When In Nashville

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Let's pick a random weekend and go to a really cool place we have never been before?” Well, Chantal and I entertained that thought, and made it happen last weekend. For Christmas, if you didn’t know already, Chantal and I exchanged “experience” gifts rather than the typical clothes/shoes gifts. My gift was the Ensenada, Mexico bubble hotel, and Chantal’s was Nashville. Chantal had been there before with her Mom and friends but I have never: let's just say it was an amazing random adventure.

First of all, our trip started off with the most amazing Air BnB. The house was located in the outskirts of downtown Nashville, in Sylvan Park, and had that down south “homey” feel to it. The location was prime with a 5-10 min drive to downtown Nashville, in a quiet and friendly neighborhood, around some of the best food spots in town. Sarah, the host, had a bottle of wine waiting for us with other thoughtful amenities, and made the whole experience so easy. If you're ever in Nashville, get with Sarah. https://abnb.me/2n4wwZD0KK

We got in late Friday night around 10 pm, and decided to go straight to Broadway, downtown Nashville, with all of the live music. My fatty self needed to eat before, so we stopped at Luigi's City Pizza on Broadway; their slices blew our minds and got the night rolling. Tequila Cowboy and Honky Tonk were both huge bars, packed and filled with live country music that had the whole crowd stomping their boots. That's when it hit me…we're in the South. Everyone we met that night was overly friendly. Good first night!

Saturday is when the foodie tour officially started, and we brunched at the infamous Hattie B’s Chicken: mac n' cheese, baked beans, and crispy, fresh chicken made our mouths water.

Next, we drove 30 minutes to Franklin, stumbling upon the Franklin Antique Mall when we arrived. Everything you can imagine was in this antique warehouse, I’m talkin' 20ft. baseball scoreboards from the 60’s and a $9,000 black, mink jacket that I couldn’t keep my face and hands off.  We were the ultimate window shoppers.

Leaving there, we drove through the backroads, through small towns and farm lands, finding a hidden gem at Lieper’s Fork Distillery. We had to do a whiskey tasting... when in Nashville. Even better second night!

Grits at answer, sylvan park brunch

Sunday, being our last full day, we had to do brunch the right way. Sarah left 2 free mimosa tickets to this amazing Sylvan Park restaurant, Answer. This place did not disappoint with egg and cheese filled grits, bacon, and this incredible sparkling Malbec red wine that Chantal couldn’t resist. The day got even more adventurous when we found ourselves at Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center to walk around the shops and restaurants. There was a convention of some sort going on, and everyone was walking around in camo from the hats to shoes, carrying guns. It was so great that we left 30 mins later and escaped to the famous Opryville, where all the big name musicians come through.  We couldn't resist gourmet cookie dough at Sam T. Spoonlicker's at Opry Mills. Yes.  We walked around and ate cookie dough. 

Our foodie tour peaked at Edley’s BBQ. Apparently going to any BBQ shop on a Sunday means they're sold out of their brisket, pork, and bbq from the weekend rushes. I had to settle with the BEST ribs I have ever had, while Chantal had the pulled chicken with this unique sauce on top. We sat at the bar, watched the Olympics, and conversed with the bartenders and everyone around us… Nashville success!

Lieper's fork whiskey tasting

edley's bbq

Vegas is Always a Good Idea

Sometimes you just need to throw some clothes in a bag, hop in the car, and do something spontaneous.  On Saturday morning, Jay and I headed to Vegas for the night: mission accomplished. 

We left around 8:30 and hardly hit any traffic as we trekked 5 hours from San Diego to our glittering desert destination.  A little reggae, a little country, wide open land and Joshua trees wound us peacefully through the mountains and out of our weekday stress.  

A lesser known, must-stop art installation lies a few miles outside of Vegas.  The Seven Magic Mountains add a pop of color to the serene desert landscape, and have a childlike quality that only increased our excitement for the adventure.    

We stayed at the historic Flamingo Hotel on the strip, an amazing location and home to my personal favorite, Margaritaville.  We used Hotel Tonight to find a great deal, and Jay sweet talked us into a room on the 27th floor, looking out to Caesar's Palace and the Bellagio fountains.  It was a magical view at night. 

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but you can't go wrong with people watching, a burger at Margaritaville, and a cocktail at The Chandelier in The Cosmo.  Remember, Vegas is a desert, so the temperature drops at night and pools are closed.  And when promoters say you're on the list to get into a club for free, follow their arrival time suggestions.

You can always take your chances at the Roulette Table- how hard can it be to guess between black and red?  50/50 odds. 100% chance of a good time with a one night getaway to Vegas.  

"No-Dinner" Date Night

Over the past week or so, Chantal and I really wanted to do some things out of the box: unique but still budget friendly. We're leaving the typical dinner-dates in 2017, so here are some ideas to mix things up.

1) Our first stop was Fortuna Mountain Trail located in Tierrasanta, San Diego. The trail features a waterfall and has amazing elevations. The hike has moderate to difficult stretches, but it's so worth it. We started our hike around 4:30PM and raced the shadows to get to the top of the mountain for sunset. It was breathtaking once reaching the top, with a 360 degree view that cuts all the way to the water on a clear day.

2) This past Thursday, we went to the La Jolla Comedy Store located at 916 Pearl Street, La Jolla 92037. It's a must if you want a good laugh. It's a simple venue (no food except popcorn), but great comedians come through all the time. They have open-mic nights, free-entrance nights, and other great events. There is a 2-drink minimum when you sit down, but you can opt for coffee or hot chocolate if a spicy margarita or glass of wine doesn't call your name.  Shout out to our favorite of the night: James Davis.   

3) One of the finest secrets in San Diego falls on the last Sunday of every month at North Park's Coin-Op Game Room...FREE GAME NIGHT! If you haven't been, they have the best beers on tap all the time, and you name a classic arcade game and you'll find it: Pacman, Galaga, Space Invaders, Pinball, Digital Beer pong, Mortal Kombat, NBA Jam, Basketball, Street Fighter, and Tekken are only a few. If you are a classic gamer like I am, put a reminder on your phone every month, and game out for free!  Their different tater tot flavors don't disappoint.

48 Hours in Baja California, Mexico

Since our Bali adventure, we've settled back into our daily routine and work grind: missing the exploration, curiosity, and wonder of travel.  However, we realized that exploration doesn't have to come with a pricey plane ticket, and can be a way of life (as we save for pricey plane tickets!)  Seeing as we live in one of the most coveted travel destinations in the US, we are becoming tourists in our hometown, bringing you the best of San Diego.  

Sand dunes on the 1 South

One of the best things about San Diego is the easy escape to Mexico.  Within half an hour, you can be crossing the border, into a world of color and flavor and energy.  I've always loved Mexico, and Jay and I like to get down to Baja a few times a year.  Here's what we did with our weekend-48 hours in Mexico.  

We wanted to get a jump start to our weekend so we ended up heading south down the 5 right after work. It's easy crossing into Mexico by car, but expect 2 hours crossing back into the U.S. and bring your passport (now required to get back).  We cut to the toll road, that weaves south with breathtaking views along the coast, cutting through mountains and valleys.

Our Friday night started off strong with a pitstop at Charly's Place (spelled correctly and with a cat that will join you for tacos and margaritas). The garlic shrimp taco is epic.  That night, we stayed at our favorite Las Rocas Spa and Resort, cut into the cliff and watched over by the Christo statue on the hill behind.  Their margaritas are top notch, and even better in the jacuzzi with the sound of waves breaking down below.

Las Rocas

View from our room, Las Rocas

The next morning, we continued south and were pleasantly surprised to find previous local restaurant, Splash, transformed into Acua Sunset- easily one of the best breakfasts we've had since Bali.  The personable owner, Victor, guided us to a table in a room sunken down into the cliff, with a glass wall so we could enjoy the waves crashing towards us as we ate.  The Juevos Verdes were life changing, with pesto and pine nuts, and fresh avocado.  Victor also brought us fresh banana bread, grilled to melt the butter it came with.  Acua Sunset is a gem of Baja, with a large bar and outdoor deck.  We can't wait to come back during warmer weather, and loved chatting with Victor.  The local art on the entrance is a clue that you're walking into a culinary masterpiece, not just a restaurant.      

Juevos Verdes, Acua

A table with a view, Acua

Tequila Experts in Ensenada

About an hour south of Rosarito is Ensenada, a famous port that floods with tourists when the cruise ships arrived.  We took a few hour detour and were quickly swept into Dona Engracia for a Tequila Tour.  For $10/person, we learned about the history of agave, the jimadors who make the tequila, and the regions that generate 90% of the world's tequila.  Oh, and we got to "sample" 6 shots of premium, unsweetened tequila.  We got a tour through each flavor, learning what each pairs best with.

Next we headed east, into Valle de Guadalupe, the Napa of Baja.  Winding up through mountains and dropping into an expansive valley of vineyards, we used maps.me to navigate dirt roads and finally find Campera Hotel, the one-of-a-kind bubble hotel.  The property is quiet and private, offering a luxury glamping experience with views of the stars that you can't get near any big city.  Dinner at Fuego, a few miles away at Hotel Boutique, was worth braving the dirt roads.  Just plan better than we did, and bring an offroad vehicle.     

We slowly bumped our way out of wine country the next morning, after watching the rays of sun glide over the mountains from the comfort of our bubble bed.  Mr. and Mrs. Waffle in Ensenada fueled our drive back, and the Nutella Hot Chocolate was "probably one of the better hot chocolates I've ever had in my life." -Jay

Chicken mole waffle and the classic Mr. Waffle

Mango and pina margaritas at Bombay Club

We wrapped up the weekend with a surf session at k38s, and "buy one get one" margaritas at Bombay Club in downtown Rosarito (a trick because they brought each of us two...language barrier...)

Border tacos capped off our Baja adventure, and we came back ready to take on the week- and without a dent in our wallets.  Mexico never disappoints, and reminds us why we love San Diego.