Location, Location, Location

This weekend is the Red Bull Air Races here in San Diego Bay. Ben left early this morning for some business and pleasure in D.C. The sky has been overcast all day but I can see (and hear) the planes from the boat. Blair stopped by with some friends to watch the races for a couple hours. If the weather clears up tomorrow, maybe I'll snap a couple pics.

These two pics are of our new location. We're much happier in the new spot. The trip to the dock is perfectly convenient... and we are situated past the edge of the mooring field so we have an unobstructed view of the bay (and still a beautiful view of the city). We are farther from the walk/run/bike path which makes it much more peaceful.

(That's Mother Culture 3rd from the right)

Endless Summer

Growing up, I was happiest during the summer. No school. Long days. Warm weather. Sun shining. Life couldn’t get any better than it was in the summer.

Growing up in New England, I relished the summer. Summer was my reward after enduring a harsh winter each year. I used to dream of going to California. I’d never been there, but I knew what I’d seen on television and there was never a shortage of sunshine or warmth in California.

I remember working 10-hour days in Connecticut. Two seasons a year for five years, I rarely saw the light of day because the sun had come and gone while I was tucked neatly inside my cubicle, far away from any window. Bleak days, they were. No one should have to endure a day without sunshine.

Fast forward nearly a decade.

I’m in San Diego. I wake up [almost] daily to the sun shining down upon me. The only cold season is the occasional chilly or windy day sprinkled here and there between all the sunny, seasonable days. (I’ll admit there are days when you’ll find me hiding in the shadow of a building just to get a moment of relief from the sun.) I work only as needed to survive. Never a 10-hour day (unless the weather is not to my liking).

I’m on permanent summer vacation.

Some people aspire to be doctors, lawyers, business people, millionaires, what-have-yous. For a while, I wasn’t sure what I aspired to do. This morning it occurred to me. I aspire to spend my life on summer vacation. So that’s what I do.

Always in search of the
Endless Summer.

Tasty Libations

I had a really tasty drink last night while watching Justin perform at open-mic night at Portugalia. I can't remember what the bartender called it. Maybe Benadicta-something. Or maybe something else completely. The point is, it was delicious and I wanted to share the recipe (or at least my hazy version of it).

Here's what you do:
1) Fill a pint glass with ice
2) Fill the glass 3/4 full with Vodka
3) Add some passionfruit nectar
4) And a splash of grenadine

It's really refreshing. Not too sweet and you can hardly taste the alcohol. Dee-lish!

Since I'm sharing one recipe, I might as well share a couple more (and these ones I found online so I actually have the correct measurements).

*****
Chip Shot
(It's like Coffee with Bailey's, only better!)
2 oz. Hot Coffee
1 -1/2 oz. Bailey's Irish Cream
3/4 oz. Tuaca

You know the drill... And don't forget the whipped cream!

*****
Skinnygirl Margarita
2 oz of Tequila
Tiny splash of Triple Sec
Juice of four Fresh Lime Wedges

Combine all ingredients over a glass of ice and garnish with a lime wedge. (Go easy on these. They sneak up on you fast!)

Elation

I am a true believer in the saying, "You are who you surround yourself with." Over the past 7 years in San Diego, that has made me:
a) A dumb blonde
b) A fun-loving brunette
c) A person who just wants to get laid, no matter what the cost
d) Someone who believes money buys happiness
e) A chihuahua with big ears
Some of those don't sound so bad. But I prefer small ears. And I know from experience money doesn't buy happiness and marriage doesn't guarantee sex (C'mon ladies, sex is not meant to be used as a tool).

I'm pleased to announce that, lately, I'm elated. And I owe my elation, in part, to the people I surround myself with. There are a lot of happy people out here on the mooring field. People who truly understand that money DOES NOT buy happiness. People who don't sell their souls to the she-devil simply because their biological clock chimed their 35th year (and I say she-devil because most people out here are men). People who can honestly say they love their lives. And they mean it. And it's refreshing. And it rubs off.

I am a happy person by nature. (Yes, Mom, it's true!) But I'm often overwhelmed by a deep sense of sadness because I feel like many of the people with which I've surrounded myself in the recent past wear a false facade. And I'm not easily fooled. And it truly hurts me to the core.

But, to quote the great Bob Dylan, times they are a-changing... and I'm pleased to be surrounded with happy, like-minded people.

Thanks people! <3

The 'Hood

I took this picture a few nights ago while we were rowing around the 'hood with Adam and Jasmine. It was an interesting night, to say the least. We happened by one sailboat inside which a man was screaming and banging on something. We thought maybe he was trapped in his boat (or even held captive in a boat) and it was a little unsettling at first. We tried to call the police but didn't have the correct phone number. All the while, he continued screaming and banging. It was not even a banging really, but almost a clicking. Or banging followed by clicking. Maybe it was the dark of night that had me spooked, but I wasn't much interested in hanging around to see if the clicking sound was that of an empty revolver or of something less precarious. (Sure, an empty revolver may not sound dangerous, but who knew if a box of bullets was just a reach away?!) After a while, we decided this particular boat must be the home of Crazy Paul and we continued on our way. I've never met Crazy Paul before. In fact, his nickname isn't really Crazy Paul but I'm certain his real nickname is too offensive to post here. Anyway, I've heard a lot of stories about Crazy Paul and after that night, I asked around to many of the neighbors and they all confirmed that was indeed Crazy Paul we heard screaming and banging and clicking. Never a doldrum on the mooring field.

Moving Day

Today is moving day for Mother Culture and crew. A few months ago, San Diego Mooring Co. added about twenty-five new moorings (not shown on map) along the wall on Harbor Drive. In the next hour or two, we're moving a few spots westward to one of the new moorings (see blue sailboat icon on map below). The new moorings don't attach directly to the wall so no one will be able to mess with our lines. It's also further from the wall and the park benches so we will have more privacy. And it's closer to the dinghy dock, which will be convenient for more than one reason. We're just waiting for another boat to finish up at the dock so we can empty our tank and clean the boat... and then we're outta here!

View New Address in a larger map

When Was The Last Time...

You Did Something For The First Time?

Last night, while we were out rowing around the mooring field, for the first time in my life, I saw phosphorescence (a.k.a. bioluminescent plankton) in the water. At first, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. Ben caught one of the glowing worms on the end of our oar and we were able to see it out of the water. When he released it back into the water, it emitted a cloud of luminescence around its fluorescent green body. Pretty neat.

I found this blog with information about these bioluminescent marine worms: Marine Fireworms