Little Miss Sunshine in CA, Pt. 1

It was a case of perfect timing - just when I needed my bestie of 30+ years most, Christy (aka Little Miss Sunshine) came to visit me in California. It had been seven years since we’d last hung out in person, but it was as if no time had passed at all. Some say she’s the Grace to my Will, but since I never really cared for the Grace Adler character (self-centered, whiny, and obnoxious), I will skip that comparison and just say I am grateful to still have her in my life! Faithful readers of my blog will not be surprised to find out that the first stop for us when she arrived was Station Tavern for a “light snack” of their legendary tater tots. For Christy, it was love at first bite. 



And because it’s all about the food, our next event was dinner at Sonny’s in University Heights, one of my new faves.



This is the go-to place when my friend Kevin and I grab dinner, so he tagged along for the ride and got to meet Christy. With Kevin, it’s typically a text at 6pm-ish: “Sonny's?” Nothing else needs to be said other than “yes” or “no.” Back to Sunshine…of course she enjoyed the Pepp Rolls.



I really love the vibe of this place, and so do Kevin & Christy!



The dessert options at Sonny’s are meh, so we headed over to Jeni’s afterwards.





The next morning, Christy had her first addictive taste of the vanilla bean lattés at Communal Coffee in South Park:



Making ourselves more presentable, we drove over the bridge to Coronado Island into Nirvana, aka Little Frenchie’s:



In the early years of our friendship, this is what we did:



Now we sample French pastries. A much better choice!



We kind of walked off the calories with a stroll along the beach in front of the Hotel del Coronado:



…just like Marilyn Monroe did in 1959 for “Some Like it Hot.”



A cute tiki sand sculpture:



Inside the Hotel del was this display with pieces related to Frank Baum and his Oz books:



Christy had never seen the Crown Room before. That wooden ceiling is GOR-GEOUS!



The prices of gas in Indiana looked much better after Christy saw what they were in San Diego!



We attempted to catch a movie at Coronado’s Village Theatre, but unbeknownst to me it had shut down and was undergoing a change in ownership. Nothing like a dinner at San Diego’s best Italian restaurant, Il Posto, to make things better!







Until the next meal…this concludes Pt. 1 of Little Miss Sunshine’s California visit!
 
See more of my photos at my main website.

Little Frenchie Bistro

Little Frenchie Bistro on Coronado Island had been on my bucket list for at least a year. Finally, I gave it a try…and have been back three additional times!



Located on Orange Avenue, the main drag of Coronado Island, it is an adorable bistro that is about as close to a Parisian café that you will find in San Diego. Good food, service, and atmosphere. A triple threat.



Warning: while you may want to try everything on the menu, you should pace yourself. I over-indulged on my first visit, which taught me to taper my choices upon my return. The Parisian Hot Chocolate with Valrhona chocolate is rich beyond compare. The swirled concoction on the left is not soft-serve ice cream for breakfast; it was freshly whipped chantilly cream to go along with the beverage. There are no words.



The pastry basket is the perfect starter for any meal. Fresh-baked cheese danish, butter croissant, and chocolate croissant. Advice: split each one!



If you like sweet, the Nutella Crepe is an excellent choice, with strawberry, banana, toasted almonds, and powdered sugar.



If it’s savory you crave, I recommend the Croque Monsieur (not pictured) paired with the Jardin Salad (below):



The Bruléed French Toast is out of this world, too. Not as heavy as you might think, it was delicious!



I would definitely recommend a reservation; this place fills up fast, even with the outdoor seating!

See more Coronado Island photos at my main website.