After waking up at 4am, we headed to the backside of Catalina Island for two dives at Farnsworth Bank.

An afternoon spent in Avalon after two days of diving.

We spent a couple days scootering around the Catalina Underwater Dive Park with our friends Nicole and Stephen. First dive was on the Valiant, a 162′ luxury yacht resting in 70-100′. After our final dive, we spent a pleasant afternoon wandering around Avalon.

The Hogan is a Wickes/Clemson-class Destroyer launched in 1919. She served extensively throughout WWII until being intentionally sunk in 1945. She’s over 300′ long and rests in several broken pieces in about 125′ in Mexican waters just south of San Diego, CA.

A group of us headed out on the Spectre for a fun day of DIR diving. Our trip took us to two of the northern Channel Islands – Santa Cruz and Anacapa.

This light and easy bread pudding was a great use of summer tomatoes.

Tomato Bread Pudding

3 cups (1/2″) cubed french bread
2 1/2 cups diced tomatoes
5 garlic cloves
2 tbs sugar
3/4 cup basil, chiffonaded
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
salt and pepper
olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together tomatoes, garlic, sugar, and 2 tbs olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat dutch oven over medium heat. Add 2 tbs olive oil, then bread cubes. Stir until bread has browned. Add tomato mixture and cook for five minutes. Add basil and cook another minute. Adjust seasoning as necessary.

Place bread and tomato mixture into a casserole dish. Cover with parmesan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese is melted and just browning.

Saturday night show down the street at the El Rey. El Ten Eleven opened for Pinback. We also made a video of how we spent July 24, 2010.

Inspired by the YouTube “Life in a Day” project, here is how we spent July 24, 2010. In the morning we went diving at Heisler Park in Laguna Beach and in the evening we saw a Pinback show at the El Rey.