Harry's Coffee Shop + La Jolla

I totally thought I would have gotten around to this post by now. We have been going to Harry's Coffee Shop for almost a year now and still love it! I somehow had never tried the French Toast before which is pretty much unheard of with me but I am here to tell you that it is AMAZING! It is the closest to my dads on Sunday mornings. I am pretty sure that is all I compare French Toast to. Oh, and let's talk about the cinnamon rolls. We never leave here without having one. I somehow always eat most of it but I really have no complaints because LOOK at it! I have a serious obsession with cinnamon rolls. Fun side story: Back when we were in college, living in the dorms, my boyfriend (friend at the time) and our other friend would come over and we would make Pillsbury cinnamon rolls at midnight and just sit around and eat them :) so goood! Anyways...if you are super hungry like me and need something to hold you over until the real food comes then get the cinnamon roll! 

Alright, so now to talk about the fun stuff...not really but hey, it is pretty important! Allergies and how did this place do? Well, I think you can guess based off of what I have already said that they were great! I really have no complaints. They do have an item on their menu that contain Pecans, so if you have a tree nut allergy you may want to stay away but they were really great about making me feel comfortable the first time I ate here. My favorite part, is that because of my allergy, pastries are usually off limits, but I am able to eat it all here. :) :) :) 

I forgot to mention up there that Harry's Coffee Shop is located in La Jolla, so after breakfast/brunch you can go over to see my pretty ocean! 

Tips & Tricks: Science Class

I have been trying to go through all of the subjects and talk to you all about some of the tips & tricks that I have figured out! Last weekend, I decided to post two videos since I have been lacking in that department. I did the History video along with this one here on Science. You can go ahead and watch it here or read below for the 5 tips that I have! If you have any tips that you would like to share, please leave a comment on the video! 

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tip #1 - having a hard time memorizing the periodic table? or other diagrams like how the heart works? go to youtube and search for a song! Yes a song! People have created the periodic table song which will help you recite and memorize the periodic table of elements and there are other songs for other concepts! This is a really helpful tip for those of you who are auditory learners! Just think of how fast you memorize the lyrics to that new song, next up memorizing concepts for school in song style! or make up your own fun song or poem to help you remember any complicated concepts!

tip #2 keep up with the reading and syllabus so you can be prepared for lecture. In your syllabus there will usually be a topic of what will be discussed during lecture. If this is the case try and copy down any diagrams or illustrations before class so you aren’t having to scribble it out while its up on a slide. This way you will already have a general understanding of what it is about but you will be able to focus on what your professor is saying and really understand the small details as well.

tip #3 make sure you neatly write down any worked problems or equations. These are often hints at what will be on the test and having those worked out problems will give you a guide of what you could see in the future. If you find yourself confused don’t be afraid to ask your teacher or a classmate. 

tip #4 listen carefully to the class discussion, the questions that your classmates are asking are probably worth noting. Many times the questions that we have, others will have as well, so it is important to pay attention even when it is easy to zone out when the teacher isn’t talking. 

tip #5 revise your work. If you receive homework back that you didn’t do so awesome on, instead of shoving it into the black hole known as the backpack, take a look at what you did wrong so that you won’t make those mistakes again. If needed, take it to your teacher, and have them sit down with you and walk you through your errors. 

Flour & Barley

I have another restaurant for all of you! My boyfriend and I frequent downtown, and are always looking for a new place to try! Flour & Barley which is a Brick Oven Pizzeria thingy was over in Seaport Village...which is gorgeous! They will be doing a lot of construction on it soon, so I recommend any tourists heading down there asap. The menu was pretty standard... pizzas, sandwiches, salads nothing too special in my opinion. Over the years, I have really realized how simple I am when it comes to my food. Give me a good hamburger and some fries and I am a happy camper. I am not someone who needs 4 different cheeses on my pizza! But, I have tried so hard to step out of my comfort zone and try new things because I know I am missing some pretty amazing dishes! 

Alright, so as far as my allergy goes, this place was great!

 Life would be soo much easier if places just put what type of oil and allergens on their menu but I get that would be a crazy request. but, a girl can dream.... But our waitress was lovely! She answered all of my questions and was able to admit when she didn't know the answer to something. She was quick, and wanted to help me out and make sure I was able to eat! So, if you have an allergy Flour & Braley is definitely willing to work with you.

 I'm pretty sure I am the only person who isn't a fan of appetizers. Mostly, because I can't stop eating whatever it is, and will end up being too full to eat my actual meal. I ended up letting my boyfriend take on these wings by himself and he said they were delicious!

This pizza was actually pretty good! Like I said I am not a huge fan of "fancy" pizzas, I am quite ok with just plain cheese but I was actually really happy we ordered this. It was their Bacon Blue pizza. It had yummy little slices of potatoes on it which were my favorite! Overall, it was pretty good and would definitely get it again if we ended up there!

oh ... he will probably not like this but here is my boyfriend standing in front of this cool art work  (@KelseyMontagueArt) that is in in the middle of Seaport Village. He secretly liked it.

Tips & Tricks: History Class

When I was younger, I never really enjoyed all of the different subjects that I was to taking in school.... As I moved on through school and found myself in college, I quickly realized how interesting everything was. History is one of those things that I wish I paid more attention to when I was in middle and high school. I sorta just went through the motions, memorized, and then forgot about the info a few days after the test. 

I decided to put together a video about some tips & tricks that I learned over the years for taking a history class. Watch below and if you want, subscribe to my channel :)

1. Try creating flashcards to help you memorize. I made a "how I study with flashcards video" that you can watch here. In that video I talk about how I look at the whole process of creating the flashcards as studying. There are also great apps like Quizlet that allow you create flashcards on your phone, so you don't have to worry about writing out all of the info or carry it all around!

2. As we all know, History is all about dates and how one events connects to the other. It can be a little bit confusing with so much information. The one way that has helped me, especially as a visual learner is to create a mind map. I am able to color code which helps me visualize what time period each event is from. Tip: Just make sure your mind map follows some sort of chronological order so it is easier for you memorize when it comes to studying!

3. Taking notes in class can always be daunting, since there is a lot of information that is being thrown out there. What is important and what isn't? My best advice is so always stay on top of ALL reading assignments, even the boring ones. If you have a good idea of what the chapter is about, it will be easier for you in lecture to pull out the information that wasn't in the book. Once you get home, it is best to re write your notes, especially when it is still fresh in your mind... this is also a great time to write down any questions you have once you go over all of the material.

4. Many history exams have you writing an essay about an event, or you have to give your interpretation about a certain time. These can be hard. Some professors will  give you topics but some won’t. Just be aware when in lecture to listen carefully to see what topics they give more weight to. When it comes to studying, find out if you can what type of essay question it is. Is it an interpretation, a description of an event? etc. Then  create an outline and decide what you would write about it. I will then go and time myself, and write out what my answer would be. Of course, the question might vary so you will have to adjust your answer but at least knowing important details about an event will help you

5. Talk about it! the best way to remember information is to talk to others about what you are learning. History can be fascinating, so spark up a conversation with your parents or friends and ask them if they knew fill in the blank. or you can talk to your cat which is what I do. But, talking out loud and “teaching” someone the material is one of my favorite ways to memorize.

so many outfits

One of the perks of my job is the dress code... it isn't strict but I love being able dress up a bit or dress an outfit down. I really don't have a real "style" it really just depends on how I am feeling when I wake up. I will sometimes dress super girly and other days I will wear combats and a bandanna. Below are some outfit posts from my instagram. I will probably continue to post these here and there but everyday was getting a little out of hand. I will do my best to link each item but a lot of the pieces that I own are older or from tj maxx/ross/marshalls

Pants: Hollister Blouse: Forever 21 Sweater: Kohls (similar here) 

Pants: Old Navy Sweater: Forever 21 (similar here) Shoes: Bongo (I am wearing these in two different colors in a few other pics)

Pants: Hollister Shirt: Forever 21 (similar here) Sweater: Gap

Sweater  (similar here) & Jeans: Forever 21 

This out fit is from Forever 21, I am still looking for similar items

This out fit is from Forever 21, I am still looking for similar items

Pants: Old Navy Blouse: Forever 21 (similar here) Sweater: Forever 21

Pants: Old Navy Shirt: Kohls (Similar here) Shoes: Bongo

Pants: Forever 21 Sweater: Kohls (similar here) Flannel: Forever 21 (similar here)

Il Fornaio + the best view

Oh WOW! I think my excuse of work and being super busy can no longer be used, even though it is so true.  I promise I have been collecting all the pictures and taking notes at all the restaurants we have been going to, I just seem to never have time to post them. I am going to talk about one of my favorite restaurants in San Diego, Il Fornaio... there are two locations. One is in Del Mar and the other is on the bay in Coronado. I have been to both locations but nothing beats the view from Coronado overlooking the downtown skyline and water. HEART EYES FOR DAYS!

The first time I went here was before a dance in high school. One of those dances where you dress up, get a limo, and go to dinner with a bunch of your friends. I still remember getting the Margarita Pizza and it was soooo yummy, I just had to go back. Almost 7 years later, and I have my whole family hooked. PLUSSSS, they were so great with my allergy. Some might be thinking, it is Italian food, could they really use Peanuts or Peanut Butter for anything? My answer is "you never know!" I went to a Mexican restaurant thinking that and found out that they will sometimes use Peanut Butter to thicken the enchilada sauce. So from that day on I never assumed and ALWAYS ask. They were so helpful and so empathetic to my allergy at Il Fornaio. When they came out with my food they assured me once again that I was safe to eat and that the chef was aware of my allergy. I know I've said this in previous posts but having a restaurant go out of their way to make me feel like I am the most important customer there is really something special. I am thankful for people who take my allergy as serious as it actually is. Oh! They also have a gluten free menu!

Now on to the good stuff... the food! One of our favorite appetizers is their Bruschetta. It is seriously heaven... but if you don't want to go the appetizer route, don't worry because they bring my favorite thing to the table... BREAD.

I have tried many of their dishes but always seem to come back to the traditional Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese (pictured closest) They are also really great at taking special instructions. For the longest time I was not a fan of meat sauce... not sure why.. don't ask. So I was always asking for just plain sauce but to add chicken. They were always so kind about me doing this. The other two dishes here are Conchiglie Al Pollo (with the broccoli) and the special of the day –

Just go here. It is a little more expensive than some restaurants ...but it is so worth it. But, you can save some money by doing half orders which is available on all their dishes. The food, the view, and the customer service are all A+++

Draft Republic

Happy Wednesday!! This week has been filled with so many fun activities all set up by job for all the new employees. Can I just say... I have the best job & team ever. It really doesn't feel like work half the time. I hope everyone can find a job like this one day. Annnnywhooo, one of the fun activities was dinner/happy hour at Draft Republic which is in University City (if you are from San Diego it is across the street from UTC) I have been there once before with my boyfriend and his parents and I remember it being pretty cool.

The vibe of this restaurant is just awesome. It has this garage/outdoorsy feel that includes a bar, game area with pool, ping pong, darts, etc. and lots of yummy food. Oh, and I can't forget about the mannequins sitting on a ledge above the bar which freaked me out multiple times... I seriously thought they were real about 1000000 times. Super cool location and decor. I give it an A+++, and unlike my last post, I give the service an A+++ as well. 

Like I keep saying, one of the first things I always do is inform the server that I have a peanut allergy. I knew I had been here before and was fine but I always like checking again if it has been over a year. You never really know what they have changed on the menu. I have had multiple restaurants go from safe to unsafe within a few short months... aka JAMBA JUICE (when they first opened when I was in middle school, I was good to go, now not so much) I asked my server and he was quick to say "you're good to go" but what made me feel really good was that he still wanted to go back to the kitchen and talk to them just to be 110% sure. Knowing that my server is committed to making my time at their restaurant enjoyable puts my mind at ease. I really have to trust what the server says and trust that they understand the severity of my allergy so when I get a server/restaurant that really cares I will always come back. 

The food was amazing! we had a blast at this restaurant, if you're wanting to hang out with co-workers after work, watch a game, or just have dinner with friends or family this place is seriously great for all of those and more. Plus!!! if you have an allergy they are more than happy to talk to you and let you know what you can and can't eat. 

What I ate:
Buffalo Cauliflower - $10.95

Bavarian Pretzel Sticks - $8.95
Peppered Skirt Steak Flatbread- $15.95

oh and dessert :) follow me on ig to see more of my stories!

IG// darlingrachel