Off to the Sun: Desert to Ocean - Beautiful San Diego

The last time I was in San Diego, I visited the (considerably smaller) zoo and drove through into Mexico. This time, I was visiting a dear old friend who found me after a years-long separation. Thank you, Internet! Getting off the plane and driving to Carol's home at the border of North and South Park was like stepping into a desert mirage - water, water everywhere.

 The harbor is justifiably famous, and San Diego is a happening town. That evening, we went to dinner in one of the hot neighborhoods, The Gaslamp Quarter in Old Town. Once the purview of winos and the homeless, this long street lined with Victorian buildings interspersed with modern storefronts and illuminated with gaslamp-style electric lights was packed on a Saturday night with folks out for a fine meal, nightclub or stroll. It was a scene! We ate at a Thai place with excellent curries and Yum Nuea (spicy beef salad), Sab Lai Thai Kitchen. It was voted the best Thai restaurant in the city in 2017, and is on the main drag, 5th Ave., in the Gaslamp.

After dinner, we buzzed another local hotspot, Little Italy. San Diego has gone all out to make parts of the town true destinations, and this was no exception. India Street is the central road here, and is connected to the other main street, Columbia, by Piazza della Famiglia, a 10,000-square-foot plaza with a dramatic tiled fountain. Little Italy is known for its restaurants, and, like the Gaslamp, it was packed on Saturday night.


After dinner, we went to Carol's home and I met her loyal guardians, two enormous Australian shepherds.
That's Rio, on the right wondering how soon he can maneuver his way onto a lap for a belly scratch. Lido, on the left, just wants to adore you.





The next morning, we toured the neighborhood, which borders the east side of Balboa Park and is a destination in itself: North and South Park.  The area is a fascinating combination of a real neighborhood with eateries full of locals, shops where people actually know your name, and a destination with a number of craft breweries and boutiques.

Inside the Big Kitchen

More than a few of the establishments have been around for years, including the popular Big Kitchen Cafe on 30th and Grape. Most of the homes here are California Craftsman style with a few Victorians thrown in - an architecture that - to me anyway - typifies a southern California town. All in all, a great place to visit and explore.