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Some Weeks are Like This - Crazy Busy, Crazy Good

It’s been a week full of travel and good food from one city, country, border to the next - Vancouver, San Diego, Tijuana, LA. - a good week.

Don’t typically plan to be this busy, but sometimes it works out this way.

Vancouver - I run two marathons a year and as a way to celebrate the hard work of training, I chose to race in other cities.This race was planned 6 months ago after I finished my 2018 fall marathon. When you’re in that pause right after a race, you have all this time to think about the next race. I chose the BMO Vancouver, for the location and a relatively easy international race, being in the same time zone as San Diego. Loved everything about the city - the people, the proximity to water, the parks, the culture, the food and the public transportation. As for the race, wish there was cloud cover and no headwinds, but at least for part of the time, the trees provided shade :)

San Diego - This is home base for me, where I live at the moment. In the short time home this week, I gave a tour at the Salk and attended a meeting at Sea World. There were other mundane tasks to tend to, but these were the highlights :)

Tijuana - Last week a friend asked if I was going on the Urban Land Institute (ULI) walking tour in TJ. I wouldn’t have gone on my own since I was returning from Vancouver the night before, but since she was going and I hadn’t been able to cross the border all this year due to other commitments, I said “Yes!” I have found it is generally a good thing to answer in the affirmative.

It was great to connect with our counterparts in Tijuana and tour the neighborhoods there. Afterwards a group of us stayed to try Georgina Restaurant, recommended by a friend in LA, who also crosses the border often. We enjoyed our dinner so much, that we’ll return for sure. And crossing back into San Diego about 8pm on a weeknight meant no lines at the crossing.

Los Angeles - Finally, a road trip to LA with my daughter for a concert at the Forum. We arranged to meet my neice in Redondo Beach at Little Sister, a very popular Asian fusion restaurant. Then the two concert -goers headed off while I continued to our hotel in Korea Town. Some fun time for me with a friend in DTLA seemed well deserved after a drive during rush hour on a Friday. Surprisingly our driving karma was good!

Next day a walk around Hancock Park, followed by lunch at La Brea Bakery. After a visit to the Marciano Art Foundation, we headed south home and managed to fit in a spur of the moment college campus visit at UC Irvine.

A nice way to celebrate Mother’s Day weekend.