Wild Animal Park

Chuck's parents came to visit us for a few days and we all headed to the Wild Animal Park in Escondido. The Wild Animal Park is part of the San Diego Zoo and is a huge wildlife sanctuary. It is an opportunity to view animals in their natural habitat, especially those of Africa. To me, it felt as if I was in the Serengeti, warm and dry. We took a tram to the Journey into Africa tour and saw some animals only visible from the tram which include Grevy's zebras, Somali wild asses, kiangs, Arabian oryx, gorals, and rhinos.

View of the Journey into Africa tour

Sunday Bike Ride

I'm not fond of driving in San Diego. The drivers drive fast and tailgate. Seriously, why in such as rush? But I like San Diego's spacious car lanes as well as bike lanes. Not only are the bike lanes wider, but they are very bike friendly with a lot of bike lanes in the city. I think they have more lanes than in Seattle. And though the cars drive pretty fast and furious, they are considerate of bike riders.

Yesterday, Chuck and I bike in San Marcos which is a city north of San Diego. San Marcos is very much a suburb and is a very nice place to bike ride as the traffic is pretty light. San Marcos is inland and it was a hot, sunny day. Poor Chuck got so sunburnt, red lines on both thighs and shoulders! Even I got a bit sunburnt, but being naturally brown...not so much.

So not only was it a really hot day to bike ride, but the route had some hilly terrain. By twenty miles, I hit the wall. Fortunately, we only had five miles left and we'd back to the starting point. I wasn't surprised by my exhaustion, not because of the hot weather, but we haven't been exercising as much as we should be. Since I bought my bike, I've only used it three times. And I don't have an excuse since I'm not even working yet!! LAZINESS, I say.

Usually, I'm not as tired from physically activity even if I haven't been exercising in a long time. Being a physical therapist, I'm always on my feet, moving around and it usually keeps me fit. This is a definite sign that my mini-vacation needs to end and it's time to start working!

And it's also time to exercise on a consistent basis. We're thinking of joining a gym. Sometimes I get bored by biking and running and need to vary the exercise routine.

Cuyamaca Peak

On Sunday, we went on a hike up Cuyamaca Peak. It is the second highest point in San Diego County with its summit a 6,512 feet above sea level. One of the nice things about San Diego is its location, being so close to both ocean and mountains. We drove less than an hour east of San Diego and we were in the mountains.

The hike was a short hike, only five miles roundtrip, but it was a strenuous one as the first 2.5 miles was uphill and very steep. It was steep enough that the next day my gluteals and hamstrings were achy! But it was definitely worth it as I got a really good workout and the view was beautiful.

Farmer's Markets

Due to San Diego' perfect weather, farmer's markets can be found almost every day of the week (except Mondays). So far we've been to two markets, Solana Beach and Hillcrest. All produce are locally grown, certified organic and absolutely delicious. We bought apricots and pluots that were bursting with flavor and so juicy. I'm thinking of banning grocery store fruits and start buying all my fruits and vegetables at the farmer's market.

I'm trying to eat more green vegetables and one way that I enjoy them is in the form of juice. It's just so much easier because it's less preparation. We bought a refillable 32 ounce bottle of GreenFix, a refreshing juice with kale, chard, collard greens, romaine and green leaf lettuce, spinach, dandelion greens, parsley, apple, banana and flax seed. It was surprisingly tasty and can't wait to refill my bottle.

Apartment Hunting

This weekend Chuck and I focused on finding an apartment in several urban neighborhoods of San Diego. We are looking for a neighborhood similar to our much beloved Phinney Ridge in Seattle with its cute shops, cafes, and restaurants. The top contenders are La Jolla, Hillcrest, University Heights, and Ocean Beach.

La Jolla is the "Kirkland" of San Diego.  It is a wealthy seaside resort community on the coast north of San Diego.  La Jolla definitely has a small-town atmosphere, albeit the upscale boutiques and gourmet restaurants.  The weather is beautiful with average daily temperatures of 71 degrees.  

We found several apartments near the beach in our price range and will be continuing to search for one in this area.  It is a further drive for Chuck as it is located 12 miles north of San Diego.  As for me, there are job openings at the Scripps La Jolla Hospital.  

Seattle has its Pigs on Parade and La Jolla exhibits Cows on Parade.  CowParade La Jolla celebrates La Jolla's artistic talent with contributions from all segments of their arts community.  Forty cow sculptures are on display until June 15th and the post-exhibition auctions will generate money for La Jolla charities Rady Children's Hospital and the Zoological Society of San Diego.  

CowParade is the world's largest and foremost public art event.  It has been held in more than 50 cities on six continents.  

Hillcrest reminds me of a mix between Capitol Hill and University District.  It is considered to be San Diego's most diverse, lively, hip and colorful neighborhood.  Hillcrest is a bustling neighborhood of ethnic restaurants and coffeehouses, stylish thrift stores and nightlife, and independent specialty stores.  It is a gay-friendly neighborhood.  Whole Foods and Trader Joes are located here.  Hillcrest is located north of Balboa Park.  

University Heights has the same feel as Phinney Ridge or Greenwood. It is located between Hillcrest and North Park. Park Boulevard which turns into Adams Avenue is filled with cute coffee shops, restaurants, boutiques, and artist's studios. Trolley Barn Park is popular with young families and hosts free concerts on Friday evenings in the summer.

The last part of San Diego were looking at is Ocean Beach. It is considered more like a town within the city. O.B. has resisted gentrification, thus retaining its funky charm.

Stay tuned and we'll post pictures of our new place when we finally find one.