Trends in San Diego this March

Trends in San Diego this March

Fish 101 patio

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RESTAURANTS

Take it Outside

It’s going to be easier than ever, starting this month, to dine al fresco at local restaurants. Thanks to a proposal that the city council is promoting with the California Restaurant Association, local restaurants will have a new fast-track process to add patio seating and significantly reduced fees. Sayonara, $10,000 permits. Sidewalk cafés for everyone!

Madewell

COMING SOON

Madewell

The wait is almost over, San Diego: Madewell, known as J. Crew’s “sister” store, will be opening May 8 at Fashion Valley Mall. Its casual yet chic style, straight from NYC, is a toned-down, urban version of J. Crew (fewer sequins and rhinestones). Shop for seasonless sweaters, leather boots, and date dresses, plus jeans that fit well and wash even better. // PS

Trends in San Diego this March

LOCAL BLOG

Concrete Success

Liam Dillon, a staffer at Voice of San Diego, is trippin’ at the success of TheStumblr.com, where San Diegans send in pics of their jacked-up sidewalks. It’s getting national attention (hello, The Atlantic’s Cities blog!) but we hope it’s the local policy makers who really take notice.

This Just In

The Equinox Center in Encinitas recently found that fewer than half of San Diegans can afford to buy a median-priced home. Translation: Expensive housing means SD businesses can’t attract good employees, and SD can’t compete with other cities. To add insult, traffic increases because we spend more time commuting from our faraway homes, and less time spending dough at local stores and restaurants. What! Come on, housing prices!

Percent of Households That Can Afford to Purchase Median-Priced Home

26.5% San Francisco

45% San Diego

50% Los Angeles

Source: Equinox Center, 2012; California Association of Realtors, 2012