The Seabird Resort
Courtesy of The Seabird Resort
Rushell Gordon opened modern tearoom Bliss Tea & Treats in 2020. In a matter of years, she’s watched Oceanside transform. “The infusion of culinary options has been the biggest surprise, and it’s not stopping any time soon,” Gordon says. Here, Gordon reflects on an ideal weekend in the county’s northernmost coastal city, from her favorite beach to live theater, and, of course, the eats.
Artist Alley Oceanside
The Beach
I’ve gone to all the beaches north and south in Oceanside, and the harbor-pier area beaches have great walkability. Having the eateries nearby is nice, and, in the evening, bonfires at the harbor are fun. Walk through Artists Alley—it has a bunch of boutique shops from florals to jewelry. Rent a boat at the harbor, go out on the boat, have charcuterie and wine. Book a room at The Seabird Resort for the weekend—it’s so pretty and has anchored the beach nicely.
Communal Coffee, Oceanside
The Eats
Rent e-bikes and ride down the coast. That’s how I stumbled onto Communal Coffee. I go there with my daughter, and we’ll get some chai and avocado toast. It’s a cute space, and the energy is good. Another place we go to a lot is Felix’s BBQ for soul food. Kevin Shin at The Switchboard restaurant opened KNVS Bar. It’s unique to Oceanside. Artists bring in their art, and they curate the restaurant and bar menu based on their pieces. We do Handel’s ice cream a lot—a little too much. I always get the pecan praline. You can spend the whole day eating here.
Moonlight Amphitheater
The Live Theater
Oceanside was a theater district. There was this hub of cute little theaters, and I think it’s a part of Oceanside that kind of got lost. I would love to see more of that happening here. I go to the Moonlight Ampitheater in Vista, and it’s packed, so it’s not like there’s not a community for live theater—they’re here. I just think Oceanside hasn’t tapped into that.
For Black History Month, I produced a play at Sunshine Brooks Theatre on Coast Highway as a tribute to Black entrepreneurs in Oceanside, past and present. We went back to the early 1900s, picked some key individuals, and told our stories through actors. We had real photos in the background so you could see what Oceanside looked like back then. It was like a living newspaper. We’ll definitely produce another play.
