Oof, this week was exhausting. Between too much time working on the computer and riding the emotional roller coaster that is self-employment, I think my brain is more tired than my body. I’m looking forward to a dinner date tonight with my boyfriend, a dinner date Saturday with my girlfriend, and a double dinner date on Sunday. Oodles of dates. Plus, as much as I love the loyal sunshine in San Diego, it’s supposed to rain the entire weekend and that’s good news not only for the drought-ridden state, but for me as well. We rarely get those days of gloom and drizzle, so a little imposed couch time and afternoon nappin’ sound downright luxurious.
Hope you have a happy one! Here are some reads to take you into the weekend:
Generally speaking, California, especially SoCal, is the land of flakers and people running late. This doesn’t bode well for me, someone who is insanely obsessed with punctuality. These six charts aptly describe by annoyance. (The Bold Italic)
This pineapple fried rice recipe is so dang good. (Cookie + Kate)
The new season of House of Cards has arrived! Here’s a fun (and grim) infographic about all the people Frank Underwood has backstabbed, blackmailed, manipulated, and/or killed. (Huffington Post)
How to brew the perfect cup of tea whether you’re drinking green, black, or loose leaf. (PAPER/PLATES)
Ten essential San Diego hikes. I still need to do Devil’s Punchbowl and Three Sisters, but I’m a little terrified of the latter. (UT-San Diego)
The remedy for dark under-eye circles? Red lipstick as a concealer. Yes, really! (Today)
San Diego may be synonymous with board shorts, beaches, and a perpetually warm climate, but this city has a serious coffee situation going on. From pour-overs to cold brews, here are 5 new (or newish) cafes worth checking out:
When you move to San Diego, you’re fortunate to get a lot of visitors. And when it snows like it’s the End of Days in Boston, I get to have one of my best friends leave the Tundra for a little San Diego getaway.
Considering her Vortex-plagued past few weeks, my mission was to provide my best pal, Shilpa, with outdoorsy, signature SoCal fun. So we hiked Torrey Pines, had smoothies at an aerial yoga studio-meets-organic cafe, hit the beach, got blowouts (for a dose of extra-girly entertainment), and ate tacos at Puesto. The Hyatt Regency La Jolla also generously offered me a stay in one of their newly renovated rooms. It was the ideal way to feel like we were getting away without going far. (It also gave her a break from sleeping on our couch!)
All that to say, I’m feeling extra relaxed and rejuvenated at the end of this weekend. Ah, staycations. They’re a beautiful thing.
Sable & Snow is a San Diego-based stationery and paper products company launched by three talented gals who met at design school here in the sunny city and launched a collaborative line once they realized that their passion came from creating patterns and illustrations. The trio dubbed themselves Sable & Snow, a nod to the fact that it all starts with a black and white sketch, and specialize in wedding invitations suites but also create whimsical, colorful cards for birthdays and more. (My favorites are the piñata birthday card and teepee print.)
Today all three gals chime in on breakfasts, mental blocks, and more.
Names: (left to right) Ashley Jorgensen; Katie Schultz; Jessica Nicholson Ages: 25; 26; 28 Neighborhood: All in North Park Profession: Graphic designer; graphic designer; graphic designer + owner of Sable & Snow
Bankers Hill was one of the first neighborhoods I explored when I first moved to San Diego, and in my latest piece for San Diego Magazine, I share my picks—mostly of the food and drink variety—around the petite nabe. There are fancy pastries, rooftop fine dining, and a new indoor farmers market—and if you want to walk off that burger at Bankers Hill Bar + Restaurant or the pasta at Cucina Urbana, make sure to find the Spruce Street suspension bridge (above), a historic (and wobbly) bridge that’s tucked inside a residential area. It’s one of my favorite spots in the whole city.
I’m so in love with the new Kettle & Stone in Mission Hills. The cafe serves locally roasted WestBean coffee, and though $4 for a 12 oz. latte is on the steep side for me, the quality was all there. Plus, it’s worth the money for their amazing sidewalk seating. Lewis Street, where Kettle & Stone is located, has a variety of boutiques, which makes for just the right amount of foot traffic as you sip. On Saturday, we had a perfect mix of friendly people and even friendlier dogs. Good coffee + a gentle breeze + shade on a hot day + amazing doggies—it wasn’t a planned Valentine’s Day excursion, but I was certainly feeling the love.
In January 2013, I was fresh to San Diego, knew maybe two people, and was relearning how to drive after years of New York City life (for real). My technique for fighting this fish-out-of-water feeling? Attend networking and creative events like it was my job because, hey, I didn’t have a job anyway. One of the first events was a San Diego fashion blogger meet-up at the W Hotel, and it was there that I met the lovely Paulina, a financial analyst who moonlights as a fashion blogger over at Lil Bits of Chic. She was so sweet and welcoming, and in these past two years and I run into Pau all over town at events. It’s always such a joy to see her smiling face.
I’m also so impressed that she holds down a busy day job and still has the time to have grown an impressive blog following. She’s been featured in Lucky, People StyleWatch, Redbook, and other outlets, and today I wanted to feature her on My SoCal’d Life. (That’s better than Lucky anyway, right?)
Today the born-and-raised San Diegan talks about the book she’s re-reading and the place that makes her get all the “I love San Diego” feelings…among other things.
I was (super, duper, ridiculously lucky) to be hosted at the oceanfront Dana Point resort this weekend to check out the property, located just one hour north of San Diego, and try their Vegetable Discovery Tasting Menu, a five-course dinner (with more amuse bouches than you could dream of) that focuses on vegetables from California’s central coast. The resort boasts a lot of upscale amenities, like butler service, an award-winning spa (where Princess Diana’s former hair stylist now works!), three swimming pools, and more than 400 rooms and suites that are currently undergoing a refresh for a summer reveal.
We started our stay with a few hours at the pool because even though I love the beach, solid pool time (see photo above) is something we never get to enjoy in San Diego. (I’m sure all you Midwesterners and East Coasters dunked with snow hate me right now.) This main pool is one of the most flawless I’ve ever experienced. From the layout to the playlist (i.e. Jack Johnson) to the on-point cabana service, it’s a real treat to relax there.
