Karen actually lived on Coronado Island when she spent a year living in San Diego 6 years ago and went through a paralegal program at University of San Diego. So when she heard convention would be here, she was THRILLED to come back for a visit.
Throughout the weekend, she likes to just stop and remind us how much she loves it here. She ended up coming back to the East Coast because she missed all of her family, but if none of us existed, she would live right here on this island.
We decided instead of her saying over and over “Gosh I just love it here. Can you believe this weather…” and all the other things she loves about San Diego that whenever she is thinking wonderful thoughts about it she will just say the code word BANANA out loud so we know exactly what she is thinking. It has turned into the joke of the weekend!!
We rented bikes today and rode a gorgeous 8 miles down to Imperial Beach (almost to Mexico!) and back up to the Ferry Landing on the island. We estimated we covered about 20-22 miles total!
I was a bit nervous riding a bike (esp. with no helmet) but we were on a really nice and safe paved path and there are no hills to race down here!
We got in a great workout – flat riding into the wind isn’t so easy!
Turnaround in Imperial Beach!
We rode back up by The Del and to the landing for lunch
You know the LA or NYC debate we had a few weeks ago? I think if I had $5M I would choose to live here! The houses are just so gorgeous and with such perfect weather year round, the yards and landscapes are pristine!
Lunch landed us at II Fornaio, a fancy Italian restaurant right on the water. We actually ate dinner here 6 years ago when we came out to visit Karen!
After 2 hours of biking, we bread lovers devoured the bread basket!
It was incredible bread! Warm and doughy
Pete of the Great Falls GH joined us for our excursion today. Do I have any Great Falls readers in da house?!
Karen went fancy for lunch with a glass of Sauv Blanc
The entrée I ordered was wonderful – a medley of scallops, shrimp and calamari over wilted arugula and spinach with white beans, garlic and grilled tomatoes. Basically a hot seafood salad!
It was awesome, but left me too full and thirsty!
Matt had a seafood risotto!
We biked home from lunch and are registering for convention and resting.
Banana.
lynn @ the actor's diet says
yay to west coast living!
Stephanie @ Legally Blinde says
Haha, I love the code word idea. The ocean pictures are stunning; I especially love the picture of the rocks jutting into the water. And that house is absolutely gorgeous! Wow! Good job on the looooong bike ride – I bet you’ll sleep well tonight!
Kelli H (Made in Sonoma) says
Your day looks perfect! OMG, that house is gorgeous!
Angela @ Happy Fit Mama says
I can see why Karen keeps saying how wonderful it is. It’s beautiful! Are those azalea’s in the last picture? Such great contrast of the pink and green.
Ashley @ My Food 'N' Fitness Diaries says
i would love to be going on a bike ride on coronado island…just gorgeous! love your cute sunglasses too! 🙂
Kelly @ Vegolosophy says
I can’t wait to move back to SD, it is also my favorite! My hubby and I went to Coronado all the time because they have the best dog beach and Pete loves it! Its a beautiful place 🙂
Katie @ Peace Love & Oats says
I can see why Karen loved it there, it looks gorgeous! and I hear the weather is always nice, so different from Chicago… haha.
[email protected] Nutrition with Sydney says
I’m not from Great Falls, but I am from Montana if that counts! 🙂
Kenz says
Great Falls….MONTANA?!?!?! Yeah!
KathEats says
Fun! you’ll have to introduce yourself to Pete sometime 🙂
Erin says
This is totally random, and I’m sorry to bug you, but I did a few searches and couldn’t find an answer to my question, so I figured I’d ask.
I remember that Matt’s a member of a homebrewer’s club/association/whatever, and was wondering which one it was, and whether he thought it was worth it? I’d like to get my husband a membership to some sort of homebrewer’s organization for his birthday, and thought I’d check to see what Kanz does! (WWKD…I see a new blog in y’all’s future…?)
Thanks, Kath–and have a great time in San Diego!
KathEats says
He was in a brew club in Charlotte – a local one. But nothing national. He loves the Brewing Network’s podcasts
Erin says
Ah. Must’ve mis-remembered! Thanks for the reply! 🙂
Carla says
Love your pants you wore on the bike ride! I had a kakki pair that looked similar from Gap, but sadly my rear got too big and ripped them right down the middle. Where are yours from?
KathEats says
GAP Maternity!
Annette @ EnjoyYourHealthyLife says
Such a funny code word/saying! It does look OH so pretty. Have fun tonight!!
Hillary says
That house you featured is pretty much my dream house—large, Craftsman-style, beautiful landscaping. Sigh! A girl can dream!
Kerry @ Totes My Oats says
Those meals looks great! I bet you didn’t even realize how much you were biking with all of that beautiful scenery!
laura says
totally agreeing with karen — absolutely gorgeous.
Erin Motz says
The west coast is so gorgeous… I NEED to make it out there one of these days. On a more random note, you have beautiful teeth! Haha, just thought I’d put that out there!
KathEats says
Haha thanks! 2 years of braces 🙂
Kaila @healthyhelperblog! says
I looooove coronado! One of my most favorite places to visit actually! Its so beautiful and picturesque! I have actually taken that same exact bike ride you mentioned!!
Anne says
Looks like y’all are having a great trip! Your pictures are beautiful 🙂 you inspire me to get my camera out and start shooting around again:)
Jennifer says
Glad you are enjoying my city. Well… I live in La Jolla, so technically, not my city–but close enough. I grew up in VA., and my mom owned a house on Keswick Estate, so I keep up with the Old Dominion via your blog. Have to say I agree with your assessment: San Diego is a wonderful place to live. Though… I think you might experience some less than perfect weather this week–sorry about that! Congratulations on your baby news.
KathEats says
I used to be NUTS over La Jolla when I was in middle school and we spent the summer out here. Used to want to live there and drive a Geo Tracker! LOL!
Erin says
I wanted a Geo Tracker, too!! What were we thinking??
Elisabeth says
What a wonderful trip you guys are having! I absolutely agree that I would live on the California coast if I had $5 million to buy a house 🙂
Joss says
Love the very last picture..so pretty and colorful 😀
Silvia @ skinny jeans food says
Ahhhh, SoCal and Il Fornaio are the BEST!
kathleen @ the daily crumb says
no better place to get a seafood salad than the shores of coronado, i suppose! your pictures are beautiful. enjoy the rest of the day!
Stephanie Hobbs says
Being from San Diego originally means I am LOVING these posts! I graduated from SDSU and we’ll be visiting my family in July, so these are just whetting my appetite! And I keep meaning to ask, where did you get your sunglasses??? I love aviators, but the only ones I ever see are way too big for my face haha. Yours are so feminine!
KathEats says
I think they are Forever 21 a few years old – and cheap!
Lisa (bakebikeblog) says
what stunning photos!
Lynette S. says
I’m a Great Falls native and used to visit the GF store often! I live in Missoula now. I love GH!
KathEats says
Fun!! Love Missoula 🙂
Adrienne J says
I love your last photo of the flowers! So pretty and almost abstract!
Simply Life says
Oh I LOVE that last picture of the bright flowers! how beautiful!
Tiffany says
So beautiful!! I love Il Fornaio! They have the best cafe latte and tiramisu!!
By the way I thought I would give the TJ’s sunflower butter a try again lol and I love it!! I thought it was too sweet before and I think its because I wasn’t eating too much sugar. Wow, Its so creamy, sweet, salty…just perfect!
By the way when you make oats in a jar, do you pour the hot oatmeal into a plastic jar? (does it melt the plastic? I’m just worried about putting hot oats in a plastic jar and melting the plastic into my food.)
Enjoy your time in San Diego 🙂
KathEats says
So glad you like it now!! If I do warm oats in a jar, I let the oats cool slightly before adding them.
katie @KatieDid says
It’s sooo gorgeous there. Biking is the best way to see a whole city!
Paige @ Healthy Hits the Spot says
Wow! Seafood things don’t usually look that appealing to me… but that seafood risotto looks absolutely amazing! BANANA! I love SD too!
[email protected] says
There’s an Il Fornaio in Reston, VA (it was actually right below our condo) and we used to buy bread from their bakery occasionally. The olive bread was to die for. Great Falls as in Great Falls, VA?! Also, the banana thing is hilarious. I can totally hear Karen saying “banana” in a deep Southern accent :).
KathEats says
Great Falls, MT 🙂
Stacy @ Say It With Sprinkles says
Yum, a seafood salad sounds amazing!!
Michelle (Better with Berries) says
That house looks amazing and beautiful! Although I don’t know if I could ever not live in the midwest – I love it too much 🙂
Lauren @ Oatmeal after Spinning says
I’ve never lived anywhere but the east coast- but I can easily say that I’d pick the west coast any day! Karen will just have to convince everyone to move out there. 🙂
Leah says
Banana. 🙂
Ashley @ Coffee, Cake and Cardio says
What a fun and beautiful day!! Your lunch looks amazing.
Cait's Plate says
I COMPLETELY agree! I fell in love with SD when I went the first time and could definitely see myself living there. Perfect weather, great people, just an all-around great place.
Susan H. @ The Food Allergy Chronicles says
Oh my gosh my favourite…incredible bread with olive oil and balsamic to dredge it in…heavenly! To top it off my next favourite…a seafood medley! With a day of biking…a perfect day!
J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) says
You can’t blame Karen, I’d be BANANAS over all of that beauty, too! Those views and the weather are so tempting, but I’m in team NYC. I’m biased, though. It’s my home state. heh
Your lunch looks spectacular!! I would have ordered the exact same thing. Yum.
Alicia says
Well, I am not from Great Falls, but my bestie from way back when we were 8 years old lives there now. I will have make sure she is stopping in at the GH and giving them some love!
Looking at all these pictures made me miss living in South Carolina (we lived in Charleston for a few years before moving to the Midwest). I know it is Cali, but there are so many similarities, and that house reminded me of a particular one that I loved out on Sullivan’s Island.
BTW- Matt’s seafood risotto looks DIVINE!
Katy says
My son announced just today how he wanted to live on the West coast. He checked in about strange weather such as hurricanes or tornadoes, and, once I told him the weather is much better than here, he was sold. I know where he will be applying for college…gulp!
I love your step by step journey in this post…beautiful…and I want to go too!
Dena @ 40 Fit in the Mitt says
Looks like you had a really nice bike ride, then an amazing lunch!
Emily says
I live in San Diego. I’ve been following your blog for just over a year now, and it is fun to see where you are visiting while you are in town! Coronado is beautiful, and the strand is a great place for exercise! I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay in America’s Finest City.
steph says
Beautiful pics! Motivation to hop on a bike and explore for sure!
Sheila says
Omg Kath, if you have time you guys have to go to Stone! http://www.stonebrew.com They just released their barley wine. Even tho you can’t partake in the beer, you’ll enjoy it too – the grounds are amazing and so is the brewery, and the food is awesome too (all local and/or from their organic garden). Make a reservation before you go though as the wait can get pretty long.
KathEats says
We realllly want to, but we don’t have a car and I’m just not sure we want to pay for a rental car. Hopefully next time! [PS. Matt just drank his Stone IPA last week that you sent!!]
Laura Ann says
Stone also has a tasting room in South Park (my ‘hood). You’d still have to drive, but it’s a lot closer than the actual brewery/restaurant (although the actual brewery is worth the drive!).
Sheila says
Aww, darn! Well next time you guys are out here, we’ll have to take you. Sometimes they have festivals too that are amazing. If you can, pick up some of the Stone barley wine at a BevMo, Whole Foods, or a bottle shop.
Ryan says for Matt to go to http://www.westcoastersd.com/directory for craft beer places nearby that you can check out while you are here.
Have fun. Wish we were closer to SD so we could meet up!
KathEats says
He was already in a beer store searching for Pliny The Elder! No luck 🙁
Sheila says
Ha, we were just at Stone last weekend and a friend got it. They have it on tap.
nadia says
my dad’s side is from great falls! go there every summer. absolutely love it. a nice change from the east coast!
KathEats says
🙂 Stop in and see Pete sometime!
Meagan says
My parents are visiting me out here (they’re staying in a SD condo instead of up here in LA with me), and I just went down to SD to see them for Fri night/Saturday with my friend yesterday. I love the Mission Beach, Pacific Beach area. Coronado is great too. But everything is so wealthy. Def not real life. LOL. So funny that you were just there. We could have overlapped!
Leslie says
Ah my parents live on Coronado!!! If you get a chance, you should pop into Burger Lounge. It’s right on Orange ave. I also highly recommend Miguels for mexican. Coronado is so amazing. Even though I’ve been a million times, I’m still completely fascinated by the Hotel Del every single time. So much history and so beautiful. Enjoy!
KathEats says
Darn I think our meals on our own are over – next time!
Sara G. says
Wow! It’s beautiful there! I always love your photography, and “Banana” and “A California Welcome” are no exception. There are some great shots there, awesome composition 🙂 Have fun this week at the conference!
Aubrey says
You talk a lot about your parents Kath, and Matt’s mom. Just curious if Matt’s dad is in the picture? Sorry if this is too personal, just curious now with the little one on the way 🙂
KathEats says
Yup! He lives in South Carolina and is a radiologist. We wish we could see him more!
Lorin says
It’s funny when you grow up somewhere, you start to take it for granted. I never went to Coronado Island. I don’t really live by downtown but in North County. It’s interesting to see San Diego from a different perspective. Of course, I’m up in San Luis Obispo for college right now, but I’m lucky to have grown up there and also being here as well.
Jen says
I am loving your pants!! You look athletic in them 🙂 Matt is looking really good too – so healthy!
Sarah says
gorgeous! enjoy!
Catalina @ Cake with Love says
I love salad made with grilled tomatoes!! That risotto looks really good as well! And the last photo of flowers is so nice, I want the Spring to come to NYC asap!
Hillary [Nutrition Nut on the Run] says
I want that house!!
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
Gah!! I hope to visit west coast sometime soon. So gorgeous out there 🙂
Elise says
When I saw Pete in the background of some photos before you explained that he was another GH owner, I was hoping Karen had a gentleman courter!
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga says
Il Fornaio is awesome, great choice…and going back 6 yrs later, I bet that was fun, too.
I’ve lived on both the East Coast beaches (Wilm, NC and Myrtle Beach,SC) and love San Diego more. Personal preference but this is home…could never leave now after 8+ years. Tried to but after 9 quick months, ended up back here and we’re here forever now 🙂
Glad you all have been having a great time!
Khushboo Thadani says
I would love to live on the west coast- it seems so much more peaceful/relaxed than the hustle and bustle of the west coast!
Tara says
The bike ride looked like so much fun. Great day for it! And the black top you were wearing shows a teeny tiny little pregnant belly I think 😉
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin says
This looks like the perfect day! It’s making me so excited for spring to get here so that I can go on sunny bike rides again.
[email protected] Broken Cookies Don't Count says
It is just so beautiful there. I’ve always wanted to go back for a visit.
Angel7 says
If I were there, I would be saying “BANANA” all the time 🙂
I love that house, and the landscape is beautiful!
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
Kavi @ Lab to Fab! says
That salad looks amazing… I love calamari!
Deanna says
Yeah Great Falls!!! I grew up near there (it was the nearest real movie theatre and shopping center) and my aunt Wendy used to work part time at the Great Harvest there! So fun to see the Great Harvest Montana connections pop up on your blog!
Ashley says
What kind of sneakers do you have? They look so bright and fun 🙂
KathEats says
Asiacs 2160s!
Kinley @ Better Off Barefoot says
reading this post late but had to comment because I never realized Karen went to a Paralegal program! Did she work as one at some point? I am only curious because I AM one also and work in the corporate law world and never realized there was such a job as a paralegal until I was hired as one 😉 So I am always very intrigued to find others out there! Hope you guys are still having a blast!
KathEats says
She didn’t end up working as one, but I think it was a good life experience for her.
sara galvin says
I ready your blog everyday in Australia. I spent 4 years living on coronado island when i was a teenager and have been giggling as im reading all your posts!! Enjoy the rest of your time!
Alaina says
When I was little, my aunt and uncle lived in Coronado. I went to visit them when I was 5 and watched the 4th of July fireworks and traveled to Anaheim, the San Diego Zoo and Sea World! I don’t remember much but there are enough pictures and video’s to show that I was having a good time! 🙂 I would love to go back sometime.
AshinMT says
From Fort Benton, live in Lewistown… been in the Great Falls Gh many times!
Kristen says
How fun! I am a reader FROM Coronado. Too bad I am not home to take you around via the local perspective. (I currently live in AUSTRIA, where I also write a foodblog about restaurants in Vienna. http://sushiandstrudel.com.)
How much more time do you have there? I’d be happy to give you some tips! If you have any time left, you MUST go to Cafe 1134 on Orange Avenue or Tartine on 1st. Enjoy it:) Keep posting pics!
KathEats says
Thanks for the recs! Maybe we can do Tartine for breakfast tomorrow?
Kristen says
I’ve never been for breakfast, but if it is as good as lunch or dinner there, then you will be in good hands! The restaurant is at the other end of the island, so to get there will be a bit of a trek, but soooo worth it! Rent some bikes and head over. You should ride along the back side of the island, so Ocean Blvd. to Alameda Blvd. to 1st street. Ahhhh wish I could join ya!
Sonia the Mexigarian says
Banana x 10000000000 Miss SD so much. I am 8 hours away in Nor. Cal but part of my heart remains there.
BTW, what kind of pants were you wearing on your ride? Were they comfortable? I loved your entire outfit.
K.R. says
Maybe you didn’t mean it like this, but the whole banana thing with Karen comes across as really really rude. She seemed to be so excited and happy. I can relate as I often get more excited than my friends about things, and I would be really put off if they asked me to use a code word instead. Even if it was “funny” and it was a “mutual” idea, it still seems weird and rude.
Lexi @ Cura Personalis Foodie says
bread baskets are the BEST 🙂