Date: 40: Raglan Public House

Excuse the numbering of our next few dates.

My numbering was off just a bit.

I guess #39 was just so fun I wanted to relive it. 

And onto Raglan...

Raglan Public House is yum-yum-yummo!!

There's no two ways around it.

 

They have a bunch of fabulous items on their menu,

but can we just stop for a minute

and take in the fact that I had a soft pretzel with jalapeno cheese dip for dinner?

+ 1,000 Points, easy.

Anyone who knows anything about me knows I'm obsessed with cheese

(and I'm lactoseintolerant, but really.. obsessed with cheese).

After watching another gorgeous San Diego sunset at the OB pier,

Jeremiah and I dined alfresco, on farm-style benches, under twinkle lights

...yes, that basically translates into 'perfect.'

Add to that delicious beers, craft cocktails

and the fact that I had a stinkin pretzel with cheese for dinner

and I was pretty much on Cloud 9.

We need to go back.

Now.

Date 38: Banker's Hill

Banker's Hill is a super cute neighborhood restaurant

that I had been dying to try for a long time.

After watching the sunset over the bay,

we enjoyed all sorts of yummy appetizers:

deviled eggs, tacos and pumpkin soup to name a few.

We also had delicious cocktails and desserts.

 This adorable little eatery comes highly recommended.

Date 34: Craft & Commerce

This great little restaurant reminds me of a library-turned-speakeasy.

It sits on the outskirts of the vibrant Little Italy neighborhood, 

but doesn't take reservations

so I had been waiting for the perfect time to try this place.

We ended up meeting my sister and her boyfriend

for a slightly early Saturday night dinner one weekend.

It was perfect. There was relatively no wait.

But both the indoor and streetside seating were full and lively.

While we enjoyed the entrees we ordered for dinner,

we absolutely loved their creative cocktail menu

and flavorful appetizers.

I'm pretty sure my bacon wrapped date obsession

was born here. 

  

 

Insider Tips: 

Sit up at the bar and watch the bartender mix up 

all sorts of custom drinks with egg yolk and other fun ingredients.

Oh and make your way over to the bathroom... there's a delightful little treat in there. 

Date 29: Lucha Libre + Sea World Shopper's Pass

This summer,

Jeremiah and I hit up the

well... rather spirited taco shop in Mission Hills.

Nacho Libre.

The line is always long, long, long.

But if you ask me, it's worth it.

At least once.

And hey, the cashier even gave us free drinks for our patience in line.

We tried quite a few of their tacos,

but I'm pretty sure the Tap Me Out was my fave.

(Don't miss the salsa bar.)

After dinner,

we used the Sea World Shopper's Pass

to pop in for the Shamu show.

When we were dating,

we had season passes to Sea World

so it was kinda fun to walk down memory lane a bit.

And after the show,

we booked it out of the parking lot

and over to Fiesta Island

- which in my humble opinion -

is the best place to watch the Sea World fireworks.

Toes in the sand, bums in our lawn chairs

and eyes-to-the-sky for a lovely light show.

The perfect way to end our summer night.

----

In case you've never heard of the Shopper's Pass:

you can basically get a pass at Guest Relations

that lets you pop into the park for an hour.

As long as you're back within an hour 

(and have a receipt to show you bought something)

you get your deposit back and get in for free.

If you show up later in the evening,

the parking attendants will likely let you in for free as well.

It's a cheap date and so much fun.

Date 25: Nicky Rotten's

This summer,

Jeremiah and I wandered down to Coronado

for a Sunday afternoon on the bay.

We played frisbee at one of our favorite parks, watched the gorgeous sunset,

and walked across the street for Burgers at Nicky Rotten's.

Since we had just gotten back from Italy,

the bruscetta caught my eye.

They have SO many yummy things,

but roma tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, provolone,

parmesan, and mixed greens with pesto aioli...

ah, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

It's seriously DE-licous.

PS: How do we get to live in such a gorgeous city?

Really?!

Thank you, Lord.

Date 22: A Taste of the Gaslamp

I'm a little behind on blogging about our 50 First Dates.

Okay, a lot of behind.

It was back in June 

when we participated in the Taste of the Gaslamp as our 22nd date.

If you've never been,

I totally recommend it.

It's roughly $30/person

and you basically spend afternoon

wandering around (with map in hand)

to up to 30 different restaurant in San Diego's Gaslamp district.

Each participating restaurant is sampling one or two of their specialties.

We had everything from seared scallops to paella to passion fruit sake.

It was absolutely delicious and a great way to get to know several of the restaurants downtown.

It didn't hurt that the self-guided tour ended at Altitude Sky Lounge atop the Marriott Hotel.

The rooftop bar overlooks Petco Park (great for catching a game during the summer)

and the beautiful San Diego Bay.

Do it. You won't regret it.

Next Year's Taste of the Gaslamp is June 8th and 9th.

Date 21: Bleu Boheme

To celebrate our 3 Year Wedding Anniversary,

(has it seriously already been three years?)

Jeremiah and I enjoyed a beautiful candlelight dinner

in a little French restaurant in Kensington called Bleu Boheme.

We started out with the Tarte Chaude au Reblochon 

and the Crepe au Homard. 

One word: #yesplease

 

But the highlight BY FAR was the filet mignon, truffle-crushed baby Yukon Gold potatoes,

asparagus and a delicious Bearnaise sauce.

Before I met Jeremiah,

I was one of those "Medium" meat kinda girls

but he has opened my eyes (and tastebuds) 

to the melt-in-your-mouth goodness that is: rare filet.

HOLY YUM!!!

It was just one of those meals where you savor E.V.E.R.Y bite.

(and maybe even moan a bit as you chew...)

And after dinner,

while we were debating whether to stay for dessert

or to head down the road for a nightcap at the Daily Scoop,

our waiter treated us to a tasty chocolate mousse with fresh berries.

A happy anniversary indeed.

And yes, we totally still went to the Daily Scoop.

They have shaved ice. C'mon.

Date 20: Mission + Midway

On Memorial Day weekend, we snuck out quickly after church

and headed down to the East Village for a little Sunday Brunch at the Mission.

The Mission actually has three locations including North Park and Mission Beach,

but of course I settled on the one downtown without much consideration.

Goodness me, I just love me some city life.

When I saw the menu, I just KNEW what Jeremiah HAD to get:

The Papas con Chorizo.
Soy chorizo with crispy potatoes, black beans, scrambled eggs, 

jalapeños, cheese, salsa, scallions, chipotle crema and avocado slice. 

Served with large whole wheat tortilla

Boy was I right. He absolutely LOVED it.

And because no breakfast is complete without equal parts sweet and savory,

I got the berry french toast and we split both plates.

Whenever we go to a new restaurant,

I always try to pick out something unique to that place.

So the Vincent Vega on their beverage menu was a must.

Espresso + Coca Cola + Vanilla Syrup over ice?

Surprisingly pretty tasty. 

After Breakfast, we headed down to the Midway.

We've walked past it a hundred times

on our trips to Seaport Village and the Embarcadero,

but Memorial Day Weekend just seemed like the perfect time

to board the beautiful ship and browse the museum.

It turns out it was the PERFECT weekend.

Not only was it not as crowded as we expected,

but Memorial Day Weekend is the only time of the year

where they let you hop on in to the cockpit of some of the cool fighter jets.

#yesplease

 

We wandered through different parts of the ship,

hearing about everything via the self-paced audio tour.

There are also flight simulators to ride, short films to watch,

and a cafe and gift shop to stop into to give your feet a rest.

 

 

But I think my favorite part had to be the view from the top

looking down on the little city we love oh so much?

Gorgeous!

What a neat way to learn about our Nation's history,

to play tourist in our own city,

and most importantly..

to honor those who have fallen while fighting for our freedoms.

We are eternally grateful. 

Date 19: Bo Beau + the Driving Range

Some of our best friends have been boasting about Bo Beau for almost a year now

and we were so excited to finally head down to OB to try it last night.

Just looking at the menu alone,

it was completely clear to me why they recommended this place.

But once we tasted it,

I almost felt like we needed to send them a huge thank you package.

As we normally do when trying out new places,

we ordered a spread of several different things to try.

To start, the cornbread madeleines 

with pumpkin butter, mixed berry jam and jalepeno-cinnamon coulis.

I wasn't sure it could get much better than that.

But of course it did.

With their signature crispy brussels sprouts 

drizzled in pancetta, parmesan and blasamic.

After every bite, I'm pretty sure I said

"why have I never had brussels sprouts before!?"

Probably because most brussels sprouts are served plain 

on your childhood dinner plate that already has ribs and mashed potatoes on it.

Why pick those darn sprouts over the good stuff?

But seriously. I don't care 

if you've had the worst experience in the world with brussels sprouts.

Order these. Please.

We wrapped up our dinner with the chorizo flatbread

and an order of the leek macaroni and cheese

(I mean really, if it's on the menu.. I order it. Every. Time.)
before we headed to the driving range.

I have very vague memories of playing at the driving range as a kid,
but it's safe to assume I wasn't actually doing any golfing.

It was so fun to have Jeremiah teach me how to swing.
Aside from put-put, I've never hit a golf ball before
and let me tell you... it's quite different than hitting a softball.

He was so gentle and patient as he taught me,
and his little flirty comments made me feel
like a giddy girl on a first or second date.
I loved it.

Not only did I gain a new admiration
for anyone who can get that little ball to the hole,
 but all that golfing made me think of my Gram and Papa
whose love for golf paled only in comparison
to their love for their family.
It was so fun to be trying something they have loved all these years.
And all that thinking of Grammy
made me crave an orange push-up popsicle like she always used to buy me.

After a stop at the local 7-11,
it was home to snuggle on the couch
for Wednesday's episode of Revenge.


It was a night filled with satisfied taste buds,
and a satisfied soul.


Again, please?

Date 17: National Comedy Theatre

 When Jeremiah and I decided to hit up the National Comedy Theater in Mission Hills,

we just knew we had to invite my sister for a double.

My sister is one of the funnies people I know

and she has a real love for live performances. 

If you're looking for some fun entertainment,

I'd definitely recommend the NCT.

They have nightly improv shows each weekend

that are not only different every night,

but that are also filled with clean humor.

Plus, there a billion tasty restaurants nearby:

Saffron, Lucha Libre...

and several others on our list of places to try.

Date 16: Searsucker

 This date was a little special

because Jeremiah came up with it all on his own.

We've always wanted to try out Searsucker downtown,

but when Jeremiah heard they'd be opening up to serve Sunday brunch,

he suggested we make a date out of it.

Good choice.

I mean, really?

What better way to enjoy a Sunday after church

than to go for a little stroll downtown

and eat some dang good food. 

I ordered the Green Eggs and Ham

while Jeremiah ordered a Lobster Scramble.

We shared that there pile of hashbrown delight

by ordering what they call One Foot in the Grave.

We also ordered a couple of their mimosas

(well, Jeremiah got a manmosa. :))

But to be quite honest, weren't terribly in love with them.

Didn't matter.

The food was delicious and the decor was so fun.

It kinda reminded me of a chic Cucina Urbana.

We haven't had their dinners yet,

but I've heard their absolutely fabulous.

Date 15: Slater's 50/50

To be fair, we stopped into Slater's when the Kruegers were in town

to grab a couple beers at the bar,

but when we took one look at the menu,

we knew we HAD to come back for a date night.

Slater's 50/50 specializes in custom burgers

and the 50/50 part?

Oh, that's referring to their signature patty that's 50% Beef and 50% Bacon.

Any place with Bacon salt on the table? Winner!

We started off with an order of their Vampire Dip

which for anyone who has ever heard me sing the praises of The Brig's crab & cheese fondue

Slater's Vampire Dip is like the fondue's freakin sister.

It's OUTOFTHISWORLDGOOD.

Good thing we decided to share a burger,

because I drank that dip in like a famished little girl in the dessert.

The burger we made started out with a jalapeno and garlic infused patty,

added pepper jack cheese, green chilies, onion rings and chipotle aioli.

We split the darn burger and it was still bigger than our faces.

If your a fan of sweet potato fries, 

I'd definitely recommend theirs too.

It comes with a pumpkin pie dipping sauce

that'll make you think you're eating dessert for dinner.

Have a boyfriend? husband? dad? male neighbor?

Every man should try Slater's at least once in his life.

You'll earn major points for introducing him to this place.

Date 14: Santee Drive-in

So, I have to admit...

we were two of those people

who went to see Hunger Games

without reading the books first.

I know, we're lame.

But...

We absolutely loved it

and have since bought and read the books.

Anywho, we hadn't been to the Drive-in since we were kids

and neither of us to the one in Santee

so we thought it'd be fun to head down there after dinner one night

and catch a showing of Hunger Games under the stars.

We picked up some popcorn and red vines,

snuggled up with blankets in our car

and absolutely loved the whole Drive-in experience.

The last time I had been, 

you still had to roll down your window and clip the speaker on.
But apparently these days, you just tune your radio to the right station

and you can stay snuggled warm in your car 

without a peep from the crying baby in the neighboring car.

I must have said at least ten times that night

"Oh my gosh, this is so dang fun!

We should have brought your Letterman's jacket!!"

Have you gone to the Drive-in?

Totally recommended for one of those movies

that you don't have to see in IMAX 3D.

Date 13: Cucina Urbana

At the end of March, some of our favorite people 

came down from Morro Bay to spend the weekend with us.

We picked up some delicious meats and cheeses from Venissimo  

(think black truffle salami, manchego and white truffle honey. #yummo!) 

and picnicked along the bay at the Embarcadero. 

We played cards, enjoyed good conversation 

and drank beer while we watched March Madness.

But the best part I think... was dinner at Cucina Urbana. 

(Gosh, I'm drooling just thinking about it.)

This Anthroesque restaurant nestled just outside of Balboa Park 

has got the most beautiful interior decorating and even better food.

As we tend to do when trying out new restaurants, 

we went with the "Sample Everything" approach.

We ordered gorgonzola walnut mouse + poached pear 

which was served in a mason jar alongside Tuscan toast. 

We savored the stuffed fried squash blossoms with herb ricotta, 

purple basil pesto and cured lemon aioli (#todiefore). 

We sampled their pizzas (though I swear I could have ordered half of them!) 

and for dessert, the zeppole (Italian style donut holes) 

with cinnamon chocolate and limoncello inglese. 

Salivating yet?

The picture doesn't do this justice at ALL.

But my goodness, eat here.