Juniper & Ivy: A Love Story

(It's important to note the title suggestion I received from my editor Andrew -

 "I'm obsessed and may need clinical help")

By what merits do we call something exceptional or extraordinary? Ideas of perfection seem always to be subjective. Perfection, like beauty, is found in the eye of the beholder.  

That being said, I’d like to assert that I have found perfection, the crème de la crème, the best of the best, the very thing that should be the standard by which all challengers should be compared to and to which all contenders should aspire to be.

That standard of perfection? 

A restaurant (the other is my mama, and you can read that post here).

Juniper & Ivy, your name should be listed as the synonym for perfection in every foodie’s thesaurus.  

Juniper & Ivy interior and kitchen,
and my designated seating..the plating station!

Juniper & Ivy is the gastronomic child of food genius, Top Chef Superstar, restaurateur, author, and the only celebrity that makes me blush, Chef Richard Blais. Blais studied under some of the world’s iconic chefs, including Thomas Keller and Daniel Boulud. He began his first eateries in Atlanta and in 2014, Blais brought San Diego its greatest culinary gift to date. He debuted Juniper & Ivy in March 2014, changing life for us foodies as we know it.

I didn’t know it was possible to love a restaurant until I stepped into J&I one unforgettable April evening. I had been a fan of Blais since my mother/daughter date night ritual of watching Top Chef and Top Chef: All Stars. Blais was always our favorite, but never did I think that one day, he might just know who I am.  

First time meeting Chef Richard Blais at the San Diego Burger Bash 2013

20+ visits later, I am in a full-on food love affair with J&I. Consuming food from dozens of food establishments each month is daunting, educational, and entertaining at the same time. I used to love it. But now, J&I has ruined my hobby, in the very best way possible.

Richard Blais doesn’t cook because of the profit or because his name makes people’s hearts swoon. He cooks because he wants to and because he has a passion for food.  He sees dining for what it can be and aims to do that which others have been too afraid to do. 

The "carne cruda asada toast" 

I have found myself comparing anything I may eat to “the standard” (aka Juniper & Ivy) and to the thought process “WWRD” (aka “What Would Richard Do?”). I still aim to be objective and give each new restaurant’s dish the courtesy of due process. But often I find myself holding back thoughts of that perfect bite of the moist and flavorful carne cruda asada toast, with the oozing quail egg that perfectly softens  the toasted edges of the thick cut bread, giving the senses both crunch and softness and salt and sweetness and a taste that makes you wonder how you will ever eat a piece of toast the same way ever again.  I blush at these memories of J&I, and quickly scan Opentable for the next available reservation. 

This past winter, I checked off an item from my foodie bucket list when I dined at a few two and three Michelin Star restaurants. Daniel Boulud and Jean Georges’ establishments wowed me. They enticed my palate and my mind with their attention to detail, and their perfectly orchestrated lunch and dinner service. The food was as beautiful as it was delicious. I also spent an evening at Colicchio & Sons, wanting to have a taste of Tom Colicchio’s acclaimed Craft restaurant collection. The service was on point, the dishes flavorful and satisfying, and the atmosphere made you forget the winter storm brewing on the other side of the glass window. 

These restaurants were some of the best I will ever visit. 

But…they weren’t J&I.

As I stared at the beautiful entrées on the gold plated dish wear, I longed to be at Juniper & Ivy. I longed for the surprising twists, the complicated yet complementary flavors, the sarcastic remarks of Chef Jon Sloan, the organized chaos of the plating station, and the comfort of the yodel  (see pictures below and you’ll understand). The greatness of J&I also stems from the staff that embody the very essence of Juniper and Ivy, and the Richard Blais’ culinary vision has. 

As told to me by the staff, Chef Blais, alongside business partner and J&I investor Michael Rosen, didn’t open Juniper & Ivy to give the general public the mild and lackluster dishes that they are used to; he opened it to cook the food he dreams of, with the confidence that there are those that will appreciate the oddness that makes each starter, entrée, and dessert beautiful, balanced and unforgettable. 

           

It's been my pleasure falling in love with you.

I'm in love. 

And I'm ready to get it out in into the open.

Dining in San Diego, Part 2

this is my job sometimes. 

In between pondering the philosophical dilemmas of life, being a student and working for the County,  I also attend food events and restaurant openings as a representative of DiningOut SD.  The experiences I have been able to have through the magazine as well as my own personal foodie explorations have led me to some great dining spots in San Diego. 

San Diego has quite the food scene and has something for everyone. I wanted to share a few of my current favorites and recent discoveries. More to come, I promise :)

For Coffee:

- Caffe Calabria: Coffee is a highly debated topic because there are so many great coffee shops and roasting companies in SD, but in my opinion. Caffe Calabria is the best of all.  Not only do they roast their own beans but just one sip of their cappuccino takes me back to Rome in a heartbeat. Also, from Tuesday to Sunday, their talented pizza maker Luca makes pizza in a 950 degree oven that completes my Italian flashbacks. The pizza is an exact replica of what I ate and loved in Italy. Caffe Calabria has stolen a piece of my heart. 

http://www.caffecalabria.com/

exterior view. 

perfect cappuccinos. 

any pizza here is phenominal. cooked to perfection in 2 short minutes. 

- Coffee Couture: Their lattes and cappuccinos are well worth the drive to Tierrasanta. The milk is frothed to perfection and paired with a strawberry muffin, make for an excellent afternoon. 

http://coffeec.oliverwebguy.com/

- Pappelecco: Not only do they have coffee here, but also the best gelato in town. It is handcrafted with lots of love in store and sure to satisfy, rain or shine. They also serve authentic Italian pastries and sandwiches. But you really can't come here without trying the Nutella Cake. It's really all you've ever dreamed about if you love Nutella. 

http://www.pappalecco.com/

Dining in San Diego, Part 1

I really like food. 

Good Food. (And it’s a good thing that I really really really like to work out… or this would be a serious problem.)

Luckily, I live in the perfect foodie town… San Diego, CA. There is seriously a new restaurant opening every week and some kind of food event every weekend. It's kinda crazy how much San Diego to offer. You can find basically any food or cuisine in this town. The downside? It slims down your wallet and widens your waist.

Since I am a firm believer that moderation is key, I apply this concept to my food and dining out choices. For me, dining (and especially fine dining) is a form of entertainment. It's not just about being hungry, getting full and calling it a night. It starts with admiring and observing a restaurant's interior and ambiance. Discussing food prep and pairing with the servers is a must. I love seeing how chefs combine flavors, taste and texture and I love hearing waiters give their own opinion of the food. Waiters who know the food they serve is not only impressive but demonstrates that the owners and chefs truly care about what they are plating. Knowing about what you are eating and how it was prepared helps you enjoy a meal all the more. When the food arrives, you obviously have to instagram and spam your facebook feed with photos and finally dig in and enjoy the meal. But its not just about the eating part, its the whole experience and for me, it sure is entertaining. Some people pay for overpriced Disneyland tickets, I'd rather pay for an excellent dining experience.

That being said, I am on a personal mission to savor the San Diego food scene. I have a huge mental list of places to go and plates to eat. Thanks to social media, I have already been dying to try many awesome restaurants and some of the food they offer. I have also started covering events for DiningOut SD and I am thrilled for this opportunity! (I may also have to start exercising more....)

Food I have tasted (either at an event or at the actual restaurants): 

getting it together

Every time I wrote I can't believe how much time has passed since I last blogged and I always get upset with myself. I love to write; I love to receive y'all's messages and emails and I even love the hate mail. I heard once that if you are offending someone, you must be doing something right, so I hope that perhaps I am doing something right..

Year 3 finished the first week of May and I enjoyed a few days at my parent's home before heading out into the big ole 8-5, Monday to Friday, business attire clad world. My 6:45 alarm calls are a consistent reminder  (or annoyance) that this is the real world. I've had jobs consistently since I was 15, but something about working a solid 8-5 block has really put things in perspective.

That being said before I dive in what's really been on my heart and mind, Id like to say that despite everything, I am beyond blessed and incredibly lucky to live the life I live. San Diego is beautiful, my home is welcoming and inviting and every day I am learning new things about my city, my friends, myself and life as a whole. I can't forget to mention that for a foodie as myself, San Diego is a food Mecca. It has every type of food and cuisine you could think of, whether you spend 5 dollars or 155 dollars, there is something delicious to be tried. I am working on a huge blog post of everything I have the chance to eat and the things my stomach is jumping for joy to try! Check back soon for that. Warming: don't read on en empty stomach or you might find yourself in your car en route to San Diego :)

Now that I've got that off my mind (or my plate), I can share a little bit of what I've been thinking, learning and maybe even messing up. Come summer vacation, I felt great, I looked great and I believed that anything was unachievable. I was high on life, and it was such an indescribable feeling. Yet, happiness came to a halt a little over two weeks ago. My health is as stable as the stock market which meant that as things seemed to get better, things evidently  crashed. It felt like all the progress and effort put in was worthless. It's as if I was stuck on a stationary bike. All that energy  put in and no matter how hard how hard you push, you are exactly where you started. Naturally, the first reaction was "Seriously? Again? Can you just cut me some slack God?" My cloud 9 had withered away and I was back on the ground.

Ironically, as physically and emotionally hard the past days have been, I feel like I have been awakened. While my body seems to still be confused that its only 22 years young and not 92 years old, I feel like my mind and eyes have never been clearer.

Roma Roma Mia

Still can't believe this was real life.

 Editors Note: Please excuse my lateness on this post, but I figured better late than never :)  

Okay this is actually Budapest… but I kinda left a piece of my heart there too!

     4 countries, 18 cities and 100 amazing days later, I am back in the grind. The adventure I had waited for what seemed like forever came and went in a glimpse. I no longer wake up to the noise of nuns protesting, run downstairs to get my daily cappucino from a little old man named Giovanni, get harassed on the metro on the way to school or pass by the Vatican on my nightly runs. It still seems crazy that just a few weeks ago, Rome was my home and Italian life became the norm. The pavement I walked held more story then the entire state of California. But as they say… "all good things most come to an end." My trip may have come to an end, but the learning, memories and friendships made have not. What happens in Rome, does not have to stay in Rome and nor do I want it to. I am proud of the journey I made and the impact my trip has made on the rest of my life. 

Yeah, all the dessert was to die for. Brought a new meaning to death by dessert

  If you knew me prior to my trip, you knew I could not wait to go to Italy. It could not come soon enough; September could not come quick enough. I landed in Florence on the evening of September 6 and despite my rough flight, late night and inability to adjust properly to time change, it all felt so unreal. I was here, in Italy, afters months and months of waiting. Yet the next night when my parents dropped me off, things became very real and actually a little depressing. I was going to be away for a long long time (or so it seemed at the time) and despite all the wonders and glories that Europe had to offer… my family would be miles and miles away. In that moment, my eagerness quickly faded and I was left standing with a room full of suitcases and a handful of Kleenex. 
     
     In true Lydia fashion, the homesickness comes right away and as fast as it comes, it also leaves. Looking back today, Italy gave me the journey and adventure of a lifetime. I lived with 5 other girls, each of us so vastly different.. in personality, in style, in belief and in daily routine. But that was the beauty of 114 Viale di Trastevere, we learned to live, compromise and communicate with each other and came to find that maybe we  weren't so different from each other after all. We all had the same fears, failures, heartbreaks and heartaches.. we all missed our families and american food and venti sized lattes.. and at the end of the day, all we wanted to be is to be understood. Perhaps some of us will cease to exist in each others lives and some of us will only strengthen our newly grown friendships, but the point is that we grew on our own because we grew together. 
    People ask me why I chose Italy and apart from the obvious response of "why not?" there is another part to the story. My political science program at Point Loma may have required a semester abroad, but it was something I knew I wanted to do long before I even went to school. I always knew I wanted to go abroad and was set on London for years but one day, something within me changed and to be honest, it wasn't my choice, it was made by the man upstairs. I had prayed about study abroad for a long time and one morning I woke up with complete peace and confidence just knowing that Rome was it. It was settled and done and doubt never again crossed my mind.