Nightlife: The Gaslamp District, San Diego, Day 26

July 13, 2012 -- "All good things come to an end."  That's a quote that we've all heard, and when I hear it I make sure I make the best of the situation.  With tonight being the final night in San Diego, me, Enrique, and Rocco hit the Gaslamp District.  Of course the first place we went to was the Rockin' Baja.  Did I mention before that we love Brooke?!?  Once her eyes locked on us, she started pouring the beers!  Being Comic-Con weekend, we saw plenty of sights, including the Zombie Walk down 5th Avenue.  Keeping in the spirit of the day, Brooke made me where a crown with horns -- how could I refuse.  I told her that if I needed to wear the crown, I wanted a picture with her.  Nice shot, huh?

Believe me, I hated having to leave my favorite spot in San Diego, but you know the phrase.  I said goodbye to Brooke, Drew, and Jay and vowed to be back sooner than later.

We ended our night at the Searsucker one last time where we saw Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots.  I tried to get his attention -- I was even wearing a Patriots shirt, just look at the picture above! -- but he was too busy heading to his table of friends.  I didn't recognize any other pro athletes and I'm not one of those guys that gets all stupid when it comes to celebrities and athletes.  At least Rocco saw him as well and confirmed that we had a celebrity sighting.

With a 6:30 AM flight out in the morning, I headed to the Residence Inn in La Jolla for my last quiet night in one of the best places I've ever been.  Twenty-six days went by faster than you might think, but it was time to come back home to RI.

Food: Yummy Maki Yummy Box, La Jolla, San Diego, Day 25

July 12, 2012 -- It's the second to the last night in San Diego.  I've chosen to lay low, get my final load of laundry done before flying home (a suitcase full of dirty clothes is not a good thing) and get some sushi.  I called Enrique, he comes out to dinner every night and he's NOT on per diem, and we went to Yummy Maki Yummy Box.  I found this little hole in the wall last time in La Jolla and I make sure I stop by for Rainbow and California rolls all the time.  Enrique didn't know about the place and he lives in La Jolla!  Not to sound like a broken record, but I needed to come here one last time.  Now, I head to bed and await my last night downtown ...

Food: The Spot, La Jolla, San Diego, Day 24

July 11, 2012 -- The days are winding down ... sadly.  Knowing that the last night in San Diego will in the Gaslamp District, I needed to go to La Jolla Cove one last time and check on my seals.  But before checking up on my flippered friends, I called Enrique and we went down Prospect St. to The Spot.  I've been to The Spot a few times and it's a reasonably priced, sports bar-like restaurant.  I had a nice meal and a ridiculous slab of five layer chocolate cake.  Enrique once again picked a wonderful dessert -- he's never seen a flambe he didn't like! -- then we left to check up on the seals.

I love downtown La Jolla, Prospect Street with all the eclectic shops and boutiques, the perfect sunny weather, palm trees, and exquisite views.  We strolled along the Ellen Browning Scripps Park, taking in the rolling waves ...

 until we came up to the Cove's main attraction -- the seals!

Though it was my last time here on this trip, I won't be my last time ever.  I fell in love with La Jolla and the next time I come I'll be bringing the family.  Bye for now seals, take care and watch out for Great Whites!

Sports: 2012 MLB All-Star Game, San Diego, Day 23

July 10, 2012 -- Being a huge baseball fan, and fantastic knuckleball pitcher myself, there was no way I was going to miss the MLB All-Star Game.  The nice thing about being on the West Coast is that you get to go home around 9:00, after the game is over.  The bad part?  The game starts at 5:00!  I told Rocco and Enrique to meet me at the Tilted Kilt -- where else do you think we'd go? -- and we made it just in time to see Justin Verlander give up five runs in the top of the first inning.  I didn't give the National League a prayer in the world to beat the AL's formidable line up.  Boy was I wrong!  Not only did the NL squad win, they shutout the AL 8-0!  Surprising doesn't even begin to tell the story!  At least the wings were great, the clams were fresh, and the waitresses looked great.  See:

Unfortunately, this would be my last time visiting the Tilted Kilt while in San Diego on this trip, but you bet I'll be back some day!!!

Lodging: Residence Inn, La Jolla, San Diego, Day 22

July 9, 2012 -- The end is near!  I checked out of the Manchester Grand Hyatt for the last time this morning and after work I checked in to my home-away-from-home, the Residence Inn in La Jolla.  I really do enjoy staying here; it's quiet, central to everything in the San Diego area, next to the La Jolla YMCA, and not as noisy as being downtown.  Don't get me wrong, being in the Gaslamp District has its advantages, but when you realize that most people at the hotel are on vacation and you need to get up at 5:15 AM to get ready for work, it makes for a difficult combination.

Sadly, this is my last week in San Diego, so I need to see my spots one last time before I go.  I called Enrique, who lives in La Jolla, and we went to the Rock Bottom restaurant to catch the Home Run Derby at the 2012 MLB All-Star game.  I frequented this place many times since it's walking distance from my hotel.  They serve a great spicy shrimp and chicken jambalaya, which I had to have, and washed it down with some local brews.  The Home Run Derby was entertaining, but we made it an early evening; 5:15 AM comes pretty quick!!!

Food: KC BBQ, San Diego, Day 21

July 8, 2012 -- After spending almost three hours at Point Loma, I was starving!  Right across the street from the Manchester Grand Hyatt is the Kansas City Barbecue.  This place serves the best barbecue ribs and pull pork sandwiches in the city.  However, the establishment's claim to fame is that the dive bar scene filled in Top Gun was shot here!  The decor hasn't changed since the '80's and it's a quaint place to visit.

With lunch taken care of, I needed to hit the laundromat again.  Get It Clean was the spot once again, and I was able to reach Enrique for a drink afterwards.  With my belly still full of pulled pork, Enrique and I found a local watering hole called True North.  Not a bad place if I do say so myself!  Alas, it was a Sunday and I needed to pack since I would be leaving downtown San Diego for La Jolla once again ...

Events: Point Loma, San Diego, Day 21

July 8, 2012 -- Everyone kept telling me that I needed to go to Point Loma while I was out in San Diego, and being a Sunday with nothing else to do, I figured this would be as good a day as any to take in the sights.  I was not disappointed.  Point Loma is on the opposite side of San Diego Bay and climbs about 400 feet above sea level.  There's an information center with a lot of history about the lighthouse that sits at the top of Point Loma, the Cabrillo National Monument, and the Point Loma Tide Pools.  Parking for the national park is only $5 and your receipt is good for a week, so money is not an issue here!

I went to the information center first to get a feel of what was around the national site.  The views from here are unbelievable.  I did my best to get a shot of me with the city of San Diego behind me.

I then walked over to the Cabrillo National Monument.  Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo was the first European to step foot on the West Coast back in 1542.  The monument in his memory might not look all that large, but you can see it from just about anywhere in San Diego.  I recall being able to see the monument from Pacific Beach and Coronado as well as downtown.

Next, I visited the Old Point Loma Lighthouse.  It's amazing to think that a man and his family operated the lighthouse from 1855 to 1891.  The picture of the beacon doesn't do it justice -- it's huge!

After the lighthouse visit, I walked the trails that gave me a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean and the huge kelp forests that slosh around the sea.  The colors were unreal, better than can be seen in the photos, again!

Finally, I drove my car to the Point Loma Tide Pools and walked around the area.  Once again, I was amazed by the beauty of the landscape and ocean.

If you're in San Diego, be sure to make a stop at Point Loma, it's well worth the trip!