Marine Mammal Lovers Take Note

by Stacey Kuhns 

 

I recently visited the Marine Mammal Care Center (MMCC) at Fort MacArthur with my mom and a friend. The MMCC is located at 3601 S. Gaffey Street, San Pedro, CA, 90731. They are opened daily from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This is a small center that is open to the public. They do not ask for donations or an entrance fee to the facility.

When I say it is small, I mean it is small; but if you are with children there are plenty of places within minutes to visit such as the Korean Friendship Bell. The Bell area offers lots of grassy areas for kids to run, have picnics, or fly kites and it offers an ocean view which is dynamite for sunsets. It is the same address as the MMCC but the next driveway up.

The MMCC was opened in 1992. It is authorized by the National Marine Fisheries Service. Their goal is to rehabilitate federally protected seals and sea lions that strand in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. (Note: I was taking pictures through double sets of rubberized chain link fencing which can be seen in some of the pics).

Several hundred marine mammals are treated here each year and then released back into their natural environment. Most are youngsters suffering from malnutrition, dehydration, heavy parasite loads, and bacterial or viral infections. Others are victims of human interaction, such as being caught in fishing lines, abuse, gunshot wounds, etc.

MMCC treats a variety of seals and sea lions. During my visit, they had Guadalupe Fur Seals, Harbor Seals, and Northern Fur Seals, to name just a few.

Little is known about the Guadalupe Fur Seals as they were hunted almost to extinction before researchers were able to study them. They are members of the otariid family (sea lions) and have external ear flaps and long front and hind flippers.

They are slightly smaller than Northern Fur Seals. Males reach 6 feet and 300 pounds and the females reach 4 feet and 100 pounds. In 1925, they became extinct in California waters. Today, the only breeding colony is off Guadalupe Island off the coast of Mexico, but increasing numbers have been seen off California's Channel Islands.

Some have stranded on the central California coast and it is not known if this is from El Nino conditions or if it is a sign they are returning to their former range. Let's hope they are returning to us.

The Pacific Harbor Seals have spotted coats that come in a variety of shades. Males reach 5-6 feet and weigh up to 300 pounds and the females are slightly smaller. The Harbor seal is a true crawling species. They have no external ear flaps, small flippers and move by flopping along on their bellies.

They are found North of the Equator in both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. They can range from Alaska to Baja California and Mexico.

Northern Fur Seals are named for their thick fur which has 300,000 hairs per square inch! They were first named "sea bears." Males are much larger than females, even at birth. Male pups weigh 12 pounds and can grow up to 385-605 pounds and 7 feet in length. Female pups weigh 10 pounds and grow to 66-110 pounds and 4.5 feet in length.

They range throughout the Pacific Rim from Japan to the Channel Islands of California. These seals are pelagic (living almost all of the time in the open ocean.) They come ashore for breeding and pupping. They are almost never seen on beaches unless they are sick. They can live to about 26 years, but death rates are high.

I found my visit to MMCC fascinating. The enclosures were immaculate and made of more expensive materials than I am used to seeing in marine mammal pens. They are kept far enough away from the public so they are not disturbed. There are hired and volunteer staff with plenty of employees around. They were working very hard cleaning, taking notes, and constantly checking the animals.

I observed feeding sessions. Two staff hold a large board in front of their feet and enter the enclosure. This prevents the seals from knowing where the food comes from. Each animal has a number shaved into it for identification. As two staff put out fish for the seals, another staff is on the opposite side of the enclosure taking notes on which seals are eating, how many fish they ate, and which ones are eating on the substrate of the enclosure or are eating inside the pool (each enclosure has a pool area). I attempted getting pictures of the seals eating but they were too fast for me.

I was so impressed with how well the animals are cared for. Their welfare seems to be the top priority. Aside from the enclosures, there is a small gift shop that offers a variety of items. The MMCC shirts were only $12 and no tax which was awesome.

Parking is free and plentiful during the week (not sure about weekends.) Across from MMCC is a marine bird rescue center but it was closed to the public due to the birds getting overly stressed and traumatized when visitors are allowed inside.

I encourage anyone who has an interest in marine mammals and their welfare, and are in the San Pedro area, to stop by and visit MMCC.

This happy little guy gets to see another day due to the diligence of MMCC and their staff. Good vibes.

Hob Nob Hill and Bread & Cie BakeryTwo Wonderful San Diego Restaurants.

If you have not tried these two San Diego gems, you are missing out.

Hob Nob Hill and Bread

A friend took me to two places I had never been in San Diego and I was very impressed. The first was Hob Nob Hill,  a landmark restaurant located at 2271 1st Avenue, San Diego. We stopped there on a whim for breakfast. Hob Nob Hill is opened from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. 

When you enter the restaurant, you feel as if you have gone back in time; wood paneling, chandeliers, cloth napkins, and a nice quiet, relaxing atmosphere.

The menu was a breakfast menu only. The menu is not large, but they have the standard breakfast and some that you would not find on most restaurant menus. There was a BLTE (bacon, lettuce, tomato, and egg) sandwich, three kinds of Eggs Benedict, spiced apples (side dish), and the special of the morning was a tuna melt omelet. Just did not sound good, but I am sure it was fabulous as our meals were wonderful.

My friend got the crab Eggs Benedict with spiced apples and said it was delicious. (She also told me she has an uncle who drives from San Bernardino just to eat here once in a while). I had the cinnamon French Toast with a side of dry, crispy bacon. The French Toast melted in my mouth-so good and the bacon was perfect.

We were full, and very satisfied with Hob Nob Hill. I will definitely go back to try their lunch or dinner.

Bread & Cie Bakery & Cafe

Later on that same afternoon, my friend took me to Bread & Cie Bakery & Cafe.  Wow! This place is located at 350 University Avenue, San Diego (Between 3rd and 4th Avenue).

The bakery and cafe are open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. There is parking in the back lot if you cannot find street parking. Make sure to park in the Bread & Cie lot as the surrounding lots are pay parking. 

If we had been hungry, we would have stayed for lunch as their menu is extensive and everything looks amazing. They serve breakfast, sandwiches, soups, salads, grilled Paninis, specialty yogurts and even a picnic lunch to go.

The desserts looked amazing. I did not purchase any, but I am sure they are wonderful as my friend vouched for them and said her husband loves them. 

I was more interested in the breads. They have quite a variety of breads, like Dudley's, but they taste amazing’ much, much better than Dudley's. The service here is quick and they have a system that makes sense.

You can buy loaves of bread and have them sliced any thickness you desire. I purchased a jalapeno cheddar loaf and had it sliced thick. So yummy. Doesn't need anything on it but also was delicious used for a ham and grilled cheese.

I also purchased a caramelized onion loaf. I bought the small loaf and wished I had bought the large. Fantastic. I also wish Bread & Cie was in North County. I definitely plan to go back and buy some loaves to freeze. Amazing!

And next time I go to Bread & Cie, I will go for lunch and check out the sandwiches. The difficult part will be deciding which of the breads to try.

Check them out. You will not be disappointed.

Hidden Gem in North County

Saigon Noodles Restaurant

By Stacey Kuhns

A friend and I recently returned to a small "hole-in-the-wall' type restaurant for the second time. We had wonderful food and service the first time, so wanted to go back.

Saigon Noodles is located in the Escondido Promenade (in the Target Center) at 1264 Auto Parkway, Suite C, in Escondido, California. They are open Monday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

I apologize as I forgot to take a picture of the outside, but it is a normal strip mall place. Normal in looks, but the food is outstanding and there is a lot of it.

We started off with soup. I had the noodle soup with chicken broth and my friend had the chicken noodle soup. The noodles are thick rice noodles and so yummy. The broth was tasty and on a cold night it just hit the spot.

The soups are garnished with green onions and cilantro. My friend got a plate of sprouts, fresh jalapenos, and basil leaves that he used to garnish his soup. He loved the broth and noodles, but not the chicken that was in the soup. Warning: The small sized soups come in large bowls. I would think the large would feed a family of four easily. 

We both chose a soft noodle and vegetable dish for dinner. He chose chicken and I chose shrimp. The dishes are large and full of veggies and meat. My friend loved the chicken in the main dish and mine was full of shrimp and oh so good! The soups were so big (even though we got the small size), and filling that we took half our dinners home. 

On our first trip to Saigon Noodle, we ordered the appetizers-spring rolls. They were fresh and delicious. Saigon Noodles seems busy for take-out as well as eat in, but we have never had to wait and the food comes quickly.

One thing I did not care for was that when you order a soda, it comes in a can with a glass of ice; so no free refills. However, the food and service makes up for that small thing easily.

Try them out. You will not be disappointed and the menu is large with plenty of items to choose from.

Carlsbad State Beach

Carlsbad State Beach is a protected beach in the state park system of California, USA, located in Carlsbad. It is a San Diego County beach with coastal bluffs. Popular activities include swimming, surfing, scuba diving, fishing, and beach-combing. Carlsbad State Beach is a protected beach in the state park system of California, USA, located in Carlsbad. It is a San Diego County beach with coastal bluffs. 

Popular activities include swimming, surfing, scuba diving, fishing, and beach-combing.

Photos by Stacey Kuhns

Rare San Diego Snow Day

by Stacey Kuhns

Thinking About a Snow Day with the Family?

Rare-San-Diego-Snow-Day As a California native, I get excited about the snow; I mean, really excited. After this past weekend, I know I am definitely not alone. It is kind of like San Diego/California news channels offering breaking news regarding "Storm Watch 2015" or some such headline and then the weather delivers a few small showers.

Well, we San Diegans definitely have "snow frenzy." I have not been to the snow in a very long time, probably over 20 years. I love winter (even though I have lived in San Diego for approximately 31 years). Cold weather, winter storms, and snow all make me feel good, peaceful, like winter is my soul's special time of year.

I have been begging my boyfriend to take me to the snow as soon as any fell in California. He was not as enthusiastic about it having grown up in Northern Idaho. His soul is happier in summer. The warmer, the better. Me, I am an air conditioning girl in the summer and in the car all the time.

Saturday, my boyfriend surprised me with a trip to the snow. Our first stop was Santa Ysabel and Crossroads Treasures (reviewed in this blog on 09/18/15). Crossroads Treasures is one of our favorite places to stop as we love rocks and gems. The women who own this establishment are so amazing and a blast to hang out with. We were lucky to meet one of the local miners while we were up there and purchase and item from him. We always learn so much when we go there about rock hunting, treating rocks and minerals, and we always break open some geodes just because it is fun and exciting. (Anyway, if you are ever headed to Dudley's or Julian, this is an amazing place to stop and kids love it too).

Rare-San-Diego-Snow-Day After spending over an hour at Crossroads Treasures, we headed up through Julian (the snow in Julian had melted) and wound up on Sunrise Highway. If you plan to visit the snow on a weekend, your best bet is to go through Julian to Sunrise Highway, travel through Laguna Mountain and the Cleveland National Forest and exit on the far side at Highway 8. If you turn around and try to go back through Julian, you will be stuck in miles of bumper to bumper traffic as people attempt to make the left turn back into Julian. It was a lot of time to wait in the car, especially if you have young ones that get restless easily.

We saw snow pretty soon after turning right out of Julian and heading up to Sunrise Highway. We chose to pull off on obscure roads away from the crowds.

We headed out to our favorite stopping point on the Pacific Crest Trail (also reviewed earlier in this blog on 09/18/15. The snow was more than ankle deep. In certain places, if the wind is blowing, a scarf, gloves and mittens, and a very warm jacket as well as a beanie or some other warm head covering should be part of your essentials for the day trip. I was fine in tennis shoes, jeans, and a long sleeved shirt in the places where there was no wind, but my toes were frozen. (This was a spur of the moment trip and not planned well, but it was a fantastic day).

I no longer have small children, but I was appalled at the parents letting their children climb fences onto personal property so their children could play in the snow. The parents were also doing this. There are so many places in that area where you can pull over and enjoy sledding or playing in the snow without having to trespass or damage other people's property. We spoke with one resident who said it is difficult for all the residents in those areas during the winter because of people's disrespect for their private roads, fences, and property. I was honestly shocked at seeing how many people were being completely disrespectful and taking part in this. Believe me, there is no shortage of areas to play and take photos or go sledding.

Further down the Sunrise Highway, before leaving Cleveland National Forest and heading towards Highway 8, there is a long stretch of road where many children and families were playing and sledding. From this picture, it looks like the perfect winter day scene in California.

I am not sure what happens to us when the snow comes. Reminds me of a shark feeding frenzy. I was thankful that we stayed in areas where there were very few people (all public areas). In looking at the pleasant scene above, you are unable to see the road. It is a narrow part of Sunrise Highway. Cars were parked on both sides of the street. There was a lot of slush everywhere. Tempers seemed to be high as one woman stopped her car in the middle of the road, with cars piling up behind her. Someone passed her and she threw a bottle of soda at their car! The scariest thing to me was how close to the street parents were letting their children play. The parents were also playing close to the street and throwing snowballs making their kids run out into the street.

We want a snow day with our loved ones to be remembered as a fun day. So, my advice as a California snow fanatic, is to be prepared. Drive slowly and always keep your eyes on the road as kids can dart out at any time. Bring plenty of fluids, lip balm, extra sets of dry clothes, and snow wear. Bring items to sled on if you wish and please take all your trash with you when you leave. Make sure dogs are on leashes. And most of all, respect other's property. A snow day can be magical but it can also cause lots of tension. Take a deep breath and don't be in a hurry. Enjoy your surroundings, your loved ones, and make some wonderful winter memories. How fortunate we are to have beaches, mountains (that get snow), and deserts in our county.

Off Sunrise Highway with the desert in the background.

I hope you also get to enjoy a snow day. It is well worth it. Relax, breathe deeply and take in the gorgeous surroundings of our county.