welcome home

I landed without much fanfare and proceeded to Dollar rent-a-car. I always thought I hated Dollar, even before I ever dealt with them. Now I know that I hate them. Although to their credit, I was in and and out faster than any previous rental experience, they barely said anything to me before tossing me the keys to a Chrysler T&C mini-van that I didn't ask for. It looks approximately like poop and drives a lot worse than that.

They even had the nerve to ask me to bring it back the next morning so that they could take back the more expensive car and give me something cheaper. In nicer words I told them to get lost.

I was hungry. So I hopped onto the 805 and got off at Telegraph Canyon for none other than...

Closed?! What, it's only 11:30!

A quick iPhone search gave me directions to a second, also closed, Lolita's Taco Shop in Bonita. At least it was a nice drive.

It was clearly time for Plan B. I remembered something about Roberto's Taco Shop being a close substitute and punched that into the phone. Up popped a number of pins in downtown Chula Vista so off I went. Broadway and H - success!

But I could never prepare myself for what I was about to eat. Friends... this was the most rewarding meal I have ever eaten. I had high expectations, being the snobby ex-Southern-Californian I am, but I'll tell you, the taste was above and beyond any and all of that. Shockingly, shockingly wonderful.

I could even smell the white cheese (seemingly unfindable outside of San Diego!) reminding me of the early years eating tacos as the good pseudo-Mexican toddler that I was. It's such a disinctive smell. Really, I must recommend, if you are in San Diego please visit this place; you will be blown away.

Then on to Lestat's for a late night cup of coffee. Lestat's is a 24-hour coffee shop situated under the Normal Heights sign. With heavy heart I must admit that it thoroughly trounces anything we have in Portland; the people are great, the coffee is great, and it's actually open 24 hours a day. There was a time not long ago where the only reason I was able to finish part of a project was because this place was open and serving caffeine with a smile, so I owe them eternal gratitude of sorts.

As all great coffee shops are at any late hour, it was packed. I moved on quickly because there was nowhere to put my laptop and I had a lot of email to catch up on.

The more time I spend in San Diego the more I really, truly like it. For certain it's a place I could live. Maybe it's time to consider giving the Northwest a break and trying something old-new for a while.