For the Wanderlusters: Gift Ideas From Diane Powers, Owner of Bazaar Del Mundo Shops
Gift Guide Wanderlusters / Diane Powers Diane has a background in interior design and during the holidays, she sure shows it. “I love to decorate my home for the holidays. I can never stop at just one Christmas tree—in fact, one year I had seven trees, each decorated in a different style.” If you’ve ever […]
Diane has a background in interior design and during the holidays, she sure shows it. “I love to decorate my home for the holidays. I can never stop at just one Christmas tree—in fact, one year I had seven trees, each decorated in a different style.” If you’ve ever frequented the shops at Bazaar del Mundo, none of this should come as a surprise.
Diane, a San Diego native, had the vision for her kaleidoscopic shopping center in 1968 as Old Town’s loving homage to all things Mexican culture and crafts. To find that just-right gift for the wanderluster in your life, she suggests: “Always try to look at the individual—their style, the things they love, their hobbies, the colors they like—and try to personalize gifts in that way.”
Gift Guide Wanderlusters / Diane Powers Silk Scarf
Silk Scarf
“Who doesn’t enjoy wearable art? Bazaar del Mundo carries a variety of colors and styles of these beautiful hand-painted scarves from local artists Dan Dee Silk.” $36
Gift Guide Wanderlusters / Diane Powers Travel Books
Travel Books
“I love browsing Barnes & Noble’s travel section and picking out guides for those who are getting ready to visit—or have always wanted to visit—a specific country for the first time. It provides them with wonderful inspiration and information!” $25, barnesandnoble.com
Gift Guide Wanderlusters / Diane Powers Pendleton Blanket
Pendleton Blanket
“Another Southwestern favorite, Pendleton blankets are something I regularly gift in bright colors to my female friends and more earthy colors to men.” $269, bazaardelmundoshops.com
Gift Guide Wanderlusters / Diane Powers Crossbody Purse
“Crossbody purses are perfect for traveling, especially the Leaders in Leather collection. All are handmade, hand tooled, or hand stamped by amazing Paraguayan leather artisans.” $110, bazaardelmundoshops.com
Gift Guide Wanderlusters / Diane Powers Silver Earrings
Silver Earrings
“The American Southwest continues to make a fashion comeback. I admire the boldness of these sterling silver earrings. All of our silver and turquoise jewelry is handmade by Native American artists. They’re very boho chic.” $165, bazaardelmundoshops.com
Gift Guide Wanderlusters / Diane Powers The New Bohemians
The New Bohemians by Justina Blakeney
“Justina Blakeney’s The New Bohemians is the perfect design book for color lovers, wanderlusters, and those who like to think outside the box.” $35
Gift Guide Wanderlusters / Diane Powers Rolling Suitcase
Rolling Suitcase
“A well-made ‘rolly’ is essential for frequent travelers. I try to find ones in bright colors or patterns that fit the person’s style—like Away’s sea-green carry-on—they’re also easier to spot at baggage claim.” $225
Gift Guide Wanderlusters / Diane Powers Ruana
Ruana
“Ruanas make for great travel wear, and they’re one size fits all. Bazaar del Mundo stocks up these fashion staples year-round in a large selection of seasonally appropriate materials and designs.” $240
Tucked into a gentle slope beneath Presidio Hill and overlooking the former mouth of the San Diego River, Old Town is where the city began. Here, some of San Diego’s oldest streets wind through a state park and spill into blocks brimming with festive shops, tucked-away courtyards, and local-favorite restaurants.
Yes, there are museums, margaritas, and plenty of Mexican food, including a pozole from Casa de Freds that will “warm your soul,” says Old Town San Diego Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Alex Ward. But, while those alone are all worth the trip, Old Town is more than a place to begrudgingly rub elbows with tourists. It’s a layered, living neighborhood where history hums through weathered walls and discovery waits around many corners.
Photo Credit: Ariana Drehsler Melissa and Taylor Anglin at their Old Town shop, The Nest Tattoo.
“There’s plenty of reasons for locals to visit,” says Nest Tattoo owner Melissa Anglin—including a convenient trolley stop and free parking.
Old Town really is old: The Kumeyaay people lived along the San Diego River for at least 10,000 years before the Spanish arrived in 1769, setting up camp near the village of Kosa’aay. Prominent Californios built adobes at the base of Presidio Hill in the late 1700s; the center of San Diego was there until development at “New Town” in the late 1860s moved downtown to its current location.
The state park system preserved those dusty old adobes in 1968 as “the birthplace of California.” In the 1970s, the “mother of Old Town,” Diane Powers, opened Bazaar Del Mundo, and with it came the colorful, folksy vibe that, like it or not, still defines San Diego for visitors from around the world.
Photo Credit: Ariana Drehsler
Old Town San Diego Facts
Now a museum, Old Town’s infamous Whaley House—known as America’s most haunted home—was once San Diego’s county courthouse and the city’s first commercial theater.
A young Phil Mickelson polished his putt-putting at Presidio Hills in the 1970s, before his father built him a practice course.
Zillow reports that the average Old Town home value is about $1.1 million.
Twiggs Street has a new “pollinator pathway” featuring native plants to help increase biodiversity in the neighborhood.
The pro shop at Presidio Hills Golf Course is Casa de Carillo, the oldest surviving residence in San Diego, which dates to 1821. 1950s TV actor Leo Carrillo descended from the family that built it.
Photo Credit: Ariana Drehsler The nearly 200-year-old Cosmopolitan Hotel was once an adobe mansion hosting wild dance parties.
Things to Do in Old Town
In 2018, Melissa Anglin and her husband Taylor brought The Nest Tattoo to life inside a cozy 1920s bungalow on Congress Street, adding a creative spark to Old Town’s historic soul. A few years later, they moved into an apartment just up the hill on San Diego Avenue.
Anglin’s favorite reset is a run to the top of Heritage Park, where the city unfurls below in a patchwork of history and bay views. After, she’ll visit her business neighbors at Encuentro Cafe for “really tasty” breakfast, she says—do not miss La de Mano (a sweet corn pancake filled with Venezuelan cheese) or the grilled arepas (kind of like a giant English muffin made of corn and stuffed with goodies such as eggs and chorizo). The best quick lunch (between inks) is a hot dog or a torta at Que Sazón on Harney Street. “It’s the only place in Old Town I would get agua fresca,” Anglin advises.
Locals have options for dinner or date night. “Jack & Giulio’s is the place for red tablecloths and excellent service, where they treat you so nice,” Anglin says, suggesting that diners order any of the housemade pastas. Home & Away is a sports bar with a great burger, and it’s open for a late-night bite—rare in Old Town. Bring your dog and sit out on the patio when it’s warm.
If you’re into spirits (both the imbibable and the paranormal), get a reservation at Oculto 477—a private mixology experience for two, within haunting distance of El Campo Santo Cemetery. Anglin recommends Rose’s Tasting Room as another place where locals can feel brand new in their own town. A casual setting where guests can learn about local wines, it’s “a lovely, personal, magical experience with a cozy vibe,” she says.
Prolong those good vibes with crystal shopping at the “friendly and approachable” South American Imports, Anglin adds. The showroom with an extensive collection of geological gifts has been in Old Town for 40 years—even longer than its stalwart neighbor Cafe Coyote.
Every summer, Anglin sips a cup of raspberry drinking chocolate at small-batch candy maker Nibble, inside Fiesta de Reyes.
Photo Credit: Ariana Drehsler
What’s Next for Old Town
Old Town is getting some new (yet old) accommodations: Rumor has it the Hacienda Hotel’s buyers are planning a renovation. And, soon, you’ll be able to secure a night’s stay in some of Heritage Park’s charming (but possibly haunted) Victorians. “I’m sure they’ll be booked solid by ghost hunters,” Ward says.
However, some institutions are saying goodbye. Cygnet Theater Company is ending its residency at Old Town Theater, heading for new digs at Liberty Station. While the state-owned theater goes dark and figures out its next big thing, which could take up to two years, Ward says, keep an eye out for potential happenings in that space.
Post-pandemic, Ward is excited to see more locally focused businesses moving into the neighborhood alongside tourist-centric establishments. “Lower- than-average rents,” he explains, are part of the draw, along with reliable foot traffic and transit proximity. Nest Tattoo is one example; so is Garden Coffee—where you can buy plants, sip lattes, and study or chat at a cozy table.
On the edge of Old Town, a major change is coming: NAVWAR—the WWII military airplane assembly plant on Pacific Highway that later housed Naval Warfare Systems Command—could soon be developed into hotels, housing, shops, parks, and restaurants, plus a trolley stop. Local activists are hoping to prevent Old Town’s views of Point Loma and the harbor from becoming a shiny glass skyline.
Photo Credit: Ariana Drehsler La de Mano at Encuentro Cafe.
I’ve lived in San Diego for 16 years and still unashamedly love Old Town. What other place in San Diego has so many kitschy shops, ghosts (totally real!), restaurants, breweries, and approximately one thousand different kinds of margaritas? Sure, there are a few obvious tourist traps, but there’s a startling amount of amazing things to eat and drink—from the housemade tortillas at Old Town Mexican Cafe to the sushi at El Sueño.
El Sueño’s sushi is so popular that the owners decided to convert the restaurant’s second story into a brand-new sushi and crudo-focused concept called Tako Vibrant Sushi. It’s slated to soft open at 2836 Juan Street on Tuesday, September 3.
Tako, which means octopus in Japanese, will offer Mexican-Japanese fusion and rotate based on what fish and other seafood are in season. Owner Pietro Busalacchi, who owns Tako, El Sueño, and Trattoria Don Pietro with his father Sal and partner Gustavo Rios, says guests should expect cocktails with an “over the top” presentation, with an emphasis on tequila, sake, and Japanese whisky. He says the food will be just as eye-popping.
Courtesy of Tako Vibrant Sushi
“The crudo and sushi at Tako is fresh, playful and bursting with flavor,” he promises. “As with our other restaurants, we’ll be focusing on quality, service and the full experience.” Head chef Eric Steadman (Hane, Barbusa) is behind Tako’s menu development. “He also developed El Sueño’s popular inaugural crudo menu, which did so well, we decided to expand and let him do his thing,” says Busalacchi.
The 1,100-square-foot space, designed by Busalacchi, features floral and jungle-themed décor, with a DJ booth, a 12-seat bar, and what he says is a small and intimate atmosphere that feels vibrant and fun. “[Tako] feels more like a speakeasy or intimate supper club,” he explains.
Tako’s hours will run Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays from 6 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.; and closed Mondays and Wednesdays. Reservations aren’t open yet, but locals should watch before the tourists catch wind. (No word on whether any of the Whaley ghosts are sushi fans.)
Courtesy of Coasterra
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Coasterra to Host the 21st Annual Harvest for Hope on Sunday, September 22
Since 2003, the Emilio Nares Foundation has helped more than 11,000 families across Southern California who have faced the most dire diagnosis they could receive—their child has cancer. To raise money and awareness for families affected by pediatric cancer, they launched Harvest for Hope, now in its 21st year. Head to Coasterra on Sunday, September 22, for the annual fundraiser and food festival with wine, beer, spirits, and plenty of food from 25 local businesses. Click here for tickets and more details.
The First Taste of College Area Kicks Off Sunday, September 29
College Area’s food selections are firing up. Now, the best of the best will showcase their stuff at the inaugural Taste of College Area on Sunday, September 29. From Ultreya Coffee to Corbin’s Q, taste over 25 local vendors from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Buy your ticket ahead of time and save $5.
I tend to prefer a light Japanese lager with my ramen, but Tajima just launched a new bar program spotlighting a few different drinks, like their spin on a margarita that uses sabe, a tequila-sake blend. That one can be found at Tajima East Village, while their North Park location has a new Sesame Highball, and Convoy has a Matchaholic with hot matcha, sake, and lychee. It sounds like a ramen bar crawl is in order.
There’s a new coffee-slash-surf-shop in Rosarito called Migrant Society. Brothers Erick and Carlos Palacio have done several pop-ups and farmers markets across San Diego, and this new spot features coffee from Danie Brewing, a unique surfboard design by Tyler Voth of Solana Surfboards. San Diego may be next if all goes well with the Baja California location.
Yakitori Tsuta opens this Wednesday in Convoy. The $108 yakitori omakase menu reservations are only available between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., with à la carte and walk-ins after 8 p.m. I can’t wait to get my hands on chef Tatsuro Tsuchiya’s charcoal-grilled delicacies.
Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].
Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
Where to Celebrate Día de los Muertos 2019 in San Diego
Where to see lowriders, hear mariachis, and more.
Photo courtesy of Artelexia
By Becca Jones
You can almost hear the mariachis. The spirits are descending on San Diego for Dia de los Muertos and there’s no shortage places to pay homage by way of altars, traditional food, drink, dance, and of course, traditional music.
North Park Day of the Dead Festival
This event hosted by artsy boutique Artelexia promises a huge variety of artisan vendors and food trucks. Children can partake of traditional face painting and sugar-skull decorating while parents indulge in tequila and mezcal tastings.
Where: Ray Street between University Avenue and North Park Way
When: Oct. 26, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Price: Free
3803 Ray St
Bazaar del Mundo’s Día de los Muertos
Turn shopping into a festive fall afternoon with the Bazaar del Mundo’s Día de los Muertos celebration. Watch performances from Ballet Folklorico dancers, listen to mariachi music, and grab some food and drink in the beer (and margarita) garden.
Where: Old Town
When: Nov. 1 and 2 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Nov. 3 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Price: Free
4133 Taylor St
Old Town San Diego’s Día de los Muertos
You’ve got all weekend to check out 50 altars spread around Old Town for this event. But you may not want to miss the candlelight procession starting on Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. at the entrance to Old Town State Historic Park
Where: Old Town
When: Nov. 1 to 3
Price: Free
San Diego Avenue – Old Town San Diego
City Heights Día de los Muertos
You’ll have to be, uh…dead sexy to win the best catrina and catrin contest at this celebration in City Heights? Win or not, your consolation prize will be altar-viewing, face painting, and crafts, not ot mention entertainment from The Old Globe, Azteca Dancers, Fern Street Circus, and a parade featuring Drummers Without Borders.
Where: Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park
When: October 26, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Price: Free
3795 Fairmount Ave
Encinitas Día de los Muertos Celebration
Mariachis and folkloric dancers will add ambience to this afternoon filled with food trucks, a lowrider car show, a community ofrenda, and artist demos.
Where: Encinitas Community Center
When: October 26, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Price: Free
1140 Oakcrest Park Drive
Día de los Muertos at Rancho Guajome Adobe
The festivities at the historic Rancho Guajome Adobe will include community offerings, performances by Ballet Folklorico, live traditional music, and food and craft vendors.
Where: Rancho Guajome Adobe
When: October 26, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Price: Free for children 3 and under, $2 ages 4 to 12, $4 ages 13 and older
2210 N Santa Fe Ave
19th Annual Día de los Muertos
At the historic Old Mission San Luis Rey, families will find the Por Siempre car show and live entertainment. There will be plenty of fun for little ones, too, with the mission’s all new kids’ zone.
Where: Old Mission San Luis Rey
When: October 27, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Price: $2
4050 Mission Ave.
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s Día de los Muertos
Spend el día with some desert critters when you board the tram tour (available in English and Spanish). Tasty treats like Mexican nitro coffee and skull cookies will be served. Mariachis, stilt walkers, and dancers will make rounds during the late afternoon.
Where: San Diego Zoo Safari Park
When: November 1 to 3, tours at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.
Price: Children 11 years old and younger are free when accompanied by a paid adult
15500 San Pasqual Valley Rd
Carrera de los Muertos
Run along downtown’s San Diego Bay in a festive 5K or 10K. Afterwards, complement your runners high with mariachi music, dancers, face painting and food.
Where: Embarcadero Park South
When: November 3, 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Price: $39 to $74 (depending on age and package selection)
200 Marina Park Way
Day of the Dead Altar Viewings
The opening reception for this Centro Cultural de la Raza event commences on Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. The next day at 4 p.m., learn flower-making, followed by a procession at 5 p.m. Community altars will be open for viewing from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. from Nov. 1 to 10, if you can’t make the earlier festivities.
Where: Balboa Park
When: November 1 to 10
Price: Free
2004 Park Blvd
Where to Celebrate Día de los Muertos 2019 in San Diego
Entrepreneurs typically launch businesses because they’re passionate about a product or service, not because they want to manage its finances. While working to carve out a niche in their respective industries and drive their companies forward, many business owners find themselves bogged down by day-to-day accounting. Their existing accounting tools don’t provide the necessary visibility or insight, and they don’t have the time or resources to hire additional staff or a chief financial officer. That’s where NOW CFO comes in.
For more than 20 years, NOW CFO has been pairing businesses across the country with experienced accounting and finance professionals. Its outsourced model allows clients to customize solutions that match their individual needs, size, and financial challenges, whether that’s fractional or interim support, project-based services, or full-time placement.
NOW CFO’s clients range from startups preparing for rapid growth to established companies that need additional financial leadership without the commitment or expense of building an in-house team. However, many of these companies don’t fully understand their needs until they experience a “trigger” event: preparing for an acquisition or capital raise, navigating a first-time audit, or another period of transition. With a team of over 300 consultants nationwide, NOW CFO can start quickly and match the right expert to the right business.
“It’s important for companies to have financial visibility, and we can help them avoid a lot of the potholes that companies often run into,” says Mariah Block, a partner at NOW CFO’s San Diego branch. “Roughly half of our clients have an in-house finance person or department, and we’re resourced for more bandwidth when they need an extra set of hands at the staff or senior accountant level, or the controller or CFO level. Some clients use this a few hours a month and others use multiple people close to full-time. Our model is solution-based and customizable. We’re like a faucet you can turn on and off.”
With NOW CFO, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Solutions are based on the client’s individual goals, challenges, needs, and budget, meaning a client never pays for more than they need. Whether it’s a few hours of executive-level guidance or a full accounting team to support daily operations, NOW CFO meets businesses where they are and grows alongside them.
“We pride ourselves on providing our clients with the right resources at the right rate and being able to evolve as their needs evolve,” says Block.
And clients appreciate on-demand access to cost-effective support designed to improve performance and profitability.
Luxury car storage service Auto Concierge has partnered with NOW CFO to support growth over the past year. The arrangement began with a staff accountant who covered a leave of absence, but as the client’s needs changed, they also added a controller role. This allowed Auto Concierge to put effective processes in place and navigate operational challenges. Lori Church, Auto Concierge’s chief operating officer, says NOW CFO has been an “outstanding resource” and a “true strategic partner.”
“From the controller to the bookkeeper, every professional they’ve placed has brought a high level of expertise, responsiveness, and professionalism to our organization. Their team took the time to understand our business of high-profile clients and needs, adapted quickly to our fast-paced environment, and became a trusted extension of our team,” she says. “As Auto Concierge continues to grow, having a reliable financial partner like NOW CFO has allowed us to strengthen our financial and business operations while remaining focused on delivering exceptional service to our clients.”
Where to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo 2019 in San Diego
What better time to indulge in tacos, tequila, music, and Mexican culture?
Photo: Fiesta Old Town
By Elizabeth Farin
What better time than Cinco de Mayo to indulge in tacos, tequila, music and Mexican culture? From a traditional fiesta in Old Town to family runs at Lake Poway, there is no shortage of ways to spend the day—or the entire weekend. Join in on the most colorful, most delicious, and most memorable ways to celebrate Mexican heritage.
Fiesta Old Town Cinco de Mayo
Where: Old Town
When: May 4-6
Every year, thousands of visitors flock to Old Town for the biggest Cinco de Mayo celebration in San Diego. Bring your friends and family to this free weekend-long fiesta featuring live music, lucha libre wrestling, and lowrider car shows. Keep an eye out for food and drink specials at local restaurants. Danz Arts will provide Mexican and Spanish dance performances. Enjoy the sounds of traditional mariachi, salsa, and flamenco music as you sip margaritas and indulge in endless bites.
Cinco de Mayo Trail Run
Where: Lake Poway Trail
When: May 4
Looking to earn those tacos and burritos? Look no further than the 5K and 10K Cinco de Mayo Trail Run on the Lake Poway Trail. Compete or bring the whole family just to enjoy a beautiful morning in nature. Additionally, The Kathy Crafts Young Memorial Kids Race is a great fit for kids ages 7 and under who want to burn off some excess energy. Ticket prices range from $10-$40. Registration opens at 6:30 a.m. All participants will receive a race shirt and virtual swag.
Cinco de Mayo: San Diego’s Premier Yacht Party
Where: Grape Street Pier
When: May 5
Party aboard the Hornblower Inspiration yacht’s three levels of music from hip-hop to Latin hits. DJ Esco will spin the tunes, so grab your pals and head over to the harbor. Ticket prices range from $45-$70. Event is from 4-8 p.m.
FOCUS Cinco de Mayo Fiesta
Where: Coronado Community Center
When: May 5
Support this local nonprofit organization while you dine, dance and participate in silent and live auctions. FOCUS Cinco de Mayo Fiesta takes place at the Coronado Community Center from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and include appetizers and a buffet dinner as well as dancing. Proceeds go toward Friends of Children United Society (FOCUS), a nonprofit that supports battered, abused homeless, disadvantaged, and foster children in San Diego County. Tickets are $100 per person.
Where to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo 2019 in San Diego
Captain Keno’s No. 8 special—pancakes, sausage, toast, home fries, and eggs for $2.99—was the fuel that powered Benji Weatherley for surf competitions as a teenage pro. A couple decades later, tears were shed when the Coast Highway dive-slash-eatery called it a day after 54 years. Usually, the guts of a shuttered restaurant go to liquidation auctions or straight to the dump to decompose along with its legend. Instead, Weatherley took in Keno’s spare parts—plus other relics from Encinitas’ past—and used them to build the newest community hangout.
Every single piece in the place is from somewhere in this town,” Weatherley says about Breakers Cafe Bar & Grill. “I’m not going to settle for anything less.”
Breakers is a Hawaiian hideout in an uncool part of the coastal surf town, but it’s got the set design of an Encinitas superfan. The plates, silverware, and coffee mugs are from Keno’s. So are the tables and booths. There’s a bench made from the last table preserved in The Derby House (a building that, for over a century, was a hotel, then became a hospital, a religious retreat, and a private home). Weatherley’s not performing CPR on old upholstery because he’s a fan of antique furniture. It’s a method to bring people together.
“Representing nostalgia in this town is the only way to grasp a hold of the community,” Weatherley says. “Everyone wants to touch and feel something different from what they’re experiencing on their phones.”
Photo Credit: Matt Furman
Every week, locals bring him photos, artifacts, and bits of paraphernalia from Encinitas’ past and ask Weatherley to give them a new home. “I’ve had ladies who were there when [Captain Keno’s] opened cry in my arms and say, ‘This table is where I had my second birthday with my grandma,’” he says. “They tell me these stories, and I tell them I have all the same stories about my mom.” (Weatherley’s mom first brought him to Keno’s and helped raise the young surfers from the Momentum Generation documentary—Weatherley, Taylor Steele, Rob Machado, Kelly Slater, etc.—as they surfed some of the world’s most dangerous waves at Pipeline in Hawaii. Back then, she owned Breakers Restaurant & Bar in Haleiwa. Name sound familiar?)
Weatherley has always been the funniest man in the room. He calls Breakers “the Chuck E. Cheese of Encinitas.” The restaurant hosts hula dancing classes, open-mic comedy nights, and evenings bartended by longtime Captain Keno’s barkeep Vaka Kaufusi. Cult-loved reggae band Steel Pulse hit the Breakers stage recently to perform a new song that Weatherley also helped write. His longtime friend Jack Johnson has dropped by to sing a few, too.
Despite not having a fancy location along the 101, people are catching on. Fire stations and hospitals have held staff parties there. Weatherley also currently sponsors four sports teams.
“Last night, I had a girl say, ‘I want my birthday party at Breakers,’” he says. “That, to me, is community in a nutshell.”
Emma Veidt is an editor at San Diego Magazine. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from the Missouri School of Journalism. She loves running, hiking, and rock climbing, but really, she mostly loves encounters with the street cats around North 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.
