295/365

9:15pm on October 22, 2010 in Point Loma, CA.

what's better after some sushi and wine on a friday night than..... a quick shopping trip to Sport Chalet! what? you don't do that? oh. well you should try it sometime. seriously. it was way more entertaining than i expected. granted, i can't guarantee how fun and exciting it is without the sushi and wine beforehand (especially the wine), but it does make a good package night.
:-)

~n

294/365

5:00pm on October 21, 2010 in Vista, CA.

a friend of mine is visiting next week, and he's looking forward to visiting some beaches while he's here. well we haven't exactly been having beach-worthy weather lately, so i promised i would do a sunshine dance to bring back some nice weather for him. before i could start bustin' a move, i see the sun come out in full force!
damn, i'm good....
;-)

~n

293/365

~8:00pm on October 20, 2010 at home.

i ventured to a latin american market today with my mom and was surprised to see these snacks on their shelf! i'd never seen them in that store before, but just the sight of them brought back loads of memories from childhood.... so of course i had to get some so that i could properly take a full stroll down memory lane :-)

~n

292/365

6:00pm on October 19, 2010 in San Diego, CA.

with all the gloomy weather we've been having lately, any glimpse of sunshine seems extra awesome. as i got home after work, this view reminded me of how great it feels after a rainstorm, when the sun peeks out late in the day and everything has that gorgeous soft glow....
:-)

~n

291/365

10:00pm on October 18, 2010 at home

yes, i'm still hibernating. it happens. and honestly, there wasn't much going on for me this evening as i crawled into bed early to get a full night's sleep (a rarity on weeknights!).

~n

290/365

~2:00pm on October 17, 2010 at home.

keeping with the theme of hibernation.... today was a cloudy day. the kind of day when all you want to do is stay in bed, under covers, drinking something warm while watching tv. so that's pretty much what i did, only i was on the couch instead.
i did manage to make my way to the kitchen for some tea, though :)

~n

289/365

October 16, 2010 in San Diego, CA.

ok, i slipped again. do you forgive me? today i spent half the day waiting for my car to have a major check-up (cars have not been cheap this weekend!), and the other half of the day sleeping. it's just one of those hibernating weekends.
Here's a preview from next week... this is moon hiding behind some clouds while i sit outside sipping some wine late at night.
:-)

~n

288/365

6:00pm on October 15, 2010 at home.

just when there wasn't enough going on in my life.... my mom's car was victim of a hit and run. thankfully it happened while it was parked so nobody was hurt, but now we have to deal with repairs and insurance. ugh.

~n

287/365

~9:00pm on October 14, 2010 at home.

tonight i got to package up a print for a wonderful client in Sydney!
:-)

~n

286/365

12:30pm on October 13, 2010 in San Marcos, CA.

i had to swing by my sister's empty lot today to check in on a site survey being done. some markers had been spray painted to show where there was a water line. a line of small blue dots lined across the lot like a giant connect-the-dots drawing.
:-)

~n

285/365

October 12, 2010 in San Marcos, CA

i haven't been feeling very creative lately.... probably because there are lots of things floating around in my mind these days to keep me stressed and busy. so i spaced out today and didn't take a photo, BUT i have a peace offering - a preview of tomorrow! 
this is a picture of an empty lot that will hopefully soon be where my sister and her family build their dream home. sadly, that means this lonely flower will lose its home, but at least i can sleep at night knowing that it's giving it up for a good cause :-)

~n

284/365

late evening on October 11, 2010 at home.

my favorite part of eating Baci chocolates is the small piece of paper in the wrapper that has quotes and words of wisdom :)

~n

283/365

8:30pm on October 10, 2010 at home.

today i busted out the grill. it's not a big grill, just a little tabletop gas grill that i use for camping. seeing as how i live in a pretty small apartment with a small patio that is full of plants, a small grill seems fitting for my space :-)  after almost burning off all my hair while lighting it, the steaks we well on their way! and i gotta say, they came out awesome!! while the steaks got ready, mom threw together some yummy chimichurri. overall, a pretty kickass dinner.
:-)

~n

282/365

1:00pm on October 9, 2010 in La Mesa, CA.

i ate at a really cute little Italian restaurant today for lunch. we sat outside since we were having the most amazing weather today. warm, with a light breeze, not too humid.
when they brought out the bread they also gave us the dipping oil, which just looked too purposely abstract to not take a picture of it!
:-)

~n

281/365

~7:00pm on October 8, 2010 at home.

i had a serious craving for sushi today. thankfully, the supermarket down the street from me has an in-house sushi chef! needless to say, this sushi did not last long. of course, the wine i got to go with the sushi went down pretty east too :-)

~n

280/365

12 noon on October 7, 2010 in Vista, CA.

there i was, eating my lunch in my car, under the shade of a tree in a parking lot, when i saw these flowers soaking up the sun. i love finding beautiful things in unexpected places.
:-)

~n

279/365

~7:00pm on October 6, 2010 at home.

empanadas y pizza rellena!! not only are these an awesome dinner, but they make an excellent breakfast.
:-)

~n

278/365

~11:00pm on October 5, 2010 at home.

sometimes it's just one of those curl-up-in-bed-with-a-magazine-in-front-of-the-tv sorta nights :-)

~n

277/365

mid-morning on October 4, 2010 in Vista, CA.

you know those foods that, once in front of you, you will eat non-stop until they are completely gone? the first one that comes to mind for me is tortilla chips. doesn't matter what kind, i have to eat them. all of them.
these peanut butter cups are another one of those foods for me. they're from Trader Joe's and are miniature cups. it's scary how fast this box disappears!
:-)

~n

276/365

12 noon on October 3, 2010 in San Diego, CA.

i'm still soaking in the change of seasons. yes, San Diego doesn't exactly have a big change in weather, but there are still leaves on the ground to remind us that fall's trying to make its way in.

"Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn."
~Elizabeth Lawrence

:-)

~n

275/365

~2:00pm on October 2, 2010 in San Diego, CA.

there's a little gelato place in Mission Hills that i love. i don't get there nearly as often as i wish i would, but when i do go, it's totally worth it! i finally made it back for another helping of gelato. today i got hazelnut chocolate, vanilla bean, and caramel w/ brownie chunks. yu-um!!
:-)

~n

274/365

~10:00pm on October 1, 2010 at home.

when I was in college, I drove to IUP (Indian Univ. of PA) to visit a friend during their homecoming weekend. it was a pretty fun time, involving way more drinks than i care to admit.... so it's only fitting that this t-shirt is the souvenir I still have left from that weekend. this shirt was my friend's sorority's homecoming t-shirt, which they sold to raise funds. I'm so glad I still have it as a memory of those "scooby snacks" consumed!
:-)

~n

273/365

5:30pm on September 30, 2010 in Encinitas, CA.

i went to one of the cutest restaurants today. it's completely unassuming outside (as in, i've never noticed it in 7 years of driving right by it), and it only has 4 tables and a small bar inside. it's a japanese sake house that i've somehow never been to, but i'll go back to for sure. the only downside is that because it's small, it gets full quickly, and so they don't let you hang out endlessly. we found this out firsthand when we got kicked out so they could seat the next reservation. oops!
these adorable origami creations are at each place setting, in various colors.
:-)

~n

272/365

12:00noon on September 29, 2010 in Vista, CA.

i was not in a good mood today. i was in one of those 'stay in bed all day to sulk and eat junk food' sorta moods. and if i didn't have a job to go to i would totally have done that. unfortunately, i have a job. so i dragged myself to the office... suffered through the morning.... shuffled out to my car at lunch time... and then i look at the ground and see this! this little flattened leaf in the shape of a heart caught my eye, and it made me smile. suddenly my mood started to change, and my day didn't seem so sad after all.
:-)

~n

271/365

~8:00pm on September 28, 2010 at home.

a few years ago my sister brought me some incense cones. i stared at them with a confused look for a minute, then lit one up and watched it burn slowly. from that day on, i love incense cones! a great alternative to the usual incense sticks!
:-)

~n

270/365

8:41pm on September 27, 2010 at home.

after my day out in the heat yesterday, i was super tired today! so.... this is the time i hopped into bed. now, i'm a night owl, so this wasn't the time i went to sleep, but it was nice to climb into my cushy bed and relax for a while before sleeping.
:-)

~n

269/365

1:30pm on September 26, 2010 in San Marino, CA.

as if yesterday wasn't hot enough, today was even hotter. i didn't know this at the time, but it was 110 degrees in San Marino today. where was i? was i in an air-conditioned home, or restaurant, or movie theater? no.... i was walking outside. all afternoon.
actually i had a great time getting to know the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens, but i think next time i go i'll check the weather forecast before heading up there.
:-)

~n

268/365

2:00pm on September 25, 2010 in San Diego, CA.

it was hot today. very hot. extremely hot. as in, record-breaking hot. little did i know that the next couple of days would be even hotter! i did manage to take solace in some shade while in the company of this beautiful bright yellow umbrella. last time i had been in this yard, the umbrella was red and i took a great picture of that one too. i wonder what color the umbrella will be next time i go visit??
:-)

~n

267/365

6:30pm on September 24, 2010 in La Jolla, CA.

i love that i have a beach just a few minutes away, because on days like today that means that I can go for  quick visit after work and still be home at a decent hour for dinner. today's sunset was amazing, and i didn't want to go home. the only thing that could have been better? i love empty beaches.... a few less people would've made it a perfect evening :-)

~n

266/365

10:00pm on September 23, 2010 at home.

there's something pretty awesome about clothespins.... maybe it's that they're so simple and functional that they're genius. maybe it's that so few people use them anymore that they have a retro appeal. whatever it is, i love them!
:-)

~n