The mall at Otay Ranch has only a handful of quick-serve eateries, and Tokyo Grill is the one my daughter and I frequent most often. Though I do prefer sit-down sushi, I like that it’s available at the mall if …

Of all the specialty cocktails on the drink menu at the Pearl Hotel, the Marie Antoinette looked the sexiest. Pearl plum vodka, champagne, lavender syrup, and grapefruit juice. Two days hence, I still regret not trying it. Instead, I opted …

I planned a surprise party for my mom who was coming from Boise, Idaho to celebrate her 67th birthday. Mom's on a gluten-free diet. The last time she spent her birthday here in San Diego, we found some gluten-free cupcakes …

“Feed them and they will continue to shop” is, I imagine, the idea behind the Ikea restaurant. Last Sunday, when my mom suggested we get a bite to eat, I parked the shopping cart and ordered the meatball plate. It …

On the last night of my mom's visit, she requested Thai food. I’d seen Mea Kwan 2 (Eastlake) on the way to and from my daughter’s ballet classes, and we decided to give it a try. Inside, the yellow walls, …

Every year, for the past ten years or so, 38-year-old Cory Immele has taken a week off to camp and hike in the Sierra Nevadas – alone. No hotels, no restaurants. "The first year," he admits, "was kind of scary.” …

I have been promising my mom a visit to Brockton Villa for over a year, but every time she’s been in town, we have either forgotten or we just haven’t made it. Finally, this time, we did. Mom is on …

Last December, after closing on our new house in Chula Vista, our real estate agent gave my husband and me a $100 gift card for the Busalacchi family of restaurants. There is one, he said, not too far from our …

As much as I dig a good diner, I would most often opt to sip chardonnay and munch on caviar in a garden surrounded by songbirds if given the choice. My tuna fish budget means I am rarely given the …

Errands day often includes a stop for treats. Last week, I spied a new bakery in downtown Chula Vista, which I used as a carrot throughout the morning to entice the little one to behave. It worked, and after lunch, …

The search for a grilled cheese sandwich on errands day landed the little one and me at Jimmy’s by the Park in downtown Chula Vista. A waitress with the name Tammy printed on the back of her black polo shirt …

I never gave teriyaki rice bowls much thought until my daughter began eating solid food and joining me on frequent jaunts to sushi restaurants. Steamed white rice has always been her number one favorite food (Don’t ask. I have no …

M likes to surprise me on our date nights. He uses the Internet and friend recommendations to scout out places he thinks I’ll like, and then he keeps everything a secret, saying only, “You’ll see.” This weekend, date night happens …

René Millán with the cast of La Jolla Playhouse’s production of AMERICAN NIGHT: THE BALLAD OF JUAN JOSÉ, by Richard Montoya, developed by Culture Clash and Jo Bonney, directed by Jo Bonney. Photo by Craig Schwartz. Lisa Wylie calls her …

If you’re looking for a place to have a quiet, intimate evening, DO NOT go to Blind Lady Ale House. But if you're looking for a first stop on a night of wild adventures, BLAH is your man – so …

I’m what you might call a Cheese Head, for no other reason than that I love cheese. I am not, however, a Fancy Cheese Head. I mean, I do love fancy cheese, but I couldn’t tell you the difference between …

As a new resident of Chula Vista, I’m on the lookout for a go-to sushi joint in my neighborhood. I’d like the option of popping in for a quick lunch, relaxing over an inexpensive dinner, or calling up for take-out. …

Earlier this week, my old man and I had a conversation about that phenomenon where you hear of something (a word, a name, a person) for the very first time, and then suddenly it’s everywhere. It happened to him recently. …

One day last week, my good friend S said she wanted to take me to Centifonti’s. I didn’t understand what she’d said, even when she repeated it a second time. But when she said, “Come on, I’ll buy you chocolate …

When planning a recent trip to the Japanese Friendship Garden, I had my mind set on lunch at the Tea Pavilion to round out a pleasant afternoon in Balboa Park. I’d never been, but I had visions of a serene, …