House of Hobbies

I mentioned in my introductory post that I would be sharing about my hobbies - but you may ask, what are these hobbies? Well, no one ever accused me of having too few so here is a bit about what has been filling my hobby time.

Cars & Racing

I’ve always been into tinkering with cars and a while back (2016?) I bought a 2001 Mazda Miata and have been customizing it ever since. I have added a turbo and a few other mods which I’ll cover in a future post. I developed my love of cars from working on them with my dad when I was a young kid. Much of the early days of my tinkering on cars with my dad was out of necessity but it grew into a hobby for me as an adult. I like to go to track days/autocross and drive my little red project car. I also introduced my wife to Formula 1 racing when we met 10+ years ago and are thrilled that so many more people in the US are getting into it thanks to the Netflix series.

My 2001 Mazda Miata

Sourdough & Bread Baking
As many people did, I picked up sourdough bread baking as a pandemic hobby. It has become a passion for me and I am still going strong with sourdough. I’ve also been dabbling in sourdough discard recipes as well as expanding to other types of bread making. My family has become very discerning food critics as I experiment and my neighbors, at least for now, have been happy customers of the Greg Boulangerie.

Sourdough Loaf a la Greg

Health & Fitness

I’ve always been interested in health and fitness, but becoming a dad & getting a bit older really has piqued my interest in how I can maintain good health and have movement be a part of my life. I have been trying some at home yoga and stretching of late. I also did martial arts in my 20s and am considering ways I can bring this back into my life. I’ve also been getting more into supplements and other paths toward a healthy lifestyle.

The Great Outdoors

I’ve long been a lover of being outside - it doesn’t really matter where or how, I just love to feel the sun on my face, the breeze in my hair and being amongst the plants & animals. I am lucky enough to call Southern California home now and it affords me the opportunity to try a bunch of outdoor activities. I like to hike and camp - be it a nature walk or a multi-day trip deep in the wilderness. I did some pretty epic camping adventures growing up & living in South Africa. It is a beautiful country with so much to see. Of late, I’ve been doing daddy-daughter trips to scratch my hiking/camping itch. I also have been enjoying being so close to the ocean with a few fishing trips and trying surfing. I broke my toe some years back while surfing which has kept my out of the water, but it is time to pick it back up. I also received a great set of golf clubs for Christmas 2023 and am looking forward to giving this sport another bash with my dad-friends. Finally, I spent a few years living in Germany and it exposed me to skiing which is something I brought me to the states. I took my wife along on a ski trip to Colorado which was quite the experience!

A Transformational Nature Walk through Muir Woods

Gardening, Vermiculture & Growing Food

Another hobby born out of my relationship with my parents; this time my mom. She is an avid gardener and I have early memories of working with my hands in the dirt with her to cultivate plants and grow food. I developed a special bond with her and gardening. Again, the Southern California climate has afforded me the opportunity to really take this hobby to the next level. We have a bunch of fruit trees in our backyard and some raised beds to grow fruits, veggies and herbs. I love to incorporate what I’ve grown into recipes.

Handyman & DIY

Maybe to my detriment, I tend to believe there are very few things around the house that I can’t do/figure out myself. As you can probably tell, I enjoy working with my hands and all the “honey-dos” around the house are a great way for me to see what I am capable of. I have done many a project around the house and am always up to knock down additional ones as they arise.

Other Odds and Ends

While these hobbies aren’t featuring on my weekends all the time, I also dabble in photography, ride a Suron e-bike and follow financial independence/retire early (F.I.R.E) communities. And while last in this list, it certainly is not least - I have been getting into investing and entrepreneurial endeavors of late - hence even trying out this blog idea!

My wife and I cheering on her Trojans

Hopefully one or more of these resonate with you! I will be sharing about each of them in big and small ways. So again, thanks for joining me on the Giggles and Gears hobby journey!