San Diego, CA– (March 18, 2014)San Diego Magazine, San Diego’s leading lifestyle publication, kicks off their annual Best Restaurants online voting. Anyone can vote for their favorite restaurants in 55 different categories until March 31, 2014, at http://sdmag.us/bestrestos2014.
Winners will appear on two separate lists: one list will announce the best restaurants as chosen through online votes; the other list will have San Diego Magazine’s dining critic Troy Johnson’s picks. Results will be published in the June 2014 issue.
Inquiries about advertising and sponsorship opportunities: Karen Mullen at San Diego Magazine, at 619-744-0525 or [email protected].
About San Diego Magazine
San Diego Magazine, the city’s leading lifestyle publication with an award-winning history, gives readers the insider information they need to experience the Best of San Diego’s® food, fashion, culture, business and lifestyle. For more information please visit sandiegomagazine.com, follow us at twitter.com/sandiegomag or like us at facebook.com/sandiegomagazine.
San Diegans love food. We pledge allegiance to the fish taco, go nuts for farm-fresh salads, and are big on burgers. In fact, the bigger, the better. Stir-fry, Korean barbeque, sashimi, pho—the list goes on and on. Thousands of readers voted for their favorites, which we collected, compiled, taste-tested, and tallied. The result: an insanely delicious guide, with expert picks from food critic Troy Johnson. Here, the best of the best—and then some.
A NOTE TO OUR READERS:Accuracy is paramount. But we are a service publication, and the lists we print should inform people and help them decide where to spend their time and money. We don’t want this poll to show readers who has the biggest mailing list or marketing staff. We want it to show which restaurants the people like best. If a restaurant wins an obscene amount of awards, and it’s apparent that “ballot stuffing” has occurred, San Diego Magazine reserves the right to give one or all of their awards to other top vote-getting restaurants that make a little more sense in real life.
Overall
Cucina Enoteca Bucatini
Hearty Helping Cucina Enoteca’s bucatini combines guanciale, burnt cabbage leaf, tomato, chili, and pecorino. The pièce de résistance? The delicate hen egg to top it off.
Best of the Best: Fancy
Readers’ Pick: George’s at the Cove Runner-up: Mister A’s Critic’s Pick: Addison
Best of the Best: Gourmet Casual
Readers’ Pick: Searsucker Runner-up: Cucina Urbana Critic’s Pick: Prepkitchen
Readers’ Pick: Brian’s 24 Runner-up: The Third Corner Critic’s Pick: Starlite
Best Hotel Restaurant
Readers’ Pick: Grant Grill at the US Grant Runner-up: Atoll Restaurant at Catamaran Resort and Hotel Critic’s Pick: A.R. Valentien at The Lodge at Torrey Pines
Breakfast Pizza from Bread & Cie
Breakfast Pizza from Bread & Cie
Best Neighborhood Restaurant
Readers’ Pick: Bistro Sixty Runner-up: Fish Public Critic’s Pick: Urban Solace
Best Desserts
Readers’ Pick: Extraordinary Desserts Runner-up: Bistro Sixty (San Diego Desserts) Critic’s Pick: Jsix
Best Food Truck
Readers’ Pick: MIHO Gastrotruck Runner-up: God Save the Cuisine Critic’s Pick: MIHO Gastrotruck
By Erin Meanley Glenny | Photo Courtesy of San Diego History Center
By the Numbers
$3M – Amount needed in order to reopen the California Tower to the public in 2015 1911 – California State Legislature authorized the use of the park for an exposition, as well as ratified the decision to name it Balboa Park 25 cents – Admission paid by anyone who wanted to watch the construction 1 million – Number of plants John Morley was hired to put into the ground of the canyons (another 50,000 were on the Exposition grounds) $1,937,445 – Amount spent erecting the buildings for the Exposition 42,486 – Spectators at the December 31, 1914 concert, opening ceremonies, and fireworks (about equivalent to the then-population of San Diego)
San Diego’s City Park was founded in 1868. But as late as 1909, only about 100 of the 1,400 acres had been landscaped. That year, the president of the San Diego Chamber of Commerce, G. Aubrey Davidson, had the idea of using the park to host a celebration for the opening of the Panama Canal, which was slated for January 1, 1915. San Diego would be the first U.S. port north of the canal, and city leaders wanted to take advantage of their geographic position to boost the economy and help develop the park.
New York architect Bertram Goodhue chose a Spanish Colonial Revival style for the 1915 Panama–California Exposition. Officials liked that it would distinguish SD’s event from the San Francisco Panama–Pacific Exposition, which would have a “Beaux Arts” look.
Park commissioners gave it the name “Balboa Park” after Vasco Núñez de Balboa, a European explorer who first saw the Pacific in 1513. As the Panama Canal would connect the Atlantic to the Pacific, the moniker was a good association for the park and the planned fair.
The 2015 Centennial, which kicks off this month, refers not to the 100th anniversary of the park, but rather the recognition of an entire century since the Exposition, and of enjoying the park’s architecture as we know it today.
Vintage San Diego: Building Balboa Park
archives
NOVEMBER 27, 2014
Vintage San Diego: Holiday Cheer
San Diego Stadium, 1977
By Erin Meanley Glenny | Photo Courtesy of San Diego History Center
By the Numbers
1960 – Los Angeles Chargers founded (moved to SD the next year)
1967 – First year the Chargers played at Qualcomm Stadium (then San Diego Stadium)
71,500 – Seating capacity of Qualcomm Stadium
1990 – Year the Charger Girls were formed
28 – Charger Girls in current squad
2,500 – Number of nonprofits the Chargers supported in SD County last year
Back in the Sixties, Charger cheerleaders were just local high school groups, rotating around the field at Balboa Stadium during home games. But by the time this photograph was taken, the Chargettes were a full-fledged squad performing at San Diego Stadium. The photo above shows the 4 p.m. game on November 13, 1977. The team, which included quarterback James Harris, running back Bo Matthews, and kicker—and La Jolla High School alum—Rolf Benirschke, played its best against the Denver Broncos (even though the Broncos won, 17–14).
The Chargettes’ pleated skirts were short, but compared to today’s midriff-baring uniforms, they were relatively modest. (We love the neckerchiefs!)
The year after this photo was taken, the squad would be disbanded, in part because a few of the women had posed for Playboy. But those Chargers’ girls would be back—with visions of the Super Bowl.
Share your vintage photo of San Diego! Send your pic and story to [email protected].
Vintage San Diego: Holiday Cheer
Studio S
JULY 7, 2026
Xplosion Box: A Customized Keepsake Your Loved Ones Won’t Forget
A customized memory-filled explosion gift box is a creative way to show someone you care
Finding a gift that feels truly personal can be surprisingly difficult. In a sea of generic options — flowers, gift cards, candles, and the like — Xplosion Box offers something more lasting: a customized keepsake built around the photos, messages, and memories that matter most.
Founded by Southern California entrepreneur Jay Vijay, Xplosion Box LLC creates fully customized explosion gift boxes that arrive professionally designed, printed, assembled, and ready to gift. Each box opens layer by layer to reveal personal photos, heartfelt messages, pull-out albums, origami-style photo pockets, and hidden notes, turning a simple gift into an emotional reveal.
The brand was built for people who want to give something meaningful without spending hours printing photos, cutting paper, folding cardstock, or assembling a DIY project. Customers simply choose a box, upload their favorite photos, add personal messages, and the Xplosion Box team transforms those details into a polished keepsake that feels thoughtful, personal, and beautifully made.
Xplosion Box offers personalized gift boxes for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, graduations, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, proposals, bridesmaid gifts, long-distance relationships, and thoughtful “just because” moments.
Customers can choose from flexible customization options starting at $27. The Mini Surprise Box includes 10 photos, three message cards, and one hidden secret note, while the Mega Surprise Box offers a fuller keepsake experience with 40 photos, three message cards, and one hidden secret note.
What sets Xplosion Box apart is its high level of customization combined with convenience. Filled with personal photos, custom text, decorative details, and layered surprises, each box gives customers the freedom to create a gift that feels one-of-a-kind — without having to make it themselves.
At its core, Xplosion Box helps people turn favorite photos, stories, and words into something tangible: a keepsake that can be opened, revisited, and remembered long after the occasion has passed. asion has passed.
San Diego Magazine names the 2014 Latinos Making a Difference award recipients
WHEN/WHERE: San Diego Magazine’s Latinos Making a Difference Awards took place last Thursday, October 22, 2014 at the University Club atop Symphony Towers in downtown San Diego. The evening was hosted in partnership with Univision KBNT San Diego. It is the second annual Latinos Making a Difference event. WHAT: Three hundred of San Diego’s top […]
WHEN/WHERE:San Diego Magazine’s Latinos Making a Difference Awards took place last Thursday, October 22, 2014 at the University Club atop Symphony Towers in downtown San Diego. The evening was hosted in partnership with Univision KBNT San Diego. It is the second annual Latinos Making a Difference event.
WHAT: Three hundred of San Diego’s top Latino business leaders gathered to honor the recipients of this years Latinos Making a Difference Awards. Guests enjoyed a cooking demonstration and tasting by Chef Miguel Angel Guerrero, owner of La Querencia Baja Med. The emcee for the evening was Dr. Diane Perez, host of Despierta San Diego on Univision.
WHO: Six outstanding leaders were honored during the event’s program.
The Cross-Border Leader Award was presented to Sylvia Casas, President of Casas International Brokerage, Inc. For the past 30 years, Casas has worked tirelessly to become the Hispanic woman at the forefront of international trade on the U.S. – Mexico border.
Entrepreneur of the Year was awarded to Fanny Miller, President, CEO & Editor of El Latino Newspaper, the number-one Hispanic newspaper in San Diego and the largest Hispanic-owned Spanish language newspaper in California with more than 186,000 weekly readers.
Inspirational Leader of the Year was awarded to two individuals.
The first recipient was Jose Galicot Behar, President of Tijuana Innovadora. He is the visionary, creator and driving force behind Tijuana Innovadora, a two-week event and movement with the goal of enriching the San Diego-Tijuana relationship for the prosperity of citizens on both sides of the border.
The second recipient was Pilar Montoya, President, CEO and Founder of the Caminos Foundation. Through the Caminos Foundation, Latinos can receive the tools and knowledge necessary to live healthier, more productive lives and fulfill their potential.
Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Anna Jauregui-Law, an attorney with Appellate Defenders, Inc. Determined to find a way to support the advancement of Latinas in the legal profession, Jauregui-Law cofounded Latinas in the Law in 2005, an organization dedicated to providing educational forums and culturally sensitive mentoring to young Latina lawyers, law students, and legal professionals.
At the end of the evening, the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to David Valladolid who has been at the helm of the Parent Institute for Quality Education for the past 17 years. He continues to expand the free programming under PIQE. Since the inception of the signature program in 1987, more than 585,000 parents have graduated. Valladolid is also a sixth-generation Californian and a Vietnam combat veteran (1968-69), twice wounded and the recipient of the Purple Heart.
The evening was a true celebration of all of the award finalists and winners and their contributions to our local community. A portion of proceeds from the event was donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County.
PHOTOS & MEDIA CONTACT: Jennifer Rea, Marketing Director, [email protected] or 619.744.0523
ABOUT SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE:
San Diego Magazine, the city’s leading lifestyle publication with an award-winning history, gives readers the insider information they need to experience the city to the fullest – the best in food, fashion, culture, business and people. For more information please visit sandiegomagazine.com, or follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
San Diego Magazine names the 2014 Latinos Making a Difference award recipients
2014 Latinos Making a Difference award recipients | Photo by E3 Photography Eddie Garcia III
archives
OCTOBER 24, 2014
United Way presents the James F. Mulvaney Community Leadership Award
San Diego Charity News for October 27
By Joyce Glazer
Malin Burnham received the James F. Mulvaney Community Leadership Award from United Way of San Diego County at its annual Community Kickoff at UC San Diego on Sept. 25. Burnham was honored for his ongoing commitment to volunteerism and accomplishments as a community leader. Steven Northcote was presented the “Volunteer of the Year” Naish Award. Pastor Archie Robinson and New Birth Praise serenaded the audience with a gospel rendition of Katy Perry’s hit song “Firework.” “United Way works to promote social change, harnessing the collective impact of all San Diegans for long-term sustainable solutions,” said President and CEO Kevin Crawford. “Mr. Burnham and Mr. Northcote are model citizens for their contributions to local communities and dedication to the greater San Diego area.”
The Glenn Napierskie Family and Sharp Grossmont Hospital Medical Staff are the Presenting Sponsors of the 29th Annual Grossmont Hospital Foundation Gala. The event is set for Nov. 8 at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina. The Shea Family is the Visionary Sponsor and Champion Sponsors include Barona Band of Mission Indians and San Diego Critical Care Medical Group. Proceeds of the evening are in support of heart and vascular care at Sharp Grossmont Hospital.
United Way presents the James F. Mulvaney Community Leadership Award
HGH – Home of Guiding Hands
HGH – Home of Guiding Hands
The Home of Guiding Hands held its 32nd annual Golf Classic Pro-Am Tournament on Sept. 26 at Sycuan Resort. A total of $50,000 was raised to support the services, training and advocacy for people with developmental disabilities at HGH. Presenting Sponsor was the Bill and Norma Verbeck Foundation. Other sponsors included Kerr Family Foundation, Sycuan Casino, Torrey Pines Bank, Quick Dry Flood Services and San Diego County Credit Union.
The CarMax Foundation has granted $15,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego through The CarMax Foundation’s Regional Giving Program. The Foundation has provided over $50,000 in grants over the past four years.
Casa de Amparo is holding its 16th Annual Crystal Ball on Nov. 1 at the Del Mar Country Club. DEI Holdings, Inc. is being honored for its commitment through DEI’s Forte for Children Foundation which seeks to improve the quality of life for disadvantaged children with an emphasis on music education and therapy. Chairman and CEO Jim Minarik of DEI Holdings is Honorary Chair of the Gala. Proceeds benefit the programs and services for Casa Kids. The event is underwritten by The Jim and Diane Martin Family in memory of Jim Martin.
United Way presents the James F. Mulvaney Community Leadership Award
Doyles, Vaughns, Chief – San Diego Police Foundation
Doyles, Vaughns, Chief – San Diego Police Foundation
The San Diego Police Foundation presented the 2014 Gold Shield Gala on Oct. 4 at the Del Mar Country Club. The event chaired by Kathryn & Don Vaughn and Honorary Co-Chairs Lynne & Steve Doyle, raised $133,000 to support the Foundation’s efforts to provide better training and to purchase equipment that is not included in the SDPD budget. Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman addressed the attendees outlining the future goals for the Department. Sponsors included Wells Fargo, Alethea, Bank of America, SDG&E, Anderson Plumbing and Heating and California Bank & Trust.
United Way presents the James F. Mulvaney Community Leadership Award
AT&T Ignacio De La Torre, Nico Marcolongo, Phyllis King
AT&T Pioneers De Anza Chapter held its annual fashion show on Oct. 11 at Barona Resort and Casino. The event raised $6,000 to benefit Challenged Athletes Foundation’s Operation Rebound, a sports and fitness program for American military personnel, veterans and first responders with permanent physical disabilities. Volunteers from the Operation Rebound program participated as models in the fashion show.
Quantum Design, a San Diego-based technology company is providing in-kind and cash gifts totaling $279,000 to update and modernize lab courses and instructional materials in the department of physics at the University of California, San Diego. “Thanks to the generosity of Quantum Design, a long-term partner of the UC San Diego physics department, we have been able to bring 21st century instruments for materials discovery into a teaching lab designed for our undergraduate students,” said Dimitri Basov, chair of the department of physics.
United Way presents the James F. Mulvaney Community Leadership Award
SD Police – Las Patronas
SD Police – Las Patronas
Joyce Glazer
Joyce Glazer
Las Patronas was honored by the San Diego Police Foundation for providing a grant to purchase two high-grade golf carts for use by the Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol. Sempra/SDG&E was also recognized for its support of the RSVP program. In anticipation of increased number of visitors to Balboa Park during the Centennial, this equipment is important to public safety. The patrol carts for Balboa Park will allow the RSVP Volunteer Patrol to keep watch over the park’s 1,200 acres, ensuring the safety of visitors and security of historic buildings and structures of the Park.
If you’re anything like us, it can be easy to get so caught up in taking care of everyone else, that your own needs get lost in the ether. But while this may be a cliché, that doesn’t make it any less true: You can’t give your best self to other people unless you’re taking care of yourself.
Sometimes, that looks like stopping in for your regular acupuncture or chiropractic appointment. Other days, it means giving your body the fresh, organic fuel it needs to truly feel and function at its best. And some other times still, it involves leaving your responsibilities behind for a weekend to pamper yourself at an incredible resort and spa.
Only you can decide what your truly need. We’re just here to help you find the best ways to get it.
Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa
Island living meets desert luxury at the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa in Indian Wells. When you step onto the 11-acre property, you’ll be surrounded by sweeping view of the Santa Rosa Mountains with olive trees and fragrant citrus groves decorating the grounds. In other words, everything about this relaxed but refined resort is primed to help you let go of the stress from home and enjoy easy sun-soaked days and gorgeous starry nights.
The rooms blend calming, woven textures with Tommy Bahama’s signature tropical prints and feature private lanais, making it easy unwind the moment you walk in the door. If you book one of the four Villa Suites, you’ll be treated to exclusive Tommy Bahama furniture and unique personal touches to further that feeling of instant ease.
At the award-winning Spa Rosa, the expert team will help reset and recharge your body and mind using methods and rituals inspired by the desert. The 12,000-square-foot retreat includes outdoor soaking pools, eucalyptus steam rooms, and outdoor cabanas, as well as massages, facials, and body masks—all aimed at creating a day dedicated to you. We’re particularly partial to the Day Long Escape, an indulgent all-day affair of CDBs soaks, renewing scrubs, life changing massages, and transformative facials.
Following your treatment, continue the experience with a meal on the patio at Grapefruit Basil. We love the Hamachi Crudo, a light, citrus-forward dish featuring premium yellowtail, house-made ponzu, creamy avocado, and fresh seasonal garnishes.
Whether you’re strolling the gardens, relaxing beside its saltwater pools, or indulging in a restorative treatment, you’ll be able to escape in style and relax in luxury at the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa.
Healcove Chiropractic
There’s no shortage of ways to stay active in San Diego—but if you really want to enjoy everything the city has to offer, you’ve got to make sure you’re giving your body its tune-ups. Enter: Healcove Chiropractic. The board-certified chiropractors and wellness professionals at Healcove are experts at addressing that stage where you’re not injured, exactly, but you’re not at 100%, either. Maybe you’re feeling a bit tense or stressed out. Or it could be that you’re not quite moving the way you want to. Sometimes, it’s just that the accumulation of days, weeks, or even years of daily strain is starting to take a toll. No matter what stage you find yourself at, the Healcove Chiropractic team can provide integrated, preventative care centered on long-term, science-backed approaches that ensure you can always stay active and live the life you want to live pain-free.
This starts by providing truly individualized care. Every patient can expect a thorough 60-minute consultation session that includes a posture and movement screening. This allows the team to develop a completely personalized plan. That plan might include chiropractic care, acupuncture, or massage therapy, as well as functional fitness training, vibration and sound therapy, and Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization, a clinical rehabilitation method that retrains the body’s stabilization systems. Whatever the team recommends, you can be sure that it’s tailored to meeting your body’s needs today and the future.
There’s a reason that San Diego Magazine named Healcove the “Best Chiropractor in San Diego”—don’t wait until you’re struggling with an injury to find out why. Book an appointment today for holistic, integrated care that helps ground and heal your body before it reaches a crisis point.
Juice Holler
West Coast wellness culture meets the community feel of Southern Appalachia at Juice Holler. Juice Holler’s menu consists of made-to-order smoothies and smoothie bowls, as well as grab-and-go cold-pressed juices, wellness shots, salads, and more. It operates from the blissfully simple premise that fueling up with food and drink that’s guilt-free and good your body should be simple, accessible, and, above all else, delicious. And if you haven’t yet made it out to the Encinitas café, which opened just this year, let us be the first to tell you: Juice Holler delivers on each and every of these fronts.
We love the Supercharger smoothie, a mood-lifting and body-fueling option made with banana, almond butter, blue spirulina, maca, grass-fed whey protein, raw cacao nibs, medjool dates, and coconut milk. We’re also partial to the Thrive Alive smoothie bowl, where avocado, mango, sea moss, spirulina, mint, coconut milk, and agave are mixed and topped with coconut, chia seeds, strawberry, mango, and chocolate drizzle. The wellness shots include the Detoxifier, a cleansing blend of kale, cucumber, lemon and spirulina, plus a shot specially designed to fight inflammation (named, fittingly, Anti-Inflammation). Probiotic overnight oats, lemon turmeric bars, and strawberry shortcake chia pudding are other standouts on the grab-and-go menu.
Much of the vibe feels beachy North County chic—think green tile with orange and pink accents, grounded with greenery and natural wood—but Juice Holler founder Kelly Sergott, a longtime Encinitas local, has also enfused the space with her Kentucky roots. In Appalachia, a holler is small valley between hills and mountains, where nature reigns, community is king, and nourishment comes right from the land. At Juice Holler, Sergott has created a holler for the busy modern times, using local ingredients to create a spot for people to come together and enjoy fresh, fast, feel-good fuel for their day.
Everwell Acupuncture
We’ve all had that experience with a medical professional where we’ve felt rushed, ignored, or misunderstood—and ultimately, like we didn’t get the answers that we needed. But at Everwell, the holistic acupuncture practice located in Solana Beach, the care team wants to transform your understanding of what healthcare can look like.
Patients at Everwell experience care rooted in intentional listening and radical empathy—and trust us, those aren’t just corporate buzzwords. This place actually puts those ideas into practice. You will always be given the time you need to tell your story— initial in-take appointments are two hours long—and you can rest assured that your story will be believed. Every single question and concern will be addressed by a dedicated practitioner who wants to find the specific solutions that work best for you, and you’ll receive care that’s aimed at healing the body, mind, and spirit.
Everwell’s highly trained, doctorate-level practitioners blend evidence-based acupuncture with the practice of classical Chinese medicine. (If you’ve never tried acupuncture before or aren’t sure if the team will be a fit, we’d highly recommended Everwell’s complimentary 20-minute consultations.) Research shows that by stimulating specific points on the body, acupuncture activates a natural healing response in the body, helping to restore balance, regulate the nervous system, and improve overall wellbeing. This allows the practice to address an incredibly wide range of conditions from chronic pain and autoimmune disorders to digestive issues, from stress and burnout to headaches migraines, fertility and postpartum struggles, hormonal imbalances, sleep concerns and more.
At Everwell, you can expect to feel heard, trusted, respected, and cared for. This is a space that doesn’t want to be just another healthcare provider you visit; it wants to provide patients with dedicated partner who will be there for their entire health journey.
