Park
it Right Here
Yeah,
yeah, you've already heard us locals rave on
about Balboa
Park, but it truly is the neatest place
in San Diego. The secluded Alcazar
Garden is a neat place to sit and enjoy
the weather or take pictures of the magnificent California
Tower. If you're on a budget, drop by the
nifty little Timken
Museum of Art, which is free and features
some beautiful European, American and Russian
art, much of it centuries old. Check out the
audio tour if you have an hour to spare and
enjoy older art. And if you enjoy watching
guys in tight shorts play volleyball, take
a walk or a drive through the west part of
the park along Sixth Avenue. The acres of shady
and grassy lawns are also great places for
a picnic. Trivia alert! If you watch the classic
film "Citizen Kane," look for the
newsreel footage of newspaper mogul Charles
Foster Kane's fabulous "Xanadu" estate.
The Xanadu buildings — a mock Hearst
Castle — are actually in Balboa
Park. Bonus trivia alert! Bruce Springsteen
chronicled the park's seedy side in an obscure
song called "Balboa
Park."
The
Play's the Thing
If
you enjoy Shakespeare, you're in luck: San
Diego's world-famous Old
Globe Theatre is shaking its Willy in public
once again. This year, the annual Shakspeare
Festival at the Balboa
Park venue features "Hamlet," "Two
Gentlemen of Verona" and "Measure
for Measure." The critic's choice is "Hamlet," which
is getting tons of great reviews. Bring along
a blanket (the outdoor theater can get a bit
nippy at night) and a bit of patience in case
the lions at the nearby San
Diego Zoo start making noise. (Seriously.
For whatever reason they occasionally make
their presence known during plays. Maybe they'd
prefer something by Tennessee Williams?)
Fish
Tacos, Pizza & Bears, Oh My
You
may have heard a lot about fish tacos, and
with good reason. Philadelphia has cheesesteaks,
Boston has baked beans and we have a delicious
immigrant from Baja. Rubio's is
the best place to get a fish taco, but unfortunately
the fast-food chain doesn't have any restaurants
in downtown San Diego or Hillcrest. But if
you're traveling farther afield, like to Sea
World or the Mission Valley shopping center,
you'll find them nearby. The meals are cheap,
with some combinations with a drink in the
$6 range. If you're in the mood for an inexpensive
sit-down meal, you've got two good options,
both on the outskirts of Hillcrest. One is
Sanfilippo's, a hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant
with fabulous pizza and lasagna. It's at an
easy walk from central Hillcrest; just go south
on Fifth Avenue and look for it across from
the San Diego Blood Bank. (There's no connection
between the two as far as I or the county health
department know.) If you're really hungry,
drop by burly bear hangout Brians'. (Yes, there
are two Brians, so the apostrophe is in the
right spot.) Brians' is a bright, colorful
diner-type restauraunt where the people watching
is about as good as the bountiful food. Prices
are reasonable, but not cheap, and the portions
(like many of the patrons) are gigantic.
Blow
the Woof Off the Joint
If
you've brought your canine along, make sure
to drop by San Diego's best leashless Dog Park
at — where else? — Balboa
Park. It's on the south side (on the right
as you enter the park) of the Laurel Street
bridge. Dog Park is open during daylight hours
and fenced so your pooch won't wander off and
see the sights on its own. The dog owners — and
the dogs — are a friendly bunch, without
any of the snootiness you might find in suburban
dog parks. Plastic bags are provided, and a
brand new doggie drinking fountain — with
water for humans too — will make sure that
your poodle doesn't get parched.
Central
Perks
Starbucks
has taken over San Diego, running most of the
independent coffeehouses out of town. But there
are still a few places to get your fix without
supporting The Man. Urban Grind offers high
prices, horrible art and uncomfortable seats.
But its hipness quotient is high, and you'll
find poseurs galore. On the other end of the
scale, Twiggs in University Heights offers
low prices, just plain bad art and comfortable
seats. Not too many hipsters go there, but
the wi-fi is free. You can also pick up free
wi-fi from some mysterious nearby benefactor
at the Starbucks in Hillcrest at Fifth and
Robinson.
A
few random tips for San Diego visitors:
• You
might not need to rent a car, especially if
you don't plan to travel beyond Balboa Park
(the San Diego Zoo and museums) and gay mecca
Hillcrest. Both are easily reached by cab from
our convention hotel.
• Be
prepared for possible hot and dry weather.
San Diego is the land of 72-degree sunny days,
but the dreaded Santa Anas strike Southern
California in September and October with sky-high
temperatures and rock-bottom humidity.
• If
you go to the world's most famous nude beach,
be aware that the trail down the cliff at the
Torrey Pines glider port is scary and dangerous.
Consider a little-known alternative: Park in
a La Jolla residential neighborhood, walk down
the steep but paved road to the beach and then
walk a few miles north to reach Black's Beach
and drop trou. More extensive details are here (check
the third option). It's a lot more of a hoof
than the cliff trail, but you'll come home
in one piece.
And
now, a few of my least favorite things:
• Tijuana:
In a word, it's depressing. The poor kids selling
Chiclets by the border will break your heart.
• Seaport
Village: This waterside tourist trap is full
of overpriced knickknacks, loud children and
Bermuda-short-clad men from Nebraska. Skip
it.
• La
Jolla: The rich are different from you and
me, but do you really want to hang out with
them, especially if it takes an hour to find
a parking space? And the traffic will be a
special kind of Southern California nightmare
on Labor Day weekend. If you do go, though,
make sure to visit La Jolla Cove, which has
a great view along with swimming and snorkeling.
