Corallina Cove

Last Friday was my birthday. Joey met me in Santa Clara and on Saturday we started the coastal drive home. The weather on Saturday was not on our side (or was it). Nothing but fog. By Saturday night we made our way to Morro Bay.

At dinner I asked our waitress her recommendation for something to do the next day. She asked if we wanted to go to the best place on earth. YES. She tells us about this "slice of heaven" within Montana de Oro State Park called Spooner's Cove. I don't know why she shares this with us, because her sentence starts with "I usually don't tell tourists this, but..." But she did. She even wrote us directions... "...at the very end the magical beach is called Spooner's"

Sunday started with breakfast at Frankie and Lola's Front Street Cafe, french pastries at La Parisienne, and sightseeing at Morro Bay's Fisherman Wharf. Then the drive through the state park, through the arching eucalyptus trees.

Fisherman's Wharf

Eucalyptus trees in the entrance of Montana de Oro State Park

Spooner's Cove

We got to Spooner's during high tide, clouds filling the sky. After a little while I was ready to go, but Joey had other plans. He wanted to hike Bluff Trails, so we did, and as we're looking out at the rocky coastline, Joey's pretending to listen to me talk about who knows what, but he's scoping out the perfect spot. That's when a random old man walks up to us and asks if we are locals. He tells us that he lives 35 miles away, but comes here often to an area nearby with tide pools that are just beautiful. A place that some of the locals don't even know about. He said there's a sign, and that you need to look out for it because you could miss it. And then he walks away. (My version of the story goes a little bit different - I like to say that the old man vanishes into thin air.)

Corallina Cove, Montana de Oro State Park

Great view of Corallina Cove from hikespeak.com

And as we're standing there, Joey asked me to marry him.

The spot

The sun broke and the fisherman on the beach started clapping. Then we took off for Santa Barbara.

Dinner in the courtyard of Wine Cask

Sports and Competition

Sports are more than just fun and games. Sports are a metaphor for life. So many life skills are learned in sports, and most competition tips can be applied to any part of life. From family-friendly bickering (the Nana vs. Noah video is a must see) to Super Bowl championships (Let's go 9ers!!), playful competition finds its way into virtually all aspects of life. Fighting to win relies on teamwork, concentration, coordination, and creativity – things worth striving for anyway.

Here are some great competition quotes. Most are from athletes. All can be applied to life in general. And again, for Joey and his team today, LET’S GO 9ERS!!!

“When the game is over I just want to look at myself in the mirror, win or lose, and know I gave it everything I had.” Joe Montana

 “Show class, have pride, and display character. If you do, winning takes care of itself.” Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant

 “When I’m in my groove there is no thinking. Everything just happens.” Ozzie Smith

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Wayne Gretzky

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” Winston Churchill

“Winners compare their achievements with their goals, while losers compare their achievements with those of other people.” Nido Qubein

“For me, losing a tennis match isn’t failure, it’s research.” Billie Jean King

 “You have to believe in yourself when no one else does – that makes you a winner right there.” Venus Williams

“Don’t ever forget that you play with your soul as well as your body.” Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

 “I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to dance better than myself.” Mikhail Baryshnikov

 “Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.” Michael Jordan

Sunday Night Football

A belated happy new years to everyone! Hope you had a great holiday season with your fam and friends.

It worked out, thanks to my Aunty Linda and her season tickets, that - since before the move - we've had tickets to the San Fran/Pats game. And ever since we decided to move, it was always a definite that we'd be back for the big game. Our rivaling teams haven't played each other since '08. Plus they are two of the top teams this season. 

For the record I am sporting a red Willis jersey under Brady, however I am a Patriots fan. I just thought it was an appropriate time to wear it. Capisce?

Coming home when you live out-of-state is busy. No joke, now I understand why some people keep mum about their trips. We had a blast though and got to see almost everyone. But before we did I had a big life decision to make. Good thing I made the right choice. #short&sweet

Besides the Sunday night game in the freezing rain, seeing all of "our babies" was the best part of the trip. Our families make some cute babies, man. Here's a couple video clips shot by my surprise Hanukkah present. Plus a bonus video that made me laugh. The videos are short, but a bit dizzying. Sorry, we're still getting used to the camera. 

To making your dreams come true in 2013.

xoxo, Amy

A note from your thankful hostess

Move over Twinkies there's another hostess in town.

Last month the Benoit residence was busy. Still is (we have a visitor sleeping as I type). Literally half of November we were hosting some of our fabulous friends. And I've loved every second of it.

Six months ago yesterday (that's crazy in itself), Joey, Michael and I arrived at our cross country destination. Since then we've been so, super lucky to have seven different groups of visitors. 7 in 6 months! - and I know what a few of you are thinking - but no, absolutely not. I am nowhere near being sick of hosting. I LOVE IT. Our friends out here can't believe how many people come to visit us...as you can imagine we can be a little hard to schedule plans with.

But November takes the cake ... or should I say Hostess Cupcake, which I personally preferred over Twinkies.

It started with an Italian reunion. After visiting them in Nebraska annually for the past three years, (first as a human birthday present, then their beautiful wedding, and of course the cross-country roadtrip) Hailey, my roommate when I studied abroad in Florence, and her husband Jon came to check out San Diego. Our weekend revolved around football, food, and a Big Bang marathon, which seemed fitting since Penny is from a small town outside of Omaha. On Saturday we ended up at a Husker bar, and Joey and I learned the college team's chant: Go Big Reddddd. GO! BIG! RED! Sunday was back to back Pats, 49ers. The only thing that could have made the weekend more perfect is if the 49ers didn't tie the Rams, but beat them. Big tiebreaker game tomorrow, with Kaep starting. How do ya'll feel about that? It's a big topic of conversation at the Benoit.

They left on a Monday, and Tuesday Jess was here. Talk about turn around. We were so lucky to have her spend her birthday week with us! We kept busy. From a girly mani/pedi date, to touring a haunted house in Old Town, to showing off the OB Farmers Market and cliff walks. And eating at all our fav spots - South Beach, Hodads, Casa de Reyes, PCG. But the best had to be spending her gorgeous birthday walking the beach, enjoying happy hour back at the Duck Dive (aka the Husker bar), and partying the night away with the rest of our Stoughton friends. If I could do it all over again I wouldn't change a thing...except have her stay forever.

Once she left Thanksgiving was just a few days away. If it wasn't obvious enough, I am beyond grateful to experience my dream of living in San Diego. I don't need a holiday to remind me of that; I honestly think about it every day. That, and having the best family and friends a girl could ask for. I am so lucky that you are all apart of my life. It makes everyday special. Now come visit! The Benoit residence is vacant once Caitlin leaves tomorrow, and our next visitors don't come til June. Book now and save! (Seriously I should have teamed up with JetBlue for CyberMonday...)

Now back to hosting. Caitlin just woke up.

Save Me, San Francisco

For those of you that missed the memo: Joey is a San Francisco 49ers fan.

He grew up watching Joe Montana a.k.a. Joe Cool or my new favorite, The Golden Great, and has been a diehard fan ever since. Seriously- diehard. Not to blow up his spot, but in our 7 years together I can count on one hand how many times I've seen him cry. One of those times was definitely last January during the NFC Conference Finals.(CORRECTION as of 11/2/12: I mistakenly took Joey's depression on the ride home for crying. He did not in fact shed tears.) Atleast the Patriots and 49er fans can agree on one thing...we hate the NY Giants.

So when we moved out to Cali I knew I had to get him up to San Fran for his first game. But even before I knew we were moving I was working on getting tickets for his birthday. After taking this new position at the beginning of the year I was meeting with my new contacts, most of whom are based in Santa Clara, CA (about 45 minutes south of SF); and it just so happened that I was taking over a big portion of work that was managed by the woman who also managed the EMC suite at CandleStick Park. Not so easily, but very fortunately, I got tickets for his top-pick game, a conference finals rematch with who else, but, Eli Manning and the NY Giants.

The belated birthday weekend was awesome! We stayed downtown in Union Square at the Sir Francis Drake, a boutique style Kimpton hotel. My favorite hotel chain for sure. Other than eating delicious meals, singing the Full House theme song "Everywhere You Look", and competing to find the most 49ers gear around the city, we also did the obvious tourist attraction of biking over the Golden Gate Bridge into Sausalito. On our way we passed beautiful vistas of Alcatraz, the Palace of Fine Arts, Presido National Park, and a quick stop at Fort Point. I'm not sure how the bike path can be marked "beginner/intermediate", some of those hills were no joke. Ok, to be completely fair maybe a bit of it was my fault... I tried to be cute and wear flip flops. What the hell was I thinking?

After touring an awesome art gallery and eating lunch, we took the ferry back across the bay. By now our friendly competition of counting 49ers gear turned highly competitive. On our bikes, in the dusk darkness, up ridiculously steep hills, we raced from Fisherman's Pier to the bike shop searching to be the first to spot some type of 49ers paraphernalia. Yes. We were completely out of hand. So much so we had to stop the game. I wish I was kidding, but I totally won. ;) Then we waited over an hour to catch a famous cable car back to the hotel. By this time the sun had set, which meant I was shivering, and our feet were so, soo done with standing. But I have to tell you, once I hopped on the cable car my aching feet were just a memory. We even got the best "seats" in the house - hanging off the edge just like you see in all San Francisco ads. Did you know there were inside seats? I didn't. And I don't know how this way of transportation is legal. It was by far the most unsafe way I've ever travelled, but so friggin' exhilarating! I LOVED IT. Just watch the video. 

Game Day came quickly. Joey wore his Alex Smith jersey and I wore my Patrick Willis t-shirt. Pointed out to note the proper attire for the occasion. As we parked I casually told Joey that we could either tailgate or take the surprise VIP All-Access passes that I got us and go watch warmups on the field. Up to him. Can you believe he chose to tailgate?! Totally kidding. Again, in 7 years I'm not sure I've seen him run so fast. A diehard fan in his glory.

TRAIN Lyrics to Save Me San Francisco - another song I could not stop singing.
I been high
I been low
I been yes, and I been oh hell no
I been rock 'n roll and disco
Won't you save me San Francisco

Ooo ooo ooo, oh oh

Every day's so caffeinated
I wish they were Golden Gated
Fillmore couldn't feel more miles away
So, wrap me up return to sender
Let's forget this 5 year bender
Take me to my city by the Bay

I never knew all that I had
Now Alcatraz don't sound so bad
At least they'd have a hella fine merlot
If I could wish upon a star
I would hitch a cable car
To the one place that I'll always call my home

I been high
I been low
I been yes, and I been oh hell no
I been rock 'n roll and disco
Won't you save me San Francisco
I been up
I been down
I been so damn lost since you're not around
I been reggae and calypso
Won't you save me San Francisco

I aint settlin' for just getting by

September was an amazing month. It was the first month, since moving, that I have not travelled back to the east coast. Sorry mom, I love ya, but the downtime was needed...especially after being away for two consecutive weeks in August.

Labor Day Weekend was spent at the beach - sunbathing, snorkeling, and hoping to catch the Green Flash at sunset. I watch a good amount of sunsets, and I've yet to see this optical phenomena.

The following weekend Joey's cousin, Cliff, his girlfriend, Jen, and their baby/our Goddaughter, Leia spent a long weekend. Having visitors really helped to move along the interior decorating process. With my busy travelling schedule in August our house still needed some TLC. Check out our family picture wall and other decorations in the 2.0 version of our home video. In case the link doesn't work, copy and paste this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYNVj5Azr3U).
Oh, and for the record - yes, I held the phone camera the proper way this time.

Come to think of it, Cliff seems to always be a part of the picture when I'm purchasing large canvases. If you have not heard the story of how I got my 50x50 inch painting that now covers our dining room wall you will have to wait. That's a story for another time.
But on the weekend that Cliff, Jen and Leia were visiting, while strolling the Ocean Beach pier, Joey and I couldn't help but stop to check out some artwork on display. Joey, who is generally not pulled by the outside world, was surprisingly intrigued by the paintings and even more so by the artist's reponse when I asked if he was scared of falling off the pier's ledge, which he was laying on. "Yes I am, but I feel like it makes my life a little bit more interesting."

35 minutes later I still wasn't sure what painting I liked best (I can be a bit indecisive), but I had learned that Mikhail Khodzhayants, the artist, was born in Leningrad, Russia, and moved to San Diego in '92 as a political refugee. Joey finally made the decision - we took them both!
His unique style, which I think just radiates positive energy and optimism, combines ultimate simplicity and expressivity. Check out our new artwork - Man on a Bridge & Yellow Flower.

With the warm (and humid) weather still going strong, Joey's birthday crept up on me. As if planned, it fell on his favorite day of the week, fish taco Wednesday. Fish tacos for dinner and a waffle icecream sandwich for dessert.

The following week was Rosh Hashanah (L'Shanah Tovah everyone), so I spent Sunday afternoon, in between the Pats and 49ers games, cooking my first brisket (with potatoes and carrots) and my second batch of matzah ball soup (I made this last new year). Everything was delicious.

Otherwise, not much happened this month. Ok I'm totally lying. The last two weeks were busier than the first two.

• Boating up to Newport with friends
• Being stopped on the boat by the US Coast Guard. My guess is they pulled us over out of boredom, so like any person being questioned by the Armed Forces does, I asked them to get in a picture
• Cooking with chicken thighs for the first time (#majoraccomplishment)
• Finding a Jewish deli with delicious homemade foods
• and hosting Meg for the week! 

We showed her the best of San Diego from fish taco Thursday {"But Amy, isn't it fish taco Wednesday?!" Yes, but break the fast was Wednesday night. --A side note of a side note: On top of the dozen bagels, round challah, corned beef, pastrami, lox, and half sour pickles from D.T.Akins, we made tuna salad and baked two kugels. No question, I am my Nana's granddaughter- we had food for the entire week.--} to the San Diego Zoo to everything and anything on and around the water: sunbathing, cliff walks, sunsets and dining just steps from the Pacific, standup paddleboarding (SUP), snorkeling, biking the pier and bay.

Like I said September was an amazing month. Here are a few more pics. xoxo, Amy

Comparing city and state

The world is full of people who will go their whole lives and not actually live one day.

She did not intend on being one of them.

Three months in. I still can't believe it. Time flies.

Since moving I've been back to Massachusetts three times. Once for our goddaughter's baptism and twice for work meetings. I think it's helped make my transition more seamless, and it's also given me an opportunity to really compare and contrast both places.

I'm comparing San Diego County to the state of Massachusetts. Maybe it's not completely fair to compare a county and a state, but they are closer in size than any of the MA towns I've lived in. Based on the 2010 consensus, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has a population of 6,587,536. San Diego County is close to half that at 3,095,313. Waltham is just over 60K and Stoughton has about 27K. See what I mean.

Weather:
Show me a person who comes to San Diego and does not love the weather. Continuously sunny-mid 70 days with no humidity is hard to beat. Definitely can't in the continental USA. Joey likes to say the thermostat is set to where the average person prefers it. I am loving it.
The only thing we are missing is some rain. I miss MA thunderstorms. (But not the mosquitos! I forgot Deet perfume is a must have up there. I was visiting Jenn & fam last month in the Berkshires and was eaten alive. 15+ bites. Stupid bugs.) The other day the San Diego news seriously reported on 1/10" of rainfall. That's big time when you live in the semi-arid climate, basically in between the desert and humid climates.

Plus summer in San Diego goes throughout September. It's a nice, new feeling to be enjoying LDW and not feel like summer is over and done. Fall won't be the same though. I love the fall foliage, the change of colors on the trees and enjoying the cooler weather after a humid August. Now I realize why "leaf peeping" tourism is a thing.

Activities:
With "perfect" weather and 70 miles of coastline, there is always a fun outdoor activity - usually involving the ocean. Joey and I have gone biking, hiking, jetskiing and snorkeling. Paddleboarding and surfing is next on the list. And I know what you're thinking - biking and hiking doesn't involve the ocean...directly. True, but it serves as a gorgeous backdrop.
I like to think it's because I'm a Pisces, but for whatever the reason, I am an uber beachbum and San Diego satisfies that need to be near the water at any desired time. Just take this LDW, Friday and Sunday I was at the beach. Two different days, two different beaches.

Food:
Come to San Diego for some FISH TACOS, the best ahi tuna at Pacific Coast Grill (with an oceanview), and various types of burritos. My fav is California style burritos - they have french fries and guacamole.
Joey is infatuated with South Beach fish tacos. As I just opened the website, Joey said "That place is amazing. Such good food at ridiculously afforadable prices." ... and now he's trying to talk me into going for lunch. We already go every Wednesday for dinner.  :)
Other than those big hits, the food in MA is more diverse. We're still on the lookout for Haitain (or even just Caribbean) food that meets Joey's standards. So far the three places we've tried just aren't cutting it.

People:
Everyone is friendly here. Just like the stereotype, people are slower-paced and overall seem more happy. It makes sense when you think about it:

Serotonin levels increase when you're exposed to bright light -- a major reason why moods tend to be more elevated during the summer.  This hormone is the basis of today's most popular and successful antidepressant drugs, called selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These drugs work by helping naturally produced serotonin stay in the bloodstream longer, keeping your mood and energy levels higher.[1]

Twice we've experienced something that would just never happen back home: We're out to dinner (one of the time actually at South Beach) and looking for a hard-to-find open table. South Beach is a seat-yourself restaurant and always crowded. I catch eyes with girl who asks if I'm looking for a table. I assumed she was finishing up and we'd have the table soon after she's done eating, but no. She is offering to share the table between her and the guy she is with and Joey, our friend Marc and I. Crazy, right? I just think that is cool...and unexpected for sure. In MA, people that know you probably wouldn't even extend their table to you. We aren't called MAssholes for nothing. But I can say this - you know a MAsshole when you meet them. They are who they are, which is somewhat comforting. Here, everyone is friendly on the surface. Not saying they truly aren't that way, but I've heard from some people that the friendliness can be a facade. Interesting.

That said, a quarter of the year in and we're having fun. Speaking of friends, we cannot wait for our friends and fam to visit. In the next 3 months we have five different groups of visitors!! BRING IT ON!

xoxo,
Amy