One of the most exciting things about moving to a new place is finding your new favorite eateries. Conversely, moving anxiety can be heightened when you realize you will no longer be right down the street from your favorite spots.
Every time I visit Chapel Hill, I make an effort to have the Oreo cookie yogurt at Yogurt Pump, a piece of pizza at Pepper's and the whole wheat fettuccine at 411 West. In Cincinnati, I will NOT be missing the "Skyline Chili" on every other corner. However, there are some great places I was sad to move away from. In fact, the week I left the 'Nati, I was able to visit three great spots that were all new to me - Scotti's, a great (and divey) Italian spot downtown; Riverside - a Korean restaurant in Covington with amazing beef; and Chalk Food + Wine, one of Jean Robert's places in Covington (right next to Greenup Cafe on Greenup Street). My friend Linda and I shared this amazing S'mores dessert at Chalk that I think was one of the best desserts I've ever had.
My most missed meals in Cincinnati include: Mahi mahi tacos with chips and guac at Nada, the Godzilla burger at Habit's, the honeybee roll at Teak Thai (conveniently located just up the street from my old place), the peppercorn ranch salad and Edgar Allan Poe pizza at Dewey's, the Aztec at The Echo in Hyde Park, and the Buckeye Blitz and raspberry chip ice cream at Graeter's.
Fortunately, I've already had some outstanding food in the greater San Diego area. Favorites thus far include the hardwood smoked bacon, avocado, onion & swiss farm scramble at Hash House a go go (www.hashhouseagogo.com) in Hillcrest, the eggplant parmesan at Filippi's Pizza Grotto (www.realcheesepizza.com) in Little Italy, Bernadino's Huevos Rancheros at Americana (www.americanarestaurant.com) in Del Mar and the taco salad (although it's called something different) at Fidel's Little Mexico in Solana Beach. If only there were a Yogurt Pump here, I think I'd be all set...
Friday, August 8, 2008
Training for the Half
Training has started out strong. Tuesday I ran five miles along the beach in Del Mar and then did a little hike on the cliffs. Pretty amazing scenery but my running left a little to be desired, as I was strolling along at about a 9:00/mile pace.
Wednesday I boldly ventured back into the world of intervals. I rolled up to the beach at Cardiff-by-the-Sea and did a mile warm up run. I had the intention of doing about five 800s but after the first one realized I should start out with 400s. So all in, I ran an 800 followed by 8 400s. The beach shredded my legs and my last two intervals were quite slow but I made it.
Thursday a did a tempo run. I ran a warm up mile at about a 9:20/mile pace and then ran three miles at about 8:40/mile. I walked for half a mile and then did a mile cool down jog. The time on the tempo needs to come down to about 8:15-8:20/mile. Still have some work to do!
Wednesday I boldly ventured back into the world of intervals. I rolled up to the beach at Cardiff-by-the-Sea and did a mile warm up run. I had the intention of doing about five 800s but after the first one realized I should start out with 400s. So all in, I ran an 800 followed by 8 400s. The beach shredded my legs and my last two intervals were quite slow but I made it.
Thursday a did a tempo run. I ran a warm up mile at about a 9:20/mile pace and then ran three miles at about 8:40/mile. I walked for half a mile and then did a mile cool down jog. The time on the tempo needs to come down to about 8:15-8:20/mile. Still have some work to do!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
San Diego…a city discovered by the Germans
In case you didn’t know, San Diego is actually German for – well – check out the attached link for one of my favorite movie discussions of all times from Wikiquote (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Anchorman):
Ron Burgundy: Discovered by the Germans in 1904, they named it San Diego, which of course in German means "a whale's vagina".
Veronica Corningstone: ...No, there's no way that's correct.
Ron Burgundy: I'm sorry, I was trying to impress you. I don't know what it means. I'll be honest, I don't think anyone knows what it means anymore. Scholars maintain that the translation was lost hundreds of years ago.
Veronica Corningstone: Doesn't it mean "Saint Diego"?
Ron Burgundy: No. No.
Veronica Corningstone: No, that's - that's what it means. Really.
Ron Burgundy: Agree to disagree.
For those of you crazy kids who think San Diego is Spanish for “Saint Diego,” we’ll have to “agree to disagree.”
Ron Burgundy: Discovered by the Germans in 1904, they named it San Diego, which of course in German means "a whale's vagina".
Veronica Corningstone: ...No, there's no way that's correct.
Ron Burgundy: I'm sorry, I was trying to impress you. I don't know what it means. I'll be honest, I don't think anyone knows what it means anymore. Scholars maintain that the translation was lost hundreds of years ago.
Veronica Corningstone: Doesn't it mean "Saint Diego"?
Ron Burgundy: No. No.
Veronica Corningstone: No, that's - that's what it means. Really.
Ron Burgundy: Agree to disagree.
For those of you crazy kids who think San Diego is Spanish for “Saint Diego,” we’ll have to “agree to disagree.”
The Latest Running Challenge…
I figured since I am moving out to California, I would move up the next big race and start getting back in shape. As Will Ferrell said in Anchorman, “When in Rome…”
Race date = November 16th. I am running the Silver Strand Half Marathon (http://www.kozenterprises.com/Running/halfdf84.htm) from Coronado to Imperial Beach. Consider this an open invitation for any friends to come join me in this race.
More blogging about race training to come, but I did have a nice little run on Sunday, my last day in Cincinnati. A five-mile trot down at Lunken Airfield at about an 8:32/mile pace. Not too shabby. I think I was just trying to keep up with KP for the first three miles (and hit the wall around the four mile mark – still lots of work to do).
Stretch goal pace = 8:00/mile pace. En route to qualifying for Boston (eventually). Now that I will be living in a climate with an average high temperature year round of 65-77 degrees F, there are no excuses.
Race date = November 16th. I am running the Silver Strand Half Marathon (http://www.kozenterprises.com/Running/halfdf84.htm) from Coronado to Imperial Beach. Consider this an open invitation for any friends to come join me in this race.
More blogging about race training to come, but I did have a nice little run on Sunday, my last day in Cincinnati. A five-mile trot down at Lunken Airfield at about an 8:32/mile pace. Not too shabby. I think I was just trying to keep up with KP for the first three miles (and hit the wall around the four mile mark – still lots of work to do).
Stretch goal pace = 8:00/mile pace. En route to qualifying for Boston (eventually). Now that I will be living in a climate with an average high temperature year round of 65-77 degrees F, there are no excuses.
The Top 10 Lists…
Top 10 Things I Will Miss About Cincinnati
1. Friends
2. Morning runs through downtown and Eden Park
3. The view from 961A Hill Street
4. Give Back Cincinnati
5. Nada
6. Dive of the Month Club (DOMC)
7. Graeter’s Ice Cream
8. Wine night with the girls
9. Broomball (although I might have to fly in for the finals next year)
10. Cost of living
Top 10 Things I Will NOT Miss About Cincinnati
1. Airfare out of CVG
2. FBs in the W&S Café (and generally their ubiquity in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas)...just ask Joe Woods
3. Skyline Chili
4. People asking what “school” I went to (as in high school)
5. Bengals getting arrested
6. Driving the Crossfire up to Mt. Adams in the winter
7. The humidity in August
8. Driving on I-75
9. Two and a half degrees of separation
10. East side vs. West side
1. Friends
2. Morning runs through downtown and Eden Park
3. The view from 961A Hill Street
4. Give Back Cincinnati
5. Nada
6. Dive of the Month Club (DOMC)
7. Graeter’s Ice Cream
8. Wine night with the girls
9. Broomball (although I might have to fly in for the finals next year)
10. Cost of living
Top 10 Things I Will NOT Miss About Cincinnati
1. Airfare out of CVG
2. FBs in the W&S Café (and generally their ubiquity in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas)...just ask Joe Woods
3. Skyline Chili
4. People asking what “school” I went to (as in high school)
5. Bengals getting arrested
6. Driving the Crossfire up to Mt. Adams in the winter
7. The humidity in August
8. Driving on I-75
9. Two and a half degrees of separation
10. East side vs. West side
Monday, August 4, 2008
Vocabulary: Chicane
On my last weekend in the 'Nati, my little sister Alicia - whom I affectionately call "Elle Belle" - made the journey down from Cleveland (or Aurora, to be more exact) so we could hang out a bit before I move.
During our time together, Elle Belle taxied me around town. She informed me several times that my navigating skills needed a little improvement (i.e. need more than 2.5 seconds notice that we should be making a left turn here). Upon approaching Mt. Lookout Square, I warned her of the upcoming chicane. I think she thought I made the word up, but I did not. Below is the official definition, care of Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicane):
"A chicane is a sequence of tight serpentine curves (usually an S-shape curve or a bus stop) in a roadway, used in motor racing and on city streets to slow cars."
During our time together, Elle Belle taxied me around town. She informed me several times that my navigating skills needed a little improvement (i.e. need more than 2.5 seconds notice that we should be making a left turn here). Upon approaching Mt. Lookout Square, I warned her of the upcoming chicane. I think she thought I made the word up, but I did not. Below is the official definition, care of Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicane):
"A chicane is a sequence of tight serpentine curves (usually an S-shape curve or a bus stop) in a roadway, used in motor racing and on city streets to slow cars."
Fun, Useless Facts...
I am sitting at the Cincinnati airport waiting for my one-way flight to depart. I will officially be a left coast-er as of 10am PST today. Hooray!
A few fun, useless facts I thought you all would appreciate. My good friends Beth and Karl (and their dog Sampson, too) very kindly gifted me Frommer's San Diego 2008 as a going away present. I will be reading the book voraciously on the plane to figure out what I should spend my days doing before the first day of work on August 15th. This book is fantastic. Several interesting facts:
1. According to Pleasant Weather Rankings, published by Consumer Travel, San Diego's weather is ranked the number two most pleasant climate in the world, behind Las Palmas in the Canary Islands
2. Hottest month in San Diego is August; average daily high in August is 77 degrees F (the average daily low is 66 degrees F)
3. Coldest month in San Diego is January; the average daily low in January is 65 degrees F (average daily low is 46 degrees F)
A few fun, useless facts I thought you all would appreciate. My good friends Beth and Karl (and their dog Sampson, too) very kindly gifted me Frommer's San Diego 2008 as a going away present. I will be reading the book voraciously on the plane to figure out what I should spend my days doing before the first day of work on August 15th. This book is fantastic. Several interesting facts:
1. According to Pleasant Weather Rankings, published by Consumer Travel, San Diego's weather is ranked the number two most pleasant climate in the world, behind Las Palmas in the Canary Islands
2. Hottest month in San Diego is August; average daily high in August is 77 degrees F (the average daily low is 66 degrees F)
3. Coldest month in San Diego is January; the average daily low in January is 65 degrees F (average daily low is 46 degrees F)
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