Geese aren’t usually immortalized on baseball mugs, but most geese aren’t the San Diego Rally Goose. After the live bird crashed Dodger Stadium in game two of the NLDS—a game the Padres won 5-3 to tie the series—the Friars went on to take the next two at Petco Park and advance to the NLCS for the first time since 1998. You’re so fly, San Diego Rally Goose. –WR
Contemporary ballet company The Rosin Box Project is named for the receptacle of powder that’s dusted onto dancers’ shoes for better grip, but their innovative choreography implores audiences to think outside the box. At the Liberty Station studio, professional classical and contemporary dancers express themselves in multi-sensory performances under the creative guidance of artistic director Carly Topazio. The company’s flagship series Debuts runs Aug. 24–26, showcasing local and international choreographers making their contemporary ballet premiere. –KO
Birch Aquarium gets it: Parents need playtime, too. A new monthly 21-plus experience transforms the aquarium into a bustling space with vibrant live music, glow-in-the-dark cocktails, face-painting, and games galore. Need a romantic moment? Take in a perfect sunset view on Tide Pool Plaza. Miss adult conversation? Learn about jellyfish, coral, and sea anemones’ radiant bioluminescence without the kids constantly asking, “Why?” –CG
Sacramento alt-rock/metal icons Deftones have made San Diego a go-to tour stop since the ’90s, but somehow they’ve since only managed to make each visit more memorable, thanks in large part to their annual Dia De Los Deftones festival at Petco Park. Held each (non-lockdown) November, the band’s self-curated fest has seen them share the stage with the likes of Chvrches, Turnstile, Freddie Gibbs, and JPEGMAFIA, boosting artists on the rise while making our own backyard the venue for one of the best single days of live music in any city. –JT
Cardiff transplant Eric Laine founded his airy gallery in Solana Beach with the mission of turning San Diego into an art town. Step one: Bring in boundary-pushing creatives from all over the world. Step two: Teach visitors the “why” behind the cool. Laine and his knowledgeable staff offer insight and context as you eyeball paintings and sculptures from artists like Taylor Chapin, Jerry Hsu, and Minga Opazo. –AR
You don’t have to be a hipster to appreciate the special vibe at Panama 66 each Wednesday night. Linger in the dog-and kid-friendly sculpture garden and order excellent craft beers, creative cocktails, and small plates made with local ingredients. Free jazz begins at 7 p.m. with the Young Lions, some of SD’s most talented youth musicians. The subsequent jazzy jam session, curated by trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos (2023 winner of San Diego Music Awards’ Album of the Year), is sure to get your toes tapping. –CG
Nearly 50 years after local institution Belly Up Tavern opened in Solana Beach, it finally got a sibling—one three times as large. The Sound, a new 1,900-person-capacity concert hall operated by the Belly Up and housed on the San Diego County Fairgrounds, brings a much-needed mid-size venue to North County. With a state-of-the-art sound system and the space to accommodate headliners such as M83 and The Flaming Lips, it’s a thrilling addition to the live music landscape. –JT
Scant few locals of a certain age lack fond memories of hearing new-wave hits by Oingo Boingo and The Cure on 91X in the ’80s, even if the format has undergone a few phases of metamorphosis in the years since. After celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, however, the station charmed its way back to the FM presets with a so-called return to its roots, bringing bands like The Clash and INXS back into regular rotation while leaving plenty of space for next-gen artists such as The National and Wet Leg. That kind of musical omnivorousness is refreshing to hear. –JT
When DJ, producer, and professor King Britt introduced his UCSD lecture course, “Blacktronika: Afrofuturism In Electronic Music,” his homework assignments asked students to experience a spectrum of Afrofuturist performances firsthand, to actually feel what they’re studying. Thus one of the city’s most interesting and distinctive new festivals was born, debuting virtually in 2021. A year later, it made its in-person premiere. Having hosted the likes of singer-songwriter Xenia Rubinos and free-jazz group Irreversible Entanglements, it’s an experience that transcends dusty fields and beer gardens, connecting ancestral history directly to bodies moving to the rhythm. –JT
Fancy some left-field jazz with your skin-contact riesling? Perhaps some ’90s R&B with your rosé? Then free up your Wednesdays for a different kind of wine pairing. This seasonal, epicurean happening posts up at the edge of Balboa Park weekly from 2 p.m. til sundown and is prime real estate for anyone looking to unwind. Run by a collective of vinyl and wine enthusiasts, selectors spin while spectators sip in a sea of blankets sporting dining options that run the gamut from makeshift charcuterie boards to full-on tablescapes. –DA
Vinyl sounds better with a cocktail—lack of hard science be damned. Which makes the concept behind Convoy Music Bar, a lounge fashioned after Tokyo-style listening bars, a welcome import. Featuring a custom hi-fi sound system from Japan and a curated selection of platters for nightly DJs to drop the needle on, as well as spirit-forward drinks with Asian ingredients, the intimate hangout is the best bet for a night of being intoxicated by sound. –JT
High school pottery class just got an upgrade. Tucked along the 101 in Leucadia, this charming ceramics studio is here to host your next hobby. With multi-week wheel-throwing workshops, DIY hand-building sessions, and solo or group pottery lessons, the woman-owned hotspot is a clay-filled, choose-your-own-adventure artistic endeavor. If arts and crafts aren’t your jam, The Mudd House’s talented potters have plenty of ready-made vases, bowls, and mugs to spruce up your space— sans messy hands. –ER
Best Karaoke Joint (Without a Stranger’s Take on “Eye of the Tiger”)
Book a private, Asian-style karaoke room that can hold up to 50 guests and zero randos drunkenly wailing songs from Rocky. HIVE serves signature cocktails, beers on tap, and carafes of soju (an alcoholic beverage popular in Korea) to thirsty performers. Late-night cravings are kept at bay with Korean-inspired appetizers for noshing (think bulgogi fries, kimchi pancakes, and spicy fish cakes). The time goes by quickly, so make sure you reserve a room for at least a couple hours. –MK
What better way to enjoy a stand-up show than under the stars with a glass of an estate grown red blend In hand? While it’s not unusual for bars, breweries, and restaurants to host small comedy nights,Monserate Winery in Fallbrook kicks it up a notch by partnering with the Comedy Store La Jolla to bring in bigger names like Michael Yo (America’s Got Talent; The Yo Show) and Sarah Tiana (Reno 911!; Crashing). They also host live music, salsa classes, and other events—all of which makes the drive up to Fallbrook worth it. –JI
Best Woman-Run Creative Studio Moonlighting as an Arts Space
Owned and curated by local DJ, design maven, and ad agency vet Danielle Higgins, this City Heights catch-all arts space has quietly hosed some of the city’s best shows since it found its home on Winona and El Cajon five years ago. The eccentric studio-cum-venue fosters the growth of a femme-forward and emerging artists. With everything from hip-hop to the avant-garde packing their modest-sized house, they’re poised to lose their underground status real quick. –DA
For thousands of years, the Kumeyaay who lived in this area called a mountain south of Julian Cush-pii, meaning “sharp peak.” Then, after the Civil War, Confederate sympathizers saw that same mountain and decided to rename it Stonewall Peak—after General Stonewall Jackson. The name stuck for nearly a century and a half, until Cuyamaca Rancho State Park announced earlier this year that the name will return to its original, Cush-pii. Hike to the summit for expansive views of the Coronado Islands to the west and Mexico to the south.
Courtesy of Culture Shock San Diego
Best Pop and Lock Spot
Culture Shock
In 1993, Angie Bunch gathered a group of hip-hop dancers—called Culture Shock Dance Troupe—and gave them a space to practice and perform. As hip hop grew through the ’90s, so did Culture Shock. It has since become a nonprofit, a space for young and old, beginner and expert dancers. Culture Shock has also expanded to Los Angeles, Oakland, Las Vegas, Chicago, Atlanta, New York City, and Washington, D.C., as well as Ottawa and Toronto, Canada.
In 2019, Amanda Leach created the Yoga Box method, which takes high-energy flows and adds strength-building poses in heated, vibey, lava-lamp-lit studios. What started on Grand Avenue in Pacific Beach has spread to 15 locations across the county, with even more trickling into Denver, Chicago, and Brooklyn. The best part? Mindfulness newbies who can’t touch their toes and six-packed contortionists can hang in the same class. You can customize each session based on your ability and fitness level.
Courtesy of Fit Athletic Club
Best Leg Day Turned Social Hour
Fit Mission Beach
A gym taking over a historic beachfront pool sounds like the setup for a new season of Love Island, but Fit Mission Beach operating the nearly 100-year-old Plunge at Belmont Park is real. The independent fitness brand has spent the past several years building a loyal following through group fitness classes, community events, and a members’ social club overlooking the ocean. Upstairs, members can work remotely, meet friends, or hang out long after their workout ends. Between the Plunge, the coworking-style lounge, and a packed calendar of events, Fit has evolved into something bigger than a gym. It’s a clubhouse for San Diego’s fitness crowd.
Best Place to Learn What a Vagus Is
Breathe Degrees
The wellness world is finally transitioning away from HIIT workouts and cult-like spin classes, where your heart rate hits Zone 5 within minutes and stays there until cooldown. Good. At Breathe Degrees, wellness takes the form of zenned-out communal breathing sessions or vagus nerve–activating cold plunges. Breathwork is said to boost your mood in the short term and improve your heart health in the long term, and maybe that’s why everyone’s coming back for more. You can’t run into someone in Carlsbad who hasn’t dropped into at least one breathwork session, and now the studio has opened a second location in Liberty Station.
Photo Credit: Shot On Us
Best Pilates Studio for People With Tiny Roommates
Soul Pilates and Care
Pilates wasn’t just popular this year; it was practically a requirement for maintaining your San Diego residency. New studios seemed to appear weekly across San Diego, each promising stronger cores and better posture, but Soul Pilates and Care found a way to stand out by addressing a challenge many parents know well: finding time to exercise at all. Fitness doesn’t have to compete with parenting responsibilities. Parents can drop their kids off with trained caregivers while they head into reformer classes, eliminating one of the biggest barriers to working out. The studio has earned strong reviews for both its instruction and family-friendly approach.
The Hotel del Coronado’s sweeping $550 million restoration touched nearly every corner of the historic resort, but one of the most anticipated unveilils was the debut of its redesigned spa. The oceanfront wellness destination now features 21 treatment rooms, a relaxation lounge, a sauna, steam room, and a treatment menu inspired by the coastal environment just steps away. The redesign blends the Del’s Victorian legacy with a cleaner, more contemporary aesthetic, creating a space that feels distinctly SoCal rather than generic luxury hotel. For locals who don’t have time for a vacation, it’s the next best thing.
Best Cheers Without Beers
Good News Bar
As non-alcoholic beverages continue their meteoric rise, Good News Bar has become one of San Diego’s most compelling arguments for a booze-free evening. The University Heights hotspot serves a menu of carefully crafted zero-proof cocktails that borrow techniques and ingredients from traditional cocktail programs (it’s not just fancy juices and soda water), minus the hangover. The space also hosts regular community events and has quickly become a gathering place for everyone from sober San Diegans to the merely sober-curious. In a nightlife industry built around alcohol sales, Good News proved there’s plenty of demand for connection without the buzz.
Unleash your local loves and insider favorites once again in 2024, Powered by You! It’s time to nominate and vote for San Diego Magazine’s Best of San Diego Reader’s Choice Award. The winners will be revealed in the upcoming Best of San Diego issue this July and showcased on our website.
Your nomination and vote play a crucial role in giving your favorite businesses the recognition and bragging rights they deserve for the year ahead. So go ahead, show some love to your cherished local spots.
As a token of our appreciation, every vote enters you for a chance to win 2 tickets to The Best of San Diego Party on Friday, August 2, 2024.
How to Win
A business, place, or person must be nominated at least once to appear on the voting ballot. Once the voting period concludes, the business, place, or person with the most votes within their respective category will be selected as the Reader’s Choice category winner.
When submitting your nomination, please provide as many details about the business as possible, including its name, address, website, and phone number. Businesses and individuals that cannot be verified will not be eligible for voting.
Deadlines for Nominations and Voting
Nominations: March 11 – 24, 2024 Voting: March 25 – April 14, 2024
Renewable energy companies building hundreds of power plants. Biotech startups using artificial intelligence to create personalized medicine for children with rare diseases. Hospitality companies quietly powering thousands of local events. Consumer brands growing from beach-town startups into national businesses. These are the kinds of companies driving San Diego’s economy today, and the businesses recognized at this year’s San Diego Business Impact Awards offer a snapshot of where the region is headed.
Hosted July 23 by San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and JPMorganChase, the second annual awards event honored four local companies for innovation, growth, and economic impact. More than 100 nominations from San Diego’s middle-market businesses were reviewed by a 10-person judging committee, with winners selected across four categories: startup, early-stage innovator, rising star, and established heavyweight.
Two-time honoree Jimbo Someck, founder of Jimbo’s organic grocery stores, also joined the event for a fireside chat on buying local, supporting emerging brands, and giving back to the community.
“San Diego’s strength comes from its makers and builders—the resilient people who endure great risks and overcome obstacles to build and scale a company,” says Aaron Ryan, San Diego Region Manager and Middle Market Banking at JPMorganChase & Co. “These awards aren’t just recognition; they spotlight the talent, grit, and innovation shaping our region’s future. By celebrating those who create and build, we foster connections and fuel the growth that keeps San Diego thriving.”
Photo Credit: Matt Furman
Building the Infrastructure Behind Clean Energy
Heavyweight honoree SOLV Energy has grown alongside the country’s rapid investment in renewable power. “It’s an exciting time for SOLV Energy as we are experiencing significant growth,” says CEO George Hershman. “The business has doubled over the last year and has almost double-digit growth since its inception.”
The Rancho Bernardo-based company designs, builds, operates, and maintains utility-scale solar and energy storage facilities. Since its founding in 2008, SOLV Energy has built more than 500 power plants.
Growth has translated directly into hiring. About 200 employees work from the company’s local headquarters, including roughly 20 interns. “Our intern program is a big part of the way that we grow our workforce,” Hershman says. “Last year, 43 percent of our interns became full-time employees. We believe San Diego is a great community to build and grow a high-tech infrastructure and technology company because of the incredible workforce—the ability to attract top talent and draw from world-class universities.”
Photo Credit: Matt Furman
Developing Medicine One Patient at a Time
Startup honoree La Jolla Labs is tackling one of medicine’s biggest challenges by developing personalized RNA therapeutics for patients with rare diseases—many of them children with neurological disorders like ALS. Using proprietary artificial intelligence and machine learning tools, the biotech company develops treatments tailored to each patient’s specific genetic mutation.
CEO Tamar Grossman says the recognition reflects how far the company has come despite limited resources. “We’re honored to be recognized for our ability to change and save patients’ lives and turn our lean startup into a clinical company with very minimal resources,” she says.
Grossman credits San Diego’s concentration of research institutions—including UC San Diego, the Salk Institute, and Scripps Research—with creating a pipeline of talent and collaboration. “San Diego is one of the world-leading centers for technology, genomics, and RNA therapeutics,” she says. “We have over 30 RNA therapeutics companies here, and we support each other and help with anything related to drug discovery.”
She says that collaborative spirit extends beyond formal partnerships. “You can walk around Torrey Pines, go into a café, and find colleagues from the industry and have an ad hoc conversation,” Grossman says. “That’s something very unique to San Diego.”
While Snake Oil Venue Company may not be a household name, chances are many San Diegans have attended one of its events. The early-stage innovator honoree has expanded from beverage catering and mixology consulting into venue management, operating Julep Venue in Mission Hills, Bramble Bay Venue in Imperial Beach, Vesper Venue, the Chapel at Liberty Station, and five outdoor venues throughout Liberty Station—more than 500,000 square feet of event space altogether.
“We do a lot of launch parties for corporations and new products,” says CEO Mike Esposito. “I really like working on the entrepreneur side of things, where new businesses are entering the San Diego market and looking to make a splash.”
Snake Oil has executed more than 16,000 events, employed more than 1,000 people, and partnered with more than 900 local vendors, including caterers, florists, photographers, entertainers, and other hospitality businesses. The company also works with many of San Diego’s nonprofits, museums, and cultural institutions. “We get to celebrate people’s most important moments,” Esposito says. “Whether that’s a wedding, celebration of life, or quinceañera, we’re fortunate to be involved in the community in so many different ways.”
Photo Credit: Matt Furman
Growing a Beach-Town Brand into a National Business
Rising star honoree ALOHA Collection is proof that a simple idea can grow into a thriving company. Founded by two roommates who wanted a better way to carry wet swimsuits after a day at the beach, the lifestyle brand has grown into a business while maintaining strong year-over-year growth.
Now headquartered in Carlsbad, ALOHA Collection employs more than 100 people and operates its California flagship store in Encinitas, which is slated for a remodel. With roots in Hawaii, the company is known for its lightweight, splash-proof travel bags that have become a familiar sight on beaches in San Diego and beyond.
“‘Aloha’ is part of our name, but it’s also how we move through the world,” says CEO Lynna Barnard. “It’s how we show up for people, the way we travel, the way we give back.” Since day one, the company has maintained a 5 percent giveback to Hawaii conservation efforts, contributing millions of dollars over the years.
“I think what’s so inspiring about ALOHA Collection, and the founders in particular, is when you dream big, those dreams can come true when you work hard and trust in the universe,” Barnard says. “It’s inspiring to be a role model for other people wanting to start businesses from humble beginnings. Start small and watch it grow.”
Together, businesses like these form a cornerstone of San Diego’s economy—not only through the jobs and revenue they generate—but through the local workers they hire, vendors they support, and investments they make in the region. Their growth doesn’t happen in isolation; it ripples outward, strengthening the broader business community and the people who call San Diego home.
This is your chance to gather support from your biggest fans and followers to nominate and vote for your business. You know that you’re the obvious choice (and we agree), so we’ve put together this marketing toolkit to help you promote your business and win.
The winners will be announced in San Diego Magazine‘s Best of San Diego issue this July and posted online. And let’s not forget, bragging rights all year!
If you’re looking to amplify your marketing efforts, email our team at [email protected]. We’ll help you further your message with our most engaged readers.
How to Win
Secure at least one nomination for your business from March 11 – 24, 2024.
Start Promoting: Invite your biggest fans and followers to vote for your business from March 25 – April 14, 2024.
The nominee with the most votes will win “Reader’s Choice” in their respective category.
Logos
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Click here or the image above to go to Google Drive to download it.
SDM staff shouts out their favorite food finds this month
Fernside, watermelon feta salad
By Alex Dinofia, Emily Heft, Mateo Hoke, Jennifer Ianni, Troy Johnson, Lili Kim, Samantha Lacy, Nicolle Monico, Will Riddell, and Amelia Rodriguez
San Diego is home to more than 5,000 restaurants—meaning that you could eat at a new one every single day for over 13 years before you had to resort to repeats. With all that goodness, it can be tough to narrow down your next dinner spot. That’s where we come in. Here are 15 of our favorite meals (and coffees, cocktails, and croissants) this month. Go get some.
Courtesy of Cafe 21
Cafe 21
Shrimp Corn Cake
Cafe 21’s bloody marys (topped with a salad bar; served in a ceramic head) deservedly get lots of airtime, but the decadent shrimp-and-potato corn cake is an underrated sleeper hit. It’s crowned with a poached egg and lounging in an herby pool of cilantro cream sauce rich enough to stand up to the 10 a.m. vodka. –AR
Starbucks who? This pick-me-up with Vietnamese coffee and fresh egg foam at Saigon is a richer, more satisfying version of a frappuccino (although, sadly, not blended). It’s breakfast on ice. Saigon started at the Hillcrest Farmers Market in 2012 and now boasts a buzzy new location in North Park. See you in line. –MH
Glutenus Maximus
Butterscotch Pecan Sticky Bun
Suns out, buns out, especially when those buns are covered in butterscotch and dusted with pecan bits. The perfect blend of salty and sweet, this roll is chewy but not overly dense. These buns are huge, so grab two forks in case you need to share (though you probably won’t want to). Check Glutenus’ website to see what farmers market it’s currently stationed at. –WR
Oscar’s Mexican Seafood
Ceviche
On the list of edible items that can be served in a cup, ceviche isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind. The proximity of Oscar’s to the Pacific means this place is all about their fish. The ceviche menu includes shrimp, fish, scallop, and bluefin tuna served with crispy, hand-sized tortilla chips. This dippable snack has become my favorite post-beach ritual. –AD
Little Asia Sliders
Pork Belly Sliders
With dozens of seductive smells swirling in the air at the OB Farmers Market, it’s nearly impossible to choose a bulwark against hunger-induced overshopping. Allow me to make your life easier: Get the pork belly sliders from Little Asia Sliders. Decadent, fatty pork belly is nestled in a soft bao bun and topped with fresh carrot, cucumber, cilantro, and a drizzle of crunchy chili oil. Is it Wednesday yet? –LK
Courtesy of Lefty’s Chicago Pizzeria
Lefty’s Chicago Pizzeria
Spinach Mushroom Deep Dish
I don’t often jump into the pool that is deep-dish pizza, but at this Windy City joint covered in (admittedly bland) Illinois license plates, it’s a felony not to. Sure, Lefty’s serves delicate, crispy thin-crust, too, but come on. Catch me doing a double-reverse-pike backflip into this deep Chicago dough. –MH
TJ Oyster Bar
Octopus Taco
Decades later, TJ Oyster Bar is still the South Bay taco gem. The smoked tuna fries are like a Baja poutine. But it’s this classic octopus taco—braised until tender but still with that desirable bite, topped with one or three of the sauces (cilantro and chipotle cremas and hot sauce), and served on a good corn tortilla—that epitomizes a simple thing done extraordinarily well. –TJ
Tacos El Trompo
Chilaquiles
Chilaquiles don’t always hit (too dry, overcooked eggs, no beans?!), but when they do, you might as well write my obit and send me skyward. Two sunny-side up eggs, savory red sauce, sour cream, refried beans, Spanish rice, and avocado, portioned to feed two—all for under $10? Whew, life’s good. –NM
Brad Wise (Trust, Fort Oak, Rare Society) is famous for his killer marinades and the way he seasons proteins. Wise Ox is the butcher shop where you can buy those gems in a bag to cook yourself. Or you can get a sammy. Like this diet-breaking beauty of high-end couch food. House-made bologna, American cheese, mustard, and mayo. Sleep well. –TJ
Yalla Habibi
Fool Moudamas
When I lived in Bethlehem, fool (also spelled “foul” or “ful”) was my go-to local breakfast. Made with warm, garlicky, lemony stewed fava beans; olive oil; and pita to scoop it up, fool is what comfort food eats when it’s having a hard day. The Lebanese Yalla Habibi in the Gaslamp does fool right, with an extra garlic kick. Shawarma and kebab are the go-to here, but I’ll be back for the comfort. –MH
Salads historically occupy a lonely, shadowy spot on bar-food menus, but South Park’s Fernside gives fruit and veg their glorious place in the sun. The bar tempers the creamy whipped cheese in its watermelon-feta with sweet and nutty stuff like pistachios, pomegranate molasses, and fennel. If you, say, add a side of waffle fries, the salad won’t care—she knows she’s still the star. –AR
It’s estimated that 44% of women in the U.S. have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, but many don’t know it. The disease often has no symptoms, and when symptoms do present, they can appear similar to many other conditions. High blood pressure increases the risk for heart disease and stroke, so it’s critical that it’s detected and treated early. And for women at risk of developing high blood pressure, prevention is key. Click here for the basics of high blood pressure and how Scripps physicians at Scripps use screenings not just as a diagnostic tool, but as part of routine preventive care.
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