Palmy's

The moment we walked up to Palmy's in Pacific Beach, I was smitten. 

I was also surprised: I wasn't sure where we were going to sit. I definitely wasn't expecting to battle a Sunday brunch crowd on a Monday morning. And yet almost every seat in the expansive outside seating area was taken. 

It was easy to see why: the breezy coastal decor, dappled light and beautiful people gave off the very definition of "good vibes." 

But mostly I was surprised I had never heard of what obviously had to be a PB institution before, especially given the steady hum of influencer-type patrons buzzing in and out. 

As it turns out, the thing is... they've only been open less than a month. 

Coronado Brewing Co.

It's hard to know where to start when you come back to a blog you haven't touched in almost two years. It's even harder when your life has completely changed... the last time I posted anything I was pregnant but not yet a mom, renting and not yet a homeowner. Now I'm a mom of two with a home in OB. Wild. 

The hardest, though, is knowing where to even begin when the whole world has changed. 

Rather than take on the daunting task of trying to navigate all of that in my first post back, I decided to start simple: with a little brewery review. Coronado Brewing Co.'s tasting room and kitchen in Bay Park isn't new or trending. But it is kid-friendly and that's what brought us there this past Friday afternoon. 

Capturing That Wild Light

While we were in the early stages of planning our wedding, we asked a lot of couples what they wish they had done during their weddings. It didn't surprise me that the same advice kept popping up: I wish we had hired a wedding videographer. 

I knew our wedding day was going to go by in a blur. I knew we couldn't be everywhere at once. There were parts of the day (me getting ready, him getting ready) that we wanted to be there for and wouldn't be able to. And we wanted to be able to relieve our wedding day forever and have something to show our kids one day.



But videographers are a big investment. One that, honestly, we probably couldn't have done without help from my mom. When she asked what she could do to contribute to the wedding, I immediately told her that putting her gift towards our wedding videos would be the most necessary and appreciated way to help us and I'm so grateful that she agreed.

Not only did we hire a videographer, we hired the videographer of my dreams, Steven Kopacz of Wild Light Films in Los Angeles, CA. Steven did such an incredible job on our videos (including our Super 8 Film that I shared last year) that they blow me away every time I watch them.

Which, I have to admit, is more than is probably healthy.

Steven totally exceeded any expectations I had for working with a videographer or for our wedding videos. Also, calling him a videographer doesn't quite seem to do him justice. From the sound to the cuts, these videos really do feel like a work of art created around our wedding. He is the nicest guy and so talented it's unreal. We're endlessly grateful to him for capturing our day, us, our friends and family just so beautifully.

I know I haven't had a chance to post more about our wedding here yet, but if I could give you one piece of wedding advice: if you can invest in it... invest in a videographer Wild Light Films. I am so happy we did and I get to retreat to this amazing celebration and see so many of my favorite people in one video anytime I want. And for that matter, as you will hear me gush about again and again in posts to come, invest in an amazing photographer our amazing photographer Alex (if you can book her... she books up fast and far out!), because without her we wouldn't have found Steven or half of the other incredible vendors that made our wedding what it was.

You Eat Clean, San Diego

I don't remember when it started happening precisely and unlike most major changes in my life, this one can't really be traced back to a decision or a moment. But at some point last year I slowly but surely started taking meat out of my diet.

I still ate meat during the holidays and on special occasions, but for the most part, it just hasn't even appealed to me. And in the absence of cooking meals around meat, I started to default hardcore to carbs... pizza and pasta more often than not.

While I wouldn't call myself a vegetarian just yet, I am definitely trending that way. And now that I've noticed this development, I realized I needed to start figuring out how to craft an actual plant-based diet instead of nervously retreating to pizza when I'm not sure what to make.

So I was really glad when Eat Clean Meal Prep reached out offering me a trial of their meal prep service. I've always been interested in meal prep services, but wasn't sure if I would like the food or if would make the most sense financially. Most importantly I was concerned about the abundance of plastic packaging as I'm trying to go plastic-free. But the trial seemed like the best way to give it a shot and break out of my carb-loading rut.

I requested a plant-based meal plan and came home from a girl's weekend away to a ton of delicious food and cold-pressed juices. Here's what I ended up with and what I thought...

All Our Waves Are Water

Ever since I moved out to the west coast 9 years ago, I have strived (striven?) to continuously better my relationship with the ocean, surfing, meditating, mindfulness and yoga. And for the most part, save for few conversations with likeminded friends and a couple of amazing yoga retreats and surfing workshops, this journey of "bettering" has been conducted solo.

Except for whenever I pick up a book by Jaimal Yogis.

When I finished "Saltwater Buddha" and "The Fear Project," the first two books that I read by Jaimal, each book made me feel feel like I'd just had a long, restorative conversation with a friend about why this "bettering" was so important to us and what we'd learned so far along the way.

It's not that Jaimal's journey is anything like mine (it very much isn't), but the intention and authenticity and relentless persistence fueling his journey through surfing and spirituality has always felt so accessible and relatable to me. Moreover, it's a relief to take my mind off my own journey sometimes and venture into his.

Hot Chocolate 5K/15K

Fun fact: there are like 200 days until Ryan and I get married. And I am no where near the shape I want to be in. So get ready for an onslaught of #SweatingForTheWedding fitness posts!

Starting with this one: a recap of my very fun, very hilly, very hungover Hot Chocolate 5K last Sunday!

After prepping our guest room and bringing my dad home from the hospital last Friday, then cooking and hosting my annual St. Patrick's Day dinner last Saturday (with the addition of a lentil Shepherd's Pie this year!), I hopped out of bed at 5:45am on Sunday morning and headed to the Gaslamp for my second 5K Sunday in a row with my friend Megan.

Yeah... I was not exactly setting myself up for a PR.

The Hot Chocolate 5K is sponsored by Sweet Valley Organics and it was on behalf of them and their lovely team that Megan and I got to participate. Sweet Valley Organics makes delicious organic dark chocolate-covered fruit and nut snack bites, with mostly fair-trade sourced ingredients. Their Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Toffee Almonds, Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Praline Pecans, and Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Cashews are suuuuuuper yummy. (These are wedding diet approved right?)

Miss B's Coconut Club

A couple of Fridays ago I finally visited a restaurant that's been on my list for a while now: Miss B's Coconut Club in Mission Beach. I am a total sucker for all things tropical- and island-themed and Miss B's is famous for its Island vibes. Vibes which were so necessary on the dreary, blustery Friday that my friend Makena and I headed in for some tiki-inspired cocktails.

That's right, San Diego gets March weather too! It may not be three back-to-back nor'easters, but a damp, gray, windy Friday afternoon is still just as much of a bummer.

Which is why we needed tropical atmosphere, comfort food, and giant skulls full of tequila, mezcal, pomegranate and cinnamon to distract us from the weather.

Three Cheers, Three Cocktails: A Toast To Her

Strong women... may we know them, may we be them, may we drink with them.

That's how the saying goes right? ;)

This past Sunday I had a chance to do just that and share drinks with a bunch of strong and wonderful women at a Galentine's brunch event hosted at one of my absolute favorite restaurants, CUCINA enoteca.

The event, which was to celebrate women we love with toasts in their honor, featured three delicious cocktails crafted by one of CUCINA enoteca's mixologists, Korie Rogers, featuring Pomp & Whimsy gin liqueur.

And honestly? These drinks were so delicious that it would be criminal not to share them with the world. Which is why I was super pumped today when the generous teams at CUCINA enoteca and Pomp & Whimsy let me know they were cool with me publishing the recipes.

So break out your jiggers, grab your gals and raise a glass filled with one of these amazing cocktails!

Party Pants

Peacock Harem Pants in Ruby Sangria via One Tribe Apparel

From the streets to the beach to yoga to bed... I have basically been living in these harem pants. 

Honestly, I think harem pants may be the greatest fashion trend to have ever happened to me: they're cute, they're comfortable, they have a thick cinched waistband to hide my belly, and I basically never have to take them off because they are functional in every situation I find myself in: sleeping, working out, hanging out, and going out. 

One Tribe Apparel is the company behind this pair, which I love because their design has a pocket. They have a lot of other gorgeous patterns, like their Plume Peacock pattern in Teal or Black, their Black and Red Peacock pants or the Dolphin Honey Hive style, none of which break the bank at only $28 dollars a pair. 

All of One Tribe Apparel's products are sourced and made in Thailand by local artisans who are paid fair wages. And with every purchase, they donate $1 to the Elephant Nature Park in Chang Mai, Thailand, which rescues and cares for elephants and other endangered animals. 

I've test driven these party pants for almost 5 months now and they are still crushing it, despite how much I wear them. They will get a little pill-y if you toss them in the dryer, so I recommend air drying them after you wash them, but aside from that they're super low maintenance. And with one size fits most sizing, they're a pretty safe bet for any gift giving you may have coming up... 

Party on!

Hearty Plant-Based Quinoa Chili

Even though it's still 90° degrees out in San Diego, we are officially in the middle of my favorite season: autumn. Which means it's time for one of my favorite fall activities: cooking chili.

This year, I've been interested in working more plant-based dinners into the rotation. As a lifelong meat eater, I don't have a lot of practice cooking meals that aren't constructed around meat. I also have a hard time feeling like I'm getting enough protein or like my meal is hearty enough when I attempt plant-based dinners.

But if there's any meal that defines heartiness it's chili. I don't think it's even possible for chili not to be hearty. So, inspired by a recipe I saw in a cookbook at my friend Makena's house, I attempted my own version of the One Pot Quinoa Chili from "28-Day Plant-Powered Health Reboot" by Jessica Jones and Wendy Lopez and it was delicious. 

Fresh jalas from the garden!

Jessica and Wendy's book has a lot of other amazing plant-based recipes and their Instagram account,  @foodheavenshow, is super inspiring. These two bicoastal registered dietitians have such a refreshing and realistic take on eating healthy. I will definitely be going back to their cookbook for more of our plant-based dinners this fall.

Ultimately, this recipe is as simple as it is tasty and it will easily provide dinner for two and at least 4-6 lunches to boot. It's also a great excuse to harvest your home garden or use up any veggies before they go bad!

Hearty Plant-Based Quinoa Chili
Yield: 6-8 Servings

• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 3 large carrots, diced
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 large zucchinis, diced
• 3-5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
• 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 1/2 cups of water
• 2 15.5oz cans of organic tomato sauce
• 1 15.5oz can of organic black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15.5oz can of organic chickpeas / garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1.5 cups uncooked quinoa
• Cumin
• Chili powder
• Red chili pepper flakes
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 2 tbsp diced green onions
• Shredded cheddar cheese

1. Chop up all the veggies and mix together in one bowl with the minced garlic. Set aside. 

2. Heat up the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, pour the bowl of veggies in and cook for 5-7 minutes.

3. Add the water, tomato sauce, black beans and chickpeas and stir. 

4. Once all the veggies, beans and liquids are mixed together, add the uncooked quinoa and spices. Cook for 30-35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Note: I don't really measure out spices, I just kind of eyeball it and keep adding it in as I cook. Go light with the red chili pepper flakes though, unless you want it really spicy!

5. Top bowls with some cheddar cheese and garnish with green onions. Enjoy!

6. Oh yeah! And compost what's left! :D

Yellowstone National Park

Supervolcano. 

That was the caption that caught my attention when I was scrolling through Instagram photos from a former classmate's road trip earlier this summer. She was in Yellowstone and had just learned that the park was actually a supervolcano, something that was also news to me. 

A quick Google search from a lazy Saturday morning in bed confirmed that Yellowstone is, in fact, a supervolcano. And while the chances of its next eruption occurring during my lifetime are slim, it's still going to erupt again one day. 

And I wanted to be sure I'd seen it before it does and the earth plunges into volcanic winter.

Jake & Eggs

If you've been on the hunt for the perfect biscuits and gravy in San Diego, I have good news for you: I found them.

Jake & Eggs, a pop-up breakfast spot that takes over Ocean Beach's Sundara restaurant Wed-Sun from 8-2pm, has been on my to-do list all summer. When I woke up starving last Saturday morning with no plans, I decided it was time to #treatyoself to a nice breakfast.

There was a 15 minute wait when I arrived, but they text you when your table is ready, which is nice. It gave me time to wander around in Olive Tree Market and score some of my favorite Jackie's Jams.

Once I was seated and it was time to order, I was overwhelmed by how tasty everything sounded and looked. It is really hard to not order everything.

I ended up with some Dark Horse Cold Brew, Jake's Lemonade Sangria (SO GOOD!), a side of biscuits and gravy (SO GOOD!), and their Sweet Potato Hash with avocado subbed for eggs.  Their biscuits and gravy were honestly the best biscuits and gravy I've ever had in my life. The gravy is this fluffy, airy sausage and thyme gravy that is just like getting a warm hug from your food. I don't know how else to explain it.

Next time you find yourself in OB for breakfast, remember this little gem of a secret breakfast spot. I promise you won't be disappointed!

Jake & Eggs
(inside Sundara Indian Cuisine)
(619) 419-1207
1774 Sunset Cliffs Blvd
San Diego, CA 92107

Ocean Blues

Bolly Cuff in Caribbean Turquoise via Dunitz & Co. 

As I mentioned in my last post, one of the biggest impacts that surfing with Groundswell this summer has had on me is the way it has stoked my recommitment to protecting the environment, particularly our oceans.

Case in point? I now have a reusable water bottle again and haven't purchased a plastic water bottle in weeks.

In that post, I also shared a lesson that I learned from Groundswell's founder about buying power and how every purchase we make is essentially a vote. Going forward, I want my votes to go to businesses that have ethical and sustainable business practices.

Which is why when Dunitz & Co. reached out to me and was generous enough to send me a piece of their beautiful fair trade jewelry from Guatemala, I was excited for the opportunity to showcase them here.

Especially since founder Nancy Dunitz has such a #goals-worthy story: she left behind her corporate finance gig for more creative pursuits and to satiate her passion for world travel. That combination landed her in Guatemala where she fell in love with the beadwork of local artisans and was inspired to start her own company.

Not only is Dunitz & Co. a member of the Fair Trade Federation, but they are also a Gold Certified Green America Business and women-owned and operated. And their colorful, beaded jewelry just happens to be exactly my style.

You Can't Conquer The Ocean

photo credit // Groundswell Community Project

I think it was my fifth surf therapy session with Groundswell Community Project. I was paired up with a volunteer, a surf sister, Rebecca, who I hadn't met before, so I was introducing myself. I was giving her my elevator pitch, a quick synopsis of why I had joined their summer program. 

"Yeah, so I just learned how to swim a couple of years ago and this," I said, sweeping my hand to indicate the ocean on the horizon, "...is the next thing to conquer." 

We didn't have much time. Rebecca was listening, but at that particular moment she was mostly looking for the best place to help me get in the ocean as quickly as possible, trying to make sure I got on a wave or two on a particularly choppy day. Which is why I doubt she noticed when my own words stopped me in my tracks.

"Conquer" the ocean. Like it was just another achievement waiting to be checked off. Like it was something almost mechanical, merely requiring strategy, calculations and persistence.

Like it was even remotely possible. 

This sudden awareness of how I was describing the ocean was the seed of only one of the many salt water-soaked lessons that I learned with Groundswell Community Project this summer. I am profoundly and deeply changed after spending 8 weeks with their wonderful volunteers and their incredible force of a founder, Natalie Small. And of course, with Mother Ocean.

Only now, after reflecting on my experience for the past month to try and make sure I accurately articulate how it's changed me, have I felt able to share. 

Wonderspaces

For me, the buzz around Wonderspaces started with one picture some friends on a date posted on Instagram. In it, they were in a room with a giant floating spiked balloon. And for whatever reason, I just assumed they were in LA. That's where all the cool artsy stuff happens, right?

But within 24 hours of that photo showing up on my feed, the buzz grew steadily. My friends Makena and Liz both texted me separately asking if I'd heard of Wonderspaces. My coworkers were sharing snaps from their own visits in the kitchen at work. And more and more photos began to pop up on my Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook.

By the end of the next day, I was almost paralyzed with FOMO.

Wonderspaces, a traveling pop-up art exhibit that's here through July 30th, is the coolest thing to happen to San Diego in a loooong time.  As they share on their website, "you can think of Wonderspaces as a pop-up museum of extraordinary experiences.  Those experiences range from room-sized interactive art installations to virtual reality films and include art enjoyed at the world’s biggest festivals and fairs."

You can also think of Wonderspaces as an Instagram staging area or as a way to justify weeknight drinks, since all of their alcohol sales go to local charities. Because as I finally found out for myself last week, Wonderspaces has got a little something for everybody...

May Cause Miracles

All you need is love.

In the past whenever I heard that phrase, I had a very narrow interpretation of it: if you had a love in your life, romantic or otherwise, that was all you needed to be happy.

But this year, I started to look at love differently. I started to look at it as a life philosophy. I looked at as something I could inject into my life on my own, moment to moment. I started to view love as the absence of fear. And I arrived at that definition by doing a 42-Day Fear Detox designed by Gabrielle Bernstein in her book, May Cause Miracles.

Honestly? It's changing my life.

I completed the workshop in February and have spent the last two months building on the spiritual work that I began during that process. The lessons I learned in those 42 days have become so important to me, so eye-opening and so sacred, that I decided I wanted to share them here. Which, naturally I was afraid to do, because it's a bit different than the content I usually post. But ultimately? It abides by the same North Star I've always had for this blog: to write about things that make me happy.

And if it makes other people happy too? Even better.

Coachella 2017 Lineup Guide: Friday

Caguamas at 7am, Spicy Pie for every meal, afternoon naps in the Mojave tent, twirling through sandstorms with my best friends...

These are a few of my favorite things.

And in exactly two weeks (two weeks?!), I will be setting up camp to enjoy all of it during my favorite weekend of the year: Coachella.

But Coachella involves a lot of prep work to be enjoyed properly. Campground shade should be designed to be both trendy and able to withstand the wind that somehow only rips through the campgrounds when literally everyone is inside the festival and can't take it down to protect it. Outfits need to be planned for style, extreme temperature changes, and the ability to survive a poop-smeared Porta Potty (hope you romper fans have a SheWee in your purse).

And then there's those 100+ music acts that you have to listen to in order to plan your days.

I know, right? Such a bummer having to listen to so many hours of good music. Let the #coachellaproblems hashtags begin.

Well I have good news! (Depending on how much you trust my musical taste.) As with Coachella years of yore, I'm listening to the whole lineup so you don't have to. But unlike previous attempts I'm not going to write about every single band, just the ones I'm planning to see, broken up day by day.

Which leads us to Friday's lineup...

A Very Venice Valentine's

In my life, three neighborhoods have immediately felt like home each time I've set foot in them: my current (and likely forever) neighborhood of Ocean Beach, here in San Diego, Hermosa Beach in Los Angeles, and Venice Beach, also in LA.

I love, love, love Venice Beach. So when I had the chance to spend a day up there last week for a work conference, I took advantage of it and spent the night. And since it was a few days after Valentine's Day, I decided to turn it into a romantic Valentine's Day date with myself, complete with a walk on the beach at sunset, a fancy meal and... turtle racing.

As it turns out? Venice loves me right back.

Gjelina

Hi, my name is Bri and I'm a sucker for over-hyped restaurants in trendy neighborhoods. Especially restaurants that have so much hype it condones publishing a popular cookbook of their recipes.

Which is why I ended up dining at Gjelina when I was in Venice Beach last week... for the hype, for the sceney scene... 

Oh, and did I mention the delicious food?

Turtle Racing at Brennan's Pub

I have jumped out of a plane. I've run the New York City marathon. And now I can finally cross another major life accomplishment off my bucket list... 

I have participated in a turtle race.