Blog-on-the-road, Part 6: Another Sh*tty Day in Paradise

Trot trot: We head out on a small trek to find breakfast. The restaurant, recommended by the guy at the hotel, looks like a generic American breakfast joint, but we are able to find something suitable. Thus fortified, the expedition becomes more serious in my quest for new running shoes (a constant challenge with my hard-to-fit feet). I had done my homework in advance and located a shop called Movin' Shoes. We had exchanged a few emails, and the face-to-face does not disappoint. The staff is extremely knowledgeable, the store small but well-stocked, and the guys are real runners; they encourage me to run outside in the shoes to try them. I briefly flirt with the ultra-lights and racing flats, tempted by the idea of reducing my travel weight so significantly, but in the end I leave with some rather dull trainers that seem to be the best all-around solution.


From there we head out to Mission Bay Park, and walk for about four hours. The weather is gorgeous, the beach is lovely, and we catch a few only-in-California sights, such as the herd of middle-aged Segue riders and some outlandish skate-trikes. The beach scene is quite tame, however, compared to Venice and other LA beaches. We also notice an extreme dirth of dogs.

Glitzy Italian decoration at its best: this house in Little Italy is next to our hotel. The gilt angels are so over-the-top that they are actually kind of cool.

If you can't post a picture of your parents on your own blog, then where the heck can you? Here are Janet and David with the dolphin sculpture.

Later, I link up with an STC colleague for dinner at the astonishing Indigo Grill, which boasts some of the most creative food I’ve had in years. Each dish is an intricate blend of flavors and as visually stunning as it was tasty.

This is your future: California reader and long-time friend SG sends me this oh-so-scary link. Make sure that your sound is turned up.