New York City had Frederick Law Olmstead, considered to be the father of landscape architecture, to design Central Park, and San Diego had Kate O. Sessions. Kate Sessions (1857-1940) is known as the “Mother of Balboa Park” because of her work as a botanist, horticulturist, and landscape architect. In 1892, she leased 30 acres in… Read More Kate Sessions Memorial Park
At the new(er) Portside Pier complex that replaced the iconic Anthony’s Fish Grotto on the Embarcadero is Ketch Grill & Taps. It’s a casual restaurant on the second level with great views of the harbor and, from what I could tell, all of the seating is outdoors under umbrellas or canopies. There’s a small bar… Read More Ketch Grill & Taps
If you find yourself wandering along the Embarcadero between the Cruise Ship Terminal and Broadway Street Pier, you may want to check out the Carnitas’ Snack Shack right on the waterfront for an informal lunch, happy hour, or dinner. I had never been there before, and I wondered if it catered to the tourist crowd,… Read More Carnitas’ Snack Shack
Don’t waste any time getting to the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park if you want to see the cherry trees in full bloom! It appears that they are at their peak as of 16 March, and the blossoms’ petals are beginning to drift to the ground in a mini blizzard of pink when a… Read More Cherry Blossoms at Japanese Friendship Garden
Not far from downtown San Diego is the culturally rich neighborhood of Barrio Logan. In fact, the neighborhood is one of fourteen California Cultural Districts and Chicano Park earned National Historic Landmark status in 2017. History In 1871, Congressman John Logan from Illinois drafted legislation for a transcontinental railroad that would end in San Diego.… Read More Barrio Logan and Chicano Park
If you have ever had the privilege of going to Europe, you know that the bread you find there is leaps and bounds above any commercial bread available here in the U.S. Clinton and Louie Prager, two brothers born and raised in Carlsbad, have brought European-style artisan bread to San Diego. They offer both a… Read More Prager Brothers Artisan Bread
Life often takes us away from our hometown, whether by choice, career, or other circumstances. When you are lucky enough to find an establishment that can bring you a little slice of home, you quickly add it to your frequently visited places. As a Chicago-area native, for me, the place where I can get a… Read More Lefty’s Chicago Pizzeria
Hillcrest Brewing Company (HBC) is the closest thing that you’ll have to a gay Cheers where “everyone knows your name.” Even though HBC is located at the epicenter of Hillcrest, adjacent to the Pride Plaza/Flag at Normal St. and University Ave., it welcomes everyone who stops in for one of their craft beers or excellent… Read More Hillcrest Brewing Company
Spring break will soon be upon us, and if you’re looking to engage the kiddos with some physical activity while they’re out of school, the playground at Pepper Grove in Balboa Park may be just what the doctor ordered. Of course, you don’t need it to be spring break to visit the playground—go any day.… Read More Pepper Grove Playground
With the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914, San Diego believed that it could become a great shipping port on the west coast—the first in the United States that ships would have an opportunity to visit as they sailed north. To sell the idea to the world, San Diego hosted the Panama-California Exposition in… Read More Santa Fe Depot
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