It’s not Harvard or Princeton—and in fact, it’s in Vista—but the Ivy League Barista Academy is graduating more than your average Starbucks worker. It’s one of a growing group of training programs in places like Portland and Seattle, where students are schooled in everything from business management to the intricacies of a vanilla latte.
On a day in late January, a group of 10 students gathers in the academy’s nondescript warehouse for the weeklong course. They are tucked in a back room—past a 45-kilo coffee roaster and a giant garage where coffee carts are made—that looks a bit like a Food Network kitchen, with a big counter up front covered with bowls of coffee beans. Around the edges of the kitchen are barista stations, complete with espresso grinders, milk frothers, and flavor pump bottles. A fake coffee drink menu hangs on the wall.
The first two days of school focus on business development and management, but by days three and four, the future baristas of America move on to macchiatos, cappuccinos, and more.
Espresso
Nick Parreco, a dirt excavator from Maryland who is considering a career change, prepares to make a caramel latte for his classmate, Rosemarie Amzallag of Brooklyn, New York. Instructor Stephanie Garden stands at a front counter and gives instructions.
“Your noise sounds really good right there, nice and soft,” she says as Parreco foams the milk for his latte. “You don’t want a lot of bubbles.”
With blonde curly hair and tight jeans tucked into brown boots, Garden looks more like a San Diego coffee server than the tatted and black-clad baristas you’d find in Seattle or Portland. She and her husband, Tim Langdon, started Ivy League Barista Academy in 2008. They also make and sell coffee carts, design coffee shops, and roast their own coffee beans to sell, all under the umbrella company Coffee Shop Experts.
Experts indeed. The company was a natural next step for their business, which began with a local coffee shop chain Better Buzz, says marketing director Danielle Lipski. The couple couldn’t find quality coffee carts, so they built their own. They also couldn’t find quality coffee, so they made their own, roasting in small batches according to geographic region and flavor.
Now hopeful coffee shop owners can enroll in their academy, which costs $2,025 for all five days or $1,250 for three-day barista training. Then they can have their coffee cart made and buy roasted coffee and coffee-making supplies all from the same place. Lipski says the course is a good way to learn the basics of starting a coffee business, such as how to create a logo and brand, select a good location, and negotiate a lease. The syllabus also touches on what products should be sold at a shop. Barista training includes topics like espresso extraction, milk texturing, flavors, recipes, and more. On the final day, students are taught how to make latte art: think frothy leaves, hearts, and whatever else the imagination holds.
Many of the students who come to Ivy League Barista Academy are like the dirt excavator, Parreco: they’re ready for a career change, and they dream of owning a coffee shop.
Garden coaches her students on the business end to show them whether the coffee industry is where they want to be.
“Before investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into opening a coffee shop, it’s smart to spend a few thousand on a class to see if it’s right for them,” she says. (By comparison, Seattle’s course costs nearly $700 more than San Diego’s.)
A report from Bethany Wall, a food service analyst at Mintel, says that while many other segments of the restaurant industry have remained stagnant since the recession, the coffeehouse niche has continued to grow. Total US sales at coffeehouses and donut shops increased 15 percent between 2007 and 2011 and are expected to increase another seven percent in 2012 to $28 billion.
More often than not, most of Garden’s students do end up opening a business. According to the numbers, it’s not a huge risk. Market research firms give coffee shops low failure rates—sometimes as low as 10 percent—and say coffee drinking is definitely on the rise, especially among young people.
Ivy League Barista Academy students arrive with varying levels of commitment to their future cafés or kiosks—Parreco says he’s still deciding between buying an existing business and starting his own, while his partner, Amzallag, already has her location in Brooklyn picked out.
As Parreco finishes making Amzallag’s drink, he shows he has one part of the coffee business down pat.
Meet the young talents now starring in ‘Disney's Mary Poppins' at Moonlight Amphitheater
By Kimberly Cunningham
A Spoonful of Sugar
Name: Abby DeSpain
Age: 10
Role: Jane Banks
Favorite snack? Probably… pretzels and M & M’s.
Must-have gadget? My iPod so I can listen to music.
What’s kind of music do you listen to? I just like just the Broadway soundtracks. I listen to those a lot.
Favorite Broadway musical? That is a hard one. I really like Wicked.
Do you have a favorite scene in Mary Poppins? I really like “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” because that is the funnest number I get to do. It’s fast, and it’s just a lot of fun.
Do you do anything special to get ready before each show? Well… I like to be really early for the show. I like to have everything on, my wig on, my makeup on, so 10 minutes before the show, I am totally ready, so I have lots of time to chill.
How do you unwind afterward? After I get all my costumes off, and my wig off, and go say hi to my mom and everyone else that is there… it’s usually a pretty late night, and by the time I’m home, I’m usually half asleep. So I just get in bed, and after a few minutes, I’m out.
What do you want to be when you grow up? That’s a tricky question. There’s a lot of things I want to be when I grow up. An actress is definitely one of them. But I also really love to write, and want to be an author. And another thing I want to be is a marine biologist. I really love animals. And I love the water.
Secret to success? I would say to start at the beginning and follow your instincts. Always work hard. Do your best. And you’ll get there if you work hard. And it has to be fun!
A Spoonful of Sugar
Nate Carman and Abby DeSpain in Mary Poppins (photos by Ken Jacques)
Name:Nate Carman
Age: 10
Role: Michael Banks
Favorite snack? I’d have to say I love nachos.
Must-have gadget? I’d have to say my iPad because I can read books on it and play games on it. I like Floppy Bird. (laughs)
What’s the coolest part about being in the show? It’s so cool hanging out with all the other people, and I think it’s really fun to go up the chimney. That’s kind of a new experience. I’ve never done that before. It’s a really cool thing, they have this elevator inside, but it’s not really an elevator. It’s a weight system, like a seesaw with pulleys.
Were you scared the first time you tried it? I was pretty scared, because if you’re standing in the wrong place, you could hit your head on one of the bars. But afterwards it got pretty fun.
Do you have a favorite moment in the show? My favorite moments is when Mr. Banks produces the kite, and then I run over to him and hug him. I just like it cause it’s kind of a heartwarming scene.
Do you do anything special to get ready before each show? Um. Not really. Sometimes I just play with friends or sit at home and rest.
How do you unwind afterward? I go home, sit on the couch, and sometimes my mom makes me popcorn.
What do you want to be when you grow up? Um… I think want to be an electrical engineer.
Do you know what an electrical engineer does? Yeah, they help fix problems in circuitry, like if a wire is out of place, they go and fix it on the circuit board and make sure everything’s running smoothly.
Secret to success? I don’t really know. I mean, what I like to do in rehearsal is I don’t just work on the things I’m doing right, I work on the things I’m doing wrong, and then, I like to look back at the things I’m doing right and put it all together.
Disney’s Mary Poppinsruns through August 2 at Moonlight Amphitheatre in Vista. For tickets, visit moonlightstage.com.
Meet the young talents now starring in ‘Disney's Mary Poppins' at Moonlight Amphitheater
By Kimberly Cunningham
A Spoonful of Sugar
Name: Abby DeSpain
Age: 10
Role: Jane Banks
Favorite snack? Probably… pretzels and M & M’s.
Must-have gadget? My iPod so I can listen to music.
What’s kind of music do you listen to? I just like just the Broadway soundtracks. I listen to those a lot.
Favorite Broadway musical? That is a hard one. I really like Wicked.
Do you have a favorite scene in Mary Poppins? I really like “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” because that is the funnest number I get to do. It’s fast, and it’s just a lot of fun.
Do you do anything special to get ready before each show? Well… I like to be really early for the show. I like to have everything on, my wig on, my makeup on, so 10 minutes before the show, I am totally ready, so I have lots of time to chill.
How do you unwind afterward? After I get all my costumes off, and my wig off, and go say hi to my mom and everyone else that is there… it’s usually a pretty late night, and by the time I’m home, I’m usually half asleep. So I just get in bed, and after a few minutes, I’m out.
What do you want to be when you grow up? That’s a tricky question. There’s a lot of things I want to be when I grow up. An actress is definitely one of them. But I also really love to write, and want to be an author. And another thing I want to be is a marine biologist. I really love animals. And I love the water.
Secret to success? I would say to start at the beginning and follow your instincts. Always work hard. Do your best. And you’ll get there if you work hard. And it has to be fun!
A Spoonful of Sugar
Nate Carman and Abby DeSpain in Mary Poppins (photos by Ken Jacques)
Name:Nate Carman
Age: 10
Role: Michael Banks
Favorite snack? I’d have to say I love nachos.
Must-have gadget? I’d have to say my iPad because I can read books on it and play games on it. I like Floppy Bird. (laughs)
What’s the coolest part about being in the show? It’s so cool hanging out with all the other people, and I think it’s really fun to go up the chimney. That’s kind of a new experience. I’ve never done that before. It’s a really cool thing, they have this elevator inside, but it’s not really an elevator. It’s a weight system, like a seesaw with pulleys.
Were you scared the first time you tried it? I was pretty scared, because if you’re standing in the wrong place, you could hit your head on one of the bars. But afterwards it got pretty fun.
Do you have a favorite moment in the show? My favorite moments is when Mr. Banks produces the kite, and then I run over to him and hug him. I just like it cause it’s kind of a heartwarming scene.
Do you do anything special to get ready before each show? Um. Not really. Sometimes I just play with friends or sit at home and rest.
How do you unwind afterward? I go home, sit on the couch, and sometimes my mom makes me popcorn.
What do you want to be when you grow up? Um… I think want to be an electrical engineer.
Do you know what an electrical engineer does? Yeah, they help fix problems in circuitry, like if a wire is out of place, they go and fix it on the circuit board and make sure everything’s running smoothly.
Secret to success? I don’t really know. I mean, what I like to do in rehearsal is I don’t just work on the things I’m doing right, I work on the things I’m doing wrong, and then, I like to look back at the things I’m doing right and put it all together.
Disney’s Mary Poppinsruns through August 2 at Moonlight Amphitheatre in Vista. For tickets, visit moonlightstage.com.
One of our star photographers, Sam Wells captured this yummy (and pretty!) latte while on location with writer Claire Trageser. Claire’s piece on a coffee college in Vista can be seen in our March issue. Sam and Claire spent the afternoon at class. Here are Sam’s photo outtakes:
Finding a gift that feels truly personal can be surprisingly difficult. In a sea of generic options — flowers, gift cards, candles, and the like — Xplosion Box offers something more lasting: a customized keepsake built around the photos, messages, and memories that matter most.
Founded by Southern California entrepreneur Jay Vijay, Xplosion Box LLC creates fully customized explosion gift boxes that arrive professionally designed, printed, assembled, and ready to gift. Each box opens layer by layer to reveal personal photos, heartfelt messages, pull-out albums, origami-style photo pockets, and hidden notes, turning a simple gift into an emotional reveal.
The brand was built for people who want to give something meaningful without spending hours printing photos, cutting paper, folding cardstock, or assembling a DIY project. Customers simply choose a box, upload their favorite photos, add personal messages, and the Xplosion Box team transforms those details into a polished keepsake that feels thoughtful, personal, and beautifully made.
Xplosion Box offers personalized gift boxes for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, graduations, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, proposals, bridesmaid gifts, long-distance relationships, and thoughtful “just because” moments.
Customers can choose from flexible customization options starting at $27. The Mini Surprise Box includes 10 photos, three message cards, and one hidden secret note, while the Mega Surprise Box offers a fuller keepsake experience with 40 photos, three message cards, and one hidden secret note.
What sets Xplosion Box apart is its high level of customization combined with convenience. Filled with personal photos, custom text, decorative details, and layered surprises, each box gives customers the freedom to create a gift that feels one-of-a-kind — without having to make it themselves.
At its core, Xplosion Box helps people turn favorite photos, stories, and words into something tangible: a keepsake that can be opened, revisited, and remembered long after the occasion has passed. asion has passed.
Just down the road from where the Padres train/play in Peoria, Arizona, is the Renaissance Glendale Hotel and Spa (9495 West Coyotes Boulevard). If you really want to pamper yourself, stay at the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North (10600 East Crescent Moon Drive), or, if you desire something wilder, lounge poolside at the funky Hotel Valley Ho (6850 East Main Street, Scottsdale).
EAT
Order yourself a juicy steak at the venerable Pink Pony (3831 North Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale). And you can’t go wrong with a Wiseguy pizza (roasted onion, smoked mozzarella and fennel sausage) at Pizzeria Bianco (623 East Adams Street,Phoenix). Need a postgame beer? Try the back patio at O.H.S.O. (4900 East Indian School Road, Phoenix). Also, dogs are welcome. For cocktails, try a drink at sunset at Degree 270 (Talking Stick Resort, 9800 East Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale) with a free, breathtaking view of the Sonoran landscape.
PLAY
Take a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s expansive campus, Taliesin West (12621 North Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard, Scottsdale), for a look at his distinctive architectural style. If nature is your thing, swing by the Desert Botanical Garden (1201 North Galvin Parkway, Phoenix). Work off those poolside margs with a hike up Camelback Mountain. Don’t forget sunscreen and water! Best spot to watch a game? Try the nearly new Salt River Fields stadium complex at Talking Stick in Scottsdale. Look for the free sunscreen dispensers.
SPA
Unwind with a massage at the Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa in Paradise Valley (5700 East McDonald Drive, Scottsdale). Want to go all out? You can have your own two-bedroom spa villa for the day with a flat-screen TV, private patio, and soaking tub at Royal Palms Resort and Spa (5200 East Camelback Road, Phoenix). Padres, what?
5 Padres To Watch
Yonder Alonso
Scott Wachter
1B Yonder Alonso hopes to follow up a big rookie season that saw him hit 39 doubles. With Petco bringing in the fence, it could mean more hits.
Yonder Alonso
Scott Wachter
3B Chase Headley won a 2012 Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, and led the league with 115 RBIs. What will he do in 2013? And will he get a contract extension?
Carlos Quentin
Scott Wachter
OF Carlos Quentin, the local kid, is signed through 2015. He’s cut some weight and is hopeful his surgically repaired knee allows him to stay on the field more in 2013.
Bud Black
Scott Wachter
Bud Black, the man who holds it all together. Manager of the Padres since 2007, Black—who is an SDSU grad—has command of the clubhouse and the respect of his team.
Brad Brach
Scott Wachter
RP Brad Brach had a nice rookie year in the Padres’ bullpen. A durable kid with a bright future. And, he’s dating Nashville singer-songwriter Jenae Cherry.
Can’t make it to AZ?
FOX Sports San Diego will air 10 games during spring training, March 3–30. First up: Sunday, March 3 vs. White Sox, 12:00 p.m. This year, four of the five San Diego cable providers will carry FOX Sports San Diego, up from two last season. Come on, Time Warner! Why are you holding out on us?
The inland North County community of Rancho Santa Fe is often associated with wealth. It’s one of San Diego’s most expensive residential markets and is consistently ranked one of the highest-income zip codes in California and the U.S. Rancho Santa Fe is known for its large equestrian community including riding facilities and horse trails, as well as its country club lifestyle and associated golf courses.
At the center of this luxury master-planned community is a small, walkable downtown area referred to as the “village,” with The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe acting as both a landmark and social hub. Much of the community, including the historic Inn, was designed by acclaimed architect Lilian Rice, one of California’s earliest female architects. The Spanish Colonial-style architecture she brought to the village is still one of its defining characteristics today.
Whether you’re coming to Rancho Santa Fe for golf, horseback riding, or pampering at a resort spa, be sure to start with a short walk around the village to take in the neighborhood’s charm. Plan your next visit here with our neighborhood guide to the area’s best restaurants, things to do, and shopping.
Rancho Santa Fe Restaurants, Bars, and Coffee Shops
The Pony Room
Families congregate at The Pony Room for elevated California ranch-style cuisine. Lamb lollipops, carne asada tacos, burgers, and weekly dinner specials are offered here, alongside an extensive collection of wine and spirits (especially tequila) and sizeable kids menus. As the signature restaurant of Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, this all-day eatery is a lively centerpiece of the local social scene.
5921 Valencia Circle
Mille Fleurs
The piano bar at Mille Fleurs is the buzziest spot to be on Friday and Saturday nights in Rancho Santa Fe. French classics like escargot, lobster bisque, duck confit, and steak frites are the main dinner attractions at this local institution that has been around for more than 40 years. Spring for the four-course prix fixe menu before nabbing a coveted bar seat near the piano entertainer.
6009 Paseo Delicias
Nick & G’s Restaurant
Nick & G’s is one of the most prominent restaurants in the village, with an outdoor patio that overlooks the main thoroughfare. Enjoy modern Italian food, steaks, and seafood dishes here, including homemade pasta, pizza, wagyu beef, and oysters. Be sure to check their live music schedule and events calendar for the latest happenings.
6106 Paseo Delicias
Lilian’s
Named after renowned architect and planner Lilian Rice, Lilian’s is The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe’s flagship restaurant. Their upscale menus feature sustainable seafood, grass-fed meats, local produce, and even sushi rolls during dinner. Outdoor seating provides a bird’s-eye view of the village and an elegant backdrop for weekend brunch. Stop by Bing’s Bar (a nod to Bing Crosby) for craft cocktails, beer, wine, and light bites in a refined setting.
5951 Linea Del Cielo
Thyme in the Ranch
Quaint cafe and bakery Thyme in the Ranch serves a small selection of breakfast and lunch items (don’t miss the tarragon chicken salad), but is perhaps best known for its pastries and baked goods. Cakes, pies, muffins, scones, and cookies fly off the shelves here, where locals come for special occasions, parties, and group catering orders.
16905 Avenida De Acacias
Paseo RSF
Located inside a historic building once home to Rancho Santa Fe’s original schoolhouse, Paseo RSF is one of the village’s newest dining options. The charming American bistro has pasta, salads, burgers, meat and seafood entrees, plus a thoughtfully selected California wine list and new sushi and omakase program. Kids and dogs are both welcome here.
6024 Paseo Delicias, Suite C
Rancho Roasters
Grab a quick coffee to go from this walk-up window in the same shopping center as the post office. Cinnamon roll lattes, cold brew, spiced chai, smoothies, protein bowls, and more can be found at Rancho Roasters, where they brew beans from Dark Horse Coffee.
16950 Via De Santa Fe
Goli Pizza
Casual pizzeria and martini bar Goli is a popular spot for catching the latest sports games. Order one of their unique specialty pizzas like the Casbah with hummus and veggies, build your own pizza or burger, or go with one of their hearty wraps that’s made with an extra thin version of pizza dough.
18021 Calle Ambiente, Suite 403
Cocina del Rancho
Find generous portions of Mexican food at Cocina del Rancho, run by the same owners as Carlsbad’s Cicciotti’s Trattoria Italiana and Village Kabob. Get classic dishes like burritos, tacos, and enchiladas, plus their specialty items including pulpo, carne asada, and fajitas with lobster tail. Don’t skip the margaritas.
Kai Oliver-Kurtin is a San Diego-based writer who covers travel, dining, events, and culture. Her writing has been published in USA Today, Condé Nast Traveler, Fodor's Travel, Marie Claire, and HuffPost, among others.
If you’re anything like us, it can be easy to get so caught up in taking care of everyone else, that your own needs get lost in the ether. But while this may be a cliché, that doesn’t make it any less true: You can’t give your best self to other people unless you’re taking care of yourself.
Sometimes, that looks like stopping in for your regular acupuncture or chiropractic appointment. Other days, it means giving your body the fresh, organic fuel it needs to truly feel and function at its best. And some other times still, it involves leaving your responsibilities behind for a weekend to pamper yourself at an incredible resort and spa.
Only you can decide what your truly need. We’re just here to help you find the best ways to get it.
Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa
Island living meets desert luxury at the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa in Indian Wells. When you step onto the 11-acre property, you’ll be surrounded by sweeping view of the Santa Rosa Mountains with olive trees and fragrant citrus groves decorating the grounds. In other words, everything about this relaxed but refined resort is primed to help you let go of the stress from home and enjoy easy sun-soaked days and gorgeous starry nights.
The rooms blend calming, woven textures with Tommy Bahama’s signature tropical prints and feature private lanais, making it easy unwind the moment you walk in the door. If you book one of the four Villa Suites, you’ll be treated to exclusive Tommy Bahama furniture and unique personal touches to further that feeling of instant ease.
At the award-winning Spa Rosa, the expert team will help reset and recharge your body and mind using methods and rituals inspired by the desert. The 12,000-square-foot retreat includes outdoor soaking pools, eucalyptus steam rooms, and outdoor cabanas, as well as massages, facials, and body masks—all aimed at creating a day dedicated to you. We’re particularly partial to the Day Long Escape, an indulgent all-day affair of CDBs soaks, renewing scrubs, life changing massages, and transformative facials.
Following your treatment, continue the experience with a meal on the patio at Grapefruit Basil. We love the Hamachi Crudo, a light, citrus-forward dish featuring premium yellowtail, house-made ponzu, creamy avocado, and fresh seasonal garnishes.
Whether you’re strolling the gardens, relaxing beside its saltwater pools, or indulging in a restorative treatment, you’ll be able to escape in style and relax in luxury at the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa.
Healcove Chiropractic
There’s no shortage of ways to stay active in San Diego—but if you really want to enjoy everything the city has to offer, you’ve got to make sure you’re giving your body its tune-ups. Enter: Healcove Chiropractic. The board-certified chiropractors and wellness professionals at Healcove are experts at addressing that stage where you’re not injured, exactly, but you’re not at 100%, either. Maybe you’re feeling a bit tense or stressed out. Or it could be that you’re not quite moving the way you want to. Sometimes, it’s just that the accumulation of days, weeks, or even years of daily strain is starting to take a toll. No matter what stage you find yourself at, the Healcove Chiropractic team can provide integrated, preventative care centered on long-term, science-backed approaches that ensure you can always stay active and live the life you want to live pain-free.
This starts by providing truly individualized care. Every patient can expect a thorough 60-minute consultation session that includes a posture and movement screening. This allows the team to develop a completely personalized plan. That plan might include chiropractic care, acupuncture, or massage therapy, as well as functional fitness training, vibration and sound therapy, and Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization, a clinical rehabilitation method that retrains the body’s stabilization systems. Whatever the team recommends, you can be sure that it’s tailored to meeting your body’s needs today and the future.
There’s a reason that San Diego Magazine named Healcove the “Best Chiropractor in San Diego”—don’t wait until you’re struggling with an injury to find out why. Book an appointment today for holistic, integrated care that helps ground and heal your body before it reaches a crisis point.
Juice Holler
West Coast wellness culture meets the community feel of Southern Appalachia at Juice Holler. Juice Holler’s menu consists of made-to-order smoothies and smoothie bowls, as well as grab-and-go cold-pressed juices, wellness shots, salads, and more. It operates from the blissfully simple premise that fueling up with food and drink that’s guilt-free and good your body should be simple, accessible, and, above all else, delicious. And if you haven’t yet made it out to the Encinitas café, which opened just this year, let us be the first to tell you: Juice Holler delivers on each and every of these fronts.
We love the Supercharger smoothie, a mood-lifting and body-fueling option made with banana, almond butter, blue spirulina, maca, grass-fed whey protein, raw cacao nibs, medjool dates, and coconut milk. We’re also partial to the Thrive Alive smoothie bowl, where avocado, mango, sea moss, spirulina, mint, coconut milk, and agave are mixed and topped with coconut, chia seeds, strawberry, mango, and chocolate drizzle. The wellness shots include the Detoxifier, a cleansing blend of kale, cucumber, lemon and spirulina, plus a shot specially designed to fight inflammation (named, fittingly, Anti-Inflammation). Probiotic overnight oats, lemon turmeric bars, and strawberry shortcake chia pudding are other standouts on the grab-and-go menu.
Much of the vibe feels beachy North County chic—think green tile with orange and pink accents, grounded with greenery and natural wood—but Juice Holler founder Kelly Sergott, a longtime Encinitas local, has also enfused the space with her Kentucky roots. In Appalachia, a holler is small valley between hills and mountains, where nature reigns, community is king, and nourishment comes right from the land. At Juice Holler, Sergott has created a holler for the busy modern times, using local ingredients to create a spot for people to come together and enjoy fresh, fast, feel-good fuel for their day.
Everwell Acupuncture
We’ve all had that experience with a medical professional where we’ve felt rushed, ignored, or misunderstood—and ultimately, like we didn’t get the answers that we needed. But at Everwell, the holistic acupuncture practice located in Solana Beach, the care team wants to transform your understanding of what healthcare can look like.
Patients at Everwell experience care rooted in intentional listening and radical empathy—and trust us, those aren’t just corporate buzzwords. This place actually puts those ideas into practice. You will always be given the time you need to tell your story— initial in-take appointments are two hours long—and you can rest assured that your story will be believed. Every single question and concern will be addressed by a dedicated practitioner who wants to find the specific solutions that work best for you, and you’ll receive care that’s aimed at healing the body, mind, and spirit.
Everwell’s highly trained, doctorate-level practitioners blend evidence-based acupuncture with the practice of classical Chinese medicine. (If you’ve never tried acupuncture before or aren’t sure if the team will be a fit, we’d highly recommended Everwell’s complimentary 20-minute consultations.) Research shows that by stimulating specific points on the body, acupuncture activates a natural healing response in the body, helping to restore balance, regulate the nervous system, and improve overall wellbeing. This allows the practice to address an incredibly wide range of conditions from chronic pain and autoimmune disorders to digestive issues, from stress and burnout to headaches migraines, fertility and postpartum struggles, hormonal imbalances, sleep concerns and more.
At Everwell, you can expect to feel heard, trusted, respected, and cared for. This is a space that doesn’t want to be just another healthcare provider you visit; it wants to provide patients with dedicated partner who will be there for their entire health journey.
