A fixture along Interstate 5 in Carlsbad, California – the Carlsbad Strawberry Company has owned the farmland that can be seen from the freeway since 1948.
This local farm sells Strawberries at Farmer’s Markets around San Diego County, packages and sells them commercially by Aviara Farms, AND even better there is an area open to the public as “U-Pick”.
When in season this Farm is on my “San Diego Favorites” List.
Stunning. Absolutely breathtaking.
These views are not to be missed. Add Mt. Soledad to your San Diego “must see” list.
On a clear day visitors can see the Coronado Bridge in Downtown San Diego all the way to the Torrey Pines Gliderport and all the places in between.
In San Diego terms this week has been a HOT one. We’ve hovered around 100 degrees and while that is manageable in most parts of the country and sounds refreshing to other countries, we do not have air conditioning in our home in San Diego therefore 100 IS HOT. In an effort to cool off a bit & partake in some sweet afternoon hydration I made homemade Lemonade.
This refreshing Lemonade is not too tart nor too sweet. Our family of four gives it eight thumbs up!
It is the perfect blend of Lemonade.
Ingredients:
3 Lemons
1 Orange
1 Cup Splenda Sugar Blend
2 Cups Water
1 Quart Ice
Directions:
Squeeze the Lemons and Orange then strain seeds and large pulp. Bring Splenda Sugar & Water to a boil and stir until Sugar dissolves then remove from heat. Pour Lemon & Orange Juice into Sugar Water, stir. Add ice to two quart pitcher, add Lemonade Mixture, and serve over ice. (160 Calories per Serving.)
Along with the record breaking temperatures and strong Santa Ana winds San Diego has been overwhelmed with wildfires this week. There have been thousands of acres burned in several areas of Southern California including our neighborhood, many evacuations, homes lost, businesses burned, animals misplaced, and a life lost. California Governor, Jerry Brown, declared San Diego County a State of Emergency on Wednesday (5/14/14). Please pray for the residents of San Diego County and the Fire Fighters who continue to work around the clock to get these fires contained. And if you are able, please consider giving to the San Diego Salvation Army for Fire Relief or the San Diego Red Cross.
Thank you.
– T
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Linking up: Weekend No Rules Blog Hop The Weekend Re-Treat
Tasty Tuesday Tickle My Tastebuds Tuesday
Better Buzz Coffee is better than ________. Please fill in the blank with your favorite coffee and/or tea spot then read the above sentence and know these words are true.
Better Buzz is a Southern California coffee shop that currently has five locations as well as a separate coffee roasting facility. I have been to three of the five locations and they all serve the very best iced tea. Quick Disclaimer: I do not drink coffee. However I do come from a family of coffee snobs and have raised a nineteen year old “good” coffee connoisseur. I drink all flavors of tea and enjoy them hot, iced, and blended. I am a “Self proclaimed tea addict” aka a Tea Snob.
The Lab at Mission Beach is one of the Better Buzz locations and it is a super fun spot to order your tea or 
coffee. The back counter at The Lab is filled with jars of different tea leaves. Take a moment to soak in all that goodness then make your selection or even make a couple selections, order and enjoy your own Better Buzz Tea creation. My favorite combinations are half Sun Dew Green Tea & half Black Assam Bukhial or half Green Sun Dew & half Mango Black Tea.
If coffee is more your cup of tea then try The Best Drink Ever which was named after San Diego’s nickname for their signature Americano with a touch of sweetness, cream and vanilla or try their Vanilla 
Latte! Both of those amazing creations come recommended by my older son, my Aunt and my cousin. And believe me they know what they are talking about when it comes to coffee.
You’ll want to plan on trying Better Buzz on your first day visiting America’s Finest City so that you can make multiple stops for more of the BEST before your vacation ends. Both The Lab and the Pacific Beach locations are close to the coast and and will provide a perfect Beach treat.
If you happen to live in San Diego ~ I’ll see you at the beach! I’ll be the one soaking in the sun and the ocean breeze while enjoying my half green & half black iced tea buzz.
– T
Better Buzz is also posted on my SAN DIEGO page. Follow me: TWITTER PINTEREST Google+
© 2014 All opinions are my own. www.tagsthoughts.com
I did not receive goods/funds/sponsorship to write this review.
WHEN IN SAN DIEGO… A MUST make stop is the Donut Bar in downtown at 631 B. Street. If you live in San Diego, then make it a weekly stop! I LOVE THIS PLACE. This is by far the very best donut breakfast and dessert EVER. However, if you plan on it being your dinner dessert you’ll need to pick up your donuts of choice in the morning because they sell out fast. These donuts are the #bestdonutsintheworld.
The Donut Bar opens at 7am on weekdays and 8am on Saturday & Sunday. Their closing time varies as they close once they sell out which could be as early as 10am or as late as 1pm. Don’t chance it – go early!
The menu at Donut Bar changes daily. They post their menu each evening on different social media outlets to inform their customers of which of their favorite donuts will be available the following day. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and check their Website for more information.
To read about my family’s favorite Donut Bar Donuts click here or go to the San Diego link at the top of this page. Happy Monday!
– T
Since 2008 I’ve imagined myself writing a blog. I envisioned myself sitting down with a glass of iced tea or a cup of hot tea and taking a moment to share with my readers something I love. Something like a product, a place, a thing, a simple recipe, small business, play date location, or app that they may not have otherwise been introduced to. Sharing my favorite finds and reviewing products I can’t live without. There would of course be times I shared reviews on something I didn’t love so much or a comparison of something I loved less and then there would be times I’d share part of my journey as a wife & mother. Finally, after six years, I’m doing it. I’m finally writing my first blog. I realize I’m late to the blogging community; in November 2013 Brandon Gaille wrote an article for WPVirtuoso.com noting “a new blog is created somewhere in the world every half a second”.
Fast forward to April 2014, after six years of sitting on my bucket list, I decided (with the encouragement of my sweet little cousin) that it was time for my half a second. In 2008 I had an 8th grader, a full-time job, was a newlywed and we had just purchased a home in Scottsdale, Arizona. I am now the mother of a toddler and a teenager, work from home in San Diego, California and juggle a wonderful life filled with blissful chaos. My boys keep me on my toes and keep a smile on my face. Some days I smile because of the comedy I incur from saying things like “I’m sorry Mickey Mouse Clubhouse isn’t on TV right now, no drinking and driving and don’t do anything stupid” in the same breath. Other days I smile because of the challenge of choosing to laugh rather than cry as my oldest is struggling with his Statistics homework frustrated with me that I didn’t share a math gene, while my youngest is crying because he can’t get his “wegos to fit” then while forcing the Lego blocks together and fighting back tears he suddenly remembers he wanted the red vitamin for breakfast, not the orange one. Here come the tears. And why wouldn’t he cry, who wouldn’t? Red always trumps orange. Not to mention he woke with the plan to go to Disneyland yet the adults in the home did not plan the same agenda on a Tuesday that his parents are both working and his Bubba has college classes to attend. Insert smile.
Thank you for being my first blog readers. I hope you come back and I look forward to hearing from you, my readers, about all the products, people, places, and things you love (and don’t love). Contact me on Twitter.
Now… back to client work & my tea before naptime is over.
– T
to read more about me, check out my ABOUT PAGE
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