Babies and Calories

Babies and calories make me tired.
Normal life has been reinstituted after a week of tourist extravaganza and over-eating with my lovely cousin and her family.  San Diego was lucky and got to be this baby's first vacation destination!
We visited animals,  acted like animals, and ate like animals... while eating animals.

The dolphins and orcas at Sea World were incredibly impressive and clearly intelligent, but I couldn't help but feel sad for them.  An animal that large and beautiful is meant to swim in the big blue, not to perform a repetitive routine for hoards of overweight people eating fried foods in a venue that spews consumerism.  It's a nice place and I'm glad I checked it out, but I don't plan to go back anytime soon.

Despite all of the exciting creatures at Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, and at La Jolla Shores, no one was more elated than at mealtime.
Here's a glimpse at some of the food masses that dawned our tables:

Carnitas Snack Shack (North Park): beet/goat cheese terrine, Mexican coke, burger, seasoned fries, carnitas tacos, pork schnitzel sandwich, fresh corn salad

Extraordinary Desserts (Banker's Hill): vanilla bean creme brulee

Blind Lady Alehouse (Normal Heights): Assorted pizzas and mussels with fries.  SO GOOD.

Tajima (Kearny Mesa): fried squid legs, udon with shrimp tempura/poached egg, karaage chicken, vegetable tempura, yakisoba omelette, curry ramen

I'm happy to report that my visitors loved the food in San Diego!  As expected, the weather was sunny and beautiful the entire time... almost too hot sometimes, but nothing that a little popsicle from Viva Pops (top picture) couldn't cure.  On the last night of their trip, after saying my goodbyes and kissing tiny baby lips goodnight, I passed out on their hotel couch until I finally arose at 3am with the energy to drive home.  Babies and calories make me tired.