Romolo & Remo pasta sauce

Gettin’ Sauced

To the delight of anyone consistently underwhelmed by jarred sauces (me), an artisanal brand called Romolo & Remo has sprung up in City Heights. Their Roman-style tomato sauces are fit for pastas, pizzas, and anything else that requires red liquid gold. Chef Nico Del Guidice-Piña was raised in Rome, where his mom is from, returning to the United States in 2007 to live and attend high school in City Heights, where he’s been ever since. The sauces come in four varieties with either a garlic or basil base, each with a spicy option aided by chile de arbol. Hand-jarred (and delicious, I can confirm), the sauces are always vegan and gluten-free, with no added sugars.

SD Museum of Natural History – 50th Anniversary Canyoneers Program

Into the Wilderness

If dating app profiles are to be believed, hiking is easily one of the most popular activities among San Diegans. This month is the San Diego Museum of Natural History’s 50th anniversary of its Canyoneers program, comprised of volunteer naturalists who offer free, expert-guided hikes all over SD County. What began in 1973 as an advocacy group to help preserve Florida Canyon has evolved into a full-fledged program providing natural history interpretation and info on regional flora and fauna. A list of led hikes can be found online.

Nomadic, Presented by The Colony

Desert Dreaming

If you’ve been hearing about new stuff popping up in far East County, you’ve been hearing right. The latest opening is Nomadic, presented by The Colony, an artistic playground-slash-desert-resort with glamping, a geodesic dome, motel rooms, full RV hookups, customized park model homes, and an on-site arts collective. The park model homes are designed by Leslie K. Monroy, a local cannabis florist and installation artist, each with its own color and theme (’60s Sunrise Yellow, ’70s Afternoon Blue, ’80s Sunset Purple, and the others garden-themed). It’s in Jacumba Hot Springs, right past the Golden Acorn Casino.

Pop Up Picnic Co. – Picnic + Flowers

In Full Bloom

Bust out those wide-brimmed hats and floral digs: Pop Up Picnic Co. is hosting Picnics + Flowers through May 14 at Carlsbad’s The Flower Fields. The picnic series includes ranunculus-filled ocean views, a prix-fixe meal, a variety of non-alcoholic drinks like aguas frescas and iced teas, cold towel service, and a Polaroid photo. The picnics are also customizable for guests with accessibility limitations. There’ll be two seatings per day at 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Tickets available online for $125 per person.

Oh Glory Day Spa, North Park

Glory Be 

A brand-new day spa, called Oh Glory, has arrived in North Park. Focusing on holistic treatments that incorporate acupuncture, facials targeting microbiome and cell regeneration, massage treatments that fuse intuitive modalities with traditional techniques, and powerful plant compounds like healing herbs, cold-pressed organic oils, and floral waters, the program is designed to bring peace to both body and mind. Owners (and best friends for 17 years) Jessica Anderson and Serena Kahlen have long careers in spa care: Kahlen, an esthetician for 20 years, owns La Jolla’s Zio Skin Spa. Anderson has been a hairstylist for 20 years and owns Salvage Salon and the newly opened Lovesong Coffee next door to the spa.

Palihotel San Diego

Downtown Digs

Adding to the ever-growing list of posh lodgings debuting in the Gaslamp is Palihotel San Diego, a 122-room boutique hotel from the chic Palisociety portfolio. The site was originally built as the St. James Hotel in 1912—the transformed version has stylish, modern updates as well as design features that nod back to the building’s early 20th-century roots. The hotel also boasts a guest-only roof deck and a new restaurant, Saint James French Diner, which melds American diner-style food with French bistro classics.

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