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







Saturday, May 27, 2017

Ryan Blaney Wins the Hisense 4K TV 300

Ryan Blaney Wins the #Hisense 4K TV 300

NASCAR Race Mom Celebrates In Victory Lane

 

Ryan Blaney Wins the Hisense 4K TV 300 #nascar #Hisense4kTV300

After a couple of weeks off, the Xfinity series took the track for the Hisense 4K TV 300 (#Hisense4kTV300) today. The teams only had two practice sessions on May 25th and qualified at 10:00 a.m. today. Justin Allgaier captured pole, while our guy, Denny Hamlin in his #20 Hisense Toyota would take the green flag from eighth. Denny delivered a fifth place finish.

Thanks to my hosts, Hisence, NASCAR Race Mom had unlimited access to this two hundred lap race. Unfortunately, NRM is too tired to properly blog this event tonight (more to come later).  Therefore, the Instagram posts below will summarize the day for now.






A post shared by Missy Smith (@zwriter1) on








A post shared by Missy Smith (@zwriter1) on




A post shared by Missy Smith (@zwriter1) on


A post shared by Missy Smith (@zwriter1) on




Related Posts:

  1. About the Fallen Heroes on the JGR Cars at Charlotte
  2. Army Spc. James "Jimmy" Beckstrand : Remembering Their Names
  3. Will Your Favorite #NASCAR Driver be Part of the 2017 Chase?
  4. Its a Wrap on the 23rd Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America #KPCharityRide
  5. The Big Meet & Greet With Dale Earnhardt Jr.


Thursday, May 25, 2017

Reef Enjoying his Swim Lessons

Reef Enjoying his Swim Lessons Lessons commonly begin by teaching children not to be afraid of the water. They learn to get their faces wet, blow bubbles, lift their faces up and take a breath. They then learn to float and breathe properly while doing simple strokes like the dog paddle and backstroke.


Reef Indy has come a long way in learning this essential life skill

Monday, May 22, 2017

San Diego Botanical Gardens

San Diego Botanical Gardens

A Place for All Ages


Last month, my boyfriend and I visited the San Diego Botanical Gardens.  I have been there a number of times over the years, but this was his first time there.

The botanical gardens are located at 230 Quail Gardens Drive, in Encinitas, right off the Encinitas Blvd. exit from I-5. They are open daily from 9a.m. to 5p.m. and the cost is $14 for adults, $10 for seniors, students, and active military, and $8 for children 3-12. Members and children under 2 are free. Parking is $2.

On the first Tuesday of the month, San Diego County residents get in free but still must pay the $2 parking fee. The parking fee is waived if you have 4 or more people in your car. 





I would advise bringing a hat or wearing sunscreen, especially on those hot days. Also, bring snacks and water as there is only one kiosk near the visitor's center and gift shop (yes, they do sell plants). There are a limited number of picnic tables available and you are welcome to bring a picnic. There are no restaurants on site but plenty in the surrounding Encinitas area. The botanical gardens cover 37 acres and most of it is easy walking. Of course, different times of the year, you will see different plants in bloom. 






 You may even catch sight of a smiling dragonfly.



There are a number of gardens containing plants from around the world. There is even a bamboo garden where bamboo is harvested by San Diego Zoo staff for their pandas. The cacti all over the area were in full bloom and flowers were abundant so this is a great time of year to visit. There is also a children's garden that has an edible plant garden and lots of interactive activities for the kids, including some climbing structures.




There is also a garden area that has sculptures made out of plants.



There are certain places within the gardens where you can see the ocean. There is also an area that has a fairly tall waterfall. There were lots of different kinds of butterflies and birds flying around. There are great places to just sit and relax and enjoy the scenery. Many of the plants don't look so exciting on the outside, but if you lean over and look inside, they are magical.



There are plenty of docents and volunteers around to answer questions or show you special plants. We had a volunteer show us a cucumber thistle. They were trying to get rid of a lot of them as it is an invasive plant, but she let us hold one and look inside and touch one of the seeds. It was very cool. 



All in all, a very interesting place to visit any time of the year.

Sunday, May 7, 2017

Fun Grandson Day

Fun Grandson Day A nutritious breakfast at Home Sweet Home - then a quick trip to Opa and Oma Rufi's Home and then Ice Cream at Cold Stone!!!


Friday, April 28, 2017

Stay away from Escondido Hyundai

Stay away from Escondido Hyundai

Trips to This Dealership Are Always Frustrating!!!



My husband bought me a Hyundai Tucson from Escondido Hyundai in August of 2015 as a birthday present. So far the car has been pretty nice. However, our interaction with the dealership has be a constant source of disenchantment.

Here is my review of my latest service call for routine service and a rattling tailgate: 

 

When I made my appointment and again I when dropped off my Hyundai at 8: 30 for my 8:45 a.m. appointment; I explained both times that I need to have my car by 11:00 a.m. because I had a work appointment at 11:30 a.m. which was located a half-hour away from the dealership. I emphasized that being late for this appointment could cost me my job. If the car would not be ready, I could still arrange for transportation to my appointment.

I was assured by Ruben that the services would only take an hour to an hour and a half. At 10:15 a.m., I checked with Ruben as to the status of my car. I told him that if it would not be ready I could still call for a ride to make my appointment. Ruben informed that all was well – nevertheless I made him promise to check on the status of my vehicle.

When I still was not contacted in the waiting room by 10:50 a.m., I went back to the service desk and asked Ruben how my car was doing. He looked dazed and started tapping on the keyboard of his computer. “Oh it looks like they are have a problem with your tailgate,” he reported. I told him that I needed to leave in five minutes – at 11 a.m. or I could lose my job. ‘Oh’ he exclaimed like that had been the first time he heard that bit of information.

Ruben then jumped up and grabbed a set of keys (not mine) and ran outside as he stated that he had to help another lady. He handed the keys to a lady in the parking lot and then jumped into another car and drove away.

I was left in the service trailer with no explanation and now late!

Just then Steve (the manager) stepped into the trailer. “How’s it going,” he asked. I proceed to outline how it was going for me. Steve was very nice and browsed his computer. He worked hard and quickly; I received my car at 11:08 a.m. I never did see Ruben again. And yes, I was late to my appointment (but did not lose my job).

When Paul and I bought the car, we were promised a free car wash with every service. However, this trip, I was informed that since the dealership changed ownership that promise was on longer valid . . . . bad to worse.

That night, my husband opened the engine compartment of the Hyundai and was immediately covered in old oil. No one had even bothered to clean up after the service work.

Gosh I hate going to Escondido Hyundai. Mayhap it is time for this family to try the North County Hyundai of Carlsbad dealership.