leash, but none of us thought to actually bring a flashlight, based on our expectation of the brightness of the moon. This actually would have been a perfectly reasonable plan, but we walked up the mountain around dusk when the moon had not quite risen high enough to be lighting our path as well as we would have liked. I ended up putting Sampson’s light on the solid red setting and letting him lead us up the path. We took to calling him Rudolph, much to the amusement of passing hikers on their way down.

We made it up in less than an hour, with only a few minor stumbles and everyone managing to stay on their feet, despite some hikers sliding down slippery parts in front of us. We met up with our friends who had started out earlier in the evening and enjoyed a little picnic and the contents of our nalgenes (water only of course!) on the top. For awhile it felt like a party on the top of the mountain as there were probably close to 50 people hanging around the summit when we made it up. It was a little disconcerting to me to be on top of a mountain but not feel like I was in the wilderness at all with city lights surrounding us and the chatter of people everywhere. There were fireworks in the distance that looked like they were coming from Mexico and even a man hiking with his six-week old baby!

Not exactly a professional photo from my Iphone, but I promise it was a pretty moon!

Eventually things quieted down, but we also started to cool off so we made our way down. On the way we passed a group of people covered in glow sticks that looked like alien beings having a gathering. The moon was beautiful despite the city lights and by the time we headed down, the brightness of the moon was plenty to light our way and we scampered down the mountain while throwing sticks for Sampson. It was 11:30 by the time we made it back, but a few of us went out for a margarita in honor of it being Cinco De Mayo. Everyone had a great time, and I’ll definitely have to try the hike again, maybe this time in the daylight!

The Gaslamp Quarter has much to offer: nightlife, fine dining mixed right in with fabulous places to satisfy the late night munchies, and more watering holes than you can count! But what about the Gaslamp Quarter during the day?

A Bolillo Tortas "Sandwich"

Even if it’s usually your favorite night spot, we recommend checking it out in the daylight hours for a whole different experience of the Gaslamp. As the weather starts getting more beautiful and everyone wants to spend as much time as possible outside, hit the streets of the 16 ½ blocks that comprise the Gaslamp Quarter and really soak up San Diego’s history–as well as the sunshine.

Many of the buildings you hardly notice as you walk through the buzzing city at night are more obviously historic in the light of day. Bonus: Lunch prices are often better for the same great food!

One historic building is the Keating Building, built in 1890 by George and Fanny Keating, it is now home to Croce’s Restaurant and Jazz Bar. Though they are known for their live music, they also have fabulous food and will even have a brunch special for Easter with jazz to accompany your dining experience. Or try stopping into some of the Gaslamp Quarter’s newest additions: Cremalose, Bolillo Tortas, and Bite M.e. Trust us, you’ll be glad you did!

There are over 80 restaurants that serve lunch in the Gaslamp Quarter though, so get a map, check out Gaslamp.org, or just wander until you find something that calls to your taste buds!

Enjoying La Jolla on Paw

One of my favorite parts of La Jolla is that it’s such a walkable neighborhood. The scenery is gorgeous, the shops tempting, and the mix of ridiculously-fit housewives, college students, business people, tourists, and those with enough time on their hands to spend hours of their the day at a coffee shop makes for amusing people watching. (One of my favorite spots is Pannikin, but also check out The Living Room for not only coffee, but tea, hookah, beer, wine and tasty desserts) My 10-month old Golden Retriever Sampson, however, cares little for people watching if he is not allowed to sniff them profusely—and would prefer to jump all over them if he had his way.

The Golden One demands multiple daily walks and highly prefers there to be a water element involved. La Jolla’s coastline offers him a piece of doggy heaven. (I’m pretty sure he’d pay more than a few Scooby snacks for the privilege—as do the human residents.) Luckily for me La Jolla is about as heavenly as you can get in human terms as well. The coastline is dramatically beautiful: More rock than sand, with a view of the stunning cliffs of Torrey Pines. You’re sure to catch a glimpse of seals, sea lions, pelicans, and cormorants at almost any time of day if you make your way to La Jolla Cove. (Occasionally you can even see a whale off the coastline, as I was lucky enough to do a few weeks ago as one frolicked much closer to shore than usual.) The people are friendly and you’ll share the view with tourists, locals, and swimmers brave/foolhardy enough to make their daily forays out into the cold waters of the Pacific to really get in touch with the protected sea life in the cove.

Sampson and I like to make our way south from Casa de la Manana (the perhaps strangely named House of Tomorrow) a retirement home for those lucky enough to afford it. We make our way further away from the cove and towards Wind and Sea Beach. The lack of lifeguards and rocky terrain makes dogs a more common occurrence in this area and Sampson always makes a few canine friends along the way. At low tide, he plays on the rocks and dives into the natural pools that form in the reef as the tide goes out.

Surfers ask if he’s a rescue dog when they get stuck among the rocks trying to come in from catching a few waves. There is always someone who needs to borrow him for dog petting time and he soaks up all the attention like a sea sponge and then goes bounding on to the next person looking for more. Today he licked an unsuspecting sunbather’s forehead. Thankfully, she was a dog person… or I assume so as instead of screaming at me to put him on a leash she just laughed and said it was fine. Thank the Sun-god for laid back Californians!

It’s spring so the wildflowers are starting to come bask in the sunshine and make California even more beautiful than usual. I’m impressed with their ability to hold up to the salt-air. Sampson is more interested in the kelp, which he enjoys dragging along until it falls into pieces and then flinging skyward. To each their own I guess. His antics usually brings a few smiles to the bystanders, anyway.

Sometimes I extend our walk away from the beach and meet a few friends at the local “dive bar” of La Jolla/WindanSea: The Shack. Dogs are welcome on the porch, and there’s a fire pit that you can stay warm by as you have a few brews. Many places in La Jolla have dog-friendly dining on the patio—but not all so—check before you bring your four-legged friend along. (La Jolla Brew House even offers a “Yappy Hour” once a month where you can purchase food from the restaurant for your favorite freeloader.)

The Shack actually borrows its name from the palm-covered shack that sits on WindanSea Beach. Three men constructed it in 1946 and today remains a well-loved historical landmark.

No matter where you decide to wander through La Jolla you’re sure to come across beautiful scenery, fine dining, as well as local coffee shops with affordable snacks, and some dog-friendly people so enjoy!

With the holidays approaching and Thanksgiving just around the corner, it’s time to think about hitting the grocery stores. I don’t know about you, but there is nothing less appealing than the thought of going to the grocery store, under the bright lights, fending for your life as you search for the perfect turkey and green beans for your famous green bean casserole. Fear not because San Diego has the best solution for you and your grocery list needs. Instead of going to the grocery store, pick one of San Diego’s awesome neighborhood certified Farmers’ Markets. There is one almost every day of the week!

Grab delicious baked goods at the Horton Square market downtown. Take in the stunning bayside view while grabbing a glowing bunch of Sunflowers in Coronado. Hit the boardwalk after grabbing some fresh vegetables in Pacific Beach. Buy an amazing and unique pair of earrings in Ocean Beach or grab a gigantic piece of pizza to munch on as you walk up and down the market in Little Italy. The possibilities are endless!

Each farmers’ market offers it’s own treasures and ambiance and as a certified farmers’ market the State of California ensures that the produce is being sold by the grower, is grown in California and meets all California quality standards. So during the holidays you are not only serving the freshest food to your guests, but you are also supporting your local San Diego farmers and businesses!