Non, it is Encinitas. Last Saturday my husband, John, and I had a great day together. Later that evening I reflected on the day, and how it reminded me of what might be one of our typical days in South France. This reinforced my thinking that “Joie de Vivre” and a “Taste of French Country Living” is a wonderful attitude and a philosophy to adapt and can be lived, wherever you call home.

Follow me through our fun fabulous day together, and I will parallel it to a fabulous day in South France.

France Market Day Shopping For Fresh Produce In the Nearby Village. Translates in Encinitas, to going to the Cardiff Farmers Market on Saturday 10:00am to 2:00pm at Mira Costa College San Elijo Campus. I like this market a lot because it a nice size market consisting of three long rows of vendors. The first row is fresh produce, fruit, honey, and artisanal meats from friendly local farms. The second and third rows are specialty food items such as baked goods, hummus, pizza, greek food, coffee, crafts, clothing, art, jewelry, flowers, music, and more. Please note: the market is not held during the September Greek Festival weekend which is September 7-8, 2024 this year.

I was looking for heirloom tomatoes, as mine in my garden have not done that well this year. I was very pleased with the produce I bought consisting of beautiful tomatoes, fresh sweet corn, juicy peaches, and surprise fresh zucchini blossoms (which I don’t see very often here in Encinitas). Oh yes, I purchased for Sunday morning to share, a large incredible almond chocolate croissant filled with vanilla creme from a very talented bakery stall. He said it was one of his bestsellers.

Nice Leisurely Lunch At A Favorite Outdoor Cafe. Translates in Encinitas, to going to Blue Ribbon Pizza in the Lumberyard for a great salad and wood-fired pizza. Downtown Encinitas has many great cafes and restaurants offering outdoor seating, something positive from Covid. The hard part is making a decision on just one. In France, the whole country stops from noon to 2pm to enjoy their lunch. No fooling.

After Lunch, Stroll The Village For An Errand or Casual Shopping. Translates in Encinitas, to strolling the historic Coast Highway where there are many wonderful independent shops. I stopped into the crowded flagship Vuori store to browse their latest fitness clothing.

Afternoon Planned Event To Take In, Such As A Garden Tour, Hike, Museum, Winery Visit. Translates in Encinitas, to going to the Saturday, August 10, 2024 Open House for the new Pacific View Arts Center which was a decade in the making. The city purchased the long vacant, former elementary property totally overhauling it and transforming it into a stunning site to learn art, sculpture, multimedia, music, and a venue for performing arts. It occupies a full block of Third Street between E and F, and even has incorporated the historic Encinitas 1883 schoolhouse in its southwest corner. This is a great addition for the Encinitas community. During the Open House, artists, musicians, media teachers, and staff were on hand for questions and demonstrating. Classes started August 13, 2024.

Stuffed Squash Flower Blossoms — Baked Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

Once Home, Eager To Prep A New Recipe For Dinner With Market Ingredients. Translates in Encinitas, to coming home and excited to make “Zucchini Blossoms with Goat Cheese, Fresh Mint, and Anise Seeds” from the cookbook Dinner Chez Moi by Elizabeth Bard. The zucchini flowers you see in France are much larger in the markets than the ones I got today, that did not deter me. I have always wanted to make these zucchini blossoms, and I had this recipe in mind. The recipe was very simple and so tasty. The presentation is gorgeous and the blossoms so delicious. A perfect light appetizer for the summer. I will share this recipe in a future post.

After Dinner Relaxing On The Outdoor Terrace At Dusk. Translates in Encinitas, to after dinner relaxing on the deck watching the last of the beautiful sunset. In France, when I am in the countryside, night time is dark. France is so rural in our area, there is no light pollution, and in fact our little village borders a huge protected forest. So when dusk turns to night all the stars and planets are so vivid, and the constellations so clear. Stars to further dream upon.

I hope you enjoyed this recap of our recent fabulous fun day in Encinitas, paralleling it to a fabulous fun day in South France. May it give you ideas, inspiration, and tips to create your own heartfelt “Joie de Vivre” wherever you call home.

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie