Hello world! Life has been a bit crazy the last 6 months, but through it all, living in San Diego has helped keep me grounded.
La Jolla Shores
One of my favorite things to do on weekend evenings is to head into La Jolla and walk along the La Jolla Shores. There is nothing better to clear your mind than a sunset walk on the beach, and the views are pretty spectacular too! 
On this particular day, there was actually a group of dolphins playing just off the coast. That small fin you can see sticking up in the middle of the picture to the right is one of them!
The power and size of the ocean really sets my mind at ease. I feel very lucky I am to live minutes just away from it, and to have the ability to visit it often.
San Diego Zoo
Another local attraction that I recently visited, for the first time in many, many years, was the world famous San Diego Zoo. I had a wonderful time there. The weather was perfect, about 70 degrees and sunny with a light breeze. It was very enjoyable to walk around and see and learn about the animals. It was also a great way to get in my 10,000 steps for the day.
There is a new exhibit called Africa Rocks that I spent a lot of time in. The baboons were the most interesting animals to watch in the exhibit. But it also has penguins, sharks and several species of birds.
One of my favorite things I saw was a young orangutan. He was playing a peek-a-book/hide-and-seek type game with a twill sack that he would hide himself in. An older female would then reach for him and he would pull the sack off his head. It was quite adorable, and happening right in front of the glass.
Another exhibit that I really enjoyed were the giraffes. There was a baby giraffe who seemed a bit shy and was hiding behind some rocks. There were several older giraffes eating out of the makeshift trees. Watching them use their tongues is quite fascinating.
Towards the end of the day, when my feet were getting a bit tired, I took the bus tour of the zoo. The end of the day is a great time to do this, as there are no more lines, and you get to take a load off. The bus is a great option because you get to learn some interesting stuff about the animals, such as their names and some of their likes and dislikes.
One of the coolest things to see from the bus are the polar bears. One of them was coming right to the side of their enclosure where the bus was. As we watched them, the driver informed us that their off-exhibit homes are air-conditioned. She also shared that the temperature of the water in the enclosure was originally colder, but the polar bears wouldn’t go in it. So the pool is now kept at a temp warmer than in their natural environment.
I left the zoo thinking about getting a membership, so job well done on the zoo’s part! One of the things I most appreciate about the zoo is the free and ample parking. Another consideration to going back is that I was able to find some food options that weren’t too expensive. You are also allowed to bring in your own food – though I wasn’t that organized. These things help make the zoo a more affordable option for families.
San Diego has many options for taking advantage of the great weather. I hope to explore more of them soon.
