Friday | Pursuit of Passion

| Trendy dining makes me smile |

This Friday started with some great food and even better company….

Happy weekend! One of my favorite things to do is find fabulous restaurants with unique ambiances and the added benefit of a delicious meal. My best friend and I decided it was about time to venture outside of our little PB bubble and dine out the right way — in Downtown San Diego. Being that I spent last summer in the city of all cities, I tend to recognize both the positive and negative aspects of each and every “city” atmosphere I encounter. And let’s just say, I ADORE San Diego’s downtown area — the old-fashion lighting, trendy restaurants and bars, sincere cleanliness and simply the fact that it’s a new city for me to explore.

Courtesy of a little help from local San Diego bloggers and Yelp, of course, we came across Cafe 21 — a shabby chic gem featuring all-American meals with a definite twist. I fell in love withe the colorful, patterned benches, the antique-inspired chairs and the overall presence of each decoration and each plate. My best friend couldn’t be any more adorable with her hot pink blouse in front of the beautiful blue paisley. Like I said, I can’t help but smile when I find beautiful eateries. Dining should be fun and memorable, and Cafe 21 is the perfect place to accomplish just that.

We chose to split a few appetizers, and we couldn’t leave Cafe 21 without ordering their avocado fries. These melt-in-your mouth, healthier version of traditional fried goodness were absolutely to die for. And dish #2 — a crepe filled with melting cheese and pieces of tender chicken to be dipped in strawberry and apricot puree. Can you say holy deliciousness? It was quite the interested blend of flavors, but I’d go back to Cafe 21 in a heartbeat just to have either dish again. All-in-all I give Cafe 21 twenty-one stars, and then some, for the perfect dining environment combined with unique, mouth-watering food.

I have come to learn that simple pleasures like splurging on a decadent meal are necessary for adults in the working world. Any time you can be excited about something and look forward to something, no matter how big or small — that is what makes life absolutely incredible. I love the weekends and I am so very excited for my plans for yet another perfect weekend in beautiful San Diego! Cheers to the weekend, good food, great friends and smiling every step of the way!

Now that I have taken it upon myself to acquire two jobs, I will no longer have my Mondays and Fridays to do as I please. For this reason I ventured quite far out of my comfort zone, even provoking fear in the hearts of family members, and did the unthinkable – rented a bike to ride in Central Park. Now, I’m not the finest bike rider the world has seen making this adventure quite moronic in retrospect considering the bustling demeanor of this city and my unfamiliarity with its geography. Yikes. But another risk in this city, I did take.

Grey Matters #OOTD

tank: Brandy Melville // shorts: Nike // shoes: Nike // sunglasses: Forever 21 // bag: Steve Madden

Thanks to Groupon, I was able to score this blue beauty for 2 hours for only $10! Needless to say, I did survive and actually got to see so many beautiful aspects of Central Park that walking in the city’s heat wouldn’t normally permit. I may have accidentally taken the wrong path a few times, but my knew-found appreciation for risk-taking made for a great excuse.

What a wonderful view of the iconic fountain mostly recognized by me from its debut as the wedding location for Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass. Fabulous. Now that’s what I call an Empire state of mind. Some friends and I took it to 230 Fifth, a fabulous rooftop bar destination for the twenty-somethings looking for some weekend fun. I walked out onto the rooftop immediately exposed to the most picturesque view of the Empire State Building. Incredible is all I have to say.