Last Week's Highlights

Modus - Tuesday we decided to spiff up slightly for a random dinner out and settled on Modus. We hadn't been back since Mark's birthday mixology party and we were happy to catch some of the new menu items. They've got a grilled caprese dish that was pretty much like summer in my mouth. It's a good thing I got distracted when they came to clear the plate; it was about to be licked. It was also good to see the genius Ariana and her new bar creations. 'The Latina' is my new favorite and I don't think I'll be tiring of it any time soon because it's inspired by one of my great obsessions: Mexican candy. Mark had the 'Italian Stallion,' which is lush with orange bell peppers, and the 'Mango Djarum,' spiced fruity perfection.

Umi Sushi - Wednesday, after a slightly stressful Crate & Barrel trip, we decided to get some fresh air in Point Loma and took a lovely evening walk along the bay. We worked up an appetite and a hilarious round of decisions guided us towards Umi Sushi. Thank goodness. It's spendier than the sushi we're used to in PB, but also far more innovative. I had a tempura vegetable roll that was amazing and Mark was equally thrilled with his opener, a calamari roll. Our sushi chef was also very generous, gifting us with a lightly battered and flash-fried salmon with hot sauce and about half a pound of salmon sashimi. In the end, I think we got our money's worth.

The Chula Vista Nature Center - This is the home of our little seahorse friend and many other local creatures. We visited on Thursday and had such a good time. I love centers like this that focus on native regional habitats. I can't really express what a gem this place is. Just the fact that the site of a former gunpowder factory is now helping to protect sea turtles, hundreds of native birds, and so much more. And, you can play with bat rays, guitar fish and their friends without battling the crowds at Sea World. The admission is so reasonable, it's a no-brainer of a good family trip. They even have tours and educational seminars, and a regular installation on all different ways to compost. We plan on going back soon & exploring the walk to the bay.




Don Pedro's Taco Shop - We re-fueled here after the nature center and it was heaven. Heaven! I can't remember better Mexican food. If you're anywhere near 247 3rd Ave. in Chula Vista (3rd and Davidson), I highly recommend.

The Galaxy - A mid-week road trip to see David Beckham? Fantastic. I'll leave the storytelling to Mark, though. One small tip: If you're waiting for traffic to dissipate after a soccer game and you just need to kick something, a bundled up bag of Shakey's leftovers works. But take out the chicken bones first.

Romantic Beach Ice Cream - Mark and I had a lovely visit with my parents on Friday and found ourselves chasing the sunset on our way home. So we seized the moment, grabbed two cones, and found a bench on the coast. I wish I'd had my camera. It was amazing endless horizon. The only downside? Baskin Robbins has completely changed their formula, whipping it up with air to save a buck, it seems. Mark's sad, but I'm happy to stick to my old favorite, Haagen-Dazs.

Mike - Saturday had us up early and spending good time with our friends Sydney and Cynthia at CBI. After a little nap, we headed back to Chula Vista to catch my nephew Mike's baseball game. He's ten and he's fantastic.




The New Linkery - Family Sports Time had Mark and I down at the tennis court trying to work off a little of that eating out. The Wii at Scott & Justin's must have done enough because we finished the week at one of our favorite restaurants, and even had more ice cream. Hopefully we'll be eating at home a little more this week. Otherwise, we'll need new pants.