Discovering Another Mad Dash (Oct 14): Heading Home and Finally finishing this TR #1523 (05/03)

[PrincessInOz]

That house looked great. We will have to look into VRBO for future travels, I would gladly trade space for trendy downtown hotels!

Even though we see hummingbirds every day, your photos of them are spectacular. To catch them mid flight is quite beautiful.

If I'm ever in North County I will look up that Love Boat Sushi, we love those sort of CA Asian Fusion rolls!

I'm glad that you were refreshed after the night's sleep. I can completely relate to your first day tired level!

Thanks, Alison.

Next time, we should put Japanese fusion rolls on our dining list.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Day 2: 'Us' Time and Family Celebrations


A Hidden Treasure


Discovery #8. Sometimes, you need to branch out away from the family and do your own thing.




I love the San Diego branch of my family to death! Really I do. I visit them whenever I can and keep in contact by phone/skype at least once a quarter. But I cannot deny that this branch of the family tends to be homebodies and not very adventurous. That....coupled with the fact that my visits tend to be Mad Dashes of 1 or 2-day durations, we really haven't spent a lot of time sightseeing North County at all. Most of the previous times we've visited, we pretty much spend our time at my aunt's house or running in and out of shops or heading down further south to San Diego or west to the beaches.


I think one of the reasons I got the home away from home rather than staying with my aunt is because I wanted to have the opportunity to come and go and do our own thing.



Despite being one of the larger incorporated cities in North County, Escondido has remained fairly low-key simply because it is located inland rather than being located along the coast like Oceanside or Carlsbad. In fact, the word "Escondido" means 'hidden' in Spanish. Looking at the Grand Avenue on this morning, you might be forgiven for thinking that it is still in hiding.






But this was still early in the day. I think we got here at about 8.30 am, before most people had even gotten organised.






I'd done my research on breakfast places to eat in North County. This place rated quite well. It was billed as the only French Bakery in North County; although there is some debate on line about the authenticity of the 'French' part.






Irrespective of French origins, there was general consensus on one thing.






If you’re going to eat here, go early before the crowds arrive.

We had timed our arrival perfectly. Shortly after we had ordered and sat down, there was a line of people out the door and the place got quite noisy as more diners filled the place up.







The displays up the front will filled with all sort of delectable pastries. There might not have been the quantity of an Epcot Boulangerie, but the quality looked decent enough.
























We were here for breakfast and what we ordered was delicious. The staff and kitchen were also accommodating enough to tweak their ingredients so that DH got a lactose-free plate.

DH got a basic omelette. The staff made sure that the cooks didn't include any milk products or use butter at all on the dish.






He also got herbal tea to go with his meal. There was a pretty decent selection of teas to choose from.







DS got the Eggs Benedict....







....and a hot chocolate to drink.







I decided on one of the daily specials. The Croissant French Toast captured my imagination when I saw it on the specials board......but it didn't match up to the description.
Call me crazy but I did think that a French Toast - croissant or not - would involve a bit of egg in the dish. This one was just a croissant (and a very nice one at that) cut in half with a bucketful of maple syrup. My tastebuds may have been mistaken and there could have been egg in that dish; but on this morning, I really couldn't taste any.







I was more impressed by the coffee. I think this place used Moto Coffee and the taste of the coffee was quite decent. I did google them when I got home. If it is Moto, then it would appear that this establishment self-roasts their bean in small batches. For my money, Moto seem to know what they are doing with coffee beans.







DH's breakfast came with one of the homemade baguettes and homemade preserves. The bread and jam was outstanding.







The verdict? Despite my dish, we all thought a Delight of France was delectable. It is definitely somewhere we would come back to. A true Hidden Treasure in Escondido!


I did tell my aunt and cousins about this place. They were surprise to hear that there was such a bakery in their neck of the woods and wanted to know how I found out about it. Just as well we decided to do our own thing this trip!







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[PrincessInOz]

(Continued from Previous Post)


DisOrientation of a Different Kind


Discovery #9. In the Northern Hemisphere, DH does not know up from down and South from North.




1. I think you might have noticed by now that I live in Australia. Yes, I am located in the Southern Hemisphere where down is up and Christmas is usually hot and summery.


2. A little known trait about myself. I actually have a pretty decent sense of direction and can be usually trusted to be the homing pigeon in any group. In fact, until we all learnt how to spell GPS, I was always the designated map reader in any car.


Let's pull those two points together, shall we?



DH and I really ARE an old married couple and whilst we are really comfortable in our relationship, we do have our share of disagreements. By and large, we know where each other's buttons are and how to push them from time to time. Sometimes, we push them just for fun! Still....Occasionally, I get surprised by the little things. I was surprised to find that we had a minor disagreement about these curtains in our room.






Every morning, I would wake up and close them. Every morning, without fail, DH would open them up again.






Every time when I walked in the room, I would close them up again. Every time, after DH had entered the room, they would be opened again. It had been a dance that drove me bonkers for 2 full days.


It took me until the morning of day 3 to 'ask' DH why the heck he opened the curtains up after I had diligently closed them. He had a perfectly sensible Southern Hemisphere response for me.

Those windows face south. In the Southern Hemisphere, south-facing windows are usually in the dark side of the world. North-facing windows are usually the ones we close up to minimise the sun streaming through them.

DH, who has long worked out that I have the better sense of direction, was completely oblivious to the fact that up is down in the Northern Hemisphere. The sun streams in through the South in this part of the globe!!!!!

If we leave them open, the room would heat up. If we close them, we keep the room relatively cool.



Let's just say that he's no longer disorientated to this fact now.






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[PrincessInOz]

(Continued from Previous Post)


Life In the North-facing Garden Slow Lane


Discovery #10. Who would have believed it? I really do know how to slow down and keep still!



For the last 10 years or so, my life has been one constant EverReady Battery. I've been constantly on the Go, Go, Go and believed that I'd forgotten how to sit still.






Even when we go on holiday, we're constantly on the go. I was pretty crushed last year when DH turned around on day 3 of our vacation and asked me when our vacation was going to start!!
Don't get me wrong, I sure hope that battery continues to burn bright for a long time to come; but it might be nice to flick that 'off' button every now and again.






During breakfast, I found that my two boys wanted to do diametrically different things this morning. DH had booked into a free base guitar lesson at the local Guitar Centre (Google is his friend as well) but DS had wanted to head back to the house to watch more Anime. When DH had booked the lesson, we had assumed that DS and I would take a look at the nearby shops. Afterall, it was only an hour. We found out at breakfast that DS had different ideas.

Unusually, it was left to me to keep the peace. The solution was simple. I dropped DH off at the Guitar Centre and then drove DS back to the house.

Originally, I had thought to make sure DS was fine at the house and Go, Go, Go back to where the Guitar Centre was. There was a Kohls and Walmart in the same strip.


But I hadn't counted on the lure of the garden. That wonderful green north-facing garden.






There sure is some magic to this garden. The gentle trickling sound of water was so soothing.







And in this cool, green oasis......it was a bird magnet.











In the end, I passed up on heading back to the shopping strip and spent some time listening to the wind in the trees.....







....the sounds of birds chirping....







....and the hum of wings.













Amazingly, I spent close on an hour lying in the hammock. For me, that's like an eternity! I really didn't think I knew how to slow down like that at all but it was fantastic to find out that I still knew how to.







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[PrincessInOz]

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Carlsbad - Legoland of the Clothes Kind


Discovery #11. Everything is Awesome!



If you hang around the ANZAC section of the DisBoard for long enough, you'll discover that where and what to shop when in the US is one of those perennial questions that gets asked.


It's not that we don't have shops here or anything....it's just that the cost of living here is so much higher than over in the US. Mostly everything is more expensive. Think Disney sticker shock and then some. So much so that if you came over with a plane ticket and an empty suitcase, and you shop smart in the US, you can pretty much cover the cost of your plane ticket just by comparing what you would buy in the US to what you could buy the items for in Australia.


After I picked up DH from his freebie lesson, we made our way to Carlsbad. Whenever you mention Carlsbad to any tourist, their first word association is always Legoland. But DS has long outgrown Lego.

No, our destination was the other wonder-world attraction in Carlsbad. Our choice for today was the Carlsbad Premium Outlets. There are only 90 stores in these outlets; by warehouse outlet comparisons, it isn't a big group of stores. But I had picked it because it was located about 20 minutes away from our house and it did have the key stores that we like to go to.


Columbus Day is not a recognised public holiday in California; but it is recognised by the stores. There were sale signs everywhere!






I had spent some time clearing out my wardrobe in the lead-up to this trip; so I knew exactly where the gaps in my wardrobe were.






Plugging the gaps in my wardrobe is a little bit like Lego. Everything is Awesome at the warehouse outlets and with the sale signs, it was doubly awesome.


I started with the wardrobe building from the bottom up.






Feet foundation was of prime importance for both DH and myself. We both bought 2 pairs each.






I kept attending to business wear and building up the wardrobe blocks.






Anyone wanna guess where I went next?







I finished up with the all-important accessories. If you take a close look beyond the Cole-Haan store, you might spot the Dooney and Bourke store. Coach is on the opposite side.






I've been admiring this little D&B for a while now. I was sorely tempted but on very close inspection and pragmatic thinking, the size is much too small for me. I would need something bigger.






Those of you that followed me in last year's trek will know that one of my prime complaints was the lack of shopping time. No such complaints from me on this day. In the 3 hours that we were here, I estimated that I covered about 60% of my plane fare just on the 'savings' I could claim by shopping in here instead of in Australia.


Everything is Awesome when plugging the gaps in my wardrobe!







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[PrincessInOz]

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Rubio's Fish Taco


Discovery #12. It's depressing to find that Mexican fast food in SoCal is better than most Mexican restaurant food in Melbourne.


Lunch today was at Rubio's, a Mexican fast food chain at Carlsbad Outlets.


Rubio's started out in 1983 as a walk-up stand in Mission Bay, San Diego. DH went with one of the signature item for Rubio's - Fish Taco Especiale. Beer battered fish topped with fresh guacamole, shredded cabbage, mild salsa and white sauce wrapped in a warm, stone-ground corn tortilla. We got them to hold on the cheese.






The fish taco was delicious. But for my tastes, it was no match for the Mango Habenero Mahi Mahi Taco. That spicy mango salsa was wonderful! And that chili sauce packed a delicious punch.






DS went with the nachos.






Here's another one of those frivolous points of difference between Oz and the US. If you asked for lemonade in Australia, you would get Sprite or 7-Up. If you asked for strawberry lemonade, no one would know what the heck you were talking about.







Ralph Rubio has certainly come a long way from his Mission Beach stand and this chain can now be found coast to coast. For this Aussie, it was depressing to think that this humble Mexican Fish Taco fast food chain served better Mexican food than most of the Mexican restaurants in Melbourne.

 

[franandaj]

I'm going to put that bakery on the list. We're spending a night in Escondido this month and even though our hotel serves breakfast a couple pastries to take home might be nice!

I totally know what you mean about slowing down. I rarely do it either. Maybe someday. I know a perfect place to do it!

Good score on the shoes and other merchandise! I love a good Rubio's taco. I should take care of that once I get back home!

 

[LegoMom3]

::sigh:: .......breakfast food-porn while I'm enjoying your TR first thing in the morning over coffee.... Now I'm hungry!!

Great update. Love that you just enjoyed the little garden area for a while. I also have a hard time slowing down. But I would have enjoyed that area with all the birds!

Glad you got some good shopping in! I always think of outlet shopping as expensive (well, for getting "good" deals on really expensive stuff, but that's still out of my budget!! ) but I guess it's all relative!

Too funny about the curtains. I am also considered our family's personal GPS.

.

 

[jedijill]

Breakfast looked delicious but I'm with you...it's not French Toast without the egg!

Shopping looked great...I love an outlet mall. I can't believe the cost of living is so much higher...I have a feeling I'm really going to have sticker shock when I make it down under!

Jill in CO

 

[mvf-m11c]

The breakfast at A Delight of France at Escondido looks very nice and appetizing.

Very nice pictures from the backyard and the birds.

The Carlsbad Premium Outlet stores in looks a nice place to shop.

The fish tacos looks good and a nice place to eat.

 

[Leshaface]

I've recently discovered (in the last 2 years since DS has been born) about TripAdvisor Vacation Rentals and VRBO. Price almosts matches that of a hotel, but with so much more space. This house looks great and glad it worked out for you guys!

I think Hummingbirds are so cute. Great shots of them. They are hard to photograph for sure!

Mmm, the sushi looks delicious!

Your breakfast looks delicious too, although I expected to see it more 'fried' like french toast.

I've heard awesome things about the outlets in Carlsbad. Gilroy is good too. We have an outlet mall as well, but it's got to be the smallest in existence.

 

[dolphingirl47]

This sounded like a nice and productive morning. I can understand why the garden was so tempting. I am normally on the go permanently, too, but I am trying to have a couple of really relaxing days during our upcoming trip. Looks like you had a very productive shopping trip.

Corinna

 

[eandesmom]

I've used VBRO many many times with nary an issue. If it's just Jeff and I, a resort will do but been then we prefer those on more of the small boutique or inn or B&B style. With the kids, we all need more space than that if for more than a night or two.

Mmmm that sushi looked fabulous. I am sad though that your experience is only good service happens in pockets of the us.

Hummingbird make me happy, we have a few who frequent our butterfly bushes and other plants, some day perhaps I'll lean how to use my camera well enough to snap a photo!

Partially caught up

 

[WanderlustNZ]

I'm afraid I would have been like your DH and following behind you reopening the curtains. Even on hot days, I like plenty of natural light streaming into a room.

Your bird photos are beautiful as per usual and your bakery pics are making me drool.

 

[PrincessInOz]

I'm going to put that bakery on the list. We're spending a night in Escondido this month and even though our hotel serves breakfast a couple pastries to take home might be nice!

I totally know what you mean about slowing down. I rarely do it either. Maybe someday. I know a perfect place to do it!

Good score on the shoes and other merchandise! I love a good Rubio's taco. I should take care of that once I get back home!

If you're going to Escondido, that bakery will be worth a stop. I'll be interested to see what you think about the goodies.

I wonder where that perfect place is to slow down.

::sigh:: .......breakfast food-porn while I'm enjoying your TR first thing in the morning over coffee.... Now I'm hungry!!

Great update. Love that you just enjoyed the little garden area for a while. I also have a hard time slowing down. But I would have enjoyed that area with all the birds!

Glad you got some good shopping in! I always think of outlet shopping as expensive (well, for getting "good" deals on really expensive stuff, but that's still out of my budget!! ) but I guess it's all relative!

Too funny about the curtains. I am also considered our family's personal GPS.

.

It really is relative. The labels are pricey enough here that normal retail in the US seems fair value. Compared to outlet pricing? Shop till you drop.

That's funny that you're the human GPS as well.

Breakfast looked delicious but I'm with you...it's not French Toast without the egg!

Shopping looked great...I love an outlet mall. I can't believe the cost of living is so much higher...I have a feeling I'm really going to have sticker shock when I make it down under!

Jill in CO

If Skier_Pete reads this, he can give you his perspective. He and his family came to Australia a couple of years ago. If you think Disney pricing and add a bit on top, you should be okay.

I'm going to try and make a croissant french toast this weekend. I am curious to see what it tastes like.

The breakfast at A Delight of France at Escondido looks very nice and appetizing.

Very nice pictures from the backyard and the birds.

The Carlsbad Premium Outlet stores in looks a nice place to shop.

The fish tacos looks good and a nice place to eat.

Thanks Bret. It was a nice morning for "us" time. I've always liked the Carlsbad outlets. It's been a favourite place to shop in SoCal for DH and myself for quite a while now.

I've recently discovered (in the last 2 years since DS has been born) about TripAdvisor Vacation Rentals and VRBO. Price almosts matches that of a hotel, but with so much more space. This house looks great and glad it worked out for you guys!

I think Hummingbirds are so cute. Great shots of them. They are hard to photograph for sure!

Mmm, the sushi looks delicious!

Your breakfast looks delicious too, although I expected to see it more 'fried' like french toast.

I've heard awesome things about the outlets in Carlsbad. Gilroy is good too. We have an outlet mall as well, but it's got to be the smallest in existence.

I think you'll find that as Calvin grows up, the vacation rental option becomes much more attractive. I love the hotel experience; but it is nice to have more space.

Gilroy is great. When we are in NorCal, that's one of the outlets that I hit. The Great Mall in Milpitas is the other.
I also like Camarillo.

The smallest outlets I've seen so far are the ones in Sedona. 30 shops in that outlet complex.

This sounded like a nice and productive morning. I can understand why the garden was so tempting. I am normally on the go permanently, too, but I am trying to have a couple of really relaxing days during our upcoming trip. Looks like you had a very productive shopping trip.

Corinna

It was a rather productive shopping trip. DH bought a Calvin Klein leather jacket. That savings on that purchase was about 50% of his airfare.

I hope you get some relax days on your trip. Not long to go now.

I've used VBRO many many times with nary an issue. If it's just Jeff and I, a resort will do but been then we prefer those on more of the small boutique or inn or B&B style. With the kids, we all need more space than that if for more than a night or two.

Mmmm that sushi looked fabulous. I am sad though that your experience is only good service happens in pockets of the us.

Hummingbird make me happy, we have a few who frequent our butterfly bushes and other plants, some day perhaps I'll lean how to use my camera well enough to snap a photo!

Partially caught up

Thanks, Cynthia.

Looks like Jeff and your preferred accommodation match mine and my DH's. We like the boutique inns, B&Bs and quaint....more than the large chain.

Maybe its the places we frequent whenever we are in the US, but good service seems harder to find these days. Perhaps it's my expectation of good service. There is that consistent service of the wait staff coming by to take your order and then when the plates come out, they stop by again to make sure everything is okay. But that's not necessarily good service in my book.

The hummingbirds made me happy too.

I'm afraid I would have been like your DH and following behind you reopening the curtains. Even on hot days, I like plenty of natural light streaming into a room.

Your bird photos are beautiful as per usual and your bakery pics are making me drool.

Let's never get in a room with curtains and streaming sunlight on a HOT day together. Deal?

Thanks.

 

[skier_pete]

(Continued from Previous Post)


DisOrientation of a Different Kind


It took me until the morning of day 3 to 'ask' DH why the heck he opened the curtains up after I had diligently closed them. He had a perfectly sensible Southern Hemisphere response for me.

Those windows face south. In the Southern Hemisphere, south-facing windows are usually in the dark side of the world. North-facing windows are usually the ones we close up to minimise the sun streaming through them.

DH, who has long worked out that I have the better sense of direction, was completely oblivious to the fact that up is down in the Northern Hemisphere. The sun streams in through the South in this part of the globe!!!!!

If we leave them open, the room would heat up. If we close them, we keep the room relatively cool.

I am have a marvelous sense of direction, but I have to say the Northern vs Southern hemisphere can get even the best confused. I do a lot of my (day-time) Navigation by the sun's location in the sky, and at first it really flipped me out in Australia that the sun goes across the sky BACKWARDS.

Not that it is in the North instead of the South, that I totally expected, but the fact that BECAUSE it is in the North, the sun travels from right to left (East to West) across the sky as opposed to up here in the Northern hemisphere it travels from left to right (also East to West). So, as an american, it appeared that the sun was rising in the west and setting in the east.

The and all the roundabouts and hook turns

 

[PrincessInOz]

I am have a marvelous sense of direction, but I have to say the Northern vs Southern hemisphere can get even the best confused. I do a lot of my (day-time) Navigation by the sun's location in the sky, and at first it really flipped me out in Australia that the sun goes across the sky BACKWARDS.

Not that it is in the North instead of the South, that I totally expected, but the fact that BECAUSE it is in the North, the sun travels from right to left (East to West) across the sky as opposed to up here in the Northern hemisphere it travels from left to right (also East to West). So, as an american, it appeared that the sun was rising in the west and setting in the east.

The and all the roundabouts and hook turns

I knew you'd get it.


Roundabouts and hook turns aren't too bad. I still have issues with the 4-way stops when everyone kinda gets to the intersection at the same time.

 

[ACDSNY]

The curtain ordeal reminds me of the two of us. When we're traveling he has a tendency to open as soon as he gets up and doesn't worry about if I'm just coming out of shower. Hello! I don't want to be a flasher in a towel.

The backyard garden looks very tranquil and relaxing. I'm sure you needed a little break.

 

[PrincessInOz]

The curtain ordeal reminds me of the two of us. When we're traveling he has a tendency to open as soon as he gets up and doesn't worry about if I'm just coming out of shower. Hello! I don't want to be a flasher in a towel.

The backyard garden looks very tranquil and relaxing. I'm sure you needed a little break.

I used to have a window desk that looked into hotel rooms. I've certainly had my share of flashers......in a towel.....and without a towel!!!!

The best 'experience' was a hunky guy that obviously had no issues with keeping his curtains opened in the morning and walking around without any clothes. He stayed for 2 nights.
None of the other gals around me and I have voted anyone else higher.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Wedding Preparation


Discovery #13. Always carry a spare pair of pantyhose!



By the time we'd finished lunch, it was time to head home and get ready for the wedding. I took more care than normal with make-up and hair (and I was having a real bad-hair day!!) and with my apparel. You know how it is.


Sadly for me, I completely shredded the pair of hosiery I'd brought with me whilst I was dressing up. As I didn't bring a back-up pair and there wasn't enough time for me to stop in the shops, I was obliged to go bare-legged. Lucky for me, my legs were fit for human display.


Not that I particularly care for pantyhose but I find that I need the slipperiness of the hosiery to help my feet be comfortable when I'm wearing heels. I did bring a decent pair of shoes to wear to the wedding. That's them there! And that's where they stayed for the duration of the wedding.






After about 10 minutes of my toes painfully jammed against the pointy end, I decided that I needed to go with plan B. Flat sandals might not be in vogue for a wedding, but at least I could walk comfortably in them. I had shoved them in the boot (or trunk) of the car at the last minute.







Yes. Blue, not black, was my colour choice for this wedding.


Note to self. Always bring a spare pair of hosiery with me!
My footwear might not have been what I had planned on wearing.....but my feet were comfortable.








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