Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Bird Watching

Did you know San Diego is the birdiest county in the continental United States? It's true! According to the Audubon Society, there have been 500 bird species observed in San Diego county. Some of the more common birds to San Diegans include crows, hummingbirds and sparrows. However, do you know that eagles, various types of falcons and the rare California Gnatcatcher are found here as well?





There are numerous places throughout the county to catch a 'birds-eye' view of beautiful avians. Lake Henshaw is usually a good spot to see Nesting Bald eagles and at San Elijo Lagoon, you can spot the California and Blue Gray Gnatcatchers and the pictured Harrier bird of prey. It is said San Diego has no seasons, but don't tell birds that! The beautiful yellow and black Hooded Oriole migrates here in the Spring from Mexico and the Fall brings a myriad of ducks and shore birds.

One of the major bird events is the San Diego Audubon's bird festival, annually held in early March. More information can be found at:


Happy Birding!


Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Mexican Food

Ahhh yes, Mexican food! San Diego certainly has its share of many fine Mexican restaurants and eateries. No doubt, I will leave out many, unintentionally of course, but three simple, good and inexpensive ones that come to mind are:

Roberto's (Del Mar)
Situated on Carmel Valley Road alongside Los Pe~nasquitos Marsh, this unassuming outdoor restaurant serves an excellent carne asada burrito. The combo plates are pretty good too! A great stop on the way or from the beach. Make sure to bring sunsreen!
http://www.robertos.us/main/index.php

Las Cuatro Milpas (Barrio Logan)
Centrally located in one of the oldest hispanic quarters of the city, this home-style restaurant has been a fine San Diego establishment for decades. The food is simple, delicious and a great value. My favorites are the chorizo and tamales. Make sure to arrive early as the line starts to form before noon.
http://entertainment.signonsandiego.com/places/las-cuatro-milpas/

Clayton's Take Out (Coronado)
Who would think that a place called Clayton's would serve a gigantic delicious burrito for a few bucks?? Well, if you're in the neighborhood and would like to carry out good Mexican food to the beach or a park, this is worth a stop. Parking is rarely a problem on any of the nearby streets and food is ready to go in minutes.
http://maps.google.com/maps/place?sourceid=navclient&rlz=1T4SKPB_enUS309US309&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=coronado+mexican+restaurant&fb=1&gl=us&hq=mexican+restaurant&hnear=coronado&cid=4637047693533663521

Three notable sit-down mentions are The Old Town Mexican Cafe (Old Town), Fidel's (Solana Beach) and Karina's (Chula Vista).

Happy Eating!

Petco Park Tours

For the sports fan or the simply curious, one of San Diego's most recent attractions is Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres. Opened in 2004, this is one of the premier baseball stadiums in the country and from the upper decks, one gets a bird eye view of the harbor and Coronado, as well as a good glimpse of planes coming into Linbergh field. Catching a Padres' game during the summer is always fun, but for a more detailed experience, tours are available throughout most of the year.

http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/sd/ballpark/petcopark_tours.jsp

Go Padres!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Torrey Pines State Park

One of the beautiful spots in San Diego county is Torrey Pines State Park, situated between La Jolla and Del Mar and overlooking the Pacific ocean. If you like the outdoors, nature and hiking, this is a must visit. From the visitor's center high above Torrey Pines State beach, there are a number of hiking trails that either loop around or lead you down to the beach. The perched view can offer a staggering summer sunset or a crystal clear view of snow capped local mountains after a winter's storm. There are plenty of spots for picknicking and Kodak moments! For more information, visit:

http://www.torreypine.org/

Enjoy!

Welcome!

As a native San Diegan, perhaps I take for granted the many beautiful, interesting and special places here. One of the special things about San Diego today is its cultural richness along with all of its beauties. In the posts to come, I hope to share some of these places - whether to visit, sample the food or merely enjoy, and introduce other San Diegans, both native and nearly native, who can share their tips on this wonderful place many of us call home.

If you're from here, have visited or planning a trip, your comments and questions are appreciated and here to share with the community.

Thank you for visiting and welcome!