"We do a few common things, uncommonly well"

"Indeed La Jolla is beautiful and fun," I thought as I walked through the chic downtown La Jolla area today. Sometimes Michael and I would visit the La Jolla Cove area with friends visting from out-of-town, admiring the breathtaking sunset, observing the fat and silly sea lions lying on the beach, walking along the dramatic cliffs along the coast, or breezing through the numerous art galleries that showcase all kinds of artists - my favorite is the Peter Lik gallery (http://www.peterlik.com/home.html). I wish that I could go to all the places where he took all those stunning photos.

Last weekend, a couple from Los Angeles came to visit - presumably the last group of friends we would host in our San Diego house before our move. We took them to have Sunday brunch at Coffee Cup - a fusion breakfast place in La Jolla, where they would serve not only traditional brunch items, but also items which are a fusion of Asian and Mexican cuisines! They pointed out to me that the place next door - BurgerLounge- was so good that last time they visited La Jolla, they ate there twice in one day! I was thinking, "how can burgers be that great anyways?" But I have noticed that it is extremely popular all the time. Interestingly, the clientele are mostly young, fashionable and fit. I decided that I was going to give it a try.

Today we did go to BurgerLounge (http://www.burgerlounge.com/) for lunch. The place is rather small, but it is kept extremely clean. The decor is very modern and minimalist, with a lot of stainless steel. The burgers are made of beef from grass-fed cows, and everything is served on white ceramic plates. There is a freshness to everthing they make, from the juicy burgers to the seasoned fries to the salads and even to the iced tea they brew. I loved it the first bite - the bun was so fluffy and crisp too! I guess if you try hard, you can make any kind of food fascinating. We were sitting on these high stools, facing the street, observing the pedestrians passing by. There were a few tables outside as well, with people in designer sun-glasses and chic clothes sipping their iced tea or beer while eating these beautifully made fashionable burgers. It was quite a dramatic culinary difference from eating at McDonald's or In&Out for sure. The slogan of BurgerLounge is "we do a few common things, uncommonly well." And they really have lived up to that! Come to think of it, perhaps what we consider genius or innovation very often is just to "do a few common things, uncommonly well".

I am beginning to feel even more nostalgic about San Diego....