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24 Suns
Oceanside Restaurants, Bars, and Coffee Shops
Allmine
An elevated take on Italian-inspired cuisine, Allmine showcases masterfully crafted artisanal pizzas, handmade pastas, and thoughtfully curated natural wines. With careful attention to ingredients—like imported Italian flour for their signature pizza dough—and making nearly everything in-house, from rich sauces to house-cured sausages and creamy burrata, every dish reflects a commitment to quality and craftsmanship.
119 S Coast Hwy.
Communal Coffee
Communal Coffee offers a wide selection of coffee, teas, fresh pastries, and cafe bites all set against a boho-chic space with creative energy, and plentiful indoor and outdoor seating. A favorite for those working remote, as well as business and friend meet-ups.
602 S Tremont St
The Rooftop Bar at Mission Pacific Hotel
The ultimate lounge for breathtaking ocean views and vibrant sunsets, The Rooftop Bar at Mission Pacific Hotel also features a stellar drink and food menu. With its stylish ambiance, creative cocktails, and shareable bites, it’s a must-visit for a chic coastal experience in Oceanside.
201 N Myers St.
The Lobby Tiki Bar & Grill
A new addition to the historic Brick Hotel, The Lobby Tiki Bar & Grill is a vibrant tiki-inspired vibe with Instagram-worthy drinks, and island-infused American cuisine. Don’t miss the Tiki dancers during Friday’s dinner service.
408 Pier View Way
Valle
One of the rare Michelin-starred restaurants in San Diego, Valle showcases the flavors of Baja California through elevated, modern Mexican cuisine with an extensive wine list highlighting Valle de Guadalupe wines. The multi-course experience is ripe for a special-occasion set amongst a breathtaking ambiance—with ocean views as the cherry on top.
222 N Pacific St
Rose Cafe
Head to Rose Cafe for breakfast, lunch or a little of both with their popular brunch menu and enjoy tasty bites in a charming and cozy setting. They offer a surprisingly large and diverse menu whether you’re popping in for a quick coffee, or fixing for a full on meal.
1902 S Coast Hwy
Merenda
Merenda is an authentic European-inspired wine bar with a diverse wine list and selection of light bites, including a build-your-own charcuterie experience with a choice-of cheeses and meats.
1931 S Coast Hwy
Matsu
A refined and modern Japanese omakase style experience, Matsu uses seasonal ingredients and meticulous techniques to offer a five-star dining experience. Helmed by chef/owner William Eick, his menu blends tradition with innovation and the food is as much art as it is delicious.
626 S Tremont St
Wrench and Rodent Seabasstropub
An Oceanside staple since 2013, Wrench and Rodent Seabasstropub is sustainability-driven sushi-forward spot is known for inventive flavors and a daily-changing menu, with a focus on responsibly sourced ingredients. The eclectic vibe makes for an effortlessly cool setting.
1815 South Coast Hwy
Dija Mara
Blending Balinese flavors with modern California cuisine, Dija Mara offers bold, umami-rich dishes. With a stylish, laid-back atmosphere and a well-curated natural wine list. It’s a worthy visit for adventurous and spice-loving foodies.
232 S Coast Hwy
The Plot
The Plot features an elevated earthy vibe with outdoor dining in a garden-setting complemented by its inventive plant-based dishes. Artfully crafted sushi rolls are popular, as well as the brunch, where the vegan chicken and waffles and the bold and bountiful Bloody Mary, are a crowd favorite.
1733 S Coast Hwy.
Little Fox Cups & Cones
Little Fox Cups & Cones makes creative ice cream concoctions with a host of inventive flavors, and tried-and-true classics. While they dish out traditional cups and cones of ice cream, they also have their popular ice cream taco, ice cream cakes and other goodies. As a bonus they cater to all dietary needs with a few seriously good vegan options. Everything is made in house, from scratch.
1940s S Freeman St
24 Suns
In an unassuming strip mall, 24 Suns is a shining culinary achievement. Two former Michelin three-star restaurant chefs have taken over an old dive bar, and turned it into a chef-driven culinary experience with a focus on modern Chinese cuisine.
3375 Mission Ave.
Things to Do in Oceanside, CA
Raw Rhythm Ceramics Studio
A creative space dedicated to the art of pottery and ceramics, Raw Rhythm Ceramics Studio offers classes and workshops suitable for all skill levels. The studio also provides monthly memberships for those seeking a regular space to hone their craft.
607 Vista Way
Comedy at the Privateer Marketplace & Wine Bar
Every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., Privateer Marketplace & Wine Bar hosts a comedy night featuring a mix of local and touring comedians in an intimate setting. Get there early to grab a table since seating is first come, first served. You can enjoy full food and drink service while laughing steadily through the show.
1706 S Coast Hwy
Oceanside Farmers Market
The Oceanside Farmers Market is held every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and features fresh local produce, flowers, artisan baked goods, organic fare and locally made dips and sauces. Can’t make the morning time? Don’t worry, in the evenings, from 5-9 p.m., the market turns up the volume and features live music and up to 240 food and retail booths across five city blocks.
Pier View Way & N Coast Hwy
Oceanside Pier
Stroll down the pier and watch surfers carve through the breaks below, or catch a stunning sunset at the Oceanside Pier, the longest wooden pier on the West coast. After your stroll, pop across the street to the Top Gun House, a historic landmark featured in the iconic film. The home has been converted into a pie shop which sells gluten-free treats and sweets.
928 N Coast Hwy
Oceanside Museum of Art
The Oceanside Museum of Art houses a dynamic mix of contemporary exhibitions, highlighting local and regional artists across various mediums. With ever-changing installations and engaging events, it’s a cultural experience for the arts-minded.
704 Pier View Way
Goat Hill Golf Course
Goat Hill Park golf course is a laid-back, scenic course known for its welcoming atmosphere. Whether you’re a seasoned golfer or a beginner, you can enjoy stunning coastal views and a fun round of golf in the beautiful SD sunshine. Or, simply check out the driving range to hit some balls while you sip local brews.
2323 Goat Hill Dr
Buena Vista Audubon Society Nature Center & Trail
Perched along the Buena Vista Lagoon Ecological Reserve, Buena Vista Audubon Society Nature Center & Trail makes for a nice stop to see a variety of local taxidermied birds and wildlife—plus other interactive things to see and touch. Then, take the 1/4 mile nature trail that loops around a portion of the lagoon to observe a variety of native plants and wildlife.
2202 S Coast Hwy
Oceanside Beach
A prime spot for sunbathing, swimming and surfing, Oceanside beach (known to locals as “The Strand”) is a great family-friendly spot for enjoying a day outdoors. Enjoy lunch at one of the nearby picnic tables or grill up your favorite summertime eats on public barbecues while there. Or, take the kids to one of a few small parks located around the beach.
The Strand
Oceanside Adventures – Whale Watching Tour
Oceanside Adventures’ whale watching and boat tours, offers guests the chance to spot various sea life, like dolphins and sea lions aboard a 50-foot catamaran. The tour departs from Oceanside Harbor year-round, providing an intimate and educational way to experience marine life, with informative and knowledgeable staff to guide your excursion.
256 Harbor Dr S
Oceanside Shops & Boutiques
Municipal
A new addition to Oceanside, Municipal is a lifestyle apparel brand co-founded by Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg offering stylish, high-performance clothing for active living. Its flagship store also features the popular LA-based Urth Caffé, serving organic coffee, teas, and fresh bites, with plenty of space and comfy seating to lounge around.
1722 S Coast Hwy
Surf Ride Boardshop
A staple in Oceanside’s surf community since 1974, this family-owned shop has a great selection of surfboards, wetsuits, and other surf gear. Surf Ride Boardshop also has plentiful mens and womens apparel, swimsuits, and beach-related accessories. Don’t miss the sale room where you can snag surf gear and apparel for ridiculous reduced prices.
1909 S Coast Hwy
Captain’s Helm
A vintage clothing boutique, Captain’s Helm features everything from curated, old-school classic apparel to more modern secondhand finds. Plus you’ll also find a few newer items like candles, and other accessories. Stop in next door to Captain’s Grounds coffee shop for tasty drinks and bites.
1832 S Coast Hwy
Sea Hive Marketplace
Sea Hive Marketplace is a charming indoor marketplace featuring curated housewares and goods from local artisans and unique vintage finds, as well as jewelry and clothes. Whether you’re searching for a gift or home decor, this spot is a must-visit for one-of-a-kind treasures.
1555 S Coast Hwy
Estate Sale Warehouse
A perfect place for vintage lovers, Estate Sale Warehouse hosts an ever-changing collection of antique furniture, home decor, and collectibles. Discover rare finds and timeless pieces at this eclectic shopping destination.
1719 S Coast Hwy
Sonora Refillery
Sonora Refillery is an eco-friendly boutique dedicated to reducing waste with refillable household and personal care products. Bring your own containers and refill them with soaps, lotions, shampoos, conditioners, and other natural goods.
1012 S Coast Hwy
Always Hungry Grocery & Goods
A downtown specialty grocery, Always Hungry Grocery & Goods is stocked with locally sourced, organic, and artisanal foods. From fresh produce to gourmet snacks, this shop is a haven for food lovers seeking high-quality, thoughtfully curated ingredients.
110 N Myers St
Plantplay Gardens
Plantplay Gardens features a carefully curated selection of indoor plants, succulents, and unique pottery. Whether you’re a seasoned plant parent or a beginner, they have everything you need to bring greenery into your space.
1839 S Coast Hwy
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]]>The post New Restaurant, The Victorian, is Reviving a 100-Year-Old Oceanside Landmark appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
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One of the charming revolving doors of the food scene has been the historic Wetzel House (at 524 S. Coast Hwy). Too compelling to pass up, it’s seen a lengthy roster of restaurants, including Hill Street Cafe & Gallery and Le Citron. This spring, it’ll get a fresh start with a new name and refreshed look—The Victorian at Hill Street.
Track records bode well in this case. Owners Emily and David Rassel run Pour House in South Oceanside and Frankie’s next to The Brick Hotel. Chef Juan Armando (Mesa Agrícola) will do a local, seasonal California share plates concept, with housemade laffa bread (sometimes called Iraqi pita or flatbread that’s cooked in a clay oven) with tahini with pistou and an heirloom tomato salad. Beverages will be Old World–style wine and craft cocktails.
The Rassels are working with Trippe Interiors to revive the space, keeping as many original details as possible. The bulk of the seating (70 guests) will be outdoors on a double-tiered and heated porch, plus a small indoor dining area and bar. A brick courtyard will fit a few more, and eventually include a casual-gourmet sandwich program from Staci Miller (The Millers Table).
The more than 100-year-old landmark has survived more than half of the United States presidents and is nearly as old as the state of California itself. Only around 300 of San Diego’s original 2,500 Victorian homes remain standing. The Rassels are keenly aware of the building’s rich history and their role in preserving it. With any luck, the Wetzel House will remain a place of gathering and tahini and cocktails for Oceanside locals and visitors for another century to come.
The Victorian will start with limited service for dinner (Wed-Sun), and the Rassels are shooting for launch weekday lunch and weekend brunch sometime this summer.
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Celebrate Women’s Day at Stone Brewing
As a woman, I think every day should be Women’s Day. But I suppose I’ll take what I can get (the whole month of March?! Darling, you shouldn’t have!) and if I can have a cold beer with it, so much the better. Stone Brewing’s annual International Women’s Day Dinner on Saturday, March 8 celebrates the beers developed and brewed by women working in production, and will showcase them alongside four paired courses including an outrageously delicious-sounding dessert of churros with peanut-marzipan ice cream and chocolate-cinnamon sauce. Men are allowed to attend, because equality.
Beth’s Bites
- Who’s worried about avian flu? Not Roostr Yard, a grilled chicken concept opening this spring at 1810 Rancho del Oro Road in Oceanside, near Frontwave Arena and SoCal Sports Complex. Good news for amateur and professional athletes looking to pack in some protein before a match.
- The owners behind Golden Age Burgers named their business perfectly. It is a golden age of burgers for San Diego, and Golden Age will join the fray when they take over the former BeLoved Finds Thrift & Vintage Store on 30th Street (timing is unknown and I don’t like to speculate, so if anyone hears anything, let me know at [email protected]).
- Let’s focus on the good news—Polite Provisions is reopening on January 31. Hooray! After their liquor license was suspended in November (yes, again), they took the opportunity to refresh their menu as well as their signature Roaring Twenties apothecary-style decor. Now, five different sections range from classics to mocktails, with quite a few new clarified cocktails. I’m particularly interested in checking out the new Speak of the Devil, made with Wild Turkey 101 rye whiskey, Campari, amaretto, lemon, and blood orange sherbet. Sounds like a stiff treat.
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].
The post New Restaurant, The Victorian, is Reviving a 100-Year-Old Oceanside Landmark appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
]]>The post Former Addison Chefs Opening Chinese Restaurant in Oceanside appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
]]>They’ve both got hefty pedigrees. Webber cooked at Michelin three-star Benu, and was running a Korean fried chicken food truck in Portland when he got a text from Addison exec chef William Bradley saying, essentially, “time to come back and get some Michelin stars.” Jordan was at Boulder’s one-star Michelin Frasca before joining Addison, helping then-chef de cuisine Stefani di Palma launch the restaurant’s bread program.
Both fans of Chinese food, in 2021 they launched a side gig—a Chinese culinary pop-up concept at places like Nola on 5th, Wormwood, Lion’s Share, and random kind strangers’ backyards. They thought about opening a food truck. Then they took over an old dive bar in Oceanside and changed the names six or seven times.
And finally, on Jan. 31, Jordan and Webber will officially open 24 Suns at 3375 Mission Avenue to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
Lunar New Year, sometimes called Chinese New Year, begins the start of spring. As an important Chinese holiday that marks fresh starts, Webber says it’s one of their biggest times of the year.
“We have a whole new menu… every dish has a lot of intentionality and tradition and meaning behind it,” he explains. The two dishes he’s most excited to add to the spring menu are Yi Mein (known as “longevity noodles”) and Yi Sangh (“prosperity salad”).
“The longer the longevity noodle, the longer the life,” says Webber. So, 24 Suns’ take is to serve one single noodle—that happens to be 12-feet long “We really want you to have a long life!”
Lunar New Year is a tradition rife with symbolic dishes—like the prosperity salad, which uses homophones to glean meaning. “Tangerine, for example, is a homophone for abundance,” Webber explains. “It’s a really intentional salad made with families, where every family member adds an ingredient, and each ingredient has a purpose and a blessing that you say into the salad as you make it.”
He instructs his cooks to whisper their own blessings as they assemble the ingredients, and invites guests to toss it at the table. “The higher the toss, the higher the prosperity.”
Jordan and Webber have brought on Kyle South, lead sommelier at Addison and wine expert for Service Animals (the hospitality group behind Ponyboy at the Pearl hotel) as general manager. Usually, to make cocktails fit a food menu, bartenders will take a traditional cocktail and replace one of the ingredients with a spice being used in the food (in the case of Chinese, maybe five spice or cinnamon going into an Old Fashioned). But 24 Suns will lean on the chefs’ prowess to create a more ambitious cocktail program.
“We’re being very intentionally not Pan-Asian,” Webber explains. For example, don’t look for any matcha, which did originate in China, but for centuries has been much more widely found across Japan. Of course, they’re still having a bit of fun, creating things like a “Sazer-quack” by rendering duck fat in brown butter and washing Cognac with it.
Although 24 Suns has been quietly operating since last July, they’re currently closed for renovations for a true grand opening on January 31. It’s taken them a while to get here, but each hiccup helped them hone the vision.
“It forced us to take that leap,” says Webber. I was calling it a dive bar with lipstick [in the beginning]. Now, we will not be that anymore. We’ll be a nice-looking restaurant that will match the quality of the food.”
24 Suns will hold 50-60 guests, including 16 at a stone bar, plus four big booths and tables.
24 Suns will be open Wednesday through Sunday from 4-10 p.m. starting Jan. 31.
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Enjoy Champagne and Chamber Music Series by Le Salon de Musiques
Every month during Le Salon de Musiques concert series, a musicologist (the second coolest-sounding -ologist job, after geologist, IMHO) starts the musical festivities with a chamber music concert, followed by a Q&A with the performers.
But wait, there’s more—the party continues with Champagne and a high tea buffet provided by Clement Le Deore (Desserts by Clement). The next iteration of the 15-year-strong series takes place on Sunday, February 2, featuring masterpieces by Borodin, Rachmaninoff, Catoire, and Taneyev performed on strings and piano. Music? Treats? Champagne? Sounds like it’s time to head to the La Jolla Woman’s Club.
Beth’s Bites
- I’ve followed Cassandra Shaeg’s career over the past few years, so I was thrilled to hear her SIP Wine & Beer concept will be part of the airport’s brand-new Terminal 1 dining options. San Diego may be known for craft beer, but she’s helped put our wine scene on the map, and now, everyone from around the world going through SAN will know it.
- I strongly prefer my oysters raw than grilled, but the chargrilled oysters at Lala were Parmigiano-crusted perfection. Next time, I probably won’t share any with my dining companion (I am nothing if not ruthless with my bivalves).
- Do you even wassail, bro? A wassail is an ancient Nordic winter tradition where revelers sing, dance, and make merry in orchards to bless the year’s harvest. Wearing a cool hat is encouraged; banging pots and pans to scare away evil spirits even more so; and of course, drinking plenty of cider is mandatory. (Not really, but it’s a whole vibe.) Calico Cidery is throwing their fifth annual Wassail at 4 p.m. on Saturday, February 1, so start weaving your crown of twigs now.
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].
The post Former Addison Chefs Opening Chinese Restaurant in Oceanside appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
]]>The post Specialty Sourdough Pizza Coming to Oceanside appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
]]>When he moved to Portland, O’Connor first got into sourdough pizza a decade ago. “I would eat a slice of it, and then I would feel fine—like I wouldn’t have that heavy gut that you typically get with pizza,” he explains. It led him to launch Boxcar, a vegan pizza shop offering gluten-free and alternative diet options. “It just seems like a lot of people are sort of getting more in tune with their nutrition,” he says.
Odie O’Connor
As one of the oldest forms of bread making, O’Connor says sourdough can taste better and be better for digestion. He didn’t see a similar pizza shop in San Diego and returned to his hometown earlier this year to start building Odie’s. “The idea was to bring something that wasn’t in San Diego and make it available for everyone, to be inclusive of all diets, or as many as we can,” he says. “I turned into a total dough nerd.”
Odie’s dough will go through a 48-hour-long cold fermentation for a fuller flavor, and they’ll also offer gluten-free and vegan options as well. “Our normal pies are going to be 16” New York-style pies, and also 16×16” grandma-style pies, which is like Sicilian,” says O’Connor. They’ll also serve wings, salads, milkshakes, soft serve, and local craft beer.
Opening in North County was a no-brainer, he says. “I’ve always loved Oceanside. I grew up surfing the pier,” he says. “It just feels like Oceanside is really booming right now, and there’s room to bring things to it… we’re super excited to get it going.”
Odie’s Pizza is slated to launch in January and will be open seven days a week from 11 am to 9 am.
San Diego Restaurant News & Upcoming Food Events
Inaugural O’wineside Mexican Wine Festival Coming in October
Exquisite as the Valle de Guadalupe is, there’s more to Mexican wine than that sole region. The first O’wineside Mexican Wine Festival will feature wine from 25+ different wineries across seven different Mexican states, starting at 1 p.m. and culminating at a wine-pairing dinner curated by chef Roberto Alcocer of Michelin-starred Valle and partners Baja chefs Miguel Bahena (Madre in Ensenada) and Omar Valenzuela (AVIA in Mexicali, Célida Café in Ensenada). Tickets for the festival are available here; tickets for the wine dinner are sold separately here.
Beth’s Bites
- Not to toot my own horn (okay, it’s precisely to toot my own horn), but I’m co-hosting a cider and food pairing event on Thursday, October 10, at the San Diego Mission Bay Resort with Bivouac founder Lara Worm and chef Roy Hendrickson. Tickets are available here, including four courses paired with Bivouac ciders and a discussion about San Diego’s growing cider scene. Hope to see you there!
- The Taco Stand continues its expansion. A new location will open at 1722 S. Coast Highway in Oceanside early next year. It’ll be the 14th location for the Showa Hospitality Group and the 10th in California.
- Pesto Italian Craft Kitchen College is out, and Joyee’s Dumpling House is in at 6011 El Cajon Blvd. in College Area. As much as I love lasagna, I love dumplings even more, so this is very exciting to me, personally.
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].
The post Specialty Sourdough Pizza Coming to Oceanside appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
]]>The post Fishermen’s Market of North County Now Open Sundays appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
]]>Just don’t call it a fish market. “We’re a fishermen’s market,” says founder Travis Tielens. “Much like a farmer’s market, but with all the commercial fishermen taking their catch directly off their boats and into the people’s hands,” he says. No wholesalers, distributors, or other middlemen are taking an extra cut. Just fresh fish at good prices, Tielens promises.
“You would go to some of these high-end fish markets and they’ve got tuna priced at $36 to $44 a pound. Over here at the market, it’s anywhere from $20 to $25 a pound,” he explains. Plus, he adds, you can’t get fish any fresher in many places—often, the catches are still alive. “As far as freshness, it’s unmatched.”
Fishermen’s Market of North County launched the weekly market on April 28, and it’s only grown since then. “The word’s really starting to get out there, so it’s been consistently busy,” says Tielens. It’s local fishermen’s busiest season right now, and he says they have plenty of variety every week, from tuna to halibut, yellowtail, oysters, scallops, sea urchins, spot prawns, and especially sardines and mackerel.
According to Tielens, most fish markets don’t even carry them because they’re so perishable, but those last two are unique to the market. But as more and more people discover the health benefits of those species, he’s seen demand significantly rise. To ensure safety and quality, he says the market’s board has a dedicated inspector to check fishermen’s tickets to double check everything has been caught within 72 hours. “We’ve got very strict rules,” he explains. “We’re setting ourselves apart from the rest by being very diligent with the freshness.”
He estimates there are usually around eight to 12 commercial fishermen selling their fresh catches every week, rain or shine, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot next to Joe’s Crab Shack. Most vendors are longtime locals, including himself. Tielens says that while it took a few years to organize and get the proper permits formally, he wants to keep the market small. “We’ve always kept it a tight-knit group, so we work well together,” he says. “We’re just keeping it local, keeping it fresh, and not getting sidetracked from that.”
Now that the market is running, Tielens says they plan to introduce a recurring cooking demonstration series with a different local chef every month. The first is this Sunday, July 21, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with chef Davin Waite of Wrench & Rodent and The Plot, and it’s completely free to attend. Plus, “We’re gonna have free samples to hand out to people,” he adds. “It’s gonna be a cool little event.”
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Watch Rugby & Drink Beer at Kairoa Brewing Company This Friday
If you didn’t manage to snag a ticket to the New Zealand All Blacks vs. Fiji Rugby at Snapdragon Stadium this Friday, you can still get rowdy for rugby at Kairoa Brewing Company. The New Zealand-inspired brewpub’s “Bring The RUCKus” beer release party kicks off at 2 p.m., and the game starts at 7:30 p.m. Plus, reps from Garston Hops will be on hand until 6 p.m. to chat about the hops used for Kairoa’s latest collaboration beer with Societe Brewing and Burgeon Beer Company.
Beth’s Bites
- 858 Burger is officially open in La Jolla in the old Classic Burger spot. I’ve got a hankering to try the signature 858 burger with bacon jam and dirty fries… maybe afterward, I’ll walk it off on a stroll to the Cove. (Look, but don’t touch or tease the sea lions, for Pete’s sake!)
- Everyone’s wallets feel the pinch these days, so I’m always looking for a good deal. Luckily, The Amalfi Llama at Westfield UTC just launched a prix-fixe lunch menu for $35 and “Summer Friday” specials for a limited time. Check out their menu here.
- Michelin madness is in full swing, and our local dining scene is no exception. La Jolla’s Ambrogio by Acquerello got a nod in the latest update, which may signal a starry future. The official 2024 Michelin Guide California ceremony will take place on August 5, so good luck to the whole team!
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].
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]]>The post 10 Years of Crafting Artisan Spearguns in Oceanside appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
]]>Wells grew up in San Diego and, in his youth, spent a few years at his grandparents’ Lakeside ranch, where both his father and grandfather were woodworkers. Wells remembers endless hours “in the sawdust” with his predecessors, absorbing the craft from afar. Wells’ grandfather even made spearguns, unbeknownst to Wells until he picked up the trade. “It’s unreal to see how it’s come kind of full circle,” he says.
Nate Wells in his backyard Oceanside workshop.
After all, it wasn’t Wells’ family that got him into the sport. Instead, a 2014 fishing trip on a neighbor’s boat piqued his interest. “He took me offshore, and I got hooked just watching him catch yellowtail and tuna and dorado and all these things,” Wells recalls. “I was like, ‘I didn’t even know we had all this kind of stuff right here.’”
Pulling the trigger himself, he soon found, was “addicting.”
The same neighbor commissioned Wells’ first custom speargun. Wells supplemented his knowledge of woodworking with info from myriad YouTube videos and online forums.
“As you progress as an artist or craftsman, you start to see, ‘Oh, this is pretty rudimentary. This is pretty basic, you know? Let’s expand,’” he says. “With every batch of guns, I just keep improving.”
Ten years later, Wells is still fine-tuning his work under the eponymous moniker Wells Spearguns, but he’s got his basic materials down to a science. “I strictly use Burmese teak because of how well it holds up,” he says. It’s something people [have used] on boats forever, right? So I use it for the longevity of it—and the beauty of it, too.” Florida-based company Neptonics supplies the parts required to build the gun’s inner mechanisms.
Still, no two guns are quite the same. “I come from a surfing background, and my favorite thing was getting a custom surfboard. That’s like the dream, right?” Wells says. “That’s kind of what I tried to do with the guns.” Buyers can choose custom epoxy colors and engraving, so their device is as beautiful as it is functional.
“I love connecting with people through this, helping them find exactly what they want in this process,” Wells says. “There’s just something about all the little layers of spearfishing, you know, from building your own gear to diving with people and then bringing that catch home to friends and family.”
The post 10 Years of Crafting Artisan Spearguns in Oceanside appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
]]>The post Afterburner Breaks the Sound Barrier at Techne Art Center appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
]]>“[The exhibition is like] pilots testing the sound barrier of Mach 1 […] pushing into the unknown,” says artist Jason Clay Lewis. The show is a feast of sensory engagement, featuring sculptures that inspire touch fantasies, paintings that creep into the third dimension, and fabric pieces that wrap the viewer’s experience in silk and netting. Within every work, details anticipate their moment of reveal.
Although it is a large group show, artists do not have to fight for their limelight. Each piece feels perfectly positioned, the space curated into zones of understanding and energy that create room for thoughtful and purposeful experience.
The show is, in many ways, similar to the gallery that hosts it. Techne Art Center is quickly making a name for itself in the contemporary art world. The space expands inwardly, offering art like Mary Poppins pulling magic out of her capacious bag. It includes many smaller rooms, which offer artists the opportunity to install expansive work and create a treasure-hunt experience for viewers. Around every turn, new art greets you and pulls you in.
In one of those rooms, an installation piece by Tim Murdoch turns the space into a surreal echo of local ecology; it is quiet, mysterious, and meditative. Murdoch’s work not only transforms the room, it also showcases his masterful ability to transform the materials he is using. A simple but powerful color palette and attention to balance and shadows transfigure familiar wood into something entirely new. “I really like spaces like this because there’s freedom to explore new things and show work that is challenging,” Murdoch says.
Prominent San Diego ceramic artist Sasha Koozel Reibstein has taken up the same call. Her work Antivenom stands tall in the main space, drawing attention with offshooting, open-mouthed snake heads; anthropomorphic petals; unexpected textures; and loud colors.
Murdoch and Reibstein’s pieces resonate so strongly at Techne because it is surrounded by work from artists who are all pushing towards their own version of Mach 1. As a whole, the show boldly requests the viewer set aside everything they know and expect from certain materials. In exchange, it offers radioactive painted ceramics, massive circuit boards woven from fabric, and paintings that deal purely in deception and distortion.
Artist and Techne founder Charles Thomas says his goal for opening his space was to “show work that is so good, people have to come out.”
In Afterburner, he has succeeded. His careful curatorial approach has produced an imperative body of work.
Afterburner opens at Techne Art Center (1609 Ord Way, Oceanside, CA 92056) on Saturday, April 27, from 5 to 8 p.m.
The post Afterburner Breaks the Sound Barrier at Techne Art Center appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
]]>Oceanside went from sleeping
in a parking lot to becoming
one of the nation's biggest personalities
The post Who is Jordan Howlett When the Camera is Off? appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
]]>In his instantly recognizable minimalist videos, the 27-year-old Oceanside local (known in feeds as @jordan_the_stallion8) beckons his viewers near. He then dons his reading glasses, opens his famous leather-bound recipe book, and becomes a type of Gen Z Robin Hood, sharing the classified methods behind popular fast food items with his more than 29 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Want to know how to make Taco Bell’s Baja Blast or Olive Garden’s alfredo sauce? Howlett is your huckleberry.
As founder of what he calls the Fast Food Secrets Club, Howlett has become one of the most popular raconteurs on the internet, spouting wisdom and hot takes with self-effacing humor and an infectious love of food (while bringing icons like Kevin Hart and Method Man in for cameos). Yet, despite speaking to more followers on TikTok (12M+) than Jimmy Fallon and more on Instagram (8M+) than Chris Rock, his path to bonafide internet stardom remains mysterious. So how did he get here? What’s his secret?
Meeting Howlett and speaking to those who know him best, a picture emerges of an introverted kid with a unique fire in his belly, carrying the weight of growing up in a family struggling to stay afloat. “We definitely were strapped for money all the time, and I knew it,” Howlett says. “I was aware of it very early.”
Born in LA County, Howlett spent his early childhood in the high desert city of Victorville, CA, where his dad worked jobs at the nearby federal prison and at Best Buy, among other places. When his parents got an offer to help start a new branch of a mailbox installation company in San Diego, the family moved to Oceanside.
Howlett attended a small public school before transferring to Oceanside High sophomore year in order to have access to sports. This, his friends say, is when the early whispers of Howlett’s potential for big things first could be heard. He seemed to know who he was far earlier than most teenagers, carrying himself with the maturity of someone much wiser than the rest of his peers. But that doesn’t mean high school was easy. Quite the opposite, in fact.
“My first impression with Jordan was I saw this tall, awkward guy with a very big, nappy afro,” says Howlett’s longtime friend Saúl Sandoval Estrada, whom Howlett met soon after transferring. “He had this faded old zip-up hoodie, oversized shorts, really big feet, and mismatched socks that went up to his calves. He was polite and he was humble, but because he looked poor, people made fun of him and would pick on him. A lot.”
“All the girls rejected him,” Estrada adds. “All of them. I mean, in high school you’re not looking for a mature guy with good morals and values and ethics.”
Howlett acknowledges it was tough.
“Every time I tried to talk to girls— or talk to anybody—it was awkward,” he says. “I would always want to give them the utmost kindness, but I was not smooth in the slightest.”
Despite his setbacks, when Howlett found baseball, he didn’t take awkward for an answer. Having never played sports before, he worked maniacally hard to catch up to the kids who’d been playing tee ball since preschool. In a matter of months, Howlett was saying he wanted to play Division 1 ball, with hopes of making it to the big leagues.
“People didn’t like that,” Estrada says. “So they would tell him, ‘You’re not going to college. Look how goofy you are. Look how uncoordinated you are.’”
But Howlett’s ego was unphased.
“When you get coaches in high regard telling you this is not achievable, you have to be half delusional, half mature enough to be like, ‘Hey, I’m gonna do this because I need to see it for myself,’” Howlett says.
He worked out before school at 5 a.m., did his homework at lunch, and attended freshman, JV, and varsity practices in the evenings. Then, he’d be in the batting cages with Estrada into the night, trying to connect with his dream.
After stints in community college, Howlett transferred to UC Riverside in hopes of playing baseball as a walk-on. Unable to afford more than a partial first tuition payment, he was sleeping in his ’97 Chevy Suburban near the field while attending classes and going through tryouts, aiming to make the team and get on scholarship.
Known for stealing secrets, Howlett plays along with sushi chef Andretty Lucatero at Kinme Omakase.
“I’m sleeping in my car, so I’m not getting any sleep. I have no money for food, so I’m not eating much. And I’m stressed about this walk-on,” Howlett explains. “I was so exhausted. I was sleeping in classes, and I failed my first test. I was scared. And the same day I failed that test, the financial aid office told me I owed $3,000 because the second payment was due way quicker than I thought. It was a lot of pressure that I’d never experienced before.”
But the gamble paid off when the coaches extended him a 10-day contract to prove himself.
“Man, I didn’t leave that field,” Howlett says. “Six a.m. lifts, I’m there at 4 a.m. I’m making sure I’m the last to leave. And I made the team.”
He got the scholarship.
“The dude was horrible, but he worked his ass off,” says Jeremiah Luster, an Oceanside-based scout for the Arizona Diamondbacks who witnessed Howlett’s development. “I have never seen a kid work that hard, and I’ve been in baseball for 16 years.”
But then came the pandemic. Howlett’s eligibility expired due to a technicality with his credits from community college, and his baseball dreams were forced into early retirement.
“I didn’t know my last time in the uniform was my last time in the uniform,” he says. “So there was a lot of emotion. It was a lot to process.”
He graduated from UC Riverside in 2020 with degrees in African American studies and kinesiology, but he soon found himself back in Oceanside, working a series of low-paying fast food jobs. His older brother, Elijah, had found some success in the early-ish days of TikTok, so like little brothers have done since the dawn of time, Howlett followed his lead.
And once he caught the bug, that same wild drive that had transformed him from a lumbering teenager into a D1 baseball player in record time had him posting handfuls of videos per day. He fed the feeds, and the feeds fed him back. Within a year, he had a million followers on TikTok.
Now, the only thing slowing him down is the human need for sleep. With baseball, his body would run out of gas, but his mind doesn’t. He’s thinking of ideas around the clock, filming and posting videos day and night. And he’s focused on what’s next. Between invites to A-list events, where he’s sometimes approached by celebrity fans, he’s personally involved in the design and fabric selection for the next drop of Fast Food Secrets Club merch and is dreaming of even larger platforms.
“Movies and TV and getting into grander things, it’s always a fun look,” he says. “But at the end of the day, I would not exist without the people who are watching my videos. And I wanna make sure that as we’re growing, it feels like a journey that we are taking together every step of the way.”
With his massive following and these burgeoning Hollywood aspirations, you might think Howlett is living large, but no. He doesn’t even own a car. The bright blue Tesla he drives to our first interview, he rents by the day on an app.
“My family always comes first,” he says. “I let my dad have the car that I had so he could get to work. And, for myself, a car is a big responsibility. I’m just waiting for the right time.”
Financially, Howlett remains a bit of a mystery. Try putting the Jordan Howlett puzzle together and you realize he has pocketed a few pieces. The picture isn’t fully clear. The king of telling secrets seems to keep a few of his own.
His ever-present PR rep asks us to avoid certain topics: religion, politics, his dating life (although he confirms he identifies as straight). And when it comes to money, Howlett remains vague.
“I don’t want to say anything that might give people the idea of, like, this is a benchmark,” he says. “Everybody’s different. So out of respect to all the other content creators, I’m not gonna share [my income].”
As interesting as it might be to know— at least roughly—how much someone with his following actually makes, there’s no set pay schedule for social media stars. Their incomes are based on niche, audience engagement, and how willing they are to turn their feeds into ads.
“When it comes to social media finances, you’ll get sporadic payments in different lapses of time,” Howlett says. “So, it can easily change from ‘I’m very much struggling to get the light bill paid’ to, ‘Okay, now we have emergency funds for if something were to happen.’ Financial responsibility is the number-one thing.”
These days, Howlett’s mom works in the office of a landscaping company; his dad is in loss prevention at a grocery store. And Howlett continues filming his videos in the bathroom and kitchen of the rented house he shares with them, Elijah, and their cats.
These videos—which often hit view counts in the tens of millions—check all the boxes for social media success: They’re funny, engaging, and repeatable, and they appeal to base human desires like hunger and never paying full-price. But as his star power and follower counts continue to rise, Howlett remains what he’s always been—humble, polite, and focused.
“He doesn’t put up a front,” Estrada says. “What people see, that’s what they’re going to get.”
Howlett’s friend and manager Michael Berkowitz agrees. “He’s the same guy when the camera is down,” he says. “He can be reclusive when there’s a creative block until he’s out of it, but, really, he values relationships and human interactions. Something really special about Jordan is that wherever we are, he’s going to say hi to the janitor or the person working the door.”
Example: Today, we’re on set. Howlett walks into the photo shoot for this magazine’s cover and starts shaking hands with everyone—a sincere two-handed affair, with his left hand resting gently on top. It’s early in the morning, he’s been in the car for an hour, and he had to find parking, and yet, immediately when he enters, everyone—the art director, the photographer, the stylist, the various location hosts—gets a quiet, “Hi, I’m Jordan, nice to meet you,” with a smile, eye contact, that earnest handshake.
“A lot of people say that I talk in a whisper,” Howlett admits. “I keep to myself. Maybe that could be due to traumas, it could be due to how I grew up, but I enjoy it. It gives me extreme solace to know that when I walk into a room, I give myself the best chance to be approachable to anybody and for someone to feel comfortable having a conversation with me. It’s nice.”
Maybe this is why his videos catch such fire. On an internet that feels faker by the minute—full of algorithms that reward copycats, AI-generated vids, and pseudo-experts in everything from wellness to war—you can easily find anything online… except sincerity. When you’re scrolling recommended feeds full of overly produced vids made to manufacture emotion—be it outrage, lust, or simple envy—Howlett’s videos feel like a break from the noise. And maybe that’s his secret. Now all he has to do is write it down in his leather-bound book.
Photo Shoot Credits
Producer: Mateo Hoke
Art Director: Samantha Lacy
Stylist: Amelia Rodriguez
Photographer: Matt Furman
Location: Kinme Omakase
Clothing: provided by Bloomingdale’s Fashion Valley
Watch: provided by Fourtane Rolex Boutique at Fashion Valley
Rings: provided by OB Antique Mart
The post Who is Jordan Howlett When the Camera is Off? appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
]]>The post Incoming: Swine Wine Bottle Shop + East Wing Lounge appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
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flying-pig-exterior.jpeg
Sure, Oceanside’s food scene is hot now. It’s the epicentre of San Diego’s whoa. But wasn’t always that way. And Flying Pig Pub + Kitchen was one of the originals that got it kicked off, when they hung vinyl records in a little warehouse-y spot on South O and started serving killer pork belly and grits.
The Pig went through the crap like all of us did for a few years. They moved locations. But now they’re expanding into the space next door and growing, as it should be.
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Roddy and Aaron Browning were built for this.
I spent my teenage years perfecting the rip on my jeans and undergoing residency at the orthodontist while the husband-and-wife duo spent their teens learning the ins and outs of the restaurant industry (Roddy was a server at James Beard-baiting restaurant, Market Del Mar).
When inspiration struck to open the Pig, they curated an Austin-vibey space where salty, sun-kissed local beach kids and couples could dig into chef-inspired plates in an approachable, homestyle setting. A place where deviled eggs take their rightful place alongside handmade pasta and Duroc pork chops.
After moving from their original location (which now houses Matsu), and a tough stint in Vista, they relocated all things Pig onto Mission Ave, right above Downtown. And now they’re taking over the Sandy Toes Gift Store next door, which they’ll turn into Swine Wine Bottle Shop and East Wing Lounge—vintage everything, woods, leathers (all reused), a splash of gold.
The plan? To sell more wine, lots of it. By the glass, the bottle, the case. Buy a glass of wine from the bottle shop in the front, head a few steps further inside to the lounge anchored by a 12-seater chef’s table. The back third of the venue will be a dedicated kitchen prep space for The Pig. While there’s no word on an exact opening date or operating hours, Aaron hopes to have the new venue up and running in the next month.
Have breaking-news, exciting scoops, or great stories about San Diego’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].
The post Incoming: Swine Wine Bottle Shop + East Wing Lounge appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
]]>The post The Black- and Female-Owned Vintage Shop Housing Your Dream Furniture appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
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Brittany Joseph, owner of Badlands Vintage
Originally published Dec 2020 | Updated February 2023
Just because you’re shopping secondhand doesn’t mean it can’t look high-end or glamorous, says Brittany Joseph, owner of Badlands Vintage. The Oceanside shop is a collection of Joseph’s favorite things—statement furniture pieces and decor from the midcentury modern and ’80s postmodern design eras. “Badlands is kind of desert-meets-city vibes,” she says. “It’s minimalist pieces that have a touch of glam.”
Step inside her brick-and-mortar and you’ll see what she means. Joseph has carefully curated the store to reflect her style and ditched the cluttered look often found in most vintage shops, making it a point to lay out the furniture as one would a home. “I wanted the space to feel warm and inviting,” she says. “I think it’s helpful for people to see how the pieces look in a completed space instead of being positioned on their own.”
Badlands Vintage / Living Space
Her inventory changes often, as she shops for new pieces nearly every day. The key to finding them is simple: She only purchases things she absolutely loves, ensuring that every item in her inventory is something easy for her to sell.
Joseph has had a knack for thrifting for most of her life. She started with vintage clothing, slowly building a closet of secondhand items, then expanded into finding vintage home goods as she started designing her own spaces and helping her friends with theirs. It felt like a natural move to turn it into a business and, when she moved to Oceanside eight years ago, decided to do just that.
She’s been running her online shop ever since, operating out of her home, warehouse, and a small pop-up in Sea Hive Marketplace. But in 2020, despite the pandemic, Joseph says her business was growing exponentially. “So many people were at home suddenly and I think they realized they wanted to make their home a really comfortable and inviting place to be,” she says.
Badlands Vintage / Candles
That spike in sales led her to scout for a more permanent home. She found her ideal location on South Coast Highway, flipped it in an impressive three weeks, and opened just in time for Small Business Saturday. And if that sounds like a crazy feat, it’s because it is. “I’m very goal driven,” she says, “so in the moment I just get to work and do what needs to be done, but I’m starting to realize just how crazy it was to do it all so fast.”
It’s a testament to her impeccable work ethic. Now, she’s been able to pursue a lifelong passion even amid a global health crisis. But that’s just one aspect of it. For Joseph, the real reward comes from opening a Black- and female-owned business. “I love living in Oceanside and I love this community,” she says. “There are only a few Black-owned businesses here, so I’m proud to help represent people of color, especially women.”
The post The Black- and Female-Owned Vintage Shop Housing Your Dream Furniture appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
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