Our Snowman...

Finally finished!! Our son's version of a snowman. All 8 plus feet of it! On display at our house which is next to the Inn. Can't wait to see it at night with all the lights he has put around his creations. Merry Christmas!!

San Diego Botanical Gardens

For good old fashioned Holiday fun, check out the San Diego Botanical Gardens (formerly known as the Quail Botanical Gardens). They have horse drawn carriage rides, story tellers, a fire pit for making smores and lights GALORE!! Fun for kids and adults. Their web site is www.sdbgarden.org/lights.htm . It is about a 15 minute drive from the Pelican Cove. Very fun holiday activity!

California Christmas Displays

Here in southern California, we don't have snow, but the Christmas spirit is alive and well. Our lights and ornaments may hang on green palm trees and we may have blooming roses next to the snowman display, but the joy and sharing of Christmas is the constant no matter where you spend your holiday. These are some of the displays Kris and I photographed when we took the dogs for a walk last night. Something about the sparkling lights warms the heart. Wishing all of you the best holiday surrounded by those you love.

Farmer's Market

Walk the tree lined streets from the Pelican Cove Inn to the lovely Village of Carlsbad. On Wednesday and Saturday afternoons the Farmer's Market offers a variety of locally grown fruits and vegetables for your enjoyment. Some food items are also for sale along with beautiful flowers. Come stay at the Pelican Cove Inn and enjoy the relaxing feel of the Village of Carlsbad.

Pelican

These beautiful birds are so amazing to watch. This morning when I took the dogs for a run, there were a flock of pelicans out over the ocean. They were flying so close to the water I was sure they would get wet, but they seem to anticipate every wave and stay inches above the water. With the sky all rosy pink from the sunrise and the water reflecting the pink color, it was a breathtaking sight. It makes me appreciate where I live.

Christmas At Pelican Cove

We are all ready for Christmas here at the Pelican Cove Inn. Come stay at the Inn and walk up to the quaint Village of Carlsbad to shop for unique gifts for your loved ones. The small shops are decorated and waiting to help you with all your shopping needs. The Carlsbad Premium Outlet mall is also just a short drive away. Check out the variety of stores at www.premiumoutlets.com/carlsbad/ . Happy Holidays to you all!!!

Christmas Decorations Making An Appearance

The tree is up and the lights are hung. Come relax before the holidays at the Pelican Cove Inn. The picture is of my favorite pelican ornament that I purchased at the Del Mar Candle Factory years ago. The chubby pelican. If you come and stay at the Inn, making a trip down to the candle factory is a great Christmas activity. They have lots of unique gifts and, of course, beautiful candles. Their website is www.knorrbeeswax.com and they are located near the polo fields in Del Mar. Come stay at Pelican Cove and get your shopping done at the same time!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pelican Cove Inn wishes you all a very Happy Thanksgiving. May you be surrounded by your loved ones and take the time to count the blessings in your life. Thanks to all our friends, family and guests that have been a part of our lives. We are thankful for YOU!

Thankful for....Sunsets!!!!

When taking the dogs for a walk this evening, this is what I was able to witness. Such beautiful colors. Makes me thankful that I was able to see it and live in a place where this type of beauty abounds.

The Beach House

The Beach House Restaurant in Cardiff by the Sea offers THE BEST ocean view dining in all of North San Diego County. We went this past weekend and yes, this is the view you get. When you sit outside on the patio, there is nothing between you and the ocean except rocks and sand. At extreme high tide, you can't sit outside because you will get wet. That is how close you are. The food is excellent and it is a nice 10 mile coastal drive from the Pelican Cove Inn. With our year round excellent weather, this dining experience is a must. You can check out their web site at www.thebeachhouse.com/cardiff-by-the-sea-restaurant.php .

My Drunk Pelican

Love my pelican wine holder. Thanks, Dave and Angie, for the wine to put in it. It is so fun to find pelican items. Our friend Elizabeth found this one. He looks like he has had one bottle too many.

Coyote Bar and Grill

The Coyote Bar and Grill is a great place within walking distance of the inn that has great food, entertainment and margaritas!! This place also has the BEST salsa I have ever tasted. They roast the tomatoes and it creates a wonderful smoky salsa that I have never tasted anywhere else. I am not even normally a salsa fan, but this salsa has converted me. Check out their website www.coyotecarlsbad.com for their new menu items and entertainment schedule. A great place to enjoy when staying at the Pelican Cove Bed and Breakfast.

Artichoke Quiche

Great dish for vegetarians. This is such a quick and easy recipe. I use the refrigerated ready made pie crusts which really do make this "as easy as pie" to make.

ARTICHOKE QUICHE

12 oz marinated artichoke hearts

4 eggs

2 cloves crushed garlic

pepper to taste

6 crushed soda crackers

1/2 pound shredded cheddar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and put in uncooked 9" pie crust. Bake at 325 for 35 minutes. Enjoy!

Easy Breakfast Rolls

These are so easy and so yummy! Make the night before, set out on your counter overnight, put in a cold oven for 30 minutes. How easy!!

Easy Breakfast Rolls
1 package frozen dinner rolls (the dough kind, uncooked)
1 package chopped pecans
1 stick of butter
cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 package butterscotch pudding (small package, cook and serve NOT instant)

Night before serving: Grease a bundt pan well. Sprinkle pecans on bottom. Generously sprinkle cinnamon on sides and bottom of pan. Place frozen rolls in two rows around bundt pan. Melt the butter and add the brown sugar and pudding (this is not cooked pudding, it is powder). Mix well and pour over rolls. Cover with aluminum foil and let stand at room temperature overnight.

Next Morning: Remove foil and place in cold oven. Turn oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 5 minutes and invert onto a plate. Enjoy!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Have a safe and happy Halloween!! Come stay in at Pelican Cove on Halloween and enjoy all the festivities in the Village. Nice to be able to walk to it all!! Call 888-PELCOVE for reservations.

Beautiful Morning!!

What a beautiful sunrise this morning! I take the dogs for a run most mornings and decided to take a couple of pictures of the beauty I see along the way. The garage with the blanket of honeysuckle is just up the street from us. It is interesting to see how a covering of flowers make such a mundane object like the garage, a thing of beauty. I suppose snow does the same thing, but I will take the flowers. It should get into the 70's today. If you are not quite ready for Fall and Winter, our Summer is continuing. Come see us!!

Love Our Guests....

This was a lovely couple from Germany that stayed with us last week. Iris and Jens were such a delight. They stayed with us for a few days then went to see other parts of the Southwest. Jens also biked over 300 miles in the desert. They ended their trip with another stay with us before heading home. Thank you for staying with us and we hope you had a safe trip home! I will mail you the Pelican Cove engraved mugs as soon as I get them in!!

Pre-Holiday Special!!

The holiday season is coming fast! The Pelican Cove is providing you with an opportunity to escape for a few days before the holidays. Book two nights at regular price any time before November 22nd and get the third night FREE! The stay must be before November 22nd and the nights must be consecutive. Come and relax, get your Christmas cards organized, work on that scrap book gift you are giving or what ever will help prepare you to enjoy your holidays. Call us at 888-PELCOVE (753-2683) to reserve your room today!

Cream of The Crop

Having a bed and breakfast often puts me in the position to try to accommodate dietary needs that I may be unfamiliar with. It is always a challenging educational experience when I have a guest arriving at our bed and breakfast that has certain restrictions or needs. For years, I have been relying on Cream of the Crop www.creamofthecropnatural.com for help in this department. They have such a wonderful selection of foods that accommodate gluten free, dairy free, egg free, and just about any other dietary restriction I may run into. I really appreciate the help they give when I walk in the door asking about a diet which I have no idea how to work with. They always know how to help. Next time you are in the neighborhood, stop by and see the wonderful selection of healthy items they have in their little market.

Pizza Port - "Tasty Grub and Grog"

My parents were visiting over this past week and we went to the local Pizza Port for dinner one evening. They do such a terrific job with their "grub and grog". The Party Pants Pilsner is and much fun to say as it is to drink. We had a wonderful time. Check out their web site www.pizzaport.com to see their menu and special events. This is within walking distance from the Inn which makes it convenient if you want to indulge in a few of their great brews. Join the Pizza Port for their Hoptoberfest.

Peanut Butter Cookies

This is simple recipe for Peanut Butter Cookies and it is delicious. It is funny how using a fork to make the criss cross on the top is something that brings back childhood memories for so many people.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 1/4 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375. Stir together flour, soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream butter, peanut butter and sugars until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Beat well. Add dry ingredients to beaten mixture and beat until well combined. Shape into 1 inch balls and roll in granulated sugar. Put on cookie sheet and criss cross with a fork. Bake about 10 minutes.

Enjoy!!

Exactly How We Feel..

My Mom and Dad came to visit and Mom brought me this beautiful saying to put in the lobby. It is so perfect. Exactly the way we feel.

Sunny and 70...

Summer doesn't end. It is absolutely beautiful. The sky really is THAT blue. Come and enjoy Carlsbad this weekend. Rooms are still available.

Fish Tacos Are Awesome!!!!

Whenever we have guests that are new to this area and fish tacos are mentioned, the reaction is almost always the same..."Yuk! That doesn't even sound good!". But how wrong they are!! And when they give in, and give them a try, usually they are hooked (ha ha..no pun intended). Pelly's here is Carlsbad is a great deli style restaurant that specializes in all things seafood. It is definitely worth a try when you are in this area. Great place to get food to go and head to the beach. Check out their menu at www.pellysfish.com .

Fall Is Here-Warm Days and Cool Evenings

Fall is such a great time to visit Carlsbad. The weather is perfect for going to the beach in the daytime and in the evening it is cool. Come and enjoy this lovely time of year here in Carlsbad.

Art Splash...A Success

Art Splash was, as usual, a huge success. The artwork created by the volunteer artists for this event is absolutely amazing. And to think, it will be erased today. I am so glad I was able to capture a few images to keep for you to view. Make plans to be in Carlsbad next September for this annual event.

Love Our Guests....

I had the pleasure of having Janette and Layla (Mom and Daughter) stay with me for a couple of days this week. They were celebrating Layla's birthday. Getting to know them over their stay, I also realized they were just celebrating LIFE! Janette is a cancer survivor/fighter and she asked if I would put her blog http://breastlessinseattle.com/ on our blog. Happy to do it! It is a great site for those that have dealt with cancer either themselves or with a family member. Thank you for sharing your story with me ladies!

Endless Summer....

September is the perfect time to come to Carlsbad. If summer is over, someone forgot to let Carlsbad know. Our water and air temperatures are perfect. Our air temperature today is 73 degrees with a light breeze off the ocean and with kids in school, the beaches are quiet. The water temperature is around 66 degrees which is a little cooler than normal, but still wonderfully refreshing. The mornings are crisp and fresh. Perfect for walking down to the ocean with a cup of hot coffee. Come and experience our endless summer.

Cherry Blintz Souffle

This is another great make the night before recipe. The blintzes you use are premade, frozen blintzes. They come in cheese, cherry, apple and blueberry. The original recipe called for the cheese, but I prefer the fruit ones. Sprinkle nutmeg on the cherry and blueberry and put cinnamon on the apple. Delicious!

BLINTZ SOUFFLE

3 tablespoons melted butter
1 box (13 ounce) frozen blintzes
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups sour cream
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Nutmeg

Pour melted butter into 11 X 7 inch glass baking dish. Place blintzes in dish in single layer. In a medium bowl, mix remaining ingredients and pour over blintzes. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, preheat oven to 350. Uncover and bake 45 to 55 minutes or until puffed and golden. Six servings.

Visit Carlsbad

Our local visitor's center has advice you should follow..Visit Carlsbad. The website www.visitcarlsbad.com is a great resource for seeing what is happening in Carlsbad. You can also join them on facebook by clicking on the facebook icon at the bottom of the home page. See what is happening in Carlsbad by visiting their site.

Harbor Fish Cafe

Harbor Fish Cafe is delicious! Great lunch place with good fish tacos, fish and chips and other grilled fish specials. Very casual with outside seating that can view the ocean. The tables are picnic tables and each has a roll of paper towels for your napkin. It is located just a few blocks away from the Inn, so next time you are here, give them a try!

Carrot Cake Cup Cakes

This is a recipe from an old church cookbook from my parents church. You can't beat the tried and true recipes from way back. The only alterations I made was to do half of the flour wheat flour and to make them into cupcakes instead of a cake. Hope you like it!

CARROT CAKE CUP CAKES
1 cup wheat flour
1 cup white flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
4 beaten eggs
2 cups grated carrots

Mix oil and sugar. Add eggs, dry ingredients and carrots. Put into muffin tins (either greased and floured or with cupcake liners). Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes.

ICING
8 oz. Cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Mix first four ingredients with a mixer until smooth. After cupcakes cool, frost and sprinkle with nuts.

Enjoy!!

Leo Carrillo Ranch

This beautiful ranch is a walk back in time. Located here in Carlsbad just a short drive from our Bed and Breakfast, the Leo Carrillo Ranch is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Beautiful Peacocks rome the property that has been restored to its previous charm. Check out all the things happening at the ranch at www.carrillo-ranch.org .

Le Passage

Le Passage www.lepassagefrenchbistro.net is a little restaurant just four blocks away from the Pelican Cove Inn. It has a darling little patio in the back to sit and enjoy great food and wine. They even have a little wine shop attached to the restaurant that you can select a wine from and just pay a corking fee to enjoy your selection with your meal. The little chocolate shop next door is also owned by the same people and will satisfy your sweet tooth. Good food, chololate and wine...what more could you need?

Art Splash!!!

Art Splash is coming!! This event celebrates the arts and food here in Carlsbad with all the proceeds going to help local schools. Local businesses buy squares that the volunteer artists turn into art. The above picture was done a few years ago by local artist Martin Leon. The event occurs on September 25th and 26th. Check out the Art Splash website www.carlsbadartsplash.org for more information. The event is a short drive from the Inn (less than 10 minutes) and worth the trip!

Great Mexican Food!!

What a great dining experience we had at Casa de Bandini www.bazaardelmundo.com/bandini/ ! I do wish this restaurant was within walking distance of the Inn. It is a short drive away located in the Forum shopping center in south east Carlsbad. It is owned by the same people that had Bazaar del Mundo in Old Town. Really fun, festive atmosphere. Beautiful bar area. Homemade tortillas and HUGE margaritas...YUMM!

What Beautiful Lagoons We Have!!

I just returned from taking our two dogs to the Agua Hedionda Lagoon for a walk. It is so beautiful. We are fortunate to have three lagoons here in Carlsbad for all of us to enjoy. The City has a section on their website www.carlsbadca.gov/about/visitorinfo/Pages/Lagoons.aspx that gives information about these natural wonders. Next time you are in Carlsbad, take the time to enjoy these three treasures.

The Crossings at Carlsbad

Our local golf course, the Crossings http://www.thecrossingsatcarlsbad.com/ , is a beautiful course. It is located less than 10 minutes from our bed and breakfast. As challenging as it is beautiful, it provides a great golfing experience. Come check it out!

Sunset in Carlsbad

So lovely to walk the short two blocks to the beach and watch the sunset. There is a trumpet player that often plays taps at Dini's just as the sun sets. Sometimes there is another trumpet player in the condos across the street from Dini's and he will play echo. They have it timed to play the last note as the sun slips into the Pacific ocean and disappears. It is a beautiful treat for the eyes and the ears. Gives me goosebumps every time. Then everyone cheers when it is done. Come see for yourself!