We inlanders (who are at least a 15-minute drive to the coastline) can get caught up in our day to day and forget the sparkling majesty that lies just beyond the concrete horizon. Every once …

Every San Diegan knows the value of a kick-ass breakfast burrito and the wretchedness of a disappointing one. I only have one or two breakfast burritos a year, so it’s imperative I know where to …

At some point, we became accustomed to framing our discussion around food choices in moral terms. It’s stupid, and we need to stop.

I don’t often suffer from hangovers — as a pro, I know how to pace myself. But every once in a while a night gets away from me, and I imbibe more booze than water, …

I’m not sure why I never made it into Aladdin before now. I walk by it at least once a week on my way to Trader Joe’s in Hillcrest, so it’s not like I didn’t …

“If you think you’re done, Buster, think again,” he said to the machine as if it could understand him. “I’m just going to keep running you until that floor is clean.”

“I have a confession to make. The four of us tried the escape room downtown.” I didn’t understand why it was a big deal until she finished her confession: “We didn’t make it out.”

When I think of France, I think of food: real food, fresh food, quality food. Freshly baked baguettes, perfectly ripened cheeses, savory charcuterie, and of course the Mother sauces: béchamel, espagnole, hollandaise, and allemande. Even …

“Linner” (a relaxed, late-afternoon feast that covers both lunch and dinner) is one of my favorite meals. Since David and I both work from home, our days have little structure. Sometimes we’ll wake early and …

My Boston-bred man loves a good New England style lobster roll. So much so that during our biannual visit to Martha’s Vineyard for the past few years we’ve combed the island to find what David …

Because I have two sisters who live in North County (one in Poway, the other in San Marcos), David and I occasionally trek north for dinner. The Barrel Room in Rancho Bernardo has proven itself …

All my new materials may have been “professional quality” and “intended for adults,” but when the tip of the pencil touched the page, it was childlike joy that coursed through my veins.

In the United States, the word “breakfast” conjures images of pancakes, bacon, and eggs. Because we’re right on the border, San Diegans might also think chilaquiles or huevos rancheros, which are just variations of an …

I couldn’t get the idea of death out of my mind. It occurred to me that the only way to control the most unsettling aspect of the inevitability of death was to plan the when and where.

Stehly Farms Market opened its doors to the public on Friday. Kensington-area residents have been eagerly awaiting this day, as it took nearly a year longer than expected for interior construction to be completed in …

David and I have been meaning to stop by the new Rakitori Japanese Pub & Grill on University Avenue since we first saw the sign go up nearly three months ago. When we made it …

After many years of ogling cool images of dancers performing in unexpected locations, and even spreading the word both in this magazine and on the radio, I finally got the chance to experience the San …

“I think Madonna’s trying too hard to appear young,” said the oldest among us. “Why can’t she just age gracefully? It’s embarrassing, really.”

My friend Leslee knows that David and I love Japanese food, so she was shocked to learn that we hadn’t heard of Mister Sushi in Pacific Beach. I explained to her that I just never …

Every once in a while, when I have time to kill and crave a change from my standard breakfast of yogurt with almonds, bananas, and blueberries, I seek out a bagel and eggs. Now that …

I’d tasted the fare at Soda & Swine several times before, but I’d never actually been in the space. I was always next door, enjoying a libation at Polite Provisions while David, ever the giver, …

“It makes no sense,” David said as he scowled at the room. “There’s just no point to having those books haphazardly placed around on shelves. And those meat hooks randomly on that one chandelier when …

I like a menu that comes with warnings. The menu at Gyu-Kaku has six of them. The grill is very hot! The pots are very hot! Fully cook your food! Use those tongs to prevent …

“Every single conflict can be boiled down into one underlying problem, and that’s one person in the family not being happy with another person’s choices.”

Two women who work from home walk into a bar, find a huge crowd, and suddenly realize it’s Friday. “I usually avoid going out on Friday nights,” I say, as we take in the long …

“The less you have, the easier it is to get dressed and ready. You only keep things you actually like, or as KonMari says, things that bring you joy.”

“You want every person who works for you in any capacity to be able to make the same kind of intuitive decisions you would make, and you’re absolutely unrelenting when they don’t.”

It's a steamy afternoon in August, and Kristen Lang sits, frazzled and deflated, on the patio at Ponce's, hoping to cool her exasperation with a margarita. When her husband moved out two years ago, leaving …

It often seems you can either have great food or an amazing view but not both, especially in a tourist town. But with all the lovely ocean vistas available to us in the San Diego …

Even the receptionist at work, who was probably around 40 at the time, took to singing at me each time I passed her desk, “First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage.”

It was a happy coincidence that within a week of enjoying a dinnertime meal at the Georgian restaurant Pomegranate I happened by the similarly exotic menu at Café 21, just to learn that the owners …

“I think there’s this fear about it,” David said. “I mean, when I decided to shave my head — that took years of building up courage. Which is ridiculous, because it would have grown back in a matter of weeks.”

I was only going for a friend. It was her birthday, and this is where she wanted to brunch. So I was fine with it, even if the place was adjacent to the notoriously kitchy …

These days, there are few things more counterculture than a blatant disregard for “healthy” food. If hipsters were still a thing (which they’re not, but if), then Streetcar Merchants would be their headquarters. While everyone …

Tucked into a row of nondescript storefronts along the industrial main drag of El Cajon Boulevard is a Georgian-cuisine gem called Pomegranate, but you wouldn’t know that from standing outside. The sign outside simply reads, …

“Holding a baby skunk is on my bucket list,” I said. Bob shot David an Is she for real? look, and David assured him of my sincerity.

I learned that Frank was the first reporter at the scene of that horrific PSA plane crash in 1978, the one I grew up hearing about. He won a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting. How had I not known that?

In my 20s, whiskey sounded like an old-person’s drink — a sophisticated liquid imbibed mostly by men in suits who took it in the form of a two-finger pour in a short and wide glass …

I’ve tasted my way around gỏi cuốn (salad rolls), phở (rice noodle soup), and lemongrass chicken; I’ve sampled “classic dishes” such as ca kho to (fish in a clay pot), and several versions of bánh …

“It’s just — who does that? What kind of person smashes up someone’s parked car and then leaves without making any attempt to find out who owns it?”

Gary held out his arm and called, “Habibi!” Gasps traveled like a stadium wave as the falcon, rings affixed to its ankle, swooped low down the aisle and then landed on Gary’s glove.

Urban Adventures Beach Town Suburban Ocean & Bay Backcountry Mexico

Each time I am seated right away upon arriving at Ortega’s (which is every time), I’m amazed I didn’t have to make my way through a crush of people waiting to get in. I can …

“Did you know that some vanilla flavoring is made from beaver anal secretions?” The word “secretion” is inherently gross to me. Add in excrement, and you have a recipe for scrunch-face.

“I find it funny that all the solutions popping up to address tech stress are technological ones...here are more apps to help you combat the effect of dealing with too many apps.”

Cantina Mayahuel For taco lovers, Cantina Mayahuel is happy-hour heaven — six whole hours every day devoted to taco-and-tequila deals. I recommend taking advantage of the tequila discounts but skipping the street tacos (three little …

“How do you plan to police this? Is this all honor system?” Bill nodded. “Those are my two favorite words,” I said. Bill smirked at me. “Because to you, ‘honor system’ means the same as ‘sucker system’?”

“Obviously, as kids we didn’t know the story, and if you don’t know the story, you don’t know how extraordinary, how incredible, how...horrible it is.”

Village Vino Forget about a couple o’ bucks off drinks, this quaint café and retail wine shop goes all out for happy hour. From 4 to 6pm Tuesday through Saturday and 3 to 8pm on …

Dumpling Inn has long been one of my top recommendations for Chinese food, but I have always urged people to get their food to go. “It’s impossible to get a seat unless you don’t mind …