Thursday, June 8, 2017

Liberty Public Market (#LibertyPublicMarket)

Liberty Public Market (#LibertyPublicMarket)

By Stacey Kuhns


Liberty Public Market (#LibertyPublicMarket)


Well Worth a Visit

 

On Sunday, June 4, my boyfriend and I decided to check out Liberty Public Market.  I had heard many good things about it and my kids gave it great reviews. My boyfriend was very curious about it as he went to Boot Camp at Liberty Station many years ago. He said it looks very different now. (I bet it does).

It is definitely a busy place so be prepared for a lot of traffic. Located at 2820 Historic Decatur Road, San Diego, 92106. The facility is open from 11am to 8pm. They also have a Farmer's Market on Thursdays.

We had a bit of difficulty locating the entrance as all we saw when we drove in were restaurants with lines in front of them. We began walking around and most of the galleries and stores were closed on Sunday, which was disappointing.

There are stores and a women's museum around the perimeter of the grounds (large grassy areas, fountain, sand area for kids to play in). The grounds are beautiful though and many families were walking around with their children and everyone seemed to be having a good time. I think we were too early and the reason we could not find the place itself was because it was not opened yet. We finally found it!

Liberty Public Market (#LibertyPublicMarket)

Liberty Public Market (#LibertyPublicMarket)


I found the hallways to get into the main area to be dark and dingy. There were kiosk vendors in the hallways and they were getting very little business from what I observed. The area with the food vendors is well lit and there is a "mess hall" where you can take your purchased items and sit and eat.

It gets very crowded so my boyfriend and I found a table in the dark hallway outside Parana (an empanada vendor). We purchased three empanadas (small). I thought it was cool that the flavor of the empanada is stamped into the dough with initials. The empanadas did not taste homemade and I would not purchase them again. It appeared they were pulling them out of a refrigerator or freezer and putting them into an oven already made.

Liberty Public Market (#LibertyPublicMarket)

Liberty Public Market (#LibertyPublicMarket)


My boyfriend bought a roast beef roll from the Roast Meat and Sandwich shop. He loved it. He bought me a lobster roll from Wicked Main Lobster, which was excellent. I got the traditional style and it was just loads of wonderful lobster meat and not much else, just the way I like it. They were so busy, they were giving people buzzers to come back and pick up their food when it was ready. (Difficult to get good pictures because it was so dark in the hallway).

Liberty Public Market (#LibertyPublicMarket)

Liberty Public Market (#LibertyPublicMarket)


We purchased some fresh ravioli, from Pasta Design, to take home and cook (chef's special, which was chipotle chicken and also a bacon/mozzarella one). I made a homemade marinara sauce and the bacon ravioli was my favorite. Delicious. They package the pasta in nice boxes. It lasts two days in the fridge or a month in the freezer. Cook in boiling salted water for approximately one minute in a large pot (so they do not stick together).

Liberty Public Market (#LibertyPublicMarket)

Liberty Public Market (#LibertyPublicMarket)


When you go to Liberty Market, be prepared. Everything is pricey. There are healthy options, such as a salad place to the not so healthy fare, such as sweet treats.

Liberty Public Market (#LibertyPublicMarket)

Liberty Public Market (#LibertyPublicMarket)


We purchased several items from Crafted Baked Goods. All wonderful. (And yes, there is a bite taken out of the "brookie"). LOL.


Liberty Public Market (#LibertyPublicMarket)

Liberty Public Market (#LibertyPublicMarket)


These three items set us back $16! There is also a fish market (very expensive). You can purchase live prawns and sea urchin.


Liberty Public Market (#LibertyPublicMarket)

Liberty Public Market (#LibertyPublicMarket)


All in all, I am not sure I would return to Liberty Public Market. The aisles are very small and with the crowds it is difficult to navigate through everything. I was underwhelmed with the selection of eateries and was expecting more of a variety of ethnic foods to try.

Some skylights in the hallways would be a welcome addition. Also, for us, the expense was a once in a blue moon splurge. I almost forgot to mention the proximity of the Liberty Public Market to the airport. If you are dining outside or just walking around outside, the constant air traffic is quite noisy. Overall, I would say "meh."


Liberty Public Market (#LibertyPublicMarket)


Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Field Trip With the Grandboys

Field Trip With the Grandboys

Birch Aquarium at Scripps, UC San Diego

 

Field Trip With the Grandboys - Birch Aquarium

 

Birch Aquarium at Scripps is the public exploration center for the world-renowned Scripps Institution of Oceanography at University of California San Diego.

Perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Birch Aquarium features more than 60 habitats of fishes and invertebrates from the cold waters of the Pacific Northwest to the tropical waters of Mexico and beyond. An oceanographic museum showcases research discoveries by Scripps Oceanography scientists on climate, earth, and ocean science and includes interactive elements.

Field Trip With the Grandboys - Birch Aquarium

Field Trip With the Grandboys - Birch Aquarium

Field Trip With the Grandboys - Birch Aquarium