We can’t think of a better place to set our summer cocktails than on these San Diego coasters by Neighborwoods. Engraved in aromatic cedar, they come in a set of four, and are packaged in a drawstring burlap sack. They make a perfect hostess gift, with one side featuring a map-like design of popular ’hoods like Point Loma, Hillcrest, Bay Park; the other shows the city name and date it was established. SD is one of 26 cities, including Manhattan and Paris, available online at neighborwoodmaps.com. The set of coasters ($30) is sold locally at Graffiti Beach—a newish, much-buzzed-about boutique in South Park (2220 Fern Street). Here’s to no more sweat rings on your coffee table.
Nestled near University City, Clairemont is a seemingly sleepy residential neighborhood packed with hidden culinary gems. Turkish classics, Hawaiian comfort food, vegan shrimp—you’ll find it all here, along with expansive green spaces, wellness-focused studios, and unassuming shops catering to hobbyists and pet owners.
Here are our favorite spots to eat, shop, and play in Clairemont.
Courtesy of Havana Grill
Clairemont Restaurants & Bars
Aladdin Cafe
This casual, strip-mall joint offers Mediterranean eats inside or out on the patio. The robust menu includes a solid lineup of vegetarian options and harder-to-find dishes like Turkish tajine, zarb, and borak in addition to shawerma and gyros.
5420 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard
Havana Grill
Settle into Havana Grill’s soft bench seats with a plate of plantains and lechón. This Cuban restaurant centers organic and locally sourced ingredients in traditional dishes like arroz con pollo, ropa vieja, and yuca fries. Douse it all in mojo sauce—a classic blend of olive oil, garlic, and citrus.
5450 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, Suite G
Yakitori Taisho
Tucked away in a Smart & Final parking lot is a cozy spot with a broad selection of yakitori and sake. The jazz music–filled eatery is just as popular as its sister restaurants, Convoy’s Yakyudori and Kearny Mesa’s Hinotez, so make a reservation to nab one of the few seats.
5185 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard
The Butcher N Cheese
This hidden gem is a craft burger and local beer joint serving meat (including bison, turkey, and lamb) and plant-based burgers, hot dogs, seafood, and more. On Fridays and Saturdays, stop by The Butcher N Cheese at 6 p.m. for live music and $5 beers.
4705 Clairemont Drive, Suite C
Barrio Donas
This bakehouse slinging Mexican-inspired donuts landed a spot on our March 2023 staff favorites list for its tart guayaba flavor, but there are plenty of other bites worth the visit here, including mazapan and jamaica donuts. They sell tortas, tamales, and coffee, too.
4714 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard
Mike’s Red Tacos
San Diegan Mike Touma took a birria tour of Mexico to help develop the recipes at his birria-focused food-truck-turned-storefront. Mike’s Red Tacos loads its titular tacos with beef birria, but you’ll also find the slow-simmered meat in unexpected places, like ramen, fries, and a Taco Bell–inspired “crunchstack.”
4310 Genesee Avenue, Suite 104
Feng Cha Tea House
A just-as-casual alternative to the coffee date, Feng Cha is a bustling spot ideal for catching up with friends or getting to know romantic prospects over foam-topped teas and tiny cakes. Try the crème brûlée dirty boba, which comes threaded with crunchy brown sugar bits.
4340 Genesee Avenue, Suite 107
Homestyle Hawaiian
This hole-in-the-wall slings giant plates of Hawaiian comfort food, including Spam musubi, loco moco, and Kahlua pig. Breakfast is technically served all day, but you’ll have to arrive early to grab an order of macadamia nut pancakes—they always sell out.
7524 Mesa College Drive
Sipz
Plant-based diners, rejoice: Everything at this Asian-fusion outpost is vegetarian (and most dishes are vegan), from the kung pao “chicken” and salt-and-pepper “shrimp” to the sushi and pho. Before digging into your main dish, split an order of vegan crab rangoons with the table.
5501 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard
Mongolian Hot Pot
Grab your chef’s coat. At this family-owned Mongolian restaurant, you’ll select from six different broths (including two vegetarian options) and dunk in an array of meats, seafood, veggies, and noodles. Their weekday lunch special for one is a steal.
Making mezze? Pick up everything you need for your chef-ing at Balboa International Market, which carries a swath of tough-to-find groceries from the Mediterranean and beyond, plus pre-packaged tabbouleh and dolmas to go.
5905 Balboa Avenue
Bridge Thrift
Around 84 percent of items donated to thrift shops end up in landfills, a stat Bridge Thrift works to combat. The secondhand shop ensures even unsellable items receive a second life (through recycling or upcycling) and donates 100 percent of its profits to local organizations like Hope for San Diego.
4220 Balboa Avenue
The Fruit Stand
A nondescript warehouse hides one of SD’s most vibrant outposts for local and organic produce. In addition to seasonal fruits and veggies, shoppers can find snacks, nuts, honey, salad dressings, and firewood.
4330 Morena Boulevard, Suite C
Aquarium Fish Depot
Anyone who spent their childhood dentist visits enthralled with the waiting room fish tank can fulfill their aquarium dreams at this well-stocked shop featuring finned friends (both fresh and saltwater varieties), live coral, and marine invertebrates like shrimp, snails, and crabs—and everything they need to thrive.
5121 Santa Fe Street, Suite F
BirdSmart
Find a new feathered friend (and all their required supplies) at BirdSmart, where staff has been hand-raising birds onsite for more than 26 years. Even if you’re not in the market for a pet, drop by to say hello to baby finches, macaws, and other avian infants.
4688 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard
Clairemont Sportscards
This little shop is packed wall to wall with collectable cards. Neatly organized by player and year, the stock primarily features NFL, NBA, and MLB heavy hitters (plus a nice assortment of Pokémon cards).
3949 Clairemont Drive, Suite 4
Courtesy of Wikipedia
Things to Do in Clairemont
Olive Grove Park
This spacious community park gets its moniker from a shady, bench-filled olive grove. The ample green space, picnic tables, and playground make it a great spot for kids’ birthday parties, while NBA aspirants can hit the park’s open basketball courts.
6075 Printwood Street
Marian Bear Memorial Park
Perched in San Clemente Canyon, the 467-acre Marian Bear Memorial Park provides three miles of creekside walking and hiking paths. While most treks are flat, adventurers seeking a challenge can follow finger canyon trails up to the top of the mesa.
5491 Genesee Avenue
Tecolote Canyon Golf Course
Tee up at this 3,161-yard golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., and Sam Snead. A large practice facility with a driving ranges, putting and chipping greens, and more offers space to perfect your game before hitting the links.
2755 Snead Avenue
Tecolote Canyon Natural Park and Nature Center
This park’s nature center is an ideal spot to learn about the canyon’s flora and fauna, including the owl (or tecolote) after which it is named. The preserve features about 6.5 miles of trails open to runners, hikers, and bikers.
5180 Tecolote Road
Vinya
A glass of malbec probably won’t help your balance in triangle pose, so plan to hit this yoga studio’s onsite wine bar after your 5:30 p.m. “happy hour” flow. The bar also serves bites like salads, sandwiches, and charcuterie, making it a good brunch spot for pals embracing both fun and wellness.
6185 Balboa Avenue
Indigo Dance
Partner dances like salsa and bachata form the focus at this all-ages studio (though they also offer a women’s-only Latin fusion class). While classes typically start at $35 per drop-in, Indigo sometimes holds $5 intro events where you can pick up a few beginner steps.
5035 Shawline Street
Golden Rishi Qigong & Tai Chi
This martial arts studio offers tai chi, qi gong, and taekwondo classes for adults, teens, and kids four years and older. Golden Rishi offers free intro classes for beginners, and little ones ready to go all-in can sign up for summer camp programs that run for one or two months.
Mimi Le is a web intern at San Diego Magazine. She is currently majoring in Communications at the University of California - San Diego with a minor in Marketing and plans to graduate in spring of 2024. She is always looking for creative and culturally-enriching ways to fill her days.
So, you’ve deep-cleaned your house in the spirit of spring, brought that pothos back from the brink (we’ve all been there), and dropped off that box of mystery novels and old camping gear at the donation center…but your crib is still feeling a little blah. Revitalize your home with updated furnishings or fresh accents to make your dwelling a relaxing space to chill after work and an envy-inducing spot for entertaining.
We’ve highlighted the best of San Diego’s decor scene to help you bring your Pinterest board vision to life. These 10 local shops offer unique furniture and distinctive decor.
This North Park shop proves that chic furnishings and four-legged friends can live together in harmony. Home + Hound provides boho-inspired textiles, furniture, decor, and dishware, plus anything you could want for your pup, like stylish bandanas and leashes and comfy dog beds. Well-behaved pets are welcome in-store, so you and Rover can pick out your new favorite art print together.
Creating your dream space can be overwhelming, so let the pros take over. Le Dimora’s award-winning designers will help you refresh one room or your entire home with their thoughtful eye and luxurious collection of home furnishings and accessories, available at their Pacific Highlands Ranch showroom. From new Mediterranean to modern farmhouse, they offer designs to fit every vibe.
This curated store, tucked away in the Kensington neighborhood, will become your go-to for charming home accents, especially for the kitchen and bath. Bench Home owner Helen Bonar gathers inspiration from her travels and features many vendors from outside the states. You’ll spot hand-painted bowls, gold-hued barware, and other home accoutrement, including many budget-friendly options.
Few design stores encapsulate coastal chic quite like Bixby & Ball—natural materials and breezy, neutral colors rule at the company’s two Solana Beach outposts. Transform your home into a seaside oasis with plush sofas, comfortable rugs, and unique lighting options (picture wicker lamps and birdcage-like chandeliers).
Rustic Home has manufactured furniture from their San Marcos showroom for more than three decades. Combed every virtual homeware emporium and San Diego warehouse and still can’t find the dining room table in your mind’s eye? Customize the size, stain, and other features of your furnishings to transform your abode into a space only you could dream up.
What began as a gallery to showcase local artists turned into the best place in town to grab beautiful plants and eye-catching furniture pieces. Pigment’s three locations (in North Park, Del Mar, and Liberty Station) offer a fantastic selection of art and furnishings, much of it crafted by the most creative minds in San Diego. Owners Chad Anglin and Amy Paul quip that “buying for Pigment is a little like treasure hunting,” and shopping here is similar. Every trip inside this store includes the potential to find something incredible.
You won’t find anything for sale on this company’s site—after all, how can you purchase a chair without sitting on it first? Their Mission Valley showroom lets you kick your feet up on your new coffee table, ensure the rug color is blue, not gray, and visualize your revamped space without the guesswork. Their expert consultants are happy to help you choose between cherry and mahogany and handle details like ordering and delivery.
It’s no surprise Kern & Company is among the mainstays in Solana Beach’s Cedros Design District. For almost thirty years, the design destination has served as a one-stop shop for all things interiors, from high-quality furniture and bedding to window treatments and bespoke cabinetry—plus professional decorating services to help you bring it all together.
Premium Decor works with fellow local businesses to offer custom-made sofas, sectionals, beds, and other furniture at accessible prices. Whether you’d like them to craft an exact replica of your grandpa’s old chair or you simply feel really passionate about the correct level of couch cushion firmness, the Pacific Beach–based company will construct the perfect piece to fit your needs.
At this Little Italy storefront, comfort meets style (so you don’t end up with a gorgeous living room couch that no one wants to relax on). D3 Home vends sleek, modern furniture for every room in the house, including innovative and ultra-functional pieces like a sofa that converts into—wait for it—bunk beds.
Molly Delmore is a freelance writer and content creator from San Diego. When she’s not checking out San Diego’s newest restaurants, bars, and shops, she’s planning her next trip to the mountains to snowboard or a new country to explore. Her work has been featured in San Diego Magazine, Mashed, and Tasting Table.
This San Diego Clothing Line Is Fashioned from Family Paintings
Clothing designer Sarah Armendariz opens up about launching her line, Cosima
By Sarah Pfledderer
This San Diego Clothing Line Is Fashioned from Family Paintings
“This shirt is really about my mom’s gorgeous Desert Bloom print—I love the exuberance, the drama of the huge blooms, the colors, everything about it.” American Shirt in Desert Bloom, $148 | Photo by Jenny Siegwart
The women in my family have always created—if not as a career choice, out of necessity or pure joy. My grandmother designed and sewed entire wardrobes for herself on a Singer sewing machine. My mom made her clothes on that same machine and a living from designing and painting. Even my paternal grandmother dressed in a completely individual way. I use her old bandanas in photo shoots as a nod to her fabulous Texas ranch style.
It was kind of a now-or-never moment when I launched Cosima (the name is a mashup of my sons’ names: Santiago, Pablo Manolín, and Cayo) in spring 2018. All of my kids were finally out of diapers, and I saw an opening to go for it. With that said, the fashion industry is a tough and crowded place to try to succeed—I went back to school for design when I moved from Austin to San Diego in 2003, and held various design jobs. I knew if I wanted to launch my own brand, there would have to be something to make it stand out. My beautiful printed fabrics originate from my mom’s and my stepdad’s artwork. Cosima is my first time attempting this. I have a graphic artist who helps me take the print from canvas to fabric. To capture the vivid colors, digital printing is the way to go.
I love my studio, because I’m surrounded by all the creative energy of my family. The old Singer sewing machine sits on my desk (I sew on it, too), along with handbags my mom designed, my family’s artwork, notes from my husband and sons. I’ve just begun designing my third collection, Spring/Summer 2020. As for the possibility of a men’s line? My oldest son suggested we try boys’ button-downs with some of the prints, which I think is brilliant.
From the Spring/Summer 2019 Collection
This San Diego Clothing Line Is Fashioned from Family Paintings
Teren Oddo
Americana Skirt in Bones n Blooms, $118
This San Diego Clothing Line Is Fashioned from Family Paintings
Teren Oddo
Gallery Blazer, $228
This San Diego Clothing Line Is Fashioned from Family Paintings
Teren Oddo
Slipstream Dress in Music Print, $228
This San Diego Clothing Line Is Fashioned from Family Paintings
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.
Step inside the boutique bent on making the outdoors fashion-forward
By Sarah Pfledderer
Skova boutique Encinitas
Photo by Jenny Siegwart
A park, the beach, the side of a country road, even in the back of a truck—Michaela Moryskova does not discriminate when it comes to picnics.
“I think it’s my European background,” says the Czech native, a designer and former model who moved to San Diego 15 years ago. “I’ve noticed Americans are not as into picnics, and I’m shocked. We need to bring this here.”
That’s pretty much the premise of her eponymous boutique, Skova, in Encinitas.
Skova boutique Encinitas gifts
A Picnics by Skova spread
Originally launched as a jewelry and accessories brand in 2008, last year it refocused on textiles that cater to her cause, with inventory spanning pillows, kimonos, oversized beach towels in round and square varieties, resort towels for individuals, and oh yes, picnic rugs, with suede carriers to boot.
“I’m very outdoorsy and wanted people to experience that through my products. We have almost every accessory you need for the outdoors.” But think more fashion-forward Coachella versus rugged REI.
Through the doors of the Encinitas showroom turned chic retail shack are those intricately detailed towels and rugs, all etched by Moryskova herself and inspired by her travels—kilim pattern from her perusals in Turkey, a lemon design from a memory of sipping limoncello on the Amalfi Coast.
Skova Reinvents Itself in Encinitas
The Kilim Travel Towel
You’ll also find swimsuits, sunglasses, baskets from Plumb + Sparrow, beach umbrellas, and even a picnic gift set, complete with a Skova rug, bottle of bubbly, and flutes.
As if that’s not enough to pick up on the picnic drift, the boutique also offers a Picnics by Skova service that’ll set a spread wherever you wish.
Part intimate boutique, part full-service interior design studio, Cody’s Home + Gift has something for every nook of your sanctuary. The Hillcrest shop is stocked with rugs, light fixtures, and innovative finds, including preserved butterfly artwork and a new line of eco-friendly dog toys. For a personalized touch, Cody’s also offers custom design work, ranging from sofas and throw pillows to full-on residential and commercial furnishing projects. Among the different lines sold at the shop is a rotating selection of works by local artists. This month, the shop features pieces by Leslie Jordan, who transforms reclaimed wooden tennis, badminton, and squash rackets into mirrors. 142 University Avenue, Hillcrest
You’ve Tracked Your Macros, Your Sleep, Your Steps. What About Your Drinking?
The Unconscious Moderation app is helping health-conscious professionals take an honest look at their drinking, without pressure, and without quitting as the only option.
San Diego runs on optimization. Early mornings, clean eating, training logs, sleep scores. The people here take their health seriously and the results usually show. Most of them also have two drinks most nights, not because anything is wrong, but because the day was long and the glass is right there and it has always been right there.
That routine doesn’t get the same scrutiny as the rest of the stack. It doesn’t feel like something to examine. It feels like a reward.
Which is exactly what your brain has decided it is. When something reliably moves you from one state to another, your brain files it under things to repeat. Do it consistently enough and the cue stops requiring a decision. It’s 6pm, the laptop is closed, and some part of your brain has already placed the order.
Most habit-change tools work on the number. They count drinks, set weekly targets, send check-in texts. That’s useful for seeing what the pattern looks like. It doesn’t tell you where the pattern came from, or change it at that level.
Unconscious Moderation works underneath the habit. The app uses guided hypnotherapy sessions, structured journaling, and daily movement to address the subconscious associations that make reaching for a drink feel like the obvious next thing. The journaling isn’t a diary. It’s built to surface what your brain is actually reaching for, so you can meet that need directly rather than through a substitute.
The program runs 90 days. At day 30, you choose your own direction: cut back, drink more intentionally, or stop altogether. The app treats both as equally valid outcomes. The point isn’t to follow a rule you set on a Sunday. It’s to understand the pattern well enough that whichever path you choose, you’re choosing it clearly.
The people who tend to get the most out of it are not in crisis. They’re the ones who have tried tracking apps and found the count drifting back up regardless. They know exactly how much they drink and why. The awareness just hasn’t moved the habit. At some point, the work needs to happen somewhere the count sheet can’t reach.
San Diego’s wellness culture already knows that surface numbers tell only part of the story. What you eat matters, but so does why. How much you sleep matters, but so does the quality. The same logic applies here.
