The start of the new year always triggers goal-setting, get-healthy behavior. To get in the spirit, our January issue goes inside the juice trend, divulging everything you could ever want to know about the healthy bottled beverages. Quixotic Pictures followed our editorial team around as they sipped and sampled their way through the menu at […]
By Jennifer Rea
The start of the new year always triggers goal-setting, get-healthy behavior. To get in the spirit, our January issue goes inside the juice trend, divulging everything you could ever want to know about the healthy bottled beverages. Quixotic Pictures followed our editorial team around as they sipped and sampled their way through the menu at Juice Saves and debated which healthy concoction should make the cover. Watch the behind-the-scenes video to see how the issue came together and which juices didn’t make the cut.
By Erin Meanley Glenny | Photo Courtesy of San Diego History Center
By the Numbers
$3M – Amount needed in order to reopen the California Tower to the public in 2015 1911 – California State Legislature authorized the use of the park for an exposition, as well as ratified the decision to name it Balboa Park 25 cents – Admission paid by anyone who wanted to watch the construction 1 million – Number of plants John Morley was hired to put into the ground of the canyons (another 50,000 were on the Exposition grounds) $1,937,445 – Amount spent erecting the buildings for the Exposition 42,486 – Spectators at the December 31, 1914 concert, opening ceremonies, and fireworks (about equivalent to the then-population of San Diego)
San Diego’s City Park was founded in 1868. But as late as 1909, only about 100 of the 1,400 acres had been landscaped. That year, the president of the San Diego Chamber of Commerce, G. Aubrey Davidson, had the idea of using the park to host a celebration for the opening of the Panama Canal, which was slated for January 1, 1915. San Diego would be the first U.S. port north of the canal, and city leaders wanted to take advantage of their geographic position to boost the economy and help develop the park.
New York architect Bertram Goodhue chose a Spanish Colonial Revival style for the 1915 Panama–California Exposition. Officials liked that it would distinguish SD’s event from the San Francisco Panama–Pacific Exposition, which would have a “Beaux Arts” look.
Park commissioners gave it the name “Balboa Park” after Vasco Núñez de Balboa, a European explorer who first saw the Pacific in 1513. As the Panama Canal would connect the Atlantic to the Pacific, the moniker was a good association for the park and the planned fair.
The 2015 Centennial, which kicks off this month, refers not to the 100th anniversary of the park, but rather the recognition of an entire century since the Exposition, and of enjoying the park’s architecture as we know it today.
Vintage San Diego: Building Balboa Park
Multimedia
DECEMBER 24, 2014
Picture Perfect: Breaching Point
Lucky Shot
By Kristin Agnes
Date of Photo:
Summer 2012
Location:
Off the coast of Baja California near the Coronado Islands
Camera:
Canon 5D Mark II camera. Canon 70-200 mm lens.
Experienced whale watchers know that timing is everything, and although humpbacks are typically in the northern waters during the summer season, Phillip Colla was lucky to be in the right place at the right time. The Carlsbad photographer and software developer was on a pal’s boat cruising the coast of Baja California. “Many blue, fin, and humpback whales were feeding on massive patches of krill. A humpback whale began breaching repeatedly for 10 minutes or so, and at one point it breached between us and the whale-watching boat you see in the background. It made for a once-in-a-lifetime shot.”
For Executive Chef Emily Brubaker, Omni La Costa Resort & Spa feels like home. She grew up just a mile-and-a-half away from the 400-acre property and fondly recalls walking the golf course perimeter as a kid. Though her ambitions led her away from San Diego for nearly two decades in which she honed her craft in some of the highest of high-profile Las Vegas restaurants—including triple Michelin-starred Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand—they ultimately brought her back to North County.
Courtesy of Omni La Costa
Today, the classically French-trained chef, who’s fresh off a victory on NBC’s Yes, Chef!, judged by Martha Stewart and José Andrés, oversees Omni La Costa Resort & Spa’s seven distinct dining concepts. Her goal is to elevate the resort’s culinary program with her creative, hyperlocal ingredient-driven approach while maintaining the Spanish- inspired flavors and fresh California coastal cuisine that are the bedrock of its culinary identity.
“The San Diego food scene is really growing, and in North County alone, it’s really exploded in the last five years,” Brubaker says. “There are Michelin stars, beautiful tasting menus, craft bakers, and all this food—when I was growing up in La Costa, it was fish tacos. Now there are really cool things popping up, and I’m so happy to be here to see where it’s going to go.”
Brubaker gives chefs de cuisine at each individual restaurant autonomy, however, her influence is evident across the resort.
For example, lobby restaurant Bar Traza serves as Omni La Costa’s culinary centerpiece and features bold Spanish flavors in a lively, social atmosphere. Brubaker overhauled the menu to be more consistent and centered on casual bites with that signature vibe. Think smoky paprika, vibrant citrus, and Spanish meats and cheeses.
At VUE, the focus is on seasonal offerings, California coastal cuisine, and Baja-inspired dishes. She and Chef de Cuisine Cameron Dixon change the menu biannually, which heading into summer, will highlight farm-fresh produce and hyperlocal ingredients—the resort even has its own herb garden and honeybee hives.
Courtesy of Omni La Costa
Poolside dining options are leaning into the country’s 250th this summer with a selection of classic American dishes with an Omni La Costa twist. And Bob’s Steak & Chop House (Brubaker is a trained butcher) offers a classic steakhouse experience with elevated service.
The chef and company also plan menus for special events at the resort where her creativity can really shine. For an upcoming National Ski Association dinner, the banquet hall will be transformed into an Alpine-themed winter wonderland complete with a snow machine, savory sausages, and melty, decadent raclette. A recent dinner was built around the Carlsbad Flower Fields and each course was matched to a color of ranunculus (Did you know pink dragonfruit are grown in North County? You do now.).
“It’s my zen to be in the kitchen playing with food,” Brubaker says.
Omni La Costa’s culinary program is a key part of the resort experience. And with Brubaker’s leadership, it’s becoming a draw for visitors and locals alike.
“These aren’t just hotel restaurants, these are restaurants that you should go to. They’re destinations, and I’m really hoping for the future that’s where we’re going,” Brubaker says.
Courtesy of Omni La Costa
Brubaker is also channeling her experience on Yes, Chef! into the culture at Omni La Costa—more emphasis on teamwork and collaboration, empowering her staff to share constructive critiques, and embracing different perspectives. Alongside her leadership role, Brubaker has become an advocate for mental health in the hospitality industry, serving as chief ambassador for the Burnt Chef Project and serves on the Board of Advisors for the Apex Culinary Program, where she mentors and develops future talent.
Jackson Design and Remodeling celebrated its 25th anniversary with a Spicy Salsa Soiree at the San Diego Yacht Club. The lively crowd sipped Mojitos, savored Cuban-inspired food, and delighted in salsa performances and lessons, along with the music of the Manny Cepeda Orchestra. Clients ended the beautiful evening by taking home a commemorative bottle of JDR 25th Anniversary Reserve wine.
Photos by Sergio Fernandez
Anniversary Party
Event Photos
DECEMBER 24, 2014
Le Cirque du ROMP
La Jolla Country Club, September 20, 2014
Nearly 400 supporters of Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego gathered for the annual ROMP fundraiser, this year a circus-themed night complete with a tent, ringmaster, and fortune tellers. Event chair Jennifer Gramins and honorary chairs Rebecca and Jennifer Moores made the evening a success with dinner, cocktails, celebrity entertainment, and live and silent auctions, raising $620,000 for families in medical crisis. Some of the standout auction items included a private jet excursion to Napa for six, a Kona beachfront vacation for 30, and a brand-new 2015 Audi A3.
Photos by Bob Ross
Le Cirque du ROMP
Partner Content
JUNE 10, 2026
New Options for GLP-1 Users
Scripps study shows that some patients may be able to taper their dose and maintain results
While glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agents have been used to treat Type 2 diabetes for more than 20 years, their recent emergence as weight-loss wonder drugs marked a new frontier in medicine. But their effectiveness has left some patients wondering what to do once they’ve reached their goal. Stopping the medication could mean regaining some, if not all, of the weight. A Scripps Clinic internal medicine physician recently conducted a small study of whether GLP-1 patients who had reached their goal weight could maintain that weight by taking their regularly prescribed injection every other week instead of weekly. Spoiler alert: 30 of 34 patients did. Read more about the study here and what that may mean as pharmaceutical companies roll out oral GLP-1s.
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