The Trophy Wife - Bird Rock Coffee Roaster's Specialty Coffee Drink

I have been forgoing sweet coffee beverages for a few years now. I realized that my taste buds transformed when the Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks tasted like pure sugar and whole milk. Today it is mainly drip coffee with cream and sugar for me

However, while I stood in line to order coffee from Bird Rock Coffee Roasters I noticed their beverage "The Trophy Wife Latte" - a hilarious name considering that Bird Rock is a neighborhood of the almighty jewel, La Jolla.

The description read something along the lines of "vanilla macadamia nut flavored latte". I am a sucker for macadamia nut. To prove my point, I drove to Extraordinary Desserts in Hillcrest this past weekend and waited in line for almost twenty minutes just so I could enjoy a small cup of Lion Vanilla Macadamia Nut Coffee.

Back to the Trophy Wife. I looked at the price, which was a little over $3.00. A little pricey for my budget, but I thought "why not?". Splurge a little.

It was one of the best beverages I have ever ordered from Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, and all together one of the best coffee drinks I've ordered outside my fulfilling cup of regular Joe. The whipped cream finished latte had perfectly underwhelming sweetness that accented the bold nutty vanilla flavor. After taking the first sip, I inferred how the beverage got the name
"Trophy Wife" - it's sweet but nutty ;)

If you visit La Jolla, definitely stop through Bird Rock, and enjoy a decadent cup of coffee from the Roasters.

Snowboarding Hood

My recent vacation (I just returned this morning) in Mt. Hood, Oregon inspired me to start "Awesome Experiences". Simply, if you travel somewhere and have an awesome experience, I would love to know about it. This way you can write about your amazing time, and in return support the people that contributed to your awesome trip by recommending them. Positive word of mouth is the best for business. Let's spread the word!

I'll start:

I took a 6 Day trip to Oregon, 3 of those days included snowboarding at Mt. Hood Meadows. We scored 2 Days of Blue Skies and 1 Day of Continuous Snow Shower and Fresh Powder. The cabin we stayed in sits right on Hood River. Imagine relaxing in a jacuzzi while enjoying fresh pine & moss scented air, emerald green forest, the sound of a lively river, and a glass of Elk Grove Pinot Blanc. It is the perfect peaceful sanctuary. If you need a break from the world and enjoy the great outdoors, I recommend Mt. Hood Lifestyle Bungalows. We were fortunate enough to stay this cabin for 3 nights through a friend, and it is by far one of the most radical places I have ever been to. Visit the website to learn about the two men who built this amazing place.

Meriwether's Restaurant is a must visit. The food was delicious, and all their ingredients are from their local privately owned farm:

Appetizers: We ordered gorgonzola stuffed dates, riccotta fritters, and baba ganoush
Soup & Salad: Endive & Apple Salad with gorgonzola cheese, candied walnuts, currants
Farm Fresh Fennel Soup that was prepared like French Onion Soup
Entrees: We ordered Halibut Special that started with roasted heirloom tomato & eggplant, finished with a Marsala Sauce
Braised Pork Shoulder prepared with southwest style sauce that just melted in our mouths

Dessert: Too Full

Since our friend Executive Chef Dwight enabled us to achieve this wonderful trip, visit him at Masu Sushi in Portland (www.masusushi.com); NIKE buys out the restaurant for its events because Masu and Dwight are that awesome.

...Pictures to Follow...

Cough Syrup

I have been surfing this place in La Jolla more frequently this year. Up until these last 3 days, most of my sessions have ended in arguments with my boyfriend or tears. Not that my boyfriend takes waves from me or anything like that. He loves surfing this place, especially during the Winter. Everytime I have a bad session, I blame him for making me surf there (Sorry).

This place is beautiful, but it's shifty and unpredictable. It's a circus. There are seasoned acrobats, clowns, and elephants with a whole audience watching every move. It's intimidating considering the history and the surfers this place has produced. That's why I call it "Cough Syrup". It tastes bitter , but it will make me better in the long run.

For me: catching 1 wave is a good session, 2 waves or more...even better. I don't dare to sit up top. I hang out with the groms on the inside. Being the only 24 year old chick out there, I battle with pre-pubescent to teenage boys for waves. But, the funny thing is, they hoot for me which is pretty awesome. Thanks, gremlins for shedding some light these past 3 days.

Now, everytime before I go out there, I tell myself that it will be an extremely challenging day and to try my best. I bitch for about 15 minutes because that's just my relationship with place, so far. It's smooth sailing after that. Now, 10 waves is the most I've caught.

A Moment to Remember

FM 94.9 played Pearl Jam's new song JUST BREATHE while I was driving home this afternoon into a breathtaking La Jolla ocean view. The opening line sings:

"Yes, I understand that every life must end. As I sit alone, I know that someday we must go"

A close cousin to a dear friend of mine recently passed away - just a week before Thanksgiving. Although I was not very close to him, I was fortunate to have spent sometime knowing him. As goes with two friend who passed away last year.

JUST BREATHE definitely hit a spot, and sometimes I don't think it's just pure coincidence that songs play at certain times.

So, I just want to take a moment to remember them and who they were as people:
-Matthew "Worm" Joyce
-George C. Lin
-Andre Askar

The North Shore Chronicles Pt. 1: Rick Kane's Sunset Experience

Whether I'm around or not, my friend Eric McHenry will tell this story as long as he's alive. I'll always be that girl who paddled out at Sunset Beach like Rick Kane.

Before I begin my story: let me explain who Rick Kane is (for those of you who don't know) and paint you a picture of my North Shore Pilgimage.

1. Rick Kane is the white boy wave pool surfer, from the classic movie THE NORTH SHORE, that makes his pilgramige to Hawaii to charge big waves. So imagine 3 ft mushy swimming pool surf compared to anything but that.

2. During ninety percent of my time on the North Shore, Pipeline was breaking at 3rd reef and the Eddie (Aikau) contest was almost called on, which requires Waimea Bay to have a minimum of 20 ft. waves. I only experienced two 5-6ft days of clean perfect Rocky Point. For the rest of time, I battled the Ocean, Surf Industry's Melting Pot and an excessive supply of beautifully sculpted men that Brazilian and Mid-West chicks actually PAY to visit the North Shore just for that reason. Afterall, it is called the 7 Mile Miracle. I paid to surf, and man was I SUPER bummed to know that I was completely unprepared. I wanted uncrowded head high (and a little bigger) waves - the antithesis of what I got.

Don't get me wrong. I would never trade in those two weeks of watching guys from Garrett McNamara, Jamie Sterling, Flynn Novack, The Ho's, Reef Mcintosh (the list continues) surf Pipeline and tow in at Phantoms. I wouldn't take back watching Mikala Jones or Coco Ho surf V-Land. Nor, would I ever return the experience of getting to see Kalani Robb surf Rocky Lefts in real life and bbq-ing with him and his buddies. It's not everyday you get to play golf with Tiger Woods; and, the closest you'll get to him is with a load of money at a PGA tournament where you still have to fight the crowd. I paid for a roundtrip ticket and a few extra bucks to sleep on couches.

So, getting back to my embarassing Rick Kane moment. Like I said, I felt frustrated because I really couldn't surf. I had no boards nor experience surfing mammoth North Shore waves. The guys I stayed with suggested I paddle out at Sunset to observe. McHenry really pushed for me to surf inside V-land with him because Sunset was gi-normous. Not at the 20ft point, but between the 10-15 ft range. I had my mind set. Because I'm stubborn, I turned down McHenry's offer. In hindsight, I probably should have followed his baffled "don't do that, May, you're going to kill yourself" expression.

The boys left without me, so I went to Sunset alone. I broke one of Surfing's most important rules: observe for a long time before taking action, especially on a big day. Like a ditzy girl who had no idea what she was doing, I paddled through the channel then directly into the lineup and said "Hi, Boys!" feeling super excited to even be out there. Yeah, I had no clue what I got myself into. Sure enough, only when the sets rolled in did I realize that the guys were sitting at the waves deepest section further behind the main peak, which is what I like to call the impact zone; death zone; you better scrap to make it over the wave zone; dear god, help me, zone. I forgot that they were the same guys that surf Tahiti.

I paddled my heart out as I watched the massive water wall approach me. The wave broke 6 feet ahead of me. I duck dove thinking that I could penetrate deep enough to get under the foam. WRONG. Instead, it mauled me like a bulldozer. I pushed to the surface to catch my breathe and felt myself entangled with Pat, one of the guys. While we were trying to unwind our leashes from each other, the wave's lip drilled us back under water - stripping our chances to even sip air. By the time we re-surfaced, Pat's board arrived on shore and I looked like a rag doll that endured 100 rounds of the washer.

We got to shore, regrouped ourselves and silently walked home. Let me tell you, I had never felt so utterly defeated, embarrassed, and beet red as I did on that 15 minute journey back to the house. It was the week's entertainment for the guys, and McHenry never let it go during the trip or at home in San Diego. He wasn't present to watch the live footage, but he'll forever remind me of my Rick Kane moment. My face glows brighter than my drunk glow when that story is told, but it's a humbling reminder that I still have a ways to go.

Next up: The North Shore Chronicles Pt 2: Haleiwa

A Travel Addict's Life Experiences

I HAVE

1. Surfed and tanned at hidden back beaches with no one around except sea urchins and dry jelly fish decorated shoreline
2. Hiked 2 out of the 7 wonders of the world: The Great Wall and Macchu Picchu.
3. Eaten stroop waffles: Dutch caramel filled waffle treats AND Pannokaken: Dutch thin crepe like pancakes.
4. Sipped on calimochos (Coke and Cheap Wine) while walking along Port de Barcelona. I've consumed coca leaves (part of the cocaine family) to ease my stomach.
5. Partied all night and into the next morning, leaving only 2 hours before I had to catch my flight.
6. Surfed international world class waves such as Snappers (It was more like a paddling and walking marathon because it was so big that the current swept me so far down the beach that I walked back multiple times) Meanwhile, Parko and Fanning had jet skis towing them back to the top.
7. Slept on concrete floors, using my clothes for makeshift bed. I arrived in Den Haag to visit my friend Marisa. The previous week, our friends stayed with her as well. Unfortunately, they deflated the blow up raft they used as a bed. I was too busy having fun. By the time we returned to her dorm, the grocery store across the street would be closed (they closed at 5 pm)
8. Stayed at a professional big wave surfers home.
9. Made my pilgrimage to the North Shore (of Oahu). Mother Nature handed me my ass on a golden plate as a reminder that she rules all.
10. Walked the works of Gaudi (Sagrada Familia); Seen the works of Van Gogh; Experienced Anne Frank's life during World War II
11. Smoked at the Grasshopper
12. Celebrated FC Barca's victory over Real Madrid with the locals
13. Drank Sangria like it was pure fruit juice
14. Bungee Jumped
15. Driven in Tijuana, an adventure in itself
16. Peed in Chinese style potholes
17. Seen the poorest of the poor - literally burning dogs on the side of the road in Peruvian shanty towns.
18. Swam in the clearest turquoise ocean with only one other person
19. Drank Purple Maize juice and beer
20. Been crammed into a mini-van bus with 30 people
21. Stayed in 5-Star hotels for $30 bucks
22. Driven the entire West Coast of the United States and into Canada
23. Eaten peanut butter, banana and honey sandwiches daily for almost 1.5 weeks
24. Taken a road trip from the Gold Coast to Sydney - Driven on the passenger side and had multiple near death experiences driving on the opposite side of the road. MESSED UP. Thank goodness there weren't any roundabouts. La Jollans would be screwed if they had to drive in Aussie roundabouts.
25. Traveled alone and stayed with a Peruvian family in an isolated neighborhood.
26. Gotten jipped from locals. While I was walking around Cuzco, Peru - a lady with her llama told me it was free to take a picture of her. After, she said 5 soles as a "propino". So, I gave her 5. After that she asked: Cinco mas soles para comprar comida por mi bebe (referring to the baby Llama she held)?. Definitely did not give into that one.
27. Eaten the most delicious food that I would have never known about: Lomo Saltado, Carapulca, Masamora Morada, Brumby's, etc.
28. Only seen a small percentage of the World
29. Been itching to leave on a jet plane
30. Booze Cruised, Bobbed for Beers, and Eaten lots of Mexican food in Cabo
31. Built a home in Juarez, Mexico
32. Trekked the Grand Canyon
33. Climbed the Rocky Mountains
34. Snowboarded Tahoe in fresh powder with just my friend and a handful of people
35. Chilled with indigenous Inca descendants
36. Been deprived of hot showers for longer than a week. The Peruvian family's home was in a neighborhood that had fickle water pressure. During my stay there, my hot showers were mere drizzles that would last about 3 minutes.
37. Had a Staff guided tour of the Capitol from Senator Orrin Hatch's office
38. Stepped on sea urchins because I failed to know that San Bartolo, Peru has an infestation on the inside rocks
39. Nearly killed doing a rock-jump into the ocean at Lennox Head. For those of you who don't know: A rock jump is when a surfer has to stand on rocks or reef while timing the waves, so he can get into the water unscathed. Hard to do when the sets keep coming and there are nothing but rocks, urchins, and reefs surrounding you.
40. Had to cross a sketchy river mouth multiple times in Currumbin because I couldn't make it to the peak through the Key Hole and got swept past the 2nd Jetty (Groin).
41. Met some of the most wonderful people in the world who I'll always have a connection with

Thank You, Ellen Browning Scripps

I recently took my client from Delaware to hike Torrey Pines Reserve. At 17 and coming from the East Coast, it was his first time experiencing San Diego. As we hiked the Guy Flemming, Parry Grove, and High Point trails the turquoise blue Pacific Ocean, rusted colored cliffs, wind caves, canopy Torrey Pines, coastal and inland views awed him.

While the East Coast is famous for its Fall Colors, we get to experience the Reserve during all seasons, thanks to Ellen Browning Scripps. Had it not been for her, the Reserve would have probably evolved into a multi-billion coastal development.

Being a Native San Diegan, I will admit, I have forgotten those individuals such as Scripps who contributed their wealth in an effort preserve our natural environment. Recently, word on the street was a family acquired the lagoons and marshes adjacent to northbound 5 in order to prevent further development.

While their wealth originates from deep pockets, it is nice to know that there are philanthropists who are giving for the great good of the community.