KAABOO Del Mar 2015

Over the weekend of September 18, 19 and 20, Del Mar hosted its very first KAABOO Music and Arts Festival.

3 days

7 stages

100+ music acts and performances

As outlined in the pocket guide for the festival, by founder Bryan Gordon, “our mission was to build something truly different: an adult escape where you can explore incredible live music, scrumptious cuisine, craft libations, inspiring contemporary art, side-splitting comedy and a variety of decadent personal indulgences – all assembled with the hospitality and quality that you’d expect from a one-of-a-kind event.”

Well, in my opinion, mission accomplished.

Incredible Live Music

The headliners for the three days were No Doubt, Zac Brown Band, and The Killers. Other great acts I enjoyed were: The Revivalists, Ozomatli, Fitz and the Tantrums, Bonnie Raitt, Foster the People, Tribal Seeds, The Drowning Men, Counting Crows, Young the Giant, Spoon, Open Air Stereo, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Donavon Frankenreiter, Dawes, March Forth!, Grace Potter, Michael Franti, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, Train, JJ Grey & Mofro, and 311. And there are so many more acts I didn’t get to check out. Half of the ones I did I wasn’t even familiar with. It was such a great way to discover new groups, not to mention up-and-coming local acts from the San Diego and LA area.

  
Some of my personal musical highlights:

• No Doubt: Gwen Stefani is so beautiful and adorable. She even got a little emotional in light of her fairly recent split with husband Gavin Rossdale, stating that now so many of the songs have “new meanings.” The whole band really rocked it Friday night.
• The Killers: I only got to stay for the first 5 songs, since it was Sunday night and the last train to Oceanside left at 9:30pm. Plus, I had my first day back at work the next day, so I was good and went home early to be properly rested. But perhaps someday I’ll get to see the Killers again!
• Fitz and the Tantrums always put on a good show. They are so much fun.
• Counting Crows: Accordion featured on the song, “Omaha.” Hearing “Colorblind” live. So great.
• Going into the concert, I was most excited to see Spoon. I’d seen lead singer Britt Daniel’s side project Divine Fits, but not Spoon. They were awesome! I started out right up front, but I have to admit it was just too loud. After a couple songs, I split and went toward the back. Something about the bass drum echoing off my sternum was slightly disturbing… Though it is kinda neat to have the sensation that the bass drum beat and your heartbeat are one in the same.
• Open Air Stereo were a great new discovery. This band is from the Orange County/LA area and I thought they were really neat. They played early in the day, and acknowledged that the few of us there to listen were the true music fans, there to get our fill of anything and everything, and supporting local acts.
• Dirty Dozen Brass Band: these old guys could jam! So funky. They even had a Sousaphone player in lieu of an electric bass. And he would solo and everything!
• March Forth!: This crazy band from Portland, Oregon (figures) was like a marching band mated with a circus. The band had a drum line, brass section and saxes, plus circus-like dancers who could do amazing acrobatic-type things like balancing upside down on 2 chairs stacked on a big wooden box and a dude who was dancing in stilts.

  

 

• Grace Potter: That girl’s got pipes! She reminded me of Heart. And she’s not just a voice and a pretty face. The girl rocks out on guitar and piano too!

Scrumptious Cuisine

I am on a very limited budget these days. After my whirlwind trip in Europe, pricey Las Vegas, and currently being in that lovely stretch of 2 months where I don’t get a paycheck (the joys of being an hourly-paid teacher), my bank account is a little sad. So I tried to keep the eating out to a minimum, which was usually one meal a day at the fest. Easy to accomplish since I was getting there after lunch. Sunday I did have lunch and dinner. And I didn’t consume any overpriced alcoholic beverages. I was pleasantly surprised that the Hydration Stations (water bottle fill-ups) were free! All the food I did partake in was delicious.

White Guy Pad Thai – chicken pad thai

Greek Corner – lamb gyro. So messy, but so good!

Peace Love Tacos – pork chorizo and chicken tacos

??? – California hot dog. It was like a hot dog with a salad on top: arugula, tomatoes, avocado…

Inspiring Contemporary Art  

The art on display was absolutely incredible. There was one guy who fashioned elaborate works out of a spool of wire. I mean look at this:  Disturbing, but extraordinary!

Then there were these cool carved surfboards. One even had speakers inserted!  

So many beautiful, interesting things to see, mostly by local San Diego artists. Plus! Art that was created during the festival. Pass by each day to see the paintings unfold! It was so cool. Outside Lands in SF does a similar thing.

Free Stuff!

My favorite part – freebies! Nordstrom was screenprinting bags right before your eyes! I got sweet bags at Outside Lands from Toyota doing the same thing. This time, you got to choose from six designs. I went back a second time so I could have my two favorite designs!

Sambazon Nutrition – Based in Cardiff, these guys were selling acai bowls but handing out free acai berry juices and chocolate/almond/coconut milk protein shakes. You bet I took advantage of that!

Kettle Brand Chips – Handing out so many bags of chips! I enjoyed the Backyard BBQ flavor, but then after eating my spicy tacos, I needed to cool off my mouth, and found refuge in a bag of plain Sea Salt chips.

Smart Pop! Popcorn – I tried the white cheddar flavor. Only 100 calories for the whole bag (a little larger than an individual-portion chip bag)!

I think that’s all I took advantage of, but there were also Vuka energy drinks and lots of other things!

The Venue

Can I just say that the Del Mar Racetrack is the perfect venue for such an event? This is where they hold the San Diego County Fair. So there’s plenty of indoor (air-conditioned!) places to have art and vendors, and plenty of ground space to properly distance the 7 stages. The big advantage to the stage by the racetrack: chairs! The main stage was over a parking lot, but they brought in AstroTurf for up front, then a swath of sand, then a boardwalk to get around the edges of the viewing area. It was such a beachy-while-not-on-the-actual-beach experience. Oh, Del Mar! I really enjoyed it, honestly. Nothing like lounging on the AstroTurf, chilling to the tunes of Donavon Frankenreiter. The stages were a good size, and apparently the main stage was the largest in the world? The screens also seemed to be of a better quality than I’ve seen at other festivals.  

They also tried to create a real “experience” with people in elaborate fairy/butterfly costumes, tribal costumes on stilts with percussion, etc. It was a real wonderland. Plus, it’s beautiful Southern California. It was super hot, but still a lovely time.  

Okay, so my real favorite part of KAABOO: the bathrooms! They brought in those fancy trailer toilets that are air-conditioned and have RV-style toilets. My cousin had a single-use one at her wedding that was called the Porta Lisa (like the Mona Lisa) because that thing was a work of art! Well, these were the big sister version, with 3-4 “stalls” (they had actual doors like your house would). They were incredible. And the bathroom areas were given the clever moniker, “PeeKAABOO.” Buahahaha!

My Experience  

Even though it was a friend who convinced me to buy a ticket (“A whole bunch of us are gonna go, it’s gonna be so fun!”), I ended up spending most of it by myself. Which was actually a really good thing. Going alone means you can get up and go check out something else WHENEVER YOU WANT. And you can DANCE and not feel ashamed to be shaking your groove thang. You can go and hear a few of Train’s songs and not feel ashamed.

I’d only ever been to music festivals with Sean. So I was a bit nervous going without him, but I was comforted by the idea of being with friends. So then when I was ditched Day One, I kinda had a meltdown. But I wasn’t going to let all that money go to waste and I would have a good time. Because it’s all about the music for me. I thrive on live music. It fills me up.

I ended up making a new friend through a friend, and I learned to enjoy the time I had with myself. I would definitely go again. And I found out from a girl on the train that you can get the 3-day pass way cheaper if you buy it before they announce the lineup. Deal! It was so nice to be living in the same place as the event, not living out of a suitcase for the weekend. And it was so easy taking the Coaster from Oceanside to Solana Beach. Then they had a shuttle that would pick you up at the station and take you to the front gate. Perfect! And hardly anyone took the train, since the last train leaves at 11:58pm and there were extra acts til 3am, so it was never crowded. I definitely think I’ll be going next year!

Rock on!

Katie, the NoCo List Chick

Friday Five: Playlist – Dudes

Here are five great covers by men. Let the October musical costume party continue!

Jolene – The White Stripes (Dolly Parton)

Just fabulous.

I Will Survive – Cake (Gloria Gaynor)

A classic for girls everywhere, but still just as great when Cake does it.

Baby I’m Yours – Arctic Monkeys (Barbara Lewis)

Retro cool.

I’m Going Down – Vampire Weekend (Bruce Springsteen)

I heard them sing this live in concert and I was hooked. Like it better than the original. Sorry, Bruce!

Let My Love Open the Door – Sondre Lerche (Pete Townshend)

Featured on the Dan in Real Life soundtrack, performed by my fave Norwegian singer-songwriter. Love the pep, and the string part.

Friday Five: Ladies Got Ya Covered Playlist

Something I really love on the Sirius XM U station (indie rock) is that on Halloween they have a “costume party” where the entire day is dedicated to indie artists covering the music of other artists. So each Friday Five this month will be a set of cover songs!

I love a good cover. It’s really amazing how some bands can take a song and re-imagine it into something uniquely different. Or sometimes it’s not all that different, but it’s still delicious to listen to. Here’s five covers to fall in love with, all with females on vocals.

Being Around (The Lemonheads) – Courtney Barnett

This is the first time I heard this song, and it’s just so great. Simple, but effective.

Rhiannon (Fleetwood Mac) – Best Coast

You know I love Best Coast and Fleetwood Mac. And to have them come together in this fresh spin on a favorite is just gold.

Indian Summer (The Doors) – Karen O

This one may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I like it. And after hearing the original, I think this version’s way better.

Tell Her No (The Zombies) – Tennis

This is close to the original, but is still satisfying.

Friday I’m in Love (The Cure) – Yo La Tengo

It’s Friday, and I’m in love with this acoustic cover of the Cure classic, done by Yo La Tengo. Obsessed.

Happy Listening!

Katie, the NoCo List Chick

Viva Las Vegas!

Over Labor Day weekend, I flew from Germany to Las Vegas, where I met up with my two best girlfriends for our Dirty Thirty Birthday Weekend. I’d never been to Vegas before, and I actually enjoyed it quite a bit.

I got in around 9:30pm on Saturday night. I was too tired to do much, so we just had drinks and food at the Hard Rock Hotel (where we were staying) in their hipster restaurant, Culinary Dropout. OMG, the new pretzel bites with provolone fondue are sooooo good!

                                         

Sunday morning we went to the Paris hotel for the brunch buffet. Crazy amounts of food, bottomless mimosas, $35/person. Pricey, but considering a crepe alone is $10-11, it was totally worth it. We bought a few souvenirs, little premixed bottles of margaritas (those would be the perfect gift for my mom!), and headed back to our hotel. It was hot as heck, but we enjoyed cooling off in the lovely pools at the Hard Rock. Hip-hop artist/rapper Nelly was playing at the Rehab pool ($40 entry) so we hung out in the other pool, Nirvana. After, we went back up to our room which overlooked the Rehab pool and got our Nelly concert for free. 😉

In the evening, we found ourselves back at Culinary Dropout for dinner. I’m serious, those pretzel bites are off the hook! We ordered a few appetizers to share. Then off to our grand adventure for the night – Chippendale’s!

Now, I am a sheltered, modest girl. The LAST thing I would ever say yes to is a Chippendale’s show. Lucky for my friends, I didn’t have a chance to respond and tell them “absolutely not!” before the tickets were purchased. (Such are the dangers of hiking without your cell phone.) I was furious. But then I felt bad later and decided I would be a good sport. Well. The reason our tickets cost a whopping $100 is because we were in the front row. Like, our table was touching the stage. The stage had little x’s in front of us. They were dancing right in front of us. Oh, the humiliation.

At first it was a little sad, you could tell some of the guys had given up on life and no longer enjoyed the Chip biz. But one of them was so happy on stage, that he made it enjoyable. And there is no way around it, these men have beautiful bodies. That’s all I’m gonna say about that… ::blush::

After the show, you could take your picture with the boys, for $20 a person. Outrageous, but Alli wanted the picture, so there we were. I got to sit with the pretty one… heehee. I know, I know. I should’ve put my arm around him. But I was shy and awkward… as usual.

After the show we went to the rooftop club at the Rio, which was pretty dead around midnight. Lame. Then we went back to our hotel, played slots and had dessert. I lost $11 at the slots. 😦 Melissa put in $5 and won $93!!!! Lucky girl! Then off to bed around 4am.

Monday we had brunch and headed to the Rehab pool to chill and cool off. Then we dressed and got all gussied to go to the Mirage. We had a ridiculous all-you-can-eat dinner at the Samba Brazilian Steakhouse. It may have seemed outrageous to do the all-you-can-eat option, but it was honestly only a few bucks more than the regular entree option, and we wanted to try a little of everything! Well, we certainly ate til bursting. They just kept coming by with the large skewers of delicious meats. We all tried the sweet plantains and recoiled in disgust. Not our style. Then off to the real reason we were at the Mirage: Beatles LOVE Cirque du Soleil. I actually snagged us really good seats. It was an amazing show. At first I thought there was a little storyline, but then I was completely lost and that’s ok. It was like having strange dreams to the tune of Beatles music. Which is fine by me! It was imaginative, beautiful, emotional, other-worldly. Loved it!

                         

After the show, we walked part of the strip, exhausted and overheated. We saw the fountains at the Bellagio do their little song and dance twice. Then back to the hotel for some rest before heading to the airport in the morning.

I’m so glad I got to spend my first weekend in Vegas with my favorite girls, celebrating our milestone 30th birthdays. Melissa’s was yesterday! Then Alli’s is at the end of October!

Rock on!

Katie, the NoCo List Chick

One down, eleven to go!

1. Take swing dancing lessons
2. Go to Vegas
3. Bike Point Loma
4. Walk a 5k for a cause
5. School of Hard Locks
6. Fun run 5k
7. Watch the bike races at the Velodrome in Balboa Park
8. Karaoke
9. See the Space Shuttle Endeavor in LA
10. Try African dancing
11. LIPS drag club
12. Hike Cuyamaca

The San Diego Dozen

After enjoying my 30 Before 30 List, I’ve decided to pick 12 things to do this year, in and around San Diego. I’m calling it the San Diego Dozen.

1. Take swing dancing lessons
2. Go to Vegas
3. Bike Point Loma
4. Walk a 5k for a cause
5. School of Hard Locks
6. Fun run 5k
7. Watch the bike races at the Velodrome in Balboa Park
8. Karaoke
9. See the Space Shuttle Endeavor in LA
10. Try African dancing
11. LIPS drag club
12. Hike Cuyamaca

Most of these things are pushing me beyond my comfort zone, with tough hiking, biking, and running (well, I may just walk!). I think it’s good to challenge yourself on a regular basis. And then there’s experiences that seem a little scary, but that’s always healthy too!

“Do one thing every day that scares you.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

Desserty 30 Carlsbad Dessert Crawl

To celebrate my 30th birthday, I mapped out a dessert crawl through Carlsbad Village. It was such a blast moving from place to place, sampling some of the best desserts Carlsbad has to offer! We didn’t make it to all the planned stops, but it was still a very fulfilling menu! Here’s the map:

As you can see, we ended up skipping Dini’s Bistro and The Compass. But we simply had to finish the evening with gelato!

First stop: 83 Degrees

Even though this was a dessert crawl, not a bar crawl, I thought we should start our afternoon with cocktails. I saw that 83 Degrees has an extensive specialty cocktail menu, so you can’t go wrong with that!

I ordered a Lemon Drop: classic, refreshing, and desserty in its own way.

Our starting crew, a mix of meetup friends, other friends, and a coworker. 🙂

Second stop: Carlsbad Danish Bakery

This fabulous family-owned bakery was a pastry/dessert-lover’s delight! So many choices, we all felt a bit overwhelmed and overstimulated looking at the desserts available. From savory quiches and pastries to cupcakes, cannolis, and cookies, this place has a lot to offer!

A sampling was in order:

The Cream Horn.

A flaky pastry horn stuffed with cream. The cream had a little bit of flavoring (perhaps cocoa powder?) but could’ve used more.

Delicious and very rich.

The Opera Cake

Layered like a tiramisu, this elegant dessert was rich but not too heavy. Recommended by the staff – good call!

Key Lime

Light and refreshing lime flavor. Very good!

Third Stop: Coyote Bar and Grill

When we walked up to Coyote, there was quite a crowd on the patio, enjoying live music. Someone spilled the beans that it was my 30th birthday, so the singing duo played a Beach Boys song at my request. 🙂

Very touristy place to go, but pleasant nonetheless. And the desserts! Oh!

Chocolate Bunuelo.

Described as “Our warm specialty chewy chocolate center inside a flaky bunuelo crust fried golden brown & sprinkled with cinnamon & sugar.” Yup, that just about sums it up! This was sooooo good. Can’t go wrong with chocolate goo inside fried dough!

The Snickers Pie is a huge slice of ice cream pie. If you’ve ever had one of those Snickers ice cream novelty bars, this is just as good.

Best part: won’t leave you feeling stuffed and miserable!

Fourth Stop: The Land & Water Company

I always wanted to check this place out even back when it was known as Ocean House, because the building is a beautiful Victorian. Apparently the Ocean House was a dump, but The Land & Water Co. have revamped it into a hip, modern space.

We arrived during Happy Hour specials, and with a drink called the Grand Piano, how could I refuse?! It was minty and refreshing, like a more refined Mojito.

For dessert, I ordered the Pop Tart, a black- and blueberry tart served with creme-fraiche ice cream. This ain’t your kid’s breakfast treat! Delicious flaky crust with the tart berry filling, balanced out by the light creme ice cream. Yum!

Fifth Stop: KoKo Beach

We crossed the street to KoKo Beach, where they seated us in a cool little side room. I ordered a Godiva Chocolate Martini, while everyone else ordered “real” food for dinner. After, it was time for dessert!

The Chocolate Wipeout Cake was along the lines of any “death by chocolate” sort of cake, but tasty all the same!

The Irish Creme Cheesecake was a real winner with its creamy Baileys-esque flavor!

Skipped: Dini’s Bistro and The Compass

Last Stop: Gaia Gelato

Most of the crew left us after KoKo, but four of us finished off the evening with gelato. When we walked up, the place was hopping! Everyone had the same idea of cool gelato on a somewhat-warm summer night.

I ordered the limone (lemon) flavor and it was very light and refreshing.

You might think I was stuffed after so many desserts, but my Grandpa Norman used to say, “There’s always room for ice cream!” and I’ve adopted it as my personal mantra! And with my upcoming trip to Italy, how could I not have gelato?

All in all, there wasn’t a bad dessert to be had! I am grateful for the friends who were there to celebrate with me. You may be inspired to celebrate your own big occasion with a dessert crawl, but I know now that it can be a bit overwhelming. Less stops next time! 😉 But hopefully you’ll at least know a few places to scout out the next time you’re looking to satisfy your sweet tooth in Carlsbad Village!

Buon appetito!

Katie, the NoCo List Chick/Birthday Girl

30 Things Before 30: #28-30

The final 30 Before 30 post! Wheeeeeee!

This whole experience has been wonderful. It’s made me appreciate the things I’ve done in the past, and I’ve really loved trying new things in the last few months. It’s been very positive and motivating. I encourage you to make a list of maybe 10 things you want to do this year. Make sure they’re FUN things. Maybe a SCARY thing or two! You won’t regret it. Get out there – embrace life – learn about yourself.

28. Try stand-up paddle boarding (August 2015)

Stand-up paddle-boarding (SUP) is all the rage in Southern California. You have paddle board, which is like a bigger,

broader surfboard, and a t-grip paddle (similar to rafting). You can stand or kneel on the board as you paddle your way around, on an ocean, lake, or lagoon. I am not much of a swimmer, and shy away from swimming in the open ocean. I won’t even go very far into the water. But I thought I should do something adventurous, daring, and completely out of my comfort zone.

My friend Heather and I got Groupons for a SUP rental at Carlsbad Lagoon. For only $19, we would have a paddle board for 2 hours (normally $50!). It was a super easy process to get checked in and set up with the equipment. The staff were all very nice. There aren’t any actual lessons at the Carlsbad Lagoon rental place, so we asked the guy for tips since we were both newbies. He kindly obliged, and off we wobbled into the lagoon. I was so stiff at first. I kept telling myself to bend my knees, relax, relax. I slipped and fell on my butt, but at least I was on the board and not in the water. Then I got mangled in the fishing lines of two guys (seriously, you’re fishing right where people are trying to paddle board?!). I somehow skimmed over the first line and then bent down to pull the other over my head. Well, I didn’t realize the board has a little rudder fin on the bottom like a surfboard, so I caught the first line under. Then I also caught the second on the top of my board. So I had to stop and fall to my knees and try to unhook the lines. Just when I had my groove! I then had to start all over, launching from a super rocky spot, but I got back up. Eventually I managed to not think so hard while paddling and I really enjoyed it.

Heather and I went all the way to the end of the lagoon. Then I had to turn around. I hadn’t anticipated needing so much room to turn the board around, so I landed in the marshy swamp and once again fell to my knees on the board. It took a lot of effort to get out of the muck, but I did it. I then sat on my board and paddled my way to a strip of sand where we had agreed to rest, now that we were fighting against the tide on the way back. Sitting on your board greatly improves balance. It’s like being on a kayak. After resting on the sand, I stood back up on the board. After all, I wasn’t here to kayak!

Heather went on ahead so she could take a picture of me for the blog, and I was so proud of myself for not falling in the water. My hair looked great. But then. I was trying to avoid crashing into a girl on another paddle board, when two guys in a kayak rammed right into me. I saw them coming and had no choice but to tumble into the water, flailing. Soaked. But if the pictures turned out stunning, and I looked like real pro, it just wouldn’t be my style, would it? 😉 I’d happily go SUP-ing again!

29. Take a cooking class (August 2015)

Thursday night my friend Donald and I headed south to Solana Beach for a cooking class at The Curious Fork. I was intrigued by the Thursday “Farmers Market Basket” class that features whatever produce is currently in season. The class is only $20, and you don’t need to bring anything as it is not a hands-on class. But it was still a lot of fun and very informative!

In this week’s farmers market box, we had Asian pears, Gala apples, leafy greens, carrots, tomatoes, green beans, elephant plums, passion fruit, eggplant, and summer squash. The menu, prepared by owner Chef Barbara McQuiston was as follows: One Pot Rustic Tomato Sauce, Lemon Garlic Green Beans, Asian Pear and Apple Goat Cheese Salad, and Passion Fruit Coulis (dessert sauce) served over coconut ice cream.

The Curious Fork has a modern, minimalist interior with a counter on one side (they serve breakfast and lunch), a kitchen in the back, and a big bookshelf of tantalizing cookbooks for all tastes. The kitchen area has cameras and three screens displaying the action from different angles. It was like watching a cooking show live, and getting to taste the results! We were also able to ask questions, which was fantastic. The class only had 4 adults (and one kid) in attendance. You can order your produce box from Garden of Eden organics and pick it up at class, and then everyone goes home with a copy of the night’s recipes. It’s a great entry-level class that can help you learn about flavor combinations and produce you’ve perhaps never tasted before. It was my first time having elephant plum, Asian pear and passion fruit!

I highly recommend the farmers market class and would love to take it again and discover what’s in the mystery produce box in a few weeks. They also offer more in-depth classes that are hands-on, such as Basic Sushi, Seafood, Tamale Party (ummm, yes please!!!), and Vegan/vegetarian. For a detailed calendar of events, check out their website: www.thecuriousfork.com.

30. Take a leap of faith (August 2015)

Even though the actual event doesn’t happen until after my birthday, this one still counts.

A few months ago, Michael and Mikayla moved into The Compound. It took a while before we finally met, but once we did, we became fast friends. I was delighted to finally have young neighbors to hang out with! Michael is from Italy, and met Mikayla while on vacation. They had a whirlwind romance and got married. Now Michael was going back to Italy with Mikayla in tow, to work for 4 months at his family’s pizzeria in Bologna. They pressed me to visit: “Dai, Katya, come stay with us!” How could I turn down such an opportunity?!

So after much debate and financial consideration, I bought a plane ticket to Italy! It’s a risk, making plans with new friends, in a foreign country, but life is about seizing opportunities, taking chances. I am so excited to begin my 30s in Italy!

30 Things Before 30: #25-27

25. Hike Mount Woodson (June 2015)

In the San Diego area, the Mt. Woodson hike in Poway is one of the most well-known. This is because at the top there is a thin rock that hangs over and has been dubbed “The Potato Chip.” The trail has become so popular that sometimes you have to wait in line to take your picture on the famed rock. The hike itself is strenuous, and then getting to the potato chip is no easy task. But with the help of my friends/neighbors Michael and Mikayla, I made it!

It’s too bad the sky was clouded over. I’ll just have to go back when it’s cooler and the skies are blue!

26. Bike the train route Oceanside to Solana Beach (June 2015)

This happened kinda haphazardly. I knew I wanted to do this ride, and that I’d have to do it before August 22, but I hadn’t pinned down an actual date for it. On the morning of June 27, I went out to Oceanside to bike the coast, like I have before. I wanted to up my mileage from my previous ride, so I thought 25 miles. But then why not just do 30? And if I’m gonna do 30, let’s do the 32-mile “train run” on my 30 Before 30 list! Biking south I felt invincible, so I just kept telling myself that as long as I feel good, I’ll keep riding. But if I get tired, no pressure, I can do the 32 miles another day. Well I made it to Solana Beach and still felt good. Ate my Luna bar, and turned around to go back up the coast. Riding against the wind, the fatigue set in. But at that point, I had no choice but to keep going. I didn’t have money to take the train, and I had to get back to my car in Oceanside! It took about 3 hrs with resting halfway and along the way back, but I did it!!!

27. Read all of Jane Austen’s work (August 2015)

Many years ago, the Sacramento Public Library did a Jane Austen series called “How Austentatious!” Each month, we read one of Jane’s novels and attended 2 lectures. I loved it! It was like being in a big Jane Austen book club. (Coincidentally The Jane Austen Book Club is a book/movie that takes place in the Sacramento area – check it out.) It felt like I was back at university studying Austen as scholar/professor David Bell gave introductory lectures on the novels before turning things over to guest lecturers who educated us on etiquette, gardening, transportation, the military, etc. in the Regency period. The one presentation I missed, that I sorely regret, was for Pride and Prejudice – they had a dance troupe come in and teach you period dances! The final celebration was in December, a birthday tea for Jane. They encouraged people to dress in costume. Not many did, but you bet your petticoat I made a dress! 🙂

So it was then that I had read all of Jane’s published novels. I tried to read her unfinished works, but couldn’t get into it. But how can I call myself an Austen fan if I haven’t read everything? So I gave it another attempt this month and it wasn’t painful in the slightest. Since I had difficulty with Lady Susan, I saved that one for last. I started with Sanditon, her final unfinished work (she died about 6 months after she stopped writing). Then I read The Watsons, which she wrote in her unproductive middle period while living in Bath. I really liked this one and would’ve enjoyed reading it as a completed novel. Sadly, she abandoned it along the way. Then I had to face the dreaded Lady Susan. One of Jane’s earliest works, it is written entirely in letters, a style popular in the day. This makes it really hard to follow. But I knew that going in, so I was extra vigilant about who were corresponding in each. In the end, I actually quite enjoyed Lady Susan. The title character is so deceptive and deliciously wicked, unlike any of Jane’s other characters!

One more post to go! Woohoo!

Katie, the NoCo List Chick

Go for the Gold…fish!

Looking for a unique experience while you’re in Oceanside? Try Goldfish Racing at The Junkyard Bar and Grill!

Every Tuesday at 8:30pm. (More like 9-9:30pm.)

What you do:

• Sign up for $3 per fish. Pay in cash or have it added to your tab.
• Choose a name for your fish, write it on a plastic cup. (Mine was Goldie Hawn.)
• Pick your fish from the tank and get them in the cup.
• Wait for your turn to race.

It’s bracket-style, one-on-one racing. Use a squirt bottle to motivate your fish to the finish line. Pro tip: don’t spray the fish; spray behind the fish.

It’s goofy and fun. Another pro-tip: Cheering seems to help, so bring friends!

Get racing!

Katie, the NoCo List Chick