When Noelia Pahissa moved from Barcelona to San Diego, she brought her love of these traditional Spanish sandals with her. Originally created on the island of Menorca for its workers, Avarcas have since become de rigueur. We love their soft leather and go-with-anything look. Pahissa’s U.S. label, PONS Avarcas, are handmade in Spain. They come in flat and platform styles and a variety of bright summer colors, but these red, white, and blue hues are perfect for July’s patriotic parties. Available locally at Hunt & Gather, Zazen, Elos Shoes, Progress, and Crow Thief.
SF-based children’s clothing company Peek recently opened next to Gap, in the Sears wing. Hanna Andersson, also for babies and kids, will open in mid-July. White House | Black Market opens June 20, and is offering $20 off full-price purchases of $80 or more through July 21. Laid-back, boho denim company Madewell will make its UTC debut on July 23. And coming this August or September: Lululemon. Namaste! westfield.com/utc
British fashion icon Topshop is about to spill into San Diego
By BILL PRESANT
Calling all “top shoppers!” British fashion icon Topshop is about to spill into San Diego via your local Nordstrom. The department store launched its collaboration with the brand last year, offering Topshop designs online, and in-store at a handful of locations. The expansion to San Diego means you no longer have to travel or log on to browse Topshop’s mix of styles, ranging from upscale and tailored to budget-friendly and punk rock. Keep an eye out for a full Topshop department at Nordstrom Fashion Valley, as well as a Top- man-only department at Nordstrom Horton Plaza. It’s the slim-fit suit that makes the man.
It may not be Vogue caliber but it's a chance to support local talent
You don’t have to go to New York or Paris for a glimpse of runway style. Fashion Week San Diego takes place September 30–October 6, showcasing the work of 26 emerging designers. It may not be Vogue caliber (we’re pretty sure Anna Wintour wouldn’t be caught dead at the SDFW doggie fashion show on October 4), but it’s a chance to support local talent. Bring your Tim Gunn eye and poker face. Here’s hoping it helps our local fashion scene figure itself out. fashionweeksd.com
A perfectly designed home rarely happens by accident. Those kitchens that feel effortless and rooms that seem to tell a story the second you walk in? They’re usually the work of someone who knows exactly what they’re doing.
It’s knowing which ideas will actually work, which materials will hold up over time, and how to turn a collection of choices into a space that feels intentional. That’s where a professional interior designer comes in.
For the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) California San Diego Chapter, the goal is to help people see interior design as more than just the finished look. Behind every well-designed space is a process built on technical expertise. Designers are educated in everything from professional software and construction details to building codes, space planning, materials, and functionality.
Courtesy of ASID
“People don’t always realize how much goes on behind the scenes,” Kirsten Recce , current president of the ASID California San Diego Chapter, says. “Our designers are not just doing furniture placement and color selection and picking out new fluffy pillows. That’s not what they’re trained for.”
ASID members bring formal education, continued learning, and industry knowledge to their projects, helping create spaces that are not only beautiful, but designed to work. A paint color that changes completely depending on the lighting. A material that looks beautiful in a showroom but doesn’t make sense for everyday life. A layout that photographs well but doesn’t function for the people living there. These are the details where professional guidance can make all the difference.
Still, one of the biggest misconceptions about hiring an interior designer is that it’s reserved for massive renovations, luxury homes, or people who already know exactly what they want. The process can feel intimidating. Where do you begin? Is a designer worth the investment? What if you only need help with one room?
ASID’s answer: start with one hour.
ASID’s Spruce Up events break down one of the biggest barriers between homeowners and professional design: knowing where to begin. Held twice a year, the community program gives homeowners the chance to work directly with an ASID designer through a one-hour, $125 consultation in their own home. Whether you’re looking for advice on furniture placement, window treatments, kitchen and bath updates, remodeling ideas, vacation rentals, color selections or something else entirely, the upcoming September 2026 event offers an approachable way to get expert guidance before committing to a full project. Signups are open through Sept. 7, with consultations taking place Sept. 21 through Oct. 31. Proceeds benefit ASID San Diego’s educational and community programs. Register here!
Courtesy of ASID
“It’s a great opportunity for people who are in that exploratory phase,” Recce says. “Maybe they’re not sure they want to hire an interior designer yet, or they think it sounds daunting or expensive. This gives them a chance to discover what working with a designer is actually like.”
Design is personal. A good designer isn’t just creating a beautiful room; they’re helping create a space that fits the way someone lives.
“We’re a resource to all of San Diego County,” Recce says. “It doesn’t cost anything to pick up the phone and call and ask. We’ll answer.”
Films, concerts and an exorbitant amount of lemons comprise this week’s most entertaining events in San Diego. Those looking to beat the heat can find shelter and cinematic gold with The Treasure of the Sierra Madre at Digital Gym Cinema, or check out a cult classic at the Balboa Theatre’s 40th anniversary screening of Little Shop of Horrors. From South Bay to La Jolla, concertgoers can catch collaborative tours from the likes of Santana & the Doobie Brothers, Helado Negro & Reyna Tropical and Jason Aldean & Luke Bryan. This weekend also marks the return of the two-day San Diego Made Summer Market and the yearly Lemon Festival, both of which are ripe for shopping unique local vendors.
SeaWorld San Diego’s beer and barbeque party is back with a live music component and an extra ‘B’ in its name. Every Friday-Sunday (and Labor Day) through Sept. 7, the Bayside Bands, Brew & BBQ festival will feature 60+ locally crafted beers and bites like pork belly tater tots, root beer baked beans and s’mores pie. SeaWorld visitors can also check out rock concerts featuring Saliva (Saturday), Uncle Kracker (Aug. 22) and Skillet (Aug. 29) in the Bayside Amphitheater. Park entry starts at $74 for Bayside Bands, Brew & BBQ dates, and includes festival admission.
500 Sea World Drive, Mission Bay
Lemon Festival
August 15
Seize the day, or squeeze the day—whichever your preference—at the Downtown Chula Vista Association’s free Lemon Festival. This annual event celebrates lemons in all their citrusy glory and ensures the city’s lemon legacy still bears fruit for years to come. This Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., enjoy a lemony menu, two live music stages, arts and crafts vendors, kids activities at Memorial Park and photos with the festival’s mascot, Tarty the Lemon. And be sure to save room for the lemon pie eating contest, with registration still open to those ages 12-99.
Third Avenue, Chula Vista
Courtesy of Jason Aldean
Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Weekend
Santana & the Doobie Brothers at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
August 11
Few regions have birthed as many iconic bands as the Bay Area, with Santana (San Francisco) and the Doobie Brothers (San Jose) among the area’s most influential. Though they’ve mastered different variations of rock n’ roll—with Santana championing Latin rock and the Doobie Brothers masters of breezy yacht rock—both groups understand the importance of a good groove. This Tuesday (7 p.m.), the two bands will run through their greatest hits at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre, and showcase their shared roots. Tickets start at $28 for this concert.
2050 Entertainment Circle, Chula Vista
Helado Negro & Reyna Tropical at Esptein Family Ampitheater
August 12
One of the year’s best musical teamups—combining the talents of Roberto Carlos Lange (Helado Negro) and Fabi Reyna (Reyna Tropical)—produced Helado Tropical, a subtle yet audacious daliance with Latin pop and wavy soundscapes. This Wednesday (7 p.m.) at Epstein Family Amphitheater, Lange and Reyna will pull from their respective catalogs and play their collaborative album in full. Ticket options include youth admission for ages 2-18 ($25-$28) and adults ($35-$50).
9480 Innovation Lane, La Jolla
An Evening with Goose at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
August 13
The defining quality that makes a jam band truly so is a willingness to improvise, keeping audiences, and even their most dedicated fans, waiting with bated breath for their next move. As with pioneers of the practice like the Grateful Dead, Connecticut rock group Goose treat concerts as a nightly display for their vast musical chemistry. When Goose performs this Thursday (7 p.m.) at Cal Coast Credit Union Theatre, don’t be surprised if a familiar track is extended by an extra five, ten or thirty minutes into a new cosmic space. Tickets start at $55 for this concert.
5500 Campanile Drive, College Area
Jason Aldean & Luke Bryan at Petco Park
August 16
Georgians Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan both began their rise to country music stardom in the 2000s, and have since become two of the genre’s revered elder statesmen. After a sold-out one-off show at the University of Georgia in April, the pair decided to take the Peach State experience nationwide with co-headlining stops in Missoula, Montana, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas and San Diego’s Petco Park. This Sunday (4 p.m.), country fans can catch the two stars, as well as a slew of up-and-coming talent, with openers Gavin Adcock, Chase Matthew, Dee Jay Silver and DJ Rock. Tickets start at $74 for this concert.
Ryan Hardison is a freelance arts and entertainment writer and recent graduate of San Diego State. When he's not staring at his laptop, he's likely eating an adobada burrito or getting sunburnt at the beach.
Chemotherapy and radiation have long been considered gold standards of cancer treatment, but they can cause severe side effects. A promising new approach called theranostics—a combination of “therapeutics” and “diagnostics”—could offer patients with certain types of metastatic cancers new hope. It’s a two-step process that uses a drug that binds to specific receptors on cancer cells. Advanced imaging detects this radioisotope, allowing doctors to then use a second radioisotope that binds to the cancer cells and destroys them. Click here to learn more about how specialists at Scripps Cancer Center are using theranostics.
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