ParkHouseSD Inspired Green Veggie Scramble & Pink Goddess Bubbles

A San Diego celebration menu: garden-fresh breakfast scramble meets sparkling strawberry-guava cocktail

The Dinner Bell is a love letter to food, family, and memory. It's where I share heritage recipes, revive forgotten dishes, and pair them with stories and sips from my California kitchen. I recreate the original, zhuzh up the flavor when needed, and offer adaptations for how we eat today, so don't miss a bite. Subscribe and join me at the table every week.

Last weekend, my family gathered in San Diego to celebrate my nephew Ian's graduation from Point Loma High School. What a whirlwind that was! My sisters Julie and Jackie, my nieces Olivia and Hope, and my mom Joy were all there to cheer him on (we missed Quincy, busy with soccer up in Northern California).

We packed so much into those few days. We arrived just in time to change clothes and make it to the graduation ceremony, then celebrated with Ian's friends and their families over dinner. After collapsing into bed at 11 pm, we were up early for breakfast at ParkHouseSD, followed by pool time at the hotel, a walk along the Navy ships (including the USS Midway Museum), and a trip to Seaport Village for carousel rides, shopping, and Dole Whip treats.

But the highlight was Saturday night's graduation party, hosted by one of Ian's friends’ parents, with the most incredible view of San Diego. The White Collars (a local band and friends of the host family) played all our favorite throwbacks (including my fave Green Day), and honestly, it was one of the best parties I've been to in years. Picture this: a fully stocked bar, live music, and every generation mixing and mingling. It reminded me of the legendary parties my parents threw, where everyone was welcome and the laughter never stopped. One for the memory books, truly. An unforgettable weekend all around.

Today, I'm sharing recipes inspired by our delicious meal at ParkHouseSD – a savory dish paired with the bubbly drink that my niece Olivia couldn't get enough of. The rest of the family went wild for the gluten-free chilaquiles, blue corn flapjacks, buttermilk pancakes, and their special brown sugar pancake. If you're ever in San Diego, definitely stop by ParkHouseSD for breakfast – nothing beats the real thing!

For Father's Day next Sunday, I'm sharing pancakes - one of my dad's ultimate favorites. The ParkHouseSD version I loved and will share my inspired recipe for is a lemon ricotta pancake with blueberry sauce, which my dad would have honored and tried because I asked him to, but he would have much preferred a straight-up simple pancake with lots of butter and maple syrup, so I will also share a recipe for that. I'll post this early Saturday in case you want to add it to your Sunday Father's Day menu. Cheers to all the dads who keep it simple and sweet.

For Father's Day next Sunday, I'm sharing pancakes - one of my dad's ultimate favorites. The ParkHouseSD version I loved is a lemon ricotta pancake with blueberry sauce, and I'll share my inspired recipe for it. My dad would have honored it and tried it because I asked him to, but he would have much preferred a straight-up, simple pancake with lots of butter and maple syrup, so I'll share a recipe for that too. I'll post this early Saturday in case you want to add to your Sunday Father's Day menu. Cheers to all the dads who keep it simple and sweet.

Have fun with these recipes. Make them your own, tweak them to match your style and taste, share them with friends, and enjoy every bite and every moment.

ParkHouseSD Inspired Green Veggie Scramble