Carlsbad Village in California

On October 30, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn California8 Comments

If you are looking for a relaxing stay along the Pacific coast in California, then visiting Carlsbad might just be the perfect choice for you. Located about 30 miles north of San
Diego, Carlsbad is a resort town with many restaurants, public beaches, and a very walkable downtown area which is called Carlsbad Village. We spent close to a week there and enjoyed walking the beach, watching sunsets, and even went on a wine tasting tour. On Wednesday’s, the heart of the village shuts down to allow for a farmer’s market with a variety of fresh fruit, vegetables, art work, and other local items for sale. We also happened to be there the weekend before Halloween and the local shops provide candy and a safe environment for families to go trick-or-treating.

Carlsbad Village is certainly charming with a variety of architecture from typical beach-style buildings to some old-world type buildings. There are many different shops offering boutique clothing, beach clothes, gift items, as well as unique artwork. There are as many restaurants as there are shops offering a variety of meal choices. Although you can certainly find any type of food that you might want, the majority of restaurants offered seafood, Mexican food, and Italian. We had some wonderful meals during our stay.

Clearly the beach is the highlight of going to Carlsbad and if you are a surfer, you won’t be disappointed. It was a little too cool while we were there to swim in the ocean as the fog rolled in every morning and didn’t always burn completely off keeping the temperatures low. That didn’t keep us from walking along the beach though, watching the surfers, and making sure to catch some beautiful sunsets. Even in the off-season, the town got quite busy on the weekend as people from the surrounding areas come to take advantage of their beach properties.

We took a wine tour in Temecula where we visited four different wineries and tasted a wonderful variety of wines. Napa Valley certainly has the best known reputation for producing quality wines, but Temecula certainly has a right to be proud of their growing reputation. Not only do they have a lot of vineyards currently, the hillsides are being covered with new ones as the city has approved additional vineyards to be started. Although you can certainly drive yourself on a wine tour, it is best to let someone else do the driving. We tasted up to six types of wine at each vineyard, which even in small amounts is a lot of wine.

Carlsbad Village is definitely an enjoyable destination with a relaxing atmosphere. Beautiful beaches, friendly people, and all of the food and shopping make staying their a wonderful experience. There is also a train called the Coaster that will take you into San Diego if you want to spend some time their and go to Sea World, the world famous zoo, and other museums. Legoland is also a highlight of Carlsbad for those with children or just a child at heart.

Driving on the Wine Road Outside of Strasbourg

On October 2, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn France4 Comments

We truly enjoyed our time in Strasbourg and, even though it was after the vineyards had been harvested, we also enjoyed driving on part of the wine road. There is something beautiful about seeing all of the vines lined up in rows, but perhaps that is just because of the thought of the wines that they produce. Although there are certain regions that are synonymous with growing the grapes that produce excellent wines, these days you can find vineyards almost anyplace and they are definitely worth visiting. When you meet the people who run these vineyards, you appreciate the passion that they have for the grapes that they grow and wines that they produce. Alsace is definitely proud of the wines produced in the region and we tasted several wonderful varieties. Doing a full tour of the entire wine road is definitely something that we hope to do some day in the future.

Supporting a Local Cause

On July 16, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Colorado, Craft Beer1 Comment

Regardless of where you are, supporting a local cause is a great way to do something good and make yourself feel good in the process. When that support comes in the form of attending an event, then it is even better. Over the weekend, we went to an event called Pints for Paws Brewfest with the proceeds going to the local Humane Society. Several restaurants and breweries provided food and beers and there was a local band providing festive music as well. The cost of the event was reasonable and the cause was certainly worthwhile.

Pastrami Sliders from Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar

We have always been firm believers in getting a rescue animal if you are interested in getting a dog or cat as a pet. We have had several dogs and a cat that were all rescue animals throughout the years, although we don’t currently have any pets as we aren’t home enough to take care of them properly. Our last puppy lived to be 17 years old and we have very vivid memories of going to pick him out. At the time, our youngest daughter wanted to get a dog and she was hoping to get a golden retriever. We went to the animal shelter and there were a couple of retrievers, but they had a long list of names of people wanting to adopt them.

We kept walking around and then a cute little black and brown dog caught our eye. Our daughter knelt next to him and he raised his paw to give her a high-five. His description listed him as a Rottweiler Mix, but he was much more of an Australian Cattle Dog. Unlike the other dogs where we would have had to wait before we could take them home, he was available immediately, most likely due to people being fearful of adopting a dog that had been labeled a Rottweiler. He was one of the most loving and loyal dogs that we have ever adopted.

We had a great time at the event, tasting food from Ted’s Montana Grill, Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar, and P. F. Chang’s. It was a hot day, so tasting beers from Bristol Brewing
Company, JAKs Brewing Company, Black Forest Brewing Company, and Trinity Brewing Company. In addition to the beer, there were also a couple of wineries, Avanti Winery and Vino Passarelli, with wonderful wines to taste as well as a tent with Colorado Moonshine from 3 Hundred Days of Shine. We were pleased to see a good turnout to support the Humane Society and enjoy some lively music while enjoying excellent food and drinks. In many ways, it is like going to a local festival in Europe only the money goes to a worthwhile cause. If you find a similar event in your area, you should definitely take advantage of it and participate.