Funkalicious Birthday

I have been in some kind of funk lately.  Blogging funk, photography funk, job hunting funk, just an over all life funk.  I think this happens every time we move.  There is so much built up excitement and anxiety over leaving behind friends and the familiar life we have created and the unknown we're about to face.  Then the nervous/excited energy fades away and that leaves me in this funk.  I haven't made the awesome group of friends (that I'm sure we'll find eventually), I haven't found the best way to occupy my time (usually volunteering, this time it means finding a job which I haven't tried to do in over 8 years and y'all, this is harder than I remember but that's another post for another day), we haven't found our church home and we haven't found our routine yet.  Once this all happens, the funk will end and I'll continue living life with the passion and gusto I usually do, but for now, it's a funk phase.

This does not, by any means, mean that we are not enjoying San Diego, we are. We've reconnected with friends and family in the area and we're loving our new neighborhood, I just feel like the spark of life is glowing really dim at the moment.  To be living in this ill lit world during the week of my birthday (which, if you remember, I typically celebrate for more than just one day) was not ideal but I didn't let it completely ruin my birthday.  My cousin, husband and I attended the San Diego Restaurant Week kick off party at Broadway Pier.  We had a fabulous night tasting many dishes from local San Diego restaurants and beverages from local breweries & wineries.  It was the perfect way to get to try a sampling of what is offered at some local restaurants.

Of course we got all dolled up, that's how we like to celebrate in our house.  I posted this photo on Instagram (if you're not following me, you should be @bleudressjes) asking which outfit I should wear, thinking that everyone would vote for the black dress and I could not have been more wrong.  You guys voted 14-0 for the orange dress and I'm so happy you did.  I felt a little pumpkin/traffic cone-ish when I first tried it on but you guys gave me the confidence to rock it and that's exactly what I did.

With my husband before dinner.

 With my cousin, Tina,  before dinner.

We were hungry by the time we arrived so we wasted no time diving in to the food.  This was a piece of freshly baked bread stuffed with pesto pasta, one my my favorites of the night...and the restaurant is just 5 minutes from our house!

Torpasta

Sitting on the windy pier with my cousin.

This is my "it's my birthday so I'll eat more of those delicious baked beans if I want to" face.  Seriously, I went back 3 times.  BEST. BAKED. BEANS. EVER!

Cali Comfort

It was a spectacular evening to be on the water.

Tina and Jason enjoying...I don't remember what it was, but I know I didn't try it so it must have been steak or pork!

This is what I get when I hand the husband my camera and ask him to take a photo for me.

Tina and I trying some flavor crystals.  The combination of cream and mini flower crystals on the spoon started out awful then evolved into something...delicious.  It was quite possibly the strangest thing I've ever put in my mouth, and not in a bad way.  It would be really fun to incorporate these into dishes for a dinner party.

Fresh Origins

Tina tried her first ever oyster.

We even managed to find me some "birthday cake" and a "candle".

As you can see in this photo, we enjoyed ourselves (and the food) so much that I had to ditch the belt!  If that isn't the perfect way to end a birthday celebration, I don't know what is!

Next week our HHG arrives (HOORAY!  7 weeks to the day that it was picked up from our house in Japan, not too shabby!), the couch we ordered will be delivered and we're flying back to Cincinnati for my baby brother's wedding.  It's sure to be an exciting week!  Hopefully I'll have some good content to share with you all when it's all over.