As one last hurrah before our big move, my husband and I drove down to Solana Beach — near San Diego — for my Las Vegas dojo’s annual beach training.

James and I arrived mid-afternoon on Friday, so we headed to an early dinner at Parioli’s Italian Bistro. It’s conveniently located between the Marriott and Holiday Inn hotels on Highway 101.

We split a bottle of the Borsao Granaja wine and I indulged in the pappardelle pasta with lobster & sea scallops. The pasta was thick housemade spinach noodles and the sauce was a heavy rose sauce, but lighter than an alfredo. It was actually heavier on the seafood than the pasta.

For dessert, this Frangelico Chocolate Mousse hit the spot.

Breakfasts on both Saturday and Sunday were enjoyed at Beach Grass Cafe, also off of Highway 101 in Solana Beach. My dojo loves this place, and we eat here every year.

I recommend their housemade granola with Greek yogurt and homemade blackberry preserves…

…and the baked eggs. They have a similar consistency to hard-boiled eggs with a light layer of parmesan cheese. The grilled baguette was an excellent addition.

Of course, the highlight of the weekend was actually training on the beach.

We practiced our sparring techniques in the Pacific Ocean…

…and I tested for my blue belt, since I will already be in Oregon when our dojo’s belt test takes place next weekend.

Saturday afternoon we went for a hike at Torrey Pines State Reserve.

The hike back up from the beach was a bit daunting after 2 hours of karate earlier in the day, but the views were well worth it.

We were also able to witness the wedding of two other members of my dojo on Saturday evening. Such a beautiful setting…

Now the weekend fun is over and we’re mid-transit to Oregon.