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Seduce your valentine's palate this season with three sparkling wine and sweet pairing sensations
Valentine’s Day Wines
Word of Mouth skips endless scrolling and lets two longtime industry pros choose what members drink each month
If I have to choose between letting a trusted friend pick a bottle of wine or some random algorithm boosted by a faceless entity, I’m gonna go with the human 10 out of 10 times. And when you have friends like Amanda Sarich and Robert Blair, it’s pretty easy to trust their picks are going to be unique, tasty, and probably something I haven’t seen before.
Between the two of them, they have over three decades of experience working in wine. From buying to operations to building wine lists, they’ve worked together, wined together, and now, are going into business together with the Word of Mouth Wine Club.
Word of Mouth is a members-only monthly subscription that sends you two handpicked bottles each month, chosen entirely by the duo’s palates. It’s less “build your own box” and more “enjoy the surprise.” “The goal with the wine club was basically to get members that want to turn over their faith in our collections,” Sarich says. “Trust us—we’ll send you the cool stuff.”
The two first met while working at We Olive wine bar and shop in La Jolla, where Sarich joined the opening team in 2011 before eventually becoming a corporate wine director overseeing stores and franchises throughout California. Blair arrived the following year, after stints at Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido and Alternative Wines in Carmel Valley, later spending nearly a decade helping build Village Vino in Kensington.
When Village Vino closed last November, Sarich had recently returned home to San Diego after years in the Bay Area and brought Blair on board for a project she’s working on—Serafino, a cafe and wine bar slated to open in Mission Hills next fall. But to bridge the gap between Village Vino closing and Serafino opening, the two partners kept the momentum going by launching Word of Mouth.
Blair says once Serafino opens, the team will launch a wine club for that business that will focus on everyday drinking wines from anywhere. Word of Mouth is for us “to geek out a little bit,” he says, with more adventurous or hard-to-find options from small production family farmers. (But as a bonus, Word of Mouth subscribers will become Seraphino’s founding members, receiving exclusive benefits for supporting the project from day one.)
Current memberships include two bottles delivered monthly—usually a red and a white, though sparkling, rosé, orange, or skin-contact wines are always fair game. Members can choose three-month, six-month, or annual subscriptions, and every shipment includes detailed tasting notes, producer stories, pairing suggestions, and fun extras like playlists, puzzles, and the occasional surprise.
The selections often revolve around loose themes. For instance, they used the idea of what wines they’d drink at a summer barbecue to select the two bottles in the July box—which happened to be a pale French rosé and Mourvèdre from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France.
Over the last decade, places like Rumi, Clos, and Vino Carta have helped transform the San Diego wine scene from mainstream labels and a stodgy vibe to eclectic discoveries that break a lot of the former rules. Word of Mouth hopes to continue that evolution.
“I think it’s fostered a more adventurous sense of exploration,” Blair says. “There’s room in San Diego to keep expanding people’s palates.” Sarich agrees. “We’re trying to bring our fun wine palate to the world.” Bottoms up.
Listen Now: The Latest in San Diego’s Food and Drink Scene
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.
The specialty sourdough bakery will expand to more pastries, sandwiches, and coffee in its first brick-and-mortar space, opening in 2026
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: person gets laid off during the pandemic. Bored at home, they turn to baking. A passing interest turns into a passion, and before you know it, they’re launching a full-fledged bakery.
Yes, that’s the story of how Mi Pan Bakery started, and yes, 10,000 other aspirational bakeries began the exact same way. But the difference is that Mi Pan’s baker and owner Alejandro Gomez didn’t stop at making a few loaves of sourdough for his friends and family.
He’s spent the last five years building a beloved local business whose bread and pastries are now sought out at three different farmers markets, was nominated for both Best Bread and Best Farmers Market Food Vendor in San Diego Magazine’s Best of San Diego Reader’s Choice Awards for 2025, and only decided to finally move from baking in his garage to their first brick-and-mortar location in order to keep up with sheer demand.
“I talked to my wife, and I said ‘Listen, if we’re not going to move out of the garage, I don’t think I can keep doing this, because I’m baking pretty much 10 to 12 hours a day,’” Gomez laughs. “I think it’s time.”
After a year of looking for the right location—where Gomez and his wife and business partner Alejandra Ruelas could open Mi Pan with enough space for an expanded commercial kitchen, an area for hosting workshops, and an onsite retail store—they found it. Mi Pan Bakery’s first brick-and-mortar location will open in the first half of 2026 at 6435 Mission Gorge Road in Grantville.
Once open, Mi Pan will still remain at all of the farmers markets: Tuesdays in Pacific Beach, Saturdays in Little Italy, and Sundays in Chula Vista. They hope to add one more to their rotation once they have the ability to increase production. Gomez says he also plans to launch a wholesale side of the bakery, something he says multiple businesses have approached him about, but he hasn’t been able to take on with his small operation. And then, maybe one day, maybe even a second location in North County.
Gomez also didn’t work as a baker previously, unlike other pandemic-launched operations like Companion Bread Company and Relic Bakery. But in the past five years, he’s taught himself the craft and traveled across the world to places like France, Spain, and Mexico City to both take and teach various baking classes, something he also plans to offer at the new space.
Mi Pan’s menu will remain small, offering its signature sourdough and pastries—especially medialunas, an Argentinian pastry that’s a cross between a flaky croissant and soft brioche with a light glaze on top. “If you haven’t tried it, you should,” he promises. “They’re amazing.” They’ll also add sandwiches using its own bread, as well as coffee. (Most of this will be intended to-go, but it’ll have a few tables onsite if people wish to enjoy their goodies right away.) But above all, Gomez says what they’re building is meant to last, modeled after the family-owned neighborhood cafes of his native Mexico and across Europe.
“It’s not about being the kind of trendy bakery that’s hyped for six, seven months, or a year, and then after that, they disappear,” he says. “We want an atmosphere that feels like home, and then when you come back… you’re greeted by name. I think that’s what we want—a warm, reliable, everyday bakery where the community feels welcome and you always find exceptional bread and pastries.”
Mi Pan Bakery will open at 6435 Mission Gorge Road in Grantville in mid-2026.
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.
The owner of Scrimshaw Coffee & Majorette will open his newest concept next door to Scrimshaw at the end of the year
Will Remsbottom is the type of guy who, when he sees a void in the market, just opens his own business. So far, it’s worked out well for him—he launched Scrimshaw Coffee in 2017, Field Trip Coffee Roasters in 2020, and Majorette in 2023. Next up, Somewhere Pizza is coming this December, right next door to Scrimshaw in El Cerrito.
Somewhere Pizza aims to be a true-blue neighborhood pizza joint, with a few other bread and bread-adjacent things on the menu. “Slices and Italian sandwiches for lunch, small seasonal plates, and a menu that is borderline classic ‘red sauce’ spots, but without the kitsch,” Remsbottom says. Sienna Walters of Companion Bread is consulting on how to launch an in-house bakery element, working alongside Scrimshaw chef Jeannette Silva (Pujol in Mexico City, Verlaine in Los Angeles, Communal Coffee in San Diego, and her pop-up La Selva).
Remsbottom wants Somewhere to meet a need the neighborhood didn’t even realize they had. “Think checkered floors, comfy booths, and an aesthetic that is either brand new nor has been there for decades,” he says.
It won’t be pretentious or clubby, he promises. “I think the SD ‘scene,’ where every new spot is trying to be Disneyland, is forgetting about the neighborhood restaurant at a rapid clip,” he says. “So that’s what we’re going to aim to be.”
Somewhere Pizza, located at 5540 El Cajon Boulevard, should start serving Brooklyn-style pizzas, natural wines, housemade sodas, and more sometime in December. A crowdfunding campaign is live; you can follow their progress on Instagram at @somewherepizza_sd.
My favorite season is upon us—the time of marzens, dirndls, pretzels, and oom-pah bands. It’s Oktoberfest time across San Diego, and there are more than ever to choose from. I recommend checking out whatever local party is closest to you, but let’s not ignore the German granddaddies of San Diego Oktoberfests: I’m always partial to the German-American Societies of San Diego’s two-weekend bash in El Cajon (September 27–29 and October 4–6), but the county’s largest party comes back to La Mesa on October 4–6 and the beachy Bavarian bacchanal returns to Ocean Beach on October 11–12. Really, you can’t go wrong with any of them, so find your favorite Oktoberfest destination and remember to prost responsibly.
Have breaking-news, exciting scoops, or great stories about San Diego’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.
At Vi at La Jolla Village, residents don't have to choose between security and adventure, connection and independence. They get all of it.
Today’s seniors are more connected than ever, with a renewed focus on retirement as a time of discovery and enriching experiences. The ultimate reward for a retirement well-earned is the wisdom to appreciate it all, and what better place to enjoy that unique perspective than Vi at La Jolla Village, in the heart of San Diego.
All-access pass to good living.
As a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), Vi provides access to a connected and fulfilling community while making it easy to plan for future care, should the need ever arise. With a care plan in place, residents enjoy greater financial predictability and long-term value, freeing them to focus on making the most out of retirement.
Resort-style amenities at the epicenter of a cultural hub like San Diego offer a retirement experience unlike any other. Paired with exceptional dining, spacious accommodations and dedicated staff, the best of maintenance-free living is all around. And with the introduction of Vista 360 Well-Being, Vi’s panoramic approach to wellness, there are more ways than ever for residents to access it all.
The harmony of mind, body and community.
The key to longevity is striking the right balance in maintaining an active lifestyle with an active mind in a fulfilling community. With newly renovated community spaces and restaurants, Vista brings a variety of opportunities for residents to elevate their well-being through Vi-exclusive “Signature Experiences.”
Vista Enrich takes an evidence-based approach to brain vitality, keeping residents at the forefront of cognitive health through exergaming (exercising + gaming), nutritional plans and informative workshops. It is also home to The Brain Vitality Studio, an innovative facility dedicated to cognitive fitness that has garnered national recognition.
Vista Discover invites residents into stimulating educational experiences, from chef-led cooking demos and guided wine tastings to lectures at local universities and intimate lectures following cultural outings.
While Vista Enrich focuses on brain health and Vista Discover engages residents intellectually, Vista Explore cultivates a sense of adventure through curated travel and local excursions. But broadening one’s horizons doesn’t always require a plane ticket. One recent event brought a taste of the world right to the community: an onsite “jazz cruise” featuring live music and global cuisine served at a series of themed “ports” all within the community’s own ballroom.
“Location, location, location”
One of the biggest perks of life at Vi at La Jolla Village is its proximity to just about everything. With easy access to transportation and local attractions just steps away, residents can explore and engage with their community at their own pace.
“There are trolley and bus stops within a 5-minute walk that will get you to the beach, UCSD Campus, medical appointments, downtown La Jolla or San Diego, et cetera. We rarely use our car,” said resident Tom Yager.
With the best of San Diego just steps away, residents don’t just live in the city, they live within reach of everything that makes it special.
The best of all worlds.
At Vi at La Jolla Village, retirement isn’t a chapter to slow down; it’s an invitation to discover more. Tailored community experiences created by Vista, paired with the vibrant pulse of San Diego just outside the door, mean that residents don’t have to choose between security and adventure, connection and independence. They get all of it.
This is what an all-access pass to good living looks like: the comforts of an elevated lifestyle, a community built for growth and a city made for discovery – all in one place.
To learn more about Vi at La Jolla Village or for details on available floor plans, visit ViatLaJollaVillage.com/SDM.
Organizer Veronica Enriquez brought together more than a dozen Latina chefs, makers, and bakers to create a food and art collective
Grassroots collectives, pop-ups, cottage kitchens, and other types of indie endeavors don’t usually get the mainstream recognition of splashy concepts tailor-made for Instagram or with enormous PR budgets. But their permeating influence and unbridled creativity arguably define local gastronomic economies more than any glossy magazine spread featuring the hot chef of the month ever truly could.
A bunch of San Diego’s most innovative Latina bakers and other makers have banded together to form a culinary collective called La Tiendita, throwing pop-up events at places like Home Ec and Friends of Friends (two business which also operate in shared spaces—I’m sensing a pattern here). Organizer Veronica Enriquez says she first got the idea in 2022, when Carynn Pinckney, owner of Home Ec, invited her to provide baked goods to a fundraiser for abortion access.
“The vibe of all these people getting together and doing something that was important to all of us—it was like a high,” Enriquez says. She’s worked in restaurants and kitchens for years, currently as the pastry lead at Born & Raised. But she didn’t have an outlet for her own creations, and she knew plenty of other Latinas in the same situation. So, riding that high of the first event, she asked Pinckney to provide space for her and eight other Latinas to showcase their stuff. La Tiendita was born in 2023.
The goal of La Tiendita is to cultivate community and connect like-minded Latinas who tend to be outnumbered in male-dominated kitchens. Even the name reflects the tight-knit nature of the group. “It literally translates to the little shop … but it also means your family-owned neighborhood corner store,” she explains. “Everyone goes to that corner store to pick up their milk for the day. It’s very family-oriented, community-oriented.”
And the family is definitely growing. “Every single time, it gets bigger and bigger,” Enriquez laughs. Makers like Vanessa Corrales (SPLIT Bakehouse Vegan Bakery), Arely Chavez (Michimichi), Helena Quesada (Hell Yeah Helena), and Yajaira Cody (Badu Eats) make up the current roster of 14 creators who now have five events under their belts. The next one isn’t slated until October, but Enriquez they’ll do them as often as they can squeeze them in between their full-time jobs. But for now, her goal is twofold: keep growing and keep inspiring.
“I just want to keep giving Latinas a space and the opportunity to showcase what they can do,” she says. “It can usually be a male-dominated industry, [so] I just want to keep putting it out there and show women, You have the support. You can join in if you want. You can do this, too.”
Can’t wait for local winemakers Jody and Emily Towe to open their forthcoming wine tasting room? You don’t have to—just head to Vino Carta (2161 India Street) this Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. for a Winemaker Tasting with J. Brix. Twenty dollars gets you four wines and sparkling (okay, at least bubbling) conversation. The next day is Vino Carta’s weekly Friday pizza night, with OMG-F Pizza as this week’s featured pizzeria. (It’s gluten-free. Get it?)
Every Wednesday, hop in The Pearl’s pool for themed drink and bite specials from onsite restaurant Ponyboy to go with the throwback movie of the night. (Think Blue Hawaiians during The Endless Summer.) Upcoming movies include The Graduate, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Godzilla, and The Creature from the Black Lagoon—which, hilariously, will feature a “killer seafood” special of linguini and clams. Check out all the hotel happenings right here.
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.
Celebrated bartender Beau du Bois launches Puesto’s latest project inspired by the flavors of Mexico City
The Michelin Guide finally clued in to what the rest of the world has known all along—Mexico City is, hands down, one of the best places to eat and drink anywhere on the planet.
That’s exactly why Beau du Bois looked to CDMX’s culinary capital—the Roma Norte neighborhood—for the name and inspiration behind Roma Norte, Puesto’s brand-new 21+ bar concept at The Headquarters at Seaport Village, which officially opens Friday, July 26.
Roma Norte’s sprawling interior spans 2,000 square feet, anchored with a moody dark brown marble bar and seating for 60. The vibe feels mysterious, yet charming, utilizing elements like rich velvet furniture, bronze accents, and antique mirrors for an ambiance inspired by Mexico City’s iconic architecture and melded with a modern San Diego feel.
It’s luxe. It’s intriguing. It’s super sexy, no doubt about it, and best experienced sans sunlight. “The meat and potatoes of its personality is after dark,” du Bois promises. From the moment you step inside, he wants you to feel immersed in the experience, starting with an oshibori hot towel service to start fresh, literally and figuratively.
The superstar bar director is already the vice president of bar & spirits at Puesto and Marisi and has created award-winning cocktail programs at places like The Restaurant at Meadowood, the three Michelin-starred restaurant at the Meadowood Napa Valley resort. But he says he’s never created anything like Roma Norte before.
Working alongside director of bar logistics, Derek Cram, the final cocktail menu reads like the pages of a well-stamped passport. Nearly 70 unique drinks are divided between what they refer to as “Technique Driven” and “House,” plus four additional mocktails. Du Bois is already known for his Taco Truck cocktail, a riff on a Negroni using mezcal with Campari infused with cinnamon and pineapple. “For the opening of Roma Norte, we did an NA version of that which is really, surprisingly, very, very good,” he promises.
Developing world-class cocktails with, and especially without alcohol, can be “an extreme challenge,” he says, but one that only helps hone the team’s skills and caters to the growing demand for equally balanced alcohol-free creations. “The tagline for Roma Norte is ‘every day is a school day,’ because we’re just constantly learning.”
Technique-driven dominates the menu, with selections like a Nitro Punch with mango, nitro-muddled hoja santa, lime and lemon juice, Champagne cordial, Park Pineau des Charentes, Macchu Pisco, and singani; or du Bois’ arguably most unexpected addition—his take on a rum and coke that’s perfectly clear. Made with milk-washed Bacardi 8 and Banks 7 rum, house-made cola, clarified lime cordial, and an ice spear, it’s definitely one that’ll use your eyes to fool your tongue.
Even the House cocktails are anything but basic. From a banana daiquiri clarified using a centrifuge “the size of a Xerox printer” to the Rosetta with unaged apple brandy, milk cordial, and a whole bunch of other amazing sounding things, it’s clear that scientists and spirit lovers alike have something to look forward to.
That emphasis on innovation in flavor, technique, execution, service, and even technology and equipment is something du Bois says will set his small team apart from anywhere else in San Diego. He admits he’s asking a lot of them, constantly pushing them to evolve, hone their understanding of chemistry, and experiment with unexpected tools (like said centrifuges). But after training at Roma Norte, “they’ll be in the top five percent of bartenders in the country, easily,” he claims. “These things have to be learned. They have to be demonstrated and shown, and it’s just not happening at this level, [with] this many cocktails, at any bar in San Diego.”
Although Roma Norte is a Puesto-adjacent project, don’t expect any overlap from the menu. Alongside du Bois’ concoctions are chef Erik Aronow’s creations, a collection of small plates specifically designed to go along with the star of the show—the drinks. Expect a few heartier plates like a carne crudo, a prime diced hanger steak with birria-spiced aioli, shimeji mushroom, and radish sprout, or the torta de Milanesa that features veal on a potato roll and topped with spicy cabbage, avocado, cilantro green chile aioli, and pickled onions. There’s plenty of seafood, too, like tostadas with scallops or yellowfin tuna specifically designed to be shared.
For the late-night crowd, Aronow has a few lighthearted bites like Flamin’ Hot Corn Nuts served with housemade crunchy hominy and a cheesy spice blend. Du Bois says that appealing to dinner and late-night crowds, as well as industry folks who get off work late at night is something he believes San Diego’s bar scene lacks, especially compared to Los Angeles, New York, and yes, Mexico City. “It’s just not a cocktail bar if you’re not open later in the evening,” he says. “That’s the DNA of a cocktail bar.” Is Roma Norte the answer? du Bois says yes.
“From the moment you’re seated at Roma Norte, we’re taking you off the streets of San Diego and into the vibrant culture of Roma Norte,” he says. “We want Roma Norte to be a consistent option for people in San Diego to trust that it will be open until two in the morning.”
Roma Norte opens Friday, July 26 at 789 W Harbor Drive, Unit 155 in The Headquarters. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Reservations are available on Roma Norte’s website, OpenTable, and Sevenrooms. Adults 21 years old and up only.
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.
Perfect pairings make this fundraiser one of our favorites
The San Diego Young Professionals Committee (YPC) and the University Club Charity Classic will host the 10th Annual Chocolate & Vino on Friday, September 5th at the University Club. Deemed an “Around the World Tasting,” guests get to sip and sample their way through different cuisines and wines of the world. Take in the city views from the 34th floor where the sunset alone is worth the ticket price. Proceeds from the event go to three different local organizations: Big Brothers Big Sisters, ALS Therapy Development Institute and Employee Partners Care Foundation.
Event Details:
Friday, September 5, 2014
The University Club atop Symphony Towers
750 B Street Suite 3400, San Diego CA 92101
6:00-9:00PM
Tickets: $60 per person
Purchase tickets HERE
10th Annual Chocolate & Vino
