Is it too late to say Happy New Year? It’s still a pretty new year…
We spent our holidays at home, laying low, and generally enjoying the down time. Especially considering we’ll be hopping on and off of planes and taking various road trips in the next couple of months.
I’ve been taking advantage of my Blockbuster by Mail subscriptions lately, renting various workout DVDs and then exchanging them in-store for a new release. So, we’ve gone through quite a few movies during our long weekends. We watched Angels & Demons (I think I was too busy wondering what Ewan McGreggor would do as a priest to see the ending coming), Twilight (yes, we watched it; mainly to see what the fuss is about and to find out what vampires look like when they glitter – Spoiler: they look like glitter), Inglourious Basterds (entertaining and quirky, and then we figured out it was a Quentin Tarantino movie and it all made more sense), District 9 (I didn’t like and really wanted the main guy to just die already), and Four Christmases (I like Reese Witherspoon, Travis likes Vince Vaughn, it was pretty much a win/win movie). The funniest thing about Four Christmases was the baby puking. Because it’s exactly like that in real life (I suppose Vince Vaughn’s reaction is pretty spot-on, too). If you’ve ever had a baby throw up on you, you’ll appreciate those parts of the movie.
I haven’t committed to any New Year’s resolutions, nor have I signed up for the 10 in 10 challenge, but I am still on that never-ending quest to get a little fitter and a little lighter. Also, because I started months ago, I consider it a continuing and ongoing habit and not just something to start once January hits. I was doing pretty well before Christmas, then kind of hit a snag, and now hopefully I’m back on track.
We’ve been eating pretty well lately. I managed to not cook on both Christmas Day AND New Year’s Eve, but I did cook most of the meals around those days, so I think that’s a good trade-off. Since we both worked on New Year’s Eve, we just went for an early dinner at Luc’s Bistro (still my favorite place to eat in Poway). The next night I cooked up some lobster tails I snagged at Henry’s, and then I made Shrimp Fra Diavolo using Rao’s arrabbiata sauce and fusilli pasta (also found at Henry’s). I dusted the shrimp with a mixture of flour and cornstarch, though, instead of just flour and it made the shrimp light and crispy. It was actually a really good meal. We still have half a bottle of the sauce left, so I might pick up more shrimp and do it again.
Then it was a meal at Indigo Grill ($20.10 Anniversary Week through the 8th!) and it was good enough to make me want to go back, which I think is a sign of a successful promotion. There are a lot of Cohn Restaurant Group haters in San Diego, and I do agree that some of their places are overpriced and underwhelming (like Mister Tiki), but I have also enjoyed meals at Thee Bungalow and the Gaslamp Strip Club (more for the fun of it than anything else) and now Indigo Grill, so I think sweeping them all under the rug is a little uncalled for.
In chicken news, they are getting so big and heavy, but no eggs yet. Granted, they’re still too young to be laying eggs (maybe next month?) , but I keep hoping they’re overachievers or something. Lexi got into the coop one morning when I was bringing them treats, got a mouthful of Bunny, and now they’re all wary when I let them out in the morning. They used to run right out to see what treats I brought; now they sit in their coop and give everything a big stinkeye and only when I show them something enticing will they come down.
Bunny is definitely top chicken in her coop
Buffy is a big girl!
So far, 2010 (twenty-ten, if you’re tallying votes) looks like it will be a good year.
Three Dog Kitchen 
Happy New Year, Leanne! Inglourious Basterds is the only movie from your list that I have not seen yet (sitting on top of the DVD player, just waiting). The Mister couldn’t stop laughing at the Vince Vaughn reaction of baby puke scene. I laughed too but mostly at his reaction.
As far as Cohn restaurants, the only one we’ve been to is Island Prime and enjoyed it very much. I’ll have to keep Indigo Grill in mind.
After all these years, we still have yet to try Luc’s Bistro. I don’t know why, just one of those things. And it’s even on my to-try list.
Oh wait, I think I’m thinking of a different place other than Luc’s Bistro. I think I’m thinking of La Fontana Italian Bistro or something like that. doh
CAB – is it rude of me to barge into this conversation? Eh, it’s the internet. La Fontana Italian Bistro is long gone, turned into “City Bistro” (or something like that, and in either case, you didn’t miss out on much), and is now finally a Beachgrass Cafe. It’s pretty good for breakfast/lunch, but when my husband and I went to try it out for dinner, we were less than impressed. Luc’s Bistro has been around for going on a year and is the best sit-down restaurant in Poway. Maybe you were thinking of La Bastide Bistro in Scripps Ranch? That place is yummy. My lunch-buddy coworker and I splurged and celebrated our pre-Christmas lunch there. 🙂
Oh, and I am hungry. Which is why I barged in. Thinking about food.
Hmm… I forgot about La Bastide. Travis and I keep talking about going to dinner (I think they have a Monday prix fixe menu) but we just haven’t done it. I’ve only been there once, for lunch, right after they opened when I worked in Scripps Ranch and lunch took so long I guess I never got over it!
I love Luc’s… I never leave hungry and I never leave wishing I had eaten something else.
We practically lived at Luc’s Bistro when we redid our kitchen… Have you been there yet? If not, you have to go. You just have to.
As Cami said, La Fontana is long gone (and not missed). Beach Grass Café took its spot and is probably my favorite breakfast spot (aside from my own kitchen). I can’t think of any other “Bistro” place that would be on a must-try list. If you figure it out, let me know!
Thee Bungalow is another good one. We first found it because of Restaurant Week, and we’ve gone back quite a few times. They have moderately priced wine dinners and really good early bird dinner specials (on the rare occasion we can get there that early!)
It IS La Bastide Bistro that I was thinking of! A friend had recommended it since she lives close by. We tried La Fontana when it first opened and you’re both right, we’re not missing it. Haven’t been to Beachgrass yet but we don’t go out for breakfast much anymore.
Okay, Luc’s it is! With two recommendations, how can I not go? 🙂
Definitely go to Luc’s. They often have coupons in the Poway paper or that 1-on-1 freebie mag that comes in the mail. I recommend any dish, but the pastas are my least favorite (except for the ravioli appetizer and the mac ‘n cheese plate). Even the chicken dishes are good.