Birthdays and retirement and just a long overdue family get-together.

A couple of days after we returned from camping, Wade and I went down with his parents to the San Diego area. After driving up and down California, it was a nice break not to drive and just sit in the back and enjoy the view.

San Marcos

San Marcos is part of North County San Diego County. It’s about a twenty-minute drive from the coastal cities of Carlsbad and Encinitas. Once the lands of the Luiseño and Diegueño peoples, it’s known for Lake San Marcos, which is where we stayed. We saw lots of birds and people on water trikes, paddleboards and kayaks, some fishing, and a gondola. Swimming isn’t allowed and if you saw the lake, you probably wouldn’t want to anyway. From the Lakehouse Resort where some relatives were staying, we also spotted a couple of black swans.

There seems to be quite a lot to do in San Marcos, especially if you are a hiker. There’s Goat Yoga, amazing to think that it’s been a craze for almost a decade. The Antique Village also sounded interesting, though I can really only stay a few minutes in these places that have so much baraka, or the human energetic field that remains behind. I did finally get a boba at Vivi Bubble Tea. I got a coconut milk tea with herbal jelly, tapioca balls, and pudding. Not bad, not bad at all.

It’s nearly a five-hour drive, depending on the traffic near LA. So we packed up the car and left before 9AM, with a pit stop at Pura Vida Coffee Society in Santa Barbara and yes, In-and-Out.

Las Brisas

On Sunday night, we went to Las Brisas Mexican Kitchen and Tequila Bar. Here the bartender makes beautiful drinks, the colours, wow. Several people ordered margaritas that glowed in the sunlight. The drinks didn’t just look good; I was told they were also delicious. For dinner, I was curious about their Birria Ramen and Chile Relleno, never quite sure whose will be too spicy for me. Not feeling too hungry, I went with a couple of fish tacos. Wade had the Chile Relleno and an enchilada so I got to taste his. Very good. So, maybe next time.

2025 Update: Las Brisas is now Frida’s Tequila Cocina. 577 S Rancho Santa Fe Road Ste 105 San Marcos, California. (760) 798-9906.

Amalfi Cucina

Our dinner was at Amalfi. We started with cocktails at the Lakehouse Resort. A gift from his parents for his retirement, Wade’s cousin was staying at one of the cottages. The patio, with its cozy fire pit, faces the lake. His cottage was next to the last one, and we could see Amalfi, all lit up.

Wade’s aunt and uncle brought old photo albums, memories from when Wade, his sister, and his cousins were just kids. Wade’s dad and uncle regaled me with some of the stories.

For our party of sixteen, the restaurant arranged a long table for us. The kids sat at one end, catching up with each other, their pizzas already being served while the rest of us were still deciding on drinks. When I say kids, I mean the third generation, from 13 to almost 24.

It was a very busy night at Amalfi, despite it being a Monday and the previous day was Mother’s Day. Waiting on a table this size is tricky and it got chaotic pretty fast. Our dinners took a while to be served.

The drink menu has many interesting offerings – would it be an Old Fashion or a Kentuckiano, a concoction of bourbon, amaro nonino, aperol, and bitters? I went with the Amalfi Spritz, a delicious cocktail of aperol, martini & rosso fiero, prosecco, and soda water. A vision of sunset colours.

Wade decided on a beer and a traditional dish, bucatini bolognese. For me, the zuppa borgo marinaro. A seafood dish. And we shared the romana, a salad of arugula, radiccio, romaine, cherry tomato, and burrata with a truffle dressing. The salad was great. Our main course, on the other hand, was not. Wade was surprised that the bolognese could be screwed up. Mine was entirely too salty.

Lake House

Wade’s parents booked an Airbnb on the lake. It was a beautifully and thoughtfully renovated house. With four bedrooms, including two ensuites and an additional two bathrooms, it was perfect for us. His parents also enjoyed daily dips in the hot tub, which sits right next to the pool. Wade and his son even took a turn fishing down at the dock. The plastic bait didn’t do much, though. Outside my bedroom is this cute sitting area, where I caught up on some work.