San Diego Savvy

My BFF is coming to visit!

2010-05-17T17:37:00.000-07:00

It has been more than a year since I have seen my best friend and she is finally coming to visit next month! I can't wait to see her and show off San Diego. She lives in Seattle so she already has access to a lot of art, culture, live music, and great food but I want her to fall in love with San Diego like I have.

I started a list and there is no way I can take her to all of my favorite places in just a week! I will be working a bit and taking an evening class so I want to make the most of the time we have without spending a fortune. We will definitely be visiting the beach and may even spring for surfing lessons or a kayak tour. I'm sure she wants to see some of the standard places like Balboa Park and the zoo, but we are bound to get tired of crowds of tourists. What are your favorite places in San Diego to take visitors?

Fitness in San Diego

2010-04-11T19:16:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking a lot about fitness lately since my mom, sister, and I decided to do a triathlon a year from now. We have tentatively decided on the San Diego Spring Sprint in May of 2011. The race starts at South Shores Park on Mission Bay and includes a 1/4 mile swim, 9 mile bike, and 3 mile run. I'm definitely not in good enough shape for something like that, but I have a year to make it happen.

I ran for a mile yesterday at Lake Murray and I'm still getting used to my new running shoes, Vibram Five Fingers. So far it feels pretty good and I am very excited to make some progress! I really think that having a big goal like this will help inspire me to make positive lifestyle changes. For further inspiration I have been looking into the fitness resources in San Diego. Luckily, there is no shortage of wonderful, affordable activities to keep me challenged and entertained.

Fitness for Free

There is no reason that being in great shape should cost you a lot of money. In fact, it is possible to get in to great physical condition without any fancy gear or equipment. All you need is a decent pair of shoes to get outside, enjoy the fresh air, and have a great workout.

Running is one of my favorite ways to exercise and you can do it just about anywhere. If you have never been much of a runner Couch-to-5K is a great program to get you started. Using websites like Running Map and Walk Jog Run you can plan out a route in your neighborhood and know exactly how far you ran. The San Diego Track Club has a list of San Diego Runs and there are a number of great runs at Balboa Park, Mission Bay Park, and Lake Murray.

The Perrier Parcourse Fitness Circuit is a 2.5 mile course in Balboa Park around the Morley Field Sports Complex. There are 18 exercise stations along the path including jumping jacks, chin-ups, push-ups, and sit-ups. Visit San Diego Parks and Recreation for more information on trails as well as recreation programs, recreation centers, and swimming pools. Walking, hiking, bicycling, and swimming are also ways to get a workout for next to nothing.

Fitness on a Budget

Intramural sports are a fun, social way to stay active. If your workplace doesn't have a team already you could try to convince some coworkers or just ask around because local teams are frequently looking for more players! Softball San Diego has information on leagues and a message board for players to find teams. Thanks to sponsorships the cost to players is usually minimal. Call your nearest recreation center for more information on intramural leagues.

Saturday Morning Yoga is available every week at Allied Gardens Tang Soo Do Academy for a suggested $5 donation. The Yoga 101 classes start at 9:45am and the more advanced Vinyasa classes begin at 8:30am. The price is definitely affordable and the academy is conveniently located to Cowles Mountain if you want to start your Saturday off with yoga and a hike.

Fitness at a Price

San Diego has plenty of gyms, chances are there is even one in your neighborhood. A gym membership can be a worthwhile investment if you use it, but it can be a big waste of money if you don't ever go. Be honest with yourself and make sure to consider the gym location, hours, classes, amenities, cost, and contract length before making any expensive decisions.

There is also a huge selection of specialty gyms in San Diego. Whether you are interested in martial arts, rock climbing, boxing, dance, gymnastics, or yoga there is a facility available. My sister is a CrossFit enthusiast and I am thinking about giving it a try. CrossFit is a program that focuses on overall physical fitness and integrates weightlifting, sprinting, and gymnastics. CrossFit, Inc has information and instructional videos online but there is also a gym right here in San Diego. CrossFit San Diego offers three 1-on-1 foundation classes for $179 and unlimited group training sessions for $130/month. The price may be a bit steep but it can be a great support network and facilitate real lifestyle changes.

San Diego Blogs

2010-03-26T15:35:00.000-07:00

As part of my mission to become a great blogger I have been exploring the infinite blogosphere. I have fallen in love with several popular food and fashion blogs already, but now that I have discovered the multitude of San Diego bloggers I really have my reading cut out for me. This is my list of current favorites, but let me know if there are any others I need to check out!

Lick-a-plate
When I'm not eating or cooking I am reading about eating and cooking. I can't wait for more posts from Jen so that I can get some more tasty recipes and learn about other great places in San Diego.

Food is My Favorite
Another local foodie reviews some of the best local restaurants and has a nice, simple blog design.

Quiet/Loud Observer
Edwin Real has a frequently updated Posterous blog full of amusing photos, videos, links, and places to go in San Diego.

San Diego Momma
This is an amusing blog with a bit of everything: product reviews, poetry, and personal anecdotes actually worth reading.

SocialAddict
Keep up with the latest fashion, beauty, and entertainment. Although I'm not really a big fan of designer brands and the like, Sarah has good fashion picks and seems to keep up with events in San Diego.

Alice Q. Foodie
Four years of San Diego food blogging and still going strong. I love the great meal suggestions, photographs, and her support of local, sustainable food.

Food
This girl loves food, and I definitely relate. Her posts cover all sorts of food related topics and inspire me to try new things.

The Art of Beer
Keep track of the best craft beers and breweries of San Diego and the world.

Adventures of a Military Family of 8
As a relatively new Navy wife myself it always makes me happy to come across experienced and knowledgeable military spouses. Not only can Lily keep control of six children, she also manages to find all sorts of good deals in San Diego.

La Jolla Mom
A great all around blog with posts on food, wine, travel, home, family, local events, and some great giveaways.

The Bobby Pin
This blog is all over the place in the very best way! Cute clothing, saving money, current events, silly things, serious things, and plenty of other surprises.

Livin' La Vida Local
I am really sad that Melanie is no longer posting, but her blog is still full of up to date information on eating local in San Diego. If you are trying to eat local and support San Diego businesses, it is the best resource I have found.

This list should keep you busy, so get reading.

Old Town San Diego

2010-03-15T00:16:00.000-07:00

Old Town San Diego State Historic Park has a lot to offer for a place that doesn't charge admission. There are five original adobe structures and a variety of historic buildings and shops. My favorite attraction was the Casa de Estudillo, an adobe house built in 1827. I love how all of the rooms are set up so that I can imagine what it would be like to live there myself.

After elbowing my way through the masses in the smaller buildings in the park it was a great relief to find this one quiet corner overlooking the courtyard garden. As much as I enjoy everything the city life has to offer, I still find it exhausting to battle crowds of people everywhere I go.

Although entrance to the park is free, there are more than enough cute little stores to spend your money at. Just don't let all the shiny toys distract you from all the history! Here is a thorough list from the San Diego Historical Society of the notable buildings and museums around Old Town.

I'm definitely glad I went to see Old Town but I probably won't spend a lot of time there. I will be returning at least once more to see a few of the places I missed and to try some of the Mexican food I hear so much about. So what is your favorite Mexican restaurant in Old Town?

For anyone considering their own adventure in Old Town I recommend taking public transportation. Parking was basically impossible to find on a Saturday and it would have saved a lot of time and hassle if we had just left our car at home!

Mission Beach: The Strand

2010-02-19T15:38:00.000-08:00

It is nice to spend an afternoon strolling the beach, even on a hazy day in February. Supposedly this is the most popular beach in San Diego and I can easily see why.

The beach itself is 2 miles long and a great place to sunbathe, swim, surf, run, play volleyball or horseshoes, or have a bonfire in one of the fire pits. Having a beach bonfire is definitely high on my list of things to do in San Diego, I'm just a bit disappointed that alcohol isn't allowed on the beaches. It certainly won't be a proper bonfire unless I have a beer in hand! Check the San Diego Beach and Water Regulations to see what else you aren't supposed to do.

The cement boardwalk that parallels the beach is also swarming with activity. I was pretty distracted by the row of gorgeous vacation homes, making me hazard to all of the people walking, biking, skateboarding, and rollerblading. I decided it would be better if I just sat on the beach, dug my toes into the sand, and watched the waves roll in. Even on a beach full of active people I still find the ocean extraordinarily peaceful.

What is your favorite San Diego Beach?

Lestat's

2010-01-17T23:04:00.000-08:00

We hit up Lestat's Coffeehouse on Saturday night for a cup of joe and some free music next door. I would think it was a great place just because they are open 24/7 and have free wi-fi. However there was also a tasty selection of food and drink, the staff was friendly, and I really dig the vintage decor. I can imagine it gets pretty full of students around finals but it wasn't very crowded this weekend.

Allison Lonsdale and Eben Brooks played over in Lestat's West and they are there on the third Saturday of every month. Their songs really speak to my inner geek. I was particularly amused by their song LOL Together so you should check it out!

I hope to check out some more local acts at Lestat's and that shouldn't be too difficult since they have live entertainment every night of the week.

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Live Music

2010-01-12T15:30:00.000-08:00

The San Diego Reader has a great page to keep track of the upcoming shows in San Diego. Their list it includes a ton of different venues but I want to remember who is playing in the next few months that I may want to go see. This is the list of bands that I think would be particularly fun, though they are all fairly well known and I would love to get in on some good local music.

Anti-Flag (punk/rock) @ SOMA 1/23/10 6:30 pm $15
The Used (rock) @ House of Blues 1/27/10 7:30pm $20-22.50
Anya Marina (indie/alternative) @ The Casbah 2/20/10 9pm $13-$15
Tegan and Sara (indie/pop) @ Copley Symphony Hall 3/3/10 8pm $40+
Bad Religion (punk/rock) @ House of Blues 3/19/10-3/21/10 7pm $27.50
The Alkaline Trio (alternative) @ House of Blues 4/1/10 7:30pm $17.50-$21.50

I have seen Anti-Flag and The Used before, so if I can only make it to one of these I would love to see Anya Marina. She has a great cover of Whatever You Like.

Is there a live music show coming up that you can't wait to see?

Maxwell's House of Books

2010-01-11T08:00:00.000-08:00

Maxwell's House of Books in La Mesa is easily my favorite used bookstore so far, and that is high praise coming from a book junkie such as myself. There is a great selection and I was pleasantly surprised with the reasonable prices after visiting bookstores in trendier neighborhoods. There is a great selection of high quality literature, poetry, history, philosophy, and science books. Mr. Maxwell was friendly and knowledgeable, I plan to spend some real quality time (and money) there.

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A Glimpse of La Jolla

2010-01-10T20:09:00.000-08:00

I spent some time wandering the beaches but I know I missed a lot of what La Jolla has to offer and I can't wait to go back. It would be a nice place to live, although a bit more expensive than I am willing to pay. But how wonderful it would be to live by the beach!

First I visited La Jolla Cove and it is positively picturesque. The beach itself was smaller than I had imagined and fairly busy even in January.

The San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park is an excellent place for scuba divers and snorkelers, spanning 6000 acres of ocean bottom with two artificial reefs. The Underwater Park also includes the Ecological Reserve and Marine Life Refuge so check out the seals and sea life in the Shell Beach Tide Pool.

Although the cove itself is reserved for swimming there is some amazing kayaking nearby. I would love to take the tour from La Jolla Shores to the sea caves. This company offers tours for $50 and I think that experience it would be well worth the price!

Immediately adjacent to the cove is Ellen Browning Scripps Park which is open from 4am to 8pm and you can drink alcohol there from noon until the park closes. Restrooms and showers are available. It would be a great place to fly a kite, picnic, or barbecue.

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Two San Diego Beers

2009-12-05T00:04:00.000-08:00

Everyone has heard of the Stone Brewing Company and their famous Arrogant Bastard Ale. I'm a big fan myself. However there are several other great beers made in San Diego County that are worth checking out! I sampled two different brews tonight and I'm still trying to decide which is my favorite. In order to make a final decision I require more beer!

First is the American Amber Ale from Lightning Brewery in Poway. I first sampled their beers at BevMo! a few weeks ago and I have to say I loved all of them, but I was sufficiently inebriated at that point and my palate was not to be trusted.

It has a nice color and aroma, and it definitely doesn't taste like it is 7.5% alcohol. It is modeled after the UK "Premium Bitters" and although I'm not normally a fan of hoppy or bitter beers this one was nicely balanced with local malt. I admit it isn't a terribly distinctive but it was definitely worth $3.99 for 22 oz.

I also partook of the Wahoo Wheat Bear from Ballast Point. They are located in Scripps Ranch by the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station.

Unfiltered hefeweizens are always my favorite style of beer so of course I liked this one. I don't always love white beers spiced with coriander and orange peel but Wahoo Wheat is absolutely a step up from Blue Moon or Shock Top and easily rivals any other domestic wheat beer. I still think the Belgians and Germans still do wheat beers better (I would hope so) but for the price this one is definitely worthwhile.

I love good beer and I love supporting local businesses. So in order to provide better reviews I fear I must sample more of the available stock. Hell, I should probably visit the breweries themselves... just to supervise production of course.

Harry Griffen Park

2009-11-30T17:36:00.000-08:00

I'm still amazed at this wonderful November weather! As a recent transplant from the north, I decided to celebrate a 70 degree winter day with a little jaunt in the park. Harry Griffen Park in La Mesa was a good choice with its nice walking trail and shaded picnic area. I didn't think to bring my running shoes this time, but I will definitely be back!

The amphitheater is the best feature.

It is a lovely place for live music, a play, or a wedding.

In addition to the amphitheater and walking trails this 53 acre park has several other highlights including a playground, barbecues, horseshoe pits, Canine Corner for unleashed dogs, and an open field for playing sports.

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I can only hope the rest of the parks in San Diego are this great!