How San Diegan Are You?

WHETHER YOU’VE EATEN IT, uttered it, watched it or climbed it, “it” is something you can do in San Diego that you’re not likely to do anywhere else. We’ve compiled 111 such activities, events, emotions and/or menu items. Check the box next to those you’ve accomplished or experienced (give yourself some latitude on some of the provided details). At the end of the quiz, see if you rank as an “Alonzo Horton” or are “Zoned Out.”

 

Watched the sun set at Windansea Beach in La Jolla and marveled at the peacefulness.

Watched the sun set at Lahaina bar in Pacific Beach, and then ordered a round of Irish car bombs.

Surfed the waves or watched the regulars ride at Swami’s.

Took out-of-town friends to gawk at the seals at Children’s Pool in La Jolla.

Have hazy memories of attending a PB Block Party.

Protested the entrée of Starbucks in Ocean Beach.

Watched the Weather Channel in winter and thanked God and/or your luck for being transferred from your company’s Chicago office.

Have always hated Los Angeles.

Rode belly-to-belly on the red trolley (next to a guy with his face painted powder blue) on the way to a Chargers game at Qualcomm Stadium.

Served in the Navy and retired to Point Loma.

Served in the Navy and retired to Coronado.

Served in the Navy and got a tattoo in the Gaslamp Quarter.

Listened to Jeff and Jer talk about Laura and Tommy and Randy on the radio.

Sang “O Sole Mio” while taking a gondola ride in the Coronado Cays.

Cursed your move here from Boise while sitting in 5 p.m. traffic at the I-5/805 merge in Sorrento Valley.

Can recite verbatim radio and TV commercial jingles for McCune, Hoehn, Baker and Mossy car dealerships.

Secretly have a crush on Sandy Mossy.

Have argued with a colleague or neighbor about where a new airport should be sited.

Have argued with a spouse or loved one about whether Coronado needs a tunnel connecting it to downtown.

Swam, snorkeled, scuba-dived, canoed or kayaked La Jolla Shores.

Spotted pro surfer Rob Machado shopping at the Seaside Market in Cardiff.

Admired mountains and inland waters while driving the Del Dios Highway en route to lunch and cold beverages at Hernandez Hideaway.

Don’t miss the rain.

Do miss the rain.

Put on a sweater when the temperature dipped below 70 degrees.

Played baseball year-round.

Bought carne asada at Benny’s Meats in El Cajon.

Ate a taco on the deck of Roberto’s on Carmel Valley Road. Roped, wrangled or watched the cowpokes at the Lakeside Rodeo.

Cruised Second Street in El Cajon in a 1969 Nova.

Attended the 1996 GOP Convention and got a photograph with Bob Dole in front of the Marriott Hotel & Marina.

Broke a bone while hiking Cowles Mountain.

Quaffed a few (too many) brewskis at the La Mesa Octoberfest.

Ran out of gas looking for a parking spot at Fashion Valley. Went antiquing along Adams Avenue.

Thought about spending the night in the Hotel del Coronado in the room haunted by Kate Morgan.

Thought about spending the night in the Hotel del Coronado in the room haunted by Kate Morgan.

Caught the downtown ferry to Coronado Landing for the Fourth of July parade. Jet-skied at a high rate of speed under the Coronado Bridge.

Jet-skied at a high rate of speed under the Coronado Bridge.

Discovered those blue signs atop the Coronado Bridge contain the phone number for the suicide hotline.

Biked the Strand from Hotel del Coronado to Loews Coronado Bay Resort and back.

Forgot which fruit level you parked on at Horton Plaza. Thought about buying a downtown condo.

Thought about buying a downtown condo.

Have argued with another bar patron at Dobson’s over the effect the real estate bubble will have on the housing market.

Bought a first edition of War and Peace at downtown’s Wahrenbrock’s Books.

Had one done, considered getting one or noticed a perky abundance of boob jobs.

Jogged the 8 miles of beachfront from the Torrey Pines State Beach parking lot all the way to the rocks at Scripps.

Spent your 40th birthday hang-gliding at the Torrey Pines Gliderport.

Spent your 50th birthday eating dinner at the Marine Room in La Jolla, at high tide, as waves pounded against the giant glass window in the dining room.

Wore a dangerously tall hat and/or ogled all the “nieces” brought by older gentlemen to opening day at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.

Saw Batman sharing a pedicab ride with Wonder Woman during Comic-Con at the downtown convention center.

Subscribed to San Diego Magazine.

Waited while the cast paused as a plane flew overhead during a performance at the outdoor Starlight Theatre in Balboa Park.

Complained when “Christmas on the Prado” was renamed “Balboa Park December Nights.

Got to the zoo early to see the keepers bring out the koalas.

Watched as the century-old Star of India left the Embarcadero on a rare sea outing.

Planned on going rooftop barhopping downtown at Stingaree, Altitude in the Gaslamp Marriott and JBar in Hotel Solamar.

Drooled on the window while gawking at the panoramic view from the Top of the Hyatt bar.

Bought a toaster at Kobey’s Swap Meet in the Sports Arena parking lot.

Still call the ipayOne Center the Sports Arena.

Still call Qualcomm Stadium The Murph.

Still refer to The San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper as The Union or The Tribune.

Contemplated how you, too, could raise your own city pension by $1,000 a month.

Can’t imagine life without a Republican mayor.

Voted for Pete Wilson at least once.

Crossed the border and drank way too many Coronas at Papas & Beer in Rosarito.

Been pickpocketed in a bar in Tijuana.

Camped out in Ensenada and at night burned a tire.

Savored a double-scoop cone with Mexican chocolate and Kahlúa Krunch at Niederfrank’s in National City.

Still get acid reflux every time a sports announcer mentions the name Ryan Leaf.

Complained about the price, but still purchased and wolfed down a Friar Frank at Petco Park.

Played Frisbee golf at Morley Field.

Your team—named something unprintable in a family magazine —lost all its games on Fiesta Island in the Over-The-Line tournament.

Claimed to have seen the “green flash.

Got up at the crack of dawn to make a reservation for a tee time at Torrey Pines Golf Course.

Went hot-air ballooning in Del Mar. Landed in Rancho Santa Fe.

Ran, or stood next to a bandstand along, the Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon route.

Got down in it for the Mud Run at Camp Pendleton.

Participated with or crossed the path of hundreds of Hash House Harriers doing their annual Red Dress Run.

Visited with out-of-town friends—or served aboard—the Midwaycarrier.

Screamed yourself hoarse during the exciting conclusion of a Holiday Bowl game.

Pushed your luck riding an ATV on the dunes out at Ocotillo Wells.

Set out for high-seas sportfishing from H&M Landing.

Pulled up on a boat and listened to a Jimmy Buffet concert at Humphrey’s by the Bay.

Dined at Pizza Port before a Rugburns concert at the Belly Up.

Lost your date inside immense dance club On Broadway.

Sang “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?” at the Red Fox Room to the piano accompaniment of Shirley Baker.

Braved the mosh pit during a concert at the Casbah.

Dined at Filiberto’s in Encinitas after last call at The Saloon.

Never decided if the burgers are better at Rocky’s or Hodad’s.

Sat in the splash zone during the Shamu show at SeaWorld.

Really believed a tourist fell in the tank first time you saw the Shamu show at SeaWorld.

Marveled at the precision of the quick-moving lines at In-N-Out Burger and remember when there didn’t used to be an In-N-Out in San Diego.

Thought globally but drank locally by downing beer brewed by Karl Strauss, Stone and Ballast Point.

Realized Christmas was coming when the giant light display went up at Bertrand at Mr. A’s.

Ogled buff bods during the Gay & Lesbian Parade in Hillcrest.

Smeared barbecue sauce on your chin trying to eat a beef sandwich at Phil’s BBQ in Mission Hills.

Took your kids for a Dion burger at Corvette Diner and forgot that waitresses throw handfuls of straws on the table to make their entrances.

Commented on the buttery nature of a Chardonnay during a tasting at Orfila Winery.

Lunched on a shrimp sandwich at Point Loma Seafoods.

Ate a Texas burger at The Waterfront.

Ate a fish taco at the chain restaurant started by Ralph Rubio.

Ate a fish taco served by a comely waitress at South Beach in Ocean Beach.

Never imagined you’d ever eat a fish taco.

 

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Score	Your Title	Words of Advice
80-111	“Alonzo Horton”	San Diego’s founding father would be proud.
60-79	“Dude”	You get around. Keep up the good work.
40-59	“Half-Baked”	Try again in about 10 years.
20-39	“Land-Locked”	What, is your car broken down?
0-19	“Zoned Out”	Go back to Arizona.

Did we forget anything? If so, e-mail your Ultimate San Diegan Test question to rdonoho@sandiegomag.com.

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