travel
Fresh February
New Adventures and New Learning Experiences
February was a month of learning and expanding my brain. Part of this month I went on my Navy annual training at Camp Pendletons Hospital. I’m rated as a general Corpsman (medic) which means I don’t have a specialty and I can float around where they need me. This time they needed me in the anesthesia department. Needless to say, I was a little nervous because I had no idea what they would want me to do. Not to mention I have basically zero experience in that department. Fast forward to day one of training and besides being nervous, I am ecstatic. I’ve never set foot in an operating room before! It was super clean, shiny, bright and had a level of organized collective chaos. I dove headfirst and learned everything I could as fast as I could since it was a little understaffed. I was allowed to prep patients in pre op for surgery, learned the restocking methods and was even able to watch a handful of the surgeries that were performed. The days flew by and when I wasn’t working at the hospital, I was out exploring sunny San Diego.
Exploring the tide pools and enjoying the ocean.
Tide pools at Shell Beach in La Jolla.
San Diego was a breathe of fresh air. I was able to explore and adventure around with one of my good friends that actually was training with me. She had some friends that knew cool food places to eat at and beaches to visit. I even managed to spend a few days hanging out with my brother. We tried to eat somewhere different everyday and to keep it local. Down in Encinitas we came across a delicious bakery and an amazing gelato shop.
This was delicious and the staff was so friendly! She gave us a loaf of bread for free! Add them to your list!
Go visit at night! Has amazing flavors of gelato. Fun, cozy atmosphere and only a few blocks from an ocean view.
Instead we found ourselves at dessert and snack shops than actual lunch or dinner places. It kind of kept the surprises of food on a working ”vacation.” I mean we had as much fresh seafood we possibly could have had, we had old school Italian food, amazing pizza and beer too. I also had to try ”the best coffee” that the San Diego area boasted. The coffee shops are called Better Buzz Coffee and they are scattered around SoCal. Since I’m a caffeine fiend, I of course had to stop in. I wanted to try their Horchata Iced Latte, but sadly they were sold out. I opted for their Mint Infused Iced Coffee instead and let me tell you…It was delicious! Not overly sweet, just the right amount of mint and the coffee was strong. It was great. If you ever find yourself in SoCal, give them a try. Here’s a glimpse at their MENU.
Such a fun atmosphere. Kick back and enjoy a nice coffee.
Now I think my favorite dessert place we found which ended up being on our second to last day was called Parlor Doughnuts. These are fancy home made big croissant/doughnut delicacies. I tried the Caramel Turtle and Chocolate Covered Strawberry Shortcake. They were decadent, and not overly sweet. I wish I had more time to bring them back home with me from the trip.
This annual training with the Navy actually turned out to extremely insightful to my job and fun. I managed to learn a lot of new information that made me curious enough to do my own research. I was able to spend time with new friends and went exploring out and about in a newish city! The best part of all though I think was being able to try all the new delicious foods and spend time at the beach to really enjoy it. I hope you enjoy reading about this as much as I enjoyed writing about it. 💚 Kat
“I have seafoam in my veins, I understand the language of waves.”
– Le Testament d’Orphée
February 9th 2021
“I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright.”
–Henry David Thoreau
May 9th 2020
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”
Marcel Proust
May 8th 2020
“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.”
– Jawaharial Nehru
April 20th 2020
“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”
– Oprah Winfrey
April 19th 2020
“To Travel is to Live.”
– Hans Christian Andersen
Richmond, Virginia
Day Trip to Richmond, 2018
San Antonio
A Little Bit of San Antonio
When the weekends come up, we all automatically go into adventurer exploration mode. During the week we focus on our school, our studies and our duties that we have to do in the military. This past weekend though we explored a little bit more of San Antonio. The weekend of February 22nd-23rd was also Mardi Gras which we had completely forgotten about. Who knew The Riverwalk could get down and party? Well that weekend we explored some new yummy food venues and actually walked around the Riverwalk.
The Riverwalk
San Antonio is known for its history. The city has The Alamo, the Riverwalk through the city, Market Square and so much more. The Riverwalk is also named Paseo del Rio and is known for its shops, restaurants and lights that line the winding river through the city. You can enjoy the river any time of the year and either in the day or in the evening.
Found an empty spot for a photo.
One of the many stairways that lead back up to street level.
During festivals on the Riverwalk, be aware that it becomes extremely busy. Even though there are many restaurants that line the river there will be a wait. Don’t let that deter you from visiting though, it is definitely a must see.
Treats of the Weekend
When you go out to a new city I think it is always fun to try out new places that you never have been to before. So none of the same chain restaurants or anything, be adventurous. We managed to find a few good spots to try. For breakfast our first stop was a place called First Watch. It was delicious, everything was healthy and delicious. The portions were well sized and they had fresh squeezed orange juice which is always a favorite of mine. They have many healthy options and also have vegetarian and vegan options available.
After having a breakfast/brunch we walked about the city, did some errands and then came across a frozen yogurt place. We had all been craving something sweet and knew we had to try this place out. It was called Orange Leaf. Its similar to my frozen yogurt place i’m used to called Sweet Frog back in Virginia, so I had to see if this place was worth it. It was. This little sweet treat shop was adorable. From its art on its wall to the different flavors of frozen yogurt! We were all glad we stumbled upon it. It even had a map of where their visitors had come from. I of course joined and added my pin to California.
Last but not least, dinner was amazing. We happened by this place because the restaurant we originally wanted had a two hour wait! We were not going to wait that long…ever. So we walked around and found a restaurant called Kona Grill. It was FANTASTIC. The menu was diverse so it fit all our cravings. The prices were decent and the service phenomenal. Everything we ordered came out delicious and we can not wait to go back.
This was one of many weekends that I am able to explore. I can’t wait to see what else Texas has to offer! Here is to more adventures, more food to eat and more memories to make!
“One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure.”
William Feather
Katie Writes 