This past weekend Alanna flew in from Chicago to visit, and everything was just perfect! Here's a run down of our super fun weekend exploration of Hillcrest, the San Diego neighborhood where Chip and I live.
Alanna's flight arrived around 8:30 Friday night, which really meant 10:30 for her. But we went out for a late dinner at the tapas restaurant a few blocks away. It was super yummy, and super garlicky. Just the way we like it!
We got a late start on Saturday, and didn't leave the house till almost noon. The three of us had sandwiches at a great little sandwich place down the street, and then Chip went back home while Alanna and I explored the neighborhood. We tried out all kinds of little fun local shops. Who knew there were so many thrift stores in a four block radius from my house? When we got tired we hung out in David's Coffee house and talked, and drank our coffee. Then Alanna beat me at Ms. Pac Man. Twice.
That evening, before going out for a yummy tummy sushi dinner (that's right, also only a few blocks form our house) Chip and Alanna and I started a great game of Star Trek: TNG Monopoly. (Yum, yes, this is the only version of Monopoly we own.) After dinner it came out that Chip's strategy was to slowly give all his property to Alanna so she could beat me really bad. But I showed him. I won, with like 11,000 bars of gold pressed latinum.
Sunday morning we woke up early, (which was only possible because of that extra Fall back hour.) Alanna and I drank our coffee out on the porch, and then we all walked down to the giant (most wonderful!) farmers market where we had breakfast and got lots of great produce. The day just seemed to go on forever. Its amazing all the things you can do when you get up at 8am and leave the house before 9! We played Scrabble, did some more shopping, and had lunch at the L&L Hawaiian Barbecue. Our last stop of the day was at the Corvette Diner where I had heard there was a photo booth. Not as good as the old fashioned kind but still fun:)
It may not sound so perfect from my description, but it was exactly the kind of weekend I needed. I had been feeling so homesick for Chicago, and hadn't really had
time to relax and get to know my new home. But this weekend I not only
had the chance to explore my new neighborhood and find out some of the
great things about it, but I got to do it with Alanna who is one of the
people I miss most from Chicago.
So thanks Alanna, for helping me see all the things I've gained by moving to San Diego, instead of letting me just focus on what I gave up by leaving Chicago. This weekend I realized that I will learn to love living here, which made me feel better, and made me feel more like me. I'll still miss Chicago, and it still feels like home. But San Diego really is a great place.