As in, yoso-silly, yoso-hungry, yoso-full, or best of all; mmm-delici-yoso!!!!! A San Diego based food and travel blog. An Ex-Pat Kama'aina and Friends explore food, restaurants, and travel from San Diego and points beyond.
mmm…cakes has closed after three years. It will be missed.
mmm-yoso!!! is being written by Cathy today; Kirk has no internet access.
The Mister and I were driving the other day and a bakery on the SouthWest corner of Third at F Street in Chula Vista caught our eye. We parked in the Parking Garage behind this central location (it's still free) and walked over. Decorated for the Christmas holidays right now, this space is a good size for being able to sit and have a dessert and coffee. There are several tables outside also.
After we left, I went to the website and found out the whole story. Chula Vista native Jose Barajas had participated in several television baking competitions following his 2013 start as a home based cake and dessert business and this shop is the natural progression where he can meet his full creative potential. The pastry display caught our eye first. The basic cheese danish ($4.50) was exquisite,with a delightful filling (not the standard cream cheese chunk as from other places; lighter) with a multi-layered (but not laminated) Danish pastry that was crisp-fresh, buttery and sweet. It was brought out warmed. Yes, this is how it was served for eat in. Special. The almond danish (a bear claw) ($5) was equally wonderful and, as you can see, presented beautifully after warming. The filling is light and very almond flavored and that dough…wow. The separate cake display case. The choices. The reason for the name. Of course we ordered cake. A slice of Hummingbird cake, ($8.50) which is what I consider a 'standard' for upscale cakes was our choice. The spice cake base, pineapple, banana and finely chopped pecans each had discernible flavor in this multi-layered, buttercream frosted seasonally decorated slice. (It is *not* fondant which is designed for cakes that do not need refrigeration; you can see the cakes are all refrigerated). Can't wait to try other flavors.
Beverages offered here are hot and cold-a good variety of coffees and teas and smoothies. Weekend pastry offerings include a rotating selection of seasonal flavors! Happy to have found this family owned, friendly, quality shop.
mmm…cakes 310 Third Avenue Chula Vista 91910 (619) 500-5162 website Open Mon 7-10 a.m. Tues-Wed-Th 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Fri 7 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat 8 a.m.-5p.m. CLOSED SUNDAY
*** Yet another condensed post of our trip in November, 2019
As we strolled thru Passage du Grand Cerf, it really looked like the Missus still wanted to explore. And so, by the time we hit Rue Bachaumont, where this pooch was having a great time fetching the Frisbee, I decided to make another stop.
We pass the Church of Saint Eustache on a daily basis when we're in the area and had never visited, so I thought this might be a good time to check it out. There was also something I wanted to see.
The church took a century to build, from 1532 – 1632 and contains one of the largest organs in France; the nave is humongous!
The interior of the church is quite grand and I'd read about the stained glass and had one set specifically in mind.
The church is located right next to Les Halles, which was Paris's central market for almost 800 years. So, of course they would be benefactors of the church. In fact the professional pork butchers association, the "Corporation des Charcutiers" has their own chapel. When was the last time you saw sausages and a pig in stained glass?
This sculpture by Raymond Mason commemorates the closing of Les Halles; it's titled "Le départ des fruits et légumes du coeur de Paris, le 28 février 1969" ("The departure of fruits and vegetables from the heart of Paris, February 28, 1969").
There's beautiful stained glass and some beautiful art work at Saint-Eustache; we'll definitely visit again one day…..hopefully.
The Missus really enjoyed this stop and wanted to keep on going; so we ended up walking all the way to Sacré-Cœur!
And enjoyed the view.
We were getting a bit hungry on the walk down and decided to make a couple of stops.
On Rue du Nil, along with the very popular Frenchie empire, is a group of shops which includes a cheesemonger, a butcher, and of course a boulangerie called Terroirs d’Avenir. So we made a croissant stop at the bakery.
We then headed back down to Rue Montorgueil and to a place I'd read about named Fou de Pâtisserie.
This specialty shop is a conglomeration of curated pastries form some of Paris's most well known pastry chefs like Pierre Hermé.
The pastries looked beautiful and of course the Missus had a difficult time choosing just one.
But She finally made a decision and we had some tea which we took to one of the two small tables outside.
While the croissant fell short; nice texture, but the butter-salt ratio wasn't quite to our taste…..
The Missus loved Her choice, called L'Equinoxe. So, here's another place I'm sure we'll return to.
Boulangerie-Pâtisserie Terroirs d'Avenir 3 Rue du Nil 75002 Paris, France
Fou de Pâtisserie 45 Rue Montorgueil 75002 Paris, France
After this we took a well earned break (nap). For dinner I had selected a restaurant that had just opened during the summer of 2019 and had created a bit of a buzz; Fleur de Pavé. Folks sang praises of this restaurant; the chef Sylvain Sendra had garnered a Michelin Star at his former restaurant, Les Itinéraires which he closed in 2017. He and his wife spent the next, almost two years travelling the globe and exploring various cuisines. The result of which is Fleur de Pavé. The restaurant is also very vegetable friendly as it gets much of it's produce from Asafumi Yamashita a farmer who only sells his produce to certain selected chefs of his choosing.
We were really looking forward to this meal. The restaurant was lovely, the staff very courteous, though service was quite slow. It actually took 30 minutes after we finished our meal and a "L'addition, s'il vous plaît" from me to get our check. Of course, the place is new; and as of 2020 they have received a Michelin Star, so I'm figuring they've straightened that out.
We decided to order form the menu and things started out with a trio of amuse:
From top to bottom; a Parmesian Tart with Tzaziki and Carrot; Blakc Rice Crisp with Labneh and Eggplant Caviar; and the thinly sliced Cauliflower with Madagascar Vanilla and Salt….which looked lovely and had a wonderful texture, but was a bit too sweet for our taste.
Up next was the "Scottish Bread", which looked like Parker House rolls…….but was a nice fluffy brioche.
We were excited to try the Salade du Jardin M Yamashita, which was topped with aged Parmesan.
The dressing could have used more acidity.
The Kabocha Carbonara with Mimolette sounded interesting.
Like other dishes; this was on the sweeter end of things and there wasn't enough textural contrasts for us….the dish just seemed to be mushy.
Our favorite dish of the night – the Scallop Carpaccio with Oyster Sorbet and Sea Urchin – so many complex flavors.
That worked together well.
Though the Roasted Monkfish with Pig Ear Tabbouleh and Red Wine Sauce was a bit much.
The Missus did enjoy the dessert and the wine pairing though.
Overall an interesting dinner; the place seems to be trying really hard and the presentations were wonderful……and I guess that paid off with a Michelin Star.
Fleur de Pavé 5 Rue Paul Lelong 75002 Paris, France
Here you are, reading mmm-yoso!!! on this lovely day. Kirk and His Missus are still vacationing while Cathy is writing.
The first time I wrote about Tea Station was in 2007; I was fascinated with the concept. This San Diego Franchisee location of an internationally owned snack/small meal/beverage/shaved ice dessert spot remained open during COVID-19, which is so nice. (The Mister and I stop in pretty regularly, with posts about visits in 2011, 2012,2013,2016 and 2019). We usually order one item to share, along with a beverage. There are Monthly Specials and Lunch Specials but I am listing the regular menu prices. There have been a few changes, with the ability to order from your table as well as at kiosks and the cash register.
The menu is about the same, serving some tasty food. Green onion pancake with egg ($7.99) is a good choice. The flaky, crisp egg topped pancake is served with a good chili sauce. Tasty and a nice snack. Tea dumplings ($13.50) are pretty much a craving. Sure the price has increased over the years ($6.50 in 2007), with the flavors remaining consistent. Marinated chicken meal set ($16.96) was our choice one day. The plump pieces of lightly breaded flavorful chicken were memorable and served with the sides of three condiments and rice. You might notice everything above was served in disposable packaging…another COVID-19 result, but also easy for leftovers. We did eat in. Desserts, however are served on 'real' plates. Peanut butter toast ($6) was a perfect snack along with a pot of hot tea. One very hot day, the Iced coconut combination ($8.50) was what we craved. Everything-sweet red and black beans, grass jelly, mochi and coconut milk over ice, served in this very large bowl. A great choice when you do want a bit of everything. Then again, my craving was dark plum with grass jelly shaved ice ($7.50)-prune juice and grass jelly. Pure flavors and yes, a definite craving. Peach yogurt snow ice ($6.75) is a great beverage. I notice that there are quite a few yogurt based (probiotics or just tart?) beverages available everywhere and have started to order those, because maybe they are "better". Anyhow, this was tasty. Fresh lemon green tea (large)($6.50) was ordered with no sweetness and light ice. We were warned. Fresh squeezed lemon juice- tart! You can taste the green tea as well as the lemon, which is quite fascinating. Will order again. There are three ordering kiosks at the entrance (in the cash register area). The screen saver all summer was for these fresh fruit teas ($3.99 each, with a minimum order of two). You could choose black or green tea. Apple, pineapple, watermelon, lemon, lime, kiwi. Not too sweet, very refreshing. The screen saver/offer stopped at the end of September. I sure hope this beverage/fruit salad comes back.
A good spot for relaxing with a snack. Some changes due to COVID-19.
Tea Station 7315 Clairmont Mesa Blvd San Diego 92111 (858) 268-8198 Open 11:30 a.m.-midnight daily website
This mmm-yoso!!! post is written by Cathy. Kirk is having a busy week.
Back in 2016, signage went up on what had been Tea Garden, which had been closed for a while (and left some parking spaces for Pangea Bakery Cafe, where we frequented a bit more often). We were curious about the name, the food, the elk… yet even then we were avoiding crowds. Besides, there were posts online and in print about this place. Then there was covid and we couldn't even if we wanted. A few weeks ago, we drove in the parking lot, found a spot open and parked. Should have stopped here sooner. 'Asian Fusion, Desserts Cafe, owned and run by chef Pat & Molly' is all that is written on the web page. However, cc's 2016 blog post has an informative explanation of the business name: Cake de Partie is a play on the words, "Chef de Partie". Acording to the definition on wikipedia: "A chef de partie, or station chef, is a cook in a restaurant who is in charge of a particular station (area of production); for example, a pastry chef or saucier. The chef de partie may be the only person working in their particular station, or may be in charge of one or more underlings."
Set up now for social distancing, there are a few tables inside and out front. When you walk in the door, there is a table with this menu on it. We were here for a pancake soufflé and knew it would take 30 minutes, so when placing the order, asked for that first. The nice lady at the counter walked back to the kitchen to let them know before we continued making the order. Since we knew we would be waiting for 'dessert', we ordered some Popcorn Chicken ($5.50)- original flavor (there is also a 'Zapp' and a 'Cheddar' option). This was quite *perfect*- a light, crispy, non-oily bite of juicy chicken. The BBQ pork rice bowl ($9) was also really good. Honey BBQ pork over sticky rice with a small salad on the side. The salad had a sort of strawberry vinaigrette already on it and the dipping sauce for the honey coated charred pork had a bit of sour (lime juice?) and umami (fish sauce?) and a touch of heat that was a very complimentary condiment. There were several choices of crepe cake slices ($8). We chose mocha. The Mister counted 25 crepes, each separated with a thin layer of a buttery mocha frosting. Buttery frosting. We had never tried a crepe cake before and definitely will seek out the other flavors. This is why we were here. The Very Berry Soufflé Pancake ($10). Fresh and warm from the kitchen, served with a small scoop of strawberry ice cream and small cup of strawberry jam (pretty sure those were made in house). There are two soufflé pancakes. Here is a cross section of the delightful, jiggly treat. This is simply wonderful.
As a side note, there is a wide array of beverages to choose from on the menu. A simple cup of organic hot tea ($3.50) is made to order from loose tea leaves. This was the peach blossom – a very natural flavored tea.
Everything served here is quality. High quality. A hidden gem right there on Convoy Street.
Cake de Partie 4685 Convoy Street San Diego 92111 Close Monday and Tuesday. Open Wed-Sun 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (858) 987-0033 Website
"Drink Triple, Eat Double, Act Single"
Regarding the elk: the elk depicted in the logo is due to the chefs' admiration for the elk's revered status in Japan. Their culture views elk as a spiritual force.
mmm-yoso!!! is the name of this food blog. Kirk is very busy with work and Cathy is writing today.
Family owned Frazier Farms Market opened in 1971 in Escondido. It expanded and contracted over the years and now has three San Diego County locations. In September 2020 the La Mesa location on Fletcher Parkway at Jackson (in the former Circuit City building) made its debut. The grocery aisles have a variety of natural and organic products as well as standard selections with very good prices. However, it's the 'edge' of the store where we stop for a snack before shopping. (There are a good number of picnic tables at the shaded front of the building). Yes, there is pizza by the slice. Two for $6 (only on Tuesdays the slices are two for $5). The white slice is always good. The red sauce is not spicy; a good tomato sauce. The sausage is remarkably good. Vegetables are fresh and really kind of perfect. The crust is not thick and is good meld of crispiness with chewiness. There is a sandwich area. You can pick one of the standard choices (filling out a paper listing items you might not want). The Frazier Cubano is made with smoked pulled pork, ham, Swiss, pickles and mustard and butter as well as strawberry preserves and, of course, panini style. The sweet saltiness as well as crisped bread and plenty of meat filling makes this sandwich enough to share. The same with the Ranch Chicken sandwich, made with warm chicken breast, bacon, Meunster, tomato, onion, dill, lettuce and Ranch dressing served on white (ask for the bread to be toasted). Those above sandwiches are $7.99 each, you can order a half sandwich for $3.99 and you can also 'Create Your Own" for $5.99 (adding cheese is another 50¢) and my only advice would be to ask for the bread to be toasted. The rye here is a very good quality (flavor) and I really like the pickles. There is an area with sushi rolls and bowls being freshly made. During the pandemic, a variety of sides could be found, pre-packed. There are also a good variety of salads in the deli counter. There is only one potato salad made here(there seem to be way too many varieties of potato salad in other deli counters) and it is really good; eggs as well as potatoes with just enough mayonnaise based sauce.
As of last week, a by-the-pound salad bar has opened. (You wear disposable gloves to handle the utensils). There's a juice and coffee bar, offering organic coffees and smoothies and açaí bowls. It is located near the entrance next to the bakery area and also the refrigerated bakery area. The Ricotta filled cannoli ($2.50) is a perfect snack to go with a cup of coffee. The carrot cake ($3.99/slice) is kind of perfect. Again, enough to share. There is also a gelato bar area. The flavors are a good variety and a small is, again enough to share. Not photogenic, but a good combination was the banana gelato along with butter pecan; a sort of fancy banana split in each bite.
Family owned, quality products. A great store.
Frazier Farms. 8401 Fletcher Parkway, La Mesa, CA 91942 (619) 309-4024 Open Daily 8 am-9 pm Website
After our lunch at Maison de la Truffe the Missus had planned on picking up some "treats" for Her friends and coworkers. Of course, She had already purchased a few items from La Grande Epicerie, but wanted to stop at a few more places. I had done a bit of research the previous night; lookin at options fairly close to where we were staying. So, we headed back to the 3rd and onto Rue Rambuteau for our first stop – Le Comptoir de Mathilde.
Part of a chain of shops and franchises across the country.
By this time; the Missus was focused on caramels and chocolates.
Quite chain like and commercial….but fun to stroll thru.
Le Comptoir de Mathilde 42 rue Rambuteau 75003 Paris France
Less than a block away we were now in the 4th, was another popular chain; this one based in Paris named À la Mère de Famille.
The woman working was so nice and friendly that we bought a couple of boxes of chocolates.
À la Mère de Famille 23 Rue Rambuteau 75004 Paris, France
The shop I saved for last was Jacques Genin also in the Marais. You can read more about the Chef and his shop on David Lebovitz's post. Anyway, just looking at the place tells you quite a bit.
I just hung back and let the Missus do Her thing.
She put together quite a lovely (and expensive – but of course you can tell that, right?) box for Herself.
Jacques Genin 133 Rue de Turenne 75003 Paris, France
After which we headed back to our accommodations.
For our last evening in Paris I wanted to do something fun. I had read about Le Cheese Geek on a wonderful post from Madame Fromage and ended up booking a cheese tasting.
Our tasting took place at Fromagerie Saisons which was pretty close to where we were staying. Everything about our booking was easy. We ended up at the cheese shop a few minutes before our tasting and were quickly welcomed in. The tasting took place in the "cave" below the shop….but first; we had to pass all the tempting cheese for sale.
Our guide thru this tasting was Fabrice; who was engaging and had a great sense of humor. Our group of ten was diverse; from "curd nerds" to their friend who just came along for the ride.
Typical question – "is it ok to eat the rind?"
Fabrice – "yes, of course…" and he went on to to explain.
My remark – "just don't do that with the babybel, ok….unless you like rubber…."
We had a nice selection with a nice pairing.
First up was a farmer's cheese made from raw goat's milk in ash named Le Roumé. This was so very light, with a mild acidity, with a nice clean finish.
It was a nice start.
This was paired with a very nice and clean Sauvignon.
Next up was a wonderful Brebis.
This amazing Brebis d’Estive from the mountains of the Aspe Valley is from the farm of Maxime Bajas whose entire herd consists of 100 sheep! It was so wonderfully savory and nutty to my palate, with a mildly rich finish.
This was served with Candied Piment d’Espelette and was served with a nice Gamay.
This was an amazing duo of Comté, a Comté Jeune aged 8 months and a Vieux Comté aged from 36 – 42 months. Both from Montmorot. This was nice example of a difference in taste and texture of aged chesses.
Next up was my favorite duo of a wonderful Camembert de Normandie, so deeply savory and earthy, made from a maker whose entire herd consists of 80 cows; paired appropriately with a nice apple cider. And the Munster, very ripe and "footy" from Alsace.
The last cheese was a wonderful Roquefort, made by a small producer Maison Carles which works with mold from the local rye bread. This was served with a Tawny Port….something I hadn't tried before this tasting, but has now become part of my routine with Roquefort.
Our tasting with Fabrice and Le Cheese Geek was delicious, educational, and most of all a lit of fun. Since our visit, Le Cheese Geek now has a permanent location in the 10th Arrondissement. As with most of these type of events, things are currently paused due to Covid; but by all means give them a try once we're over this pandemic.
Le Cheese Geek 31 Rue Sainte-Marthe 75010 Paris, France
This being the end of May (2019), it was still quite bright outside as we walked back to our accommodations. And though we had initially thought that perhaps we'd grab a small bite to eat on the way back, we were pretty full.
As is kind of my tradition on my last night in a locale, I purchased a beer on the way back to the apartment.
Where we just packed up, caught on emails and messages, then relaxed.
I'm always so thankful that we're able to travel and have these wonderful meals and experiences. And even more thankful to be able to share them with you.
Yes, we may still be stuck at home right now; but one day, hopefully soon, we'll be able to travel again. And we'll make the best of it.
Thanks for stopping by to read mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog trying to share a bit of 'normal' during these decidedly abnormal times. Cathy is writing today while Kirk enjoys His job.
I wrote about our favorite 'secret' place for great food with great dessert back when times were simpler, all the way back in August of 2019.
The small, conveniently located market has been in El Cajon for at least ten years. The Mister and I purchase warm tortillas and carne asada as well as other meats from the butcher shop counter, while ordering from the in store taqueria. Way back when 'eating in' was allowed (October?November?) The Mister and I woke up talking about craving the birria. The meal is now $8.99 and was brought to one of the properly spaced in-store tables. The birria is either beef or mutton (depending on the day) and is a deep flavored, long simmered (at least three hours) wonderful stew. There are ancho as well as guajillo peppers, garlic, oregano and a wonderful mix of herbs and spices. We have been ordering birria "To Go" and the packaging is nice. The broth is kept separate from the meat and the serving size is the same or larger as the in-store plating. We usually order one taco ($2.50), so that the other person has something to eat while the other is enjoying the stew. Our favorite here is the adobada (marinated pork). Although the carnitas is quite nice.
Right next door is The Yogurt Mill. (That is Ol' Rodeo to the right in this photo) Family run now in its 43rd year. Just frozen yogurt and a variety of toppings. Five of the flavors change daily (including one non-dairy and one non-sugar), five remain the same (chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, coconut and peanut butter). The "Baby" size ($3.60) is enough for sharing.
Flavors shown here are tart peach and pistachio; peanut butter and coffee (not photogenic, but tasty); strawberry and coconut.
Always a nice ending to a good meal.
Yogurt Mill 935 Broadway El Cajon 92021 Open daily 11-9
In the same parking lot as Little Sheep, we noticed the new signage and outdoor tented seating. {During this pandemic, The Mister and I will eat "in" if we get to a place right when it opens, because the seating has just been set up and cleaned.} The spacing to get to the order area is clear. There is a paper menu taped to the front window as well as next to and behind the register. Here is a link to the website menu; it has changed over the past few weeks.
Being creatures of habit, the Chicken Pop Pop ($6) was an automatic order. A good size portion of moist chicken, perfectly fried with a light, crispy crust (with a bit of spice) and fried basil accompanied by a spicy mayo sauce and garlic chunks with chiles.The papaya salad with beef jerky ($6.50) was delightfully refreshing! Fresh green papaya, shredded basil, a moist beef jerky and fried garlic. The dressing, garlic hot sauce and crisp peanuts were just right when mixed in. The 'vermicelli noodle bowl with pork' ($8), a great version of Vietnamese "bun" was fresh made (still warm noodles, good marinade on the sliced char cooked pork) and had excellent flavors before and after the condiments were added. We tried ordering the char grilled squid ($10) but it wasn't available the first two times we were here. Finally it was available and worth the wait. Rings, tentacles and a spicy, citrusy dipping sauce made this a perfect little meal. Seeing nem neuong on the menu ($6, three pieces), we had to try, but didn't expect Brodard quality. I must say the thick pork roll slices, freshness, warm sauce and crisp egg roll wrapper inside makes the version here a close second. A short interlude to mention beverages. Only one size. The price varies from $4-$5.50. Every one we have tried is good. The elderberry milk tea ($4) with house made elderberry syrup is refreshing and not too sweet. The colorful strawberry matcha latte doesn't look as pretty when shaken, but the flavors are wonderful.
There is a fried banana on the menu ($2.50). It's a whole manzano banana, so you'll either get two or three pieces. Dipped in a sesame seeded batter and fried to a proper crispness, the batter is thicker than on the chicken and the result is a delightful crispy banana filled snack.
We were going to order a regular (hot coffee) to go with the banana on one visit but the lure of cream cheese topped Vietnamese coffee (no condensed milk/sweetener)($4.50) was an indulgent end to the meal that day.
Everything on this post will be ordered again, the freshness and quality is noteworthy.
Tealightful Cafe 4726 Clairmont Mesa Blvd San Diego, CA 92117 (858)352-6584 Open Daily 11 a.m. Currently, closes at 9 p.m. on Thurs, Fri, Sat. Otherwise closes at 8 p.m. Website
**** Not much food in this one. You might want to drop by for something more substantial to eat tomorrow
Our train was set to leave Vienna at 0930am, so we got up bright and early, checked out and headed off to the Vienna Train Station.
As I've mentioned several time before; I really enjoy train travel. It's much more relaxed and comfortable. A mere 2 1/2 hours later we were arriving at Salzburg Hbf. From here it was a nice walk to the "hotel" we were staying at. I use quotes, because we were staying at Gästehaus im Priesterseminar Salzburg. We really didn't want to stay in the old town, but wanted a place within walking distance to everything and I thought the New Town area would work out fine. In case you do recognize the name; this guesthouse is located in Salzburg Seminary….yep, that's right. No television, but you do get a Bible and a cross over your bed.
The beds were comfortable and we weren't going to be spending too much time in our room anyway.
Though I kept on looking up in the air and over my shoulder….the Missus asked me why and I told Her, "I'm waiting for lightening to strike us down….."
It was a beautiful day as we headed down along the Salzach River. Since we had basically one day in Salzburg, we went with the walk in Rick Steve's Guidebook for this first walk.
And crossed over to the Old Town on the Mozartsteg.
So, have you noticed the name??? Yes, Mozart was born in Salzburg and spent his younger years there, before moving permanently to Vienna when he was 25. Thus you'll "see" Mozart everywhere, along with being the setting of a famous movie.
Without these two subjects….well, I don't think all these tourists would be here…..
There was quite a bit of work occurring on the Residenzplatz, where the Salzburg Residenz, the Archbishops of Salzburg resided (thus "Residenz"), so we skipped on over to the Cathedral.
This wonderful Baroque church was built in just 14 years, replacing the original church which was damaged by fire in 1598.
We found the stark white interior to be quite striking as all the murals seemed to "pop' and come to life. It just seemed so aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
Hard to believe that in 1944, a bomb damaged the dome which wasn't repaired until 1959.
Both Mozart and Joseph Mohr, whom you might know from a little song he wrote titled Silent Night were baptized in this Cathedral.
Though, like I mentioned, it was the murals, especially those on the domes that really caught our attention.
Right around the corner is the Kapitelplatz, a spacious square dominated by this…..
A work by Stephan Balkenhol named Sphaera, a male figure standing on a golden ball…..looking off toward a female figure in a crevice up above.
As grand as this figure was; the one that made the biggest impact on us, was this ominous, scary sculpture named Die Pietà; which I was told meant "Coat of Peace"……it just looked really spooky to us.
On the far end of the square is the "Neptune Fountain" which is quite impressive, considering that it was actually built to be a horse bath….man, horses bathing here must've been something to see….
Right down the street is St Peter's Cemetery.
If you're a Sound of Music fan; this is where the Von Trapp family hid as they made their escape from the Nazis.
It was a beautiful sunny day when we visited.
There are three churches surrounding the cemetery.
We took a peek in Saint Mary's Chapel.
Which was a tiny, but quaint little Gothic chapel right in the cemetery.
We felt a strange kind of eeriness, walking thru the cemetery, even though it was a bright and sunny day.
At the rear of the cemetery, you'll notice structures carved into the mountainside.
These are the "catacombs"….I know, we usually think of catacombs being underground, but in this case they reside in Mönchsberg mountain.
We paid the small fee to climb up some steep steps and were rewarded with some pretty amazing views.
And as an amazing bonus; there was this young lady playing the piano in one of the caves.
She was amazing! When she finished, both the Missus and I gave her an ovation….which surprised her. She didn't even know we were there and sheepishly told us "I'm sorry, I'm practicing for a performance tonight…."
It definitely added to the atmosphere!
From here we walked thru Universitatsplatz (Univesity Square) and ended up facing Mönchsberg Cliff and what might be the most fancy horse trough I've ever seen before.
From here it was a quick turn at St. Blasius Church and you end up on busy Getreidegasse, a busy shopping street.
It was quite interesting walking down the street; you'd see folks dropping by places like Zara and Tommy Hilfiger….then you'd pass a place like Mozart's birthplace.
It was quite busy wo we decided to pass on this one.
We enjoyed wandering thru the passages….and at #3 Getreidegasse, there was a whale rib hanging from the roof. you can read more about that here.
mmm-yoso!!! is being written by Cathy today; Kirk and His Missus are enjoying a few days off.
Hungry Lu's is located in the midst of homes and a few businesses on Voltaire Street, three blocks East of the Pacific Ocean. The Ocean Beach community has been able to enjoy this Bakery and Deli since 1973. Walk in, order and pay. There are some tables out front and your order is brought out to you. Of course, you can just order some meats, cheeses and (wonderful fresh baked) rolls to make your own sandwiches at home. We were here in early January and Christmas Cookies were still being baked; a nice way to continue the holiday treats a bit longer (and to ignore a silly resolution) There is a menu on the front window as well as on the wall and taped to the counter inside. It's simple and has just enough choices, especially if you are walking to or from the beach. The "personal size" pizza is quite large, cut into six slices and has a wonderful crust! All pizzas are priced the same, $6.49. This, the 'Meat Lovers', includes pepperoni, sausage, salami and mozzarella. The sauce is a good tomato flavored unadorned deliciousness. The Baked eggplant sandwich, listed under 'Favorite Subs' ($8.99) is simple with eggplant baked in olive oil, mozzarella and the simple yet flavorful tomato marinara. The sandwich/bread baked here is quite large and half of a sandwich (on the wonderfully tasty toasted bread) is filling. There appeared to be some ricotta on the sandwich also…which made it even better. There is one item not even listed on the menu, but everyone orders it. The cannoli shells ( a delicious fried pasty) are near where you place your order at the counter and are filled when you order. The filling is a smooth ricotta with citrus (lemon) and the ends are topped with tiny chocolate chips (optional; as if I'd say no). The cost was around $3.
A nice, long time, local sandwich place.
Hungry Lu's 4920 Voltaire Street, San Diego, 92016 (619)223-4722 Open Mon-Fri 10:30-4:30, Sat 10:30-5:30 Closed Sunday.
Decorated for the Christmas holidays right now, this space is a good size for being able to sit and have a dessert and coffee. There are several tables outside also.
The pastry display caught our eye first. 
The basic cheese danish ($4.50) was exquisite,with a delightful filling (not the standard cream cheese chunk as from other places; lighter) with a multi-layered (but not laminated) Danish pastry that was crisp-fresh, buttery and sweet. It was brought out warmed. Yes, this is how it was served for eat in. Special. 
The almond danish (a bear claw) ($5) was equally wonderful and, as you can see, presented beautifully after warming. The filling is light and very almond flavored and that dough…wow. 
The separate cake display case. The choices. The reason for the name. Of course we ordered cake. 
A slice of Hummingbird cake, ($8.50) which is what I consider a 'standard' for upscale cakes was our choice. The spice cake base, pineapple, banana and finely chopped pecans each had discernible flavor in this multi-layered, buttercream frosted seasonally decorated slice. (It is *not* fondant which is designed for cakes that do not need refrigeration; you can see the cakes are all refrigerated). Can't wait to try other flavors.
