El Cajon Oktoberfest

This weekend, we went to the El Cajon Oktoberfest, hosted by the German American Societies of San Diego. It was a great event with lots of fantastic food. Only here for one more weekend, it's definitely worth a stop for some fantastic food and beer. The oom-pah band is awesome and everyone there takes the Chicken Dance pretty seriously.

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Romesco: On Amazing Happy Hours

Most of my posts this year have been introspective, somewhat dreary, and always bordering on the clichéd. Sure, a lot's happened. My inner voice whispers:

Yo, lady, this is still a flippin' food blog...

That's right, it is. I haven't been faithful about the posting, but when I do, it really shouldn't be constant musings on my quest for school. At this rate, Frodo and Sam took less time to get to Mordor. Let's get back to the food, with my new love Romesco (not a new restaurant, just new to me).

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Terra American Bistro: On Soothing the Soul

Multi-purpose planter is decorative and provides herbs for the restaurant.

Dan and I had an amazing meal at Terra American Bistro as a preview for San Diego Restaurant Week, starting Monday, September 17. As we sat in the warm dining room and watched the people around us, it was clear that Terra's an inviting place with great food that adds to any celebration, helps a first date along, or soothes an aching soul.

We definitely needed some soothing and if food is medicine, Terra was what the doctor ordered.

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Del Mar Rendezvous: Restaurant Week Giveaway

Dan is rather ambivalent about media dinners. We've had some amazing meals thanks to PR outreach, but he remains a picky date. Say the words "group dinner" and he's out. There will be no making small talk with strangers, thankyouverymuch. However, when I first heard from Del Mar Rendezvous in January, he actually nagged me to take them up on the offer of dinner. My schedule didn't allow it, but when DMR came calling again a few weeks ago, I had to say yes.

For Dan. Of course.

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Humphreys Restaurant: On New Friends

Things didn't work out for me this summer, so I will be in San Diego another year. Blogging will be sparse, but I am taking a hiatus from my hiatus with a few posts about San Diego restaurants.

Ah, tunnel vision. As I mentioned in my last post, I signed up for a couple of summer school classes. On July 4, I had attended the first lecture for each and things hadn't picked up yet. By August 4, I had spent the entire month of July underground, practically living on campus, and being challenged by a rigorous combination of Mammalian Physiology and Cell Biology taken in five weeks.

I loved it.

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Stress-Free Celebrating: Roy's Restaurant

Growing up, we had big family dinners and my mother can put together an incredible meal for a big group. For the holidays, however, those big family meals were often at a restaurant. When I tell people this, they always cluck in sympathy (or is that pity?), thinking that I've missed out of growing up with big home-cooked celebratory meals.

As a kid, I wondered if I missed out. As an adult, I have to ask... is it that bad? It means not having to deal with dishes or having to clean your house. It means not having to stress over planning and executing the perfect meal. It means not having to feign delight and hoard Pepto Bismol if, for the love of George, people in your family just. can't. cook.

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Weekend Plans: Sublime Ale House

What are your plans for San Diego Beer Week? If you're looking for something on Thursday (November 10), Sublime Ale House and Green Flash Brewing are having a Hops & Nosh dinner. Details here.

The busy continues at Casa Meandering Eats and, this time, it isn't about applications. We're going an amazing trip. I've tweeted about it, but if you haven't seen the tweets, then stay tuned for a surprise. I will definitely do a photo post on the road and I really hope I can do at least one written post, because my destination is one hell of an inspiration.

I'm leaving as fall sets in. It's time for hearty meals and San Diego Beer Week is upon us. I'm incredibly sad to miss a lot of the festivities, but I had my own fabulous beer + food experience recently and I highly recommend it as a place to put on your must-visit list. If not during Beer Week, then a weekend dinner with friends, perhaps?

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Farewell, Teej: Cucina Urbana and Balboa Park

Whoa... still busy here. Between the applications, the day job, my new gig writing for San Diego CityBeat, and a bunch of other activities, I barely have time to stay caught up on my day job (the thing that pays the bills) and the applications (the thing that I hope will eventually pay the bills). Regardless, I wanted to share a fun afternoon with one of my favorite people at one of my favorite eateries.

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Smashburger: Deliciously Comforting

I've had one of those weeks. One of those annoying weeks that causes nothing but headaches and rants. What makes me feel better is good ol' comfort food and what better for comfort than a burger? Especially one that comes with haystack onions or sweet potato fries.

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Eat Out, Help Out: Dollar a Dish for Food 4 Kids Backpack Program

Here at Meandering Eats, we like to eat out a lot. So, when an opportunity comes to eat out and benefit a local organization, we're all over it.

The Food 4 Kids Backpack Program was originally started by two of San Diego's own food bloggers, Alice of Alice Q. Foodie and Caron of San Diego Foodstuff. The program raised funds to ensure that children without access to regular meals received a backpack full of food to tide them over during weekends and holidays when school meals were not available.

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My Return, Cont'd: Yu Me Ya Hillcrest

The thing about being at home for two weeks is that I was dying to spend some time outdoors. Dan suggested a walk through San Diego Zoo in the evening, during their Nighttime Zoo hours. The zoo's only open in the evening during the summer and it's a wonderful walk.

We stayed until the zoo closed, then looked for a late dinner. After some debate, we settled on trying Yu Me Ya Sake House in Hillcrest. We had a lovely dinner and that was further evidenced by the fact that, a week later, Dan suggested we return. That's an endorsement if I've ever heard one, since he usually has to be cajoled into trying new restaurants and usually requires a couple of visits before he warms up to it enough to add it to the rotation.

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Taste of Adams Avenue: A Giveaway!

One of the best photography lessons I've learned thus far is from Diane and Todd of White on Rice Couple. They were giving a presentation and Diane said to stop.

Just stop. Take a moment to look at the light. Don't snap away without considering the light.

I've taken that to heart, always pausing, camera in hand, to take a good long look at the light. Today, unfortunately, the light was not my friend. Flat, gloomy, and moodless. Well, hellooo, June gloom.

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Foodbuzz 24x24: Stay Classy, San Diego

I have wanted to submit a proposal to Foodbuzz's 24x24 for the longest time. 24 meals presented by 24 bloggers in 24 hours. I finally submitted a proposal and it was accepted! I am extremely excited to have brought this meal to fruition and to celebrate some of the great food and drink that can be found in my adopted hometown of San Diego.

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Easter Brunch

To those celebrating today... Happy Easter!!

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Happy 30th Birthday, D.!!

Do you remember that American Express commercial? It featured a serious redheaded boy named Randy. For the life of me, I can't find that commercial online.

(two kids in a convenience store)

"Hey Randy, want to split a Twinkie?"

(shakes head, speaks with gravitas) "No, I'm saving for retirement."

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Have Fork, Will Travel: Taste of Hillcrest

"Oh, is this your first year?" he asked around a mouthful of pad Thai. "Mmmhmm," I replied, chewing a big bite of sticky rice with mango. "Newbies! Great! You guys are going to love this," said his friend.

"Remember the place that gave out whole burritos?"

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Lucky to Live in San Diego

Ocean Beach Pier

I've been trying to leave San Diego for years.

Aaaand... you're trying to reach into your computer screen and slap me. Leave?, you snap. What is wrong with you? Beaches, temperate weather, beautiful coastline. The food scene's getting better and better and the beer is world-class. So world-class that our craft brews show up in cupcakes. Year-round fresh produce. The privilege of spending November weekends laying out on the beach.

Leave, you huff. Pfffft. Screw you, lady.

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Taste of Hillcrest

I took this picture at 7 in the morning. On Sunday. On my way to work.

Sigh. It's been quite a week. The highlight of which was working on the weekend, when I finally caught up on an enormous mountain of paperwork. It's actually quite a relief.

Next weekend, however, I won't be working. I'll be at the Taste of Hillcrest, roaming through the participating restaurants and taking lots of photos. Over fifty restaurants will be offering a variety of tastes. Buy tickets here and join me April 16 from 12pm-4pm.

Thanks to the folks at McFarlane Promotions for the invitation to Taste of Hillcrest!

PubCakes and Treehouse Coffee

Eeeks... it's been a while since the launch of Meandering Eats and nothing but crickets from me. Truth be told, I haven't felt like posting lately. Life occasionally turns into an avalanche and I do what needs to be done, then wait out the storm. Midterms. Finals (damned 10-week quarters still pass as quickly as I remember). Volunteering. Receiving news that I will have to go through another application cycle. Work. Reminders from friends, family, and even my boss, that my tunnel-vision towards medical school doesn't mean they don't matter. And then there's all that is happening in the world... writing about eating seemed trivial in comparison.

So, I walked away for a little bit and took my time on this post. Lest you think I wasn't enthusiastic about it, it's actually that I'm too crazy about it. The pictures took nearly a week to put together. The writing needed to be good and, at the time, I knew the it wasn't where I wanted it to be.

It's a post about new beginning, of partnership, and of deliciousness. I wanted it to be Meandering Eats' first post. Without further ado... let's talk about three of my favorite things: cupcakes, beer, and coffee.

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El Take It Easy: On Building Community

I keep a low-profile online. Weird, right? I have a blog and, yet, I don't like putting identifying details about myself out there. Until I went to Food Blog Camp, I did not post my name or my picture on AoaAF. I didn't spend time with other bloggers.

At camp, Jaden encouraged us to think of other bloggers as co-workers. Elise encouraged us to play nicely in the sandbox. Matt and David encouraged us to watch each other's backs.

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