You can read the full story here.

Photo by Sam Wells

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2. A show at The Old Globe. My friend was so sweet to invite me as her date to a showing of Arms and the Man at The Old Globe Theater in Balboa Park. It was my first time there, but it was such a treat to go out for a night of theatahr (said in pretentious British voice). I used to go to plays and the ballet all the time in New York, and though San Diego isn’t necessarily swimming in highbrow culture, this was a great reminder that I should scout out some shows here and at The La Jolla Playhouse, two credible arts organizations in town.3. Teddy time. The earlier part of May was filled with stress about work, family, relationships, and my health. This guy brightens my day every day. Thank goodness for fur friends.4. Holsem Coffee. Another day, another artisanal coffee shop in San Diego—and I love it! This North Park cafe serves all the usual suspects, like coffee, cappuccinos, etc., but they also offer a menu of coffee-themed mocktails. I know these things are sometimes good on paper, horrible in execution, but I loved my La Vie en Rose (above, left), a latte made with rosewater and cardamom and topped with rose petals. Eaman was so-so on the Into the Woods blend, which includes maple bitters and sea salt, but we’ll have to try more of the menu for the full scoop.

5. My first piece in Conde Nast Traveler. You can read it here!

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Just call us the brunch bunch. After Farmer’s Bottega and Andaz Hotel’s Rooftop600, I’m back with another brunch idea. This time, we’re visiting Bankers Hill Bar + Restaurant, a popular dinner spot in, yes, Bankers Hill, that recently launched brunch on Sundays. The menu changes based on season, and on this particular Sunday, Eaman got the black angus bistro tender ($20) and I got the vegetarian scramble ($11). I’m usually hard-pressed to find a vegetarian brunch option that isn’t pure carbs (i.e. French toast) or pure protein (eggs upon eggs upon eggs), so my veg dish was a welcome surprise, with king trumpet mushrooms, asparagus, the most perfectly cooked peas, and goat cheese to cream-ify the whole thing. That said, the potatoes were too soft for my taste, so I could’ve done without them.

Make sure to check out their cocktail menu, too. The milk tyson punch ($9) goes down particularly smooth, and its milk base makes it a good choice for brunch. And if you know what’s good for you, you’ll also order the cinnamon bun, topped with cream cheese and blueberries. When I saw it land at another table, I thought, there’s no way the two of us can finish that. But because it’s so light and airy—the chef worked with the man behind Hillcrest donuterie Donut Star to perfect the dough—I probably could’ve eaten one on my own.

And the food isn’t the only part that deserves praise. The open, industrial space reminds me of my favorite New York City brunch spot, Public, and Bankers Hill’s enclosed, light-filled patio with a plant wall is one of the best seats in the house.

Check it out:

Our meal was complimentary. As always, all opinions are my own.

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You had me at dog-friendly. The Andaz Hotel‘s RoofTop600, a lounge that includes DJ’ed weekend parties and a trio of pool parties this summer (Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day), serves brunch on its top floor, and your four-legged friend is welcome. The space, which was remodeled last summer and includes a retractable roof perfect for this recent spate of San Diego rain, is open and airy, with daybeds, a living plant wall, and city views.

On this particular Saturday, it was drizzling May grey-style darkness, so we settled in for a cozy brunch with Teddy by my side. The staff loved him, bringing him a water bowl once we sat down and giving the lovable attention whore a few pets every time they checked on us.

We managed the perfect balance of savory and sweet: The sizable waffle topped with macerated berries and fresh cream and the highly recommended caprese omelet. Oh, and a classic chocolate donut. Did I not tell you about the rain and gloom?

Check it out:

Disclaimer: Our meal was complimentary. As always, all opinions are my own.

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Farmers Bottega is a happy medium between everything—farm-to-table-focused without costing a fortune, simple without lacking style, and spacious for big groups. Last weekend I went to the restaurant to celebrate my friend’s birthday with a group of about a dozen, and we found the perfect spot for a group brunch: the expansive, dog-friendly back patio. It’s filled with lush greenery as well as brick walls that feel straight out of New York, albeit with much more square footage. The menu includes chilaquiles with vegetarian-friendly black beans ($10), different Benedicts ($10-14), French toast ($9), Cafe Moto coffee, and more. Sounds standard? They also have extensive gluten-free options along with bacon all over the menu. It’s like the two sides of San Diego, health-conscious plus pork-lover, coming together on one menu!

Check it out:

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In San Diego we talk a lot about North Park and Little Italy, La Jolla and Ocean Beach, Encinitas and Hillcrest, but in this city of villages, there are so many more, often-overlooked neighborhoods to explore. For the latest issue of San Diego Magazine, I share a round-up of my favorite places in City Heights, a mid-city nabe that has a garden nursery with animals, a delightfully divey concert venue, Hummingbird Huddle (above), the farmers market coffee stand with an activist mission, and plenty more food, drink, and activities to explore. Like a beekeeping class!

You can read the full City Heights guide here.

Photo via

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Being the pedestrian-friendly city that New York is, I would usually wake up in my Nolita apartment, grab a coffee from my favorite Gimme Coffee, and walk. Walk and walk and walk. I’d start in Nolita, make my way through Soho, turn a corner to the West Village, and somehow by the end of the day, I found myself in Central Park. I do miss that sort of random weekend that walking encourages. And that’s not to say it’s impossible in San Diego, but it’s not the same. Neighborhood-hopping here typically requires a car.

So this Saturday, we did the next best thing. We spent most of the day in one neighborhood—Mission Hills, which has recently blossomed with buzzy restaurants, cafes, and more—and walked from garage sale to coffee shop to garage sale to boutique to The Patio on Goldfinch, an upscale American restaurant with lush plant walls, a Venissimo cheese cave (!), and a dog-friendly patio.

I had been before for dinner and loved our small plates, but going with Teddy during the day was a totally different (and I think more fun) experience. The light flooding in is gorgeous, they offer a complimentary dog treat made from table scraps, and a daily happy hour from 3-6pm with 50% off all glasses of wine is pretty spectacular.

Take a look:

Post-brunch outside the restaurant with Teddy chomping on his garage sale spoil.

Happy Monday!

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I’ve been waiting to find that neighborhood in San Diego with a strong pulse, one where people are passionate, community-driven, innovative, artistic, young, and energetic—and I’ve found it in Barrio Logan. The largely Hispanic area just a few miles south of downtown San Diego is flourishing right now, thanks to plenty of art galleries, restaurants, cafes, and community events. This year also marks the 45th anniversary of Chicano Park, Barrio Logan’s park beneath the Coronado Bay Bridge that lays claim to the largest number of outdoor murals in the U.S. And just last year, Barrio Logan finally received its own marquee neighborhood sign, one that so many other San Diego nabes already have. Barrio Logan, you can say, is having a moment.

I’ve been to art shows here, eaten tacos here, talked to shopkeepers here, and it’s clear that everyone in Barrio Logan is passionate about collaborating and proudly showing off how far the neighborhood has come from its gritty reputation. I rounded up some of my favorites from the area in this month’s San Diego Magazine, which you can read here, and to do more exploring of your own, here are a few upcoming Barrio Logan events:

March 6-8: San Diego Dances by The PGK Dance Project at Bread & Salt

March 7: “Venus” women’s art exhibition at La Bodega Gallery

March 20: Fresh Sound Music Series featuring Aiyun Huang and Eric Derr at Bread & Salt

Photo via Salud!

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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:

WowWow Waffle [temporarily closed]: WowWow is a waffle eatery tucked behind a North Park laundromat and decked out with upcycled lecture hall seats from Point Loma Nazarene University, succulent walls, and plenty of books and magazines. Coffee & Tea Collective brews are served—free refills if you get plain coffee!—and the waffles, made with a Brioche-based dough rather than a batter, are the best I’ve ever had. (WowWow’s hours are a bit funky at the moment; they’re closed Sundays and Mondays and open until 3 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.)

Kettle & Stone: This cafe, which opened in December, is situated on an active stretch of Lewis Street in the otherwise quiet Mission Hills neighborhood. While the inside space is cozy and shared with an eclectic gift and home decor boutique, Mod About You, the outdoor seating is the place to be. There’s great people-watching on Lewis, which is home to everything from a deli and spin studio to hair salons and the (very cool) clothing boutique, Le Bel Age. K&S serves locally roasted Westbean coffee, and while the $4 latte was a bit steep for my budget, there was quality to back it up. They also offer pastries from Bread & Cie and Le Parfait Paris among other local spots.

James Coffee Co.: Sparse, industrial, minimalist—they’re all ways to describe this Little Italy cafe, which shares a space with other local businesses, including a leather accessories brand and eyewear boutique. James Coffee pours its eponymous brand of beans, and there are fun twists to pick from, like the espresso with condensed milk and nutmeg. It’s also a bit away from the hubbub of Little Italy and finding parking has never been an issue for me.

Bean Bar: Partners in life and business, Sandra and Jason recently opened Bean Bar to bring their expertise to the East Village with Bean Bar. She grew up in Germany, he hails from Portland, and they both come from a background where coffee is a craft. That upbringing is evident in everything from they way they pour to the recommendations they offer. Two of the coolest features are the coffee-infused mocktails (above) as well as the slow bar, a place to sit, watch, and learn from the barista.

Heartwork Coffee Bar: A family-run operation, Heartwork, located on the newly bustling Goldfinch Street in Mission Hills, serves James Coffee Co. and Dark Horse Coffee Roasters along with vegan donuts by local baker Papa G and other baked treats. The decor is subdued and sophisticated without feeling sterile, like so many craft coffee shops can seem these days. Keep in mind that seating inside is minimal, or grab a table on their charming sidewalk patio.

Other recent coffee shop openings: Dark Horse Coffee Roasters (North Park), StreetCar Merchants of Fried Chicken, Doughnuts, and Coffee (North Park), Coffee & Tea Collective (East Village), Halcyon (East Village), WestBean Coffee Roasters (Gaslamp), and coming soon, Ladies & Gentleman Coffee Roasters (East Village) and Caffe Calabria (Downtown).

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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.

Here’s a peek at our weekend itinerary:

The clouds parted just in time for our hike through Torrey Pines State Reserve, making the water look extra brilliant. Post workout, we rewarded ourselves with smoothies and a vegan lunch at Trilogy Sanctuary. I know, just so obnoxiously Southern California. All that was missing was a green juice.

Yes, I know the rest of the country is experiencing real winter, but it was pretty chilly for San Diego this weekend. We stepped into the cozy Pannikin Coffee & Tea — coffee for me, coconut-ginger green tea for her, and a seat by the fire for the both of us.

One of my favorite bougainvillea spots near Windansea Beach. Honest to blog, I’m not attempting one of those staged, looking-off-into-the-distance poses; Shilpa just makes me laugh that hard.

Cocktails and appetizers by the fire pit at Michael’s, one of the restaurants at the Hyatt Regency. We asked the waiter to switch the TV to Bravo, and I’m not ashamed to admit that.

This being a girlfriend getaway and all, we thought it was only appropriate to indulge in something spa-related. I had been hanging on to a gift card for a blowout at Benefit’s La Jolla boutique, which focuses mostly on makeup application and its much-touted brow bar—and the employees are not afraid to sell you on it! Fair enough, especially because they did an excellent job with my friend’s brows. I was going for a beachy-wave blowout, and though I’m not sure the end result was quite that, it was still fun to get dolled up after a long day out.

An early dinner at Puesto, followed by heading back to the hotel and into bed by 8 p.m. Shilpa’s excuse was jet lag, but I’m just a granny. Truth be told, since I don’t have a TV at home, I get excited to watch bad TV for way too long in hotel rooms.

One of my favorite treats is hotel breakfasts. I’m not sure what it is about it—perhaps it’s the classic dishes (i.e. French toast) or the hefty portions, but at hotels, I just relish every bite of my favorite meal of the day. Yesterday’s was extra special because the Hyatt treated us to room service.

After checking out of the hotel and before settling in for a cheese plate and the (very boring) Oscars, Shilpa and I ventured out for a long walk through Balboa Park so we could burn off that French toast—and so Teddy could tote around the dirty stuffed animal he found in the canyon. As a side note, I’m so thankful to live in my quiet, little residential ‘hood where it’s possible to stand in the middle of an intersection for a picture with #teddygram. We’re not in Manhattan anymore, Toto Teddy.

Happy Monday!

Disclaimer: Our room and meals at the Hyatt Regency were complimentary. All opinions are my own.

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