This blog is late, because I was too tired to do it last night!
Well, another heat wave has hit San Diego and we’re not happy about it! It is so darn hot in our apartment that I’m dripping (schvitzing) just sitting here typing! It’s much cooler in the bedroom, but still hot there, too.
I woke up around 9:00am. Little Drummer Boy and his friend (along with their two mothers) were swimming in the pool. He was wearing goggles and bragging that he was “going underwater” which means he was sticking his face in the water – nothing else. Then, when he was cooled off, he played the drums. Glad I was up for the whole performance!
I did some cleaning around the apartment – last minute dusting, vacuuming, making up the bed with the red satin Asian-inspired bedspread and shams, and making sure everything is perfect. The only problem is, we really can’t ask Joe and Miguel to hang here, because it’s too hot! We figure if the opportunity arises, we’ll just give them the 5-minute tour. Otherwise, well, at least the apartment’s nice and clean!
At around noon I left the house to run a few errands. I went to RITE-AID, STARBUCKS, TJ MAXX and a few other fast stops before getting mani/pedi at HAPPY NAILS. I asked for Tina, the girl who did my pedicure last time ($5 dollah!). She was so flattered that I asked for her and did a gorgeous job. Another girl, Eva, did my manicure.
I tell you, there’s nothing like sitting on the massage chair, getting your arms and legs massaged. The icing on the cake is that when you leave your nails look fabulous! I got a pale creamy pink on my fingers and bright red (as always) on my toes.
When I got out I saw that Joe had called. They are staying at a nice hotel a few miles away on Harbor Island Road. We made plans to meet at the pool at 3:30pm and hang around and relax for a while. We decided we’d have a late lunch at the hotel and then dinner later on tonight.
When I got back to the apartment poor Eric was sitting in his chair with the fan right on him, watching golf. It was way too hot for a ride (which he had planned for this morning) and not much else to do. I worked on the computer and then took another shower (believe me – I needed it!). I tried to dress as cool and light as humanly possible.
We got to the hotel, which was the SHERATON SAN DIEGO on Harbor Island Drive. It’s huge, and fancy, and right on the water with views that are to die for. Joe said they went out by the pool, but it was oppressively hot and there wasn’t any shade, so we decided to eat in one the hotel restaurants – QUINN’S, which was a pub-style place with pool tables and a huge wall of windows showing the pool below and beyond that the bay with hundreds of boats. It was breathtaking.
We got a booth and had a lovely lunch. Joe and I both got the cobb salad – his with grilled chicken and mine with shrimp and crab. He doesn’t like avocado and I don’t eat bacon, so he asked for his avocado on the side, and I asked for the bacon on the side and then traded. I LOVE avocado! The cobb salads were HUGE and delicious. I had mine with a champagne vinaigrette.
Eric got fish and chips and Miguel got a warm spinach salad with pancetta. Everything was delicious. We sat there for quite a while. There’s never a lull in the conversation between the four of us. We reminisce about the people we’ve known for 30 years (except for Miguel, who has only been in the picture for 7!).
We talked about mountain biking and car maintenance, which Eric and Miguel both enjoy. We talked about theatre, movies, television, and the roles that Joe has played over the last 30 years. He’s pretty much made an appearance on most sitcoms and many other shows over the past 25 years. That was always a huge thrill for me – seeing Joe on TV. I always tell him I’m his greatest fan. He’s just so good at what he does. Now, he also has a great job working at a nursing college and finds it extremely gratifying and fulfilling.
After lunch, we went upstairs to check out their room. It was really nice with another fabulous view. I have never in my life seen so many boats in a marina in my entire life. It looked like there was a thousand!
It was getting cooler now, because it was about 6:00pm. We hung out talking in the room, going out on their balcony for the breeze and the view, and then left to drive around for a while before going to dinner in OLD TOWN. It’s funny, because Eric and I have hit OLD TOWN twice in the last month, but that was where Joe wanted to go, and we were definitely up for it! It’s really a quaint, fun place to visit.
First, Eric took them on a tour of Pacific Beach and we showed them the CRYSTAL PIER HOTEL, which is on a very long pier with many tiny cute bungalows lining each side. Each has a balcony that looks over the water and they’re SO cute. Joe and Miguel love the water, so I suggested that they try it next time, because you can’t get any closer than that. It advertises that you can sleep on the ocean – and it’s true!
We drove around town and ended up in OLD TOWN. It’s impossible to park, unless you’re very lucky – and indeed we were. As we drove down SAN DIEGO AVENUE on the street with all the great restaurants, we saw a car pulling out. Bingo!
We got out and walked around. Joe remembered a restaurant he had been to many years ago. Unfortunately, it was no longer there. We put our name in on a long list at one popular restaurant, but then went across the street to FRED’S, where we had eaten with Scott and his friends. We told them the food was great and there was only a 10-minute wait, so we went there.
We had a delicious dinner – burritos, fajitas, quesadillas, guacamole, salsa and chips. I had a mango margarita, which was delicious, but really threw me for a loop. It just made me SO sleepy.
After dinner we went back to the car and back to the hotel. We were going to go up to the club on the roof, which you only have access to if you are a “preferred customer.” Unfortunately, I was quickly crashing, so we parted ways and made plans to meet tomorrow for breakfast.
When I got home, it was just after 11:00pm, but I immediately washed up, got in my pjs and went to sleep. That almost NEVER happens with me. I have to unwind and watch some TV. Eric went out to the living room to watch TV and – I swear – I was asleep in 5 minutes.
It was a GREAT day and we had a LOT of fun. Since we don’t have any real friends here yet, it is SO special to us when friends or family come to visit. Eric enjoys driving around and showing people the sights (even though Joe has been here many times). He’s a great tour guide!