Staycation Challenge San Diego: Day 8 - Trying New Things

Day eight of my staycation adventures was a productive day mostly.  I caught up with correspondence, practiced a bit of my Spanish, and booked salon appointments for the weddings I'm in this summer.  This way I don't have to worry about failing at hair on the day of the wedding and embarassing the bride.  Some days my hair likes to do anti-gravity tricks and some days it likes to channel wildling vibes.  So, I'm letting the professionals tackle it for the two weddings in which I am part of the bridal party.  After all this productivity, I watched a fantastic movie, chatted with a few good friends and came home to relax.

Day eight's prompt was to make your Friday nights great again.  Now, when I travel I usually wear myself out walking and site-seeing all day and go for a good meal and an earlyish night.  But I like to try new things when I travel.  I try new foods and drinks and try to experience local culture.  So, for my day eight I tried to make my own caiprinhas, a drink I discovered and loved in Spain but haven't had in a few years.  So, I tried doing something new, and made a caipirinha, which wasn't bad for a first attempt.  I have a feeling I'll be doing a bit more experimenting with proportions to make it right though.  Then I took my drink to the couch and relaxed while watching Jane Austen's Persuasion.  All in all, it definitely made my rainy Friday night great.


Tomorrow will be a more adventurous day.  So, if you are interested in reading any of my other more exciting days for the staycation challenge, check here.

Staycation challenge San Diego: Day 7 - Garden Photography Project

Today for the staycation challenge we were encouraged to take photos.  To try and take that sort of photo that you look back on after a vacation and just love beyond words.  Maybe because it captures the feel of the whole trip or maybe because it expresses a moment perfectly.

So, today, I retreated to my writing place, the little playhouse outside.  I wrote, I got into a creative mood and then I set forth with my camera to take some photos.  These were the fruits of my efforts today after the rain stopped.

These photos captured the most peaceful moments of my day.  Looking at the flowers in the garden was delightful and calming.  I only hope I did them justice.

For more of my adventures in this staycation challenge check here. 

Staycation challenge San Diego: Day 6 - Whale Watching

Today for the sixth day of my staycation challenge I revisited an old favorite thing from my early days in San Diego.  I haven't been on a whale watch in years.  So, we looked up whale watching and found a Groupon discounting a whale watch with San Diego Whale Watch.

I knew I had enjoyed the whale watch in the past but I had forgotten just how cool whale watches actually are. We saw one Fin Whale and many, no, many isn't right.... we saw an incredible amount of dolphins.  Hundreds by the end.  They swam all around us riding the bow wave and they were so close it was amazing.  Sometimes when you really immerse yourself in nature you realize just how breathtakingly beautiful it all is.  

And I'm sorry in advance for the loud background noise.  I would recommend muting this video.

So, yes, the dolphins swimming all around us were amazing.  We also managed to briefly see a few Pacific white-sided dolphins and a Fin Whale from a distance before he dove deep looking for krill.  I didn't manage to get a decent photo since I only brought my baby camera today.  I was afraid of getting my big camera wet.  Next time I'll just take it to the top deck.  But, the SD Whale Watch crew did manage to take a lovely photo of the whale.

Fin whale on the afternoon trip making its way down into deeper waters in search of food.
Posted by San Diego Whale Watch on Wednesday, April 6, 2016

And we learned one, very random fact.  Pacific Loons, a bird that rather perfectly lives up to its name, gorge themselves on fish to the point where they have serious trouble getting airborne again.  We watched one slapping the water with his wings trying to take flight.  He ended up sort of half flying half walking on water.  He was simply too fat with food to get any air.

pacific loon
Posted by San Diego Whale Watch on Saturday, April 2, 2016

Stupid Loon.  Or more specifically, Pacific Loon!  

Let's not forget the sea lions and cormorants

All in all, it was a fantastic afternoon.  Well worth the time and money.  I would highly recommend the tour.  I am already planning to bring my friends on a whale watch the next time they are in town.

And  now ladies & gents, I'm beat, so I'm off to sleep on my private island.
If you'll excuse me.

Madder Hatter's Tricks of the Trade for this outing:  

1. Bring snacks - you will want them on the journey back to the bay when you aren't seeing any marine wildlife and you realize you're starving.

2. Bring sunglasses and your camera

3. Braid your hair.  Yes, ladies, and gentlemen with long hair, you will want it locked down as tight as possible.  Any loose hair will fly about in the wind and become horrifically tangled, yes, even the loose ends of your ponytail.  I'd recommend a french braid where possible.  

For more of my staycation adventures look here.  

Staycation Challenge San Diego: Day 5 - Total Relaxtion

Today, after all my adventuring and writing and stress about the multitude of things going on in life I was tried.  So, rather than go out and have an adventure today for the fifth day of my staycation challenge, I decided to embrace another aspect of vacations entirely.  I decided today was the time to indulge in total relaxation.

I holed up in my room and lazed about in pajamas.  I read a book.  I catnapped with my kitty.  I did nothing truly productive.  I ate loads of chocolate.  It was completely marvelous.

Later in the afternoon, I went to the nursery (Walter Anderson's Nursery in Poway) to look at the California native plants.  My hill is enitrely too full of scorching sunshine to support normal plants.  Only the hardiest native varieties have even the tiniest hint of a chance at survival on my hill.

So after a wander around the nursery I snapped a few pictures of the adorable and charming miniature village they have built for the miniature railroad.  It is complete with small ponds filled with fish, waterfalls and beautifully landscaped little scenes.

Train trestle over the waterfall and pond

Pond complete with little fish

Everything is better with a biplane

Train running over the bridge

The old Wild Wild West scene

Dinosaurs!

There is even a forest of carnivorous plants

I mean, how charming is this whole village with it's living miniature trees and houses?

Check back in tomorrow for more adventures in my staycation challenge.

I'm hoping tomorrow will be super exciting because I am going on a whale watching tour.  I'm hoping I'll get some lovely pictures of whales for you all tomorrow.

Until then let me leave you with a small bit of advice for life.  The Madder Hatter tip of the day is that everyone needs a break once in awhile.  Embrace your inner cat.  Nap, relax and enjoy the sunshine and the moment every once in a while.

Safe travels,
The Madder Hatter

Staycation challenge San Diego: Day 4 - Lake Hodges

Today was going to be a day for hiking along the beach, but when my mother and I got there the marine layer was thick and the wind had dropped the temperature to the mid-sixties.  Armed with a pair of sunglasses and a hat we thought perhaps we ought to return inland to the temperatures we were prepared for.

So, day four of my staycation challenge to see and do more in the San Diego area found me walking around Lake Hodges instead of the beach.  The sun beat down on the path to the bridge and we thought this was much better than a hazy day at the beach where we would have seen nothing and probably frozen in the wind.

Today's task for the staycation challenge was to change the routine and do something different.  Since I'd never actually been on the pedestrian bridge across Lake Hodges and today was about abandoning plans, it seemed fitting to hit this trail on the way home from our failed beach hike plans.

We parked up the hill from the Lake and walked down towards the bridge path.  We found the signs announcing that fishing was not allowed off of the pedestrian bridge amusing.  This is mostly because the bridge looks like this.

Lake Hodges, the newest forest in SoCal

Fishing?  Really?

There isn't water under the bridge anymore.  It's been such a bad drought for years now that Lake Hodges is almost entirely Forest Hodges.  There is some water at the far end of the lake but directly under the pedestrian bridge the most you can say for the amount of water there is that parts of the lake floor are sort of boggy with a puddle here or there.  However, it's largely dry.

Pedestrian bridge over Lake Hodges

We walked across the bridge over boggy waters and onto the pathway that circles the Lake.  We found the wildflowers growing on the hillsides lovely and enjoyed the sun for a bit as we walked.

Some of life's littlest pleasures

It was a nice trail, but it warms up really fast with the sun, the lack of breeze and the dry dirt reflecting the sun back up at you.  I'd advise you bring lots of water and a friend if you intend to hike this trail, even though it's not very strenuous or hilly.  It's always a good idea to bring water on hikes in Southern California, even when it's early April and the weather isn't that warm.

The tiny portion of Lake Hodges is still a lake

California Poppies

Sandy California hiking trails

California wildflowers

As for bringing a friend, it's safest to hike with someone anyway, but especially on trails that are less frequented.  Lake Hodges is not extremely well trafficked and it's always good to stay on the safe side.

Goodbye, come again soon!

Madder Hatter's Tricks of the Trade for this outing:
1. Don't go alone.  - Bringing someone with you on a hike is always safer and this one is more isolated.  Be smart, bring a friend.
2. Bring Water and sunglasses - You will more than likely need to bring some.  It can be hot here.  I mean, we grow cactus...
3. Watch where you are going - this way you avoid, twisting your ankle and running into rattlesnakes

If you want to see my other adventures this April for the staycation challenge you can find my other posts here.

Staycation challenge San Diego: Day 3. Carlsbad

At lunch, after a morning of doing taxes my parents decided to join me on an afternoon jaunt to Carlsbad.  We heard that there were some antique stores there and we like to wander, look and sometimes acquire antique furniture.  My Dad is a consummate reader and we are always in the market for bookcases, especially pretty antique ones.

So, we headed to Carlsbad and parked on State Street.  The first thing that greeted us was this charming little park/garden with adorable street art on the wall.  It reminded me greatly of the fun artwork you find in Brick Lane, London.

We ambled down the streets enjoying the relaxed feel of Carlsbad on a Sunday afternoon.  There is a drive through donut store, and several sidewalk cafe type restaurants that look completely wonderful.  Several of the places reminded me of Sunday brunches in Brick Lane, London.  So, I was feeling relaxed and nostalgic.

We wandered through a handful of antique stores and I ended up buying two London themed tea cups.  It just seemed like the thing to do on a day where I was missing my time in London immensely.

After we had finished browsing through the antique stores and little boutique shops we decided to go into this little Italian Market right next to Vigilucci's Italian restaurant.  We were done for as soon as we saw the little refridgerator filled with desserts.  Not five minutes later we were sitting in the adorable sidewalk cafe style seating outside the market enjoying a Limoncello parfait, a Hazelnut Chocolate parfait, and a cheescake.  They were all exceptional.

We wandered further down some side streets finding cute architecture and interesting places.  There is a whole little shopping centre done in an old world style building with a charming Irish Pub in it.  Next time I come out to Carlsbad I'm coming around dinner time so I can try their Fish & Chips or their Shepard's Pie.  Or maybe I should go for lunch at the pub and stay til dinner and go to Vigilucci's where I can have more of their awesome desserts.  Hmmmm...

There was an old train station and this charming old building where they dispense the apparently famous and healing alkaline waters.  It's no doubt what drew the Victorian's to Carlsbad in the first place.  For it was around 1887 that they built the first train depot here. I don't know exactly what the alkaline waters are supposed to heal, but it seems that people are still buying them today.

Carlsbad - the Alt Karlsbad Hanse Haus

It was a completely charming day.  I'm sure you are already sold on the idea that wandering through Carlsbad makes for a lovely afternoon of leisurely shopping, walking and dessert eating.  But in case you are not, let me just mention that they also have a Chocolate Bar in Carlsbad.  A Chocolate Bar!

I mean, really, could this town be any more perfect?  They have a chocolate bar!

Oh wait, I did forget to tell you that all of this in downtown Carlsbad is maybe a five minute walk from the ocean.  Yep, it just got better.  So, we had a quick stroll along the beach while we ate our sea-salted caramels and enjoyed the view on our drive home along the Pacific Coast Highway.

Madder Hatter trick of the trade for life:
1. Try the chocolate
2. Always try new types of chocolate
3. Remember there is no such thing as too much dessert

Yep, I'm loving this staycation challenge.

Goodbye from Carlsbad, a charming CA city