SanDieGO

Born and raised in San Diego, we tend to forget what is available to us out here in our own city. Yeah sure tourists fun almost anything and everything to do, but when you live here all that fun seems to dissipate. Being a member of the USGBC (Untied States Green Building Counsel) and working on achieving my LEED Green Associate certification, I have found one thing to do on November 7th.

Green Home Tour : This tour features three homes in San Diego that have met the Green Building Standards (Green Certified, Silver Certified, Gold or Platinum Certified). I am going to this event and am very excited to see how the designers and architects have utilized our resources in a green way.

See you there! And remember to Reuse, Renew, Recycle. 

Not Such a Mundane Monday

Good Morning! What a beautiful morning it is here in San Diego…going to be 95 degrees at our local beaches and 107 inland! WOW~ our summer came so late this year. Glad to see you.

Well, on my morning web search for the usual…I found the top 10 kitchen trends that have hit our homes. Here they are:

1- New family rooms

2- White Cabinetry

3-Stainless steel appliances

4-Work zones

5- Walk-in pantries (wish I had enough room to create a walk-in pantry)

6- Save and splurge strategies (save here but splurge there)

7- technology

8- Eco-Friendly products

9- Integrated appliances

10- Layered lighting

Color of the Week

Mint Green.

The color mint green is a brilliant tint of the color mint. Mint green is also a brilliant tint of spring green. (Spring green is a color that is the color on the color wheel that is precisely halfway between cyan and green (sometimes mislabeled as aquamarine on the RGB color wheel).

Friday’s Found Fun

If I didn’t have a dog who likes to climb things (I swear he thinks he is a cat sometimes) and has nail that grow like weeds, and fur that seems to get into everything….I would have these stones somewhere in my house. If I did not have a space for them, I would make one. These can be found on Etsy (as well as other felted wool accessories), VivaTerra, and can even be found in some local decor and furniture stores.

Color of the Week

Grass Green.

I am growing quite fond of the grass green color. Every time I drive by a field of grass and smell that odor, it takes me back to the wondrous time of my childhood and all the soccer games that I had either played in or watched from the sidelines. To me this color is refreshing and wholesome. In this modern day and the environment being on everyones minds, grass green could not be more appropriate.  Love it!

Green is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered one of the additive primary colors. On the HSV color wheel, also known as the RGB color wheel, the complement of green is magenta; that is, a purplecolor corresponding to an equal mixture of red and blue light. On a color wheel based on traditional color theory (RYB), the complementary color to green is considered to be red.

The word green is closely related to the Old English verb growan, “to grow”. It is used to describe plants or the ocean. Sometimes it can also describe someone who is inexperienced, jealous, or sick. In the United States of America, green is a slang term for money, among other things. Several colloquialisms have derived from these meanings, such as “green around the gills”, a phrase used to describe a person who looks ill.

Culturally, green has broad and sometimes contradictory meanings. In some cultures, green symbolizes hope and growth, while in others, it is associated with death, sickness, envy, or the devil. The most common associations, however, are found in its ties to nature. For example, Islam venerates the color, as it expects paradise to be full of lush greenery. Green is also associated with regeneration, fertility and rebirth for its connections to nature. Recent political groups have taken on the color as symbol of environmental protection and social justice, and consider themselves part of the Green movement, some naming themselves Green parties. This has led to similar campaigns in advertising, as companies have sold green, or environmentally friendly, products.

Found everywhere in nature!

What’s for Dinner?

Not much around the frig, or for that matter, even the pantry. Looking and looking…hmm a can of vegetarian chili and look a huge bag of rice. What can be as simple as that.

The best vegetarian chili that I have had so far as been the 365 brand from Whole Foods. It has great kidney and white beans, as well as red bell pepper, jalopenos, corn and a few other ingredients. Great.

The only problem I have is that my boyfriend complained that there was no meat….uh, “VEG-E-TAR-IAN”….hello!

Not Such a Mundane Monday

Hawaiian style can be very over done. I have a client located in Northern California who has recently purchased a home. This client is originally from San Diego and loves the San Diego laid back lifestyle. They both loved the beach and the style it lends itself to.

here is an example of a home that lends itself to the style of ‘hawaiian’ but is overdone nor is it suggesting something else. The colors are great and fun and I love the area rug. Great inspiration.

Friday’s Found Fun

Well, since I live in San Diego and am really trying to save some money I thought that I would let everyone know about some fun things to do in San Diego that are FREE. That is right…FREE!

The sun is shinning again and the weather is getting warmer… So here is a list of some great activities to do in San Diego:

1. Head to San Diego’s many beaches.

2. Visit La Jolla Cove.

3. Visit downtown San Diego’s Seaport Village.

4. Stroll through the 16½-block historic Gaslamp Quarter.

5. Mission Bay Park

6. Enjoy free organ concerts at 2 p.m. on Sundays at the Spreckels Organ Pavillion in Balboa Park.

7. Visit Old Town.

8. Bike or jog along Mission Bay Park’s.

9. Visit the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista.

10. Stargaze outside the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park on the first Wednesday of every month.

11. Take a scenic, one-hour drive to Mt. Laguna.

12. Step back in time with a stop in Julian, and eat some pie.

13. Grab your picnic basket and head to Torrey Pines State Park.

14. The 59 Mile Scenic Drive allows travelers to take in all of the must-see places in San Diego.

15. Rollerblade, skateboard or bicycle along the Mission Beach Boardwalk.

16. Visit Mission Trails Regional Park.

17. Go scuba diving or snorkeling off San Diego’s shores and see spectacular creatures of the sea. La Jolla Cove is the best.

18. Go bird watching at the Torrey Pines State Reserve.

19. Stroll through Balboa Park. a

20. Visit other museums around town that offer similar free days. In its La Jolla facility, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego is free on the third Tuesday of each month; the downtown facility is free daily.

21. Gather family, friends and firewood for a cozy beach bonfire at one of the beaches in San Diego County, including Coronado Beach, La Jolla Shores and Mission Beach.

22. Explore the tidepools in Point Loma.

23. Drive to the top of Mt. Soledad in La Jolla for breathtaking, 360-degree views of San Diego, including the gently curving La Jolla coastline and Mission Bay. Spectacular views of San Diego’s East County communities also await guests at the top of Mt. Helix.

24. Visit the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and experience the natural beauty of the desert.

25. Take a scenic walk along The Big Bay, San Diego’s “largest attraction.” With 27 miles of waterfront featuring bayside parks, marinas, hundreds of shops and restaurants, and miles of promenades and bikeways, the Big Bay appeals to all ages and interests.
—All this information was found on the San Diego’s website. San Diego.org

Other things that I like to do….jog around Miramar Lake (a 6 mile trail hike)

– View at the top of Mt Helix

– Bike the trails of Lake Hodges.

– I even enjoy walking through La Jolla Bird Rock residences and take a look at the homes.

-Walk along Sunset Cliffs at sunset.

What’s For Dinner

Every day I ask my boyfriend what he would like for dinner. The answer’s: ‘I don’t know’, ‘Food’, ‘Oh, you know…what ever’,’Steak’, it goes on and on. Being someone who likes to cook (and only wishes that my kitchen could be a little bigger for the meals that I only dream of preparing), these answers are not what I am looking for. What happens is that I listen to what he says and make ‘I don’t know’ with a side of ‘Food’. I have to end up guessing what he feels like and compromise with what I can eat (note: I am a vegetarian- formerly a vegan). So, living with a total carnivore is tough. I have to end up making two meals. If I have had a hard day, I will just make a salad for myself with tofu (much needed protein) and chicken for my boyfriend. Just thinking about what to make tonight is exhausting. Seafood. Hmm.

The place I use for my everyday cooking ideas and recipes...cooks.com (I have even submitted some of my own recipes). Magazines are always helpful (Everyday Food, Better Homes and Gardens, Gourmet, and Cooking light– some of my favorites). If it will call for some sort of meat…I will cook the meat separate and my version of protein separate as well, from the rest of the meal and add the appropriate protein into our dishes after all is ready and cooked. Just use a little imagination, and your multi-vitamins.

I have become obsessed with the ‘Cook this, Not that’ series of books. I cannot put them down. I will take what I have learned from these books and bring it with me to the grocery store. Even if I am only buying a few items, it will still take me an hour in the store because I am reading every label and every ingredient. But, we both feel better and look better because of my obsession. Pick up these books at your local book store.

And, Check your internet for great resources for home cooking.

Not such a Mundane Monday

I am in love with this eco-friendly room. The colors are just enough for interest. I am not so sure about that coffee table, however, I would have some serious issues trying to keep everything within a circle. Hello OCD!

What I would change: The coffee table (maybe something with hidden storage) and the wall color. Sherwin Williams Muslin color comes to mind.