Month: March 2012

San Diego County, Mary, Downtown

roy’s restaurant / downtown – san diego, ca

I sometimes wonder how I get invited to certain things.

I was recently invited to come to Roy’s Restaurant for a media event with wedding professionals. I don’t do wedding stuff (anymore, I used to write for San Diego Wedding Insider) and I’m not a planner or anything. But, I’m not one to turn out the prospect of trying new things. I dragged Jake with me and warned him beforehand about it, but there was no worrying needed. There was a nice bit of food laid out, a dessert table, and hot appetizers were floated around the room. They also had some pretty tables set up with potential wedding decor as a sample of what they could do. And I have to say that hosting a wedding or reception here would be great just for the view alone. Check it out below!

This was the first thing I saw. A table filled with CHEESE.

I smiled gleefully at Jake. I’m pretty sure he rolled his eyes at me. I’m such a sucker for cheese.

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Miscellaneous, Mary, Recipes

homemade bacon is totally worth it

Not too long ago I spotted this post on Indirect Heat about how to make your own bacon at home.

“Oh my god. We could make our own BACON!” I thought to myself. It didn’t look to be that hard. And I knew that I could get my dad on board to do this. I emailed him the link and said, “We – or rather you – should make this.”

He replied not too long later. “Get the ingredients. We’ll do it.” YES!

My dad did all of the work and we got the reap the benefits last weekend when he smoked the first slab of homemade bacon using apple wood from the tree he cut down in the backyard last year.

[Smoked Pork Belly]

Is there no finer usage for pork belly?

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San Diego County, Mary, Downtown

monkey paw pub & brewery / downtown – san diego, ca

I’d driven by and seen the Monkey Paw a few times when Jake and I have headed Downtown for something. It’s right on the corner when you get off the freeway from the 94. It used to be a sketchy looking dive bar but it’s been cleaned up a bit and been given a way cooler sounding now. The Monkey Paw just sounds like a place I’d like to visit.

[Peek of the interior]

Pretty simple setup. Menus are available tableside and the bar is up in the front for drink ordering. Jake and I visited about noon on a Saturday and no one else was in the place, so the bartender gave us tableside service and let us know where we could order food for munching on (a little window in the back of the bar was where you ordered).

There’s another handy wall menu near the back in case you forget your order. Not quite the full menu, but close!

[Beer Candy Naked Wings – 1lb. – $9]

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