Monday, May 30, 2005
Happy Start of Summer
Late this afternoon I felt like treating myself. Partly b/c my birthday is coming up, partly for assorted other reasons. So I headed to the ocean. Yes, the ocean--that thing 1.5 miles from my apt that I go months w/o visiting. Bad me.
After a bit of circling some blocks I found a parking space, locked my purse in SeaFoam's trunk, slipped my keys, smartphone and a credit card into the pocket of my jeans jacket, and headed to the sand. I walked from 20th St up to Dog Beach, as is my custom.
It was overcast, but the ocean was warm enough (or rather, un-frigid enough) for me to walk in the edges of it and smile and grin as the waves crested at my knees, some swirling up onto my thighs and getting my skort wet. I realized it had been months since I'd smiled like that. As I entered the dogs-off-leash section of the beach (they have 1 more day of freedom b/4 leashes become mandatory for the summer season) a little Parson Jack Russell terrier tore by me to retrieve his rubber ball, running so fast I couldn't conceive how his paws even managed to touch the sand. But the paw prints in the sand revealed that somehow they had.
I turned inland a bit at the river mouth at North Beach/Dog Beach and found a big flat boulder to perch on. I watched as, across the river (which is maybe 10' wide there), 2 German shepherds alternately frolicked w/ and harassed a golden retriever mix who periodically had to go belly-up in submission to signify she was no longer amused. A *very young* chocolate lab galloped along the edge of the river on stubby puppy legs, his owner keeping him clear of the bigger dogs as they roughhoused.
After having soaked up enough sun to dry off my legs and clothing, I began to head back down the beach. A foofy white toy poodle pranced impatiently while her owner and the owner's boyfriend leaned up against a retaining wall and kanoodled. I perched on another boulder for some more people-and-dog watching. A handsome man my age threw a big stick into the surf for his lab to retrieve while his pregnant wife watched. A woman coaxed both her big black lab and her little-but-fur-laden miniature schnauzer to calm down a bit so she could sit down and rest. I don't envy her getting the schnauzer clean after a day at the beach. Meanwhile the white toy poodle was still being ignored by her owner, who found her swarthy boy-toy much more interesting.
When the sun went back behind a large bank of clouds I resumed walking. The rest of the beach was occupied by beautiful people on towels, playing volleyball, stoking up their barbecues, riding boogieboards and surfboards in the low surf, and so on. Not nearly as interesting as the dog-beach section, IMHO. Though there were some men who were definitely not dogs and were nice to look at. Unfortunately they all seemed to have buxom blondes on their arms.
I eventually arrived at Jake's of Del Mar, a very nice beachfront restaurant. I rinsed off my feet at the nearby public nozzle and put my dressy white Italian leather flipflops, err, 'thong sandals,' back on. On a whim I weaved my way through the BMWs, Mercs and Jags parked nose-to-tail in their valet-only parking lot, went inside and asked how long a wait it would be for a table. To my amazement they were able to seat me right away in the bistro section. I decided I would splurge on a really really nice dinner. (For the past six months my definition of "nice dinner" has been if I go to a Mexican restaurant where I can eat my burrito seated at a table rather than taking it to go.)
After devouring most of the loaf of scrumptious sourdough bread, I started the serious eating w/ a seafood cocktail...miniature shrimp and chunks of lobster topped with a layer of avocado and some sort of green leafy things that looked like clover, covered in a citrus glaze. I sneaked occasional smiles at a guy seated at the bar, but I think he was wearing a wedding ring, or at least that's my rationalization for why he didn't smile back. For my entree I had a half-order of beef tournedos in bearnaise sauce, with grilled veggies and potatoes, all washed down w/ a glass of nice cabernet. Since I don't "speak" wine I'll paste the winery's description of it here for your amusement.
There wasn't room left for dessert. After adding $53 to my credit card balance, I walked the few blocks back to my car. I arrived home as dusk turned to dark. It was a very fine end to the weekend, a bit of celebration I desperately needed.
After a bit of circling some blocks I found a parking space, locked my purse in SeaFoam's trunk, slipped my keys, smartphone and a credit card into the pocket of my jeans jacket, and headed to the sand. I walked from 20th St up to Dog Beach, as is my custom.
It was overcast, but the ocean was warm enough (or rather, un-frigid enough) for me to walk in the edges of it and smile and grin as the waves crested at my knees, some swirling up onto my thighs and getting my skort wet. I realized it had been months since I'd smiled like that. As I entered the dogs-off-leash section of the beach (they have 1 more day of freedom b/4 leashes become mandatory for the summer season) a little Parson Jack Russell terrier tore by me to retrieve his rubber ball, running so fast I couldn't conceive how his paws even managed to touch the sand. But the paw prints in the sand revealed that somehow they had.
I turned inland a bit at the river mouth at North Beach/Dog Beach and found a big flat boulder to perch on. I watched as, across the river (which is maybe 10' wide there), 2 German shepherds alternately frolicked w/ and harassed a golden retriever mix who periodically had to go belly-up in submission to signify she was no longer amused. A *very young* chocolate lab galloped along the edge of the river on stubby puppy legs, his owner keeping him clear of the bigger dogs as they roughhoused.
After having soaked up enough sun to dry off my legs and clothing, I began to head back down the beach. A foofy white toy poodle pranced impatiently while her owner and the owner's boyfriend leaned up against a retaining wall and kanoodled. I perched on another boulder for some more people-and-dog watching. A handsome man my age threw a big stick into the surf for his lab to retrieve while his pregnant wife watched. A woman coaxed both her big black lab and her little-but-fur-laden miniature schnauzer to calm down a bit so she could sit down and rest. I don't envy her getting the schnauzer clean after a day at the beach. Meanwhile the white toy poodle was still being ignored by her owner, who found her swarthy boy-toy much more interesting.
When the sun went back behind a large bank of clouds I resumed walking. The rest of the beach was occupied by beautiful people on towels, playing volleyball, stoking up their barbecues, riding boogieboards and surfboards in the low surf, and so on. Not nearly as interesting as the dog-beach section, IMHO. Though there were some men who were definitely not dogs and were nice to look at.
I eventually arrived at Jake's of Del Mar, a very nice beachfront restaurant. I rinsed off my feet at the nearby public nozzle and put my dressy white Italian leather flipflops, err, 'thong sandals,' back on. On a whim I weaved my way through the BMWs, Mercs and Jags parked nose-to-tail in their valet-only parking lot, went inside and asked how long a wait it would be for a table. To my amazement they were able to seat me right away in the bistro section. I decided I would splurge on a really really nice dinner. (For the past six months my definition of "nice dinner" has been if I go to a Mexican restaurant where I can eat my burrito seated at a table rather than taking it to go.)
After devouring most of the loaf of scrumptious sourdough bread, I started the serious eating w/ a seafood cocktail...miniature shrimp and chunks of lobster topped with a layer of avocado and some sort of green leafy things that looked like clover, covered in a citrus glaze. I sneaked occasional smiles at a guy seated at the bar, but I think he was wearing a wedding ring, or at least that's my rationalization for why he didn't smile back. For my entree I had a half-order of beef tournedos in bearnaise sauce, with grilled veggies and potatoes, all washed down w/ a glass of nice cabernet. Since I don't "speak" wine I'll paste the winery's description of it here for your amusement.
Hess Select Cabernet
Napa provided about 23 percent of the overall blend and the North Coast helped fill out the 2002 Cabernet. About 10 percent of the fruit is from Paso Robles for its rich dark fruit flavors and textures and the 15 percent of Syrah from Monterey brought structure to the mid-palate and a hint of pepper. The 2002 Hess Select Cabernet Sauvignon brings up-front ripe raspberry, black cherry, and currant to the nose with toffee, brown sugar, cedar, and toast added from oak aging. The palate continues with ripe red fruit, chocolate covered cherries, and vanilla. Soft, integrated tannins deliver a rich mid palate and a nicely rounded finish.
There wasn't room left for dessert. After adding $53 to my credit card balance, I walked the few blocks back to my car. I arrived home as dusk turned to dark. It was a very fine end to the weekend, a bit of celebration I desperately needed.
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