Beer – mmm-yoso

Galapagos – Urbina Bay (Isabela Island) and Volcanic Eruption on Fernandina Island

May 30, 2026 mmm-yoso Airport/Airline/Cruise/Rail Food, Beer, Ecuador, Galapagos, Travel

After exploring Punta Espinoza and an awesome snorkel session, we headed off to Ubina Bay which is on the largest island of the Galapagos Archipelago, Isabela Island.

We did a smooth wet landing. Apparently; this bay really didn’t exist until 1954, when a tectonic uplift caused the seabed to rise over 16 feet, creating an additional half mile of coastline. We were told to keep our eyes peeled as the largest known land tortoises, the Volcán Alcedo giant tortoise, named after the volcano in the area and some of the largest land iguanas live in the area.

We started seeing the giant tortoises immediately after the trail edged away from the newly formed shoreline.

There was one large empty tortoise shell from one that had died a while back.

And then we started seeing the land iguanas in the scrub.

And yes, they looked very large and well fed.

We ended to walk a bit early and were told that we were going to make a detour for something special.

So, while folks settled in, our Concierge, the wonderful Jocelyn said she had set up something for us and directed us to the a small door. Thru the door was the tiny galley. The couple of days before, both the Missus and I had noted how much we had enjoyed the chimichurri that was served. Jocelyn had apparently been overhearing the Missus and I chatting about our meals during the trip….were we that obvious? Sheesh….

Anyway, we were led into the phone booth sized galley and met the chef. And then he went thru making the chimichurri.

Jocelyn explained that they serve a “smoked” chimichurri…that is, once the chimichurri has been prepped, two hot stones are placed in the sauce to create a deeper, smokier flavor!

Pretty cool, huh? This little “excursion” really gave me an immense respect for what was being served….it all came out of this tiny kitchen!

From here, while the Missus freshened up, I sat on the deck, having some liquid refreshment….

While watching our “escort” to our next destination.

As we got back to Fernandina, it became clear what our destination was going to be…..

No, you can’t see it here….but….

You see what I see?

Yes, La Cumbre Volcano was erupting!

The lava getting to the ocean made for quite a dramatic sight!

Especially as the sun started to set…..

Lest you think this is an everyday occurrence…..even the crew wanted their photos taken. This is Farley and Luiz, two of the amazing bartenders/staff……

As night settled in; the view got even more dramatic.

And for most people; this would be a once in a lifetime view.

I now feel that I’ve been blessed by Madame Pele twice in my life!

And our dinner on this evening was one of our favorites on this cruise!

The grilled prawns were really delish!

That sopa de choclo, was quite good….great corn flavor…..and it gave us a taste of some Ecuadorian cuisine.

That chimichurri we saw them making was presented with dinner on the beef. Though it was the roasted potatoes with a hint of truffle that I enjoyed.

All in all, a fun, eventful day!

Roadtrip – Kalani’s Revisited, South of North Brewing Company, and the Echo Lake Trail (Lake Tahoe). A revisit to The Alchemists’ Garden (Paso Robles)

May 9, 2026 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Beer, Dog Friendly, Lake Tahoe, Paso Robles/Cambria/San Luis Obispo County, Road Trip, Travel

On our last full day in South Lake Tahoe; the Missus chose the Echo Lakes Trail, which you need a permit for. It was a pretty easy trail.

There’s an area called Echo Pass which has wonderful views.

The trail is basically along the lake.

JJ’s not fond of the heat and direct sunlight, so we’re glad we made an early start.

Another benefit of getting an early start is that we easily found parking. The lot isn’t very big and was full to the brim upon our return. The trail was starting to get busy, so we were happy to leave and head back to the hotel.

For lunch, we just stopped by the Whole Foods and got some prepared food and it enjoyed it on the porch and relaxed. And of course we had a nice nap!

When dinner time arrived, we strolled on over to Heavenly Village. This was a Tuesday evening so things weren’t quite as hectic.

We had enjoyed Kalani’s the previous evening; so we decided to head on back.

We walked in, fully intent of doing HH in the bar area again; but strangely, it was quite busy. The wonderful hostess just sat us in the dining room. As it was just past 5pm, we were the only customers.

I only got a mocktail on this evening….which was quite refreshing.

The Missus wanted those Brussel Sprouts again, which were just as good as what we’d had the previous evening.

And of course that crisp; then buttery textured pork belly.

Though we tried it with the sauce again….well, it’s still “no bueno”. The lovely pork belly was just perfect for our taste as is.

The Missus wanted one more dish and decided to try the Baby Back Ribs.

The Ginger-Soy-Garlic sauce was pretty good; if a bit strong in terms of ginger flavor; but the ribs were super tough and chewy. We probably should have stuck with the Miso Chilean Sea Bass.

Still, if we’re in the area, we’ll definitely return to Kalani’s. Here’s some history on Kalani’s if you’re interested. The founders are from Oahu.

Kalani’s
1001 Heavenly Village Way
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

On the way back to our room…..well..to give the Missus a break I took JJ to South of North Brewing.

It was a nice outdoor, really mellow area.

And we had a nice Blonde Ale……

And all seemed right in the world…….

South of North Brewing Co.
932 Stateline Ave.
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

The next day we had head back home……

But my goodness, a direct 7-8 hour drive wasn’t going to do it for us. So, we stopped in an area we had been to several times…….Paso Robles.

And then, after doing some shopping, had dinner a a place we’d been to many times before….The Alchemists’ Garden.

And while there were other places we’d prefer to dine at; the rail here was so very convenient. And having been here so many times; things were kind of easy.

The cocktails here are “king”….. I had the Nicolas Flamel…nice and spicy…..

The Missus got the Fifth Heaven, Mezcal with Dragonfruit and apricot…..

The last time we’d been here we thought the food was pretty good. So, we had dinner here.

This time though, it wasn’t quite as enjoyable.

The Yellowfin Tostadas were really fishy.

In fact, the Missus had one bite and couldn’t bear with anymore. It was on the very “pungent” side and quite assertive in flavor.

And then there was the Deviled Eggs.

Very strong tumeric tones….on the bitter end of the scale.

At least the bone marrow was still as good as before.

That cherry onion jam went really well with the rich, fatty, savory bone marrow.

Still, one out of three wasn’t really great for us…..we’ll need to find other options next time we’re in the area.

The Alchemists’ Garden
1144 Pine St.
Paso Robles, CA 93446

As for where we stayed….well, the Missus has developed an affinity for boutique style motels….and the Stables Inn really was that.

I mean…..it was a very hipster style motel…..very convenient.

I guess we’ll be staying here whenever we’re back in Paso Robles.

Road Trip – Dumpling 85, South Lake Brewing Company (Lake Tahoe), Van Sickle Rim Trail (Stateline NV), and My Thai Revisited (Lake Tahoe)

April 18, 2026 mmm-yoso Beer, Chinese Restaurants, Dog Friendly, Lake Tahoe, Nevada, Road Trip, Thai Restaurants, Travel

Leaving Avila Beach, it was almost a seven hour drive to South Lake Tahoe. We had enjoyed our time in Tahoma during a previous road trip, but there weren’t dog friendly places to stay or eat in the area, so we thought we’d stay in South Lake Tahoe. I had wanted to book The Landing for our entire 5 night stay, but I wasn’t able to get accommodations there until Sunday. So, for the Friday – Saturday night stay, I got us a room in Forest Suites Resort, which was basically across the street from the very touristy Heavenly Village. We arrived and checked in…our room was on like the third floor.

Since it was almost five pm, we decided to head on out and find somewhere to eat. I recalled seeing a Chinese restaurant when doing my research…and by this time, the Missus wanted some Asian food already. We walked thru Heavenly Village.

And up Lake Tahoe Boulevard and saw Dumpling 85 in the Chateau at the Village Shopping Center.

We crossed the street and noted that they were pup friendly. They led us to a table and the Missus placed our order.

We saw the XLB and jiaozi on the way in and they didn’t look real good. We had breakfast at Avila Lighthouse Suites and heated up the leftover Beef Bourguignon so we just got the Stir Fried Green Beans and the Pork Baozi.

The Stir Fried Green Beans were undercooked and underseasoned.

Super hard and in need of more savory components. Almost raw…..

The Pork Baozi was strange. The “bun” portion had almost a chalky texture, really weird, that gave way to a soggy doughiness. The bottoms were almost like crackers!

The filling was fine, if on the chewy side. At least it was porky.

Dumpling 85
4125 Lake Tahoe Blvd.
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

The Missus went back to the room, while I took JJ to the corner of Heavenly Village Way and the South Lake Brewing Company Libation Lounge.

They had outdoor seating, so I walked in, ordered myself a Pilsner and had a seat outside.

I picked up my beer when ready and enjoyed the crisp, clean Pilsner.

South Lake Brewing Co. – The Libation Lodge Restaurant & Brewery
4000 Lake Tahoe Blvd. Suite 26
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

After which we walked along Heavenly Village Way which led us back to our accommodations. I could see the Heavenly Mountain Gondola passing right over our hotel.

We slept well.

The Forest Suites Resort has a free breakfast, which is nice. We just ran over and got some yogurt and stuff, before walking to our morning destination.

One great thing about where we stayed is that basically across the street is the entrance to Van Sickle Bi-State Park. We just walked along the road, crossing the border into Nevada.

A bit further up the road was the Van Sickle Rim Trail. A nice, almost 7 mile hike, with a 1,000 foot elevation gain. And of course, JJ handled it much better than I did.

Nice views…..

And even a waterfall along the way.

It was nice to have access to a trail in walking distance from our accommodations.

Returning to our room, we decided on a return visit to My Thai which was a ten minute drive away. We had been pleasantly surprised when we had dined here back in 2023. We weren’t sure if they were dog friendly and thought we could do takeout. The host was really funny, he said we could bring JJ, but there was a “two bark” rule in place! Lol! There was an Australian Shepherd having lunch with his family there as well.

We ordered our two favorite dishes from our precious visit. The Lao Style Papaya Salad, which we got medium spicy. Just as before, this was quite legit, from the salted crab to the funky fermented flavors.

All balanced out by the acidic tones and tomatoes. The shredded papaya was crisp and refreshing. I enjoyed the chicharrons as well.

We also got the Basil Duck.

Which was a bit sweeter than on our last visit, but still nice anise-savory tones. The duck was chewy, but flavorful. There was much more “meat” this time as on our previous visit it was mostly skin and fat.

It seemed like they used an onigiri mold to plate the rice, don’t you think?

The rice was on the drier side, but fragrant.

All in all, a nice lunch.

My Thai Cuisine
2108 Lake Tahoe Blvd.
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

And after lunch…well, it was nap time of course!

Road Trip – Locals Taproom, Mr. Rick’s/Custom House (Avila Beach) and Industrial Eats (Buellton) Yet Again

April 5, 2026 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Beer, Paso Robles/Cambria/San Luis Obispo County, Pubs and Pub Grub, Road Trip, Santa Barbara County, Travel

Just three weeks after returning from our short stay in Idyllwild we were headed out again. This time for a bit of a longer Road Trip. Because our final destination would be over 9 hours driving, I decided we should break things up a bit. We’d be going in a bit of a roundabout way, but I thought the combination of both the shore and the mountains would be fun.

On our way out, we stopped at a place I’ve posted on numerous times; Industrial Eats in Buellton. Of course, we just got our favorites; the Smoked Duck Salad and Miso Cod which never fails to satisfy.

Industrial Eats
181 Industrial Way
Buellton, CA 93427

From there it was just an hour drive to our destination in SLO. I’d read a bit about a little beach town named Avila Beach. So, we decided to stay there to expand our horizons a bit. It is a charming little town of about 1,600 people. There’s basically one avenue where most of the businesses are located, Front Street, a portion of which is pedestrian only.

We stayed at the Avila Lighthouse Suites, which is very dog friendly, at one end of Front Street, and right across from the beach.

A decent view of the park and the some of the beach from our patio.

After checking in, we decided to take a short stroll.

Being just a short drive from SLO, I can imagine how busy the beach here must be during weekends and holidays. But this was a Wednesday, so things were so laid back and mellow.

We walked down Front Street until the road headed up the hill.

Then wandered back down the street to the pier, which is dog friendly.

Which gave us an nice view of the waterfront.

We headed back to our room to relax for a bit. Dogs are allowed on the beach before 10am and after 5pm. So a bit before 5 we headed out and took a look at the lagoon and river on the other side of Avila Beach Drive. I wanted to find the path we’d be taking for our walk the following day.

And immediately at 5pm, we were back on the beach, right across from Avila Lighthouse Suites where JJ had a “swinging time”.

The Missus went to change and freshen up for dinner. JJ and I decided to grab a “cold one” and the Missus would meet us for dinner.

There was a place about a block away, down on the corner of San Miguel Street and 1st named Locals Taproom.

I asked the woman manning the bar if dogs were allowed, she laughed and said, “of course!” The small bar was full of folks, all of whom seemed to be from the area. All of the brews were also from the area….I guess that’s why they call it “Locals”.

I got the Aurora a Belgian Blonde made by the Apogee Brewing Company made in Grover Beach, just south of Pismo Beach.

Very easy to drink…perfect for a warm day!

All the folks came to pet JJ….who ate it up!

It’s totally our kind of place!

The woman working, who is also one of the owners was so welcoming saying if we wanted to, we can bring outside food here as well. She also introduced me to one of the local brew masters who was having a beer at the bar! Really nice folks!

Locals Taproom
90 San Miguel St.
Avila Beach, CA 93424

Soon enough, the Missus walked on over and we strolled down Front Street looking for a place to have dinner. There are two businesses right next to each other; a large bar named Mr. Rick’s……

We had a seat on the patio and I ordered the Missus some wine and I got myself a cold one. The food is provided next door at Custom House, which has a typical food menu; everything from burgers to sandwiches, salads, fish and shrimp tacos, that sort of thing. I ordered the Carne Asada Fries from the counter at Mr. Rick’s when grabbing our drinks. And soon enough it was brought to our table from Custom House.

Man, this was huge! I’m thinking it was worth the $21 price tag.

It was typical, cheesy, chewy, but slightly smoky tri-tip, the fries were nicely crisp. The hot sauce was pretty mild, but it was what we basically expected.

And it was more than enough food for both the Missus and I!

Mr. Rick’s/Custom House
404 Front St.
Avila Beach, CA 93424

We rolled back to our room at Avila Lighthouse Suites and enjoyed a restful evening.

Thanks for stopping by!

Revisits to Romanella and The Pub – Happy Hours with JJ

April 3, 2026 mmm-yoso Beer, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Italian Restaurants, Pubs and Pub Grub

While I’m not a huge fan of most of the eateries in our area; I do appreciate the fact that many of them are dog friendly and that the folks working at these places are friendly….giving out a real neighborhood vibe. Recently, I took JJ to a couple of happy hours. I’d already done visits with him to Luce, Bay Park Fish, and the High Dive. And so it was time to revisit a place I hadn’t been to in over two years….

The Pub:

It was perfect weather for JJ….slightly overcast….he doesn’t care for direct sun and heat, so I decided to see what happy hour was like at The Pub. So we took the 20 minute walk down the hill. The place was really mellow when we arrived. Though I’d been going to The Pub from the days they first opened and was named “Dan Diego‘s”, I had never eaten on the patio. Which is now nicely covered.

Our Server, I believe her name is Angela was so sweet to JJ…who of course would then kiss up to her every time she passed.

I was just going to get myself a Guinness….beers are $2 off during Happy Hour which is before 5pm on weekdays making it $5.50. It was a nice pour, smooth, perhaps a bit too much of a head.

Nice malty, lightly bitter, smooth and mildly coffee-ish.

I was just going to have my pint and head home….but I noticed that several of the appetizers were 50% off during weekday happy hours! And I saw something on the menu that caught my attention…and no, it wasn’t the haggis which I’d had last time. It was the Poutine, which was just $5.50 during HH! It supposedly had Wisconsin Cheese Curds, which of course instantly brough my trips to Madison back into view.

What arrived really didn’t remind me of poutine. I mean, I wasn’t expecting what I’d had at.. say La Banquise, but this even looked weak as Irish Poutine.

I did enjoy the thick cut chips, which actually kept a bit of crispness for most of the meal. The gravy was too gluey, salty, but lacking in the dark brown color, and other than the sodium pretty weak in other aspects….I usually enjoy a bit of savory complexity given by Worcestershire sauce, or a beefy, mild sweetness.

The ratio of cheese curds to fries was also off and the curds lacked that lovely mild “squeak” I enjoy. And unlike most cheese curds I’ve had melted fairly quickly.

Still, this was more than enough to fill me up and for $5.50……with the Guinness, just $13? These days that’s a bargain, right? Plus, Angela was so nice to JJ. I’m sure we’ll be back…..I hope to find something I like on the menu.

The Pub
2415 Morena Blvd
San Diego, CA 92110
Current Hours:
Wed – Thurs 330pm – 10pm
Fri – Sat 1pm – 11pm
Sunday 930am – 330pm
Closed on Monday and Tuesday
$2 off drinks before 6pm
50% off Pub Bites before 5pm on Weekdays

I’d recently checked out Romanella‘s website, thinking about taking JJ for Happy Hour and noticed a bunch of changes. They’ve stopped serving lunch during the week, replacing it with “brunch” during the weekend. And Happy Hour was now from 4pm to 530pm weekdays only. I guess that 2pm – 5pm HH and weekday lunch wasn’t working out? Anyway, JJ and I headed up to Romanella; the Missus was craving some of those Oxtail Meatballs; so I figured JJ and I would get an early dinner and save the rest for the Missus.

Romanella:

We were greeted as always and had a nice table on the patio.

A couple of the folks working here are always nice to JJ and he even sometimes gets his “water” before I do!

So, of course I had to get my favorite HH cocktail, the Smoke of the Gods ($9).

Nice, somewhat fruity tones from Tequila, with a touch of smokiness from Mezcal. Not overly sweet.

I was happy to note that the HH items have not changed in price.

Though the Oxtail Meatballs ($14 – HH) seem to have more ground beef than oxtail as the texture has become more firm and is less beefy in flavor. Per a text from the Missus, I was allowed one meatball…..

Still, that tangy marinara sauce went nicely with the bread provided…at no extra cost mind you!

In terms of portion size the Pinsa Porchetta is still a bargain at $14 during HH.

Not the thickest slices of porchetta, but the flatbread has been nicely toasted, the marinara is acidic, tangy, with a hint of fruitiness. The mozzarella is stringy, though very mild and there’s some potato in this as well. Two slices usually fills me up!

So, the Missus got Her meatball and could only finish two pieces of the pinsa. I’m hoping Romanella stays in business. There was only one other table filled during our stay.

Romanella Cucina Romana
3055 Clairemont Dr.
San Diego, CA 92117
Current Hours:
Mon – Thurs 4pm – 9pm
Friday 4pm – 10pm
Saturday 9am – 3pm, 4pm – 10pm
Sunday 9am – 3pm, 4pm – 9pm
Happy Hour – Mon – Fri 4pm – 530pm

Honolulu – Bozu Japanese Restaurant

March 18, 2026 mmm-yoso Beer, Honolulu, Japanese Restaurants, Oahu, Travel

Man, it’s so hot right now yeah? Like record heat. So, when I was looking at stuffs I had to post on…well, there was ramen, pho, more chinese food and noodle soups….not quite up to doing those posts right now! So, I thought I’d just do a post on our final meal in HNL during our last trip.

“FOY” XJ and her wonderful husband Mikey recommended a place not too far away, in McCully Shopping Center on the second floor. I’ve always thought of MSC has having some of the skinniest parking spaces around. So, I was happy we could walk on over. Plus, at least when I lived kinda close by, it was kind of a revolving door for restaurants, though Fook Yuen (which my friends had another name for….I’m sure you can guess it!) is still there!

It was a pretty quick walk, even with rush hour traffic on Kapiolani which is no joke!

We didn’t have reservations and were seated at the sushi bar. Looking at stuff online, I pretty much was sure I didn’t want any sushi here.

And of course a beer to start. A nice refreshing Kyoto Bakushu White Yuzu Ale. It seemed to have a mild herbaceous nuttiness to it as well.

We went with stuffs from the Otsumami menu, a couple of daily specials, and a couple of amiyaki (grilled) items.

First to arrive was the Tsubugai (Whelk) Sashimi ($35) something you don’t see on many menus.

Quite crunchy, clean and oceany, with a nice sweetness.

Next up was the menu item that Missus loved; the Pickled Bitter Melon ($5.50).

It was definitely bitter melon, with the puckery bitterness, but was really enhanced with sour and salty tones, with a hint of sweetness. This is what made the Missus request that I make pickled bitter melon at home.

The Missus really enjoyed the Chawan Mushi ($11). Served cold, it was very refreshing.

Topped with Uni and Ikura, this was quite savory with the kiss of the ocean. The brininess of the ikura really gave the cold-creamy, and slightly sweet chawan mushi the kick it needed. A really good dish.

And the, even more Bitter Melon.

Followed by Fried Tofu with Natto ($8).

This was really beany tofu, combined with the pungently “neba-neba” natto, topped with savory katsuobushi and shoyu, this was my kind of dish.

Then the two Amiyaki items arrived; starting with the Chicken Wings ($5). I got the version with tare.

The skin was really rubbery and the meat dry. The tare was overly sweet for my taste. Even a squeeze of lemon didn’t help much.

And of course I had to try the Tsukune ($6.50). Sadly, I ordered this with tare as well.

I’m sure regular readers know that I will often figure out if a Yakitori shop will be to my taste is by ordering Tsukune which, at least to me displays both the kitchen and grilling skills. This was not good, very tough, too lean, and lacking in flavor other than the tare.

Well, these two dishes meant we had to have “dessert”; which was guess what?

So, the meal definitely ended on a high note. In the end, while Izakaya Uosan seemed a level above Bozu, we enjoyed many of the dishes here. If Bozu was in our neck of the woods, we’d probably visit on a regular basis. I’m sure we’ll return!

Bozu Japanese Restaurant
1960 Kapiolani Blvd Suite 209
Honolulu, HI 96826

Thanks for the recommendation XJ and Mikey!

We took our time heading back to the Ala Moana Hotel….we actually went for a walk along Ala Moana Beach for the sunset.

And enjoyed our last evening in HNL….

Thanks for stopping by!

Galapagos – Cerro Dragon – Santa Cruz Island

March 14, 2026 mmm-yoso Airport/Airline/Cruise/Rail Food, Beer, Ecuador, Galapagos, Travel

After refueling, both for the humans and the yacht, we headed out to our next stop, still on Santa Cruz Island, Cerro Dragon (Dragon Hill).

After relaxing until we reached our destination, we did some snorkeling off the pangas.

Before heading back on board to refresh. After a short break, we headed on board the pangas and did dry landing at Cerro Dragon.

This is Dragon Hill the namesake of the area.

We did a nice hike/walk which got to enjoy the diversity of the Island. Both Marine Iguanas…..

And Land Iguanas….

We were taught to tell the difference. Marine Iguanas have blunt noses and long rudder like tails. Land Iguanas have that yellow-brown color, pointed noses, and some major claws.

If you see an Iguana “blowing snot”; it’s a marine iguana which has a special gland that allows it to “sneeze” out excess salt they get from ocean grazing.

Land Iguanas have sharp teeth and a really tough mouth which allows them to eat prickly pear cactus whole without injury!

It quite picturesque.

We ran into this band of Land Iguanas on the trail. You can’t interfere with wildlife, so we just slowly strolled down the trail.

We were told that in the mid-70’s the Land Iguana population was almost wiped out by packs of feral dogs. This initiated a program by the Charles Darwin Foundation and Galapagos National Park to reintroduce land iguanas and ensure their survival which was a success.

As we continued to walk, this Galapagos Mockingbird decided to stroll down the trail with us!

It displayed no fear, no hesitation as it “joined” the walk! Amazing!

We came across two lagoons, which sometimes houses Flamingos, but none were present on this day.

Even though there were no Flamingos; there were interesting things to see…..

Always under the watchful eyes of “you know who”!

We were back on board by 6pm. After a break while we set off to our next destination, I headed to the deck to have a “cold one”. I enjoyed this American Ale Brewed in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island.

Low IBU, very clean and refreshing. A great beer to have while watching the Sunset.

Soon after, we had our destination briefing for the next day and then it was dinner time. Like I mentionecd in my previous posts, every night was different….we started really gaining an appreciation for the efforts of the kitchen.

On this evening, we enjoyed the Seared Duck Breast, though not so much the Citrus and Grape Sauce and also the tender and super sweet-oceany Grilled Prawns with Garlic Aioli.

I think this was when the Missus and I really started getting into the rhythm of things onboard.

Just in time for our next stop; Fernandina Island!

Thanks for stopping by!

Galapagos – Isla Plaza Sur (South Plaza Island)

February 19, 2026 mmm-yoso Airport/Airline/Cruise/Rail Food, Beer, Ecuador, Galapagos

After our visit to Santa Fe Island, lunch, and a post lunch break we headed off to the east of Santa Cruz to the small island of Plaza Sur. We had to make several detours because of the Avian Flu outbreak on Genovesa Island. The island itself is tiny at 3/4 of a square mile. Don’t be fooled; there’s a lot to see and unique to this island.

We did a dry landing on a cement dock.

And proceeded with our nature walk. First thing I noticed were all the tall and stately cactus.

Plaza Sur is also known for another thing. Because of the size of the island, this is where one kind find what they call “Hybrid Iguanas“. That is where Male Land Iguanas have mated with Female Marine Iguanas creating a Hybrid. These were first noticed in 1977 by Howard Snell, a Biology Professor Volunteering with the Peace Corps. We were told to keep our eyes peeled.

The Marine Iguanas are black-grey, with webbed feet. Are we saw those first as we disembarked. And then we saw all the Land Iguanas. Because of the size of the island; these were on the smaller size, though quite colorful.

This fellow was hilarious. Having no fear of hoo-mans, he decided to cross the path. And of course, we could not approach wildlife here. We stood still and he strolled…and I do mean strolled past us.

The island features some dramatic cliffs.

Which of course means more wildlife. Like Swallow-Tailed Gulls, which are nocturnal feeders.

And since they are year ’round breeders; we even saw a couple of chicks with their parents.

And of course with all the volcanic rock; those Sally Lightfoot Crab really stood out.

They call this the “Light House”.

Not sure if these were actually “Hybrids”….I forgot to ask.

But we saw them on the walk back to the dock.

Speaking of dock, as we boarded the zodiac, this little fella’ cut in line and tried to get a “free ride”.

It made for a humorous moment….especially since you can’t approach or touch wildlife here.

Finally, after a short “discussion”, the little understood that there were no free rides being given out today. You can tell it was a bit disappointed!

Back on board everyone had some time to relax. After a shower and a short break I headed to the deck and had myself some liquid refreshment.

And a nice sunset…..

And then dinner was served.

This Prawn Bisque was really good. Not fishy in the least, creamy, nice oceany flavors, a hint of sweetness.

For some reason, I enjoyed the cous cous.

And the Missus enjoyed dessert.

We had our usual briefing. And retired to our cabin. About an hour or so later, there was an announcement to head to the aft deck. We headed on out and saw these sharks following the Evolve, looking for handouts I guess!

This was a wonderful exclamation point for an awesome first day which started on Santa Fe Island. Little did we know that each day would be full of wildlife and adventures!

Road Trip – Lupulo and Revisiting The Buttery (Santa Cruz)

January 10, 2026 mmm-yoso Bakery, Beer, Croissants, Dog Friendly, Gastropub, Monterey/Carmel/Santa Cruz - Monterey Bay/Peninsula, Road Trip, Travel

After a nice morning hike and a pork filled lunch we had ourselves a nice nap. Upon rising, we decided to head back to downtown Sant Cruz, where the Missus could get more shopping in. And then we’d find a place to have an early dinner.

Because the Missus didn’t feel comfortable among all the homeless in San Lorenzo Park, we walked over to the Soquel Avenue Bridge and crossed the river there.

Check out this truck and trailer crossing the bridge!

Right as we got to Pacific Avenue, one of the main streets in Downtown; the Missus saw this shop.

What else could I say other than “Ommmm on in”?

It was quite a “groovy” experience.

We wandered thru the side streets and alleyways. Check out the tea master at this Tea House.

We headed north to where Pacific Avenue meets Front Street and came to the Town Clock.

Which I later learned had quite an interesting story behind it. You can read about it here.

We then headed down Front Street.

Lined with shops, coffee places, and restaurants…..

And came across these Rockin’ Nana’s….man, they were really good! And much cooler than me!

Meanwhile, a street art thing was happening on the corner.

While walking thru one of the passageways, we came across this “groovy” tea shop/cafe. Named Roxa (and no my fellow Kama’aina’s it ain’t RockZa ok!) Hammock Cafe.

It sold tea and other herbal drinks and had actual hammocks spanning two floors! No, I didn’t feel comfortable taking photos since there were folks just having their teas and lounging on the hammocks. The Missus actually got some tea from here.

I could see why Santa Cruz played a big part in the “Summer of Love”. Some of it still lingers on….

We decided to get an early dinner. Of course the question was, where? I had heard about a nice Gastropub named Lupulo, that served up some decent brews and some “Latin” style dishes so we decided to walk on over and give it a try.

There was outdoor seating, which worked fine for JJ. I went in and ordered. The gentleman working was quite friendly.

The place was pretty busy as well…..

The menu was indeed Mexican/Latin based, I placed my order and had a nice Pliny while we waited for our order.

I loved the glasses here!

And we also enjoyed watching the customers……

As for food. Well, you know how the Missus loves Her meatballs, so I ordered the Albondigas.

The bread was meh……but those beef and pork meatballs were quite good. A bit dense, but you could tell there was pork there! The tomato “sofrito” was tangy, with nice garlic tones. This was fairly good.

I also ordered the Cochinita Pibil tacos….which was made from chicken rather than pork.

This was actually not bad at all. Nice tangy acidity, a bit on the chewier side, which is fine for tacos. Decent savory tones, really enjoyed the pickled onions. The tortillas were quite basic and routine, but not terrible. This was actually not bad and made for a pleasant meal.

Lupulo Craft Beer House
233 Cathcart St.
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

It had been an enjoyable day for us!

As for the next morning….well….you know we’d be back at the Buttery. And by this time…..well, JJ was now into full “croissant mode”!

And it was just as good as the day before if not better!

The Buttery
702 Soquel Ave.
Santa Cruz, CA 95062

We really enjoyed Santa Cruz and can’t wait to return….with JJ of course!

Thanks for stopping by!

Valle de Guadalupe – Olibaja Olive Oil, a “Return” to Vinícola Retorno, and Dinner at Salvia Blanca

August 9, 2025 mmm-yoso Baja California, Mexico, Beer, Mexican Restaurants, Mexico, Seafood, Travel, Wine Bars/Wineries

As we passed vineyards on our drive to Vinos Las Nubes, the Missus and I noticed olive trees being used as windbreaks for the grapes. We asked Isaac if Valle produced olive oil and he mentioned several producers of that product in the area. Now this was something we really didn't know! I guess it seemed that we were quite interested in the olive oil and being ever so proactive, when we returned for our next stop Isaac asked us if we'd like to do a tasting! While we were doing our sampling of the wines at Las Nubes, Isaac called around and found a tasting room open, which we headed to after our tasting, lunch, and tour at Decantos Vinicola.

The producer was Olibaja.

IMG_9647a

The young lady who provided our tasting was very sweet and also gave us a short tour of the facilities. She was full of information….the few notes I took mentioned Manzanilla olives…..

The olive oil was slightly fruity, with a hint of bitterness, and quite green in color. The Missus had a great time; you know how much She loves Her olive oil having done tastings in several locales.

We ended up purchasing two bottles of olive oil, which is good for daily use, and a couple of bars of olive oil soap as gifts.

Olibaja
Carretera Principal al Porvenir
B.C., Mexico

And then while we were headed to our last stop, Isaac mentioned that his friend, who brews craft beer was working at a tasting room and if we'd like to visit. We said "of course", he then mentioned that it was at Vinicola Retorno which we had visited on the previous day. When we told him this, he was going to revert back to the previous plans, but we told him that Retorno was our favorite wine stop on our tour of Valle and we'd be glad to return. And thus, we "returned" to Retorno.

And we got in a nice tasting of beer and also a special tasting of something, at that time Retorno was doing as an experiment.

Producing a version of Port Wine. Since our visit to Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, I've come to appreciate a nice glass of Port. Especially with Blue Cheese, something I learned during our cheese tasting at Le Cheese Geek in Paris.

This was pretty good!

Good enough for me to talk them into buying a bottle. And the Missus got a bottle of Her two favorite whites as well.

In the end, we enjoyed the more casual, warm, and personal atmosphere of Vinícola Retorno. In fact, we'd like to "return to Retorno" again soon!

Vinícola Retorno
Santos Degollado 161
Villa de Juárez, B.C., Mexico

We really enjoyed the friendliness, flexibility, and expertise of the drivers that Aimee coordinated for us. She was such a pleasure to work with and arranged all the initial tastings and lunches.

As for this evening; well, four stops worked just fine for us as part of the goal was to relax as well. Which we did back at Contemplación Hotel.

And knowing we'd be wanting to just "chill", I had dinner reservations at the restaurant in the hotel complex, Salvia Blanca which I mentioned in my previous post. We got a lovely al fresco table.

Which came with it's own special "host". This super sweet and friendly pooch!

I think he must be one of the dogs considered to be "staff" by the hotel. The actual host did come by immediately and asked if he was bothering us…..and of course we told him that we loved the extra attention!

Having had my fill of wine for the day; I started things off with a cerveza.

I guess the restaurant has its own line of beer? This was on the fruity-sweet side; but nice and light as well.

As for the food; well, in keeping with we had been eating in the region; it was seafood heavy.

Starting with the Aguachile Oysters.

Nice and refreshing, upfront citrus, with a hint of spice and pungency. The oyster's true colors comes thru in the finish with a meaty-brininess.

The oysters outshone the Shrimp and Scallop Ceviche.

Which seemed bland in comparison. While the shrimp was tender, the scallops seemed tasteless and the marinating liquid seemed a bit on the lighter side in terms of crisp sourness….it could have been that this was served alongside the oysters.

The one non-seafood item was the Tuetano; bone marrow.

A bit of overkill with slices of beef tataki on it, but this was really good on the blue corn tostadas. Wish the bone marrow was a bit more "jelly-ish", but an interesting range of flavors with the blue corn tostadas, avocado cream, cilantro, and pickled onions. Perhaps a bit over-the-top since I like my bone marrow plain, but an interesting dish overall.

The fish of the day was interesting.

A lot going on here. The skin was nice and crisp, the flesh had a nice sweetness to it but was on the drier side. The "sikil pak", a pepito and tomato based sauce could have used a bit more acidity and spice; but was quite rich. The salsa topping had the nice kick of jalapenos and some garlicky pungency.

Which meant I needed a cocktail as dessert.

Overall a nice meal. We love the atmosphere and the vibe.

The wonderful "host" is a plus!

Salvia Blanca (Contemplación Hotel)
Calle Merlot Parcela 325 Ejido El Porvenir
Francisco Zarco, B.C., Mexico

Since we had spent some time exploring the hotel grounds earlier, we decided to take the road down the hill to Calle Merlot and take a short walk down the dirt road.

We had enjoyed our stay at Contemplación Hotel and really had fun experiencing some of what the Valle de Guadalupe had to offer.