Food: Buon Appetito, Little Italy, San Diego, Day 9

June 26, 2012 -- By the ninth day in San Diego, I needed to satisfy my desire for pasta and seafood.  Thank God the city has an Italian section!  Rounding up the usual suspects, me, AP, and Enrique ventured to Little Italy.

On a recommendation by a co-worker, and confirmed by Enrique, we made reservations for Buon Appetito.  All I can say is wow!  We had huge tossed salads, fried calimari for an appetizer, and Linguine Boscomare -- shrimp, bay scallops, sun dried tomatoes, and asparagus in a brand pink sauce -- for dinner.  Absolutely fantastic!  We were so hungry that we forgot to take pictures of our food to upload, but trust me, the food was unreal.  If you ever make it out to San Diego, do yourself a favor and be sure to visit Little Italy, especially Buon Appetito.  And, as with just about everywhere in the city, the views are breathtaking.

Food: Raglan Public House, Ocean Beach, Day 8

June 25, 2012 -- After work, AP said that he was meeting his nephew, Neil, for dinner and asked if I wanted to come as well.  "Of course!", I said and with a quick text over to Enrique, the Three Amigos were off to Ocean Beach.  Our first stop was The Harp for some wings and baseball (we had to wait for Neil to get off work.)  The quaint Irish bar served its purpose, but it was time to venture down Newport Ave. to pick up Neil.  On the way, we had first decided to go to Hodad's for a burger, the place featured on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives, but the line was way too long.  But, look at that view!

Neil pointed us to the Raglan Public House, just down Bacon Street (bacon makes anything good!), claiming that their burgers were just as good as Hodad's.  Getting hungrier by the minute, we obliged.  Raglan's is a New Zealand-themed restaurant with killer burgers and fries.

AP and Enrique were a little confused over the menu,

but Neil and I understood it perfectly, and enjoyed our waitress Josie and her perky personality!  Hey, what's not to like!

Unfortunately, AP did not share me or his nephew's enthusiasm over our waitress, since Josie forgot to bring him his fries with his burger.

After dinner, we said bye to Neil and headed back home, full and satisfied (though AP still was upset about those missing fries!)

Food: Moo Time, Coronado, Day 7

June 24, 2012 -- I was told that if we found ourselves on Orange St. that we had to get ice cream at Moo Time.  Great call!  The down side of such a popular spot is the line waiting to get in, and being a fantastic Sunday afternoon, this was just the case.  Actually, the people serving the ice cream took FOREVER, but the end result was as expected -- great ice cream!

AP, as usual, had to have the three scoop, Heath Bar, waffle cone concoction that took literally fifteen minutes to make.  Yeah, I was served after him.  Look at that cone -- it's as big as his head!

With our sugar fix satisfied, we bid goodbye to Meredith and headed back to the hotel.  We did have work the next day!!!

Travel: The Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego, Day 7

June 24, 2012 -- After a very eventful Saturday, me, AP, and Enrique needed a calm Sunday.  We decided to travel to Coronado to have lunch, walk the beach, and get some ice cream.  AP's niece, Meredith, joined us as well.  The Hotel Del Coronado is an icon of Coronado Island.

We had lunch overlooking Coronado Beach, the nation's #1 rated beach for 2012, at the Sun Deck Bar & Grill.  The weather again was perfect, the BBQ pulled pork sandwiches delicious, and the view beautiful.

After lunch and a stroll on the beach, we traversed the neighborhoods off Orange St., taking in the gorgeous homes.  Where do people get this kind of money?  Seriously?

Getting near the end of our visit, there was only one thing more to do -- find some ice cream!

Nightlife: Gaslamp District, San Diego, Day 6

June 23, 2012 -- Right around the corner from Petco Park is a little place called the Corner Spot.  Even after the game it was a little dead, though we did meet a huge mountain of man who caught me yawning in the bar.  He came over and informed me, in a light-hearted way, that there's no yawning allowed in the club.  He was right.  No matter how tired I got, I didn't yawn again.  To give you a visual, he was about six-foot five, bald, wide as a house, and played rugby.  Enough said.

Having enough of our fill at the Corner, our bartender Ryan from the Barley Mash was kind enough to put us on the VIP list so that we could come in for free after the game.  We took full advantage of that, and AP led us past the long line of hopefuls, approached the bouncer, and proclaimed, "We're on the list."  After a cursory check, we were allowed through.  Though the place was hopping, we figured that we had had our fill of the Barley Mash for the day and decided to venture elsewhere.

We wandered down to F St. and found ourselves at the Double Deuce.  AP worked his magic again, distracting the bouncer and hostess out of the $10 cover charge for all of us.  Good ol'AP!  The bar is a bit tight and always packed, and has a country western feel to it with its biggest selling point being their mechanical bull.

Oh, he might look friendly, but as soon as a bachelorette party wanders in, and they do very often, the poor bride-to-be is bucked around in a most suggestive manner.  And I stress, most suggestive.  If you're female and you find yourself at the Double Deuce, be prepared to lose and article of clothing or two.  Oh, and wear some sort of underwear.  AP and Enrique will attest that one fine young lady, who failed to wear under garments, showed everyone in the bar what she was made of!  Sorry, can't post THAT picture!  However, feat your eyes on a few beauties here.  I only wish that I had a better camera!

We left with the masses at around 2 AM, and though we were tired, Enrique led us through the throngs of people in search for pizza slices.  The paper plate tasted as good as the pizza, but then again it was really late.  AP even found a second place to satisfy his late night munchies.  All in all, the long day and night was a whole lot of fun!

Sports: Petco Park, San Diego, Day 6

June 23, 2012 -- OK, I'm a Red Sox fan and love Fenway Park, always will.  But, when they build new ballparks around the country, like Petco Park, they know what they're doing.  Only outside of Boston or New York can you go to the ticket booth 15 minutes before game time, order your tickets, and see an unobstructed view from left field for only $27 a ticket!

The Padres hosted the Seattle Mariners in an interleague match-up.  Though San Diego lacked any true stars, the Mariner's Ichiro Suzuki had two hits, and we even caught their ace pitcher, Felix Hernandez.  King Felix even chipped in with a double in a 7-1 Seattle win.  Try and get these seats for $27 at Fenway.  And, the park is right downtown, only a ten minute walk from the hotel.

After the game was over, being relatively early for a Saturday night (10 PM), me, AP, and Enrique figured sampling the Gaslamp nightlife would be the right thing to do ...

Food: Barley Mash, San Diego, Day 6

June 23, 2012 -- Believe it or not, I WORKED Saturday so I don't want to hear that everything is all fun and games for me.  Well, maybe after working hours!  Me, AP, and Enrique knew that today was going to be a long day since we planned on going to a Padres game that night.  Since the game started at 7:05 PM we needed to get some good food and drink.  The last time we were in town, back in March, we strolled by a corner establishment that was in the process of being upgraded.  By the looks of the half-done work, we could tell that it had great potential.  Fast forward a couple of months and the Barley Mash didn't disappoint.

AP and Enrique figured a good start to the afternoon would be a cold beer, which they had many.  As you can see, both boys were having a good time.  

That's Stella, a meteorologist, giving us the peace sign!  She's a blog follower now -- as well as a fantasy lover.  Yup, she got one of my Overlords business cards!  AP inquired about the top shelf tequilas and Ryan, our bartender, asked him if wanted one finger or two.  We were all speechless ...

Ryan then persuaded us to get a house special -- prime rib and potato pie -- and it tasted exactly like it sounds!  

With full bellies, we strolled (or rolled) to the ballpark ...

Bars: Pacific Beach Shore Club, San Diego, Day 5

June 22, 2012 -- When I'm at Pacific Beach, I always make sure I stop in for a beer and fish taco at the Pacific Beach (PB) Shore Club.  Oh, and the seared ahi is fantastic too!  Today was no different.  After walking the boardwalk in the midday sun, AP and I were ready for some cold ones.

Conveniently it was happy hour and I had myself a Pacifico draft in what can only be described as the Holy Grail.  18 oz. drafts for $4!

Soon after that our buddy Enrique joined us for dinner.  As luck would have it -- again -- two girls from Jack Daniel's were passing out free shots of their honey flavored whiskey.  Not bad, and neither was the shot!

As we enjoyed some more post-meal  beverages, a bachelorette party popped in for some drinks and nearly each girl's hair was my favorite color -- blonde!  Too bad it got late and we had to leave for the night, but that only brought us to Day 6 ...

Travel: Pacific Beach, San Diego, Day 5

June 22, 2012 -- Me, AP, and Enrique had a very eventful Day 5 on our work assignment.  After our lunch in La Jolla, me and AP headed to Pacific Beach.  The weather was perfect -- mid-70s, sunshine, and no clouds.  Pacific Beach is famous for its pier and boardwalk, where girls in bikinis can be seen running, biking, and rollerblading (not that we noticed!)

On advice of a co-worker, we wore our sunglasses and walked slow.

Of course, walking in the bright sunshine can make a man thirsty ...

Travel: La Jolla, San Diego, Day 5

June 22, 2012 -- If you ever visit San Diego, you MUST make a trip to La Jolla.  I can't even begin to tell you how beautiful it is over here.  Prospect St., which I equate to America's Cup Blvd/Thames St. in Newport, RI, is lined with boutiques, shops, bars, and restaurants.  And yes, it is expensive.  Some of the high end restaurants have breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean with fantastic sunsets practically every night.

AP and I had lunch at the Prospect Bar and Grill.  The food and drinks were fine, as you can see, but the view even better.

I'll be heading back to La Jolla again later in the week and will be sure to visit the La Jolla 

Cove, where my seals bask in the sun on huge rocks.  I make sure I check up on them every time I'm here!

Food: The Tilted Kilt, San Diego, Day 4

June 21, 2012 -- OK, let's get one thing straight.  Every man needs sports, food, beer, and a venue to keep himself entertained.  Enter The Tilted Kilt.  Having started to adjust to west coast time -- I'm still waking up around 4AM each night -- we needed to catch Game #5 of the NBA Finals.  LeBron and the Heat were ready to clinch their first NBA title (not two or three or four or five or six, just their first) and being a sports fan, I wanted to be sure I saw some history.

When I mention the Tilted Kilt, think Hooters except instead of wearing orange short shorts and cleavage-revealing T-shirts, the girls are wearing red plaid kilts and even more revealing shirts. Kayla, our voluptuous and perky waitress, helped us with everything we needed -- beer and wings.  She was even nice enough to take a picture with me, such the good girl!  AP and Enrique also have compromising pictures as well, but just haven't posted them!  Be sure to stop by here, even if there are no games on the big screens, if you know what I mean!

If that wan't enough, we were even more distracted by this magician, Nick Ivory.  This guy performed card trips, made money disappear and transform, even had smoke come out of his mouth.  I'm telling you, even AP and Enrique couldn't figure out the guy did it, we were all sitting right there.  I'm giving him props here, he was that good.  However, the curves of the women were much, much better!

Food: Yard House, San Diego, Day 3

June 20, 2012 -- With AP zonked and catching some Zs, Enrique and I headed into the Gaslamp District for some dinner.  On the corner of 4th and Broadway sits the Yard House, an eclectic establishment that boasts a huge selection of draft beers.  Being a little tired from long work hours and coast-to-coast travel, we skipped the brewskies (yeah, I know, a sin) and had dinner.  This is definitely one of my favorite restaurants with fresh seafood and a great jambalaya dish.  After our meals even Enrique didn't have room for dessert.

Side note: I didn't know that Enrique was such an ice cream connoisseur or any desserts for that matter.  We have scoured city streets in such of sugary treats, even after meals fit for a king.  His sweet tooth is actually killing me and AP.  Slowly.

Travel: Sheraton at Symphony Hall, San Diego, Day 3

June 19, 2012 -- So AP stays at the Sheraton at Symphony Hall so often that they invited him to a private affair.  Did I mention that he gets free drink tickets for the bar in the hotel.  Yeah, it's one of the selling features for him.  We took another buddy to the event, let's call him Enrique, and had some appetizers and beers -- on the house of course.

Marissa, the manager of the private affair, tried to persuade me to abandon my Marriott points, but I relented for now.  I did meet Sasha, the perky bartender that AP tips very well, and enjoyed the night until AP needed to hit his room.  Working the graveyard shift will do that to you, especially the day after arriving from the East Coast.  Anyway, thanks, AP!

Food: Sushi Restaurants, San Diego, Day 2

Just to let  you know, I love sushi!  And after a long work day and workout all I wanted to do was get home, eat, and watch the NBA Finals.  In the shopping plaza a mile away from my hotel is a little hole in the wall called Yummy Maki Yummy Box.  Yeah, the name is a little funny but the sushi is awesome.  I got an order of Rainbow and California rolls to go and had them while I watched the game.  I wish I had taken a photo to post, but I was too hungry!  Give this place a try if you're in the area.  They'll even deliver.

I also frequent the Tajima Japanese Restaurant for lunch often when I'm at work.  Being around the corner from my company, it's an ideal place to get my sushi fix.  I'll be sure to take some pictures when I'm there again, which will be soon.  Another place you need to visit if you like sushi and you're in the area.

Fitness: La Jolla YMCA, San Diego, Day 2

June 19, 2012 -- Being a fitness buff, there's no way I'm going to spend my month in San Diego eating, drinking, and sitting in a lab all day for work!  I can't come back home to my wife 20 pounds heavier and with a pooch belly!  Not going to happen!  Fortunately for me, the La Jolla YMCA is literally two minutes from the Residence Inn.  Better yet, since I'm a Newport County YMCA member in Rhode Island, I can take advantage of their reciprocal program to go to the LA Jolla Y for free.  Well, actually the first 14 visits per year are free and only $5 a visit after that.  I still haven't reached my limit, so it's a win-win situation so far!

The facility is more than adequate, a better than average YMCA.  I still like the one in Newport better, but I'm splitting hairs at this point.  The fitness center and free weight rooms are away from the children's areas.  Let me tell you, people in California have their kids in everything, and I'm dodging their Y Summer Camp every day.  The kids are fine, but I have to tell you I'm amazed at how many old people go to the Y.  I'm not talking 60 year olds, I'm talking ELDERLY!  Remember, I have to change and shower in the men's locker room, so you can imagine the sights I'm seeing!  Where are the young(er) people?  I guess I'll have to serve as eye candy for the old ladies, whatever.  Anyway, I'm able to do double workouts without having to worry about waiting for machines, treadmills, bikes, etc.  If you have to travel like me and you're a YMCA member, take advantage of the reciprocal program; it'll save you some cash and keep you fit at the same time.

Lodging: Residence Inn in La Jolla, San Diego, Day 1

June 18, 2012 -- I'm a Marriott Rewards member, so I have a vested interest in taking advantage of staying at Marriotts while on travel any time I can (hey, they bumped me up to Gold level after my last trip!)  When in San Diego, if I can't book a stay in the Gaslamp District I like to stay at the Residence Inn in La Jolla.  The hotel isn't one that has a ton of amenities, but it acts more like and apartment and when I'm in town for a month it more than fits the bill.  AP hates the place, but that's just him. I personally like being close to La Jolla, rubbing elbows with the rich people!  I'm settled in, went to Ralph's to stock up on some groceries (fruit and Coca-Cola!) and chilled out from my long day.  Tomorrow I'll start my work and workout routine (6AM at work, the La Jolla YMCA afterwards), so I'm off to bed now.

Food: Rockin' Baja Coastal Cantina, San Diego, Day 1

June 18, 2012 -- I landed in San Diego on June 18th with one of my work buddies, let's call him AP.  Being a travel day, after gathering our luggage we headed to our favorite local hangout, the Rockin' Baja Coastal Cantina for lunch.  This is our customary first stop every time we land in San Diego.  The staff always makes us feel at home and the food is great.  Jay, the manager, makes it a point to stop by and talk with us (we've been there so much we're on a first name basis), Chelsea, Brooke, and Drew -- the best bartenders in the city -- always make sure we have a cold beverage in front of us, and we all love out favorite waitress, Arianna!

AP took the picture so blame him for getting too much of me and not enough of Arianna!  More pictures are sure to come and if you find yourself in the Gaslamp District do yourself a favor and stop in the Rockin' Baja, just saying.

NEWS: A Month in San Diego

I'm sorry to start my trip with a barrage of postings, but I've been really busy since I got out here.  First and foremost, everyone needs to know that I'm out here for a WORK assignment for the next month, and that my job is a very important part of my life.  That said, when the work day is over far be it from me to sit idly in my hotel room and wait for the next day!  I'll be blogging about just about everything for the next month and my posts will start with "Day 1" and the like.  So sit back and enjoy -- you know I will!

Of course, this was the first picture taken from the trip.  An ominous sign that we saw in the Denver Airport. Buckle up, this could be a bumpy ride!

Travel: San Diego

Yesterday I landed in sunny California for another month's worth of work.  However, there's plenty of time to see the sites after the work hours are done!  I'll be blogging about all the restaurants, events, and bars while I'm here, and hopefully if you have a chance to visit San Diego someday, you can go to these places, too.  I'm planning on hitting the Gaslamp District, La Jolla, Coronado, Point Loma, Old Town, Little Italy, Pacific Beach, and much more!  Buckle up, this is going to be a fun ride!

Food: The Pasta House, Fairhaven, MA

Last week my wife watched an episode of The Phantom Gourmet and took an interest in one restaurant in particular, The Pasta House in Fairhaven, MA.  So this Saturday night we decided to give this place a try.  The restaurant is in a nondescript part of town, just off the main highway (Rt. 195/240 S).  We knew we were in for a long night when we saw the parking lot overflowing.  After talking to the host, we had a 1 1/2 hour wait but we had already made the trip and were committed, so we waited it out.  The bar was large, but not a seat available.  Still, we had some drinks and made the most of it.  We were not disappointed.  We started with crab cake appetizers, which were full of lush crab meat and cooked to perfection.  After salads, my wife had Seafood alla Vodka and I had Pasta Frutti di Mare.  All I can say is -- delicious!

If you're tired of the same old places and want to try something new, I'd give this restaurant a try.  Next time we go, and we will go there again, we'll be sure to call ahead and get our name on the list (they only take reservations for parties of six or more, so definitely take advantage of calling ahead.)

Sports: The Dream Team

Did you happen to catch the Dream Team documentary on NBA TV last night?  I did and loved it!  It was great to finally get a glimpse of what happened off the court, at practices, during their down time, etc.  I never knew that they actually lost a scrimmage by the score of 62-54 to a bunch of college kids headed by Bobby Hurley and Chris Webber, among others.  Chuck Daly, the Olympic team's head coach had actually orchestrated their defeat in an attempt to prove to the Dream Teamers that they could indeed lose.  A stroke of brilliance, in my opinion, as well the decision to reset the scoreboard to 0-0 before the media was allowed into the gym.

And don't get me started on the Isiah Thomas/Michael Jordan feud.  Isiah and the Pistons were bad news in the early '90s and his inclusion onto the Dream Team would have been disastrous.  Kudos for the organizers to leave him off, no matter the feelings at the time.

I also enjoyed witnessing the internal battles between the old guys -- Magic, Bird -- and the young pups at the time -- Jordan, Barkley, etc.  Remember, at that time Magic and Bird were larger than life, but at the end of their careers.  Michael Jordan had risen to be the best player in the world, and arguably of all time.  Getting a peak of what went on behind the scenes was a real treat.  I loved to see the competitiveness between all the players.

However, what really resonated with me was the way a group of All-Stars -- 11 future Hall of Famers -- could put their egos behind them and bond as a true team.   I think we all kind of forgot just how great this team was, but watching Magic and Bird, Michael and Sir Charles, Stockton and Malone, and all the others scrimmage and compete in games was like reliving that special summer all over again.  These guys lived the rock star life, but brought back the gold medal to the USA, just like they set out to do.  And to see the genuine look of pride on each and every face of the players as they stood on the podium while "The Star Spangled Banner" played and the American flag was raised gave me goosebumps all over again.

NBA TV will air the documentary many more times this month, and I'm sure you can catch it on your mobile device as well.  Do yourself a favor and watch the show, even if you're not a fan of the NBA.  This was a great moment in American sports history and thoroughly enjoyable.

Fitness: A Great Way to Start the Day!

One of my favorite activities besides writing and baseball is my devotion to fitness.  During the work week I like to run three times and do circuit training twice.  Throw in an occasional yoga class and a baseball game and  I have myself a pretty full workout schedule.

My favorite running route, which I did today at 7AM, starts at the Newport County (RI) YMCA (where I'm a member) to Easton's Beach in Newport, RI (known as First Beach to the locals), to Forty Steps on Cliff Walk and back.  The whole route is about 4 1/3 miles, but it's the scenery that makes the run special.  The temps were in the low 60s, the air was dry and crisp, and the sun gave me just enough warmth without overheating my body.

If you're a runner and visiting the area, I would put this route on your list.  Depending on your speed, you can run this circuit in 35-40 minutes, take in the sights, and enjoy a beautiful Newport morning (or day or night!)  And, I can always use a running partner, so look for me if you're up and ready to run at 7AM Monday, Wednesday, or Friday and find yourself near the Y.  I promise I won't run too fast!

Food: Antonio's Restuarant, New Bedford, MA

Last night I took my parents and family to Antonio's Restaurant for my parent's 49th wedding anniversary.  We've been to Antonio's many times in the past, but it was my parent's first time there.  As usual, the place did not disappoint.  The place is an old-styled Portuguese restaurant, family oriented, and cash only.  Though the tables are very close to one another and you usually have to wait 30-60 minutes for a table, it's well worth the wait.  My wife and I split the Paella and had more than enough to take home for another meal or two.

The rest of the meals consisted of surf and turf -- a 16 oz. steak with scallops and shrimp -- beef skewers, again with scallops and shrimp, and a heaping amount of baked stuffed shrimp.  The food is fantastic, the portions huge, and the prices extremely reasonable.  Needless to say, we'll be going back again in the near future and I recommend Antonio's to everyone who enjoys good old-fashioned Portuguese food.

News: Join Me On My Adventures!

Though I've written three epic fantasy novels, this will be my first foray into blogging about places that I've visited.  For those of you who really know me, I have a tendency of being in a lot of places, a lot of the time!  Now, I'm going to start writing about the places I've been and will pass along as much information -- good and bad -- about the venues I've visited.  Maybe this blog will go viral ... who knows!  In the meantime, enjoy the reviews and pass this along to anyone you know that might be interested.