When I woke up this morning, it was because the phone was ringing. It was Mike, a friend of Kaja’s, whom I had spoken to on the phone a few weeks ago. The last time I spoke to Kaja she told me about a friend of hers who lives in San Diego and said I had to meet him. Why she only told me about him now, after I’ve been here over a year, I have no idea, but – hey – she IS 95!!!
Anyway, I had called Mike to introduce myself and he was very sick with the flu. He promised to call back when he was feeling better and we would get together for lunch – and today was the day!
I was so happy that Tifney had canceled for today and made it next week, so I was available. We made plans for him to pick me up at noon. I decided to get “all dolled up.” I thought he would be coming with his partner, Frank, but it turned out to be just him. I wore a floral vintage-looking dress with a cream crocheted cardigan over it, a cream vintage purse, and my new purple satin Chinese Laundry shoes, which I bought for myself a few weeks ago and which were a kind of a present from Eric for Valentine’s Day.
When I got in the car, I told him that I had gotten dressed up because “I don’t get out much!” and I was happy to have an excuse. He laughed and said I looked great. He did, too. He's very handsome, probably in his mid-50s, and has the tan good looks of a San Diegan, even though he's originally from Florida and lived in Chicago for many years! He's only been here for about 10 years.
The day was magnificent – about 67 degrees, sunny, and breezy. He took me to Balboa Park, one of my favorite locations in San Diego, and we parked very close to where I was just 2 weeks ago when I spent the afternoon there walking around by myself taking pictures.
We went to THE PRADO AT BALBOA PARK, “set in the rich landscape and finely manicured gardens located at the historic House of Hospitality in the center of San Diego’s famous Balboa Park.” It was so beautiful. Mike told me that it had been completely renovated recently. It looked very authentic – a mix of Spanish style and Mission style, but also had great modern touches, which made it fun.
THE PRADO is a COHN restaurant – a family that has many of the best restaurants in San Diego. I’ve been to CORVETTE (one of Eric’s favorites – we went there several times), and KEMO SABE, which is right next door to CORVETTE (I took Jessica and April to Kemo Sabe when they visited in January 2008), but there are at least 10 more restaurants all over town!
We sat at a lovely table against a wall, but right in the middle of the room. There were many booths around us and there was an old lady sitting across from me wearing a fabulous wide-brimmed pink hat and on the lapel of her black jacket was a HUGE red and clear rhinestone brooch. As she left I had to comment on it, but she acted like she thought I was going to steal it and hightailed it out of there! Not very friendly and not the response I usually get when I compliment someone. Mike and I laughed about that, and he was frustrated, because he never even got a look at the pin!
We started with Cosmopolitans, which is one of my favorite mixed drinks. I had one with Robin last week in Little Italy and it was SO strong I could hardly drink it (she drank most of mine and all of hers!). This one was absolutely perfect and I finished it (and felt it, too!). I don’t drink much and about all I can handle is one. The conversation was easy and fun and there was never a lull – how could there be with me there? I even asked him if I was babbling, because I could feel the drink and I was having such a wonderful time. He said I wasn’t at all and he was thoroughly enjoying himself, but I think maybe he was just being nice!
Anyway, we started with panko crusted jumbo lump crabcakes with diced jicama-lime slaw, avocado-serrano chili puree, and chipotle aioli. Wow! They were so good. I told him that I don’t eat meat or chicken, but DO eat fish and that crabcakes are one of my favorite things!
After that we each had Prado’s pressed salad. I didn’t even know what that was, but I decided their salads sounded fabulous and when Mike recommended that one, I decided to get it, and he did, too. It had organic baby arugula, shaved asiago cheese, strawberries, candied walnuts and figs dressed in sherry shallot vinaigrette and then it’s all pressed into a mold and turned upside down on the plate. I never knew you could “press” a salad, but it’s a great idea, because all the tastes kind of combined and I really enjoyed it. I also like when the leaves of a salad are a little wilted, rather than super crisp, and I guess the pressing does that, too.
Mike said the desserts were fabulous and insisted that we indulge, so we each got a different one and split them up, so we could each have half. Mike got Tres Leches – vanilla and chocolate “three milk” cakes served with roasted caramel bananas and dulce de leche ice cream. I got the Belgian Chocolate “Othello” – layers of hazelnut-infused milk chocolate and semi-sweet dark chocolate mousse, brandied cherry center, vanilla cream and raspberry coulis. OMG! It was so fantastic. Mike and I both liked mine better and he said next time he’s getting the Othello!
I told him that I’m a chocoholic (and a Starbucks-aholic) and that when Eric and I puruse a dessert menu, he knows that if it includes chocolate – I’m in! I have to admit the Tres Leches was absolutely delicious and there was something crunchy in the dulce de leche ice cream that melted in your mouth. I don’t know what it was, but boy, it was good!
We also had coffee (mine was decaf), which was absolutely delicious. I very often don’t like the coffee in restaurants, because my taste buds are so trained for STARBUCKS, but this coffee was really good.
Mike decided we should walk off our desserts (although we didn’t have to feel too guilty about our salads!) by taking in the art gallery in the TIMKEN MUSEUM OF ART.
Mike recommended it highly. It is a free museum, so anyone can go anytime. They have classes there, where you can learn about each painting, and they also have earphones, so you can walk around and listen as someone describes each painting.
If you click on the link above, you can read all about it, and see every painting I viewed today, but here’s what it says on the website about the museum:
“Located in San Diego's beautiful Balboa Park, the Timken Museum of Art houses the world-class Putnam Foundation Collection of European old masters American art, and Russian icons.
Artworks in the collection range from 13th-century altarpieces through 18th-century portraits to 19th-century still lifes. Represented are the works of Dutch, Flemish, French, and Italian painters, including Rembrandt, Rubens, Petrus Christus, Fragonard, Jacques-Louis David, and Veronese, as well as American artists such as John Singleton Copley and Eastman Johnson.”
My favorite was by the French artist, Francois Boucher. “Lovers In A Park” done in 1758. It was HUGE – 91 inches tall x 76 inches wide – not including the ornate frame. YOU do the math! I told Mike that I LOVE that kind of romantic, frilly, feminine artwork and would love to see that on my bedroom wall. We both laughed, but I wasn't kidding (yes, I was. No, I really wasn't).
Another favorite was “The Magnolia Blossom,” painted in 1888 by an American Artist – Martin Johnson Heade. You could practically touch the velvet the beautiful blossom was laying on. That painting was very small – only 15 x 24.
There were also a lot of Russian Icons, which were so interesting and beautiful. It was also a big thrill to see a Rembrandt (St. Bartholomew, painted in 1657), because I don’t go to art galleries very often, and have never traveled, so to see something like that, in my own backyard was pretty thrilling. You have to remember that in NY you can see some fabulous works of art every day, but you’d probably have to travel to at least Manhattan, unless there was some special showing in your neck of the woods. This is on display all year and it’s only about 5 miles from my apartment! THAT’S what I love about San Diego.
I talked to Mike quite a bit about leaving San Diego. It was especially poignant on a day like this, when it was so gorgeous outside, and we were having such a lovely time, but I told him that I will always carry these memories with me. I will forever know what it feels like to be warm in the middle of winter, and know how it feels to be surrounded by palm trees, bays, and live 5 minutes from the ocean.
I will also have many great adventures with Eric, and friends and family, when I return to NY. New York was very good to me for the first 50 years of my life and I still think it’s the greatest city in the world. I just wish it never got cold!
After the museum we went over to the Botanical Building. “The view of the Botanical Building with the Lily Pond in the foreground is one of the most photographed scenes in Balboa Park and a "must-see" destination in San Diego. Built for the 1915-16 Exposition, along with the adjacent Lily Pond, the historic building is one of the largest lath structures in the world. The Botanical Building plantings include more than 2,100 permanent plants, featuring fascinating collections of cycads, ferns, orchids, other tropical plants, and palms. The Botanical Building also presents some of the Park's vibrant seasonal flower displays.”
It was so lush and beautiful, partly shaded by the lath overhead, yet with the sun shining through up above and spilling onto some of the plants and flowers. I thought of our friends, Geri and Larry, not only because today is Geri’s birthday (Happy Birthday, Geri!!!!), but also because they had loads of gorgeous orchids (which they love and grow at home), and also staghorn ferns that Larry loves, and which he also grows very successfully in their home. I knew they’d really enjoy this garden! If I hadn't already spoken to Geri, to wish her a happy birthday, I probably would have called her to tell her all about the orchids and staghorn ferns, but I know they'll be reading this!
After the gardens, we just walked around a little and saw some turtles climbing out of the Lily Pond. They were SO cute! Then, we walked back to the car and he dropped me back off at the apartment. It was 4:00pm. The afternoon had just flown by. I had so much fun on my “date.” I immediately called Eric to tell him all about it, and then I called Kaja. I knew she’d be happy to hear her two San Diego friends had finally met. I told her all about our wonderful afternoon, but she was disappointed that Mike hadn’t taken me to see his house. She says she’s only seen pictures, but it’s absolutely fabulous. I have to hope for an invitation before I go back to NY! After I hung up with Kaja, I took a nap.
When I woke up I spoke to Jimmy for a while and then worked on the computer (paying bills – SO much fun). Then, I made myself some MORNINGSTAR FARMS vegetarian buffalo wings (they’re very yummy!) and a salad and watched some TV.
GHOST WHISPERER was a repeat, but MONK and PSYCH were new – in fact they were both the season finales, so that will be it for a few months. Boo hoo! The good thing about MONK is that they have marathons all the time, so I can always record the ones I really like. I look forward to watching them all with Eric when I get back to NY, because he hasn’t watched any of them. He said he’d rather wait until I’m there with him, to watch them together. That’s my sweet hubby!
I have to get to bed early tonight, because my alarm is set for 7:00am tomorrow! I’m going with Rosemary to San Juan Capistrano to see a psychic. We made the appointments a couple of weeks ago and we’re both SO excited. It should be a gorgeous day for the 60-mile drive. Rosemary will actually be driving. I’ll go to STARBUCKS, get us both coffee, drive to her house (which is north of here) and get in her car. Then, we just have to drive further north. We have our appointments at 10:30am and 11:45am, so we’ll be out of there by 1:00pm and then we’ll have lunch before heading back to San Diego. It should be an exciting day. I’ll let you know how it goes!