my jaunts: san diego, california

the sunset cliffs in san diego just south of ocean beach

the sunset cliffs in san diego just south of ocean beach

at the request of two jaunt readers, i am including a post on san diego today!  san diego embodies southern california to me. it has all of the relaxation of the beach cities with a little bit of urban edge.  mix in a strong mexican culture (seen in its abundant mexican food restaurants and over-the-top dia de los muertos festivities), along with a strong armed forces culture (the navy is everywhere in this town from the uss midway aircraft carrier and museum to the naval base at point loma, and the marines have a huge base just north of town) and you have a city rich in personality.

i never know where to start with san diego because there is so much to do and so varied of choices.  let me give you just a taste of my favorites:

balboa park in san diego

balboa park in san diego

  • the culturebalboa park is home of the zoo, 15 museums, and gorgeous grounds, and is an absolute must-see.  i really enjoy strolling the pedestrian areas near the lily pond and japanese friendship garden.  for a quick (and perfect) break, enjoy happy hour at the gorgeous prado restaurant.  a nearby bandstand has an enormous outdoor pipe organ, and provides concerts throughout the year.  the old globe theater is also inside by the museum of man.  i am not a big fan of zoos, but the san diego zoo is a definite stop.  it’s famous, and there is a reason why.  the peacocks roam freely throughout the park and the pandas are too cute for words.  the orangutans are right there in front of you, hanging out inches from the glass that separates you.  my friend, nic, swears the dc zoo is better, but i haven’t been there, so you’ll have to be the judge.  the safari park is also supposedly amazing, though i have not visited, and it offers a zipline over the elephants, giraffes, etc.
cuuuute panda at the san diego zoo

cuuuute panda at the san diego zoo

  • the food – little italy is full of restaurants (mostly italian) and always packed with people.  everyone argues over the best italian restaurant, but i’ve enjoyed the pizza at isola, one of the newer restaurants in the area.  a stop at extraordinary desserts afterward is necessary if for no other reason than to ogle at the beautiful pastries and cakes.  nearby, just north of the airport, lucha libre offers the largest and most inventive burritos i’ve had.  as seen on diners, drive-ins, and dives, this place is known for its large and delicious burrito concoctions in an atmosphere filled with luchador mexican wrestling memorabilia.  the lines are long, so try to go during non-peak times.
the dining room at lucha libre in san diego - crazy big burritos!

the dining room at lucha libre in san diego – crazy big burritos!

  • the beaches – i stayed at the beach cottages on pacific beach during my last trip to san diego, and the beach culture is something else.  walking along the boardwalk, every house had a surfboard over the balcony/veranda, with wetsuits hanging on clothes lines outside.  beautiful people bike, skate, and run by carrying surfboards, walking dogs, or just grabbing a beer at one of the many establishments along the beach or mission bay drive.  lahaina beach house provides amazing views with a great patio, as does woody’s just a few doors down.  the olive cafe on mission bay has a warm atmosphere, as well.  also check out the embarcadero, a stretch of land along the san diego bay filled with public art, grassy knolls, and shopping.
brunch and view at lahaina beach house on ocean beach

brunch and view at lahaina beach house on ocean beach

  • the nightlife – the gaslamp district near downtown is full of bars, restaurants, clubs, and some of the city’s nicest hotels, and is completely walkable.  on one of my trips to san diego, we were able to walk from our hotel to petco park (home of the san diego padres), then to dinner, and later out for dessert and drinks. altitude sky lounge at the top of the marriott was named by travel + leisure as one of america’s best outdoor bars, and there are plenty of late night bars that offer reverse happy hours that run until midnight!
the dia de los muertos festival at old town in san diego

the dia de los muertos festival at old town in san diego

who should go: beach-goers, photogs, the overworked looking for some relaxation

what to listen to: mexican institute of sound

what to pack: a swimsuit, a camera, and a picnic for balboa park or the embarcadero

some of the desserts offered at extraordinary desserts in san diego's little italy

some of the desserts offered at extraordinary desserts in san diego’s little italy

my jaunts: for love of the game

a beautiful night for baseball at chavez ravine in los angeles

a beautiful night for baseball at chavez ravine in los angeles

all of this post-season baseball has me excited for, well, the best sport in america.  i haven’t always been a fan, though.  during a wildly fun trip to new york in the summer of 2004, my best friend dragged me to a new york yankees baseball game.  i was very skeptical of this outing (why do we need to go to the bronx again?) and frantically looked up safety issues for the surrounding burroughs.

my first ever major league game at yankee stadium with kim!

my first ever major league game at yankee stadium with kim!

once in the park, though, i fell in love.  the fans, the music, the hot dogs and beer, the players – i loved it all!  and it was so decidedly new york.  it was big and it was passionate and it was that crazy high of community you get at any great sporting event.  and it didn’t hurt that a-rod hit a walk-off home run to win the game (fact: i did not know who a-rod was at said game, but rather fell in love with hideki matsui).  riding back on the subway to manhattan (crammed full of fans, by the way – no safety issues there!), a long-time yankees fan struck up a conversation and, after hearing this was my first game, said, ‘after a game like that, you’re a fan for life.’  and so i am.

enjoying the game from the bleachers at the rangers ballpark in arlington

enjoying the game from the bleachers at the rangers ballpark in arlington

fast forward 9 years, and i’m now married to an avid baseball fan, which means we spend a fair amount of our summers watching baseball.  naturally, any trip to a major city involves catching a game or at least a stadium tour.  i’m looking for a map to track the stadiums visited (anyone have any ideas?  i’m all ears!), but in the meantime, please enjoy some photos and, of course, some lists.

the view of downtown pittsburgh from pnc park - stunning!

the view of downtown pittsburgh from pnc park – stunning!

  • favorite stadium overall: old yankees stadium (of course, it’s where the magic happened)
  • favorite view from the stands: tied between pnc park, where the pittsburgh pirates play, and petco park, where the san diego padres play.  one is on the water with the city in the background, and the other is in the middle of downtown san diego.  stunning.
  • favorite hot dog: the world famous dodger dog in dodger stadium in echo park, los angeles
  • favorite beer: the many microbrews offered at safeco field, where the seattle mariners play
  • favorite stands: the crammed and awkward stands at fenway park in boston (especially the green monster!)
  • favorite fans: the bleacher creatures :)
the view of downtown san diego from petco park

the view of downtown san diego from petco park

what are your favorite sports related sites to visit?