10 Most-Listened-To Happy Half Hour Podcast Episodes of 2023
Since 2016, San Diego Mag‘s Happy Half Hour podcast has been highlighting the city’s finest food and drink makers and sharing the best in food news each month. This year, co-hosts Troy Johnson and David Martin spent 28 episodes catching up with the city’s top chefs, industry insiders, and local talent to find out what […]
Since 2016, San Diego Mag‘s Happy Half Hour podcast has been highlighting the city’s finest food and drink makers and sharing the best in food news each month. This year, co-hosts Troy Johnson and David Martin spent 28 episodes catching up with the city’s top chefs, industry insiders, and local talent to find out what makes San Diego’s food scene so great.
Among them, these 10 came out on top as the most-listened-to Happy Half Hour episodes of 2023. Haven’t checked them out yet? Give them a listen below:
In this episode, Troy and David sit down with Brandon Rodgers of The French Laundry and Benu to discuss his newest venture: Tanner’s Prime Burgers, founded in partnership with Brandt Beef. Listen as they crush beef tallow fries and ice cream sandwiches, Brandon’s wife’s cookies, and a burger made with New School American Cheese.
David Kennedy, co-owner of James Coffee Co., joins the pod to share the story of his coffee company and its efforts to get rid of single-use coffee cups and be as environmentally responsible as humanly possible. Kennedy also describes how ditching single-use cups didn’t quite go exactly as planned. Go listen. It’s a fun one.
San Diego restaurateur Tracy Borkum and executive chef Tim Kolanko from Urban Kitchen Group discuss their newest eatery, Gold Finch (a contemporary take on a Jewish delicatessen), and their next prix-fixe dining concept in the center of MCASD. This episode has everything from illegal yard sales to lessons about adaptation and Olivia Rodrigo.
To be fair, this was an episode in December 2022, but we left it in because you continued to love it and we needed another reason to post a pic of our resident mascot: Miles Davis Jr. This episode goes back to the start of Happy Half Hour, when Troy and David were just young whippersnappers with a mic and a dream. Today, Troy co-owns the mag and David is its chief sales and marketing officer, and HHH has nearly one million plays to date. Troy also lays out his hit list of the “10 Best Things I Ate This Year.”
On this episode, the gents talk with Carol Roizen and Jonathan Goldwasser, the owners of Parakeet Cafe, on the very personal reason why they created their healthy café and how they turned it into a huge success. Carol also calls out her favorite sushi spot in San Diego, David finds yet another soup that he can’t live without, and Troy slow-claps for the polenta plate at Cucina Urbana.
Troy and David get the inside scoop on Petco Park’s food and drink scene while grabbing a cold one at Alesmith’s 394 bar. Joined by vice president of hospitality Josh Momberg, they learn what it takes to feed nearly three million people each year. Go Pads!
This one isn’t as morbid as the title implies. The guys discuss their favorite meals of all time and get a sneak peek at the year’s Petco Park concerts, which included faves like Jimmy Eat World, Band of Horses, and Pixies. David also raves about the Sakura Bloom at Morning Glory, an egg-white cocktail worth a sip.
Having launched just before 2020, Coronado’s Little Frenchie made it through a global pandemic to become a Michelin-recognized spot and one of the best damn French bistros in San Diego. Troy and David chat with Blue Bridge exec chef Matt Sramek and VP of Operations Matt Gordon, who helped make Little Frenchie what it is today. They talk life on the island and their pandemic silver lining.
One of the best chefs in the country, Eric Greenspan, stops by to talk about his latest project: reinventing American cheese. He shares the story behind the new fromage, made with real butter, real cream, and aged cheese. Troy and David couldn’t get enough. Neither could the public when it was first introduced at the inaugural Del Mar Wine + Food Festival.
Rounding out our top 10 list, Baja’s wildly intelligent chef Drew Deckman stops by the office to chat with Troy and David about the precarious future of Valle de Guadalupe. Troy calls Drew “one of the funniest, most articulate, humblest, and give-a-damn people” he’s ever met as they chat about Drew’s failed dreams of becoming an umpire.
Nicolle Monico is an award-winning writer and the director of creative projects, digital editor for San Diego Magazine with more than 19 years of experience in media including Outside Run, JustLuxe and The San Francisco Chronicle.
See our photos from the event at the Music Box on February 20, 2020
Behind the Brands, held on February 20, 2020, at Music Box in Little Italy, was an evening of inside scoops and inspiration. Guests heard from Rubio’s Founder Ralph Rubio, Once Upon a Farm Co-Founder Cassandra Curtis, Intuit Principal Tech Evangelist Aliza Carpio and Red Door Interactive President John Faris. After a networking hour to mingle with other attendees and local brands, guests took their seats to hear interviews with San Diego Magazine editors. The event also featured interactive workshops with tips and tricks of resume building with a hiring manager and complimentary professional headshots. As a takeaway, guests received a complimentary Passion Planner.
Sponsors and partners for Behind the Brands included SONY, Keck School of Medicine at USC, Scripps Health, The Creative Group, Orangetheory Fitness, 1888 Doblemente Anejado, Wyoming Whiskey, Tequila Partida, Bear Naked Granola, Passion Planner, Enjet Media, and I Love a Clean San Diego.
Event Photos: Celebration of Cancer Care Champions
Photos from the event at University of San Diego Joan Kroc Institute Peace & Justice Theatre on September 22, 2019
The American Cancer Society hosted its inaugural Celebration of Cancer Care Champions (#SDC4) on Sunday, September 22, at the University of San Diego’s Peace and Justice Theatre. The event brought together the San Diego cancer care community to honor individuals and institutions who were nominated by their patients or peers for excellence in cancer care in 2018–2019. All of the finalists were selected by an external review committee representing 10 of San Diego’s leading health care and research institutions.
Kay Coleman, chair of the ACS Desert Coastal Area Board and the “SDC4” event, said, “There are many celebrations for cancer survivors, but this is the first one for the cancer care professionals who make a difference in the lives of cancer patients every day.”
Photos by Lauren Radack
Event Photos: Celebration of Cancer Care Champions
Danielle and Jason Sicklick
Studio S
JULY 7, 2026
Xplosion Box: A Customized Keepsake Your Loved Ones Won’t Forget
A customized memory-filled explosion gift box is a creative way to show someone you care
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.
Photos from the event at Liberty Station on August 10-11, 2019
On August 10 and 11, more than 20,000 art lovers attended the festival, which took place at Ingram Plaza at the Arts District Liberty Station. The event showcased fine artists from around the United States and Mexico and featured a full lineup of live music. Gorgeous San Diego weather topped off the festive and art-filled celebration, where attendees enjoyed the visual and performing arts, street food, interactive art activities, and a wine and beer pavilion. All were invited to bring or wear jeans, shoes, shirts, and more, which were transformed into wearable abstract expressionist art à la Jackson Pollock.
Photos by Paul Nestor and Daniel Audick
Event Photos: 14th Annual ArtWalk
Sarah Cusey
Podcasts & Video
DECEMBER 4, 2019
Event Photos: #SKY5Year
Photos from the event at SKY Facial Plastic Surgery on August 7, 2019
SKY Facial Plastic Surgery hosted its fifth annual community celebration and charity fundraiser at its North County location. Guests mingled with double–board certified facial plastic surgeon Sirius K. Yoo, MD and enjoyed a cocktail reception, hors d’oeuvres, and an opportunity drawing. Proceeds benefited FACE Foundation, which provides funding to families who cannot afford the life-saving treatments their pets need.
Photos by Bradley Schweit
Event Photos: #SKY5Year
Sirius K. Yoo, MD and Theresa Hadley
Partner Content
JULY 10, 2026
Health & Wellness Summer 2026
It’s a Self-Care Summer. Because your best self is our favorite self.
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.
