It begins innocently enough. You exchange numbers. You start to text. You ask about siblings and their hometown and send a flirty selfie or two (after 26 takes). And, finally, you decide the beige flags outweigh the pink ones. (This is modern romance, after all.) Now, you’re ready to ditch your digital correspondence and go 3D—it’s time for a date.
To give Cupid’s arrow some tailwinds, we’ve devised 20 stellar ideas to get you and your boo(or bestie, if you prefer to enjoy the city without sweaty palms and will-we-won’t-we pressure) out and about all over the county. All we ask for in return is an invite to the wedding—or at least some kiss-and-tell intel on that first smooch.
So, go for it. Ask them out. We’ve got you covered with everything from first-dates to anniversary adventures. All you gotta do is bring the charm.
Échale Photo Credit: Kai Diaz
Encinitas
The sparks of creativity won’t be the only ones you feel tonight. Begin your date at the Institute of Contemporary Art North, a living laboratory of up-and-coming, often experimental fine artists. Spy soon-to-be classics and roam the halls of this North County museum to learn a little more about your partner’s tastes (you may be sharing an art collection, after all).
Then, swing by Leucadia’s The Mudd House. At this pottery studio, you can reserve a wheel and go for it or sign up for group or private lessons for a tutorial if you haven’t held clay since 9th grade. (Warning: Any Demi-Moore-Patrick-Swayze moments will amp up the chemistry but end up killing whatever you’ve thrown on the wheel.) End the night at Échale, the chicest little SoCal-inspired bistro in town, with a plethora of organic wines and a menu that offers bites like gambas al ajillo and local sea bass.
Courtesy of Jaguar Paw
Barrio Logan
Every second Saturday brings the perfect excuse to hit the streets of one of San Diego’s coolest neighborhoods, Barrio Logan. Running from noon to 8 p.m., the Barrio Art Crawlis a monthly self-guided tour of the area’s 15 or so galleries. Check out what’s on the walls at the lynchpin art space Bread & Salt—its micro-galleries like Best Practice support some of the most innovative cross-border art in the county. Then, head up from Julian Avenue onto Logan Avenue to stop at spots like the Logan Ave Galeria de Arte and Galeria Mestizaje, home of the Aztlan Youth Brigade, which has been helping update the murals at Chicano Park.
After working up an appetite from all that strolling and being insightful, try a cult-classic fish sando at Fish Guts, the charming shack run by renowned chef Pablo Becker. From there, amble along to Jaguar Pawfor a nightcap that won’t set you back tomorrow, thanks to a robust menu of low-ABV offerings and mocktails. The bar also offers organic wines, kombucha, and the stronger stuff should you need it, all set to live music and a swinging scene, perfect for impromptu dancing and whispering sweet nothings. May we suggest, “You’re the best artwork I saw tonight?”
Cabrillo Tidepools Photo Credit: Cole Novak
Point Loma & Ocean Beach
Great dates don’t just happen—they’re thought out ahead of time. And Point Loma is a layup when it comes to planning to spoil your date with pretty things to look at while stuffing your face with delicious eats. So, how do a little tide-pooling and a sunset picnic sound? Start off at Cabrillo National Monument, where you can spend your afternoon peering at ocean critters and traversing trails or exploring the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, which, at more than 440 feet above sea level, is considered the highest lighthouse in the US.
Then bring things down to earth in OB and hit up the iconic, family-run Little Lion Café, where you can grab some to-go grub with options ranging from croissant sandos to cobb salads. (Pro tip: There’s a gas station across the street for drinks.) Then, lay down a blanket for a sunset snuggle on the nearby Sunset Cliffs, where you can tally up all the romantic brownie points you just scored.
If the date is going well once the sun sets at the cliffs, OB is where it’s at for late-night live music, drinks, and good kinds of trouble.
The Holding Company: With a rooftop bar offering a mix of modern Asian-inspired food and crafty drinks, plus two live music venues with wildly diverse lineups downstairs, THC is a solid choice for both the cocktail-inclined and the musically adventurous. So, if you’re looking for a show, this is a safe place to roll the dice.
Winstons Beach Club: There’s not a frill to be found at this laidback venue known for hosting an eclectic mix of local reggae, jam bands, and comedy nights. Unpretentious and OB to the core, Winstons is a favorite local hang. Hemp hoodies welcome.
The Harp: Recently purchased by Miles Doughty, the frontman of OB-based band Slightly Stoopid, The Harp is the revitalized beating heart of the Newport Avenue live music and beer (and early-morning European soccer) scene. Bands play loud here, so popping in for a show is less about conversation and more about seeing how your date dances to reggae-rock.
Courtesy of Hidden Fish
Convoy District
Ahead of “til death do us part,” give “for richer, for poorer” a test run with a high-low night in Convoy. Omakase spot Hidden Fish’s 12-seat sushi gallery boasts offerings from Japan’s world-renowned Toyosu Fish Market. During your 90-minute slot, you’ll nibble 18 delectable morsels of silky sashimi, and what’s sexier than that? If you said a pitchy performance of “Take On Me,” you’re in luck—Carriage House Cocktails & Karaoke is only a five-minute walk away. You’ll know you’re there by the blackout windows and sole, flickering Budweiser sign.
Inside is a dive to win all dives. Darts whiz past your barstool and the sand on the shuffleboard table hasn’t been changed, well, ever, but everyone who follows the bouncing ball here gets a healthy round of applause. Once you’ve heard all the forced vibrato you can stomach, trade “loudly sung” for a “Softly Spoken”—a gentle elixir of Diplomatico rum, Michter’s bourbon, Pedro Ximenez sherry, mango, coconut cream, Chinese five spice, orange, lime, and angostura bitters—at Realm of The 52 Remedies, a favorite amongst San Diego’s bar industry elite.
Courtesy of Belmont Park
Mission Bay
Ah, young love. Is it the best kind? Find out by channeling your inner teenager and spending a day in Mission Bay. Enter the gates of Belmont Park and walk down the midway full of the aromas of funnel cakes and pheromones as you attempt to win your paramour a gigantic stuffie with your dart-throwing or water-gun accuracy skills.
If the thrill of riding the 100-year-old Giant Dipper roller coaster didn’t get you in the mood, maybe snuggling up on a Sea-Doo will. Head to Mission Bay Sportcenter and hold tight to your own bae for a jet ski excursion. Bring a change of duds (something a little fancier) to end the evening with a meal at Dockside 1953. This nautical-leaning eatery at the Bahia Resort boasts unbridled views of the water and options like seafood towers and braised lamb.
Courtesy of AllTrails
Fallbrook
The key to a successful first out-of-towner? Keep it low-pressure by escaping only an hour from downtown SD to Fallbrook. Make it an early morning mission and head up the 15 to Monserate Mountain Trail Loop, a hike that takes you up 1,400 feet. At the summit, you’ll be greeted with views of the Peninsular Range and hopefully a sweaty hug.
This is proof that you can weather the ups and downs together should be all you need to get them a rock—a semi-precious one, anyway. At the nearby Oceanview Mine, you can pick and pry for gems (tourmaline, kunzite, morganite, and more) with local company Dig for Gems. Finally, wind down with a visit to Monserate Winery. Go through a guided tasting with the resident oenophiles; it includes six of the winery’s estate-grown vinos, plus some welcome bubbles to tickle your palate.
Time for your own personal Love Island—with fewer camera crews, bare midriffs, and (hopefully) shouting matches and more adorable architecture, charming shops, and sea breezes. Coronado’s Flagship Ferry launches near the Convention Center or the Broadway Pier to take you to the idyllic peninsula. After a quick sprint across the bay with epic views of the Coronado Bridge, get your land legs and then head to the Coronado Municipal Golf Course for a bucket of balls.
Neither of you know how to play? Even better. Forge your bond in the fire of open self-mockery and a pact to forever avoid anything but putt-putt. Give yourselves a congratulatory quiet clap, then show them your true grip with a cutesy handhold as you mosey over to The Henry to split a plate of short rib potstickers and people-watch below charming striped umbrellas.
La Jolla
San Diego is a destination for millions of visitors each year—so why not play tourist in your own backyard for a carefree day of staycation stylings? Begin with brunch at Sea & Sky, Hotel La Jolla’s penthouse perch with panoramic views of the Pacific. Get energized with pancakes that play with the flavors of pink lady apples, cinnamon anglaise, and a pecan-oat crunch.
More of a savory character? Try the green egg shakshuka. Then, strap on your life vest, stretch your arms, and climb into a boat built for two to explore the coast’s famous sea caves on a guided tour with La Jolla Kayak. Once you’ve saluted the sea lions, say hi to other marine life at Birch Aquarium at Scripps, which houses tiny penguins almost as cute as your boo.
Youngblood Photo Credit: Arlene Ibarra
Downtown
If music be the food of love, a musical is a veritable buffet—but first, treat them to an actual meal at Saint James French Diner. Sit two-by-two at the très mignon bar or head upstairs to the roof to see the expanse of the Gaslamp in all its historically debaucherous glory. Try the steak or moules frites (they both come with fries, so how can you go wrong?) and sip a vert-hued cocktail in anticipation of your seats at the San Diego Civic Theatre’s live production of Wicked. (We suggest the absinthe frappe to stay on-brand emerald.)
Stroll a few blocks to the theater and follow the love story of two not-so-different friends. After the show, head towards 8&G, the compound that houses Youngblood, a minuscule, Parisian-style, gem-in-the-wall cocktail speakeasy with a mere 16 seats. Once inside, try not to stare at the genitalia-print carpet and only into your date’s eyes.
A splash of bubbles greets you as the bartenders begin to whip, shake, and stir an intoxicating, three-course, liquid trip based wholly on your preferences. Taking a paramour someplace where the mixologists can turn their favorite dessert into a digestif is sure to make you, well, popular.
Courtesy of Market on 8th
South Bay
Tired of taking yet another pedicab-dodging Tinder stroll through the Gaslamp? Show your date the underrated charms of South Bay instead. Begin at Chula Vista Bicycles, where you can rent a pair of two-wheelers for a half-hour ride (just under six miles via Broadway and the Bayshore Bikeway) to Market on 8th for a food cruise—but be sure to call ahead for bike availability.
After your self-guided tour of the food hall’s wares (perhaps Sushi National for some Japanese-Mexican mash-up or an espresso sweet treat from Alessie Café?), swap the bikes for your whip and roll into the South Bay Drive-In for a flick. May we recommend ditching the front seat for the back to ensure ample cuddling space? You’ll thank us when you come up for air as the credits roll.
Courtesy of The Lodge at Torrey Pines
Torrey Pines
The craggy and majestic Torrey Pines cliffs are romantic enough, but when you add the peril of paragliding and hang gliding at the Gliderport, intimacy is sure to take flight. Unless you’ve gone through glider school, you’ll have to break away from your babe to do a tandem soar with some of North America’s best glider pilots. But the views of the rolling, watery corduroy below are worth it. Once you’re back in the safety of terra firma, head up to The Lodge at Torrey Pines and sneak onto the croquet court, perched above the greens of the Torrey Pines Golf Course with a spectacular view of the horizon.
A mallet in hand always gives Heathers, so find your inner Christian and Winona as you compete in this very civilized sport (just leave the chainsaws and TNT at home). Finish up your hang by patronizing yet another hotel down the road. Estancia La Jolla’s Mustangs & Burros offers open-air dining and a central fireplace to amp up the cozy factor—just in case your margarita (or your date) doesn’t do the trick.
Photo Credit: Andrew Jorgensen
Shelter Island
When was the last time you ventured over to Shelter Island? If you’re local, we’re willing to bet it’s time to revisit, if only for the food at nearby Old Venice, where we suggest opening with what restaurant critic Troy Johnson called “the little black dress of apps”—baked triple-cream brie served with a hulking bulb of roasted garlic—then moseying into the rigatoni bolognese. If you scored the two-top that’s fireside, linger over dessert. If not, ditch the sweets in lieu of something fortified at Bali Hai.
Swing hand-in-hand to this Shelter Island institution. Order the mai tai and do your best Lady and the Tramp impression with two straws. Once you’re thoroughly tipsy (which won’t take much at Bali Hai), it’s time for the main event: a show at Humphreys Concerts By The Bay, with seats that boast a great view of the stage and the ships beyond.
Courtesy of Haunted San Diego Ghost Tours
Old Town
Exploring the city’s spine-tingling heritage in Old Town will jump-scare your date straight into your arms. Start at Cas Wet Plate Collodion Photography for an old-timey tin-type snap. Holed up at the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Restaurant on the weekends, this father-daughter film duo brings the 19th century to the now, one flash at a time. Next, steel yourself with something strong enough to keep the demons at bay at Oculto 477, San Diego’s only speakeasy settled next to a graveyard.
Stashed inside Tahona, the bar serves sinful sips like the Gluttony, a blend of Japanese whisky, rhubarb amaro, sweet vermouth, and mole. Then it’s on to the only kind of ghosting you should be doing tonight: Haunted San Diego Ghost Tours offers evening slots to saunter through the unseemly sites of San Diego lore, from Heritage Park to the Whaley House—all fraught with sagas that will scintillate any true-crime podcast obsessive.
Mabel’s Gone Fishing Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos
North Park
North Park has run up the ranks as the top contender for SD’s best food neighborhood, thanks to recent additions like Finca and Flora, mainstays like Black Radish, and upcoming attractions like Brad Wise’s A’L’ouest. To satisfy your Bourdain itch, get your mollusk on with the hip staff of Mabel’s Gone Fishing. The restaurant’s “Oyster Hour” kicks off at 4 p.m. Pair discounted oysters and Iberian-inspired snacks with a porrón (your personal wine funnel) full of garnatxa from Catalonia and test your trust and target skills by having your date pour the wine straight into your mouth—glasses are so passé (but available if you’re feeling coy).
Head a few blocks down University Avenue to 31ThirtyOne’s urban rooftop overlooking the North Park skyline to sup on refined, tweezer-tamed dishes from the Michelin-starred mind of Drew Deckman. Then, call a ride share to The LaFayette Hotel (trust us, you don’t want to battle for parking) to see a concert at CH Projects’ venue du jour, Lou Lou’s Jungle Room, with an illuminated, vintage shell stage and a calendar of artists curated by local music maestro Tim Mays.
Not ready for the night to end? Grab a lift back to North Park’s main drag for a last sip at one of the neighborhood’s many watering holes.
Redwing Bar & Grill: The concert’s not over yet. Tuesdays through Sundays at this always-packed, LGBTQ-friendly joint on 30th Street, boozed-up regulars provide free entertainment in the form of enthusiastic karaoke. Here’s your chance to serenade your date yourself.
Coin-Op Game Room: The best way to round out a rendezvous? Mortal Kombat. Drop a few quarters at Coin-Op, a temple of themed pinball machines and cocktails more creative and delicious than an arcade bar demands.
Seven Grand: Still swanky but not stuffy (there’s pool!), this University Avenue bar houses one of San Diego’s most robust whiskey selections. Candlelight and a cozy back room keep things romantic—though things get hopping after 10 p.m., so expect your sweet nothings to be shared at a shout.
Merenda Photo Credit: Ian Ware
Oceanside
Is Oceanside the next Silver Lake? Twosomes who secretly envy LA and have any Supreme or Rodarte in your wardrobes, this date’s for you. Start out at the swanky, newly opened Merenda to snap the perfect hard-launch pic. Natural wine list? Check. Small plates? Check. Dim lighting that makes you look almost more stunning than you naturally are? Obvi. Have the rockfish carpaccio with a glass of pineau d’aunis from Loire Valley and talk about how hard it is to be the coolest one in your friend group.
Then, pop over to Frontwave Arena to see the San Diego Clippers shoot their shots. Ideally, you splurged on floor seats, but, if not, make it fun and place some playful bets on three-pointers from the cheap seats (drinks on you at the next spot?). Cash in on those odds at Frankie’s for a soothing nightcap fixed by some of SD’s most artful bartenders in a subtly trendy O-side setting.
Soda Bar Photo Credit: Veronika Reinert
City Heights
There’s nothing steamier than proving you’ve got your finger on the pulse of our progressive, grassroots arts scene—except maybe a hot bowl of phở at Phở Hòa on El Cajon Boulevard. Squirt sriracha to your heart’s content to show your date how spicy you want things to go. Then, head to the Azalea Park enclave of City Heights to check out a show at The Brown Building on Poplar Street, a creative haven led by trans artists and activists.
Peep the site’s IG stories (@thebrownbuildingarts) for the latest upcoming events, whether that’s a suite of local bands, like the dreamy, watercolor-pop stylings of Kan Kan; a vision board–making workshop; or DJ school. Then, finish off the night at Soda Bar, one of the city’s top venues for emerging and local bands, so you can say you saw them before they made it to The Sound.
Born and Raised Photo Credit: Shannon Partrick
Little Italy
Play posh for the night in Little Italy, starting in the gilded halls of Born and Raised. With its neo-Gatsby architecture and artful homage to rap superstars, it’s the perfect spot to eschew pretense but love it all the same. Ball out and ask for an off-the-menu caviar bump to kick off the night’s festivities and pair it with something off the Champagne cart. Continue the indulgence and share some uni pasta made with local Assenti’s spaghetti and a sunset-hued sauce that rivals the richness of your 401K.
Split a bone-in, dry-aged ribeye while you’re at it—you’re at a steakhouse, after all. Then swing by Bobboi on Kettner Boulevard for more decadence, this time in the form of a little charcoal vanilla gelato. Round things out with a quick jaunt to Vino Carta, San Diego’s flagship natural wine shop and bar. A glass of biodynamic vino is sure to bring the feels—figuratively, of course.
Courtesy of Mingei International Museum
Balboa Park
Low on funds but high on love? Take your date to the iconic Balboa Park for a slew of gratis activities. If things are blooming between you, start at the Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden for some delightful sniffs and winsome snaps for the ’gram. Cross into the park and stroll by the fountain, then start museum-hopping. If it’s not a Tuesday (when some museums are free for locals), you can still hit up the cultural institutions with complimentary or give-what-you-can admission. Drop by the Museum of Photographic Arts at the San Diego Museum of Art to see celluloid stunners.
If window shopping is your thing, head over to the Mingei, our local folk-arts museum, to browse the lobby’s impeccably curated gift shop and sample the art on the entry level (you’ll need to shell out $15 each to ogle the rest of the exhibitions). The Timken Museum is always free—read up on your European masters, American art, and Russian icons ahead of time to drop some historical facts and impress your boo. To rest your eyes but keep the cultural feast going, make your way to Spreckels Organ Pavilion. Check out their calendar of events for specific shows, or roll up on Sunday for a free concert starting at 2 p.m.
Courtesy of Neon Moon
East County
Though us city slickers fancy ourselves Kendrick Lamar types, head 20 minutes east of our city core and it’s all Tim McGraw. So, hop in your Ford F-150, crank the AM to some Hank Williams, and drive to East County for a night of cowboy moonlighting. Kick things off at Grand Ole BBQ in Flinn Springs, where the meat just tastes smokier when you eat it while wearing cowboy boots. Get a spread of brisket, slaw, and some bacon-laden beans to share with your buckle bunny.
Now hike up those daisy dukes for a night on the dance floor at Renegade Country, where you can spin your sweetie in a Texas two-step or line dance to your heart’s content. After you’ve worked off your hearty meal honky tonking, shuffle down to Neon Moon in Lakeside for the signature Rattlesnake Margarita. It just might make you want to sink your teeth into something—or someone.
Courtesy California Wolf Center
Julian
This date is a perfect barometer of your compatibility for one reason: You get to see how they drive. Make the true commitment of spending an hour in the car with someone before you even get to the first official hang at the California Wolf Center animal reserve, just outside Julian’s main drag. Opt for the Enrichment Tour to watch packs of Mexican gray wolves as handlers offer them food and scents to really get them (and you?) on the prowl.
Try to quell that animalistic energy as you head into Julian with its bucolic vibes and all-around PG rating. Bop around the quaint Main Street and stumble into shops like Antique Boutique to find tchotchkes of yore and Julian Book House to search for romantic inscriptions on the flyleaf of used novels. Before you settle back in for another long ride down State Highway 78, stop by Julian Beer Co. to bring the howl back with a pint of the award-winning and aptly titled “Carnal Intent” black IPA.
Danielle is a freelance culture journalist focusing on music, food, wine, hospitality, and arts, and founder-playwright of Yeah No Yeah Theatre company, based in San Diego. Her work has been featured in FLAUNT, Filter Magazine, and San Diego Magazine. Born and raised in Maui, she still loves a good Mai Tai.
Food is a notorious diva to photograph. The wrong lighting can make José Andrés’ paella look like a jaundiced grain bowl. You could be staring at the best sandwich of your life, but shoot it from above and—hey, congrats on that abandoned piece of lettuce bread. A cottage meme industry has been built around the hilariously bad photos on review sites that make Michelin-star food look like Michelin tires.
Especially in a visual modern media world, food culture depends on great photographers capturing the painstaking work in equally deserving ways. We asked four of San Diego’s top food photographers for their favorite shot from another year of documenting what we eat.
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos
Kimberly Motos
Birdman Sandwich at Chick & Hawk
Getting this kind of shot takes a bit of yoga. Asana yourself into the corner, hold your breath, pray that a chef on the move doesn’t back into your light stand.
“You’re stepping into someone’s workspace during their busiest moments, so it’s a balance of being present to get the shot and being invisible to not slow anything down,” Kimberly Motos says.
The subject here is the Birdman sandwich from Chick & Hawk—hot fried chicken thigh, tangy slaw, kimchi comeback sauce, sweet and spicy pickles, potato brioche bun—getting a hearty dousing of its difference-maker seasoning. Motos captures the parts of the process that diners don’t usually see: the chaos behind something that looks so simple.
Photo Credit: Lucianna McIntosh
Lucianna McIntosh
Oysters + Jewel of the Sea Martini at The Fishery
“I love this image because it feels like a moment you want to step into,” says Lucianna McIntosh. A warm, sunny day at The Fishery in PB with oysters, caviar, and martinis. Yes, please.
The little details—the glass sweating a little, the direct afternoon light creating stark shadows, the oyster glistening on the tray—are the main characters. Instead of trying to overly control the setup, McIntosh “followed the light and lines that draw you in more,” she says. “This was one of those moments where everything lined up on its own for a second. I love it when the shadows end up being just as important as the food itself.”
Photo Credit: Eric Wolfinger
Eric Wolfinger
Herb-Roasted Golden Chicken at Fleurette
La Jolla native Eric Wolfinger—who won a James Beard Award for Tartine Bread, one of the most stunning bread books of all time—says he doesn’t have a signature style. His style is a conduit.
“I see my job is to translate the chef’s point of view into something you can feel,” he says.
For this shot, Fleurette chef Travis Swikard had one directive: cuisine du soleil (“cuisine of the sun”). With a spread of leeks vinaigrette, herb-roasted golden chicken, and beets, Wolfinger wanted to create a scene that felt straight out of the French Riviera, relaying the light, bright style of Swikard’s new spot.
Some bonus additions here: Extra lights—to add lots of warmth—and a clipping from an olive tree.
Photo Credit: Dee Sandoval
Dee Sandoval
Espresso Ice Cream at Lucien
Timing and light are everything in food photography. In Lucien—La Jolla’s tasting-menu-only restaurant with moody ambiance—a single strobe flash creates the ideal spotlight.
Dee Sandoval says she uses the “natural, just-plated energy” of the dish to “create a portrait of moment and craft.” That’s why this Mostra Ghost Bear espresso ice cream—with San José dark chocolate mousse, soy-miso caramel, and koji shoyu chocolate sauce—looks like it might dissolve halfway to your mouth.
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.
Walking into a room full of strangers isn’t high on the fun index for most. It’s inherently awkward: Everyone’s standing in closed-loop clusters, deep in conversation, and, depending on your social aptitude, the feeling is somewhere between light apprehension and burning alive from the inside out. The pull to retreat or reflexively look busy on your phone is stronger than the drink you now deeply crave. Having friends is nice, but making friends can be brutal.
There’s plenty of commentary on the loneliness epidemic. Last year, the American Psychiatric Association reported that one in three adults feel lonely at least once a week; those aged 18 to 34 are more likely to feel isolated and even more likely to turn to social media as a result. Dr. Vivek Murthy’s “My Parting Prescription for America” cautioned that “being socially disconnected increases our risk of heart disease, dementia, depression, anxiety, and premature death.” So it’s not just an emotional need; it’s nearly nutritional—chit-chat and the occasional wine-fueled, emotional deep-dive are just as important as Pilates and a reasonable amount of kale.
Finding social connections in any city is hard, but San Diego has very specific challenges. This is largely a transient population that acts as a temporary hotspot for many and a permanent home for few. Pick your reason: high rent, surreal gas prices, housing shortage, meh job opportunities (ranked 71st in the country in 2025), or the fact that active military is a sizable chunk of us (110,000-ish)—stationed here for a stretch, then gone. This constant flow of departees sucks out the potential for deeply established families and friend groups, leaving a good share of nomads, searchers, and plenty of people feeling socially awkward.
“There’s an underlying loneliness in all of us,” says Ramel Wallace, the host of monthly meetup CreativeMornings. “There are not a lot of San Diegans who are born and raised here, so [even those] San Diegans end up being just as lonely as the person who just got here.”
Photo Credit: Blair Kirby
Every month, in local libraries, breweries, and small businesses, there are ambitious social architects who have made a career out of undoing social sads. Extroverted champions of the awkward and searching, they’ve struck gold on in-person connection.
The first moments in a social situation are crucial. Sets the tone and cools the nerves.
At Pitch-A-Friend, singles recruit their close friends to present a slideshow of their dating green flags. The entry points for connection at Pitch-A-Friend are simple, old tech: stickers. Each colored sticker indicates if the wearer is single or taken, queer or straight, or practicing ethical non-monogamy (in a partnership but open to others under a mutual understanding).
At the helm of each showcase is Arielle Fuller, aka Chief Wingwoman, who is making dating hopeful again. As Fuller explains, this takes some of the fear of rejection out of a first interaction. “Putting a sticker on immediately means, ‘I wanted to leave my house and talk to someone, and I am a safe space to come and speak to me,’” she says.
Of course, not all of San Diego’s events designed to make connections are romantic. On the last Friday of every month, hundreds gather at San Diego Central Library for the local chapter of CreativeMornings—an org formed to unite creatives in various cities across the world (designers, artists, writers, producers, performers, architects, etc.).
Photo Credit: Gina Ribando
These aren’t your standard business card swaps, though. Coming from a hip-hop background, host Wallace uses call-and-response to break the fourth wall. “This is not my stage at all, this is our stage,” he says.
In your standard lecture-based meetup, the crowd silently faces the host and acknowledges nobody except those they came with. At CreativeMornings, everyone is encouraged to look around, pay attention to the strangers in the audience—not just the host. Wallace will pull volunteers to read the CM manifesto aloud, and he passes the mic to creatives, who make 30-second pitches to the community about projects they’re working on—and there’s always an invitation to connect and collaborate with the presenters whose ideas struck a chord.
The U.S. Chamber of Connection (yes it exists) says people experience life transitions nearly every year, and in these stretches are more open to forming new habits, relationships, and communities. In a revolving-door city like ours, the transition often comes when someone moves away. In 2023, the Census Bureau reported San Diego had the ninth-highest rates of domestic out-migration in the US.
This poses an issue for friendships that IRL SD addresses in monthly friend-making events called 619 Night.
“San Diego isn’t a place a lot of people stay forever,” says Alex Hunter, the creator of IRL SD. “They leave, and people [who stay] lose that community, so they’re hungry for community again.”
Their website describes the vibe as “backyard party meets college fair meets networking event meets happy hour.” Each follows a theme—wellness, sports, refresh and reset, etc.—with related community groups joining as well.
“The people I encounter are trying to get a fresh start in some capacity, so they’re more open, receptive, and ready to meet new friends,” Hunter says. “They need the circle.”
Photo Credit: Elysian Visions by Deaune Boyd LLC
Another way adults can break out of this disconnection is to revert in unison, says artist Elisa Summiel-Bey. The 2015-ish adult coloring book moment in the US was based on some real science, with multiple studies finding coloring has a noticeable meditative and stress-release effect by taking the brain away from anxieties and mental inventories, and focusing it on a simple, easy art. Summiel-Bey’s company Illustrated Melanin throws “Color & Chill” events, turning that trend into a group exercise, along with live DJ sets, wellness experts doing sound baths, and food and drink from BIPOC-owned local businesses. “I tend to think of coloring as your way to tap back into your childlike play,” she says. “As adults, I think we’re almost scared to let loose and have that unabashed joy.”
All of these social meetups attract crowds of likeminded connection-seekers, but high attendance is not the only thing that matters. Metrics nuts can track RSVPs, but spreadsheets can’t capture intangible wins: friendships made, innovative ideas sparked, collaborations kicked off. At CreativeMornings, Wallace redefines ROI as Return On Imagination. Resounding success means thoughtful inquiries over coffee, curiosity about the monthly meeting themes, and requests to take the microphone.
A simple, observable ROI is an increased number of window shoppers to the experience—on the periphery, watching from afar, looking for the right way in. Hunter from IRL SD sees the anxiety in her DMs. “The scariest part for you right now is not meeting new friends: It’s the unknown,” she says. “It’s the gap between ‘I’m here’ and ‘That’s where I need to be.’ If I can help you understand, or get a little bit of a shape around that unknown, it’s much more approachable.”
Courtesy of IRL SD
Being able to bridge that gap, however, depends on your ability to step out of your own mind. “It’s not a connection crisis; it’s a courage and confidence crisis,” says Fuller. The first hello could be as easy as, “Hey, cool shirt.” These are the types of things she includes in her confidence lab reels on Instagram and weekly newsletters.
Ever left a social event and shot straight into a spiral? Was I being weird? Why did I tell that story? I hope that person moves to another state very soon.
The experts say that post-event self-interrogation is a standard-issue part of being alive.
“I love awkward people, and I love being awkward myself,” says Wallace. “It’s humbling to experience: ‘I’m not alone. Finally someone is not put together.’ So give yourself that grace.”
Jeannine Boisse (she/her) is a freelance writer and professional creative with a background in Radio & Television. Based in sunny San Diego, Jeannine spends her time exploring the city's vibrant brewery scene, cooking up new recipes in the kitchen, and connecting with new people.
As summertime inches closer to the shores of San Diego, there are plenty of reasons to be ecstatic. For one thing, there’s the impending arrival of the summer solstice (Sunday), and three days before that, Del Mar’s own Summer Solstice will return for its yearly golden hour. There are also plenty of local Juneteenth events, such as Kinfolk Fest, the Cooper Family Foundation’s Juneteenth Celebration, and The Freedom Table, a new, food-centered event from the originators of Juneteenth San Marcos. We’re also less than three weeks away from America’s 250th anniversary, and the celebrations range from the San Diego History Center’s America 250: San Diego 1776-2026 to NASCAR’s weekend of racing at Naval Base Coronado.
Cbar has planned a week’s worth of festivities to mark its first birthday, and everyone can get in on the fun. The 1-Year Anniversary Week celebrations continue with a special edition of the Sips & Shells craft series ($50) on Tuesday from 6-8:30 p.m., half-off pastries with any purchase of a barista drink (plus an anniversary summer wine flight) on Wednesday and a five-course winemaker dinner on Thursday from 6-9 p.m. ($130). Finally, the birthday bash will conclude with live music on Friday (Will Fedak) and Saturday (Cappo Kelley) from 6-9 p.m.
2917 State Street, Carlsbad
Taste of Little Italy
June 16 & 17
Little Italy’s annual food crawl has so many options that it warrants splitting into two evenings, each boasting a diverse lineup of 20 neighborhood vendors. During the Taste of Little Italy, taking place Tuesday and Wednesday from 4-8 p.m., attendees can make their way from the Piazza della Famiglia to nearby dining destinations for bites like esquites, sausage rolls, hot chicken tenders, and forkfuls of handmade pasta. Each night will also include live music and stops for drinks, desserts, and vegetarian items. Tickets are $71 per day.
As spring makes its golden transition into summer, welcome the new season with open arms and a big appetite during Del Mar Village’s marquee tasting event this Thursday from 5-8 p.m. With the Summer Solstice celebrating its 20th anniversary, this year’s iteration will include dozens of food and drink offerings from Del Mar Village vendors, soulful tunes from Christian Jules Taylor, live art by Sarah O’Connor, and wave-crashing views at Powerhouse Park. General admission (21+) is $157 and comes with unlimited tastings as well as a commemorative tasting glass, while VIP tickets are sold out; proceeds support the Del Mar Village Association.
1658 Coast Boulevard, Del Mar
The Freedom Table at TERI Campus of Life
June 19
After hosting the first-ever Juneteenth San Marcos festival in 2025, Lionel and Natalie Saulsberry have upped the ante with The Freedom Table, an elevated observance of community, culture, and the culinary arts. This Friday from 4-9 p.m. at TERI Campus of Life, guests can enjoy storytelling, art installations, live music, curated cocktails, and a chef-led dining experience, all in recognition of Juneteenth’s lasting importance. Ticket options include general admission ($261), plus two charitable ticket options: supporter ($313) and impact ($417), with a portion of sales going towards the youth nonprofit Achievement in Motion.
555 Deer Springs Road, San Marcos
Talladega Nights Father’s Day Brunch at ARLO
June 21
In honor of NASCAR’s Coronado debut and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, ARLO is throwing a Father’s Day brunch for the dads who want to go fast. This Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., patrons can order from ARLO’s regular brunch menu, as well as a trio of holiday specials: the Dad’s Day Steak and Fries ($64), the Fit For a King Muffuletta Sandwich ($29), and the Big Daddy Brookie ($14). This shake and bake-approved meal will also include a DJ, cigar rollings, whiskey tastings and a Ricky Bobby costume contest. Reservations can be made online.
Ryan Hardison is a freelance arts and entertainment writer and recent graduate of San Diego State. When he's not staring at his laptop, he's likely eating an adobada burrito or getting sunburnt at the beach.
Kelly H. Harfouche, founder of KQ Aesthetic Society, knows firsthand that cosmetic treatments like fillers, neurotoxins, and microneedling, can not only enhance a person’s appearance and restore confidence, they have the power to truly change a person’s life. An expert injector has the ability to tailor treatments to each individual patient’s anatomy and goals for personalized results. Harfouche, a board-certified nurse practitioner, has spent nearly a decade perfecting her craft as an aesthetic injector and integrating her multifaceted artistic skills with precision patient care. Her commitment to continual education and training, plus a passion for helping people look—and feel—their best, set KQ Aesthetic Society apart in a sea of local medspas.
For many people considering nonsurgical treatments, the intent is to look refreshed and refined. KQ Aesthetic Society’s philosophy eschews a cookie cutter approach that bases treatments around units, instead working to understand each person’s unique goals, then curating a treatment plan to fit that vision. Harfouche focuses on “inclusive luxury,” the belief that everyone deserves access to aesthetic treatments, respective of budget restrictions. She develops long-standing trusted relationships with her patients, and works with each one to achieve their aesthetic objectives and address the underlying causes of their concerns.
“For me, forming an honest and open relationship with every patient who walks through the door is essential. This means understanding them on a deeper level and meeting them where they are to define and achieve their individual goals,” she says.
Drawing on her artistic background, which inspired her transition into medical aesthetics, Harfouche sees each client as a “unique canvas.” Rather than relying on standardized procedures, the practitioner’s distinctive approach combines her profound understanding of the physiological and anatomical changes associated with aging with an unwavering commitment to ongoing education about the newest products and their mechanisms of action. Her goal is to make each patient feel beautiful in their own skin and to embrace their individuality.
She has also pioneered a way to combine her talent for aesthetic artistry with her philanthropic nature. Harfouche is one of only a handful of providers using dermal fillers to treat patients with lip asymmetry and scarring resulting from cleft lip surgery. Patients travel from around the country for this transformative treatment, noting increased confidence and a restored identity. She hopes to eventually launch a training program to help fill the void in this space.
“My passion has always been connecting with people and giving back in any capacity that I can,” she says. In the rapidly advancing landscape of aesthetic medicine, you can place your confidence in Harfouche and KQ Aesthetic Society to deliver exceptional care. To learn more or book a consultation, please visit kqaestheticsociety.com.
My 15-year-old daughter tried to steal our car this week, so I’m ready to become a NASCAR dad. It would be appropriate discipline. We just relocated to a nice suburb within walking distance of her high school. The suburbs are like living in a Tesla commercial. I am pretty far from the wealthiest dad in this neighborhood (I am the least wealthy dad in this neighborhood), more than a few engineering degrees short of being in the running.
I’m fairly certain watching NASCAR is a violation of our HOA and a violation of my daughter’s emotional HOA. But NASCAR hits San Diego this weekend and I have a fever I’ve never felt before. I want to watch 111 drivers do dangerous things in cars and trucks on an active military base in the ocean. Since my lifelong exposure to NASCAR is limited to Talladega Nights and every single iteration of the movie Cars, I can only base my plan of attack on oafish stereotypes.
So while other neighbor dads are sizing bubble jackets for their golf simulators, I’m gonna grow a Ricky Bobby, run the extension cord for the TV out into the carport we share with six other condos, fill a cooler with a proper 80-20 split of Hamm’s and Mountain Dew, treat a lawn chair like an ADU, and spend a few hours yelling ohsheeeit as if it’s a single, nine-syllable word.
The quality parents in our neighborhood seem highly attuned to the sound of any vehicle breaching the 6 MPH threshold, so I should gather a crowd pretty fast. They may come over with strongly worded emails in their hearts, but one glimpse of Shane van Gisbergen and hometown hero Jimmy Johnson guzzling the last remaining drops of gasoline on the planet in a dazzling display of carmanship—they’ll join my NASCAR pop-up party.
By the time my daughter brings her friends over, we’ll have a real welcoming committee.
Because, like I said, my daughter tried to steal my car.
She wasn’t going to Mexico. But while Claire and I were off doing businessy stuff to afford my teen’s skincare rituals, she and a friend decided to teach themselves stick shift. She’s never driven a stick before. I’m not saying she has, but if she has driven a vehicle at all—it would have been done in a remote, abandoned parking lot where the only possible thing she could destroy was the concept of driving itself.
But a couple TikTok videos later, she and her friend felt a certain level of mastery had been achieved, and they gave it a go. They backed our VW Bug out of the garage with a series of stalls and transmission seizures, and managed to get it into the carport, attempting to do “donuts.” That’s when I got a call from a resident, who had taken an active interest in this experiment.
Which got me wondering about the power and might of vehicles. Turns out, even at carport speeds there exists a bit of potential fireworks. A garage door could become not a garage door anymore. At 145 MPH on Naval Base Coronado this weekend (don’t worry, they slow down to 100 MPH for turns), NASCAR drivers are essentially doorbell ditching gods. I didn’t register the temperature after my daughter’s trial run, but the track at NASCAR races usually hits a cool 130-150 degrees, enough to lightly sear some Nikes (the tires themselves hover in the 200 degree range).
And that is at least part of our fascination with NASCAR (the other fascination is the legendary pit parties, which either set humanity back a few evolutionary links, or advance it by the same amount of links). These drivers do something all of us do every day in a very efficient, boring way—drive a car—and take it to its extreme impulse. Grace and precision at the thunderous edge of shit going terribly wrong. Most of us have looked at San Diego home prices and felt a burning desire to see how fast our Honda Pilot could make it to our new home in Vegas. So NASCAR drivers are acting on our own wildest impulse.
Troy Johnson is the magazine’s award-winning food writer and humorist, and a long-standing expert on Food Network. His work has been featured on NatGeo, Travel Channel, NPR, and in Food Matters, a textbook of the best American food writing.
Music drifts across the fairway. Someone’s in flip flops. The Pacific flashes in the distance. Sun peeks onto shoulders through the palm trees. It’s spring, technically, but the air reads suspiciously like summer. At the par-3 course at Liberty Station, the longest hole barely stretches past 120 yards, and no one looks particularly interested in becoming the next PGA legend.
“I got dragged to a par-3 course in 2019 —The Loma Club—and it was way more my jam,” says Ronan Galvin, CEO and co-founder of Sunday Golf, a company that makes lightweight golf bags for players who’d rather carry less and laugh more. “It was a lot different than the stereotypical ideas you have about golf where it’s kind of long, uptight, and exclusive.”
Galvin spent over a decade in the golf industry working in product development, sourcing and manufacturing. But he didn’t grow up swinging clubs. Basketball and football were more his speed. What clicked for him was a simpler, more relaxed kind of play: shorter rounds and weekend games built for fun rather than formality. The kind of golf that resonated for him felt accessible, effortless, and surprisingly his lifestyle.
Courtesy of Sunday Golf
He noticed something else, too.
On a course where five clubs do the job, players were still lugging 14. So Galvin built something smaller. Lighter. A bag designed specifically for par-3 rounds, the Loma Bag is sleek, functional, and refreshingly unfussy. It’s practical minimalism in a sport known for excess.
Sunday Golf was slated to launch in January 2020. Then, COVID hit. Shipments stalled; lost at sea. The future felt shaky. But the series of catastrophes for the young company turned out to be anything but: By the time inventory arrived that August, golf had become one of the few activities people could safely do.
“It introduced and brought so many people back to the game,” Galvin says. “It created a habit for a lot of people, which is a big reason golf is on its growth trajectory.”
It turns out Americans can’t get enough of golf. Forty-eight million of them swung clubs last year, a 41 percent jump since 2019, and the National Golf Foundation says the total could top 50 million by the end of 2026.
The brand rode this unlikely momentum. Since 2021, Sunday Golf has expanded into larger lightweight bags and continues evolving from there. A major reason for the company’s success is its approachability, a value so central that it’s literally written on the office walls in the form of the company’s guiding mission: “Get 500,000 golfers having more fun by 2027.” This goal is measured, fittingly, by golf bags sold.
Sunday Golf has already passed 300,000 bags sold.
But the numbers aren’t the point.
Courtesy of Sunday Golf
“To remind the world that life is meant to be enjoyed,” Galvin says of the brand’s why. In an era dominated by screens, golf offers something analog. “People are outside, touching grass with their friends. A golf bag is a golf bag, but our products are vehicles to help support that.”
Unlike legacy golf giants promising proximity to Rory McIlroy-level greatness, Sunday Golf leans into what Galvin jokingly calls “diet golf” or “golf light”—weekend rounds, driving range sessions, company scrambles. The bags are built for the casual golfer, and the fit feels obvious.
That philosophy resonates across Southern California, where year-round sunshine means golf courses never really hibernate for winter. As Galvin puts it, “the laid-back lifestyle of San Diego kind of seeps into everyone’s veins.”
Sometimes the validation arrives via email: a 76-year-old customer is able to walk the course again because their golf bag is lighter. Parents are able to take their children out with Sunday Golf’s kids line.
For Galvin, that’s the real win. Not perfection. Not prestige. Just more people outside, enjoying themselves. In San Diego, that might be the most natural mission of all.
Isabella Dallas is a freelance writer for San Diego Magazine and the Arts and Culture Editor at The Daily Aztec in her final year at San Diego State University. She previously worked as an editorial intern for SDM, but when she’s not writing, you can find her trying the best coffee spots in SD, devouring the latest rom-coms, and indulging in anything and everything pop culture.
AVRP Studios’ tradition for Design Excellence and Innovation began in 1976 with Doug Austin, FAIA, in Solana Beach, California. The firm has since grown to complete major projects throughout the United States and Canada. We think of ourselves as a family and we care deeply about people. We want to inspire, help make their lives richer and more complete through our efforts. We believe that architecture is one of the most important art forms because of the impact it can have on the lives of those it touches. We’re delighted to have been recognized with over 150 awards for design excellence.
703 16th Street, Suite 200, San Diego, California 92101 | 619-704-2700 | avrpstudios.com
