On Monday, we'd planned to explore Coronado but we got in so late from exploring LA that we didn't have the energy to get up.  We only left the room for lunch and Pinkberry LOL stopping in the shops along the way.  Then it was back to the room for a nap.  It was really nice to just lounge around.  Sometimes we try to cram so much in on our trips/vacations that we forget to do this!

We finished the day with dinner @ Nobu.  We've been to Nobu on our previous visits to San Diego and while delicious it can get quite pricey.  However,  this time we happened to be there on the first day of the San Diego Restaurant Week & got to partake of their special 3 course menu for $40!!!

For those of you not familiar with Nobu, it's a Japanese-South American fusion restaurant.  The food is delicious and the raw fish lovers in my life swear by it.  I, however, learned that I don't really like raw fish no matter how high quality it is.  I think it's more of a texture thing but I prefer my food well done and crunchy!   That said, Nobu is an experience not to be missed. 

1) First/Appetizer Course
Top - Salt and Pepper Squid - Flash fried squid dusted with Japanese seven spice 
Right - Sashimi Salad - Organic greens served with Tasmanian Ocean Trout sashimi
and signature house dressing
Bottom - Spicy Seafood Soup - Spicy clear soup with white fish, shrimp, scallop, squid,
clam and mushrooms
Left - Edamame (NOT part of the restaurant week menu)

2) Second/Main Course
Top - Black Cod with Miso - Alaskan Black Cod filet marinated in sweet miso sauce
and broiled (served with a side of rice)
Bottom - Ribeye Wasabi Pepper - Grilled Prime Ribeye of beef with Wasabi Pepper Sauce
(served with a side of rice)
Left - Assorted Sushi - Six pieces of chef's choice nigiri and one spicy tuna roll

3) Third/Dessert Course
Top - Blood Orange Parfait - Blood orange sorbet over soba crumble dressed with citrus mint salad and cardamom foam
Right - Suntory Cappucino - Layers of coffee and Suntory whiskey creme brulee, coffee crumble,milk ice cream topped with whiskey foam
Left - Mochi Ice Cream - Green tea and lychee ice cream each wrapped in sweet rice pastry

We'd been itching for a trip, had some vacation time we needed to take and gas prices are lower than they've been in a long time = road trip!  However, our travel money is virutally non-existent right now so we had to find a way to do it on the cheap.  Since we have a suite at the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego at our disposal, this was the obvious choice.  One of our traveling buddies (@tamtak) has joined us and kindly provided the car so here we are in SoCal on a mini -- 5 day -- vacation.  It's @tamtak's first time here so we're hoping to make it a memorable trip even though we're trying to keep to a tight budget.  Let's see how that goes.... LOL