Visit Auggie's House of Crab in Leucadia (Encinitas)

Discovering new restaurants in my area is always fun, even if the place is not actually new.

In this case I just tried out a place that has only been open for a few months in Leucadia, the funky community in north Encinitas along the coast.

Auggie's House of Crab opened a number of months ago and is well wroth the visit. I stopped in for the lunch special the other day and will definitely go back. If you like good fresh seafood in a no frills kind of place, Auggie's is worth the trip.

You can read more about Auggie's House of Crab here.

Surfing and the Environment

There is a new ecologically-minded surfing school in Encinitas.

The founder not only teaches folks about surfing, but also about the environment, in particular the plight of the rain forests in Costa Rica and the negative impact of deforestation. And funds from the school go directly toward the purchase of rain forest acreage for preservation.

Read more about Surf eCo here.

Beach Life in the San Diego Area

Here's my pictorial perspective on beach life in the Carlsbad area of San Diego.

Visit the San Dieguito Heritage Museum in Encinitas

If you have an interest in history, especially if you live in North County San Diego, why not visit the San Dieguito Heritage Museum in Encinitas (you can read more here)?

The San Dieguito Heritage Museum has new digs, located near Encinitas Boulevard on Quail Gardens Road and has a fascinating display of artifacts, photos and information about the area (San Dieguito encompasses Encinitas (Leucadia), Solana Beach, Del Mar, Cardiff and Rancho Santa Fe). There are also several historic buildings on site, an old fire engine, and early 1900s far equipment.

The photo is of a Native American grinding rock.

The LUX Art Institute in Encinitas

I'm a big fan of art, and an art collector (not high end, mind you) and my wife and I used to own an art gallery when we lived in Cambridge, MA. So I am always on the look-out for new galleries and museums, and enjoy visiting when I have the time.

The LUX Art Institute was founded in 1998 in Encinitas, but they recently opened their new facility there, which is a work of art itself. The concept is unique, too - the artist in residence - where viewers can not only enjoy the works of art that are displayed but also watch and interact with the artist at work. Artists, one at a time, live in an apartment at the institute for several weeks.

Read more about the Encinitas LUX Art Institute.

The Meditation Gardens at the Encinitas Self-Realization Fellowship Retreat

Need a place to chill out and enjoy nature?

Why not take some time to work on your holiday shopping along the Coast Highway in Encinitas (lots of shops and restaurants), then enjoy some quiet time visiting the Meditation Gardens at the Self-Realization Fellowship Retreat in South Encinitas.

Located on the bluffs above the ocean, and just north of the famous surfing beach, Swami's, the Meditation Gardens are a beautiful place to relax, and enjoy some peace and quiet.

I spent some time there yesterday...enjoy the photos!

Surf's Up in San Diego

The surf was up, today, way up.

There were surf advisories last night and today the beaches were crowded with surfers and lots of folks taking in the views of the bigger than normal waves.

I stopped by Cardiff and then Swami's beach in Encinitas to check out the scene.

You can read more about my visit today and view a video taken at Cardiff State Beach of the surf.

Tastes is What it is All About

Nope, the title is not a misspelling or a grammatical mistake.

TASTES is a fairly new restaurant in Encinitas that I just discovered. Actually, I knew it was there, and have been driving by it for the last couple of years on the Coast Highway. But like so many other places I see, there just has not been an opportunity to stop in to learn more.

I finally did yesterday. And I had a chance to meet one of the owner's parents who have been very involved with the restaurant and who gave me a great tour...and sparked my enthusiasm for trying the place out in the future.

Tastes is a total wine experience. They have a retail operation, with a great wine selection of reds and white from California, Spain, Italy and elsewhere, thanks to co-owner Mark Dubiel. But there's more.

Tastes is also a fine restaurant (and since I came at lunch time and they only serve dinner, I have not yet had the pleasure of eating there...but I will soon, now that I saw the menu), with a great selection of dishes prepared by an award winning chef, Sean Fisher (who has also catered for most of the top rock stars around with "Behind the Scenes Catering").

There are new dishes added weekly and others drop off, so you have an ever-changing opportunity to enjoy wonderful food. And, the added bonus is that they offer a selection of wine pairings with each dish to best compliment the food. You can dine outside as well on the back side of the restaurant.

Tastes also offers a series of wine flights so you get to try highly recommend wines and decide what you like for yourself. And, of course, you can then purchase the bottles at very reasonable prices to enjoy at home (or have them uncork and decant one for you for dinner).

Tastes is definitely on my list now to enjoy for dinner, and I plan to do so soon. They have lots of regulars and have become quite popular, so reservations are important for Friday and Saturday nights.

They are located on the east side of the Coast Highway at #641 not far past the Lumberyard. They can be reached at 760-942-9549. Stay tuned for my review once I enjoy dinner there.

A Great Restaurant Find in Leucadia

I really enjoy finding new restaurants in the San Diego area, especially when I have a recommendation from a friend or colleague. I tried one last night that I think you would enjoy. Don't know why it took so long...I have been driving by for a year and a half along the Coast Highway but didn't stop in until I was told it was worth a visit. I'm sorry I didn't discover this before last night.

Le Papagayo (it may already be on your list if you know Leucadia/Encinitas) was a great find. This smallish, funky, local hangout on the Coast Highway, about 1 mile south of La Costa Avenue, offers a terrific mix of seafood, pasta, vegetarian and other dishes with influences from around the world (Cuban, Hawaiian, Thai, Mexican.) in 2 rooms decorated with large original paintings, and surfing videos on the 2 TV screens. The food was excellent (great prices, too) and the service friendly and attentive without being intrusive. The crab cake appetizer (they call them appeteasers) with the Ahi tuna was really flavorful and a meal in itself.

This restaurant, formerly Le Petit Calypso (same owners, same food) also offers music 6 nights a week (every night in the summer) including their well-known Cuban Thursdays, plus jazz, blues, rock and more. Tuesday night is Happy Hour all night (other nights it's 5:30 - 6:30) so you can really feast on their great food at amazing prices. They also offer breakfast and lunch, including weekend brunch, and you can dine outdoors when it's warmer.

I really like the atmosphere here - the music last night was excellent, the food as well, and it feels like a neat place to just hang, without any pretension. This could become my next favorite place out here. They have a full bar too, and a pretty good wine list with reasonable prices (J. Lohr chard was $25). And they take reservations (a good idea, especially on weekends as it gets crowded. Check it out!

Do You Go to Farmers Markets?

One of the neat things about living here is the benefits of going to Farmers Markets...year round. There are lots of them in the San Diego area.

They are such a treat back East, because you only have them a few months out of the year, and while the produce then is terrific, at other times it is rather marginal.

Out here I have discovered a number of markets in North County that I enjoy visiting, and buying produce and other goodies from.

Carlsbad has a Farmers Market every Wednesday from 1 - 5 PM and on Saturdays from 9 - 1. They are located at Roosevelt and Carlsbad Village Drive. There is a great array of stuff here, including flowers, cheeses, granola, plants and on and on.

There is a good market also in Solana Beach in the Cedros District (Cedros Street) on Sundays from 2 - 5 PM.

I have been to the one on Vulcan in Encinitas (Leucadia) only once during the winter and there was not much to offer. But I suspect it was more the time of year than the quality of the market. Open on Sundays from 10 - 2 PM.

If you don't go to any of the area's markets, you are missing a great source for terrific produce and more at good prices.

Take a Tour of Encinitas Ranch

Here's a tour I did of Encinitas Ranch, an upscale and fairly new development in Encinitas with its own golf course (public, BTW, and I hear it's quite good...but I'm no golfer). I'd love your feedback and comments.

Today is one of those days when I am totally thrilled to be here in Southern California. 76 degrees here...and back east it is in the 20s with snow (talked to some friends today - tried not to gloat TOO much).

Have a fabulous weekend - I understand it should be even warmer tomorrow - good day for a bike ride. Can't wait.

BTW this bird was on the beach at Moonlight Beach, not at Encintias Ranch, but I liked the pic.

Take a Tour of Leucadia in Encinitas, CA

I really like Leucadia, about 30 miles north of San Diego. The beaches are beautiful, the community has a rustic beach-town charm to it, and it is a short drive from my home in the La Costa area of Carlsbad. Grandview Beach is a favorite for walks and enjoying the sunsets.

I just did a write-up on Leucadia, with some photos and a virtual tour, so stop by and take a look. You might fall in love too!.

Jeff

Surfing

Let me say it right up front - I am not a surfer. Nor is it likely I will ever step onto a surfboard, despite having moved to a part of the country where it is so popular, and so much in evidence daily.

As a casual observer, I have to admit the whole surfing culture fascinates me. And since I don't surf, I don't expect to understand, or really appreciate, the influence that surfing has had here. While surfing is popular back East where I used to live, especially in some areas (such as on Cape Cod in Massachusetts), it does not have the kind of impact that is so apparent here, nor is there the history associated with the growth of the sport which Southern California is known for.

Surfing has been a part of the growth of a number of coastal towns (Encinitas, especially Leucadia, Cardiff, and Carlsbad, as well as more southerly towns including Ocean Beach and Pacific Beach) for decades. There are numerous surfing shops scattered along the coast, as well as restaurants that cater to the surfing enthusiast. And learning how to surf has become big business, as witnessed by the many instructors and surfing schools for kids and adults.

For those of you have have not been here, it is common to see surfers at every time of the day, and every day, scattered along Highway 101 and other local streets, making use of the many beaches known for the best surfing - Swami's in Encinitas being just one example. And there is a huge environmental component, with erosion causing problems with many of the area's beaches, and the growth of the Surfrider Organization, dedicated to the preservation of, and access to, beaches here and elsewhere in the world.

I love this aspect of being in San Diego, even though I have no interest in climbing on a surfboard. It's a large part of what makes Southern California such a popular place to live and enjoy the beaches and beautiful weather that we sometimes take for granted. While you may not be an enthusiast, you have to appreciate the tremendous influence, and the daily presence, of surfing in our area. And admire those who take surfing so seriously.