California Dreaming

Good food, adventures and belly laughs – some would say these are the best things in life and to us, they are meant to be shared.

Cue a group trip to sunny San Diego, California, where we walked, ate and drank our way through six days of new discoveries. We were lucky to be joined by our good friends Steve and Rosalyn.

We started our stay on Mission Boulevard in Pacific Beach where we walked and ran on the boardwalk beside the Pacific Ocean, ate tacos and ceviche on the beach and soaked up a beautiful, Hollywood-worthy sunset.

At the San Diego Zoo, we put in some serious kms (and closed all sorts of rings on the Apple Watch) and stood in awe of some of nature’s most majestic animals.

We dined on juicy, crispy fried chicken at an open-air restaurant, aptly named Crack Shack in San Diego’s Little Italy. The sides alone, like biscuits with miso-maple butter and border slaw, are not to be missed. And don’t sleep on the sauce bar—I wish I could remember all the flavours to attempt a recreation at home.

On several recommendations, we also enjoyed several courses (and two bottles of wine) at Crack Shack’s – let’s say older, sophisticated – sister restaurant, Juniper & Ivy. Feel free to check out today’s menu—it changes daily.

We rounded out our stay at the extensive and beautiful Pechanga Resort & Casino (courtesy of Dennis’s cousin) and tasted delicious wines from Miramonte and Ponte Wineries in the Temecula area. The views of the vineyards and hills were breathtaking. We took them all in on our drives to one (or a few) shopping outlets. We tried our luck at the casino and found a new affinity (and talent?) for digital roulette. Unfortunately, we didn't win enough to extend our stay.

A visit to California could not be complete without a trip to Disneyland. The happiest place on earth didn’t disappoint. From Star Wars to Winnie the Pooh, a tour of the Haunted Mansion and a wild ride with Indiana Jones, the day truly was magical.

It was six days of warm weather, drool-worthy food and drinks and memorable moments—a trip we will be talking about for years to come. We hope you enjoy our film and photos below.