where GUESTBOOK
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WELCOME TO SAN DIEGO
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TO BREAK THE RULES, YOU MUST FIRST MASTER THEM. THE VALLﾃ右 DE JOUX. FOR MILLENNIA A HARSH, UNYIELDING ENVIRONMENT; AND SINCE 1875 THE HOME OF AUDEMARS PIGUET, IN THE VILLAGE OF LE BRASSUS. TH E EARLY WATC HM AKERS W ERE SHAPED HERE, IN AWE OF THE FORCE OF NATURE YET DRIVEN TO MASTER ITS MYSTERIES THROUGH THE COMPLEX MECHANICS OF THEIR CRAFT. STILL TODAY THIS PIONEERING SPIRIT INSPIRES US TO CONSTANTLY CHALLENGE THE CONVENTIONS OF FINE WATCHMAKING.
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S.D. ESSENCE 20 LIFE’S A BEACH TOWN
32 IMAGINE THAT
40 FASHION STATEMENT
ARTIST TIM CANTOR A talented local artist makes magic with rock band Imagine Dragons. BY DEREK SHAW
26 A SALUTE TO SALK
36 IT’S THE JUICE
44 GOING MODERN
PHOTO ESSAY Photographer Aaron Chang reveals the unique charm of the city’s vibrant beach communities.
SALK INSTITUTE SPOTLIGHT A La Jolla landmark honors its founder and his huge discovery. BY CHARLENE BALDRIDGE
SUJA’S RISING STAR This S.D.-based biz is the fastest- growing beverage company in the country. BY SARAH DAOUST
SAN DIEGO STYLE The city comes into its own as a destination for fashion, style and shopping. BY NICOLE QUIROZ
INSIDE THE NORTH PARKER Jonathan Segal’s new project has re-energized a key corner of North Park. BY SARAH DAOUST
30 CATCHING ‘SLOMO’
38 SHELL SHOCK
50 GO FISH
DR. JOHN KITCHIN A P.B. roller-skating legend shares the unexpected story behind his passion. BY DAVID MOYE
LEGENDARY TACO SHOPS Learn how a San Diego food staple elevated the dining scene here and nationally. BY DAVID MOYE
TOMMY GOMES Nobody knows seafood like Tommy Gomes, the city’s go-to fishmonger. BY WENDY LEMLIN
(COVER) “CARDIFF BEACH BREAK” BY AARON CHANG; (OPENING SPREAD) BENJAMIN GINSBERG; (THIS PAGE, L-R) COURTESY TIM CANTOR, COURTESY SALK INSTITUTE, AARON CHANG
CONTENTS
4 W H E R E G U E S T B O O K
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CONTENTS
S.D. ESSENTIALS
MUST-SEE ATTRACTIONS Top city-defining destinations: The order depends entirely on your interests and mood.
54 NEIGHBORHOODS COUNTY GUIDE A tour of San Diego’s most celebrated communities, from Coronado to the North Coast.
57 SPENDING TIME
SHOPPING The region’s major shopping destinations and a selection of local boutiques and galleries.
69 CHOW TIME DINING A guide to the best restaurants in San Diego County, no matter your taste—from comfort food to sushi.
87 PLAY TIME
ARTS & ATTRACTIONS Museums, theaters, theme parks, nightclubs, spas and more make San Diego a playground for kids and adults alike.
96 PARTING SHOT
Take to the sea with a surfing session in Cardiff.
(L-R) KAREN MORRISON, MATTHEW SEGAL, COURTESY PUESTO
10 FIRST LOOK
6 WH ER E G U ESTBOO K
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嘀漀琀攀搀 䈀攀猀琀 匀愀渀 䐀椀攀最漀 䄀爀琀椀猀琀 ㈀ 㐀 戀礀 刀愀渀挀栀 ☀ 䌀漀愀猀琀 洀愀最愀稀椀渀攀
䈀氀愀挀欀 倀攀愀爀氀猀
ᰠ⸀⸀⸀漀瘀攀爀眀栀攀氀洀椀渀最 戀攀愀甀琀礀 愀渀搀 挀氀愀爀椀琀礀 琀栀愀琀 椀渀猀琀椀氀氀猀 愀 猀攀渀猀攀 漀昀 愀眀攀⸀ᴠ 䈀漀甀琀椀焀甀攀 䠀漀琀攀氀 䴀愀最愀稀椀渀攀 ᰠ⸀⸀⸀匀愀渀 䐀椀攀最漀ᤠ猀 渀攀眀 栀甀戀 昀漀爀 猀挀漀爀挀栀椀渀最 栀漀琀 瀀栀漀琀漀最爀愀瀀栀椀挀 愀爀琀⸀ᴠ 刀椀瘀椀攀爀愀 洀愀最愀稀椀渀攀 䄀琀 琀栀攀 䠀攀愀搀焀甀愀爀琀攀爀猀 椀渀 琀栀攀 匀攀愀瀀漀爀琀 䐀椀猀琀爀椀挀琀㨀 㜀㠀㤀 圀攀猀琀 䠀愀爀戀漀爀 䐀爀椀瘀攀Ⰰ ⌀㔀㘀Ⰰ 匀愀渀 䐀椀攀最漀Ⰰ 䌀䄀 㤀㈀ 瀀栀㨀 㘀㤀ⴀ㔀㘀㜀ⴀ㠀 㠀㠀
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䤀渀 琀栀攀 䌀攀搀爀漀猀 䐀攀猀椀最渀 䐀椀猀琀爀椀挀琀Ⰰ 匀漀氀愀渀愀 䈀攀愀挀栀㨀
眀眀眀⸀䄀愀爀漀渀䌀栀愀渀最⸀挀漀洀
㐀㔀 匀⸀ 䌀攀搀爀漀猀 䄀瘀攀渀甀攀Ⰰ ⌀ Ⰰ 匀漀氀愀渀愀 䈀攀愀挀栀Ⰰ 䌀䄀 㤀㈀ 㜀㔀 瀀栀㨀 㠀㔀㠀ⴀ㌀㐀㔀ⴀ㠀㠀
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where GUESTBOOK On the Web: whereSD.com publisher Jeff Levy EDITOR Sarah Daoust ART DIRECTOR Carol Wakano PRODUCTION ARTIST Diana Gonzalez contributing designer Heidi Schwindt contributing writers
Charlene Baldridge, Claire Caraska, Wendy Lemlin, David Moye, Nicole Quiroz, Derek Shaw contributing photographers
Aaron Chang, Idris Erba, Benjamin Ginsberg, James Erin de Jauregui, Karen Morrison, Edwin Santiago, Ashok Sinha COPY EDITOR Claire
Caraska
ACCOUNT MANAGERS
Kerry Brewer, Joanna McLean Stickel, Richard Blankley, Heather Heintz, Julie Hoffman, Jessica Levin Poff, Heather Price CIRCULATION MANAGER Lisa Hillebrecht PRoduction manager Dawn Kiko Cheng web manager Christina Xenos MARKETING Anna Ciric Administration
Leanne Killian, Laura Okey, Danielle Riffenburgh VICE PRESIDENT OF national sales Rick
Mollineaux 202.463.4550
MVP CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER Haines HONORARY President Ted
Wilkerson
Levy
3990 Old Town Ave., Suite B–200 San Diego, California 92110 Phone: 619.260.5599 Fax: 619.260.5598 EMAIL Advertising/business JLevy@SoCalMedia.com Editorial Editor@SoCalMedia.com Art Art@SoCalMedia.com Production Ads@SoCalMedia.com Circulation Lisa.Hillebrecht@SoCalMedia.com Where GuestBook San Diego is published by Southern California Media Group under license from Morris Visitor Publications. Where GuestBook publishes editions for the following U.S. cities and regions: Amelia Island, Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, Beverly Hills, the Big Island, Bonita Springs, Boston, Boulder, Cambridge, Captiva Island, Charlotte, Chicago, Clearwater, Colorado Springs, Dallas, Denver, Fort Myers, Fort Worth, Greater Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Kaua’i, Los Angeles, Marco Island, Maui, Memphis, Miami, Naples, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, O’ahu, Orange County, Orlando, Palm Beach, Philadelphia, Ponte Vedra Beach, Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, St. Augustine, St. Petersburg, San Antonio, San Diego/La Jolla, San Francisco, Sanibel Island, Santa Barbara, Seattle/Eastside, Tacoma, Tampa, Tucson, Wailea, Washington, D.C., and Winston-Salem/Greensboro/High Point. Copyright© 2015 by Southern California Media Group. All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, in whole or in part, without the express prior written permission of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility to any party for the content of any advertisement in this publication, including any errors and omissions therein. By placing an order for an advertisement, the advertiser agrees to indemnify the publisher against any claims relating to the advertisement. Printed in the United States. Circulation audited by Audit Bureau of Circulations.
415 S. CedroS Ave. Ste. 100 SolAnA BeACh, CA 92075 858-794-8000 www.passionfinejewelry.com
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8 W H E R E G U E S T B O O K
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s s
contRIBUTORS DEREK SHAW
• Imagine That, p. 32 A San Diego native, Derek Shaw is a writer, musician and artist. He now lives in Oakland, Calif., where he wanders the redwoods with his dog, rummages through flea markets and devours Steinbeck. An old soul and anachronistic pilgrim, he plays piano to the tune of Nick Cave, Tom Waits and Elliott Smith. Listen to his band at soundcloud.com/stepchildren, and check out his lifestyle blog at eastofthebeast.com.
charlene baldridge • A Salute to Salk, p. 26 An accomplished journalist, poet, lyricist, critic, blogger and playwright, Charlene Baldridge clearly has a way with words. She also knows San Diego like the back of her hand, having lived here since 1962. Baldridge also lived through the polio epidemic of the 1950s. In this edition, she recounts her firsthand familiarity with Jonas Salk, who would be 100 years old this year—which also happens to be the 60th anniversary of his discovery of the polio vaccine.
ss
WENDY LEMLIN
• Go Fish, p. 50 A lover of dancing and animals, Wendy Lemlin is an award-winning travel and food writer who has been afflicted with an acute case of wanderlust for as long as she can remember. Whether traveling to the far-flung corners of the globe, or the near-flung corners of San Diego County and Mexico, she constantly seeks out the path least taken in search of unique experiences—geographical, cultural and culinary. Read about more of her adventures at borderlinesfoodandtravel.com.
s s
karen morrison
• Catching ‘Slomo,’ p. 30 Since a young age, Karen Morrison has been interested in the many aspects of visual arts, moving from drawing, animation and film, to finally, photography. Now, she complements her photography with graphic design, focusing on telling a story from start to finish. Her work, which ranges from fashion to portraits, has been featured in several local and national publications. Alongside her regular work schedule, Morrison is the director of AIGA San Diego LINK, a nonprofit that provides art workshops for in-need San Diego teens.
ss aaron chang • Life’s a Beach Town, p. 20 Aaron Chang is an internationally acclaimed surf and ocean photographer whose epic imagery has been published worldwide in hundreds of books and magazines. In 2013 and 2014, he was voted “Best Artist” by Ranch and Coast magazine readers, and was named by the San Diego Tourism Authority in 2014 and 2015 as the city’s Ambassador of the Arts. Chang resides in North County and owns two successful San Diego photography galleries—one in Solana Beach and the other downtown—that showcase his captivating works. Learn more at aaronchang.com.
W H E R E G U E S T B O O K 9
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firstlook THE CITY’S TOP MUST-SEE ATTRACTIONS, IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER. FROM GLORIOUS BEACHES TO SHOPPING TO WILDLIFE, S.D. IS A DIVERSE PLAYGROUND RICH IN CULTURE.
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The Bays and Beaches
In 1602, Spanish explorer Sebastián Vizcaíno described San Diego Bay as “a port which must be the best to be found in all the South Sea.” Today, sightseeing and dinner cruises navigate the bay daily. Along the Embarcadero, historical vessels including the aircraft carrier USS Midway and the 1863 barque Star of India have become floating museums; the area is also home to Seaport Village. On man-made Mission Bay—part of the 4,600-acre Mission Bay Park—kayaks, Jet Skis, sailboats and catamarans ply the calm water as bikers, joggers and skaters cruise along the bayside paths. And did we mention our 70 miles of coastline and two dozen postcard-perfect beaches? Don’t forget the sunscreen.
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Old Town
San Diego’s earliest settlers and explorers nested here, from the Kumeyaay Indians 9,000 years ago to the Spanish missionaries that arrived in the 18th century. Billed as the “Birthplace of California,” Old Town features authentic historical structures within Old Town State Park, including the restored Cosmopolitan Hotel and a lively entertainment complex, plus more contemporary diversions along surrounding streets. Find fresh-made tortillas grilling at the many restaurants lining San Diego Avenue, while the nearby shops at Bazaar del Mundo offer colorful collectibles celebrating Mexican heritage. Other Old Town attractions include an enclave of preserved Victorian homes known as Heritage Park, the Mormon Battalion Historic Site, a Sheriff’s Museum, an early Catholic cemetery, the Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception, and the historical (and reportedly haunted) Whaley House Museum. San Diego Avenue at Twiggs Street, oldtownsandiego.org
Animal Attractions
San Diego radiates animal magnetism. Begin the wildlife tour at the San Diego Zoo, whose creative enclosures house Park in Escondido lets visitors get up close and personal with beasts roaming spacious tracts of open land. SeaWorld, with its rides and shows, is part theme park, part aquatic zoo, and home to dolphins, penguins, orcas, sea turtles and the interactive Explorer’s Reef. (Anyone care to pet a white-spotted bamboo shark?) Find more sea creatures at Birch Aquarium, perched on a bluff overlooking La Jolla. San Diego Zoo, 2920 Zoo Drive, Balboa Park, 619.231.1515, sandiegozoo.org; Safari Park, 15500 San Pasqual Valley Road,
Escondido,
760.747.8702,
sdzsafaripark.org;
SeaWorld, 500 SeaWorld Drive, Mission Bay, 619.226.3901, seaworld.com; Birch Aquarium at Scripps, 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla, 858.534.3474, aquarium.ucsd.edu
(OPENING SPREAD) IDRIS ERBA; (THIS PAGE) EDWIN SANTIAGO
many exotic species, from pandas to clever meerkats. Safari
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North Coast
San Diego’s North County coastal communities have a certain charm that must be experienced firsthand to fully appreciate. Yes, the pace is a bit slower than other areas, but locals prefer it that way. The North Coast’s many quaint pockets offer the best in boutique shopping, gallery hopping and beaches. Don’t miss the California Surf Museum in Oceanside; Legoland and the brilliantly blooming Flower Fields (in springtime) in Carlsbad; the architecturally stunning Lux Art Institute in Encinitas; the art-lovers’ paradise Cedros Design District in Solana Beach; dozens of upscale boutiques and fine dining in Del Mar; and a photo op with the infamous “Cardiff Kook” sculpture in Cardiff-by-the-Sea. For a list of North County
ASHOK SINHA
attractions, visit ncsandiegodirect.com and sandiego.org/discover/north-county-coastal.
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Gaslamp Quarter
Past and present collide in this 16-square-block area full of historical architecture and bustling nightlife in the heart of downtown San Diego. An erstwhile red-light district known as the Stingaree, the Gaslamp Quarter was also the one-time stomping ground of Wild West lawman Wyatt Earp. These days, Victorian-era outlaws have been replaced by 21st-century funseekers, who swarm the boutiques and galleries on Fourth and Fifth avenues by day and spill off the sidewalks by night in all their evening finery. With 130-plus restaurants, bars, nightclubs and cafés in the neighborhood, and Petco Park (home of the San Diego Padres) and the Convention Center just steps away, the Gaslamp is this beach town’s undisputed urban center. The area’s historical charm is accented by gaslamp-style streetlights and brick building facades. Fourth, Fifth and Sixth avenues between
Balboa Park
The cultural heart of San Diego, Balboa Park is one of the largest urban parks in the country—larger than even NYC’s Central Park. A gorgeous 1,200-acre patch of green at the city’s center, Balboa Park is home to no fewer than two dozen institutions celebrating the arts and humanities, including the San Diego Museum of Art, the San Diego Natural History Museum, the historical Old Globe Theatre and museums dedicated to nearly every topic imaginable—from photography and folk art to model trains, sports and aviation. In addition to stellar sightseeing, the park also offers plenty of hike and bike trails, a Japanese teahouse and friendship garden, the Botanical Building housing more than 2,000 plants, an IMAX theater, and the Spreckels Organ—one of the world’s largest outdoor musical instruments. Pack a picnic and settle in for a free, family-friendly concert, held Sundays at 2 p.m. The Balboa Park Visitors Center is located at the House of Hospitality, 1549 El Prado, 619.239.0512, balboapark.org.
(TOP) ASHOK SINHA; (BOTTOM) EDWIN SANTIAGO; (RIGHT) COURTESY PARK HYATT AVIARA
Broadway and Harbor Drive, 619.233.5227, gaslamp.org
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World-Class Golf
With more than 90 courses, it’s safe to say San Diego is more than a little enamored with the links. Still, it’s quality—not quantity—that counts; thankfully, some of the world’s most sought-after greens are located right here. From Phil Mickelson to Tiger Woods, the Torrey Pines Golf Course has been played by nearly every boldfaced name in golf; it’s been home to an annual PGA tour stop for four decades and counting. In Carlsbad, the Park Hyatt Aviara (pictured) boasts San Diego’s only Arnold Palmer signature course, and Omni La Costa Resort has hosted numerous PGA tour events. In Poway, Maderas Golf Club was named by Golf Digest as one of “America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses”—known for its Johnny Miller- and Robert Muir Graves-designed course. For tee times, call Showtime Golf, 866.661.2334.
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Coronado
Accessible by ferry or via the graceful Coronado Bridge, this charming village across the bay from downtown San Diego is home to one of the city’s most famous sites: the Hotel del Coronado. Known to locals simply as “the Del,” the resort’s iconic red turrets can be seen from the sea—as well as on the silver screen. (Locals still tell stories about the time Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis came here to film Some Like It Hot.) But the rest of Coronado is worth exploring, too, either on foot or while bicycling along 15 miles of dedicated bike paths. Those that run up and down Silver Strand State Beach are especially scenic, running all the way down and past the famed Coronado Cays—known for its romantic gondola tours. Take a stroll down the wide, treelined boulevard running through the center of town, which is defined by quaint mom-and-pop shops, sidewalk cafés and an array of remarkable early 20th-century residential architecture, ranging in style from English Tudor to Craftsman to Spanish Colonial. Coronado Visitor Center, 1100 Orange Ave., 619.437.8788, coronadovisitorcenter.com
Spectator Sports
MLB team that gave rise to beloved late Hall-of-Famer Tony Gwynn, who is immortalized in a bronze statue at downtown’s Petco Park. At Qualcomm Stadium in Mission Valley, the Chargers have made the NFL playoffs multiple times. At Del Mar Racetrack, A-list celebs have been betting on the ponies for nearly 80 years. Racing season runs from midJuly to early September, then starts again in late October. Taking place all year-round are action sports and surfing competitions—including the World Bodysurfing Chamionships near Oceanside Pier in August. Petco Park, 100 Park Blvd., East Village, 619.795.5000, padres.com; Qualcomm, 9449 Friars Road, Mission Valley, 619.641.3100, chargers.com; Del Mar Racetrack, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar, 858.755.1141, delmarracing.com; worldbodysurfing.org
(TOP) ASHOK SINHA; (BOTTOM) JAMES ERIN DE JAUREGUI
Since 1969, San Diegans have supported their hometown Padres, the
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Westim 20339 W
Mechanical Competence Model Marine Chronometer M anufacture Ladies Manufacture movement Self-winding
U LY S S E - N A R D I N . C O M
010-019_FIRST-LOOK_GBSD15.indd 19 Westime Guestbook SanFP/FC Diego FP/FC Ladies1(20339) August 2015-July 2016 20339 Westime Guestbook San Diego MCM Ladies AugustMCM 2015-July 2016.indd
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life’s a
BEACH TOWN WRITTEN and PHOTOGRAPHED BY AARON CHANG
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La Jolla SUNSET SPLENDOR AT WINDANSEA BEACH, A STRETCH OF PRISTINE COASTLINE IN LA JOLLA (THIS PAGE).
Leucadia I NAMED THIS PHOTOGRAPH “LAST WAVE OF THE DAY.” AN EXCITED SURFER IN LEUCADIA RUNS OUT FOR ONE MORE WAVE (OPPOSITE).
At first glance, San Diego may appear to be one big beach town. Look a bit closer, and you’ll
discover more than a dozen individual coastal communities, each with its own distinct personality, culture and charm. Collectively, they make up the whole of San Diego and are what make the city so fascinating, multidimensional and different from any other. As a photographer and gallery owner based here for decades, I’ve made it my mission to showcase and honor these enchanting, one-of-a-kind pockets. From the sleepy surfer haven of Leucadia to the bustling Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach, it’s not only the unique landscapes and scenery that make each beach town so special, but also the people. With the following collection of photographs, I aimed to capture slices of our local culture and bring some of our vibrant beach towns to life through my camera lens. Explore them for yourself and feel free to make tracks of your own in the sand.
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Del Mar A SPECTACULAR VIEW OF THIS IDYLLIC BEACH COMMUNITY, THIS PHOTOGRAPH WAS TAKEN ON THE DAY OF THE LOWEST TIDE OF THE YEAR.
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Solana Beach WARM SUNLIGHT ILLUMINATES THE SANDSTONE CLIFFS AT THE SOUTH END OF SOLANA BEACH ON A CLASSIC SOCAL BEACH DAY (THIS PAGE).
Pacific Beach THE HOTEL ON THE ICONIC CRYSTAL PIER IS ONE OF THE FEW PLACES IN CALIFORNIA WHERE YOU CAN SLEEP OVER THE WATER (OPPOSITE).
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a salute to
SALK
FROM A GROUNDBREAKING MEDICAL DISCOVERY TO ESTABLISHING AN ENDURING DESIGN MARVEL IN LA JOLLA, JONAS SALK CHANGED THE WORLD. ONE SAN DIEGAN OF MORE THAN FIVE DECADES REMEMBERS HIM WELL. BY CHARLENE BALDRIDGE
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PREVIOUS SPREAD: SALK INSTITUTE’S MAIN PROMENADE AND WATER FEATURE THIS PAGE: THE SALK’S RESEARCH OFFICES AND SCIENCE LABS OPPOSITE: THE LATE JONAS SALK
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previous spread, Solventsolution | Dreamstime.com; left, Chihyao Chang; right, courtesy salk institute
A
n estimated 10 million people walk about in the world today because of the late Jonas Salk, M.D., (1914-1995). If not for his research and his development of the polio vaccine, they would have died or become permanently paralyzed.
This year, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, which Salk founded in 1960, celebrates Salk’s centenary year (he would’ve turned 100 years old in 2014) and the 60th anniversary of his polio vaccine discovery, made in 1955. In 1947, Dr. Salk moved from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, to Pittsburgh, Pa., where he became an associate research professor of bacteriology and director of the Virus Research Laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The following year, with the support of the March of Dimes, he began researching the poliovirus. Two years later, he turned his attention to developing an inactivated poliovirus vaccine. By 1952, he and his associates had developed what they believed to be a safe potential polio vaccine. The rest is history. Twenty years younger than Salk and raised in suburban Chicago, I was accustomed to going to Lake Michigan every day during the summer. One year, my parents forbade this activity. It seemed there was a paralytic disease about which little was known, other than its disastrous effects—kids in iron lungs, unable to breathe or walk on their own; kids in wheelchairs; kids who died. At that time, paralytic poliomyelitis was believed to be waterborne, so parents were advised to keep their children away from swimming pools and the beach. Unlike so many others living near large cities, I escaped polio. After World War II, according to historyofvaccines.org, annual polio epidemics became increasingly devastating in the U.S. The 1952 epidemic was the worst outbreak in our history. Of nearly 58,000 cases reported that year, 3,145 people died and 21,269 were left with mild to disabling paralysis, with most of its victims being children. In 1952, the year I graduated high school, Salk announced the formulation of an injectable vaccine to protect against the virus. Small trials were conducted, and in 1955, the year I had my first child, the vaccine was declared “safe, effective and potent.” By 1957, when my second child was born, cases in the U.S. had dropped by nearly 90 percent. I remember standing in line with my two little boys in 1960, pregnant with my third child, to get a trial dose of the newly developed Sabin oral vaccine, recommended for expecting mothers. According to the World Health Organization, by 2014 only three countries—Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan—remained polio-endemic, down from more than 125 countries in 1988.
Instead of resting on the laurels that came with his monumental discovery, Salk decided to establish an independent institute where scientific research might be conducted in various areas that would carry on the fight against other global health threats. The La Jolla site he chose was a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Salk had specific ideas about the importance of natural light, and also about what materials he wanted incorporated into the buildings (eventually 29 separate structures)—which were designed by world-renowned architect Louis Kahn. For instance, Salk insisted on adaptable, light-filled laboratories. The building materials needed to be simple, strong, durable and as maintenance-free as possible. Kahn, who utilized concrete, teak, lead, glass and special steel, created two identical, six-story buildings that face each other across a grand courtyard. Groundbreaking took place in June 1962, and the first concrete was poured. The core building construction was completed in 1967. Prior, the first laboratories were set up in temporary buildings. In addition to Salk, there were five original resident fellows plus an initial group of five non-residents. Salk himself investigated multiple sclerosis and autoimmune diseases, cancer immunology, improved manufacture and standardization of killed poliovirus vaccines, and the development of an AIDS vaccine. In 1992, the Salk Institute received the 25-Year Award from the American Institute of Architects. Today, Salk Institute employs 850, including 61 faculty members. In its labs one finds research endeavors in the fields of cancer, diabetes, birth defects, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, AIDS and plant biology. Each year in August, in the space between the two main buildings, Salk Institute hosts Symphony at Salk— a fundraising dinner with a symphony orchestra and a view that grows even more spectacular as the sun sinks over the sea beyond the courtyard. Such beauty (both visual and aural) provides one of life’s most unforgettable and breathtaking experiences for those who get to partake in it. Salk died at age 80 on June 23, 1995, with his legacy cemented as one of the most influential people of the 20th century. His on-site memorial bears this inscription: “Hope lies in dreams, in imagination and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality.” Salk did that in his life, and he also made it possible for countless millions to live, to dream and to achieve.
fun facts In April 2015, the National Geographic Channel named San Diego one of the “World’s Smart Cities.” San Diego is featured in an approximately hourlong documentary of the same name that has been shown in more than 60 countries worldwide on the National Graphic Channel. According to the San Diego Tourism Authority, San Diego is one of only four cities chosen worldwide and the only U.S. city to be included in the documentary series so far. Among others, the qualities that distinguish San Diego from other major cities lie in its strong technological industries and its innovators. Those trailblazers highlighted include the late Jonas Salk and former San Diego Mayor Charles Dail (1909-1968), who assisted and eased Salk’s path in the selection, development and approval of the Salk Institute site in La Jolla. It is interesting to note that Dail himself was a polio survivor.
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CATCHING 30 WH ER E G U ESTBOO K
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Going from stethoscopes to skates, Dr. John Kitchin retired from the rat race to live life on his own terms: free as a bird, soaring up and down the Pacific Beach boardwalk daily. By DAVID MOYE
Photographed by KAREN MORRISON
Hundreds of thousands of tourists come to San Diego each year to walk, skate or bike along the Pacific Beach boardwalk, but a smaller percentage are simply looking for “Slomo.” That’s the nickname given by P.B. locals to Dr. John Kitchin, 72, a retired neurologist who skates the boardwalk seven days a week in a unique, balletic motion where his torso is bent forward, and his body is balanced on his right leg. A North Carolina transplant who began practicing medicine in Long Beach, Calif., after completing a stint in the Navy in the early 1970s, Kitchin was board-certified in psychiatry and neurology. He later practiced medicine in San Diego, focusing primarily on forensic neurology. In the eyes of many, Kitchin was living the “California dream.” He had a mansion, fancy cars and a successful practice. But in his own eyes, Kitchin wasn’t happy; he was stressed and depressed. And then his eyes developed a condition that affected his vision, creating an opportunity for him to simply stop what he was doing. So he stopped. That was in 1998. Now as “Slomo,” Kitchin spends his days following his bliss by skating up and down the 2.5-mile P.B. boardwalk, usually around sunset. “I got to a point where I realized I didn't have to be a doctor right up to a final heart attack,” Slomo says, while putting on his inline skates. “I figured that I could spend the last part of my life working out a method of moving meditation by a special technique of [snow] skiing that I had partly developed a number of years before I started skating.” Slomo has been practicing his slow-motion skating technique for 25 years, mostly by himself, for himself. “I have been called a street performer, but I don't feel that I am performing or showing off,” he says. “I skated alone late at night for
as he did on the hill, he started skating every chance he could since he could get the same level of communion without having to deal with snow. Slomo may appear to be a loner who doesn't need people, but he discovered people need him, or at least the idea of him, two years ago. That’s when the world discovered Kitchin and his skating alter ego via Slomo, a documentary by filmmaker Joshua Izenberg, whose father went to medical school with Kitchin. Izenberg and his dad were visiting San Diego and saw Kitchin skating on the boardwalk one day. “I wouldn’t say it was a 180-degree shift for John, more like 150,” Izenberg says. “He always had a quirky streak, but it was still surprising.” The documentary short struck a chord with viewers, especially after The New York Times posted it on its website, where it was seen by millions. Slomo was already a familiar fixture in P.B., but the film made him nearly as big of a local attraction as the pandas at San Diego Zoo. “About twice a day, somebody who has heard about me will say, ‘Hey, I saw the movie,’ and this and that. There are some who come to the beach specifically looking for Slomo. One guy had just graduated from medical school in Israel, and he thought, ‘Gosh, I don’t really want to be a doctor.’ He came back after graduation, drove across the country, and went looking for me because he thought Slomo was the only person who could relate to his problem.” Slomo's story is particularly profound to such visitors as Dr. Kelly Hyland, a psychiatrist from Salt Lake City, who ran into Slomo during a recent vacation and recognized him from Izenberg’s film. “Seeing what he did shows me I can have more than one life,” Hyland says. “I’m secretly a writer of poetry, and it gives me hope that I can be more than someone’s doctor.” As important as skating is to Slomo, the activity is a vehicle of sorts for him to understand the concept of “the zone”—i.e., that particular state of mind when a person is instinctively doing the activity that he or she loves best. “There’s this fundamental power, which Christians call [the presence of] Christ, that comes into the individual and manifests itself,” he says. “When it does, the person is in another realm of artistic or athletic thinking. No matter what it is, it puts the person in another category. The trick is to stay in it. Find some way to stay in it. It’s the state of love. I personally think this is what Jesus meant when he said, ‘the Kingdom of heaven is within.’ This is as good as it gets on this Earth.” And for him, San Diego is the best place to be. “Not just because of the weather, but it's such a freeing place in terms of personal freedom. When I skate, people react to me so positively. I feel that whatever it is that I am doing must be good.”
‘SLOMO’ many years before I discovered the boardwalk where there are always people.” In an earlier time, Slomo lived for skiing. “I don't know when it started, but I’d go to the top of the hill just by myself and say to myself, ‘God, let’s you and I do this,’ and when I'd start down the hill, I would experience a superior state of mind that was induced by a combination of a spiritual attitude coupled with acceleration.” When the technology for roller skates advanced to where Slomo could get the same level of acceleration on the streets
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THAT
The wild, wondrous world of artist Tim Cantor includes collaborations with the hottest rock band on the planet. BY DEREK SHAW
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FROM LEFT: PRIMAVERA AND NOSTALGIA BY TIM CANTOR
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Most 5-year-olds are not very
this page (from left): Instruments de Musique Anciens by tim cantor; the artist himself.
skilled at finger painting, much less fine art, but Tim Cantor wasn’t your average kindergartner. It all began when he received a box of oil paints and brushes that had belonged to his great-grandfather, a British artist whose landscapes adorned his childhood home. Born across the bay from San Francisco, Cantor often visited galleries and museums in hopes of earning a place alongside his heroes. By age 15, he was already an awardwinning prodigy, and his work was hanging in the White House. By his late 20s, Cantor had seen his art published, achieving critical acclaim and international adoration. Despite the early success, he desired more autonomy and a closer connection with his audience. At the turn of the millennium, he and his wife Amy decided to open their own venue on Fourth Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter. At once, they pulled all of his paintings from other galleries and created a multisensory space devoted to his vision. That was a gamble, both in terms of financial feasibility and San Diego’s limited exposure. Today, Cantor is one of the most accomplished artists in the U.S. From Robert DeNiro to Robert Redford, his paintings are collected by some of the biggest celebrities in the world. His crowning achievement was a recent commission for the
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IMAGINE DR AGONS IMAGES, COURTESY IMAGINE DR AGONS/KIDINAKORNER /INTERSCOPE RECORDS
rock band Imagine Dragons. Their latest record Smoke+Mirrors debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, as well as the top of the charts in England and Canada. Leading up to its release, artsy scavenger hunts were organized for fans around the globe. The album cover featured one of Cantor’s creations, but the collaboration didn’t stop there. He contributed 13 other paintings to correspond with every song on the record. He even appeared in a music video for the hit single “Shots,” showcasing his dazzling images as the visual backdrop. Cantor is now Imagine Dragons’ official art director, and he joined the band on their 2015 North American tour for 40 dates from early June to early August. Every concert was accompanied by an exhibition of his groundbreaking project. “I never could have conceived that it would grow to such unprecedented heights,” admits Cantor. “It’s something that’s never really been done in the art and music industry.” Self-taught and exceptionally disciplined, Cantor’s unique aesthetic is surreal yet hauntingly lifelike. He blurs the line between memories and dreams, portraying his quirky subjects with uncanny precision. Not only does he paint from imagination without a physical frame of reference, he also renders each piece entirely by hand. Toiling from midnight to morning on a daily basis,
his nocturnal method is painstaking, often WITH THE MEMBERS OF involving years of fineIMAGINE DRAGONS; THE tuning before the results SMOKE+MIRRORS COVER. are revealed. Even his wife, who runs the gallery and manages much of his business, doesn’t see anything until it’s finished. They journey to Europe and Asia three months out of the year, deriving motivation from different cultural sites. Cantor’s inspiration largely stems from historical art ranging from the Italian Renaissance to French neoclassicism. He loads up on supplies while traveling abroad, including dry pigments and gilded frames, which lend a timeless quality to his work. His signature medium is deeply saturated oil on everything from wood to canvas, refusing to utilize a ruler or any sort of guide. Remarkably, Cantor’s line work is impeccable. His confident, flawless strokes seem to leap from the surface. Each strand of hair is fine enough to comb. Eyes have depth and emotional transparency. A haunting element underlies much of his work, yet it still manages to radiate hope, even in the darkest of settings. This juxtaposition of fear and ambition strikes a delicate balance rooted in symbolism, often pairing floating objects with contemplative characters. He also accompanies ABOVE, TIM CANTOR
(SECOND FROM RIGHT)
many of his paintings with original poetry and prose to illuminate the meaning. The literary aspect of his technique proves enlightening to the artist and viewer alike. “During the process of exploring the composition, I usually start questioning the image, and sometimes a story is revealed,” explains Cantor. “Since I’m creating the painting simultaneously, the writing plays an important role in how the artwork ultimately unfolds.” For a man with such talent and prestige, Cantor remains soft-spoken and humble. He and Amy own a hairless cat, leading a quiet, introspective life. He labors tirelessly out of his home studio, which lies a few blocks from the gallery. Over the past 15 years, he’s watched San Diego mature into an international destination and cultural hotbed. The partnership with Imagine Dragons will undoubtedly skyrocket his career, but Cantor is sure to stay grounded. He never sought the limelight and simply wanted his passion to be shared with those who value its beauty. Now that his legacy is assured, the future is ripe with boundless potential. But underneath the wealth and fame, he’s still the kid who stayed up past his bedtime, waiting for his parents to fall asleep, just so he could paint until sunrise. Get inspired at timcantor.com.
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IT’S THE JUICE
AS THE FASTEST-GROWING BEVERAGE COMPANY IN THE NATION, SUJA KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT PRESSURE … COLD PRESSURE, THAT IS. BY SARAH DAOUST
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COURTESY SUJA
E
mbracing the irony of her last name, Annie Lawless enrolled Juice, particularly “super-premium juice,” is big business. Companies in the University of San Diego’s School of Law in 2010, with such as BluePrint, Evolution Fresh, Naked, Odwalla, Suja and other bottled her sights set on a career as an attorney. A longtime health nut, products, delivery services and juice bars collectively are competing in—and due in large part to her battle with celiac disease and eczema contributing to—an industry estimated to be worth as much as $3.4 billion, as a child, Lawless began juicing as a teenager. After discoveraccording to a recent Bevnet.com report. In San Diego, juice bars are the new ing that it was an easy-to-digest way to absorb vital nutrients that her fragile coffee shop, with dozens opening in the last few years. They promise everydigestive tract wasn’t able to from whole foods, juicing became her passion. thing from life-changing cleanses to concoctions that boost energy, reduce Later, juicing became a small side business for law student Lawless and her junk food cravings, improve skin complexion and assist in weight loss. friend and raw food chef, Eric Ethans; the two started a juice delivery service So what makes Suja so special? Let’s start with the cold-pressure technology. in San Diego. In 2012, they connected with local entrepreneurs Jeff Church All juices and smoothies are cold-pressed hydraulically using “pascalization,” (founder of Nika Water) and James Brennan and formed Suja. Lawless aka high-pressure processing (or HPP), versus traditional pasteurization, dropped out of law school, and the four partners’ fledgling company took off. which utilizes heat to destroy pathogenic microorganisms. With HPP, the Today, Suja—which translates to “long, beautiful life” in Hindi—is the produce is ground or cut into a fine pulp that is then hit with thousands of fastest-growing beverage company in the U.S. Carried in 3,500-plus stores pounds of pressure to extract every drop of juice possible. This procedure still nationwide—including Whole Foods, Vons, Safeway, Kroger and Target—the kills any harmful bacteria, but also preserves maximum nutritional value (i.e., company is ranked No. 2 on the Forbes list of “America’s Most Promising vitamins and minerals) and taste, and gives each Suja product a shelf life of Companies,” raking in $45 million in 2014 and on track to double that in 35-75 days, depending on the flavor. The HPP process is slower and more 2015. The company employs 200 people at its San Diego headquarters in expensive than heat pasteurization as it is a batch process, notes Lawless, but Miramar, where every single bottle of its USDA-certified organic, non-GMO, the result is flavorful, nutrient-packed, organic goodness. cold-pressured fruit and vegetable juices and smoothies is lovingly crafted. Speaking of shelf life, bright packaging, clever verbiage and fun flavors such “We are so proud of our roots in San Diego, where healthy living is a huge as Carrot Crush, Blutrients and Lavenade have helped Suja to stand out on the part of the culture,” says Lawless. Now 27, she resides in La Jolla, serving shelf next to its competitors. “We believe it’s important to have a fun outlook as the company’s face and also working on her lifestyle blog, Blawnde.com. on nutrition,” says Lawless. “Health without the punishment.” “Right now we’re in innovation mode, really listening to our customers and Suja has encountered some criticism along the way, namely regarding the introducing new flavors. The goal is to keep Suja interesting, keep it innovaprice and sugar content. The company has countered by introducing the tive and, most importantly, make it as accessible as possible.” lower-cost Essentials line that includes several lower-sugar offerings, yet still The Suja collection comprises three lines. Suja Classic is the original big boy stands behind its price points and ingredients. “Consider our processes,” says at 16 ounces and a price tag of $8 per bottle, with around a dozen flavors that Lawless. “Cold-pressed, cold-pressured, organic and non-GMO costs more.” range from the earthy Twelve Essentials, packed with dark leafy greens; to the As for the sugar content in some Suja juices, Lawless explains, “The body tart Spark, made with strawberry, sour cherry, raspberry, lemon, honey and needs some natural sugar for energy. The sugar in our juices is a natural, cayenne. The smoothie-based line Suja Elements comes in a smaller 12-ounce clean, organic source that is coming straight from the fruit. There are some bottle for around $5, with select flavors available in a 49-ounce economy size low-grade, chemically based sweeteners in other drinks that are harder for the for about $13. A cool bonus: 20-25 cents of each Elements bottle body to recognize and break down. We just ask people to considsold goes to a nonprofit cause. Suja Essentials is the newest offerer the amount of sugar they’re ingesting in a day and the source.” ANNIE LAWLESS, COFOUNDER OF SUJA AND ing, slightly more economical than the other two lines at around Lawless and Church recently released a new book, The Suja CO-AUTHOR OF THE $4 for a 12-ounce bottle and $10 for 49 ounces. Juices such as Juice Solution, that talks about juicing in the bigger context of SUJA JUICE SOLUTION Mighty Greens, Sunrise Probiotic and Cucumber Chill are loaded diet, lifestyle and exercise. It’s a New York Times best-seller. (LEFT); SUJA’S CLASSIC with antioxidants, proteins, omegas and amino acids; and some When it comes to pressure, it seems that Suja has risen to the LINE OF COLD-PRESSED contain 35 percent less sugar than other leading juice brands. occasion and then some. JUICES (ABOVE).
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coming out of
Their Shells Taco shops in San Diego are way more than a hill of beans; in fact, they’re legendary. By david moye
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People from all walks of life live and work in San Diego, but there is a common culinary thread that brings us together: Mexican food, specifically the kind found at the liter ally hundreds of taco shops across the county. “Mexican taco shops—that’s what San Diego expatriates talk about when they meet,” says Ed Croft, a San Diego native who recently moved back after nearly 20 years. “They really are what you miss the most.” Ahh, the quintessential San Diego taco shop … a place where a family of four can fill up for around $20. The best ones have a salsa bar where chowhounds can snack on spicy carrots, sip a Corona or guzzle a bottle of Mexican Coke (considered the champagne of sodas), while their tacos, burritos or tostadas are being made. Often located in a strip mall next to a nail salon, or a stand-alone building that previously housed a Taco Bell (and painted in garish red and yellow vertical stripes), the typical taco shop features a menu that is almost always the same. “A No. 4 one place is a No. 4 at the others,” Croft says. “A fried beef taco, cheese enchilada, rice and beans.” Like your food spicy? Make sure to get lots of those little plastic containers of salsa. It’s usually red, but sometimes there’s a green sauce made with tomatillos, a cousin of the tomato. Taco shop aficionados such as Scott Slater, founder of the popular gourmet burger chain Slater’s 50/50 (which has San Diego locations in Point Loma and San Marcos), are very particular about their taco shop favorites. “I always get the carne asada burrito, but I don’t like it wrapped in foil,” Slater says. “No rice and beans in the burrito. I just want meat, guac, pico de gallo and some red sauce. I like a slightly crisp tortilla with a little drip at the end. I get one of those at Trujillo’s Taco Shop [near San Diego State University] every time I golf nearby, and I send my college buddies a picture to make them jealous.” If it seems like every San Diego taco shop has a “bertos” in the name, you’re not far off. San Diego is brimming with taco shops named Roberto’s, Rolberto’s, Alberto’s, Aiberto’s, Filiberto’s, Jilberto’s, Adalberto’s, Hilberto’s, Humberto’s, Rigoberto’s, Mr. Ruriberto’s and Rayberto’s. Credit Roberto Robledo for the boom in “bertos.” He’s the San Diego culinary legend who, in 1964, created Roberto’s Taco Shop, which has left its iconic red-and-yellow, vertical-striped mark on the region ever since. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the success of Roberto’s inspired a whole bunch of “bertos”—many of which were started by members of Robledo’s extended family or residents of a small village in the Mexican state of San Luis Potosi, where Robledo hailed from originally. He passed away in 1999 at age 70. “My father was proud that he was able to bring people from his village to the U.S. and help them become restaurant owners,” says Reynaldo Robledo, one of Robledo’s 13 kids.
The success of Roberto’s and other San Diego area taco shops comes down to a mix of stability and innovation. Roberto’s is credited with popularizing the carne asada burrito in the 1970s. The chain followed that up in the 1980s with the California burrito, a mix of carne asada, sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo and French fries. When Ralph Rubio made the fish taco San Diego’s most famous food export with his Rubio’s chain—which began as a walk-up taco stand on Mission Bay in 1983—other San Diego taco shops were quick to dive in and start selling seafood. The taquito is another major San Diego taco shop contribution to the culinary world. A popular appetizer at chain restaurants all over the world, it was invented in 1940 at El Indio, now located on India Street at the base of Mission Hills. Owner Ralph Pesqueira Jr. credits his grandmother, “Chata,” with the taquito. “At the time, there was no place to sit down, so Chata and my dad decided to make a taco you could eat standing up,” Pesqueira says. “It’s similar to a flauta, but we used a corn tortilla instead of a flour one because, at the time, corn tortillas were more popular.” Taquitos started appearing on competitors’ menus a couple years after that. Now mainly known as the rolled taco, it’s a popular late-night eat, especially with guacamole, cheese and the requisite red sauce. Pesqueira’s daughter, Jennifer, believes El Indio’s version is still the best. “Unlike other places, we don’t fry it until it’s super crunchy,” she says. El Indio didn’t trademark the taquito, but Jennifer does feel pride knowing her family has made its mark on the culinary world. “I live about 3 miles from the restaurant, and one day I counted 15 taco shops between my home and El Indio.” Since taco shops are often the only places open in the wee hours of the morning, they are where San Diego’s different demographics collide, according to Paul O’Berine, saxophone player for San Diegorooted punk band Rocket From the Crypt. “You get the homeless guys, the [nightlife crowd], people getting off work from the late shift,” he says. “It all comes together at 3 a.m.” Besides providing sustenance for many, taco shops have inspired restaurateurs like Eric Adler, whose Puesto restaurants in La Jolla and downtown are influenced by classic taco shop cuisine, but have taken it up a notch. (Puesto’s tacos are pictured.) “At Puesto, we’ve upped the level of the ingredients, but I couldn’t have done this without the existence of these taco shops,” Adler says. “That said, we’re going in new places, such as using pistachio in our salsas.” Adler adds, “I think what we’ve learned from the taco shops is that the tortilla makes a great canvas.”
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fashion Statement How San Diego’s trailblazing fashionistas are finally putting the city’s most stylish foot forward By N ic ol e Qu i r o z
above: graphics for fashion week san diego 2015; opposite: a lookbook still from yuweidesigns.com.
Once upon a time, San Diego was
“Other than carrying lines that are exclusive
considered by many to be the rest stop between
to us in San Diego, we also offer free personal
Los Angeles and Tijuana. The fashion scene
styling services,” explains Andrea Van de Vort,
arguably existed little beyond the latest trends
owner of the Del Mar boutique bearing her last
in flip-flops (a year-round closet staple for
name, on how she competes with the top mall
locals). Today, the city has transformed into
brands. “We really get to know our custom-
not only one of the country’s top travel destina-
ers and can handpick items for them for any
tions, but also a hub of evolving fashion talent.
occasion. It’s always a very personal and fun
From movie screens to the catwalk to bloggers
shopping experience; we want our clients to feel
and writers-turned-entrepreneurs, fashion’s eye
comfortable and confident when they wear our
is on San Diego now more than ever.
clothes out on the town.”
The city’s maturation toward style stardom
Van de Vort, along with other fresh-crop
has become particularly evident over the last
entrepreneurs, is taking advantage of the busi-
five years or so. Iconic brands such as Hermès,
ness opportunities here. In 2010, San Diego
Prada and Chanel now call Fashion Valley
made headlines with the launch of the La Jolla
Mall home, as do edgier labels such as All
International Fashion Film Festival—the first
Saints, Topshop and Zara—all of which locals
international fashion film festival founded in
used to have to drive to Orange County or Los
North America. Now in its sixth year, fashion
Angeles to find. And the mall is not the only
filmmakers all over the world converge in La
place to find unique, top designer goods.
Jolla to network and showcase movies.
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THIS PAGE (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP): GRETCHEN HACKMANN ADLER AND BRITT HACKMANN OF NUBRY; A FASHION WEEK SAN DIEGO RUNWAY SHOW; ANDREA VAN DE VORT; VANESSA BALLI. OPPOSITE: A MODEL SHOWS OFF A FASHION LOOK FROM VAN DE VORT.
Another major event that has put the city on the map is Fashion Week San Diego (FWSD). Now in its fourth year, the event attracts the region’s most talented designers. Allison Andrews, founder of FWSD, has made a stamp on the city since its inception. “In a short amount of time, we have raised the visibility of the fashion industry here in San Diego by partnering with local nonprofits, such as fabauthority.org, and have launched the careers of many,” she says. One of those career successes is jewelry designer Yuwei Lee, owner of Yuwei Designs (yuweidesigns.com); she launched her first collection at FWSD 2013. Within 60 days, her collection was being sold at Fred Segal and a showroom in New York City. Her pieces also were featured in VOGUE’s March 2015 issue. “As FWSD grows, there is a direct correlation to the industry here, and it’s thrilling to watch it unfold,” says Andrews. “It’s not a frivolous event once a year. It’s a community; it’s an economic driver and supporter that encourages and attracts other businesses to come here for fashion all year-round.” FWSD’s success not only comes from relentless commitment and hard work, but also from knowing how to capture an audience online—a presence that has helped others in the industry. Social media in particular has been a fundamental reason why San Diego has been able to shake off its flip-flops reputation. It’s how Minh Huynh, founder of Mahal Style, has been able to shift his business from a
social fashion hub to an edgy street-wear apparel brand. It’s how sisters Gretchen Hackmann Adler and Britt Hackmann of Nubry (nubry.com) leveraged their fashion/ lifestyle blog and media strategy company. It’s how fashion blogger Vanessa Balli (vanessaballi.com) started her hair care line. These are only a few San Diego successes. Social media has taught these fashion business owners that one person can singlehandedly run the show. “Social media is everything for Mahal Style,” says Huynh, who works as a one-man-show—managing the company’s social media channels, photography, videography, business needs and apparel designing. “Tools like Instagram and Facebook have been integral in allowing us to communicate with our fan base and customer base. Moreover, it really allows us to stretch our limited resources to effectively market our brand and products.” Adds Van de Vort, “With social media being so influential and such a major part of our daily lives, everyone seems to care a little bit more about what they’re wearing so that they can post it to their Instagram profile and show that they have the latest and greatest piece that everyone is coveting. It really is amazing to watch the evolution of San Diego’s fashion world over the last few years due to the major influence of social media.” With a growing community of designers, bloggers, shopping destinations and five fashion schools, plus events year-round to support them all, San Diego is coming into its own as a bona fide destination for style—no matter the season. And that’s one serious fashion statement.
FASHION WEEK SAN DIEGO IMAGES, COURTESY FASHION WEEK SAN DIEGO; YUWEI DESIGNS LOOKBOOK IMAGE, CHRISTOPHER NEBEL; VAN DE VORT FASHION IMAGE, COURTESY VAN DE VORT
“Other than carrying lines that are exclusive to us in San Diego, we also offer free personal styling services.”
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GOING MODERN HOW THE JONATHAN SEGAL-DESIGNED NORTH PARKER ENERGIZED A KEY POCKET OF AN URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD IN TRANSITION BY SARAH DAOUST
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parker residences and an elevated community walkway. this page: the north parker’s facade overlooking 30th street (top); the corner of 30th and upas, occupied by underbelly at ground level.
The Segals and their team embarked on a $9 million undertaking spanning 12 months from property acquisition to opening. The 30,000-square-foot final product comprises 27 mostly two-story apartments ranging from 850 to 1,100 square feet, with monthly rents ranging from $2,150 to $3,000; plus two low-income units renting at less than $900 each per month, giving the project “affordable housing” status. The absence of gates blurs the line between the grounds’ public and private spaces— an intentional design strategy that is further accentuated by glass-walled residences that look directly out over the streetscape; plus walkways and a garden courtyard that are accessible by the public. Unit features include sustainably sourced bamboo flooring, porcelain tubs, skylights, private decks and semi-private exterior patios. Natural lighting and cross-ventilation help lower energy costs and the need for air conditioning. Five businesses occupy the North Parker’s ground level in an interactive lineup that flows seamlessly from one space to the next. Tenants include Underbelly, a Japanese ramen bar; Tacos Perla, a gourmet taco eatery; Influx Cafe, a European-style coffee shop; Modern Times Flavordome, a beer tasting room; and the Segals’ architectural offices. With their collective patronage and subsequent added pedestrian traffic, the property has transformed the corner into a vibrant, bustling, community-oriented gathering hub. And critics agree. The North Parker is the recipient of the 2015 American Institute of Architects Housing Award, and won the 2014 Orchid for Architecture by the San Diego Architectural Foundation. The accolades lend further weight to the Segals’ knack for revitalizing fragile pockets of urban communities, one modern building at a time.
all photographs by matthew segal
previous spread: several north
Head to the south end of North Park, and it is impossible to miss the gleaming glass, concrete and oxidized steel building commanding the corner of 30th and Upas streets. Say hello to the North Parker, the latest brainchild of renowned developer and architect Jonathan Segal. The striking mixed-use development screams signature Segal, who is known for his sleek, ultra-mod urban spaces built in risky locales. This particular enclave of North Park was a delicate endeavor. The hipster-centric uptown neighborhood is known for its independently owned (and delightfully quirky) art galleries, bars, boutiques, restaurants and small-batch beer breweries. Early 20th-century Craftsman bungalows define the residential architecture in the area, which is also dotted with Spanish-Colonial houses, modest apartment complexes circa the 1970s, and fixer-uppers encompassing all of the above. It’s an ever-transitioning community that is progressive, gritty, eclectic and cool. That said, new developments that smell overtly contemporary, corporate or cookie-cutter are often met with wariness by its proud and protective residents. Some had concerns about the North Parker moving in, but few could argue that the corner of 30th and Upas wasn’t in need of some serious TLC. Formerly occupied by an antique/thrift store and appliance repair shop, the corner attracted more riffraff than socialites and had become an eyesore. “Some people were sad to see their local antique shop moving, but overall the community was cooperative and supportive,” says Segal’s son Matthew, also a designbuilder. He and colleague Greg Yeatter served as project managers for the North Parker. “People were excited to see the revitalization of this entry into North Park.”
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A TWO-STORY APARTMENT WITH AN OPEN FLOOR PLAN IS PERCHED ABOVE THE NORTH PARK STREETSCAPE.
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THE PROPERTY’S SIMPLE GARDEN COURTYARD, WHICH FLOWS INTO OFFICE SPACE, BRINGS THE OUTDOORS INSIDE.
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F
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BY WENDY LEMLIN // PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAREN MORRISON
GO FISH
COURTESY SEAWORLD
When it comes to the freshest seafood in San Diego, it’s Tommy Gomes’ world, and we’re happily swimming in it.
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L OPENING SPREAD: venus clams at
catalina offshore products (cop);
tommy gomes dares us to catch.
this page: daily catches fresh
from the boats at the cop market.
opposite: hook and line-harvested
cardinal snappers (top); fresh
baja stone crab claws (bottom).
ook up “fishmonger” in the dictionary, and you’ll find this definition: “a seller of fish.” Ask anyone in the San Diego foodie world what defines a fishmonger, however, and you’re sure to hear the name Tommy Gomes. As the public face and chief marketer of seafood purveyor Catalina Offshore Products (COP), Gomes does indeed hold the official title of fishmonger. According to all who do business with him—from the most highly respected chefs in town to the casual home cook—it’s his passion for sharing his prodigious knowledge of all manner of seafood that raises the term to a professional level, and has put COP on the chart as a major player in the San Diego gastronomic scene. Gomes is present at almost every charitable culinary event, representing COP and the seafood they generously donate, including the “Collaboration Kitchen” dinners. Gomes organizes these exclusive events, which are always immediate sellouts, in partnership with San Diego’s Specialty Produce and guest chefs to benefit local charities. He has his own YouTube channel, Cooking With Tommy Gomes, where he produces videos on how to choose and cook seafood. He has set up a grill and small kitchen area in the COP retail showroom, and he
or guest chefs regularly demo featured items for sale. Highly opinionated, Gomes is outspoken on the virtues of local, sustainably harvested products and decries chemically laden alternatives that originate at fish farms thousands of miles away. “Not all fish are created equal,” Gomes proclaims, as he fires up the grill to prepare a taste of some particularly good-looking blackgill rockfish being offloaded from a 30-foot fishing boat pulled up on a trailer outside the building. “Look out there,” he says, pointing to the boat, “that’s how fresh our seafood is. It mostly comes from Baja and California, sustainably wild-caught by Pangas or small day boats. We are the first stop from the dock, and I know my suppliers. I know the waters these fish were swimming in hours ago, and I can make suggestions on how to prepare them. Sure, most people are familiar with tuna, salmon, halibut and snapper. But how many know how to cook louvar or have even heard of it? How about hiramasa or hamachi? There are a lot of fish in the sea, and we have a delicious assortment swimming freely in our own waters. There is absolutely no reason to eat fish that have been shipped from China.”
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COP was born about 40 years ago, when founder Dave Rudie would deliver the fresh sea urchin and fish he caught off Catalina Island to a few local restaurants. For years, the wholesale business stayed small and specialized. Then, about 12 years ago, Gomes, a former commercial fisherman with a “colorful” past, walked in the door looking for a job. Rudie, recognizing a passion for seafood and a head full of ideas, took a chance on Gomes when others wouldn’t. He hired him as a fish cutter. Eventually, Gomes convinced Rudie that there was a retail niche for fresh local seafood right from the dock. Today, COP sells more than 30,000 pounds of seafood per week. Descended from a family of commercial fishermen who have lived in the Point Loma neighborhood since 1892, Gomes followed in those rubber boot steps, fishing worldwide for seven different governments. As sometimes happens in the sea-going life, Gomes eventually fell sway to the demons of addiction, landing in federal prison for 10 years on drug charges. He hit rock bottom, but then something changed. “I realized I had embarrassed my family enough,” he smiles ruefully. “I don’t like losing, and I guess I got tired of being a loser. I owe everything to Dave Rudie and COP. He hired me and then held a job for me while I went into rehab. If it weren’t for him, I don’t know where or how I would have ended up.” Where he’s ended up after more than a decade of sobriety is at the nexus of the burgeoning San Diego culinary world, hobnobbing with luminaries, mentoring others and bringing COP to national awareness. On any given day at COP, you’re sure to run into several of the 60-plus top local chefs with whom Gomes personally works on a regular basis. Talk to them, and you’ll hear variations of the same story over and over. Daniel Barron, executive chef of Blush in the Gaslamp Quarter, says, “Having someone as knowledgeable as Tommy is so important in educating both chefs and diners. Unlike other proteins, there’s a huge variety of fish available, many of which most of us haven’t worked with before. He’s introduced me to parts of the fish I never would have thought of using … swordfish belly, for instance. It’s usually just discarded, but Tommy suggested I try curing it, and now swordfish ‘bacon’ has become a really hot item.” Tommy Fraioli, chef de cuisine at Beaumont’s Eatery and former chef at now-shuttered Sea Rocket Bistro, echoes this. “He’ll call me with an idea for something like black cod livers, and say ‘try this out,’ and he’s usually
spot on. Then, he’ll come into the restaurant and post it all over social media. At Sea Rocket, he once sent in some customers for me to cook the fish they had just bought at COP. It turned out great and they became regulars.” Gomes is known for his support of young chefs in whom he sees passion and a dedication to the craft. One of those is Ami Cisneros, newly appointed executive chef of the Hopping Pig. “Tommy helped in setting me up for success. Last year’s Taco Throwdown, sponsored by COP to benefit the Frontburner Fund, was my first solo event. Tommy not only made sure I got the best booth, but he also snuck me out this long extension cord for power, which no one else had,” she laughs. “I actually tied in the fish taco competition—with Tommy!—for Judges’ Choice, and with Puesto restaurant for Voters’ Choice. For me, that was huge! Now, even though my restaurant is mostly pork-centric, I’m here [at COP] ordering fish three days a week.” Amy DiBiase, executive chef at Tidal Restaurant, notes that the service level she receives is phenomenal. “I can message Tommy at any time, and he’ll put something aside for me, or if he gets in something he thinks I’ll like, he reaches out to me, and even suggests ways I can use it.” She continues, chuckling, “Usually his ideas work, but I remember one time when we were trying to figure out ways to use the whole fish, Tommy made a stew from opah fin meat. It turned out rather, shall I say, off-putting, and we still laugh about it.” It’s for reasons like these that Jeff Rossman, chef/ owner of Terra American Bistro, Shalom Catering, and Bunz Burger Joint, buys 99 percent of his seafood from COP—citing the quality of the product and the high level of personal service. “My staff really enjoys it when we offer something unusual that Tommy has suggested. Maybe it’s a lesser-known fish, or an unfamiliar part such as a collar, and we can educate our customers, telling them about the fish, where it’s from and how it’s harvested.” Back in the day, San Diego was the epicenter of the tuna industry, and Gomes’ family was an integral part of that history. Today—with San Diego’s rapidly maturing culinary culture exploding with elevated creativity—local seafood rules, and a fishmonger can be your new best friend when looking for quality and variety. As you dine in area restaurants, don’t be afraid to ask where and how their seafood is sourced. Try something different, expand your culinary horizons and relish the best of our waters. Should you want to take some back home, talk to Gomes, and he’ll have COP overnight it to you.
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NEIGHBORHOODS
LA JOLLA Known as “the Jewel,” La Jolla is the pride of San Diego, boasting unparalleled natural wonders and a cozy sense of community. The village’s tree-lined avenues give it a quaint, Main Street USA feel, only decidedly more upscale, thanks to tony boutiques and four-star bistros with sweeping views of the majestic, craggy coastline below. Surfers flock to La Jolla’s legendary reef breaks—such as Windansea beach, famously chronicled by Tom Wolfe in The Pump House Gang—while kayakers are drawn to the cove’s mysterious caves. Youngsters find endless amusement watching the seals at Children’s Pool beach. The town is also home to the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, which presents world-class exhibitions in its spacious galleries overlooking the Pacific.
LITTLE ITALY New York’s got one, Chicago’s got one, and so does San Diego. Downtown’s Little Italy has a palpable authenticity to it. Though it’s a popular stop for visitors looking for a slice of la dolce vita, don’t be surprised to hear the mellifluous strains of la madrelingua wafting from the many bistros, pasta markets and sidewalk cafés lining the main drag, India Street. The village-like neighborhood is populated by many actual Italians, whose heritage is celebrated during several lively annual festas. Little Italy has also become one of the trendiest nesting sites for San Diego’s young urbanites, thanks to its contemporary architecture, adorable boutiques and a burgeoning, gallery-filled design district along Kettner Boulevard.
DOWNTOWN/GASLAMP QUARTER/EAST VILLAGE The one-time red-light district and former hangout of Wild West legends like Wyatt Earp, downtown’s Gaslamp Quarter is now among the country’s most vibrant entertainment districts, packed with a dizzying array of restaurants, nightclubs and boutiques. Downtown is also San Diego’s civic and cultural center, housing the headquarters for the Symphony and Opera, as well as the historical, beautifully renovated Balboa Theatre. Still more attractions await along the Embarcadero, including the Maritime Museum, the USS Midway aircraft carrier and Seaport Village, with its shops, restaurants and vintage carousel. Adjacent to the Gaslamp, the developing East Village seems to sprout a new bar or condo highrise weekly, attracting residents with its proximity to Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres.
DEL MAR/ SOLANA BEACH These North Coast beach towns are a shopper’s paradise. Upscale but accessible, Del Mar’s pedestrian-friendly downtown has no shortage of bars and restaurants at which to wind down from a day spent indulging in retail therapy at the chic boutiques of Del Mar Plaza or betting on the ponies at the famous Del Mar Racetrack, a longtime hotspot for Hollywood’s elite. A few miles up the famed Highway 101 lies funky Solana Beach, where boutiquelined Cedros Avenue forms the spine of the area’s design district. Converted Quonset huts house all manner of home décor shops, art galleries and clothiers, while by night the Belly Up Tavern books some of the best local and national musical talent on the circuit.
LITTLE ITALY, EDWIN SANTIAGO
SAN DIEGO COMPRISES MANY VERY DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES. HERE ARE THE MOST VISITED.
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UPTOWN, NATHAN PADILLA BOWEN; CARLSBAD AND CORONADO, EDWIN SANTIAGO; MISSION BEACH, COURTESY BELMONT PARK
UPTOWN/SOUTH PARK San Diego’s edgiest cultural districts can be found just north and east of Balboa Park. As the center of the city’s LGBT community and host of the annual Pride Parade & Festival, Hillcrest brims with stellar shopping, ethnic cuisine, casual dance clubs and a Sunday farmers market. Neighboring Mission Hills is home to grand estates whose residents frequent its quaint boutiques and bistros. Due east, North Park— with its alternative galleries, bars and the historical Observatory North Park theatre—is the city’s arts-and-nightlife hub; while its southern neighbor, South Park, is a small but charming collection of shade-dappled streets lined with boutiques, bars and cafés. Take a drive through the area’s residential streets to marvel at fine examples of Craftsman architecture.
ENCINITAS/CARLSBAD The beach communities of North County have a pace all their own. Quaint and walkable, the neighborhoods operate on clocks that seem to tick a bit slower, where corporate homogeneity doesn’t stand a chance against homegrown mom-and-pop shops. Locals prize this simple, laid-back lifestyle as the very definition of the good life. Encinitas lends itself to quiet contemplation, whether from atop a longboard at Swami’s beach or while strolling the gardens of the Self-Realization Fellowship, whose golden, lotus blossom-shaped towers define the skyline. To the north, Carlsbad’s village is packed with bistros and antique shops, while Legoland and other attractions, such as the seasonal Flower Fields, are just a short drive to the east.
CORONADO Sometimes referred to by locals as “the island,” Coronado is actually an isthmus, connected to mainland San Diego by a slim strip of beach known as the Silver Strand. Accessible by ferry from downtown San Diego or via a majestic 2.12-mile-long bridge, Coronado makes for a charming day trip. Wide, tree-lined boulevards and historical homes lend a small-town atmosphere to Coronado’s main drag. As it makes its way toward the Pacific, Orange Avenue winds past the picturesque red turrets of the Hotel del Coronado, a Victorianera resort where Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon famously filmed Some Like It Hot. The area’s scenic beaches are favored by joggers, swimmers, sandcastlebuilding families and dog owners, whose four-legged friends love to frolic in the surf.
PACIFIC BEACH/MISSION BEACH/MISSION BAY San Diego is home to dozens of colleges and universities, and the beach neighborhoods are where those students live. On a thin peninsula separating Mission Bay from the Pacific Ocean, Mission Beach is one continuous beach party, its boardwalk abuzz with joggers, bicyclists, skateboarders and sightseers on Segways. It’s also home to Belmont Park’s Giant Dipper roller coaster, built in 1925. East of Mission Beach is Mission Bay, whose salty waters are plied by kayakers, speedboats and catamarans. Nearby Pacific Beach is a haven for swimwear boutiques, surfing, sunbathing and fishing off the end of the iconic Crystal Pier. By night, Garnet Avenue’s lively beach bars and clubs keep the good times rolling.
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OLD TOWN By day, pedestrian-only Old Town State Park attracts visitors with historical structures, including the city’s first public schoolhouse, oldest surviving newspaper (The San Diego Union) and first brick courthouse. Nearby Heritage Park is a collection of immaculately preserved Victorian homes, including the 1887 Stick/ Eastlake-style Sherman-Gilbert House and Temple Beth Israel, the city’s first synagogue, constructed in 1889. On the hill above Old Town stands the landmark Junípero Serra Museum in Presidio Park, where Father Serra established Alta California’s first mission in 1769. By night, Old Town’s streets become a quaint entertainment district, packed with Mexican restaurants and festive bars serving up margaritas.
OCEAN BEACH/ POINT LOMA These are the quieter, more scenic coastal cousins to the raucous neighborhoods of Pacific and Mission Beach. Ocean Beach, or “O.B.” to locals, is a holdout of bohemian counterculture, full of organic grocers, antique malls and watering holes. The Wednesday afternoon farmers market—replete with fresh veggies, busking musicians and even llama rides for the kids—offers a perfect snapshot of the community. Adjacent Point Loma houses Cabrillo National Monument, where in 1542 Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo became the first European to set foot on the West Coast. Point Loma’s iconic lighthouse, which dates back to 1855, is also worth a visit.
BAJA CALIFORNIA No longer just a getaway for the youthful partygoer, the new Baja is a worthwhile excursion for passport-wielding foodies and culture-seekers. Though you needn’t look far to find a boisterous party scene in downtown Tijuana, you’ll also find a concert hall, art galleries and a museum at the spherical Centro Cultural, as well as celebrated restaurants such as Misión 19 (pictured) serving haute BajaMed cuisine. Twenty miles south are the coastal towns Rosarito and Puerto Nuevo, where fresh-caught lobster is a local specialty. Surfers and horseback riders are drawn to these beaches, while the area’s luxury spas offer a little R&R. (Try Rancho La Puerta in Tecate.) Baja even has its own wine country, a 14-mile route through the Valle de Guadalupe east of Ensenada. FOR WHAT’S HAPPENING IN S.D., SEE WHERE SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE, WHERESD.COM OR THE WHERE TRAVELER APP
GREATER S.D. COUNTY Tourist brochures tend to focus on central San Diego and the coast, but interesting day trips await in the county’s eastern and northeastern reaches. About an hour from downtown is Julian, a charming Gold Rush-era town in the scenic Cuyamaca Mountains whose small main drag is lined with historical buildings. It’s particularly beautiful in the fall, when the leaves are turning and the apple harvest is in full swing. (Try the pie; it’s famous.) San Diego has its own wine country out here, too, home to more than 60 (yes, 60!) producers including the 126-year-old Bernardo Winery; another 40 are clustered together in nearby Temecula. Many of San Diego’s best breweries, including Stone, are headquartered in the Escondido area and attract a growing number of beer pilgrims.
OLD TOWN, OCEAN BEACH AND GREATER S.D. COUNTY, EDWIN SANTIAGO; BAJA, COURTESY MISIÓN 19
NEIGHBORHOODS
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spending time
COURTESY AZZURRA CAPRI
SHOPPING SAN DIEGO STYLE IS ALL ABOUT ELEGANCE TEMPERED BY COMFORT. THIS IS THE COMMON THREAD UNITING THE TONY DESIGNER SHOPS OF LA JOLLA AND DEL MAR, THE INDEPENDENT BOUTIQUES SPRINGING UP DOWNTOWN AND THE MANY FASHION AND OUTLET MALLS. DECISIONS, DECISIONS ...
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SHOPPING DESTINATION SHOPPING
TOPMAN
TIP TOP Need some retail therapy? Hunt for fabulous, on-trend finds at British fashion outpost Topshop/Topman. It's the first San Diego location—a striking, 17,500-square-foot, twostory store at Fashion Valley Mall. On the brightly lit first floor, shop the brand’s premium feminine lines, mainline collections, designer collaborations, coveted denim line, accessories, Topshop beauty products and petite-sized clothing. On the basement floor—which is personified by a masculine interior of dark woods, LED lights and tinted windows—peruse the wellcurated Topman collection, including a sophisticated range of classic and contemporary suits and smart wear, denim in various fits, custom T-shirts, the Topman mainline range and footwear. The basement also houses select Topshop products such as shoes, lingerie, maternity and swimwear; as well as the Topshop/Topman stylist service. 7007 Friars Road, Mission Valley, 619.294.5745, topshop.com
H BAZAAR DEL MUNDOCL0000027057 For more than 40 years, Diane Powers’ Bazaar del Mundo has endured as one of San Diego’s most beloved tourist destinations. This festive collection of nine boutique shops just across Juan Street from the State Park features eyecatching items from around the globe, from colorful pottery at Artes de Mexico to feminine clothing and jewelry at Ariana. You’ll also find textiles, kitchen items, home furnishings, paintings, folk art and an inspiring array of coffee-table books and other titles. 4133 Taylor St., Old Town, 619.296.3161, bazaardelmundo.com CARLSBAD PREMIUM OUTLETS Fashion vendors at this outdoor shopping center 30 minutes north of downtown range from Calvin Klein, Dooney & Bourke and Lacoste to Barneys New York and Brooks Brothers. The outlets also boast well-selected shops specializing in children’s clothes, shoes for every occasion, travel gear and gifts. The center is located just off Interstate 5 (look for the giant windmill). 5620 Paseo del Norte, Carlsbad, 760.804.9000, premiumoutlets.com DEL MAR HIGHLANDS TOWN CENTER This exclusive open-air pocket of dining, shopping and entertainment in Del Mar comprises around 75 stylish shops and restaurants, as well as luxury movie theater Cinépolis. Pick up new threads at local boutique Studio 12-20, fashionable swimsuits at Diane’s Beachwear and designer shoes at Head Over Heels. Fuel up at several dining options, including Searsucker and breakfast/lunch hotspot Snooze. 12925 El Camino Real, Del Mar, delmarhighlandstowncenter.com
DEL MAR PLAZA Experience the elegant seaside approach to a full shopping excursion. The shops at Del Mar Plaza offer merchandise ranging from specialty clothing, footwear and organic bath products to artwork and gifts. Casual and fine-dining restaurants are perched upon this elevated plaza, providing guests a delightful coastal view. 1555 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar, delmarplaza.com FASHION VALLEYCL9000006472 There are shopping malls and there are shopping empires. Fashion Valley holds sway as San Diego’s premier shopping destination, with five department stores—including Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale’s—and 200 shops and restaurants. If Tiffany & Co., Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Burberry are too pricey for your pocketbook, Fashion Valley has all the usual suspects as well, from Abercrombie to Zara. When shopping fatigue hits, take a breather at the expansive food court. 7007 Friars Road, Mission Valley, 619.688.9113, simon.com FLOWER HILL PROMENADE4 A favorite destination for North County shoppers, this upscale, openair retail center is known for its refined culinary outposts, casual coffee shops and diverse array of luxury boutiques. Unique specialty stores encompass everything from jewelry to shoes to women's and men's fashions to home accessories to artisanal food. 2720 Via de la Valle, Del Mar, 858.481.2904, flowerhill.com THE FORUM CARLSBADCL9000006474 This North County staple is much more appealing than your average strip mall. The pedestrian-friendly and aesthetically pleasing shopping center is lined
with tropical palm trees and boasts popular retail outlets like Talbots, Victoria’s Secret and Anthropologie, plus family-oriented eateries such as Buca di Beppo and Panera Bread. 1923 Calle Barcelona, Carlsbad, 760.479.0166, theforumcarlsbad.com THE HEADQUARTERS AT SEAPORT DISTRICTCL0000027067 Formerly the city’s police headquarters (built in 1939), the historical, seaside property is now an open-air lifestyle center. Explore 17 sophisticated shops—including Kitson, Madison, Geppetto’s Toys and Simply Local, featuring unique handmade goods created by locals only—galleries and eateries. In between shopping, refuel at Puesto, known for its gourmet Mexican street food and organic cocktails. 789 W. Harbor Drive, downtown, 619.235.4013, theheadquarters.com WESTFIELD HORTON PLAZACL0000027067 Located on the site of San Diego’s historical town plaza, this multi-level, open-air mall is often credited as having sparked downtown’s revitalization. Horton opened in 1985 and features some 130 shops and restaurants, including mall chain mainstays (The Gap, Forever 21, Levi’s, etc.), department stores (Nordstrom, Macy’s), around a dozen dining options and a movie theater. 324 Horton Plaza, Gaslamp Quarter, 619.239.8180, westfield.com/hortonplaza LAS AMERICAS PREMIUM OUTLETS Bargain hunters regularly trek to the border to find discounted treasures at this outdoor fashion outlet center, San Diego’s largest. With more than 125 stores and restaurants, Las Americas offers ample square footage to shop. You’ll be happy to discover savings of
H STARRED LISTINGS ARE FEATURED GUESTBOOK ADVERTISERS. 5 8 WH ER E G U ESTBOO K
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adelman fine art
25 to 65 percent over retail prices at other malls and stores. Bonus: Tijuana is a five-minute walk away. Hop on the Blue Line trolley from downtown for a hassle-free day. 4211 Camino de la Plaza, San Ysidro, 619.934.8400, premiumoutlets.com Seaport VillageCL0000027063 Don’t let the “I heart S.D.” mugs and seashell trinkets scare you away—this popular tourist destination has many charms beyond its corner on the local souvenir market. In style, the 14-acre complex pays homage to the early days of the century-old seaport and features 50-plus shops and a handful of casual and upscale eateries. Miles of bayside cobblestone paths make it an ideal place for strolling on a sun-dappled afternoon. And kids will dig the delightful carved-wood carousel. 849 W. Harbor Drive, Embarcadero, 619.235.4014, seaportvillage.com h Westfield UTCCL0000027067 This sprawling open-air mall features three major department stores (Nord-
strom, Macy’s, Sears) and more than 150 shops and eateries—including a two-story Crate & Barrel. Commissioned artwork includes a dolphinthemed play fountain for children. The mall’s food court overlooks an ice skating rink—one of the few remaining in San Diego. 4545 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla, 858.546.8858, westfield.com/utc
Galleries h Aaron Chang Ocean Art Gallery For more than three decades, awardwinning, world-renowned surfing photographer Aaron Chang has traveled the globe to capture one-ofa-kind images. As the senior photographer for Surfing magazine for 25 years, Chang specialized in extreme action sports and international travel photography. The fruits of his labor can be seen at both of his artist-owned San Diego galleries, which feature an array of media from large-format photographs to art-wrapped surfboards. 415 S. Cedros Ave., #110,
Solana Beach, 858.345.1880; 789 W. Harbor Drive #156, downtown, 619.567.8088, aaronchang.com
studios. Closed Su-M. 317 E. Grand Ave., Escondido, 760.707.2770, distinctionart.com
h ADELMAN FINE ART CL0000022595 Shop original paintings, limited edition prints, furnishings, artisanal jewelry and more—all created by local and national artists and designers—at this contemporary boutique and art gallery in the heart of Little Italy. 1980 Kettner Blvd., Suite 40, Little Italy, 619.354.5969, adelmanfineart.com
Madison GalleryCL9000007945 Gallery owner Lorna York presides over this 10,000-square-foot contemporary art space in the heart of La Jolla, which features brilliant work by big names—Baldessari, Rauschenberg and Basquiat—as well as emerging and mid-career artists, including mixed media works by James Verbicky and steel horse sculptures by Doug Owen. Open daily. 1020 Prospect St., #130, La Jolla, 858.459.0836, madisongalleries.com
h The Art of Tim Cantor CL0000022595 At age 15, Tim Cantor captured recognition when one of his paintings was placed in the White House. He has since been featured in the world’s most prestigious art venues. One of his own galleries, however, is right here in San Diego, offering visitors an up-close look at the artist’s expressive, darkly ethereal original oil paintings and stunning, limited-edition prints. 527 Fourth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.235.6990, timcantor.com Chuck Jones Studio GallerY The work of world-renowned animator Chuck Jones has been viewed and valued by many generations enjoying Saturday morning cartoons, and is now on view in the Gaslamp. The gallery features work by Jones, the Oscarwinning creator of such memorable characters as Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, Marvin the Martian and Pepe le Pew, as well as images from San Diego’s very own beloved Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel. 232 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.294.9880, chuckjones.com/galleries Distinction GalleryCL9000007944 This Escondido contemporary art gallery showcases figurative pop and urban surrealist paintings from emerging and established artists. Readers of the underground art mag Juxtapoz should find something to like in this 7,000-square-foot building, which features various exhibition spaces as well as 14 artist
Peter Lik GalleryCL9000006511 This upscale gallery in the heart of La Jolla emanates a certain peaceful vibe, lined with world-renowned photographer Peter Lik’s luxury, landscape and fine art photography. The La Jolla locale is one of 16 Lik galleries throughout the U.S. and abroad, but the pieces here are rare, exquisite and one-of-a-kind. 1205 Prospect St., La Jolla, 858.200.0990, lik.com Quint GalleryCL9000007943 For more than 30 years, Mark Quint has been known as one of the most influential gallerists in town, and his opening parties are legendary. People still talk about the time, years ago, that he let an artist shove a telephone pole through the front door, two walls and a back office. Ryan McGinness, Robert Irwin, Kim MacConnel and Roy McMakin are among the many big names the acclaimed gallery represents. Closed Su-M. 7547 Girard Ave., La Jolla, 858.454.3409, quintgallery.com Scott White Contemporary ArtCL9000006487 For more than 25 years Scott White Contemporary Art has consistently put together some of the most interesting gallery shows in San Diego, featuring the work of both emerging and mid-career artists. Media ranges from contemporary painting and
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printmaking to sculpture and photography created by artists from the United States, Canada and Europe. Willem de Kooning, Frank Stella, Norman Bluhm and Andy Warhol are just a few of the names whose work has been showcased here. By appointment only. 989 W. Kalmia St., Little Italy, 619.546.0006, scottwhiteart.com
SHOPS & BOUTIQUES ALOHA SUNDAY SUPPLY CO.52 This modern boutique captures the aloha spirit with its collection of clothing and accessories that are “surfinspired” but not Hawaiian-shirt cheesy. Find supersoft printed tees, organic denim skinny jeans and trendy wood-frame sunglasses from Shwood, plus slip-on shoes, African leather chukka boots and other essentials for the contemporary, beach-dwelling man. Closed M. 3039 University Ave., North Park, 619.269.9838, alohasunday.com AMBA GALLERY For beautiful, original handmade textiles—bedding, clothing, housewares, silks and wools—head to this independent boutique and gallery that celebrates the traditional crafts of India. A fair-trade retailer, Amba's merchandise is produced by the skilled craftspeople of India. The gallery works to support and sustain these artisans by investing its profits back into the communities where the work was created. Closed M. 143 S. Cedros Ave., #V105B, Solana Beach, 858.259.2622, ambagallery.com THE ATTICCL0000333851 This modern vintage shop features design-savvy home décor and accessories like recycled glass bird feeders, handcrafted jewelry by local designers, lightweight scarves from fairtrade companies and tea towels bearing the crown insignia, the symbol of Coronado. Closed Su (10th Street location only). 1011 Orange Ave., Coronado, 619.435.5432; 1112 10th St., Coronado, 619.435.5614, theatticcoronado.com
AZZURRA CAPRICL9000007948 This luxury brand of Italian-crafted leather sandals offers an array of elegant footwear adorned in Swarovski crystals. The glamorous collection oozes femininity, with each set of sandals named after a woman (for example, the Cleopatra)—a perfect accompaniment to a flowing maxi dress. The boutique also carries sophisticated women’s clothing and accessories. 1840 Columbia St., Little Italy, 619.213.3430, azzurracapri.com H BEN BRIDGECL9000007948 Your personal jeweler since 1912, Ben Bridge is a family-run business known for its fine jewelry and knowledgeable service. From engagement rings, necklaces, earrings and bracelets to watches, accessories and gifts, choose from a wide range of designer brands including A.JAFFE, Mikimoto, Rolex and TAG Heuer. Ben Bridge also offers appraisals, engraving, repairs and complimentary cleaning and inspection. Fashion Valley Mall, 7007 Friars Road #543, Mission Valley, 619.291.7572; Westfield UTC, 4505 La Jolla Village Drive, #C-19, La Jolla, 858.453.9996, benbridge.com BIXBY & BALLCL9000007948 The oldest cottage on South Cedros is home to this cool lifestyle boutique carrying items that are coastal chic, minus the kitsch. You’ll find linens and throws by John Robshaw, oversized pillows and nature-inspired wall art, along with lotions, jewelry, home décor, gifts and more. 214 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach, 858.436.7214, bixbyandball.com
Fi ne J ewe l r y
Joan Hansen
William Spratling Silver
J oe l Bl oom b e rg
Pe n ny Ro t h s c h ild
B r ia n Le mke
BLUE JEANS & BIKINISCL0000333847 Shopping for those two articles of clothing women often dread trying on is fun and easy here. From skinny to bootcut, find jeans from premium designers such as Hudson and Joe's; plus bikinis and one-pieces from L Space, A.Che and Vix. 971 Orange Ave., Coronado, 619.319.5858; 435 J St., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.249.0916; 1241 Prospect St., La Jolla, 858.750.2035
lounge located upstairs
1331 ORANGE AVE. | CORONADO
(619) 996-3315 WWW.EMERALDC.COM
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dolcetti boutiqueCL0000333849 This stylish downtown shop, owned by sisters Minet and Natalie Taylor, is one part fashion haven and one part beauty destination—offering a variety of men's and women's clothing, gifts, handbags, shoes and jewelry. Its sister business, full-service hair salon A Style Concierge, is located on the mezzanine of the boutique. 635 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.501.1559, dolcettiboutique.com
the front porch
CapricornCL0000027070 This smart, chic-looking shop in the Bird Rock district features a small but discriminating array of women’s fashions from independent designers including Myne and Gypsy 05, as well as jewelry by Jennifer Zeuner and more in its stylish space. Shoes and accessories, too. 5628 La Jolla Blvd., #B, La Jolla, 858.551.2660, capricornboutique.com The cheese store000027070 A place to learn about cheese through classes, pairing dinners and an extremely knowledgeable and passionate staff, The Cheese Store conveniently doubles as a small bistro and gift shop. Dine in on the delightfully cheese-heavy menu—featuring gourmet salads, soups, sandwiches, paninis, wine and, of course, mac ’n’ cheese and grilled cheese. Take a party platter to go and impress your fellow fromage fans. With more than 65 cheeses in stock, the possibilities are endless. 1980 Kettner Blvd., Little Italy, 619.544.0500, thecheesestoresd.com
Coronado Taste of Oils This quaint, family-owned specialty shop is stocked with a wide variety of oils and fine-aged vinegars from around California and imported from the likes of Italy, Chile and Australia. The best part: Guests can sample any item in stock. Try the organic, Tuscan-herb olive oil infusion, the blood-orange-infused olive oil or the cranberry and pear white balsamic vinegar. 954 Orange Ave., Coronado, 619.522.0098, tasteofoils.com D.G. Wills BooksCL0000027074 While mega-bookstores peddle everything from CDs to lattes, D.G. Wills sells books. Fiction and non-fiction, stacked high on floor-to-ceiling wood shelves, along with photographs, prints and old-time La Jolla memorabilia. Owner Dennis Wills can talk at length about all things literary; he also makes spot-on reading suggestions. The shop long has hosted readings by esteemed authors such as Allen Ginsberg, Edward Albee, Gore
Establish You'll find everything you need to establish your home’s own personal style at this eclectic shop curated by Burnz Fernandez (winner of HGTV's “The White Room Challenge”). From modern décor, furniture and lighting to colorful pillows, bold-patterned throw blankets and vintage kitchenware, the playful and unique range of products here is “unpredictable yet cohesive.” You'll also find an array of eco-friendly and sustainable lifestyle products, including tote bags, wallets and other accessories. 1029 University Ave., Hillcrest, 619.542.1481, establishsd.com The Fabulous Rag Boutique Need a new frock? From fun and flirty prints to casual chic and little black dresses to maxis, this Pacific Beach boutique is filled with one-of-a-kind dresses and other unique fashions. Whether you’re looking for a new outfit for a night out or a day at the beach, you’ll find it here, as well as the latest styles in jewelry and handbags. 829 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach, 858.270.1993, thefabulousrag.com The Front Porch Foodies, gift-givers and porch sitters alike will rejoice in the discovery of this trendy-yet-quaint shop. Inside you’ll find an artfully curated blend of gourmet pantry items, kitchen accoutrements and cookbooks; as
well as uncommon furnishings and antiques alongside an olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasting bar. The 1,950-square-foot boutique lives up to its name, doubling as a charming gathering place where neighbors can catch up. A second location opened in 2015 in Coronado. 928 Fort Stockton Drive, #101, Mission Hills; 918 Orange Ave., Coronado, 855.863.8602, thefrontporchretail.com Gone Bananas Beachwear Since 1975, Gone Bananas’ collection of women’s mix-and-match swimwear has been unsurpassed in quality and quantity. With some 15,000 pieces of swimwear, this Mission Beach shop showcases hundreds of designers, including Luli Fama, Vitamin A, L Space and Billabong. 3785 Mission Blvd., Mission Beach, 858.488.4900, gonebananasbeachwear.com Goorin BroS.CL0000333859 Design is a priority from head to toe at this well-appointed hat shop in a historical Gaslamp Quarter building. Fedoras, trucker, cowboy, even quirky baseball caps can be found here. Or try accessorizing with a vintage hatpin— they’re making a comeback. 631 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.450.6303, goorin.com Graffiti BeachCL0000333866 Inside this laid-back South Park shop, owner Melanie Michaud keeps her inventory stocked with one-ofa-kind “beach-to-street” fashions for women and men from up-andcoming designers. Eco-friendly accessories—bamboo sunglasses, wood watches and jewelry made from drum cymbals and skateboard decks—and hip gifts for babies are also popular here, as well as nostalgic and edgy art by emerging artists. 2220 Fern St., South Park, 858.433.0950, graffitibeach.com Grounded CL0000027080 Find a fresh, modern approach to gardening and design at this spot in
Tyler Beach
Vidal and Maureen Dowd. 7461 Girard Ave., La Jolla, 858.456.1800, dgwillsbooks.com
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Nikki & Co. Fine Jewelers Since 1948
Located in the Heart of the Gaslamp
Antique Engagement Rings
Fine Swiss Watches: Rolex, Cartier, Patek Philippe, Panerai and more. 562 5th Avenue, San Diego (619) 236-0870
NikkiFineJewelers.com
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We Buy, Sell, Trade and Consign Estate and Antique Jewelry and Fine Swiss Watches
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Loghman JewelersCL9000006478 A diamond lover’s dream, this sophisticated shop carries an elegant selection of engagement and wedding rings, plus fine jewelry, watches and magnificent pieces from the likes of Italian designer Roberto Coin and Forevermark by De Beers. 1555 Camino Del Mar #324, Del Mar, 858.523.0000, loghman.com M-Theory MUSICL9000006667 San Diego’s version of the record store in High Fidelity, this shop carries a nice selection of new and used vinyl, as well as CDs. Pick up the latest albums by indie acts like Arcade Fire and The Black Keys, or search the used bins for classic rock, jazz and soul records. The store has also hosted legendary live performances by Chuck D, Spiritualized and TV on the Radio, among many others. 915 W. Washington St., Mission Hills, 619.220.0485, mtheorymusic.com
are flirty flats and heels from young, hip lines such as Oliberté and Jeffrey Campbell, and a wide selection of cool urban kicks for women and men. 525 University Ave., Hillcrest, 619.291.6468, mintshoes.com Miss Match1 Located on Ocean Beach’s main drag, this boutique caters to women of all sizes, ages and budgets. With wall-towall clothing, unique handbags, shoes and accessories, Miss Match not only keeps its stock high—with new inventory arriving daily—but also very au currant, carrying only the latest fashion trends and one-of-a-kind items. So if you see something you like, better buy it before another fashionista does. Second location open in Coronado. 4932 Newport Ave., Ocean Beach, 619.223.5500; 1201 First St., #217, Coronado, 619.435.5550, missmatchsd.com
the cheese store
Encinitas’ Lumberyard. Among the housewares on display are indoor and outdoor furnishings by Herman Miller, Blu Dot and Gus Modern along with covetable placemats from Chilewich. Build up your library with books on home and garden design. 897 S. Coast Highway 101, #105, Encinitas, 760.230.1563, shopgrounded.com Hillside ArtisansCL0000333860 This charming shop is home to a small yet quality selection of toys and children’s apparel including soft newborn blankets, whimsical lunch boxes, one-of-a-kind outfits, carriers and shoes. A small play space is also available to keep the kids engaged as the grown-ups shop. 827 W. Washington St., Mission Hills, 619.293.0134, hillsideartisans.com HISCL9000006851 Whether shopping for the guy who lives in plain tees, or who prefers more flair, this boutique offers men's and kids' clothing and accessories for diverse tastes. HIS carries lines that
embody effortless SoCal style. 143 S. Cedros Ave., #K, Solana Beach, 858.350.6410, hismensstore.com Hunt & GatherCL9000006851 This boutique lives up to its name with its array of vintage clothing, accessories and home décor gathered from up and down the West Coast by owner Zoe Crenshaw, who often customizes her finds with embroidery or other personal touches. 2871 University Ave., North Park, 619.297.3040, huntandgathershop.com Leaping LotusL9000006478 Located in the heart of Cedros Design District, this airy marketplace is a great spot for personalized gifts. Shop among pieces from more than 120 merchants and local artists—including art, photography, bath/spa products, candles, clothing, exotic imports, accessories, jewelry, home décor and furnishings, and kitchen wares. 240 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach, 858.720.8283, leapinglotus.com
Make GoodCL9000007927 Located on a tree-lined street in South Park, this small shop represents a collective of local crafters whose handmade, upcycled goods range from messenger bags and cuddly owl-shaped pillows to clothing, paintings and jewelry. Think of it as a brick-and-mortar version of Etsy, for locals only. Closed M. 2207 Fern St., South Park, 619.563.4600, themakegood.com Mimi & RedL9000007927 Both locations of this trendsetting women’s clothing boutique are regularly frequented by fashionistas in search of the latest piece no one else has. Shop among trendy looks of the moment, from dresses, tops and rompers to jewelry and accessories. 3041 University Ave., North Park, 619.298.7933; 5680 La Jolla Blvd., Bird Rock, 858.456.7933, mimiandred.com Mint ShoesCL0000027091 Get well-heeled without spending a mint at this stylish little shoe shop, painted in a modish spearmint, white and red color scheme. Displayed on clear shelves lining tubular walls
MistralCL0000027093 Named for the winds that flutter from the Alps into the south of France, Mistral specializes in handcrafted soaps, lotions and fragrances that offer healing and relaxation. The shop’s founders are proud of the natural ingredients used in their products, ranging from fresh lavender to verbena to hand-picked gardenias. 146 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach, 858.755.5963; 12925 El Camino Real #J-0, Del Mar, 858.755.1675, mistralsoap.com h Na Hoku – Hawaii’s Finest Jewelers Since 1924CL0000027095 Hawaiian for “stars,” Na Hoku captures the Hawaiian tradition and lifestyle in its exquisite fine jewelry. The store features Island-themed lines like the Original Diamond Slipper Pendant, Palm Tree Collection and Hawaiian Heirloom Collection, plus designs by wellknown jewelry artisans Kabana, Steven Douglas and others. Many items are set with Tahitian and freshwater pearls, diamonds, colored gemstones and inlays of opal and mother-ofpearl. Fashion Valley Mall, 7007 Friars
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SVAC-GUESTBOOK 2013
5/22/13
WATCH • LEARN • SHOP
in Balboa Park Over 200 San Diego County artists in 37 working studios located in beautiful Balboa Park.
Open 11am - 4pm daily
Spanish Village Art Center 1770 Village Pl., San Diego, CA 92101 619-233-9050
www.spanishvillageart.com
6:27 PM
Road, Mission Valley, 619.294.7811; 165 Horton Plaza, Gaslamp Quarter, 619.702.7121, nahoku.com
super-strong zirconium-based alloy. 7007 Friars Road, Fashion Valley, 619.260.1120, omegawatches.com
Nicole MillerCL0000027097_ New York designer Nicole Miller’s flirty, feminine dresses give classic silhouettes a modern twist with funky, unforgettable fabrics. Rumor has it she also was the first to coin the term "Little Black Dress." You’ll find plenty of those here, plus Miller’s gorgeous bridal line. 1923 Calle Barcelona, #141, Carlsbad, 760.632.7000, nicolemillersd.com
h PASSION FINE JEWELRY This full-service jeweler owned by Tim and Janna Jackson carries Hearts on Fire diamonds, Alex Sepkus handcrafted jewelry, its own Passion Collection jewels and is the source for Independent Watchmaking. 415 S. Cedros Ave., #100, Solana Beach, 858.794.8000, passionfinejewelry.com
h Nikki & Co. Fine Jewelers4 Behind its ornate grapevine-motif brass gate, this tiny spot comes courtesy of a third-generation jeweler whose family has been in the business since 1948. Inside, find pre-owned fine Swiss watches from names like Patek Philippe, Panerai, Cartier and Breitling as well as antique and estate jewelry and diamonds, some dating back as far as the Victorian era. 562 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.236.0870 Noon DesignsCL9000006661 This charming little shop in the heart of Ocean Beach showcases the work of craftswomen Maie Webb and Nora Alexander. Graphic designer Webb hand-draws and presses Noon’s adorable greeting cards while Alexander, trained in industrial design, handmakes its nature-inspired jewelry line. You’ll also find candles, soaps, hand towels and more. 4993 Niagara Ave., #105, Ocean Beach, 619.523.1744, noondesignshop.com OmegaCL0000333837 As the official timekeeper for 24 Olympic Games, Omega has been a leading name in impeccable watchmaking since 1848. Designs range from the elegant, red gold ladies’ Constellation watch, with its whimsical diamond swirl face; to the sturdy, navy blue Planet Ocean watch for men, made from scratch-resistant Liquidmetal, a
PigmentCL9000006479 Pigment has everything for your home and then some, with sleek modern furniture, flooring and home accessories. Pigment also carries baby items, jewelry, eco-friendly totes by Baggu, decorative mini-terrariums and limited-edition art prints by co-owner Amy Paul. 3801 30th St., North Park, 619.501.6318, shoppigment.com ProgressCL9000007941 Owned by a design-minded team, Progress brings a cool, modern vibe to the trendy South Park neighborhood. Most items in the store, from the sculptural cardboard pendant lamps to the benches made from folded-up magazine pages, have an eco-minded twist, and the fun, smart furniture is all sourced from small companies. You’ll also find candles, jewelry, kitchenware, cards, kids' stuff and more. 2225 30th St., South Park, 619.280.5501, progresssouthpark.com SoloCL0000027107 Located in the trendy Cedros Design District in Solana Beach, this warehouse-like retailer carries all manner of home décor items, stationery and unique gifts for men, women and children. Find furniture, kitchen items, plus a fabulous array of inspiring architecture and design books, jewelry and accessories from local artisans, eye-popping lighting, children's toys and much more. 309 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach, 858.794.9016, solocedros.com
Stuart Benjamin & Co. Jewelry DesignsCL0000027109 Focusing on designs from Europe and the U.S., Stuart Benjamin & Co. offers a dazzling and diverse array of fine-quality jewelry—including classic styles, unique and contemporary jewelry, timepieces, and custom designs. Known as the area's top jeweler for quality and service, the store also offers on-site jewelry repair and appraisal services. 7510 Hazard Center Drive, #405, Mission Valley, 619.297.7666, stuartbenjamin.com Sunsplash SwimwearCL0000027109 With a vast international selection of swimwear and resort wear, including dozens of name brands, SunSplash carries everything from itsy-bitsy Brazilian bikinis to modern designer one-pieces. Sizes run the full range, and SunSplash specialists are trained to find the perfect figure-flattering fit. 979 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach, 858.581.3400 Sweet PaperCL9000007930 This quaint, sunny stationery boutique run by a pair of sisters celebrates the lost art of the handwritten message. Check out their selection of clever, smartly illustrated cards by boutique brands; there’s also a well-curated array of scrapbooking stamps, candles, notebooks, recipe cards and more. Brides-to-be will love the shop's bridal lounge, known for dream wedding invitations. 7660-A Fay Ave., La Jolla, 858.456.1446, sweet-paper.com TatyanaL0000333835 Go from blah to bombshell in a highwaisted dress or pencil skirt from this Gaslamp Quarter boutique, launched by Russian-born fashion designer Tatyana Khomyakova, whose retro designs are inspired by ’50s-era pinup queen Bettie Page. 430 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.544.1950, tatyana.com Taylor GuitarsCL9000006850 Taylor Guitars rest in the hands of famous musicians like Taylor Swift, Prince and Jason Mraz. At
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the company’s El Cajon factory, you can learn how the guitars are made and even purchase your own axe at the on-site store, which also carries picks, parts, accessories and more. Tours of the factory are offered M-F at 1 p.m. (excluding holidays). 1980 Gillespie Way, El Cajon, 619.258.1207, taylorguitars.com TOURNEAUCL9000006510 If a new timepiece sounds tempting, turn to Tourneau, recognized by Guinness World Records for its mind-boggling selection—more than 100 brands and dozens of styles, including rarities, vintage and limited editions. As an added bonus, Tourneau offers lifetime battery replacement. Fashion Valley Mall, 7007 Friars Road, Mission Valley, 619.296.8463, tourneau.com VAN DE VORT5 This independent boutique at Flower Hill Promenade caters to the laid-back coastal lifestyle. Owner Andrea Van De Vort keeps her racks stocked with contemporary and bohemian-chic fashions for women by international and local labels, with a discerning eye for unique statement pieces. Whether it's a day at the beach, an afternoon at the races or a night on the town, you'll find your outfit here. 2710 Via de la Valle, #B110, Del Mar, 858.720.1059, shopvandevort.com VOCABULARYCL0000027108 Make this a definite stop on any shopping itinerary. The Little Italy boutique is one of the loveliest around. Tiffanyblue walls, white molding and a plush seating area complement the youthful collection of clothing for women and men, as well as jewelry, home accessories and much more. 414 W. Cedar St., Little Italy, 619.203.4066, vocabularyboutique.com WARWICK’SCL0000027113 Warwick’s has been a La Jolla institution since it first opened in 1896. Bibliophiles appreciate the wide selection, knowledgeable staff, regular author readings and other literary events.
Peruse the independent bookseller’s bestseller and recommended lists for suggestions. Locals also shop there for stationery, office supplies and gift items. 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla, 858.454.0347, warwicks.com WELL SUITED Men who want to look sharp without breaking the bank can achieve both goals at this high-end resale shop. From designer men’s dress wear by Armani and Hugo Boss, to casual brands such as Tommy Bahama, Diesel, True Religion, Lucky and Nat Nast, fashionable, budget-savvy shoppers can find all their favorite labels here at considerably lower prices than retail. 8610 Genesee Ave., Golden Triangle, 858.455.0045; 146 N. El Camino Real, Encinitas, 760.436.3600, shopwellsuited.com H WE OLIVECL9000007966 Enjoy complimentary samples of California-grown extra virgin olive oils in a variety of inventive flavors at this specialty shop. You’ll also find bread mixes, body balms, lotions and soaps made with olive oil, plus vinegars, party dips and other gourmet items. Don't miss the oceanview wine bar in back, where you can enjoy a glass of boutique California wine. The bar also serves local craft beers and seasonal small plates. 1158 Prospect St., La Jolla, 858.551.8250, lajolla.weolive.com
YOU’RE INVITED
Free Olive Oil Tasting Daily • Gourmet Foods & Tapas Premium Artisan Wines • Business Gift Collection Ocean View Wine Bar • Happy Hour Mon-Fri 4pm to 7pm
The finest California Extra Virgin olive oils, artisan vinegars, hand-crafted foods along with premium wines for an exquisite culinary adventure.
1158 Prospect St. La Jolla, CA 92037 (858) 551-8250 SHOP ONLINE lajolla.weolive.com
H WESTIMECL9000007956 This chic 2,500-square-foot boutique is the first Westime outpost to open outside of Los Angeles. Find all manner of timepieces, from popular fashion watches to limited-edition selections from the finest Swiss watchmakers. Brands include Hublot, Girard-Perregaux, Ulysse Nardin and Bell & Ross. 1227 Prospect St., La Jolla, 858.459.2222, westime.com FOR MORE LISTINGS, SEE WHERE SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE, WHERESD.COM OR THE WHERE TRAVELER CITY GUIDE APP
1980 Kettner Blvd.,Suite 40 San Diego | 619 354 5969 Located in the heart of Little Italy (between Grape and Fir) Hours Wed-Sun 11am-6 pm or by appt.
adelmanfineart.com
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Fresh Fish. Flown in Daily. Sleek and sophisticated, The Oceanaire provides the perfect setting to enjoy an unrivaled atmosphere where you will indulge in tantalizing chef creations, exceptional wines and exquisite desserts.
Gaslamp District 400 J Street • San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 858 -2277 • theoceanaire.com Reserve your table today
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chow time
COURTESY STAKE CHOPHOUSE & BAR
DINING IT’S NOT ALL SANDY BEERS AND FISH TACOS IN SAN DIEGO. WITH AN ARRAY OF FRESH INGREDIENTS AVAILABLE NEARLY YEAR-ROUND, THE CITY’S CULINARY LANDSCAPE IS NOW ON PAR WITH THAT OF THE WORLD’S GREAT URBAN CENTERS. HERE’S A SAMPLING OF WHAT YOUR TASTE BUDS HAVE IN STORE.
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DINING H 1500 OCEAN California Cuisine. 1500 Ocean at the Hotel del Coronado showcases fresh California coastal cuisine with a delicious ocean view. The menu features seasonal culinary offerings sourced locally, coupled with wines from across the region. Start with a craft cocktail at the Sunset Bar, then dine on the oceanfront terrace, in the contemporary dining room or private dining cabanas. D (Tu-Sa). 1500 Orange Ave., Coronado, 619.522.8490, hoteldel.com/1500-ocean
AGAVE DEL MARCL002694 Mexican/Southwestern. Enjoy authentic, gourmet cuisine from Mexico's southernmost regions— Yucatan, Puebla and Veracruz. Specialty dishes include traditional mole (five different kinds), sea bass Veracruz and Aztec soup. Take in the ocean view while sipping an extensive selection of tequila, margaritas and hand-crafted cocktails. L, D (daily); Br (Su). 1555 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar, 858.793.0758, agavedm.com
SEAWORTHY MEXICAN FARE There’s no place like home—which is what inspired Don Arnulfo Contreras to open his first restaurant here in San Diego in 1981. Focusing on the traditional food of his native Sinaloa, Mexico—such as ceviches and other seafood dishes—Contreras named his modest restaurant after his eldest daughter. More than 30 years later, Karina’s continues to serve authentic Mexican seafood fare, now at eight locations throughout the county, including the newest— a 4,500-square-foot bar, lounge and restaurant downtown. The interior’s vibrant, colorful design includes custom murals that celebrate Mexico’s rich culture. Cocktail lovers will enjoy the bar’s top-shelf concoctions, and tequila aficionados will appreciate the tequila lockers available to patrons who prefer to bring their own private reserve. L, D (daily). 925 B St., #101, downtown, 619.546.7667, karinasseafood.com
A.R. VALENTIENCL0026903 California Cuisine. Overlooking the Torrey Pines Golf Course, the signature restaurant of the Craftsman-style Lodge at Torrey Pines is named for an early 20th-century San Diego impressionist whose work is featured in the dining room. Under Executive Chef Jeff Jackson, the restaurant uses seasonal, local produce to create its own masterpieces. B, L, D (daily). 11480 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, 858.453.4420, arvalentien.com ADDISONCL0026901 French. This fine restaurant overlooking the rolling green golf course at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar features contemporary French cuisine intricately fused with Mediterranean flavors. Dinner entrées change seasonally, as Executive Chef William Bradley—a James Beard “Rising Star Chef” nominee and Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef—uses the finest and freshest ingredients available. Pair your meal with a glass of vin from the Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning wine list, which includes more than 3,600 labels. D (Tu-Sa). 5200 Grand Del Mar Way, Del Mar, 858.314.1900, addisondelmar.com
BANKERS HILLCL900675 American. Named for the neighborhood that houses it, this restaurant from popular Executive Chef Carl Schroeder (Market) features farm-fresh shareable small plates and entrées like barbecue pork tacos, house-made pastas and steak, served in a chic urban-casual setting. The airy interior features quirkily mismatched furniture and yields to a charming enclosed front patio— don’t miss the living tapestry of succulent plants mounted on the wall. D (nightly), Br (Su). 2202 Fourth Ave., Bankers Hill, 619.231.0222, bankershillsd.com BENCOTTO ITALIAN KITCHENCL90069 Italian. The Italian word for “perfectly cooked,” Bencotto’s been a hit with locals almost since day one. The menu spotlights heaping portions of house-made pastas, an array of savory sauces, cured meats, artisanal cheeses and rich desserts— all served in a modern, airy setting inside the glass-concrete-and-steel walls of Little Italy’s Q Building. D (nightly), L (Tu-Su). 750 W. Fir St., Little Italy, 619.450.4786, lovebencotto.com
BERTRAND AT MISTER A’SCL0026906 American. One of the most exciting places to eat in San Diego, Mister A's sits 12 stories above downtown San Diego, with sweeping views that stretch from Tijuana to Orange County. Watch jetliners bob their way down to the runway at Lindbergh Field airport and enjoy some of the best food served anywhere. Add oldfashioned excellent service to the mix and even the most jaded diner will be impressed. Br (Su), L (M-F), D (nightly). 2550 Fifth Ave., 12th floor, Bankers Hill, 619.239.1377, bertrandatmisteras.com H BLUEWATER BOATHOUSE SEAFOOD GRILLCL900675 Seafood. Hyper-local, fresh sustainable seafood reigns supreme at this waterfront spot—housed in the historical former Hotel del Coronado Boathouse. The menu is a fish lover’s dream. Choose from starters including an array of shellfish like the cilantro-lime steamed mussels; as well as small plates such as seared ahi tuna and seared scallops with roasted jalapeño aioli. Feast on entrées ranging from seafood paella and jumbo prawn linguini to cedar plank salmon, beer-battered fish ’n’ chips and daily fresh catches—all while taking in the view of Glorietta Bay. L, D (daily); Br (Su). 1701 Strand Way, Coronado, 619.435.0155, bluewatergrill.com BO BEAU KITCHEN + BARCL900791 French. Embracing its surroundings in casual Ocean Beach, BO-beau is a pretension-free bistro serving simple, hearty French classics. The menu features pork belly croque madame, five different preparations of moules frites (mussels with fries) and the
H STARRED LISTINGS ARE FEATURED GUESTBOOK ADVERTISERS. 70 W H E R E G U E S T B O O K
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getfresh on coronado
island
built in 1887 next to the hotel del coronado
Classic & Contemporary Sustainable Seafood Lunch · Dinner · Happy Hour · Full Bar Kids LiveWell Menu · Patio · Waterfront come in, get hooked bluewatergrill.com
1701 STRAND WAY TEL 619 435 0155 CORONADO, SAN DIEGO
popular crispy Brussels sprouts with pancetta and Parmesan cheese, not to mention excellent craft cocktails. D (nightly). 4996 W. Point Loma Blvd., Ocean Beach, 619.224.2884, bobeaukitchen.com BROCKTON VILLA American. This 1894 cottage with a spectacular view overlooking La Jolla Cove is great for breakfast; try the famous Coast Toast, a French toast soufflé. For lunch and dinner, choose from an array of salads, seafood, steak and chicken. B, L, D (daily). 1235 Coast Blvd., La Jolla, 858.454.7393, brocktonvilla.com BROOKLYN GIRL EATERYCL003621 American. This trendy neighborhood joint is known for its complimentary popcorn (evenings only); its airy, Brooklyn pantry vibe; and seasonal menu. Grab a Cobb salad for lunch, or feast on wood-oven pizzas—with toppings from littleneck clams and Brussel sprouts to fig and prosciutto—as well as meat and seafood entrées for dinner. Great cocktails and wine list, too. L (Tu-F), D (nightly), Br (Sa-Su). 4033 Goldfinch St., Mission Hills, 619.296.4600, brooklyngirleatery.com BUONA FORCHETTA Italian. The wood-fired oven named "Sofia" takes center stage at this cozy corner eatery known for its authentic Neapolitan pizza, house-made pastas and salads. Save room for classic Italian desserts like tiramisu, panna cotta and cannoli. D (nightly), L (WSu). 3001 Beech St., South Park, 619.381.4844, buonaforchettasd.com CAFÉ CHLOECL002691 French. This intimate and charming corner spot is known for its creative and exciting French bistro fare—from the traditional steak frites and mussels to its decadent macaroni and pancetta gratin. Weekend brunch is a favorite among locals; get there early to snag a table outside on the sidewalk patio. B, L, D (daily). 721 Ninth Ave., East Village, 619.232.3242, cafechloe.com
CAFÉ JAPENGOCL002691 Japanese. Located in the restaurant village of the Aventine, Café Japengo is a stylish and sophisticated lunch and dinner spot across from the Hyatt Regency La Jolla. The restaurant’s specialty is sushi, which it takes very seriously, with an always-busy sushi bar and a la carte delights that range from traditional to modern. L (MF), D (M-Sa). 8960 University Center Lane, La Jolla-Golden Triangle, 858.450.3355, cafejapengo.com CAFÉ SEVILLACL0026931 International. If you’re just mad about saffron—and the cuisine and culture of España, for that matter— head to downtown’s Café Sevilla. In a Spanish-themed dining room with matador art on the walls and a huge tin bull installed above the bar, feast on rich tapas such as olives, paella, pork skewers, empanadas and fresh seafood preparations. Sangria and live flamenco dinner shows will have you shouting out, "Olé!" L, D (daily). 353 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.233.5979, cafesevilla.com CANDELAS Mexican/Southwestern. Located at Coronado’s Ferry Landing, this chic Mexico City-style eatery has bay and skyline views. Dishes include the chicken mole, traditional tamal Oaxaqueño, and the salmon filet served with almond butter and epazote. D (nightly), L (M-F), Br (Sa-Su). 1201 First St., Coronado, 619.435.4900, candelas-coronado.com H CASA DE BANDINI Mexican/Southwestern. Located at The Forum Carlsbad, Casa de Bandini channels old Mexico, from the handmade lanterns, bubbling fountain and colorful folk art that decorate the space; to the regional classics cooking in the kitchen; to the strolling mariachis who serenade diners. Famous for its giant margaritas, the restaurant’s vast menu includes fajitas, enchiladas, salads, seafood specialties, breakfast options (till 2
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p.m. daily) and more. B, L, D (daily). 1901 Calle Barcelona, Carlsbad, 760.634.3443, casadebandini.com h Casa Guadalajara Mexican/Southwestern. Find traditional Mexican cuisine in a haciendastyle setting at this Old Town favorite not far from historic attractions and shopping. The menu features regional specialties such as enchiladas and burritos, as well as a wide selection of seafood. Dine indoors or on the shaded patio in the lush courtyard garden. Pitchers of frosty margaritas, charming mariachis and festive décor complete the experience. B (Sa-Su); L, D (daily). 4105 Taylor St., Old Town, 619.295.5111, casaguadalajara.com h casa sol y mar Mexican/Southwestern. This charming eatery celebrates the warmth and beauty of Mexico via colorful folk art, authentic décor and roaming mariachis ready to serenade your table. Whether dining indoors or al fresco on the patio, feast upon traditional dishes such as enchiladas, quesadillas and tacos, as well as inventive small plates including the Ceviche Del Mar and Queso Fundido, and quench your thirst with a giant, frosty margarita. Breakfast menu options served till 2 p.m. daily. L, D (daily). 12865 El Camino Real, Del Mar, 858.792.4100, casasolymar.com Chart House American. From coast to coast, the Chart House is synonymous with exceptional waterfront dining. At the Cardiff-by-the-Sea location, enjoy panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean—sliding glass doors open to bring crashing waves and spectacular sunsets that much closer. The menu includes Chart House standards—the macadamia-crusted mahi or Prime rib, for example—as well as dishes that take advantage of local seafood offerings and regional flavors. L (M-Sa), D (nightly), Br (Su). 2588 S. Coast Highway 101, Cardiff, 760.436.4044, chart-house.com
ChiantI Italian. Taking its name from Italy’s largest wine-producing region, Chianti celebrates authentic Italian cuisine, with an emphasis on Tuscan flavors. Enjoy rustic, yet elegant fare, from seafood and steak to classic pasta dishes, including linguine and clams, lasagna, homemade ravioli and gnocchi. No Italian meal would be complete without wine, and Chianti offers an extensive list by the glass and bottle. Mangia! L, D (daily). 644 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.235.8144, chiantirestaurantsd.com Cowboy StarCL0026981 Steak. This downtown steakhouse, with its exposed-beam ceilings, large leather booths, stark landscape photography and cozy fireplace, brings a touch of Old West style to the neighborhood. The adjacent butcher shop ensures that the meats, like the USDA Prime 35-day dry-aged beef, are top quality. L (Tu-F), D (nightly). 640 10th Ave., East Village, 619.450.5880, cowboystarsd.com Craft & CommerceCL9007920 American. As the name implies, this often-packed Little Italy bar/restaurant is a union of strange bedfellows, right down to the quirky décor (urban-industrial meets library chic). On the menu, hearty dishes like roasted bone marrow, fried chicken and mini corndogs are complemented by a rotating selection of two dozen craft beers and potent old-fashioned cocktails. L (M-F), D (nightly), Br (Sa-Su). 675 W. Beech St., Little Italy, 619.269.2202, craft-commerce.com Cucina EnotecaCL0026948 Italian. Located in the Flower Hill Promenade, this sister location of Cucina Urbana in Bankers Hill features a Cali-Italian menu packed with organic, sustainable antipasti, salads, pastas (even gluten-free pasta) and artisanal pizzas. Try the Spicy Coppa pizza with peperoncini, Calabrian chili, house-made mozzarella, tomato and basil while dining alfresco
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on the rooftop patio. Retail wine shop features an extensive wine list. L (Tu-Su), D (nightly). 2730 Via de la Valle, Del Mar, 858.704.4500, cucinaenoteca.com CUCINA URBANACL0026948 Italian. This always-bustling hotspot near Balboa Park features antipasti, pizza and pasta from Chef Joe Magnanelli, as well as a retail wine shop heavy on Italian varietals. The cozy neighborhood kitchen’s chic décor combines contemporary touches with vintage accents. Don’t miss the ricotta-stuffed fried squash blossoms. L (Tu-F), D (nightly). 505 Laurel St., Bankers Hill, 619.239.2222, cucinaurbana.com D BAR Desserts. The “D” in D Bar stands not just for the desserts crafted by Pastry Chef Keegan Gerhard (a regular face on the Food Network) but also for dinner and drinks. Choose from a seasonally changing menu of savory eats that includes dishes like bacon mac 'n' cheese, salads and sandwiches. But save room for dessert. In addition to decadent cakes, there's a build-your-own-sundae, churros and creme brulee, among other treats. Plus cocktails, craft beer and wine. D (Tu-Su), L (W-F), Br (Sa-Su). 3930 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest, 619.299.3227, dbarsandiego.com DAVANTI ENOTECA Italian. Opened by James Beard Restaurateur of the Year semi-finalist Scott Harris, this wine bar and restaurant serves up rustic Italian cuisine with creative twists in a fun, casual setting. Enjoy a wide selection of shareable plates, creative bruschetta, artisanal pizzas, pasta and more, paired with a glass of wine. Weekend brunch features the popular Bloody Mary bar, where you can build your own beverage. L, D (daily); Br (Sa-Su). 1655 India St., Little Italy, 619.237.9606; 12955 El Camino Real, Del Mar, 858.519.5060, davantienoteca.com
DONOVAN’SCL00269 Steak. Donovan’s is a true-blue steakhouse, from the mahogany and delicate lighting to the mouthwatering Prime cuts of beef that define the classic menu. The restaurant also serves top-quality pork and veal chops and fresh local seafood, coupled with classic sides. Perfect for business and romantic dinners. 1250 Prospect St., L, D (daily). La Jolla, 858.450.6666; 570 K St., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.237.9700, donovanssteakhouse.com EDDIE V’S PRIME SEAFOODCL003821 Seafood. This upscale seafood haven located in La Jolla and downtown San Diego offers nightly live jazz, indoor/outdoor dining and 200-degree views of the Pacific (at the La Jolla location). But the food is as much a reason to visit as the view. Find seafood classics like shrimp cocktail, ahi tartare and lobster bisque, plus premium hand-cut steaks. Menu favorites include the jumbo lump crab cakes, the Maine lobster tacos and the famous crab fried rice. L (Sa-Su) in La Jolla only, D (nightly) at both. 1270 Prospect St., La Jolla, 858.459.5500; 789 W. Harbor Drive, downtown, 619.615.0281, eddiev.com EXTRAORDINARY DESSERTSCL00269 Desserts. The desserts at Karen Krasne’s two signature restaurants are truly extraordinary. The cozy original location in Hillcrest became so popular that the owners opened another in Little Italy. The menu changes daily, but always includes a mouth-watering array of decadent and delicious desserts. The airy, modern Little Italy location also serves paninis, salads, bruschetta and offers a weekly cheese bar (W). Open daily. 1430 Union St., Little Italy, 619.294.7001; 2929 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest, 619.294.2132, extraordinarydesserts.com GEORGE’S AT THE COVECL0026931 California Cuisine. This foodiefriendly La Jolla landmark offers three distinct dining experiences and
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a side of picture-perfect ocean views. Hang out in the laid-back George’s Bar before sampling Chef Trey Foshee’s daily menu of inventive California cuisine in the upscale George’s California Modern dining room (D only). The rooftop Ocean Terrace is a favorite weekend spot with its casual bistro fare. L, D (daily). 1250 Prospect St., La Jolla, 858.454.4244, georgesatthecove.com GRANT GRILLCL002693 California Cuisine. Grant Grill’s been a downtown power spot for business and political leaders since it opened in 1951. The legendary restaurant reopened in 2006 with a renovated interior and menu. Dark woods, leather booths and crisp white linens provide a sophisticated backdrop for contemporary California cuisine crafted by Chef Mark Kropczynski. Movers and shakers only interested in shaken or stirred, take note—mixologist Jeff Josenhans is one of the country’s rising cocktail stars. B, L, D (daily). 326 Broadway, downtown, 619.744.2077, grantgrill.com GREAT MAPLE American. Echoing a stylish European dinette with rustic touches, seasonal plates and plenty of pie, Great Maple is an "upscale diner" serving up well-crafted comfort food and serious drinks. The menu is broken down by small plates, a selection of mostly organic salads, plus burgers, sandwiches, seafood, pasta and flatbread pizzas. Be sure to save room for some house-made apple pie or maple bacon doughnuts. Br, D (daily). 1451 Washington St., Hillcrest, 619.255.2282, thegreatmaple.com H GREEN DRAGON TAVERN American. A replica of Boston’s historical Green Dragon Tavern, this Colonial Era-inspired property houses a museum, coffee shop, event space, tavern and restaurant. Sip on one of 20 craft beers and dine on New England-style comfort food; popular dishes include the New England clam
chowder, Maryland crab cakes and turkey pot pie. L, D (daily). 6115 Paseo del Norte, Carlsbad, 760.918.2421, greendragontavernca.com THE HAKE KITCHEN & BAR Seafood. Inspired by global brasseries, The Hake focuses on fresh seafood with Mediterranean, Latin American and Asian influences. Start your meal with one- to two-bite snacks and tiraditos—lightly dressed sashimi-style preparations, such as sea scallops with cucumber, citrus, chipotle and olive oil. Seasonal main courses are sourced from both sea and land, from the fresh catch of the day to the pork chop and rib-eye steak. In addition to wine, beer and classic cocktails, the bar features a large assortment of mezcal. L (Fr-Su), D (nightly). 1250 Prospect St., La Jolla, 858.454.1637, thehake.com HASH HOUSE A GO GOCL002693 Breakfast. Famous for its king-sized portions, the Hash House is where San Diegans go when they’re hungry. Really hungry. Always bustling with locals, the restaurant’s decadent and delightful food often warrants a doggy bag. The setting is casual and friendly, with one of the city’s hippest neighborhoods just steps away. Expect a long wait for weekend brunch. B, L (daily); D (Tu-Su). 3628 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest, 619.298.4646, hashhouseagogo.com HERRINGBONECL003807 Seafood. This La Jolla hotspot offers “ocean bazaar” cuisine in an indoor/oudoor setting that evokes the feel of an Old World market, complete with 100-year-old olive trees. Start with a cold fare appetizer like oysters or whole fish ceviche, followed by main dishes sourced from the sea (wood oven-roasted whole fish) and field (slow-cooked Angus short rib), all prepared fresh daily. The stylish scene makes for excellent people-watching. L (M-Sa), D (nightly), Br (Sa-Su). 7837 Herschel Ave., La Jolla, 858.459.0221, herringboneeats.com
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H HUMPHREYS RESTAURANT Seafood. This San Diego landmark, which offers waterfront dining, an extensive wine list and live music every night of the week, features contemporary global cuisine with eco-friendly ingredients, including sustainable seafood, local produce and farm-raised beef. The elegant interior complements one of the finest views in town. D (nightly); B, L (M-Sa); Br (Su). 2241 Shelter Island Drive, Shelter Island, 619.224.3577, humphreysrestaurant.com IRONSIDE FISH & OYSTERCL002694 Seafood. It's all about the oysters at this raw bar, bakery and restaurant by CH Projects—featuring a jaw-dropping design that is urban, nostalgic and nautical. Pull up a stool at the 15-foot marble countertop—near the open kitchen—and dine on seafood-focused plates, such as lobster rolls, daily fresh catches and fried oyster sliders, and sip on custom cocktails. The "Cocktails on the Half Shell" menu lets you pair one of three distinctive cocktails with a different oyster. Ironside's raw bar stays open till midnight (till 2 a.m. F-Sa). L (M-F), D (nightly), Br (Sa-Su). 1654 India St., Little Italy, 619.269.3033, ironsidefishandoyster.com
A C U L I N A RY & C R A F T B EER R EVOLUTION
Open Daily at 11AM Sunday Brunch at 10AM Happy Hour Daily 3-6PM and All Day Sunday American Restaurant | Museum | Coffeehouse Private Banquet and Event Space F R E E A DMISSION A MERICAN R EVOLUTIONARY W AR E RA M USEUM
6115 Paseo del Norte + Carlsbad, CA 92011 760-918-2421 + greendragontavernca.com
ISLAND PRIME / C LEVEL CL002694 Seafood. Enjoy seafood, a variety of steak cuts, salads, cocktails and one of the city’s best views looking back at the skyline. Adjacent C Level on the spacious deck is popular with the after-work crowd and serves a separate menu. C Level doesn't take reservations, but the bar inside Island Prime is a fun spot to hang out and peoplewatch while you wait. D (nightly) at both; L (daily) at C Level only. 880 Harbor Island Drive, Harbor Island, 619.298.6802, islandprime.com H JACK & GIULIO’S Italian. Formerly known as Giulio’s of Pacific Beach, this family-operated Italian restaurant in historic Old Town is a perennial favorite among both San Diego locals and visi-
tors. A sure menu bet is the scampi alla Giulio, served since 1961 and befitting its proud name. Also choose from homemade pastas, veal, poultry, beef and fresh seafood—all just waiting to be paired with a robust Italian wine. Full bar. D (nightly). 2391 San Diego Ave., Old Town, 619.294.2074, jackandgiulios.com H JAMES' PLACE CL002694 Japanese. On the UC San Diego campus adjacent to La Jolla Playhouse, renowned sushi master and Japan native James Holder serves up elegant Japanese-fusion cuisine. Choose from sake-marinated black cod, rice and ramen bowls, and a halfpound Kobe burger. Inventive sushi rolls include the Don Juan roll, made with shrimp tempura, spicy crab, asparagus and avocado; topped with seared albacore, crunchy jalapeño and cilantro-ponzu sauce. Complement your meal with a well-curated selection of wines by the glass and bottle, a dozen sake options and specialty cocktails. D (Tu-Su). 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla, 858.638.7778, jamesplacesd.com H JRDN California Cuisine. The beachfront Tower23 Hotel upped the culinary ante in Pacific Beach when it launched JRDN. Dramatic lighting, teak-wood accents and water and fire features are part of the ultra-modern décor. Dine indoors or out on the patio—gorgeous ocean views abound. JRDN’s menu features contemporary California cuisine (steaks and seafood) with an emphasis on seasonal flavors. B, L, D (daily); Br (Sa-Su). 723 Felspar St., Pacific Beach, 858.270.5736, jrdn.com JSIXCL002694 American. Chef Christian Graves is at the helm of this hotspot—a recently re-imagined, casual-chicmeets-industrial urban farmhouse space—overseeing a contemporary American menu focused on organic and local ingredients. Standout dish-
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es include the beet salad, house-cured charcuterie, and pork chop with braised Brussel sprouts and pancetta. A brand-new bar features craft cocktails. Save room for desserts whipped up by the kitchen's own pastry chef. B, D (daily); Br (Sa-Su). 616 J St., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.531.8744, jsixrestaurant.com JUNIPER & IVYCL002694 California Cuisine. Top Chef star Richard Blais oversees the modern Cali-American menu loaded with artisanal dishes at this popular “it” spot. Start with the buttermilk biscuit with smoked butter, and a side of house prosciutto. Then choose from a selection of raw seafood, pastas and small plates, as well as seasonal, rotating mains such as Prime rib and local chicken served with English pea gnocchi. A fun and ambitious cocktail menu features rare concoctions such as the Beast of Bourbon with smoked vermouth. D (nightly). 2228 Kettner Blvd., Little Italy, 619.269.9036, juniperandivy.com KITCHEN 1540CL900796 California Cuisine. Creative, fresh cuisine is the concept at this eatery at L’Auberge Del Mar hotel. Standout dishes include the "Chicken 'n' Dumplins," beef tenderloin, shrimp 'n' grits, and Memphis-style pork ribs. Dine inside the contemporary restaurant or on the outdoor patio, which offers ocean views. B, D (daily); Br (Su). 1540 Camino del Mar, Del Mar, 858.793.6460, laubergedelmar.com/dining LA FIESTA Mexican/Southwestern. Gaslamp eatery serves up traditional Mexican cuisine with modern flair. Choose from mole chicken, carnitas, enchiladas suizas, fajitas and more. Several inventive salads and classic appetizers are ideal for sharing. Daily happy hour showcases a range of specialty margaritas, martinis and cocktails, as well as more than 50 different tequilas. L, D (daily); Br (Su). 628 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.232.4242, lafiestasd.com
H LE PARFAIT PARIS French. This French bakery and wine bar brings the charm of Parisian cafés to the Gaslamp. While you wait for your café latte, marvel at the fresh-baked baguettes, croissants, pastries and petite macarons in every color of the rainbow. Or choose from more savory options, including charcuterie, quiche, salads and sandwiches. Weekends feature a champagne brunch, and dogs are always welcome on the sidewalk patio. B, L, D (daily); Br (Sa-Su). 555 G St., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.245.4457, leparfaitparis.com LEROY'S KITCHEN + LOUNGE California Cuisine. Fresh, local and sustainable define the eclectic cuisine at this favorite locals’ hangout. Here you’ll find inventive farm-to-table fare on a seasonally changing menu; sample items include the mushroom and goat cheese ravioli with chanterelles and black garlic; and roasted Brussels sprouts with orange and chili marmalade. Complement your meal with local craft beer flights and stiff signature cocktails. D (nightly), L (M-F), Br (Sa-Su). 1015 Orange Ave., Coronado, 619.437.6087, leroyskitchenandlounge.com H LIBERTY PUBLIC MARKET California Cuisine. The city’s indoor public market—a 22,000-square-foot space in Liberty Station—houses 30plus local artisanal vendors selling locally made, handcrafted food, goods and other specialty items. The daily farmers market offers fresh produce sourced from local farms, locally procured seafood, butcher services, homemade tortillas, artisan breads and pastries, regional wine, locally roasted coffee and more. Grab food to go, or dine on-site at one of several quick-service counters. (Opens fall 2015.) 2816 Historic Decatur Road, Point Loma, libertypublicmarket.com MARINE ROOM French. With arguably the best food and location in town, the Marine Room sits practically in the ocean at
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La Jolla Shores beach. Come during high tide, when the waves lap against the window panes and the surfers look like they could hit the windows at any moment. Chef Bernard Guillas’ food is outrageously innovative and exceptional; the service is formal, but not stuffy, and the ambiance is second to none. D (nightly). 2000 Spindrift Drive, La Jolla, 866.644.2351, marineroom.com
Waterfront Dining featuring Modern Global Cuisine Award-winning wine list San Diego’s favorite Sunday Brunch Live music nightly in Humphreys Backstage LIVE 2241 Shelter Island Drive humphreysrestaurant.com • 619.224.3577
“The Pinnacle of Pancakes” -San Diego Magazine
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 6:30 AM – 2:30 PM 520 Front Street (just south of Market) Downtown San Diego 619-231-7777
909 Prospect Street (between Girard and Fay) La Jolla 858-459-8800
richardwalkers.com
MarKET0 California Cuisine. Innovative food from well-known owner/Chef Carl Schroeder has made Market a winner for local gourmands and visitors to the nearby racetrack. Schroeder gets his vegetables fresh daily from nearby Chino Farms and the dinner menu, featuring local seafood and meat, changes nightly. D (nightly). 3702 Via de la Valle, Del Mar, 858.523.0007, marketdelmar.com h McCormick & Schmick's Seafood. This upscale steak and seafood chain has a location inside the Omni Hotel. Fresh catches include local selections such as albacore and swordfish from nearby Catalina Island. Or try fresh shellfish from the raw bar. Main dishes include a grass-fed hanger steak and an herb-roasted pork chop with maple-bacon mac 'n' cheese. A beautiful bar area hosts an excellent happy hour and serves up trendy cocktails, beer and a wine list with many California labels. B, L, D (daily). 675 L St., downtown, 619.645.6545, mccormickandschmicks.com Mille FleursCL0026953 French. Mille Fleurs is one of San Diego’s top special-occasion restaurants. At this out-of-the-way location in tony Rancho Santa Fe, you’ll find elegant haute cuisine in a setting of unparalleled grace. Owner Bertrand Hug has been in the business forever and has risen to the top of his game. The menu of spectacular French California fare changes daily depending on what’s freshly available at nearby Chino Farms. L (Tu-F),
D (nightly). 6009 Paseo Delicias, Rancho Santa Fe, 858.756.3085, millefleurs.com MonelloCL9006843 Italian. The vibe at this Little Italy hotspot is sleek and casual-glam, with the menu focusing on Milanese street food. Choose from a selection of pizzas, pastas and house-made gelato. Happy hour features a daily aperitivo from 4 to 7 p.m. with complimentary nibbles from the chef, and its signature vermouth. L, D (Tu-Su); Br (Sa-Su). 750 W. Fir St., Little Italy, 619.501.0030, lovemonello.com h Morton’s Steak. Part of the popular steakhouse chain, the San Diego location offers everything you’d expect from this national favorite. Succulent steaks— we love the Cajun rib-eye—and fresh seafood specialties are among the many menu selections available. Home to one of the best martinis in town, the restaurant features a stylish, comfortable setting, near the Convention Center. D (nightly). 285 J St., downtown, 619.696.3369, mortons.com/sandiego Nine-TenCL0026957 California Cuisine. The outdoor tables at this über-classy spot in the Grande Colonial hotel make peoplewatching on La Jolla’s main thoroughfare a delight. The food is also delightful, with innovative offerings and an elaborate, award-winning wine list. Chef Jason Knibb’s seasonally changing dinner menu offers a mix of both classic and contemporary in dishes like the fork-tender braised Prime beef short rib with local vegetables. B, L, D (daily); Br (Su). 910 Prospect St., La Jolla, 858.964.5400, nine-ten.com NobuCL9006721 Japanese. After conquering New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London and Las Vegas, celebrity Chef Nobu Matsuhisa brought his global brand to downtown San Diego with this sleek
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spot in the Hard Rock Hotel. You’ll find a raw bar as well as signature hot dishes including black cod miso and abalone in garlic sauce, when it’s in season. D (nightly). 207 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.814.4124, noburestaurants.com/san-diego oceana coastal kitchenCL9006721 Seafood. Fluorescent jellyfish from inside an 800-gallon aquarium greet you as you enter this indoor/outdoor bayside restaurant at the Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa. Outside, a generous dog-friendly patio is dotted with tiki torches and lava rock fire pits. The menu showcases fresh California fare from land and sea; highlights include the seafood tower, the cold-smoked Niman Ranch pork chop with goat cheese grits, and the seared arctic char. Wash it all down with a mai tai. B, L, D (nightly); Br (Su). 3999 Mission Blvd., Pacific Beach, 858.539.8635, catamaranresort.com h Oceanaire Seafood Room Seafood. No pesky iceberg will ruin your experience at Oceanaire. The retro supper club has the feel of an elegant 1930s ocean liner— all dark woods, sleek curves and crisp white linens—but it’s docked safely in the middle of the Gaslamp. Such vintage-style luxury is the perfect backdrop for seafood so fresh it tastes just plucked from the sea. Perch at the Oyster Bar and throw back some decadent mollusks and a dirty martini. Or slide into a cozy, high-backed leather booth and take your pick from the high-end restaurant’s changing menu, printed daily. Sides are a la carte. Bon voyage. D (nightly). 400 J St., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.858.2277, theoceanaire.com Ocean room Seafood. If you crave fresh fish and seafood, look no further than the Ocean Room. The contemporary designed space showcases its exhibition-style kitchen, where a range of dishes are prepared—from sushi and seafood stew to crab ravioli and
lobster bisque, as well as filet mignon and chicken teriyaki. Plus, an oyster bar, daily happy hour and patio seating. D (nightly). 630 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.501.6550, oceanroomsandiego.com Pacifica del mar Seafood. One of North County’s best-kept secrets, this coastal seafood spot delivers award-winning cuisine in front of a brilliant ocean backdrop. White linens and polished service add to the elegant dining experience. For an entrée, choose from fresh local catch—favorites include the sugar-spiced salmon and pan-roasted sea bass—as well as steak and pasta dishes. Or opt for smaller plates such as seafood risotto, steamed mussels and clam chowder. Indulge at the Ocean Bar during happy hour, when beer, wine and cocktails are discounted, and small bites are half off. D (nightly), L (M-F), Br (Sa-Su). 1555 Camino Del Mar, #321, Del Mar, 858.792.0476, pacificadelmar.com
Serving San Diego since 1961, this Old Town legend is famous for delicious Scampi Giulio, homemade pastas, seafood and veal. Patio dining. Full bar. 2391 San Diego Ave., Old Town • (619) 294-2074 • www.jackandgiulios.com
Poseidon on the beach
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h Pan Bon Italian. This casual but elegant space showcases sleek, modern design and authentic Italian fare. An open, stateof-the-art kitchen keeps customers entertained as they dine on delicious, fresh-baked breads and pastries, savory panini and oven-cooked pizzas— all prepared right before their eyes. Hearty main courses include steak, roasted chicken and grilled seafood, in addition to lighter fare options such as salads, soups and appetizers. At the bar, order a wide range of American and Italian wines, as well as local microbrews. Dine in or grab food to go for a picnic in the park. B, L, D (TuSu). 1450 Kettner Blvd., Little Italy, 619.241.2443, panbon.us The patio on lamont street California Cuisine. This popular neighborhood nook in Pacific Beach features craft cocktails, wine, beer and a global menu with California
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1670 Coast Blvd. • Del Mar (858) 755-9345 poseidonrestaurant.com
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influences by Chef John Medall. Expect such savory dishes as the braised pork shank with bacon-andasiago risotto and organic salads. Canine buddies are welcome on its sun-warmed patio. B, L (M-F); D (nightly); Br (Sa-Su). 4445 Lamont St., Pacific Beach, 858.412.4648, thepatioonlamont.com PEOHE'S Seafood. From the waterfall in the foyer to the giant palm fronds and lava rock throughout the tiered dining room, this waterfront restaurant is a tropical treasure. Indulge in Islandstyle dining set against floor-to-ceiling views of San Diego Bay and the downtown skyline. Not surprisingly, fresh seafood with a Polynesian flair and creative sushi rolls are top-selling items. Peohe’s is accessible by land or water—just pull up your yacht to the dock. L (M-Sa), D (nightly), Br (Su). 1201 First St., Coronado, 619.437.4474, peohes.com h POSEIDON restaurant American. Poseidon’s beachfront deck offers a relaxed dining experience day or night. Dinner entrées such as Kona coffee-rubbed rib-eye; seafood linguini; and lemon pepper-crusted diver scallops make up the contemporary, eclectic menu. D (nightly), L (M-F), Br (Sa-Su). 1670 Coast Blvd., Del Mar, 858.755.9345, poseidonrestaurant.com h The Prado International. Nestled in Balboa Park, The Prado takes the trophy for prime location. With its vibrant décor and eclectic international tapas, the restaurant is a contender for citywide favorite. Spanish Revival architecture, kaleidoscopic hand-blown glass and unparalleled alfresco views on the terrace serve as a lovely backdrop to California cuisine with Latin and Mediterranean influences; plus a diverse wine list. L (daily), D (Tu-Su). 1549 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619.557.9441, cohnrestaurants.com/theprado
h PUESTO street tacos Mexican. Creative made with organic ingredients are the menu stars at this hip, colorful spot. Favorites include the potato soy chorizo taco, the filet mignon taco and the lobster taco with black beans and crispy onions. Plus specialty cocktails, beer, wine and an array of high-end tequila and mezcal. L, D (daily). 789 W. Harbor Drive, downtown, 619.233.8880; 1026 Wall St., La Jolla, 858.454.1260, eatpuesto.com Queenstown Public House International. Salads and burgers rule the menu at this New Zealandinspired eatery; the Kiwilango is the star—an organic grass-fed beef patty topped with jalapeños, blue cheese, tortilla chips and hot sauce. Don’t miss weekend brunch, complete with chicken ’n’ waffles, blood orange mimosas and sangria pitchers. L, D (daily); Br (Sa-Su). 1557 Columbia St., Little Italy, 619.546.0444, queenstownpublichouse.com h Richard Walker’s Pancake House Breakfast. Since 1948, the Walker family has been serving gourmet breakfast and lunch favorites. The chain originated in the Chicago area and made its way to San Diego in 2006, opening at the base of downtown’s Pinnacle Museum Tower. Choose from classic griddlecakes, crepes, omelets or the delicious signature Brittany-style apple-puffed pancake. The weekend wait looks long, but is orderly and moves quickly. Additional location in La Jolla. B, L (daily). 520 Front St., downtown, 619.231.7777; 909 Prospect St., La Jolla, 858.459.8800, richardwalkers.com RoppongiCL0000026973 Eclectic/Fusion. This fun, sleek spot in the heart of La Jolla is known for its inventive sushi rolls, fresh sashimi and specialty cocktails. The popular tapas menu includes crispy
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pork gyoza, hamachi crudo and kung pao calamari. The wine list has earned Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence several years running. Grab a seat on the patio for happy hour (daily). D (nightly). 875 Prospect St., La Jolla, 858.551.5252, roppongiusa.com H SALLY’S SEAFOOD ON THE WATER Seafood. This marina-facing venue at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, which comes complete with knockout views and an exhibition kitchen, is one of San Diego’s best-kept secrets. The seafood-heavy menu includes fresh creations such as diver scallops and crab cakes with tomato relish and avocado aioli. Makes for a great power lunch spot along the waterfront. L, D (daily). 1 Market Place, Embarcadero, 619.358.6740, sallyssandiego.com SEA & SMOKE American. Located at the Flower Hill Promenade in Del Mar, Sea & Smoke is the third restaurant by Chef Matt Gordon (Urban Solace). The massive oven serves up woodfired meat and seafood options, such as hanger steak, Jidori chicken and Maine diver scallops. Plus vegetarian, gluten-free and daily brunch menus, and an array of creative craft cocktails. Br, D (daily). 2690 Via de la Valle, #D210, Del Mar, 858.925.8212, seaandsmoke.com SEARSUCKERCL9007928 American. Chef Brian Malarkey crafts a bold menu that ranges from a mammoth 32-oz. rib-eye steak to small appetizer plates. The enormous downtown space features an exhibition kitchen and see-and-be-seen square bar, where guests can sip on signature cocktails. In 2014, Searsucker opened a Del Mar location, featuring a large outdoor patio, koi pond, fire pit and sprawling back bar. L (M-F), D (nightly), Br (Sa-Su). 611 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.233.7327; 12995 El Camino Real #121, Del Mar, 858.369.5700, searsucker.com
H SOLACE & THE MOONLIGHT LOUNGE California Cuisine. Sister to North Park’s Urban Solace and Del Mar's Sea & Smoke, this North County spot from Executive Chef Matt Gordon offers quality dining without scaring away the taco-stand types. Get situated in the ground-floor dining room or head to the upstairs raw bar for oysters and seared albacore in the more casual Moonlight Lounge. Try the artisanal meat and cheese boards. L (M-F), D (nightly), Br (Sa-Su). 25 East E St., Encinitas, 760.753.2433, eatatsolace.com H STAKE CHOPHOUSE & BARCL900670 American. The gleaming indoor/ outdoor rooftop retreat is a sexy, modern steakhouse. The menu boasts a 50-ounce tomahawk rib chop, American wagyu beef and a 35-day, dry-aged, bone-in New York strip. Stake is also the only restaurant in San Diego serving A5 Japanese wagyu beef, a rare delicacy from Japan. The wine list features a 2,000-bottle inventory of 200 selections—all housed in two elegant glass wine cellars. D (nightly). 1309 Orange Ave., Coronado, 619.522.0077, stakechophouse.com STARLITECL900670 California Cuisine. Behind its hexagonal entryway, this hip, sleek bar/ restaurant spotlights farm-to-table cuisine—including one of the town’s top burgers, served on a buttery brioche bun—and signature cocktails such as the Starlite Mule, served in a rustic copper mug. Don’t miss the stunning chandelier suspended over the sunken bar, and the charming back patio. Kitchen stays open late till midnight. 21+ only. D (nightly). 3175 India St., Midtown, 619.358.9766, starlitesandiego.com STONE BREWING WORLD BISTRO AND GARDENSCL900649 Brewpubs. Known for “big character” beers with clever names like Arrogant Bastard and Ruination IPA,
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DINING AT THE DEL
RESTAURANTS FOR EVERY TASTE AND OCCASION A CULINARY BOUNTY BY THE BEACH
Stone’s enormous North County brewery serves beer-friendly food made from organic, local ingredients—many from their own nearby farm—and also offers a behind-the-scenes tour, complete with free samples of a variety of brews. A second location in Point Loma's Liberty Station features a bocce ball court and outdoor cinema space. L, D (daily). 1999 Citracado Parkway, Escondido, 760.294.7866; 2816 Historic Decatur Road #116, Point Loma, 619.269.2100, stoneworldbistro.com UNION KITCHEN & TAP American. As the name implies, this is a watering hole for the working man, albeit one with cosmopolitan tastes. Here you'll find interesting beer, craft cocktails, boutique wines and tavern-style grub. Choose from 20 rotating taps of mostly local brews to wash down a bacon burger or sweet potato ravioli. L (M-F), D (nightly), Br (Sa-Su). 1108 S. Coast Highway 101, Encinitas, 760.230.2337, localunion101.com URBAN BAR AND GRILL American. There is something for everyone on the menu at this casual bar and lounge in the Gaslamp: burgers, steak, pasta, salads, seafood and more contemporary American dishes to satisfy nearly every appetite. Plus a variety of creative, globally inspired appetizers, such as wakami tuna tacos, Mediterranean flatbread, and pita served with spicy roasted red pepper hummus, ideal for sharing. D (nightly). 827 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.235.8700, urbanbarandgrill.com
HOTELDEL.COM/DINE | 619-522-8490
URBAN SOLACECL9006470 American. Enjoy owner/Chef Matt Gordon's new American comfort food in low-lit modern ambiance. The upscale comfort-food menu is warm to the core with its cheese biscuits with orange-honey butter, steamed black mussels, and “Not Your Momma's Meatloaf” made with ground lamb and pork and served with confit potatoes. L, D
(daily); B (Sa); Br (Su). 3823 30th St., North Park, 619.295.6464, urbansolace.net VIVACECL002698 Italian. The most opulent of the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort’s four restaurants, Vivace’s warm, elegant surroundings may leave you starryeyed, but the contemporary regional Italian food will bring you back to terra firma. Roasted Jidori chicken breast, wood-fire grilled New York steak and veal scallopini share the menu with seasonal vegetables and imaginative pastas and risottos. D (M-Sa). 7100 Aviara Resort Drive, Carlsbad, 760.448.1234, vivace-restaurant.com WAYPOINT PUBLIC California Cuisine. This laid-back gastropub has a little something for everyone: 100 international bottled beers; a custom 30-tap system focused on West Coast craft brews; and upscale comfort dishes that range from burgers and fish ’n’ chips to Tennessee smoked brisket sandwich and crispy shrimp tacos. The little ones will enjoy staying active in the fenced-off kids' play area. D (nightly), L (W-F), Br (Sa-Su). 3794 30th St., North Park, 619.255.8778, waypointpublic.com ZENBU SUSHICL0026984 Japanese. One of North County's hippest sushi joints, Zenbu serves up contemporary rolls (the Mexicali roll is a favorite among locals), tuna tataki and other dishes made with seafood caught by owner Matt Rimel's own fleet of fishing boats. Ask about the sushi bar’s offthe-menu creations, including the popular spicy edamame side dish. D (nightly). 2003 San Elijo Ave., Cardiff-by-the-Sea, 760.633.2223, zenburestaurants.com FOR MORE LISTINGS, SEE WHERE SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE, WHERESD.COM OR THE WHERE TRAVELER CITY GUIDE APP
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ASHOK SINHA
ARTS, NIGHTLIFE & ATTRACTIONS FUN TIMES AWAIT FOR KIDS AND ADULTS ALIKE. FROM BARS AND DANCE CLUBS TO MUSEUMS AND THEATERS TO THEME PARKS, MONUMENTS, MAGNIFICENT GOLF COURSES, CASINOS AND A WORLD-FAMOUS ZOO, IT’S ALL RIGHT HERE.
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ATTRACTIONS
DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY
ADVENTURE R.I.B. RIDES Experience San Diego by sea and get up close and personal with marine life via intimate dolphin/whale-watching and sightseeing excursions onboard a Navy SEAL Rigid Inflatable Boat (R.I.B.). All charters are captained by a licensed U.S. Coast Guard captain, and provide a fun, fast and thrilling ride, allowing you to take in the sights in and around San Diego Bay. Choose from set tours or create your own custom ocean excursion. 619.808.2822, adventureribrides.com
Housed in the former Stingaree Nightclub space, Omnia San Diego by the Hakkasan Group is the city’s highly anticipated new destination for clubgoers and funseekers craving high-end luxury, lavish design and a live soundtrack fueled by some of the biggest names in electronic music. The multimillion-dollar, multilevel venue boasts both indoor and outdoor spaces—including a large terrace with views of the Gaslamp Quarter—interactive features and state-of-the-art technology guaranteed to deliver an unforgettable night out. Since its opening in spring 2015, the innovative club has hosted a superstar lineup of DJs and electronic artists, including Krewella, Tiësto, Armin van Buuren and Afrojack. To ensure that you're always "on the list" for future events, sign up for the club’s email list and follow Omnia San Diego on social media. 454 Sixth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.544.9500, omnianightclub.com
BALBOA PARKCL00362 At 1,200 acres, this lush green space overlooking downtown San Diego is the largest urban cultural park in the country, home to more than 17 museums, theaters and other cultural institutions, as well as the Spreckels Organ, one of the world’s largest outdoor musical instruments. You’ll also find several spectacular gardens showcasing anything from succulents and palm trees to roses and perennials, plus various facilities for sports and recreation, trails for hiking and mountain biking, and Irving Gill’s historical Marston House, one of the finest examples of Arts and Crafts architecture in the U.S. 1549 El Prado, San Diego, 619.239.0512, balboapark.org H BELMONT PARK Located right on Mission Beach, Belmont Park offers nostalgic summertime fun and modern entertainment for the whole family. Ride the historical 1925-built Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster, or thrill-seek on the Octotron and Tilt-a-Whirl. Catch waves at the WaveHouse via the Flowrider simulated wave ride for surfing and body-boarding. And
enjoy bumper cars, a carousel, minigolf, arcade games and ample dining options that go above and beyond hot dogs and cotton candy (although you can get those here, too). 3146 Mission Blvd., Mission Beach, 858.228.9283, belmontpark.com BIRCH AQUARIUM AT SCRIPPS Educational and entertaining, the aquarium features an eye-popping assortment of Pacific marine life and lots of creative, hands-on exhibits highlighting the ongoing research and discoveries of the worldrenowned Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Kids will love it— “Hey, is that Nemo?!”—and grownups will leave feeling more informed about the planet’s vastest habitat: the ocean. Check the calendar for special events and activities for children and adults. 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla, 858.534.3474, aquarium.ucsd.edu CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENT When Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo first gazed on San Diego Bay in 1542, he called the area “a very good enclosed port.” Later, Point Loma would be home to a historical lighthouse and Fort Rosecrans, a key cog in the coastal defense system. Now Cabrillo National Monument gives visitors the best views of downtown and sweeping ocean vistas. 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive, Point Loma, 619.557.5450, nps.gov/cabr H HORNBLOWER CRUISES With a fleet of seven vessels capable of carrying from 50 to 1,000 people, Hornblower runs daily narrated tours of San Diego Bay that get you up close and personal with some 50 major landmarks, from the Star of India to Cabrillo National Monument.
Also offered: whale watching, nightly romantic dinner cruises, a two-hour Sunday champagne brunch cruise (on Saturdays, too, during the summer), yacht charters, weddings and 970 N. Harbor private events. Drive, Embarcadero, 619.686.8715, hornblower.com H LA JOLLA KAYAK Enjoy guided ocean snorkeling and kayak tours of La Jolla’s spectacular cliffs and caves, as well as La Jolla Cove, with certified and experienced instructors. Or rent single/double kayaks and snorkeling gear to explore on your own. Best part: La Jolla Kayak will transport your kayaks to and from the beach so you don’t have to worry about lugging gear (just yourself and your paddle). Whale watching, standup paddle-boarding and bike tours are also available. 2199 Avenida de la Playa, La Jolla, 858.459.1114, lajollakayak.com LEGOLAND Stemming from the popular building blocks made for children, Legoland owns and operates seven theme parks all over the world. Carlsbad is home to one of two U.S. parks, featuring more than 50 rides along with model attractions (called Minilands) designed and constructed by master Lego builders using only Lego blocks. The Sea Life Aquarium is adjacent to the park and features educational and interactive entertainment. Don't miss the water park, which includes a 45-foot water slide tower, a lazy river and more wet rides. 1 Legoland Drive, Carlsbad, 760.918.5346, legoland.com MISSION SAN DIEGO DE ALCALA Founded by Father Junípero Serra in 1769, Mission San Diego de Alcala
COURTESY OMNIA SAN DIEGO
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has served as a historic monument and a working Catholic parish. The church was the first of California’s 21 missions. Pope Paul VI designated the mission a basilica in 1976. Soak in the history and architecture of the mission on a self-guided tour any day of the week. 10818 San Diego Mission Road, Mission Valley, 619.281.8449, missionsandiego.com H SAN DIEGO BOTANIC GARDEN Back in 1957, Charles and Ruth Larabee donated their 30-acre private estate in Encinitas to the county. The San Diego Botanic Garden, now run by a nonprofit organization, immerses visitors in colorful flora and fauna in this urban oasis. Docent-led tours are offered Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas, 760.436.3036, sdbgarden.org SAN DIEGO SAILING TOURS Set sail on a two-hour tour of San Diego Bay aboard one of two classic sailing yachts. Whether you want to relax and let the experienced crew do the work, or try your hand at sailing, customize your ocean adventure to suit your personal interest. Tours can be booked per person—or book the whole yacht. Half-day whale watching tours and private tour packages also available. 1450 Harbor Island Drive, Harbor Island, 619.786.0173, sandiegosailingtours.com SAN DIEGO SPEED BOAT ADVENTURES You get to be the captain as you take the wheel of your very own speed boat on this one-of-a-kind adventure. Trained guides will help you navigate the seas—via two-way radio—as well as provide a narrated tour while you steer your vessel during this 13-mile tour of San Diego Bay. In addition to taking in the USS Midway from periscope level and the Maritime Museum’s tall ships, you also may see some sea lions within a few feet of your boat. 1450 Harbor Island Drive #205, Harbor Island, 619.294.5852, speedboatadventures.com
H SAN DIEGO ZOO It's world-famous for a reason. Visitors can get up close and personal with more than 4,000 creatures from nearly every corner of the world. Animals, both well-known and unfamiliar, live in habitats rich with features and activities (such as the Elephant Odyssey and Australian Outback exhibits). The Zoo is a longtime leader in animal care and wildlife conservation, and it shows at this landmark San Diego attraction. 2920 Zoo Drive, Balboa Park, 619.231.1515, sandiegozoo.org H SAN DIEGO ZOO SAFARI PARK The Serengeti is thousands of miles away, but the 1,800-acre Safari Park (formerly the Wild Animal Park) lets visitors experience a safari here. More than 375 species roam the extensive exhibits, designed to resemble natural habitats like savannas, forests and lakes. Guided and self-guided tours bring animal adventurers safely close to elephants, giraffes, gorillas, lions, antelopes, zebras, rhinos and more. 15500 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido,WhereSDGuestbook_SDZoo_2015.indd 760.747.8702, sdzsafaripark.org
WELCOME TO KOALAFORNIA THE AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK.
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SEAWORLD With San Diego’s connection to the Pacific Ocean, SeaWorld—which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2014— remains the signature theme park of America’s Finest City. From Dining with Shamu to Shipwreck Rapids, the park balances informative, fun aquatic shows with thrilling coasters. Get wet on the splashy Journey to Atlantis, or explore polar life in Wild Arctic. The Turtle Reef attraction offers an upclose look at some 60 threatened or endangered sea turtles. 500 Sea World Drive, Mission Bay, 800.257.4268, seaworld.com SIXT RENT A CAR SAN DIEGO Europe’s prestigious (and oldest) car rental company, Sixt Rent a Car’s unparalleled fleet of vehicles is now ready to drive in San Diego. Renowned internationally for quality customer
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A UNIQUE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EXPERIENCE Sunset Dinner, Champagne Brunch, Sunset Cocktail Cruises, Harbor Cruises, and Whale Watching Adventures. Weddings and Private Charter Cruises also available.
care (they’ll deliver cars to your hotel) and low rental rates, Sixt offers a wide range of rentals from compact cars to high-end wheels like Mercedes, BMW, Cadillac and Rolls Royce—allowing you to “drive premium, pay economy.” 2401 Pacific Hwy., downtown; 2499 Pacific Highway, San Diego International Airport, 619.363.6000, sixt.com H SPANISH VILLAGE ART CENTER This artists’ haven includes 37 working studios and an outdoor patio area where visitors can watch resident artists create original works of art. With more than 200 artists represented, the center displays a large variety of paintings, glass, gourds, pottery, jewelry, sculpture, photography, fiber arts, enamel, woodwork and more. 1770 Village Place, Balboa Park, 619.233.9050, spanishvillageart.com TIJON FRAGRANCE LAB & BOUTIQUE Don’t just buy perfume: Learn the art of perfume-making as you create your very own custom fragrance. Not your ordinary, run-of-the-mill perfumery, Tijon is a multisensory interactive laboratory where customers get to mix beakers of oils (under the guidance of Tijon’s own experts) and watch the perfume/ cologne production process as it unfolds. Choose from more than 300 oils to formulate your unique scent. And once it’s done, be ready to name it, too. 7853 Herschel Ave., La Jolla, 619.821.8219, tijon.com
HORNBLOWER.COM | 619-686-8715 SAN DIEGO • NEWPORT BEACH • LONG BEACH MARINA DEL REY • SAN FRANCISCO • BERKELEY • NEW YORK
USS MIDWAYCL9000007768 As the world’s largest floating navalaviation museum, the USS Midway showcases restored airplanes and interactive exhibits. The museum is the world’s longest-serving aircraft carrier, and many of the storytelling docents are veterans who served onboard the carrier during its 47-year history. 910 N. Harbor Drive, Embarcadero, 619.544.9600, midway.org
GOLF H MADERAS GOLF CLUB This Johnny Miller- and Robert Muir Graves-designed course—named one of Golf Digest's top 100 public courses—is set in secluded canyons and ravines 20 minutes northeast of downtown, complemented by oaks, sycamores, creeks, lakes, waterfalls and 40 acres of native wildflowers. The 18-hole course plays to 7,167 yards from the back tees, and with five sets of tees, it can be enjoyed by golfers of all skill levels. 17750 Old Coach Road, Poway, 858.451.8100, maderasgolf.com OMNI LA COSTA RESORT Measure your game against golfing’s elite at La Costa, the site of numerous PGA Tour events and Southern California's only Gold Medal Golf Resort. Amid 400 acres in the coastal foothills of Carlsbad, La Costa features two 18-hole courses recently restored with a $20 million renovation. The site also boasts a driving range, equipment rental and a golf performance clinic offering unique on-site programs to help you improve your game. 2100 Costa del Mar Road, Carlsbad, 800.854.5000, lacosta.com/golf PARK HYATT AVIARACL9000006343 The only Arnold Palmer signature golf course in San Diego, Aviara winds through rolling valleys with ocean views. Named by Golf Digest and Golf magazines as one of the best resort courses in the nation, and by Condé Nast Traveler as one of the best in the world, the resort also welcomes non-guests to play. 7447 Batiquitos Drive, Carlsbad, 760.603.6900, golfaviara.com TORREY PINES GOLF COURSE Home of the PGA Tour’s annual Farmers Insurance Open and the 2008 U.S. Open, this is one of the best-known courses in the U.S. (Tiger Woods and local Phil Mickelson are among the greats who have played
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FOODIE meet FISHERMAN. The new ocean to table program at Sally’s Seafood on the Water marries fisherman and fish lover to create an unforgettable dining experience. The open-air Tuna Harbor Dockside Market is a seafood market operating just steps from Sally’s. Visit the market to pick out your fresh catch and let Sally’s prepare it for your dining pleasure that same night. Customize your fresh catch with your choice of sauces, sides, and preparation. To learn more about this exciting new program in downtown San Diego, visit SallysSanDiego.com or call 619 358 6740. From reel to meal. Now that’s fresh! Some restrictions apply.
2015 Sally’s Seafood on the Water.
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here.) The two courses have stunning ocean views from the bluffs above the Pacific, wide fairways and sloping greens. The seventh and 12th holes on the South Course are two of the town’s toughest. 11480 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, 858.581.7171, torreypinesgolfcourse.com
MUSEUMS
Explore the connections between people, instruments & the music we make. Museum of Making Music • 5790 Armada Drive, Carlsbad (760) 438-5996 • www.museumofmakingmusic.org
CALIFORNIA SURF MUSEUM Founded in 1986, the California Surf Museum documents not just the history of San Diego’s surf culture, but the whole state’s. The museum’s occasional exhibitions explore classic surf photography, the evolution of surfboard design and relics from the sport’s golden era. From highly specialized gear to music, art and clothing, the museum’s small but informative collection tells the story of a life lived according to the way the waves are breaking. 312 Pier View Way, Oceanside, 760.721.6876, surfmuseum.org MINGEI INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM Mingei (which means "art of the people") takes center stage at this museum's rotating exhibitions, which feature a rich collection of handmade folk art, craft and design from all eras and cultures of the world. 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619.239.0003, mingei.org MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART SAN DIEGOCL9000006330 With two distinctive locations— coastal and urban—the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego keeps native and visiting culture-vultures satiated with lectures, film series and rotating exhibitions that have included marquee art-world names as well as notable up-and-comers. MCASD La Jolla, perched above the dazzling Pacific, showcases the whimsical and charming outdoor Edwards Sculpture Garden, while the downtown galleries occupy the historical Santa Fe Depot and feature commissions from artists including Richard Serra, Jenny Holzer, Roman de Salvo and Richard
Wright. 1001 and 1100 Kettner Blvd., downtown; 700 Prospect St., La Jolla, 858.454.3541; mcasd.org H MUSEUM OF MAKING MUSIC In an effort to bring the story of American popular music and its pioneering history to life, this unique museum showcases vintage musical instruments, interactive audio and visual exhibits, films, concerts and discussions that explore the history of music making in the U.S. from the 1890s to the present day. Exhibits often focus on specific musical instruments, from the harp to the saxophone. 5790 Armada Drive, Carlsbad, 760.438.5996, museumofmakingmusic.org MUSEUM OF PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS Since 1983, the Museum of Photographic Arts has brought the best of moving and still images to San Diego, ranging from pure art photography to pointed social commentary. The permanent collection consists of more than 7,000 images, from the earliest daguerreotypes to modern photojournalism; while its new exhibits are among the best in the world. MoPA also shows films in its state-of-the-art theater, and has one of Balboa Park’s coolest gift shops. 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619.238.7559, mopa.org NEW CHILDREN’S MUSEUMCL0000333625 Designed just for kids, this awesome interactive art/play space downtown is a revolutionary learning environment. The museum encourages its wee visitors to interact with the exhibits, which are always innovative, educational and engaging. Plus, there is fun to be had for kids of all ages. 200 W. Island Ave., downtown, 619.233.8792, thinkplaycreate.org REUBEN H. FLEET SCIENCE CENTERCL0000027018 This hands-on science center makes learning a blast. Explore more than 100 interactive exhibits and Kid City,
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where scientists ages 5 and younger can climb into the driver’s seat of a model fire truck and play pretend in a mock grocery store checkout line. And the whole family can catch fascinating large-format IMAX films and planetarium shows at the Giant Dome Theater. 1875 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619.238.1233, rhfleet.org SAN DIEGO AIR & SPACE MUSEUMCL0000333626 This cavernous museum traces the history of human flight, from the earliest contraptions to military jets, all suspended from the ceiling above interactive, educational exhibits that tell the stories of the two World Wars. The 4D theater provides an immersive thrill for all ages. 2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park, 619.234.8291, sandiegoairandspace.org SAN DIEGO MARITIME MUSEUM San Diego’s Maritime Museum is world-famous for its beautifully preserved historical ships and collection of seafaring memorabilia. Take a tour of the magnificent Star of India, the world’s oldest active ship. Since her maiden voyage in 1863, she’s survived a mutiny, a collision and thousands of tourists. Now safely docked— except for a couple of exhibition sails each year—she’s a tall ship with plenty of tall tales. 1492 N. Harbor Drive, Embarcadero, 619.234.9153, sdmaritime.org SAN DIEGO MUSEUM OF ARTCL9000006334 Opened in 1926 as the Fine Arts Gallery of San Diego, the museum’s diverse collection today includes Italian Renaissance and Spanish Baroque works, 19th- and 20th-century American and European paintings and sculpture, and a vast Asian collection. Director Roxana Velásquez, formerly of Mexico City’s Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes, has launched exhibitions featuring works from sought-after foreign collections. 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619.232.7931, sdmart.org
SAN DIEGO MUSEUM OF MANCL0000027022 Located in the historical California Plaza at the center of Balboa Park, the Museum of Man is known as much for its architecture as its exhibitions— the museum’s California Tower is Balboa Park’s signature landmark; for an extra fee, visitors can climb up to the top to take in breathtaking views of the city. Past exhibitions have spotlighted everything from ancient Egypt to medieval torture devices. 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619.239.2001, museumofman.org SAN DIEGO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMCL0000027023 Housed in a building designed by San Diego architect William Templeton Johnson (who also designed the nearby Museum of Art), the Natural History Museum hosts permanent exhibitions such as Fossil Mysteries (prehistory of Southern California and Baja) and Coast to Cactus in Southern California, as well as temporary/traveling ones. The museum also features an extensive film schedule at its 300seat giant-screen 3D theater. 1788 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619.232.3821, sdnhm.org
intimate theatre
Professional theatre at its best! NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE NorthCoastRep.org (858) 481-1055 Solana Beach, CA
SAN DIEGO’S PREMIER OCEAN ADVENTURE OUTFITTER & BIKE TOURS SINCE 1995
NIGHTLIFE ALTITUDE SKY LOUNGECL9000006350 San Diego looks good from 22 stories up. The highest open-air rooftop bar in San Diego, this lounge at the Marriott Gaslamp offers two fullservice bars and a design that caters to comfort and style. Spectacular views of the harbor, downtown skyline and an inside peek into Petco Park can be enjoyed with VIP service. With plenty of ledge seating and a swank fire pit, Altitude Sky Lounge allows guests to sit atop the world in style. 660 K St., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.696.0234, altitudeskylounge.com BELLY UP TAVERNCL900635 Built in a converted Quonset hut, this intimate club has offered some of the best live music in the county since 1974. The diverse lineup runs
The Original Tour of the Seven Caves
(858) 459-1114 • www.LaJollaKayak.com • 2199 Avenida De La Playa at La Jolla Shores
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the gamut from local and indie bands to well-known names in folk, world, rock, country and so on. It’s a short haul from downtown San Diego, and well worth it. Be sure to check out rock poster art by Scrojo, the Belly Up’s resident artist. 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach, 858.481.8140, bellyup.com
depending on the night of the week, with live music, dancing and DJs offered on several nights, in addition to goldfish races on Tuesdays and open mic nights on Sundays. Plus happy hour specials (M-F). 123 W. Plaza St., Solana Beach, 858.755.5007, thesaddlebar.com
FLUXXCL9000006363 This theatrical nightspot gets its name from the continually changing atmosphere. But it’s not only the chameleon-like décor that attracts S.D.’s trendiest clubgoers to the 11,000-square-foot nighclub’s central sunken dance floor: Fluxx’s sophisticated lighting and sound systems along with its barely clad bartenders make for unforgettable nights. Open F-Sa, select Th. 500 Fourth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.232.8100, fluxxsd.com
BALBOA THEATRECL9000006325 The Balboa Theatre has enjoyed a long and colorful life since its construction in 1924. Originally a vaudeville and movie palace, it was transformed in 1934 into the Teatro Balboa, used by the Navy during WWII, served as single-occupancy housing after that and in 1959 was rescued from possible demolition by the Russo family. In 1986 the City purchased the theater and in 2002 decided to restore and renovate the historical building. In January 2008, after many years and $26 million, the Balboa Theatre finally reopened its doors as a local, national and international performing venue. 868 Fourth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.570.1100, sandiegotheatres.org
PARQ7 Housed in the former On Broadway space, this posh new restaurant and club delivers an unparalleled nightlife experience. Indulge on innovative cuisine, such as grilled octopus and lacquered pork belly, cooked up by Executive Chef Errol LeBlanc. Then dance it off inside the 20,000-square-foot club, accessed via a stone tunnel. 615 Broadway, downtown, 619.727.6789, parqsd.com ROOFTOP 600000006367 The Andaz Hotel’s renovated rooftop—one of the largest downtown, with unrivaled views of the city— transforms into a Vegas-worthy club at night with DJs spinning, dance acts and plenty of pretty people. 600 F St., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.814.2060, rooftop600.com SADDLE BARL9000006373 Enjoy craft beer and stiff drinks at this Wild West-inspired bar located just a mile away from the Del Mar racetrack—a popular destination pre-/post-ponies during racing season. Entertainment options vary
PERFORMING ARTS
CYGNET THEATRECL9000006849 Critics applaud the award-winning Cygnet Theatre, whose productions range from stage classics and world premieres to clever comedies and edgy brow-raisers laced with innuendo. Shows take place at Cygnet’s intimate, 250-seat space in the heart of Old Town. Old Town Theatre, 4040 Twiggs St., Old Town, 619.337.1525, cygnettheatre.com H LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSEC The Who’s Tommy. Memphis. Jersey Boys. All won a bevy of Tony Awards, and all premiered here, 3,000 miles off Broadway in La Jolla. This theater founded by Gregory Peck and others in 1947 has a storied history, and continues to draw top-flight original musical and theatrical productions. The Playhouse has earned additional acclaim for its Without Walls program and festival,
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where unique plays are performed in unusual locations. 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla, 858.550.1010, lajollaplayhouse.org Lamb’s Players TheatreCL9000006337 This ensemble theater company presents a year-round schedule of productions in two different venues—its resident stage, a beautiful 350-seat space in Coronado’s historical Spreckels Building, and the newly refurbished Horton Grand Theatre, an intimate 250-seat space in downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter. This energetic company serves up an engaging range of comedies, musicals, classics, bold dramas and new work. 1142 Orange Ave., Coronado; Horton Grand Theatre, 444 Fourth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.437.6000, lambsplayers.org H North Coast Repertory Theatre38 From classic plays and musicals to world-premiere stagings, the North Coast Rep has been delivering highquality productions for 30 years. Comedy and drama are no stranger to the stage at the intimate 194-seat theater in Solana Beach. The Rep is also committed to fostering a love of theater in local youth via its Theatre School education and outreach programs. 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, #D, Solana Beach, 858.481.1055, northcoastrep.org The Old Globe TheatreCL9000006338 Mixing Tudor architecture and Shakespearean staging with contemporary plays, the Old Globe, founded in 1935, brings high-quality theater to the heart of Balboa Park. The complex holds three stages: the main Shiley Stage at Old Globe Theatre (capacity: 580), the more intimate White Theater and the outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre. Annual program highlights include the summer Shakespeare festival and popular holiday offering, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas. 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, 619.234.5623, theoldglobe.org
San Diego OperaCL9000006339 With an interactive website and informative podcasts, San Diego Opera continues to make strides to bring its beautiful music and theater to new audiences. Ranked by Opera America as one of the top 10 opera companies in the U.S., the company produces three operas a year at San Diego Civic Theatre. The 2016 season, which runs from February through May, includes Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Great Scott. 1100 Third Ave., downtown, 619.533.7000, sdopera.com San Diego Repertory TheatreCL9000006340 Small but prestigious, The Rep stages contemporary plays, re-imagined classics and world premieres annually at the downtown Lyceum Theatre space, including a few—such as It Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues—that have moved on to Broadway. With an emphasis on multicultural programming, The Rep also produces Kuumba Fest, a celebration of African-American culture, and the Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival. Lyceum Theatre, 79 Horton Plaza, Gaslamp Quarter, 619.544.1000, sdrep.org
17750 O L D C OAC H R D P O WAY, C A 92064
Play one of only two San Diego golf courses ranked on the Golf Digest America’s Top 100 Greatest Public Courses list.
San Diego Symphony CL9000006341 San Diego Symphony has been enriching local culture for more than a century now. Under the leadership of Music Director Jahja Ling, the orchestra performs both classical and symphonic pops concerts throughout the year. Its winter home is downtown’s Jacobs Music Center inside Copley Symphony Hall. For the Summer Pops series, the orchestra moves outdoors to the waterfront Embarcadero Marina Park South. 750 B St., downtown, 619.235.0804, sandiegosymphony.org FOR more listings, SEE where SAN DIEGO magazine, WherESD.COM OR THE WHERE traveler city guide APP
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SURFING SESSION UNDERWAY IN CARDIFF-BY-THE-SEA • PHOTO BY EDWIN SANTIAGO
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Big Bang Unico. UNICO column-wheel chronograph. In-house Hublot movement. 72-hour power reserve. King Gold case an exclusive red gold alloy developed by Hublot. Ceramic bezel. Interchangeable strap by a unique attachment. www.hublot.com •
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