California Modern

What is PED XING???

Am I just plain bodoh... or have i missed something here ?!

Ohhhhhhh... Some passer-by puts me out of my misery and tells me..

"Pedestrian Crossing"

Ah..! And here i thought I was so SMS lingo savvy... :P


I always save my best post for last. Or at least, my favourite post for last... because.. isn't that just how it is done?

This is La Jolla! One of my TOP 5 places to live, in the whole, wide, world, if I had the choice.. it is LUSH, gorgeous, unpolluted, offers great water-sports (work on that great tan!) and generally is just really really cool.


La Jolla Cove (1100 Coast Boulevard) is a very small beach, tucked between adjacent sandstone cliffs. Due to its extraordinary beauty, La Jolla Cove is one of the most photographed beaches in Southern California. It is within a short walk of the commercial area of the community of La Jolla, but retains a character "all its own."

The north facing La Jolla Cove has unusually coarse sand. Grassy Scripps Park is immediately adjacent and an excellent area for picnicking.

Water visibility at the Cove can sometimes exceed 30 feet, making it a popular location for scuba divers and snorklers.

And apparently popular for the "PAK-TOR" too !


Lifeguards are staffed daily throughout the year. During summer, lifeguard-staffing hours are generally 9:00 a.m. to dusk.The guards look HOT in their red trunks i tell ya ;P


Awww... so cute!! I want to take one home... CAN I??? :P


Looks like someone I know... when waking from sleep.. lol !




La Jolla Cove lies within the San Diego La Jolla Underwater Park Ecological Reserve, which helps to ensure that marine life remains plentiful. This is a look but don't touch area and the possession of game is unlawful.

(So I suppose the answer to that one is " NO, you may not take one home!" ... haha!)


So .. a quick stroll to dinner has us walking past the chocolate factory...


Its amazing the amount of sweet things that Californians eat, and the women still look so fit (especially the ones running round the park) !

How do they do it..


Pass the art gallery, and I know I am not suppose to take photos, but technically, I am not IN the gallery.. and OH... I could not resist it! My favourite childhood book character...

Dr Seuss! "How do you do Sir...? :)"




All this gorgeous scenery and walking around is making us hungry..


Ah... we see it! This is my favourite Contemporary Californian restaurant in La jolla...

Introducing Georges at the Cove!


I have been here before, but the view from the Ocean Terrace never ceases to amaze me. This time we are in time for the sunset, and it is spectacular.

On the Ocean Terrace, you can balance the breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean with a breath of fresh air as you take in the region's best rooftop dining.

White chocolate martinis are a must! No better way to start dinner !


As the saying goes... That's life! And this sure is the life !!

C'est La Veev is an inspiringly refreshing drink made from veev acai spirit, blueberries and cucumber. I really like this one!



Just as the sun goes down over the horizon, they serve the starters... George's signature soup - chicken broccoli! Very, very good!


Fresh mussels follow soon after, and they are nothing short of delicious.


Seared rare tuna served on a bed of soba noodle salad, with wasabi soy vinaigrette. Perfection in a bowl...


Grilled Mexican shrimp on citrus risotto. Flawless.


Cod fish served on a bed of corn... low carb but high in taste... that's what I call a meal! lol...

We take a second to catch our breath.. but as our waiter brings out the dessert menu, our eyes fall on the Snicker Sundae !


How to resist?

Chocolate banana cream pie was the straw that broke the camels back.. and we could not eat another morsel of food.

Satiated.

Filled.


As a parting drink we each had a La Jolla Winter - white Godiva, Chambord, Frangelico, steamed milk, dash of cinnamon, served in a brandy snifter... and was thankful for the experience of dining at such a cool place.





It was with some sadness, that we said goodbye to the beautiful La Jolla, but no matter... we vowed to come back real soon :)

Osetra Gaslamp

Osetra Wattergrill offers gourmet seafood, prime-aged meat and one of the city's most extensive collections of premium wine.



This place is a hot favourite with the tourists as well as the locals...



Fine dining is upstairs while if you want to sit and linger at the bar, then downstairs offers are really cool, laid back bar where you can sit and chat at.

Osetra is also famous for its fresh oyster bar, a caviar bar and an ice bar with an extensive selection of vodka.

If you are lucky, you can actually can see "Wine Angels" fly through the air to retrieve bottles from the three-story wine tower. They were so fast, I couldn't capture it on my camera!

For starters- mushroom soup! Though the taste was good, this was TOO salty for me!


The Crab cakes were awesome! Tangy and had all the aromas of the sea...


The fillet mignon was cute and little, but HUGE in flavour! Medium rare, seasoned with just salt and served on a bed of mash... it was the perfect mouthful...


The lobster risotto was gorgeous as well... I am a big fan of risotto and if it isn't done well it makes me wanna jump up and down and tear my hair out.. ! (kidding)
Anyway, this dish was perfectly executed, oh yes it was !

All in all... a good night... what else has san diego to offer i wonder :P

Georges At the Cove - La Jolla Village, San Diego

The final place on my list of "Things To Do" was Georges at the Cove...

Imagine my dismay when I heard that the open-air Ocean Terrace at George's at the Cove, would be closed from November 26 through December 22, 2007 for major renovations.

:(:( Major disappointment!!! boo-hoo !

However… believe it or not….

They finished their renovations EARLY!

Luck be a lady .. (me:P)

We made reservations for lunch on the same day I was schedule to fly out of LA (midnight flight) … talk about nick of time :)

The final destination... Georges at the Cove !!

the view from the terrace is like.. beyond... !

Just look at it... I could eat here for ever...

The first thing you will notice is the spectacular ocean view. There are 3 distinct dining areas/feels at Georges at the Cove in La Jolla Village. The cuizine is known as California modern. This contemporary restaurant and bar, offers a sophisticated but relaxed environment featuring the chef, Trey Foshee's inventive California cuisine menu that changes daily.

Plenty of sunlight and ocean breeze to lull you into a comatic pre-entree mood...

and this is like BEFORE you even see the menu...

With a panoramic view of La Jolla Cove, George's Bar has balcony seating as well as indoor seating, so whether you choose to dine for lunch or dinner, or just hang out and enjoy a signature cocktail at sunset, you'll find that conversation flows easy in this little piece of paradise.

We started with the elegant lady... which was infused strawberry vodka, triple sec, chambord liqueur, lemonade and a float of champagne...

I love champagne... especially served like this ! tres chic!

Followed by Georges famous signature soup.. smoked chicken broccoli and black beans..

the soup was tres magnifique.... but a tad salty for me...

other than that, it was faultless.

The menu has a modern and uncomplicated feel where every element on the plate counts.. The range of dishes is rather international, reflecting the melting pot that is California A.D. 2007.

I had the shrimp which was grilled to perfection.. it tasted of sea-salt and all the natural smells of the ocean... every mouthful felt like a vacation on the beach... !

Georges at the Cove does not stinge on herbs and natural flavourings either, to add color and a vibrant taste to their food ...

Also, the duck penne served with a dollop of sour cream was delicious.
It tasted a little gamey for me, but I was assured that duck taste like that in the states....

so.. ok! pretty strong tasting .. but in a good way :)

By the time we were ready to leave, the place was just filling up. You can see how packed it gets during lunch time... A lot of executives and yuppies like to catch a quick lunch at this place, because the ambiance is fantastic, the food phenomenal and the service is quick...

What more can one ask for?

With that... i end my 2 week long excursion to the great US of A.

I had a phenomenal time... and I will be back, for sure... in the near future...

(although I would really like to see New York next... hmmmm... time and bank account permitting ;P)

THE END !

Food : 8/10 (very very good)
Price : high end
Service : Exceptional (every single waiter could tell you what was on the menu and what it would taste like, and what cocktail goes with what... )
Ambiance : 10/10 !!!