Todays blog is fun in San Diego/North County this month.
WHERE TO GO WHEN YOU ARE SINGLE AND ALONE
The local places in Del Mar that I go to all the time on Via de la Valle is El Pueblo. It’s a local place that serves authentic Mexican food at a good price. Great happy hour too! Warning! Not every El Pueblo location is great or has a happy hour. I swear by this one!
It’s a place someone single like me can go, sit down, enjoy a happy hour drink and food, without anyone noticing me. Just getting my own space to get my food and drink on! I really enjoy their food. Grateful it’s in the neighborhood!
GO WITH FAMILY
This past week Laurie and I went to the Green Dragon Tavern & Museum in Carlsbad (Palomar Airport Road off the 5 freeway). While Laurie wasn’t thrilled the last time she went, I will tell you what I told her: It depends on what you order and what you are in the mood for. You don’t order taco’s at a New England kind of place. And you certainly don’t order pizza!
I was in the mood for comfort food. What better place to go than a ‘tavern’. Don’t get your hopes up. It’s not like a pub in England. Not an incredibly great kind of place where you can’t go wrong. But my job is to tell you what to order so you can go right!
So start with a nice cocktail and then a cup of white traditional clam chowder. Make sure you always ask, when you go out, to separate the ‘courses’ and explain: first the soup, then the salad, then the Pot Pie.
Follow it by a wedge with blue cheese crumbles and blue cheese dressing. Top that with a good Chicken Pot Pie.
And the reason I can do this? I only ate half, or less than half in some cases.
It’s a ‘Coco’s’ or Marie Calendar crowd, if you know what I mean. But we certainly enjoyed the meal.
THINGS TO DO NOW
This past weekend my very pregnant daughter, her husband, my 3 year old grandson had such a great time at the Zoo (Balboa Park area). Been been there in years and I can tell you it was the most delightful experience. Why? We went at 4 PM the least hot part of the day (without having to get up at the crack of dawn). I’m having a knee problem so I rented a scooter. My grandson sat on my lap as we tooled around the park. We took their bus tour and they made it so easy for us to drop the scooter and reclaim it at the end of the trip further into the park. I just passed 7:30 PM there was a cool parade celebrating Africa with lots of dance song and costumes. Fit a fake rhinoceros outfit, four guys in a big lion with a huge face and a full band with horns. Fun as the dancers climbed up on each other into the air! Honestly it was one of those memory making dances. We got a lot of great pictures and some great video as well.
Anyone have kids or grandkids? There’s a beautiful courtyard in Carlsbad just in front of Le Papagayo on Carlsbad Village drive. Nice food, iced coffee and amazing ice cream. And a tree for the kids to hang out on and an area to do cartwheels and run around.
Let me say, every day I learn about new places and offers.
SURPRISE! YOU DON’T HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR TO GET A QUALITY BURGER
I want to share one more thing I was not aware of until last Friday. Local Provisions 45 on Villa Del Valle in Del Mar carries Brandt Beef. Not exactly
the same as the smashburger at Tanner’s in Oceanside which we all know is amazing. But it’s the exact same flavor and a full half pounder with great lettuce tomato and onions and a special dressing. If you are not needing your burger to be flat and then and f you’re near Del Mar and you don’t feel like going all the way to Oceanside, here’s another way to get your burger on. I like their french fries too!
Keep reading this blog. And watch for more on Chef Marian Kitchen Confident Youtube channel and on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. 
And please don’t forget we’ve posted a few new events and we’ve got a seat here and they’re still available.
Looking forward to seeing you at our table. I’d like to really fill the Mexican happy hour we’re doing in Encinitas mid month! My daughter gives birth in September, so I am overloading events this month. Step up to host an event in September. I will teach you how and post it on meetup!
With garlic, gusto and gratitude,
Chef Marian🥂
📧 ChefMarianKitchenConfident@gmail.com
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