Moving Mondays: Oh, The Places We Go

Dear friends,

When you find out that your family must move to a new duty station, what questions immediately spring to mind? Are you wondering what the housing options are at the new duty station? Or perhaps you want to know what the schools are like for your kids? Thankfully, I discovered another wonderful resource that will help you answer those questions. Lydia DiCola, a Navy wife, created a Facebook page where military personnel and spouses can go to post questions and quickly receive answers about duty stations across the world. You can find the Facebook page -- Oh, The Places We Go -- by clicking here. And, you can discover what inspired Lydia to launch the Facebook page in the Question & Answer section below.

Cheers,

Kristina

Q: Tell me a little bit about yourself.

A: I'm a proud Navy wife and former teacher. My husband, Anthony, and I have 3 kids, ages 3, 17 months and 3 months. I wish I had time for a hobby! We've been together over 10 years (married for 6), and NPS (the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif.) is our 5th tour.

Q: What inspired you to launch the Facebook group page Oh, The Places We Go?

A: My inspiration for the group came from many places. Several duty stations, including Monterey, have fabulous area-specific Facebook groups or other organizations to help each other quickly find the ins-and-outs. Some spouses' clubs have a booklet for sale that has similar information. While these are great resources, I wished they were available before we moved and for every PCS. I wanted to know where to begin house hunting and fun things to do as soon as we got orders. In the past, we were blindly looking for a house just based on its proximity to the base. Then about 6 months in, we would figure out where the military-concentrated areas were (where we would have rather lived), discover "hidden" subdivisions we never found in our searches, learn when traffic was most congested and along what routes, etc. So I thought it would be nice relieve some of that "just got to the area" stress by creating a central location where other military families could access that information or at least be referred to a particular duty station's page(s) or website if it was already created.

Q: What kind of information can military families expect to find on the Facebook page?

A: My hope is that families can find answers to any question they may have! The goal is to have documents of compiled information about recommended places to live, schools, how to avoid traffic, etc. created for as many duty stations as possible. The wall will allow people to ask the group questions about anything not covered...and the answer will hopefully then be added to the document so others with the same question(s) can find it without scrolling through old posts or reposting the same questions over and over.

Q: How can military families find or contribute information to the page?

A: Anyone can request membership, and all group members can add people. All group members are encouraged to create documents for any duty station about which they want to share an insider's view, or edit any already made. Differing viewpoints are encouraged... people don't need to erase or change what's written to contribute. The point is that even different opinions will give incoming families a place to START looking for houses, restaurants, soccer camps, etc. They can make their own decision, but we don't have to waste months trying to find options.

Q: Since launching Oh, The Places We Go, what has surprised you the most?

A: I was surprised how quickly members were added and how easy it became to just post a question about a duty station and get several answers (and potential points of contact upon arrival) within just a day or two! There was a question about moving a car across the country... that doesn't necessarily apply to a specific duty station, but the group was the perfect place to not only get an answer, but even specific company recommendations and price estimates!

Q: Is there anything else you want to add or highlight about Oh, The Places We Go?

A: My eventual goal with this group is to create a website that is more easily navigated (documents and wall comments are automatically sorted by date of creation or latest comment) and better suited to the military community. The group will remain on Facebook to facilitate connections and answer questions, but the website will hopefully grow to detail most stations for all branches.

Q: Thanks, Lydia!

* Do you want to know what it’s like living at a particular duty station? Need tips on how to prepare for a move? Or advice on how to handle a deployment? Then, tune in each Monday for tips and stories aimed at helping your next move or deployment go more smoothly. If you have questions, tips or stories you would like to share, send a brief email to mytravelingtroop@gmail.com for consideration.

Big Sur Half Marathon

My husband and I ran the Big Sur Half Marathon on Nov. 20. Since I finally feel recovered from the 13.1-mile run, I thought I would share some highlights from the race!

Pre-race: I woke up congested and feeling like a horrible cold was in the works. Meanwhile, my husband realized that he forgot his running shoes in his gym locker. Not a great way to start the day! Thankfully, my husband had his answer to minimalist running shoes at home: a casual pair of oxfords with vibram soles. Also, we both forgot our health and shoe woes as soon as we reached the start of the race and were surrounded by runners as far as our eyes could see!

Entertainment: For the first few miles, musicians serenaded us as we ran through downtown Monterey, Calif., and the neighboring town of Pacific Grove.

Mile markers: Each mile marker was unique. We loved the sign for mile two. It was incredibly motivating! Actually, it just made us laugh. :)

The sights: The route for the Big Sur Half Marathon took us through downtown Monterey, where we saw the main street dressed up for Christmas. We also ran through Cannery Row, a waterfront district filled with shops, restaurants and hotels. And, we ran along the coast and enjoyed the beautiful ocean view.

Memorable moment #1: Runners got to run through the tunnel on Lighthouse Ave. in Monterey. As I mentioned in a previous post, some locals like to honk as they drive through the tunnel. Since the runners couldn't honk the horns of their respective cars on race day, they did the next best thing and yelled "Honk! Honk!" The other cool part of the tunnel run? As we neared the tunnel exit, the sound of bag pipes filled the air.

Memorable moment #2: We saw an old guy in a WALKER pass walkers and slow joggers between miles 7 and 8! Let's just say he inspired us to run faster!

Crowd support: There were friends and family members cheering runners on during the race. But this one stood out. Isn't he famous or something?

Best idea ever: My least favorite part of any race? Having to stand in line after finishing a race and fighting crowds in order to get snacks and water. The organizers of the Big Sur Half Marathon, however, eliminated both by handing runners fruit, snacks and a drink in a paper bag. As a result, my husband and I were able to do a quick food grab and go!

What is your favorite or least favorite part of a race?

Cheers,
Kristina

A Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Meal

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all had a lovely time celebrating the holiday with family and friends! 

My Traveling Troop's Thanksgiving feast.

My Traveling Troop didn't feast on turkey today. My husband, whose father passed away a couple of years ago, decided to break from tradition and make a meal his dad enjoyed cooking: a German roast called sauerbraten along with a side of braised red cabbage and potato gratin.

Sauerbraten coated in gravy.

I thought the meal was a lovely gesture and wonderful way to remember his father. But to be honest, I was a little worried the day wouldn't feel like Thanksgiving if we weren't preparing a turkey. In the end, though, the whole day did feel like the holiday because we spent hours cooking, eating, chatting and relaxing as a family. We were incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be together on Thanksgiving and for our family members who have passed on wonderful recipes and traditions to us.

Braised red cabbage and apples.

What did your family make for Thanksgiving? Did any family recipes make the menu?

Cheers,
Kristina

Moving Mondays: Things To Do In San Diego

Hello everyone!

San Diego is a big city filled with beaches, restaurants, shops, outdoor-recreation options and other attractions. The choices can be overwhelming for a military family moving or traveling to the city and wondering where to begin. Thankfully, Annie -- the blogger behind Confessions of a Navy Wife -- agreed to help by sharing in the post below her favorite things to do in sunny San Diego.

Enjoy!

Kristina

Hi! I’m Annie, a Navy Wife who loves to travel and craft. I also love to write and photograph everything, so blogging is perfect for me. Luckily, my husband and I are stationed in San Diego, which has plenty of inspiration for all the things I love.

My love of travel goes perfect with being a Navy Wife since we get to travel all over the world. There is just something about visiting a new destination, meeting new people and exploring. I also appreciate a good room and maid service! As much as I love to travel, I always appreciate coming home. How could you not when you live in America’s finest city! Being a San Diego-ite, -- umm, I mean San Diegan -- definitely has its advantages. Not only is it a beautiful 70 degrees almost year round, there is so much to do and see. I love a good stay-cation! I was fortunate enough to meet Kristina from My Traveling Troop on my last stay-cation during BlogHer 11. She is an amazing writer and I’m so happy she asked me to guest post for her!

There are a million things to do in San Diego, but that would take days to share so I will just go with my top three. Some of them may be cliché and touristy, but after almost 10 years living here I still love them! The best part about these places is that most of them are free or inexpensive! You will also notice that I love food, maybe a bit too much, since everywhere I go food seems to be involved!

Balboa Park in San Diego is home to 15 museums, the San Diego Zoo
and other attractions. 

Balboa Park

Balboa Park is beautiful and full of amazing museums and gardens. It is also home to the world famous San Diego Zoo. I still haven’t had time to visit all of the 15 museums inside the park; art, sports, air & space and natural history just to name a few. I have had the opportunity to enjoy a few of them and wandered the grounds and the many gardens. I just learned on my last visit that there are 65 miles of hiking and bike trails throughout the park and 3 dog parks.

I love a good trip to the zoo, not only is it a fun-filled day full of awesome animals, but they also serve beer. The pandas and the polar bears are my favorite. The San Diego zoo is one of the few zoo's in the U.S. that has Giant Pandas and they are adorable, a must see! The line moves fast and isn’t nearly as long as it seems. Did you know that China actually owns all of the Panda Bears in the world? Something I learned on my trip to China, zoos all over the world rent them from China. 

The restaurant The Prado is located inside the house of hospitality.  One word: “Amazing.” This is by far my favorite restaurant in San Diego, but I will warn you it is rather $$. {My husband will not leave me alone until I add that his favorite restaurant is The Wellington, famous for serving -- you guessed it -- the wellington!}

Various museums in the park offer free admission on the first four Tuesdays of the month to San Diego City & County residents (with ID), active military & their dependents. See Balboa Park website for details.

The Zoo offers a free 1-Day Pass for U.S. active duty military, cadets of their respective academies and reserves (with active orders) if they show valid military ID at the gate. Adult tickets can be purchased on base for $32.50 (regular $40) and children for $24.35 (regular $30.00).

Coronado is "a small beach community, with an island feel,"
according to the city's website.

Coronado

Coronado is absolutely beautiful, the beach is amazing and there are adorable shops and restaurants in the area. There is also the historic Hotel Del Coronado, which is a must see when visiting Coronado. The lobby of this old hotel is gorgeous, like stepping back in time. The original elevator is just one of the amazing things this hotel has to offer. Since I first moved to San Diego I have loved walking on the beach and strolling through the streets of Coronado, taking in the ocean, the hotel and the mansions. At the very end of the beach is an off leash Dog Beach, which my dog BB loves! It is crowded during the weekend, but not too bad on weekdays.

On Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado is what I consider the best Military Lodge in San Diego. It is located right on the private military beach. They just built some cabanas right on the beach and are currently building a big new lodge, which should be completed soon. Book early because they do sell out way in advance.

Get a glimpse of life at sea on a tour of the USS Midway Museum. 

The USS Midway

           

The decommissioned aircraft carrier turned museum is located in the San Diego bay just south of the airport. On our last visit we spent hours wondering around the carrier and looking at all of the exhibits. We even had lunch in the cafe located on the stern {yep, I got the term from the hubs}. The flight deck is my favorite part of the ship, they have a bunch of restored aircrafts and it was neat to see them all up close. We even got to see the flight control and the bridge high in the island {another term from the hubs} over the flight deck.

In the park next to the ship is the giant statue “Unconditional Surrender,” recreating the Life photo of the legendary kiss, “V-J Day in Times Square” by Alfred Eisenstaedt. {Although, I read that the artist, Seward Johnson, Johnson and Johnson heir, claims it is a recreation of a similar less know photo by Victor Jorgenson. This photo is public domain as it was taken by a U.S. Navy photographer}.  I love the statue; I think it is romantic and a classic symbol of the sailor. I could spend forever just staring at the gigantic recreation of my favorite photograph. I know that it’s been called gaudy and cartoonish by some, but I absolutely adore it especially against the backdrop of the carrier and city.

Just past the kissing sailor and nurse, you step onto a platform and see a bronze statue of a man with a old microphone with a crowd of service people around. The National Salute to Bob Hope & the Military is just one of the military statues in the park. Bob Hope was famous for his USO shows and support for our troops. He not only had a naval vessel named after him, but he is the only person in history to receive the title of honorary veteran for his humanitarian services to the United States Armed Forces by Congress. 

The Fish Market is a great restaurant located next to the USS Midway. It is also one of my favorites in San Diego. It has a fish market {surprise, surprise!}, an oyster bar, sushi bar, a casual dining restaurant downstairs and not so casual upstairs -- Top of the Market. Amazing food and a great view!

Only a block away is Kansas City Barbeque, where several scenes from my favorite movie Top Gun were filmed. Always a fun stop for a drink and to sing “Great Balls of Fire!”

The USS Midway Museum is free to Active Duty & Reservists with valid ID and $10 for retired military. On base tickets for adults are $10 (regular $18) and children $7 (regular $8).

           

Thanks Kristina! I hope you all enjoyed my post on America’s Finest City. What are some of your favorite places to visit in San Diego?

-- Annie

* Do you want to know what it’s like living at a particular duty station? Need tips on how to prepare for a move? Or advice on how to handle a deployment? Then, tune in each Monday for tips and stories aimed at helping your next move or deployment go more smoothly. If you have questions, tips or stories you would like to share, send a brief email to mytravelingtroop@gmail.com for consideration. 

Monterey Weather

I woke up this morning and saw a thick blanket of fog covering Monterey, Calif.

A few hours later the fog lifted, allowing Monterey to bask in the sun.

This weather pattern seems to happen a lot here. How is the weather in your neck of the woods?

Cheers,
Kristina

Moving Mondays: Food Shopping In San Diego

* Do you want to know what it’s like living at a particular duty station? Need tips on how to prepare for a move? Or advice on how to handle a deployment? Then, tune in each Monday for tips and stories aimed at helping your next move or deployment go more smoothly. If you have questions, tips or stories you would like to share, send a brief email to mytravelingtroop@gmail.com for consideration.

Hello and Happy Monday!

Jayne, the blogger behind Married to a Meat-eating Military Man, is back this week with tips on where to shop for food in San Diego. You can check out her recommendations below. I don’t know about you, but Jayne’s grocery-shopping tips combined with her delicious post last Monday about the city’s restaurants, makes me want to move to San Diego for the food alone!

Enjoy!

Kristina

Jayne, the blogger behind Married to a Meat-eating
Military Man, and her husband explore
the culinary scene in San Diego.  

Farmers’ Market:

Leucadia Farmers’ Market: We really love venturing through farmers’ markets because they’re fun, the produce is the best and there are usually unique, handmade finds there you can’t find in a grocery store. Of all the ones we have tried in San Diego (and we have tried many), our favorite is the Leucadia Farmers’ Market held on Sunday mornings. It’s all contained within a school courtyard, so it feels a lot smaller and you can actually walk through the market multiple times! The vendors are just so friendly and the produce is always varied and fresh. And, the best coffee is sold here. Shop for the week and enjoy brunch from one of the prepared food stands at the same time!

Bakery:

Bread & Cie Bakery/Café: I may be a herbivore, but I’m also a hardcore carbovore. I love their fresh baked breads best. YUM. I love their fig & anise bread. Lucky for me, their breads are sold in a lot of area grocery stores.

Grocery Stores:

Commissary: We shop a lot at the base commissary and haven’t had much issue with having to go elsewhere for produce or unique finds.

Henry’s Markets: For fresh produce and more organic variety, this market is a good choice. There are a lot of locations around the San Diego area! 

A Santa Barbara Bed And Breakfast

I’ve always pictured staying at a bed and breakfast while on a romantic retreat with my husband. Yet I found myself standing in front of the Bath Street Inn -- a bed and breakfast in Santa Barbara, Calif. -- with my toddler.

  

My daughter and I were in town for my cousin’s wedding, which happened to take place the same September weekend that festivals and other events were taking place. Hotels were either booked or too pricey for my budget. Luckily, the Bath Street Inn had a cozy room available for an affordable rate. The inn was also located in a nice neighborhood close to State Street -- a main drag in Santa Barbara with popular restaurants, cafes and shops. 

Admittedly, I couldn’t help but wonder in the days leading up to the Santa Barbara trip whether the bed and breakfast would be a fun, family-friendly experience. My concern evaporated as soon as we opened the front door and the smell of freshly-baked cookies greeted us. Marti, a woman who works at the bed and breakfast, said the cookies along with a variety of other desserts, coffee, tea, lemonade and milk would be offered later in the evening as part of our stay. Marti, who is a mom, could tell right away that my daughter Bella wouldn't last that long. She walked us straight into the kitchen so Bella could pick out a cookie. 

Needless to say, Bella and I enjoyed our dessert dates each evening. The Bath Street Inn also offered a breakfast that any parent or child would enjoy.

The Bath Street Inn had a number of kid-friendly movies for my daughter to choose from. Bella was so excited, she took an armful of VHS tapes to breakfast one morning. The other treat in store for Bella? One evening, my little girl got to play hide and seek with Marti’s daughter.

Were there couples staying at the Bath Street Inn that weekend? Absolutely. But, they seemed perfectly happy chatting with us.

As our first experience at a bed and breakfast came to an end, I called my husband and told him that we should consider staying at the Bath Street Inn during our next family vacation to Santa Barbara. 

Have you ever stayed at a bed and breakfast? What was your experience like?

Cheers,

Kristina

Moving Mondays: Restaurants In San Diego

(Update: Information about Mexican restaurant Lolita's was added on Nov. 8)

* Do you want to know what it’s like living at a particular duty station? Need tips on how to prepare for a move? Or advice on how to handle a deployment? Then, tune in each Monday for tips and stories aimed at helping your next move or deployment go more smoothly. If you have questions, tips or stories you would like to share, send a brief email to mytravelingtroop@gmail.com for consideration.

Dear readers, 

My Traveling Troop has a special treat in store for you today! Jayne, a vegetarian married to a meat-eating Navy man, normally chronicles the duo's culinary adventures at her blog Married to a Meat-eating Military Man. However, today Jayne has kindly agreed to share with My Traveling Troop's readers her and her husband's favorite dining spots in San Diego. If you're about to move or travel to the city, this is a post you'll definitely want to read!

Bon appétit!

Kristina

Jayne and her husband on their wedding day.

Military spouses are known to drop everything and help one another -- even in the blogosphere. So when My Traveling Troop (Kristina) asked the Meat-eating Military Man’s wife (me) to write about food recommendations to help other military families who are moving to our current duty station, San Diego, of course I said yes!

The Meat-eating Military Man and I have loved finding new, more casual restaurants -- especially those that cater to a vegetarian wife and a meat-eating military man! Based on what we’ve been able to try in the last year, here are our picks for where to eat.

New American Comfort Food

Urban Solace: Moving can be stressful, so understandably, you just want some comfort food. But moving can also mean you eat out all the time and consume too much unhealthy food. If you’re looking for comfort food, but of the fresh and healthier variety, come here. Located in North Park, this place features foods like warm Cheese Biscuits with Orange-Honey Butter, Duckaroni (Mac ‘n Cheese with Duck Confit), hormone and antibiotic free meats, grilled cheese with Fresh Basil and Tomato, Creamy Tomato-Fennel Soup, and quinoa burgers -- delicious comfort food for carnivores and vegetarians! It also has a great ambience for date night.

Bull Taco offers a variety of taco and burrito options, plus a stunning view. 

Mexican: Because if you’re in San Diego, you have to eat Mexican food.

Bull Taco: You can’t beat the views here. Located in Encinitas, it’s a local gem located right on the beach. Seriously, you eat your corn tortilla tacos on the deck and look out onto the beautiful Pacific. I like this place because of its variety -- they have everything from a standard vegetarian taco to Lobster, Bacon, Chorizo and Duck. Because of these offerings, the restaurant calls itself an “Inauthentic Mexican” place.

Lolita’s: If you want authentic Mexican food, you have to go to one of Lolita’s three locations.  Once you’re there, feast on their Carne Asada Fries (yes, you read that one correctly), California Burrito and if you’re a vegetarian, Vegetarian Burrito. You won’t be disappointed, but be warned: this isn’t for the lightweight eater.

Gastropub & Breweries

Neighborhood: Coming highly recommended from several friends, the Meat-eating Military Man and I were so glad we finally tried this gastropub located right off the Gaslamp Quarter downtown.  It has craft microbrews on tap and everything from Cheddar Corn Dogs to Spicy Cajun Rubbed Burger to Braised Beef Ribs to Steamed Pork Buns. For vegetarians, there’s a Fresh Roasted Vegetable Sandwich, Grilled Cheese, Jalapeno Mac ‘n Cheese and fresh salads. Yum all around!

Coronado Brewing Co.: When we want to be sure we’ll be served good food and good beer without too much frill, we come here. Their salads are huge and delicious (I always get the Greek Salad), pizzas are great and burgers (meat and black bean veggie) are delicious, too. They even have other entrees like Lobster Mac ‘n Cheese the Meat-eating Military Man enjoys. As for beer? It’s all brewed right there. Our favorite is the Orange Ave Wit.

Dae Jang Keum serves sizzling Korean BBQ.

Korean/Asian Fusion: Since I’m Korean and the Meat-eating Military Man loves his Korean BBQ beef, I always hunt for good Korean food when we move.

East Village Asian Diner: Located in Encinitas, this casual Asian fusion restaurant features a lot of Asian dishes from Korea, Japan and China. Their Korean dishes are really delicious and authentic, even if they do have some twists!

Dae Jang Keum: For authentic Korean BBQ and fare, come here. They cook their meat over a charcoal grill so that gives the meat extra flavor. The Meat-eating Military Man always orders Korean BBQ beef or “bulgogi.” I order a soft tofu soup or “Kimchi Soondooboo Chigae.” It’s all so good, especially for me since it takes me back to my mom’s or grandma’s cooking. If you don’t like it, try one of the many other Korean restaurants on Convoy Street.

If you have any other questions about eating in the area, contact me and I hope I can direct you to your next favorite eat. Happy vegetarian and carnivorous eating from San Diego!  

-Jayne

Surprise!

My daughter loves to show me things and yell "Surprise!" Some surprises are stinky, while others are sticky like the orange icing from a cupcake that she painted all over the car seats with her feet.

Thankfully, some surprises are beautiful like an art project she created or the rainbow she noticed a few weeks ago outside of our home in Monterey, Calif.

Do your kids like to show you surprises? 


Cheers,
Kristina

Halloween Home Decor

My Traveling Troop spent Halloween trick-or-treating with friends at La Mesa Village, a military neighborhood in Monterey, Calif. I loved how elaborate some of the homes were decorated. One house, for example, sported a minivan on the front lawn that blasted scary music. There were also skeletons sitting in the vehicle and laying on the grass. Let's just say it looked like a gruesome car accident. Another home had a spooky cemetery in the front yard. My daughter was a fan of a home that had a cauldron blowing out bubbles. When popped, the bubbles appeared to turn into smoke.

Did you decorate your home for Halloween?

Cheers,
Kristina

Moving Mondays: Organizing Paperwork

* Do you want to know what it’s like living at a particular duty station? Need tips on how to prepare for a move? Or advice on how to handle a deployment? Then, tune in each Monday for tips and stories aimed at helping your next move or deployment go more smoothly. If you have questions, tips or stories you would like to share, send a brief email to mytravelingtroop@gmail.com for consideration.

I organized My Traveling Troop's bills and other important documents before we moved to Monterey, Calif. But I recently realized that I should sift through everything again. After all, a new duty station means new and different bills for us to keep track of and create files for. Also, magazines, brochures and guides to our new hometown have accumulated since we moved here earlier this year.

Although the task of organizing the piles of paperwork seemed daunting, I finally came up with a system that made the process manageable. 

I found four paper bags and used them to help me sort the paperwork. As I went through each item, I determined whether it was something that could be placed in the recycle bag (like magazines), trash bag (documents we didn't need anymore) or shred bag (documents we didn't need but had identifiable information on them such as our name, address or account numbers). If a document didn't fit into any of those categories, then they were placed in a bag to be filed.

How do you organize your paperwork before and after you move?

Cheers,

Kristina