Everybody I Know Hates Caillou

I never thought I would write about children's programming. I once made some comments on another stay at home Dad's blog about how I thought his review (which I later found was very tongue in cheek) of The Giving Tree was "asinine," that got me into some heated back and forth with the writer and which is why I still contend that I don't make bajillions of dollars through my site and have eighteen homes throughout the world with a few acres bought up on Mars just in case. Though that may be more due to the fact that I can't get more than 8 people to follow me. But back to my point, everybody I know hates Caillou.

If you have to ask "who is Caillou?" Then you either don't have kids or or your kids don't watch TV and have no friends, because Caillou is like a disease. A whiny, self-centered, overly sensitive chatterbox of a disease. Actually Caillou is a cartoon on PBS. But let your kids watch a few episodes and see if you don't notice your children pulling the same stunts that prematurely bald, French Canadian, lanky cartoon kid does on a regular basis. Even if you don't let them watch it, see if your kids start to exhibit some strangely immature behavior after returning home from school or play dates. If they do, hunt down their friend's parents and shake them out like Home Simpson does to Bart.

One of the definitions of the word disease, according to my handy Dictionary.com iPhone app, is "decomposition of a material under special circumstances." In this case, the material being decomposed is my kid's ability to behave like a somewhat normal 2-year old and 4-year old, while the special circumstances is being exposed to the show Caillou or their friends who watch it too.

Now, I know what you are going to say: "Hey, smart guy! Stop letting them watch the show." While that's all fine and well, the funny thing about diseases is that they generally don't have a single access point of infection. I know some kids who watch little to no TV, and when they have come in contact with my kids, they have suddenly begun to show signs of Caillou-phesema. Yep, it's just like second hand smoke, people.

Perhaps it is because it is French Canadian. No, that doesn't make it inherently bad, but what may be good about it in French may be lost in translation. I wouldn't know. I have never seen the Canadian French version, nor is my french better than a preschool pet goldfish. I also have never been to some of the more Frenchy cities of Canada. Perhaps their children are very whiny. I'm not judging. I'm just theorizing.

It's not that Caillou is grossly worse than other children's programming on PBS. You certainly have your standouts, such as: Sesame Street, Martha Speaks and Arthur. Then you have some grey area programming: Curious George (I like this show, I do, but you have to admit that all the babbling George does can't be helpful to kids who are learning to talk), Word World and Super Why (though the fact that everything is such a "big" problem in that show drives me a little crazy; not being able to build a table is not a "big" problem at 3 or 43 or for a talking pig for that matter). And then you have your trash: Cat in The Hat (decent books, but the show, c'mon! That Cat kidnaps the same kids everyday and the parents never blink an eye), Word Girl (sorry, while I like the vocabulary lessons in here, there are too many gun-like weapons...I'm no bleeding heart, but with 2 boys, I don't need help trying to fuel their interest in guns) and then of course, the devil himself, Barney.

While I can take the boy's graham crackers away that they "turn into" guns, I can't take away the fact that they whine when we accidentally bump into them and they fall down. My four year old, The Little Man as he is known here, has gone into full fetal position, "don't touch me" mode for 5-10 minutes before over such things. Then you watch the episode of Caillou, where one of his friends steps on his toe by accident, and he has a hissy fit for the majority of the rest of the episode until he does something to one of his friends on accident and sees what he did wrong. But that doesn't stop his whining for future episodes. No way, this kid's a pro.

Now I understand that kids are going to whine. They are testing boundaries, adjusting to new emotions and sometimes simply having a bad day. However, they certainly don't need cues and/or tips as to when to do it or how to do it more effectively. My 2 year old, known affectionately as Taz or The Monkey, has already picked up on what The Little Man does and has some of the biggest pouts and fits I have ever seen: crossed arms, head dropped, bottom lip way out and he even mumbles his frustrations of which all I can decipher now usually starts with "Dada..."

So it was just the other day, at a stay at home dad meet up, that I heard a fellow SAHD talk about how awful Caillou is and how much he despises the program as well. I have also read on Facebook, other parents that I know, posting about how awful the show is to them. On skin level, the show is fine, certainly appears harmless enough with bright colors and simple story lines. But when you did deeper, it is an absolutely awful, bordering on abysmal, program. I'm not sure why parents have not revolted against it, maybe we should?

Perhaps, the Canadians are trying to turn us into a bunch of whiners via our children's programming (which would be brilliant), though I know there are countries out there that already feel that way about us. Or maybe I, and a few other people I have spoken with, are blowing this all out of proportion. Maybe you have read some of my other posts, do I sound like the type of guy to blow things out of proportion? Don't answer that.



photo/image credit: http://www.caillou.cc/caillou-images/caillou-logo/caillou-logo.html

Someone Should Make a Reality TV Show About SAHDs...Oh...Wait...What? They Already Did?

*picture credit: http://www.aetv.com/modern-dads/about/

From the same people who brought you Intervention, Duck Dynasty and Storage Wars, A&E premiered it's first of it's kind, stay at home dads reality show last night called Modern Dads.  The show follows four dads in Austin, Texas: Nathan the 37-year old new dad of 1 year old Cormac, Rick the vet with a 10, 7 and two 1 year olds, Sean the stepdad to two girls Arwen, 8 and Joopsy, 5 and Stone the single dad to 5 year old Danica. Here is A&Es write up of the show, but the shortened version is it's a bunch of guys, not unlike the guys I spend a good bit of time with, who are the primary care givers and just raising their kids as best they can.

I have to be honest, I wanted to hate this show. I wanted to watch one episode and blow it off as complete horseshit. I was convinced it was going to be a completely inaccurate portrayal of what it is we do as stay at homes dads. That it was going to either be a little tight around the neck or completely falling off the waist with regards to the "reality" of being a man and being a primary care giver.

Over the past two years, the dad groups I have been a part of have been contacted by reality TV show casting executives and I have done nothing but duck, dodge and avoid all correspondence. But I am a little jaded. I have a good friend who is involved in reality TV. After the shows she's worked on seasons had ended, I always looked forward to sitting down over a couple of drinks and talking about how it all came together, how the cast is behind the scenes, how the producers create content and just about anything else you could think about or want to know about reality TV show as a business. What she had to say was always entertaining, but it was like slap stick comedy; it's always funnier when it's somebody else getting hit in the face with humble pie. So when some of the other dads and networks I am part of asked what I thought about a reality TV show for dads and potentially being a part of it, I told them to knock themselves out, but that I wanted no part of it. My days are tough enough without adding cameras and a national audience to the mix.

It's not that I take this gig too seriously, it's quite the opposite. I get a kick out of the dads that are instantly bruised anytime the media portrays them as bumbling or incapable of performing the tasks of a care giver. If you are confident in your parenting skills, as a mom or a dad, then who cares what the outside world thinks (okay...maybe I do a little bit). I'm admittedly a bumbler from time to time. Not to mention that this whole SAHD concept is new to society. There are people who don't get it, who don't believe it, who think we're completely crazy for wanting to do what we do and others who are unaware of us altogether. I run into these people on a daily basis. I don't want these people getting to tune into my routine and I don't need their judgement. I already have an internal battle on what I screw up on a daily basis, no magnifying glass needed here thank you very much.

However, there is a difference between going on morning shows to talk about the SAHD life and then being cast in a reality TV show. Look at Jon and Kate Plus 8, now nobody wants twins (or an Ed Hardy t-shirt for that matter). Like every pre-pubescent teenager, I wanted to be different and misunderstood. I'm stupid like that. Nice to meet you.

But the show is great. It's really, really great!

From the first minute into the show, there are some great bits. Stone's daughter is in the bathroom and she yells out that she needs to be wiped. He tells her that she wipes herself at her mom's house, to which she says that she still wants him to wipe her. He does. Nathan has a crazy fear of stopping his car when his son is sleeping, because he believes Cormac will wake up. So when he picks up Sean, he has to swing the car door open for Sean to jump into the moving car (spoiler alert: Cormac wakes up anyway). Rick is tasked with planning his 1-year old twin daughter's birthday party, which you can see his wife does not think he is capable of handling. Yet he pulls off a great renaissance party with the help of the other dads.

I was disappointed when the episode was over, thinking it should have been an hour long and not a measly half-hour. I now want to move to Austin and hang out with these guys. I don't want to be on the show, don't misunderstand me, I just want to throw back a few beers and have a few laughs. One thing that people ask me is, what is this whole stay at home life like? And I always have these sarcastic, curve ball and sometimes drab responses (depending on the day you ask me and the mood that I am in). But this show sort of nails it. These are the interactions that I have with my kids, with my friends and with my wife. Planning birthday parties and serving dinner is all fine and well, but that's only half of the job. The skeptic in me is looking forward to seeing how they handle the hard stuff like disciplining, bad moods, unexpected schedules and how marriages work after kids. For now though, kudos to A&E. Granted this is only the first episode, but I'm hooked and the series recording on the DVR is set.

Simply put, if you are a stay at home (mom or dad), you'll appreciate this. If you are the working parent, you'll find this entertaining. And if you are neither, you can learn a little something.

Modern Dads is on the A&E network every Wednesday at 10:30pm/9:30 central. Check it out!

This Is 40 and The Beauty of Bad Reviews

There is nothing better than going into a movie (or maybe anything for that matter) with low to no expectations.  Worst case scenario:  you walk in knowing what you're getting out of it, not much more than a popcorn butter stain on your shirt and two hours of your life you can never get back.  Best case scenario:  you walk in thinking it's going to be a stinkfest, and walk out enjoying (or even better yet, loving) the film, and yes, you still get to have the popcorn butter stains.  Judd Apatow's new film, This Is 40 does just that as we follow Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) just a few years removed from their shenanigans in Knocked Up 

All of the reviews I read for This Is 40 were simply awful.  One in particular was terrible, almost vengeful.  Granted it's not from the New York Times or Roger Ebert, though their reviews weren't glowing either, but Gawker writer Rich Juzwiak blasted it for not only being bad, not being funny, being too long but also for making marriage look abysmal, stating:

"Why are we watching them? So that we can then see a sad-music montage of each sad member of the family alone and staring at things sadly? Because that's what we get."   

Actually, that's not what we get.  

Mr. Juzwiak must have walked out to take a piss and walked back into Les Miserables.  Hugh Jackson vs. Paul Rudd, near bald Anne Hathaway vs. Leslie Mann, depressing period drama vs. modern comedy, tomato vs tom-ah-to...an understandable mistake anyone could have made.   

However, the beauty of bad movie reviews (lemons, prepare to become a delicious drink) is that they sap our expectations, yet we often go against their recommendations.  Not like bad restaurant reviews, where you are more apt to follow the advice of the columnist.  Who wants to go to a restaurant if the review is something like this:  "The host was awful.  The server didn't know her ass from a hole in the ground.  The food made me want to abstain from eating for the rest of my life.  And what the hell is donkey sauce?".  Unless you know the chef or are familiar with a restaurateur's track record, why go eat potentially awful food when there is so much good food?  Why take that chance?  But movies are different.  

The boys were in backup daycare, I had just left the dentist and I didn't feel like doing laundry, dishes or cleaning the house.  That, and I have a minor man crush on Paul Rudd.  How can you blame me? when he single handedly made watching Christmas commercials enjoyable.

Beyond employing his own wife and kids in his films, Judd Apatow has also done a great job of writing and directing easily relatable movies and he continues that stretch here with This Is 40.  At its heart, This Is 40 is a romcom (romantic comedy, for you unitiated or non-whipped).  We are thrown right back into the tit-for-tat, backhandedness, yet loving relationship of Pete and Debbie that we fell in love with in Knocked Up.  We catch them in some great moments such as when Pete tells Debbie during some birthday morning shower sex that he had popped a viagra to step up his game, but Debbie finds it disheartening to which she says:  "I don't want a turbo penis. I like your medium soft one".  While Pete's response is that:  "My hard-ons are still in analog.  Viagra makes it digital".  And I'm not giving away the only funny bits.  There are a bunch of great scenes/great lines between Rudd and Mann, who have such great on-screen chemistry, and that's part of what I am buying into.  They have fights over mundane shit (so do me and the Mrs).  They have even bigger fights over the tough stuff (so do me and the Mrs).  How can you not root for these people?  If you are married and have kids, you know what they are going through.       

At the same time, we see them trying to raise their kids and carefully navigate the troubles of sibling rivalry as well as teenage angst.  Towards the latter, Sadie, the older daughter, is in her early teens and dealing with understanding/fighting her parents (while appearing to be a firecracker like Debbie) and being too cool for her younger sister, Charlotte.  Charlotte is adorably naive, lighthearted and funny (clearly taking on more of Pete's traits).  After watching the last episode of Lost with Sadie and Debbie's father, she casually says:  "I'm going to have some freaky ass nightmares".  And to all of you Lost fans, you know she is right. 

On top of that, the supporting cast is great, minus Megan Fox and her frightening midget thumbs.  I'm sorry but those things are awful, and I have a bunion on my foot so I am familiar with disfigured appendages.  Pete's album promotor, Ronnie (played by Chris O'Dowd) coupled with Debbie's trainer, Jason (played by Jason Segel) are brilliant together, yet seldom used in the film.  Pete's dad in the film (played by Albert Brooks), is chummy and abrasive at the same time while Oliver, Debbie's father (played by John Lithgow) almost seems to be be one of the few forced characters.  Though the real gem, expectedly, is Catherine, one of Sadie's schoolmate's mom (played by Melissa McCarthy) who is forced to meet with the school principal, Pete and Debbie over an altercation between Debbie and her son.  The scene is pure magic (and stick around for the credits as you'll get the scene unedited, which was hard to believe, but hysterical to watch).

At the end of the day, Pete and Debbie get it figured out (SPOILER ALERT).  So there is a happy ending, because in the end marriage and kids screws with your head.  You are forced to lose the "me" in all of the "us".  You sometimes try to hide things in order to make things seem better, in the hopes that they will.  Your spouse should be the yin to your yang, and as much as that will bring balance it will also bring headaches.  You try to be the best parent you can be, and you're going to have your off days (lots of them).  You try to take care of your parents and mend what gaps may be there, because we only get one set of parents.  Sometimes you laugh so hard it hurts and sometimes you simply lose control and go ape shit.  

I don't know about you, but I love to watch movies where I feel I could more or less squeeze right into a scene and pick up on cue because I am living it or have lived it (clearly not because I am in any way an actor).  I love shows like Up All Night (though the new season sucks), because it makes me feel less crazy.  Maybe that's true or maybe that's the magic of Hollywood.  Either way, I'm all in.  I'm not 40 yet, I'm 34.  But I can only hope to be like this when the Mrs and I are 40, because it's in the stupid, personal, sometimes morbidly comedic instances like this that you re-realize why you do all the crap you do and why you put up with all of the bullshit, because this is the good life:

                      

As for Mr Juzwiak's (how the hell do you pronounce that?) review, while completely off the mark, also comes off as someone who is terrified on some level of the death of cool (also known as becoming a parent and surviving, yes, surviving a life long marriage).  But for his awful review, I have to say thank you.  Though I probably would have seen it eventually anyway, I would have likely walked in with higher expectations.  Since Mr Juzwiak hacked my presumptions about this, I came in looking to kill a couple of hours and walked out having enjoyed my time and eating a whole box of pretzel M&M's.  Not a bad afternoon.   

*photo credit: http://www.play4movie.com/en/Wallpaper/This-Is-40-Wallpaper-739        

The SD Bucket List

Our days in San Diego are well into the single digits now, with only two days left to enjoy the fun and sun.  Over the past month and a half, I have been embarking on what I kept referring to as my 'bucket list'.  I know the term is unoriginal, overused and cheeky, but it sums it up well and everyone knows what you're talking about (which is always a plus for a mumbler like me).

Friends keep asking me what is on said bucket list.  I rattle off a few and then we invariably veer off into a conversation about one of the places and the list never gets finished.  Then a few weeks ago, another friend mentioned he wanted a copy of my list and that gave me an idea.

And without further ado, the SD Bucket List (these are in no particular order):

1. Torrey Pines Golf Course

If you haven't heard of Torrey Pines Golf Course, then you either live under a rock or are not interested in golf, and possibly both.  But Torrey Pines, is a beautiful golf course set along the hills of La Jolla, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  To say the view from some of the holes is sweeping, would be an understatement.  You can see to the small area of La Jolla known as the cove and all the way to Carlsbad (that's about a 30 mile coastline view).  To boot, as a San Diego county resident, I have only been paying $65 for the South and $45 for the North.  Those are killer rates compared to the tourists, who shell out over $100 for the North and I think it is over $200 for the South.

There are two course here, the North and the South.  The South is far more famous, and for what reason I have no idea.  On the South, there are less holes with ocean views and the tee times are always out for months in comparison to the North.  The North is a great course, less expensive and more ocean view holes (though the holes not along the ocean, particularly 16, 17 &18 are less than attractive).

Finish your round.  Have a few final practice putts and then enjoy a moscow mule (served in the traditional copper mug) or other tasty beverage at the bar and go sit outside and enjoy the famous California sunset.

2. Craft & Commerce

The majority of my list are bars and restaurants.  I like to eat.  I like to drink.  I like to eat and drink.  And you can happily do both at my favorite spot, Craft and Commerce.

Thursday through Saturday nights here can be awful.  While I love the drinks and the food (if you want a vodka based drink or traditional ketchup, go elsewhere...cause they don't have it) the scene is, well...super scenester.  The bartenders are all decked out in early 20th century gear with haircuts that would make Daniel Day Lewis fall back into his Bill Cutting role, and consequentially his face appears to be their mascot.

If you don't want to deal with the hassle of the overly crowded bar atmosphere, Sunday brunch is the way to go.  I think most of the folks living in the area, or who would typically haunt this place, are still passed out or grazing on breakfast burritos elsewhere, so the place is relatively quiet at this time.  On top of that, the food and drink are still great.  Go with the chicken and waffles, the sizzling bacon and their twist on the bloody mary, the Queen Mary (simply gin or tequila with bloody mary mix...go with the tequila and thank me later).  If you are feeling particularly spry, and have company, go with one of the punch bowls.  It's always more fun to drink from tiny porcelain tea cups spooned from a matching punch bowl!

3.  Noble Experiment

Is it trendy?  Yes.  Is it a pain in the ass to get a reservation?  Yup.  Is it all worth it?  Do bears sh*t in the woods?

To say the least, I love this place.  I guess to be more specific, I have a love hate relationship with it.  While on one hand it irritates the hell out of me that you have to text to get reservations there, and depending on who the hostess is, you can either text anytime after midnight one week before the day you wish to make reservations (yes, I am serious about this...you want 9 PM Friday night? you had better be texting at 12:01 AM the week before) or you have to text when they feel is appropriate (blind? squirrel? nut? yeah, something like that).  Then on the other hand, once you get yourself through the magical keg doors inside the equally awesome Neighborhood (bernaise burger...oh yes, don't mind if I do) then you are welcomed into this sanctuary of delicious cocktails and knowledgable bartenders.

This is not the sort of place where you are reaching over people from six deep at the bar or shouting over the newest Armin Van Buren track.  This place is small.  Very small.  Intimate, even.  You can have a conversation here without yelling.  Conversation?  At a bar?  Without yelling?  WHAAAAT???  Where else can you do that?

But at the end of the night it's about the drinks (no food or beer here folks, just spirits...that's what Neighborhood is for), and these people know their drinks.  You can choose from about six drinks on their rotating menu or you can get frisky and go with bartenders choice.  This doesn't mean you get whatever they feel like making, no sir.  You telling the waitress what sort of liquor you like and then whether you like it sweet, on the rocks or spirit forward (mixed, but without losing the essence of the liquor being used).  In all of my times going here, I was never disappointed with this option.

One other great attribute of this place is that they are willing to make you whatever you want, provided they have the ingredients.  I have come in with specific cocktails in mind (yeah, I know it's sort of douchey) and though they didn't have the recipe, they would hammer it out if I provided the list of ingredients.  Most places are too busy, and frankly too lazy, to do this for any customers.  Not Noble.  They have always been happy to oblige.

One more tip: sit at the bar.  Drinking here is like eating at the bar of a good sushi restaurant.

4.  Comic Con

You can read my whole review and see my pictures of the event here.

This is a great San Diego tradition.  It is a cluster*ck, but it is a great tradition.  From the nerdery of comic book character dress-ups to the insanity over getting free schwag bags (just the bags, nothing in them...I watched people climb over other people for these things...seriously), Comic Con does not disappoint.

Are there a ton of people?  No doubt.  Are the lines to see the panels absurdly long and nearly impossible to get into?  Yes, you will spend all day waiting in line if you want to see something even remotely popular.  Are there lines everywhere?  Yep: lines for the bathroom, lines to take pictures of scantily dressed Comic Con-ers, lines for schwag, lines to get wristbands to be able to get into other lines for limited release toys and of course lines for food.  Sometimes you see lines, ask what the line is for and some people have no idea.  They just wait though, because they may be rewarded with a limited edition Portal arm cannon...then again they may be rewarded with a picture with Kevin Sorbo (for the nominal fee of $40).

But Comic-Con is what makes San Diego economy stay afloat.  130,000+ fans flood the city for four days.  It is worth whatever you have heard to go and see it, just don't go on Sunday - it's family day, it's the cheapest of the four days and it is also the busiest.

5.  Pizza Port Brewing Company

Honestly, the pizza here is not that good.  It's just not.  That isn't to say it's terrible, it's just not that good.  But somehow, when you mix good beer and mediocre pizza you have an oral fixation orgasm that would even make Fred Willard blush.

The pizza is overly crusty, the toppings are thick chunks and the sauce is meh.  But between the beer they brew in house (you can watch them add hops to the huge vats right there in the restaurant...and there is no separation so you can really get a whiff of everything going on), the fact that you eat a giant picnic tables and the guest taps they have from other local breweries, you can't go wrong.

Add to it that you can easily take the train up from San Diego, and if you have kids they will love that part, and Pizza Port is a pretty solid place.

6.  San Diego Zoo

Most places that tout the phrase "world famous" in front their name are full of sh*t.  But the San Diego zoo is the real deal.  From the exhibits to the seasonal schedules, the San Diego Zoo is my favorite attraction.

After nine year, we finally made it to their summer time gig called Night Time Zoo, which simply means the zoo is open late (until 9 PM).  There is something far more interesting about seeing the zoo at night as compared to the day, especially in the summer.  The air is cool, the majority of the days visitors have left and some of the nocturnal animals are making their way out.

Whether you want to bring your kids to the playground, the petting zoo, to watch one of the live dance shows or sit and watch one of the bands play at the entrance the folks at the San Diego Zoo have thought of everything.  Add to it that they recently opened up a craft beer and margarita shack (only in San Diego...what a country!), and you have something really special.

My personal favorites are the elephants.  You can get so close to these guys that it is unreal.  Just last night, I took the Big Guy and Taz there and we watched three elephants feeding off of a straw bag about 20 feet in front of us.  Then just at the end of the elephants exhibit (aptly named Elephant Odyssey), they have a big cat display with one side devoted to jaguars and the other side to lions.  Last night the lion was pacing the front of the enclosure (which is a far stretch of the word considering the "enclosure" is a large net) only 4 feet from me and the boys.  When you come up to the exhibit, there is a warning sign that you may be sprayed (as in marking territory spray) - so beware.  Where else can you get that close?

A truly unique experience.

7.  Underbelly

I love ramen.  Underbelly makes delicious ramen.  They add in a soft boiled egg, pork belly and brisket.  Please stop me when I have said something not delectable.

For some reason, however, my stomach (or perhaps intestinal tract) have issues with their 6 spice blend that you can add to the dish.  The next day I always pay dearly for my choice.  But the spices make it taste so damn good.  And if you are feeling spry, they also have some ghost chilies in the back if the spice blend isn't hot enough for you.

8. Sandbar

Good chicken wings are hard to come by.  Some places serve them so soggy and over sauced.  Some places serve them over breaded.  But Sandbar manages to get them right every time.

Now if you are looking for some crazy assortment of flavors and sauces, or you prefer the giant wings, then keep going.  These are small, crispy and delicious; though they don't come this way unless you know how to ask for them.  As one good friend taught me, the only way to ask for them is plain with the sauce on the side.  And being from Philly, I am appreciative of having to order something a certain way in order to get it the right way...or the good way.  Yes, I am saying that my way is better than your way if you don't agree.

To boot, they also serve a very respectable breakfast burrito, which during football season on Sundays is only $3.

What else can you ask for?  Probably more parking and a better beer selection, especially in San Diego, but I digress.  You have the beach, you have great wings and you have NFL football.  So don't get greedy.

9.  Roberto's (Del Mar)

If you had never been to San Diego, then you don't know about breakfast burritos.  And if you don't know about breakfast burritos then I feel sorry for you.  You live a meager existence.

Also, if you have never had a breakfast burrito in San Diego, then you don't know that there are a myriad (or panoply - thanks Mark) of places serving them all day.  Add to that there are also a lot of places that sounds the same and some that have the same name but have no relation to one another:  Filiberto's, Aiberto's, Rigoberto's...but the only one that matters is Roberto's and specifically of Del Mar.

They make the most delicious breakfast burrito I have ever tasted.  I happily drive the near 30 minute drive just to enjoy one (or sometimes two) of these bad boys.

I always go with the hash brown burrito with bacon and sausage (yup, that's how I roll).  The hash browns are nice and crispy (adding some great texture), the sausage is juicy, the bacon is thick cut and they don't skimp on the cheese or the egg.

The Big Guy, who is not a fan of any one of those ingredients, loves it.  And since there is this understanding that kids seem to find the subtle joys in life, you know this has to be good when he gets into it!

As I mentioned, I am originally from Philadelphia so I associate locations with their best foods and San Diego absolutely OWNS the breakfast burrito.  Sure there is other great Mexican food, but this nifty hybrid of deliciousness is where it is at.  I would happily wait in line for a hour to enjoy these.

With just two days left here, I still haven't satiated my cravings for a breakfast burrito.  But between tomorrow and Monday I plan to get after it.  After that the list will be complete and my time here will be done.

10.  Station Tavern

Every time I go here I am amazed that no one had tried to copy their design.  There is nothing fancy about this place.  The food is simple.  The decor is simple.  Though the place has won architectural awards, you wouldn't know it as it fits into the surroundings so well...maybe that's why they won the awards.

Being a stay at home Dad (or mom), its bought o come up with things to do with your kids everyday.  Furthermore, sometimes you just want to sit down relax and let your mini-yous run around while you enjoy some time to yourself or with friends.  Station has it covered.  You enjoy a beer and your kids play in the play area.  Yep, you heard me right...play area...at a bar/restaurant.

Sure, you need to be aware of what you kids are up to, hopefully they are not throwing or eating gravel.  And yes, sometime to you have discipline someone else's kid as their parents are too busy socializing or just have their head up their asses.  Nothing like dumb parents.  But I digress.

The menu is simple: burgers, cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, veggie burgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese, and a variety of carbs (sweet potato fries, regular fries & tater tots).  They have a decent selection of beers and a full bar.  What else do you need?  Did I mention the play area?  If you want to read about this place and my thoughts on family friendly joints, check this out.

11.  Petco Park

The Padres suck.  Perennially.  There is no discussion there.

Sure, the games versus the Dodgers is always interesting, but frankly it's like going to a Chargers.Raiders games...I'd rather stay at home.

But Petco Park is an amazing stadium.  I don't care if you like baseball or not, there is something to enjoy on all levels.

Want to get bombed and forget where you are?  You can do that here.  Want to enjoy some craft brews and take down a Rubio's fish taco?  You can do that here.  Want to build a sandcastle in right field with your kids?  You can do that here.  Want to have a picnic in the grass and watch a baseball game?  YOu can do that here.  Want to take your kids to the playground?  You can do that here.  Are your kids into playing whiffle ball?  They can do that here.  Want to pay no more than $5 for a ticket to a game?  You can do that here.

It really is a great, great stadium.  It is the most family friendly venue I have ever been to and the organization goes out of it's way to continue that trend, from Fan Fest to letting the kids storm the field after some games to having a mini-ballpark for kids to play whiffle ball.  They thought of everything...oh yeah, then of course there is the playground and the sand area.

The downside to the games are parking.  San Diego doesn't have even close to enough of it and what they do have is overpriced.  But all that aside, Petco Park is a gem.

Hope you can make it out and take my list for a spin.

***Honorable mentions: Fidel's Mexican in Del Mar, Hotel Del (best family day at the beach without all the riffraff), LegoLand (it's no DisneyLand, but it's still fun), San Diego Botanical Gardens, Basic Pizza, Hoboken Pizza, Torrey Pines State Park & Beach, The Linkery, El Take It Easy, PrepKitchen, The Brigantine (the best swordfish tacos), South Beach Bar & Grill (best fish tacos - but not family friendly...no kids allowed but you can order to go) and the Wine Vault (best prix fixe and pairing dinners ever).  There are probably another dozen places I could name, San Diego is a great place to live but for now it will be a fun place to come back to and visit.




  
  

Holy Nerd-fest Overload, Batman! Comic Con 2012

...And I mean "nerd-fest" in the nicest and most respectful way, honestly.

In case you don't know what Comic Con is, you can read about in detail here.  But for the most part it is a 4-day comic, movie, TV, art, fashion (standard wear and kooky dress up - such as the $1300 Storm Trooper suit I saw), toy, gadgetry and everything in between convention held in San Diego every year in July.

Since our first summer here, the Mrs and I have wanted to get down and check it out.  Not that we are Trekkies or really fanatics of any kind, but the people watching and the overall hysteria surrounding this event is hard to miss.  As someone living in San Diego, it is less of a convention and more of a tradition, so we have always wanted to be a part of it.  However, for whatever reason (insert lame excuse after lame excuse here), we never made it down...and we live a mere 10 minutes away.

It took 8 years and my cousin-in-law to get me to go, and I'm happy to have finally made it.

Over 130,000 tickets were sold.  All tickets were sold online.  You had to register to get tickets over 6 months in advance - if you did not register, you could not get tickets...non-transferable, no door sales, and no Stub Hub.  From that registration, you were given a link to follow on the day tickets went on sale (again months before the event).  To much horror, this link turned out to not work on the morning of ticket sales and unless you were curious enough to go and check the website you never got to the ticket room online or if you did then you got there late and missed out on certain days or the whole event.  People were pissed.  And you know what's worse than pissed off comic book readers/collectors?  Probably a lot of things, like people in the drive thru at Starbuck's at 8:55 AM.  But really, people were pissed.

Oh well...I got a 4-day pass so I was ready to go or at least I was able to go, "ready" as I learned when I got there was a whole different thing.  It's like saying you're ready for your first trip to Vegas, your first enema or your first purple purple (or tittie twister, for you heathens).

If you are not immersed in the activities, shows, blogs, or newsletters of this immense subculture, then you have no idea what to expect.  See, it's not just the people - though there are tons of them.  Some sitting on the ground just resting.  Some talking about where the newest swag will be given out.  Others hoarding the classic Star Wars toys and classic comics.  Tons of people catching previews, trying out new video games and looking at soon to be released toys (easily the biggest surprise of the event shockingly enough, as I had no idea people awaited the release of so many action figures...another strange event in my life that takes me back to my 10th grade english teacher's statement: "the older I get, the dumber I realize that I am").  On top of that there are lines.  Lines for everything, though you often don't know what exactly and sometimes the people in line don't know either.  It could be for a super exclusive giveaway, toy purchase or lame poster/swag bag/sticker/laniard.  And last but not least, the characters.  I'm not talking about paid employees or even event volunteers.  We're talking about people who spend an exorbitant amount of time and money crafting some of the craziest costumes I have ever seen, everything from unbelievably realistic Siths (Star Wars) and Batmans to Slink (Toy Story - which was two guys in costume attached by some landscaping hose) and the Dude (The Big Lebowski).  

I walked in on Thursday, thinking that I would just putz around and get my bearings.

Yeah.  That didn't happen.

I was lost.  Like I said I am not a comic book fan.  I used to watch Saturday cartoons and I know a little bit about anime, but that's not even the tip of the nerd-berg.

There were artists doing custom drawings, 3D printers (yes, printing a usable Thor's hammer or Akira's motorcycle), movie costumes and props (they had THE everlasting gobstopper from Willy Wonka!), kooky gadgets (the weirdest were these cat-like ears that had some contraption that touched your forehead making the ears "react" to your brainwaves.  While standing at the booth, I made a comment out loud to myself of how weird this shit was.  At that moment, the ears on a girl in front of me turned towards me like they were listening...creepy), and classic toys like the original Millennium Falcon at just the small cost of $600 (now if you don't wish you had saved all of that crap from your childhood then you're a god damn liar).  I had to get out there, before I got completely sucked in and spit out.

Day 2 was a far better day.  I game planned.  I figured out which panels I would go see (which is a huge part of Comic Con).  I knew what areas of the main floor I wanted to hit up again and what products I was interested in.  Sure there was plenty of new stuff too that I had not seen on Thursday such as: John Lassiter signed wine bottles with various Pixar movie labels (for the nominal fee of $1000 per bottle), a new Transformer mega toy called Bruticus, some great kids books (my favorite being The Halloween Kid ), and a great iPad app & digital pen for artists or even kids (this was unfortunately sold out, but I will be buying it as soon as it is back on the market).

Unfortunately, I missed all of the panels.  Lesson learned here, show up early to the panels...as in hours early because 30 minutes didn't cut it for a rinky-dink show like Cartoon Network's Regular Show.  Even in Hall H, which held 6000 people, if you weren't in line at least 3 hours before the panel was to begin then you weren't getting in (as a friend experienced trying to see the Big Bang Theory panel when he showed up about 45 minutes early only to be told by security that the theater only held 6000 and he was about 10,000 and he therefore had 0.0% chance to get in).

The best part of the entire event occurs on Friday night, when hundreds of costumed zombies drag themselves down through the Gaslamp district and frighten all of the tourists and dinner guests of the local establishments.  Some of the zombies mailed it in and are boring while others really work it and scare the crap out of people over the several block walk down towards the convention center.  And these folks aren't just plain fake blood or arrows through the skull.  There were slit throats, throwing stars in the forehead, gouged out eyeballs, and even baby zombies.

Comic Con-ers are, suffice to say, serious people despite their costumes and poor posture (who am I kidding? my back looks like a horseshoe from playing video games and being hunched over my computer).  But like many things, I can show you better than I can tell you.  Please enjoy the trip!