Meet the San Diego Mama Behind...

I've known the Mama behind Butter Braid San Diego for a few years...so when she told me about her new business I was definitely excited, though I had never heard of or tasted a Butter Braid. And then she invited me to her house...and I had one...exquisite! These tasty pastry's are not only delicious, but they are the perfect product for your school, sports team or club fundraiser.

Meet Sherri, the Mama behind Butter Braid San Diego!

How long have you lived here?
I was born and raised in San Diego. I feel very privileged to say that I’m a third generation San Diegan. That’s a fairly rare thing for around here. I absolutely love living in San Diego and I’ve honestly never found myself wishing that I lived somewhere else.

Why did you start your business?
My husband, Peter has been looking for a long time for a business that we could own and operate as a family. He had a very specific set of criteria that he was looking for. When we heard about this Butter Braid Distributorship and took a really thorough look at it, we found that the business model fit every one of his criteria. Bingo! It was exactly the right thing at the right time. Sometimes when something is the right thing, you can just feel it in your gut. That’s what Butter Braid was for us.

What is your favorite thing about running your business?
The thing I like most about the business would be the people and the product! On our end of things, I really enjoy meeting and working with the people running their fundraisers. They’re great people volunteering their time and energy for worthy causes that benefit children and families all over San Diego County. I say “kudos” to every individual who’s ever served as Fundraising Chairperson. I also feel that the people who stand behind our Butter Braid product at Country Maid, Inc. (in West Bend, Iowa) are a great group of rock solid, strong family values, Mid-Western folks. We are very well supported by them and definitely feel like we are part of the whole “Butter Braid Family”.

Then there’s the product. Butter Braid is a top quality frozen pastry dough available in five different flavors: Apple, Blue Berry Cream Cheese, Cherry, Cinnamon and Cream Cheese. In the Spring, we’ll be adding a new flavor called Bavarian Creme. These are available to the public only through groups running a fundraiser. Check out www.butterbraidsandiego.com, once you’ve tasted a freshly baked Butter Braid, I can pretty much guarantee that you’ll want more.

What is your all-time favorite thing about living in San Diego?
For me, that would have to be living in a city that has such great weather that I’m able to ride my bike all through the year. Road cycling is my number one top favorite thing that I love to do! San Diego has great bike lanes and a nice long fabulous coast line to ride along. Every week, at least one of my rides is from my home in University City up to Downtown Carlsbad and back (50 miles total) and in the thick of Winter (January and February) while a great portion of the country is blanketed in snow, I’m riding along the ocean with the sun shining in my face! Did I mention that I LOVE SAN DIEGO!

Where is your favorite place to eat in San Diego?
For fast food, it would have to be La Salsa. I love their Baja Fish Tacos. For “sit down” dining, I love the Carnitas at Old Town Mexican Cafe For sushi it would be Kiku-Ya on Governor Drive in UC. For Thai food either Di Chan on Clairemont Mesa Blvd. for Pad Thai and Pineapple Shrimp Curry or RAMA (on 4^th Ave.) for the most amazing Tom Kha soup. For fish, I still love The Fish Market on the harbor (Chocolate Mousse for dessert is mandatory). The Tin Fish makes an awesome Swordfish Taco! And for Greek food I really enjoy going to Apollonia (formerly Aesop’s Tables). For pizza…that would have to be Lefty’s Chicago Style Pizza in North Park. Their thin crust pizza with pesto, cheese and chicken (no red sauce) is the best ever! Just thinking about it makes me want one right now! This is making me hungry, is anyone else feeling that way?

Where is your favorite place to go with your children in San Diego?
We have six children ranging in age from 5 to 21 (yes, they were all planned and wanted). Finding a place we all loved to go was not an easy task. At the risk of sounding like all we ever do is eat…I must admit that The Old Spaghetti Factory was our favorite place to go. We were so sad when they closed the downtown location. The other thing we like to do is play in a swimming pool (it’s my dream to have one someday). Wait…let me correct that…the kids like to play IN the pool while I relax OUT of the pool. I’m a Jacuzzi-kind-of-girl.

Our family loves to explore Balboa Park. Our personal favorites are the Model Train Museum, the Carousel (I love grabbing the brass ring and winning another ride!) and the little train. I still get a kick out of riding the little train. “Kite park” on Mission Bay is another favorite spot where we like to play.

Where is your favorite place to go without your children (with your husband or girlfriends)?
Peter and I try to go out every Friday night. Our favorite thing to do is head over to Vertical Hold Rock Climbing Gym to do some sport climbing for a couple of hours and then off to dinner somewhere for uninterrupted conversation. We also like to get up early Saturday morning to get in at least a 30 mile bike ride together before the kids soccer games start.

With girlfriends, it would be out to dinner to one of the aforementioned restaurants for “chick talk” and then off to a “chick flick”. Girl-power!

Any insider San Diego Secrets to share? Shopping tips, eating tips, driving tips, etc…?
For some fun family team work, I would suggest renting an authentic Italian surrey bicycle for four… or six… or eight, from Wheel Fun In San Diego at their Balboa Park location just north of the Casa Del Prado Theater. Everybody gets into the act with pedaling, but you’ll have to take turns steering and ringing the bell. Throw a few greetings in Italian, out to the pedestrians you pass by and you’ll have them laughing at…uhhhh…with you. This is some serious fun!

A kind of hidden thing we like to find is the Spruce Street Suspension Bridge in the Banker’s Hill area. We always forget exactly where it is (the “Spruce Street part) and that contributes to the adventure. The foot bridge crosses a ravine so once we find it we like to run back and forth across it and Peter and I try to make the bridge bounce and swing as much as possible. Okay…so some kids never grow up. Life is short. Have fun!