For San Diego–based designer Alexia María Esquer, style runs through her DNA. Her grandmother’s atelier in Mexicali served as her childhood playground. At five, she started to sew, paint, and design, using whatever materials she could find. Old zippers. Broken jewelry. Scraps of cloth.
“Together, my grandmother and I could make something out of anything,” she says. When she did take a trip to the fabric store, it felt like a trip to Disneyland.
In adulthood, Esquer’s lifelong passion translated into a career. With her grandmother’s mentorship, she launched an eponymous clothing line in 2014, opening the first Alexia María store in La Jolla.
The Alexia María aesthetic is classically feminine with a modern twist: oversized bows and detachable capes, mini dresses, and column gowns.
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Her designs pay homage to Golden Age film icons like Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn. A voracious vintage shopper, Esquer notes that the craftsmanship of decades-old pieces is unparalleled, though she’s known to tweak her finds to modernize their silhouettes. “If I can’t find it, maybe I can try to make it,” she explains.
One signature Alexia María look: overskirts. En vogue in the ’50s, overskirts offer two options: Add it on for a formal dress, or leave it off for a jumpsuit. The Alexia María overskirt made its red carpet debut in early 2016 when actress Abigail Spencer turned heads in a red ensemble.
That classic look in a sea of trendy gowns soon garnered A-list interest. Ariana Grande, Paris Hilton, and Gwen Stefani have donned Alexia María gowns.
Yet while big names come calling, the designs are attainable enough to also fit black tie events and weddings, most often on bridesmaids, mothers of the bride, and guests.
In 2020, mid-pandemic, Esquer began to cater to an influx of brides who were scrambling to pull together backyard ceremonies and courthouse weddings. “They needed something fast,” she says. “And they needed something white.”
For smaller-scale weddings, brides were favoring alternative styles like midi dresses or jumpsuits. Galas and events were on pause, so the Alexia María atelier’s production time was faster than ever: seven to 10 business days. Orders rolled in, and in the months that followed, grateful brides sent photos, thanking the Alexia María team for being a bright spot in a hard time.
Alexia Maria, dresses
Courtesy of Alexia Maria
As large-scale weddings returned, Alexia María pieces became go-to’s for rehearsal dinners, engagement parties, and bridal showers. The pandemic shifted the Alexia María shopping experience; though the atelier no longer offers in-person appointments, customers can peruse new collections at trunk shows and select Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus stores.
Alexia María’s latest collection—fall/winter 2022/2023—might be the label’s most feminine yet. “I captured the dreamy feeling of Paris in this collection,” Esquer says. “Like a dramatic ruby gown with a long train and long bow. It makes you dream of dressing up, a big event, a romantic moment.”
“As an entrepreneur, business owner, and mother, I see modern femininity as embracing your essence and being confident in who you are,” she continues. “I always tell my customers, the most important thing you can wear is your confidence.”
As one of the foremost designers in the San Diego bridal and formalwear space, Esquer says she appreciates the petite size of the city’s design community. “There are great artists here in San Diego, but they each have their own niche,” she says. “And I get to have my family life and my personal life without feeling the rush of the fashion scene.”
Her family plays a big role. Esquer’s husband, Ricardo Rubio, is the brand’s CEO, while her sister-in-law Gabriela Rubio is the brand director. And, she adds, “Every time my grandmother visits me, she comes to my atelier and wants to cry because she can’t believe it.”
Georgina Treviño has adorned Bad Bunny and Doja Cat, but still calls San Diego home
Photo Credit: Maxine Alo
By Seth Combs
One look and it’s easy to see that local jewelry designer Georgina Treviño is overcaffeinated. She has to be. She’s just returned from a whirlwind trip where she finished a workshop residency at Penland School of Craft in North Carolina—while also finding time to pop up and down to LA and Mexico City to, among other things, deliver some custom pieces for a “very important, very secretive” client who sought her out to accessorize his outfit for Chloë Sevigny and gallerist Siniša Mačković’s wedding in Connecticut. Now she’s finally back at her Little Italy studio. And while she found time to create two custom pieces for the bride and groom, anyone who knows Treviño would not be surprised to learn she’s already onto the next thing.
Courtesy of Georgina Trevino
“I feel like I love to go into the chaos knowing that I can come home,” she says, adding that she often gets asked why, after all she’s accomplished so far, she doesn’t simply move. “I love San Diego. I just love being here, because I’m in between both worlds.”
Following Treviño’s Instagram is something of a whirlwind experience itself; a crash course in what it means when an up-and-coming designer generates enough buzz to where they’re becoming the go-to accessory for photo shoots and step-and-repeats for the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Lady Gaga, and Bad Bunny, the latter of whom insisted on keeping a pair of earrings she created after he wore them for a music video. “That almost made me cry,” she admits.
Courtesy of Georgina Trevino
Inspired by lowbrow pop culture as much as by ’80s punk rock aesthetics, Treviño’s custom rings, bracelets, and dangles have appeared in Teen Vogue, Purple magazine, and most recently, the Los Angeles Times, who commissioned her for a custom spread in their style magazine, Image. This is in addition to her even more notable accomplishments, such as appearances in a Nike Air Max campaign and a deal to bring her signature pierced designs to Chunks hair products. She’ll also be customizing purses and creating her own in- store intervention for Spanish fashion tastemaker Bimba y Lola inside their Mexico City storefront. Not bad for an Otay Ranch local who, only a few years ago, switched her SDSU major from painting to metalsmithing.
Courtesy of Georgina Trevino
Next up, she says she’s going to check out real estate while in Mexico City in hopes of opening her own brick-and- mortar space there. “There are so many more, other things I want to do to challenge myself,” Treviño says. “I’m just going to figure out how to do it, you know?”
It was June 2020, and Michael Lynch’s phone lit up with notifications: an Instagram tag in Thrasher, another in Gear Patrol, Cool Material. Then, SURFER calls. Can they speak with the brains behind the art of Imperfects, the account catching all the attention? It’s a modern-day technological love story.
Imperfects, founded by Lynch, is a lifestyle brand run out of an office-cum-storefront in Liberty Station. The brand sells top-of-the-line custom surfboards, skateboards, and stylish, monochromatic unisex apparel built to last. The two things that really broke the internet are his signature asymmetrical surfboards, shaped by hand, and Imperfects’ Shepherds Shirt, best described as a sexy, smart smock for grown-ups.
A handful of years back, he started a creative agency focused on sustainable and outdoors-oriented lifestyle and apparel brands. Lynch started shaping surfboards for fun, which naturally led to making skateboards. Ever the creative mind, he began designing clothes that spoke to the lifestyle of those sports, using second-use, high-quality fabric he sourced from his contacts in the garment industry.
Imperfects-Retail-Store
James Lynch
True to the Imperfects moniker, it was more an undefined creative outlet than a side hustle. He tinkered with it, quietly assembling a plan piece-by-piece while running the agency and building a home with his wife and two kids in Point Loma (Lynch grew up in North County).
But that day in 2020, he realized it was “time to give Imperfects the full go.” He was able to hit the ground running thanks to the back stock he’d built up over the years, a made-to-order collection at the ready.
What followed was selling out across product lines, a bi- coastal pop-up collab with Ilegal Mezcal, being carried in Nordstrom’s top five busiest stores in the U.S., and a cult-following sneaking up on the mainstream. Imperfects surfboards have been commissioned by crusty Moonlight Beach locals and home collectors alike, who both use the pieces in the water and as art.
imperfects
Titus Huag
More growth is coming, Lynch assures. He thinks back to a conversation he had with a friend some years back: “We were saying, ‘Will our art ever get out there? Are we just not ballsy enough to put it out there? Are we afraid of judgment?’ The answer was ‘yes’ to all that—we didn’t think we would ever be seen.”
Leave it to the internet to fix that in short order.
Jackie is a long-time freelance journalist covering cannabis, food/restaurants, travel, labor, wine, spirits, arts & culture, design, and other topics. Her work has been selected twice for Best American Travel Writing, and she has won a variety of national and local awards for her writing and reporting.
Architect Soheil Nakhshab is building community, preserving history and reframing how we co-exist around the county
Darren Bradley
By AnnaMaria Stephens
THE CUTTING EDGE — Located on the edge of Maple Canyon, the award-winning Truax project is a testament to the blend of vintage and modern architecture Bankers Hill is known for. From a catwalk at the lofts, residents can take in bay views and watch jet landings at nearby SAN airport, a favorite local pastime.
Darren Bradley
Under the flight path, perched on the edge of a canyon at the end of a cul-de-sac, the awkward plot might’ve given some architects pause. Not Soheil Nakhshab. He’s built a thriving practice transforming odd-shaped urban infill sites into head-turning multi-residential developments. And the historic Truax property in Bankers Hill is no exception.
“We preserved, restored, and designed a tranquil, whimsical environment,” says the award-winning architect-developer, whose Truax project was announced a winner in the esteemed Urban Land Institute Americas awards this July. The development now moves onto an international competition.
Anchoring the unique site, the Truax House showcases classic Craftsman style, with overhanging eaves, multi-paned windows, and a cherry-red exterior that pops against crisp blue skies. Originally built in 1912, the spacious home became a hospice for AIDS patients in the ‘80s under the care of gay physician and advocate Brad Truax, who passed away from AIDS-related complications in 1988.
Set in Mission Hills, Clea is where sustainable engineering meets modern style in this 3,820 square foot, LEED Gold certified residence. The indoor-outdoor interplay serves as the ultimate expression of San Diego’s lifestyle
Darren Bradley
Before he’d even won his bid on the city-owned property, Nakhshab acted to preserve its important past. “I went around to LGBTQ organizations and community groups and spoke to them about my plans,” Nakhshab explains. “I was not going to tear down the house. I had my own historic attorney prepare a report to get the city to acknowledge that history.”
The gutted and fully restored Truax House, with minor exterior additions that meld seamlessly with the original, now contains 10 apartments and a community room open to the public by appointment. The traditional architecture contrasts the neighboring bright white Truax Lofts, which Nakhshab designed as a sleek L-shaped structure with an open breezeway over the sloping hillside beneath it.
“A normal institutional developer would’ve filled that space in with more units or parking,” points out Nakhshab. “But I’m an architect. I wanted to draw in that cool factor. From the street, you can see all the way to the courtyard. I didn’t want a monolithic building. There are pockets and courtyards. There’s a catwalk where any tenant can walk out and watch the planes land.”
Mitra, a downtown corner building, is a study in modernity—nine luxurious open-concept studios with minimalistic interiors, mezzanine lofts, and solar power
Darren Bradley
In addition to the modern Truax Lofts building, which features 30 smartly laid-out mezzanine lofts with balconies and views of Maple Canyon and the bay, Nakhshab built a set of four black, four-story townhomes, each of which contains a private elevator. “I wanted to create an alternative to living in a highrise condo,” says Nakhshab. “There’s no sense of neighborhood in a 40-story building.”
Creating a sense of community is critical to Nakhshab’s design philosophy. “Culturally speaking, family is core for immigrants,” says the architect, whose parents moved stateside from Iran with their two children in 1984. Nakhshab’s younger brother, Nima, handles construction management for Nakhshab Development & Design, and the whole extended family has lived under the same roof in various NDD-designed multi-generational homes.
“We take this idea and bring it into our projects and create environments where we have multiple demographics of people living in our properties, from college students to retirees and working people in between,” says Nakhshab. “We want to give them a safe, comfortable environment where they can make friends.”
Nakhshab first fostered this concept with the Sofia Lofts, a 17-unit “micro-community” in Golden Hill named after his daughter. “I designed mixed unit types and the idea was to be intergenerational, multi-demographic, and even enable aging in place. Truax Lofts is Sofia Lofts on steroids.”
WILD COUNTRY — In Del Mar’s coveted micro-neighborhood of Pine Needles, Nakhshab created a LEED Gold certified property that feels like a glamorous, secluded treehouse. Set in the sandstone and tree-filled lot, the architecture is organic, modern, and completely custom in how it harmonizes with nature. The Crosby Residence serves as a forward-thinking beacon in a neighborhood established by mid-century codes.
Darren Bradley
The architect also builds single-family modern residences but says such commissions only account for a small part of his business and come with a caveat. “I have to design everything myself, right down to the interiors.”
Not that his clients mind in the slightest. One Nakhshab homeowner in Del Mar recently tapped him to build an ADU, and his solution was ingenious: the spacious guesthouse is literally built into the hillside. “I cut it out and fit it with a hobbit’s den that’s wrapped in greenery and vegetation,” he says.
He’s also currently putting the finishing touches on a new Nakhshab family compound in South Mission Hills, which features three separate custom dwellings: one for his parents, one for his brother’s young family, and the third for his own family, including kids Shayan (12) and Sofia (9), who have lived in various NDD projects since they were born.
But it’s the multi-residential projects on the challenging urban-infill lots that truly inspire Nakhshab as an architect, including a new micro-unit building in Mission Hills that will open up the well-heeled neighborhood to a whole new set of workforce residents.
“I see it as a humanitarian contribution to the city,” he explains. “A lot of people can’t afford to buy in San Diego. I feel that as developers we are obligated to give people a higher standard of living. These aren’t cheap matchbox buildings. These are nice homes.”
THE NEW OLD — In East Village, Ezabelle features 46 residential micro-units and a rooftop community space. “These units are so versatile. They’re set up like Swiss Army Knives. They have a bed, a couch, kitchen, and laundry already in the unit. So you bring your clothes and you’re all set to focus your energy on building your career.”
Darren Bradley
THOUGHT LEEDER — Architect-developer Soheil Nakhshab in front of Truax House, which serves as the historic centerpiece of the visionary LEED-certified residential compound. He divided the property into three parcels: the house, the L-shaped lofts, and four townhouses. “The community feared a developer would scrape away the history,” says Nakhshab of Truax House, once a hospice for AIDS patients. The architect made sure that didn’t happen, earning the property a major national award.
Tomoko Matsubayashi
The expansive courtyard features fire pits, seating areas, an outdoor movie theater, and citrus trees for cocktail hour. “The idea was to activate the outdoor space connected to this historic house,” he says. “You can hang out with neighbors and entertain family and friends.”
Darren Bradley
The 3,800-square-foot Athena house is located on a four-acre ranch in San Diego. “I had the idea of bringing in Greek style and California modern which I equate to Palm Springs,” says Nakhshab. “The home has this feeling.” Here, the inside serves as an extension of the architecture, since Nakhshab also designed, built, and furnished the interior.
Renewable energy companies building hundreds of power plants. Biotech startups using artificial intelligence to create personalized medicine for children with rare diseases. Hospitality companies quietly powering thousands of local events. Consumer brands growing from beach-town startups into national businesses. These are the kinds of companies driving San Diego’s economy today, and the businesses recognized at this year’s San Diego Business Impact Awards offer a snapshot of where the region is headed.
Hosted July 23 by San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and JPMorganChase, the second annual awards event honored four local companies for innovation, growth, and economic impact. More than 100 nominations from San Diego’s middle-market businesses were reviewed by a 10-person judging committee, with winners selected across four categories: startup, early-stage innovator, rising star, and established heavyweight.
Two-time honoree Jimbo Someck, founder of Jimbo’s organic grocery stores, also joined the event for a fireside chat on buying local, supporting emerging brands, and giving back to the community.
“San Diego’s strength comes from its makers and builders—the resilient people who endure great risks and overcome obstacles to build and scale a company,” says Aaron Ryan, San Diego Region Manager and Middle Market Banking at JPMorganChase & Co. “These awards aren’t just recognition; they spotlight the talent, grit, and innovation shaping our region’s future. By celebrating those who create and build, we foster connections and fuel the growth that keeps San Diego thriving.”
Matt Furman Photography
Building the Infrastructure Behind Clean Energy
Heavyweight honoree SOLV Energy has grown alongside the country’s rapid investment in renewable power. “It’s an exciting time for SOLV Energy as we are experiencing significant growth,” says CEO George Hershman. “The business has doubled over the last year and has almost double-digit growth since its inception.”
The Rancho Bernardo-based company designs, builds, operates, and maintains utility-scale solar and energy storage facilities. Since its founding in 2008, SOLV Energy has built more than 500 power plants.
Growth has translated directly into hiring. About 200 employees work from the company’s local headquarters, including roughly 20 interns. “Our intern program is a big part of the way that we grow our workforce,” Hershman says. “Last year, 43 percent of our interns became full-time employees. We believe San Diego is a great community to build and grow a high-tech infrastructure and technology company because of the incredible workforce—the ability to attract top talent and draw from world-class universities.”
Developing Medicine One Patient at a Time
Startup honoree La Jolla Labs is tackling one of medicine’s biggest challenges by developing personalized RNA therapeutics for patients with rare diseases—many of them children with neurological disorders like ALS. Using proprietary artificial intelligence and machine learning tools, the biotech company develops treatments tailored to each patient’s specific genetic mutation.
CEO Tamar Grossman says the recognition reflects how far the company has come despite limited resources. “We’re honored to be recognized for our ability to change and save patients’ lives and turn our lean startup into a clinical company with very minimal resources,” she says.
Grossman credits San Diego’s concentration of research institutions—including UC San Diego, the Salk Institute, and Scripps Research—with creating a pipeline of talent and collaboration. “San Diego is one of the world-leading centers for technology, genomics, and RNA therapeutics,” she says. “We have over 30 RNA therapeutics companies here, and we support each other and help with anything related to drug discovery.”
She says that collaborative spirit extends beyond formal partnerships. “You can walk around Torrey Pines, go into a café, and find colleagues from the industry and have an ad hoc conversation,” Grossman says. “That’s something very unique to San Diego.”
While Snake Oil Venue Company may not be a household name, chances are many San Diegans have attended one of its events. The early-stage innovator honoree has expanded from beverage catering and mixology consulting into venue management, operating Julep Venue in Mission Hills, Bramble Bay Venue in Imperial Beach, Vesper Venue, the Chapel at Liberty Station, and five outdoor venues throughout Liberty Station—more than 500,000 square feet of event space altogether.
“We do a lot of launch parties for corporations and new products,” says CEO Mike Esposito. “I really like working on the entrepreneur side of things, where new businesses are entering the San Diego market and looking to make a splash.”
Snake Oil has executed more than 16,000 events, employed more than 1,000 people, and partnered with more than 900 local vendors, including caterers, florists, photographers, entertainers, and other hospitality businesses. The company also works with many of San Diego’s nonprofits, museums, and cultural institutions. “We get to celebrate people’s most important moments,” Esposito says. “Whether that’s a wedding, celebration of life, or quinceañera, we’re fortunate to be involved in the community in so many different ways.”
Matt Furman Photography
Growing a Beach-Town Brand into a National Business
Rising star honoree ALOHA Collection is proof that a simple idea can grow into a thriving company. Founded by two roommates who wanted a better way to carry wet swimsuits after a day at the beach, the lifestyle brand has grown into a business while maintaining strong year-over-year growth.
Now headquartered in Carlsbad, ALOHA Collection employs more than 100 people and operates its California flagship store in Encinitas, which is slated for a remodel. With roots in Hawaii, the company is known for its lightweight, splash-proof travel bags that have become a familiar sight on beaches in San Diego and beyond.
“‘Aloha’ is part of our name, but it’s also how we move through the world,” says CEO Lynna Barnard. “It’s how we show up for people, the way we travel, the way we give back.” Since day one, the company has maintained a 5 percent giveback to Hawaii conservation efforts, contributing millions of dollars over the years.
“I think what’s so inspiring about ALOHA Collection, and the founders in particular, is when you dream big, those dreams can come true when you work hard and trust in the universe,” Barnard says. “It’s inspiring to be a role model for other people wanting to start businesses from humble beginnings. Start small and watch it grow.”
Together, businesses like these form a cornerstone of San Diego’s economy—not only through the jobs and revenue they generate—but through the local workers they hire, vendors they support, and investments they make in the region. Their growth doesn’t happen in isolation; it ripples outward, strengthening the broader business community and the people who call San Diego home.
Architect Brett Farrow transforms a Carlsbad lot into strikingly fresh, livable design
Auda & Auda
By AnnaMaria Stephens
Carlsbad Brett Farrow Design
Auda & Auda
Carlsbad’s latest modern eye candy takes its cues from Sea Ranch, an iconic collection of mid-century dwellings designed to complement the rugged Northern California coastline. With wedge-shaped forms, pitched roofs, and cedar cladding, the 13 standalone homes at Laguna Row give off a cool ’70s vibe.
“It’s set right on Buena Vista Lagoon,” says architect-developer-builder Brett Farrow, who trained under Jonathan Segal (the project’s name pays homage to Segal’s Kettner Row in Little Italy). “In the fall, the golden reeds reminded me of Mendocino or Sonoma.”
The oddly-shaped urban infill project, replacing a medical building and parking lot, had some challenging zoning requirements. Narrow but 45-feet tall, averaging 1,600-square-feet, the natural-modern row homes tread lightly and feature five different layouts and window configurations.
“They all have their own character,” says Farrow. “I put angles on it that capture light, air, and views better. They also have tall ceilings and large-format glass that you can open up to the outside.”
Farrow opted not to max out the lot, restoring the lagoon habitat and creating more natural space. A courtyard and European-style lanes encourage community, as does the proximity to Carlsbad Village; Laguna Row is just a short walk from the train station and restaurants Campfire and Jeune et Jolie, both of which Farrow designed.
Though the architect is about to move his young family into a newly completed project of his own in Cardiff, he nabbed one of the striking Laguna Row homes before they sold out. “It’s an amazing, beautiful place,” he says of the surroundings. “I can definitely see us living there someday.”
Sail into spring with bold pops of color and feminine takes on classic sportswear
photography by taryn kent
Styling: Kristi Brooks Hair & Makeup: Vivian Kania Model: Beth O., Industry Model Group
Model posing for the photo shoot
Taryn Kent
Theory blouse, $215, Bloomingdale’s Fashion Valley; Maje mesh shorts, $275, Bloomingdale’s Fashion Valley; Lanvin grosgrain peep-toe pump, $850, Lanvin South Coast Plaza; Lanvin Luxor necklace, $2,330, Lanvin South Coast Plaza; Tommy Hilfilger sunglasses, $65, Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Valley
Model posing for the photo shoot
Taryn Kent
L Space bikini top, $73, and bottoms, $73, Everything But Water Fashion Valley; Sandro lace blouse, $315, Bloomingdale’s Fashion Valley; House of Harlow cocktail ring, $45, Bloomingdale’s Fashion Valley
Model posing for the photo shoot
Taryn Kent
Roland Mouret cutout blouse, $675, Neiman Marcus Fashion Valley; Alexis Bittar drop earrings, $195, Neiman Marcus Fashion Valley; Alice + Olivia cuffed shorts, $154, Bloomingdale’s Fashion Valley; Valentino studded heels, $1,145, Nordstrom
Barbara Bui white perforated dress, $1,750; black perforated booties, $855; embroidered leather and crystal bracelet, $540; all available at Barbara Bui South Coast Plaza
Model posing for the photo shoot
Taryn Kent
Alexander McQueen floral knit dress, $1,435; Vince Camuto silver bracelet, $48; Kendra Scott drop earrings, $65; all available at Nordstrom
Photographed at San Diego Yacht Club. Located in Point Loma, San Diego Yacht Club is consistently ranked one of the top five yacht clubs in the country, and is recognized by the Club Leadership Forum as one of the finest facilities of its kind in the world. sdyc.com
If you’re anything like us, it can be easy to get so caught up in taking care of everyone else, that your own needs get lost in the ether. But while this may be a cliché, that doesn’t make it any less true: You can’t give your best self to other people unless you’re taking care of yourself.
Sometimes, that looks like stopping in for your regular acupuncture or chiropractic appointment. Other days, it means giving your body the fresh, organic fuel it needs to truly feel and function at its best. And some other times still, it involves leaving your responsibilities behind for a weekend to pamper yourself at an incredible resort and spa.
Only you can decide what your truly need. We’re just here to help you find the best ways to get it.
Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa
Island living meets desert luxury at the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa in Indian Wells. When you step onto the 11-acre property, you’ll be surrounded by sweeping view of the Santa Rosa Mountains with olive trees and fragrant citrus groves decorating the grounds. In other words, everything about this relaxed but refined resort is primed to help you let go of the stress from home and enjoy easy sun-soaked days and gorgeous starry nights.
The rooms blend calming, woven textures with Tommy Bahama’s signature tropical prints and feature private lanais, making it easy unwind the moment you walk in the door. If you book one of the four Villa Suites, you’ll be treated to exclusive Tommy Bahama furniture and unique personal touches to further that feeling of instant ease.
At the award-winning Spa Rosa, the expert team will help reset and recharge your body and mind using methods and rituals inspired by the desert. The 12,000-square-foot retreat includes outdoor soaking pools, eucalyptus steam rooms, and outdoor cabanas, as well as massages, facials, and body masks—all aimed at creating a day dedicated to you. We’re particularly partial to the Day Long Escape, an indulgent all-day affair of CDBs soaks, renewing scrubs, life changing massages, and transformative facials.
Following your treatment, continue the experience with a meal on the patio at Grapefruit Basil. We love the Hamachi Crudo, a light, citrus-forward dish featuring premium yellowtail, house-made ponzu, creamy avocado, and fresh seasonal garnishes.
Whether you’re strolling the gardens, relaxing beside its saltwater pools, or indulging in a restorative treatment, you’ll be able to escape in style and relax in luxury at the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa.
Healcove Chiropractic
There’s no shortage of ways to stay active in San Diego—but if you really want to enjoy everything the city has to offer, you’ve got to make sure you’re giving your body its tune-ups. Enter: Healcove Chiropractic. The board-certified chiropractors and wellness professionals at Healcove are experts at addressing that stage where you’re not injured, exactly, but you’re not at 100%, either. Maybe you’re feeling a bit tense or stressed out. Or it could be that you’re not quite moving the way you want to. Sometimes, it’s just that the accumulation of days, weeks, or even years of daily strain is starting to take a toll. No matter what stage you find yourself at, the Healcove Chiropractic team can provide integrated, preventative care centered on long-term, science-backed approaches that ensure you can always stay active and live the life you want to live pain-free.
This starts by providing truly individualized care. Every patient can expect a thorough 60-minute consultation session that includes a posture and movement screening. This allows the team to develop a completely personalized plan. That plan might include chiropractic care, acupuncture, or massage therapy, as well as functional fitness training, vibration and sound therapy, and Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization, a clinical rehabilitation method that retrains the body’s stabilization systems. Whatever the team recommends, you can be sure that it’s tailored to meeting your body’s needs today and the future.
There’s a reason that San Diego Magazine named Healcove the “Best Chiropractor in San Diego”—don’t wait until you’re struggling with an injury to find out why. Book an appointment today for holistic, integrated care that helps ground and heal your body before it reaches a crisis point.
Juice Holler
West Coast wellness culture meets the community feel of Southern Appalachia at Juice Holler. Juice Holler’s menu consists of made-to-order smoothies and smoothie bowls, as well as grab-and-go cold-pressed juices, wellness shots, salads, and more. It operates from the blissfully simple premise that fueling up with food and drink that’s guilt-free and good your body should be simple, accessible, and, above all else, delicious. And if you haven’t yet made it out to the Encinitas café, which opened just this year, let us be the first to tell you: Juice Holler delivers on each and every of these fronts.
We love the Supercharger smoothie, a mood-lifting and body-fueling option made with banana, almond butter, blue spirulina, maca, grass-fed whey protein, raw cacao nibs, medjool dates, and coconut milk. We’re also partial to the Thrive Alive smoothie bowl, where avocado, mango, sea moss, spirulina, mint, coconut milk, and agave are mixed and topped with coconut, chia seeds, strawberry, mango, and chocolate drizzle. The wellness shots include the Detoxifier, a cleansing blend of kale, cucumber, lemon and spirulina, plus a shot specially designed to fight inflammation (named, fittingly, Anti-Inflammation). Probiotic overnight oats, lemon turmeric bars, and strawberry shortcake chia pudding are other standouts on the grab-and-go menu.
Much of the vibe feels beachy North County chic—think green tile with orange and pink accents, grounded with greenery and natural wood—but Juice Holler founder Kelly Sergott, a longtime Encinitas local, has also enfused the space with her Kentucky roots. In Appalachia, a holler is small valley between hills and mountains, where nature reigns, community is king, and nourishment comes right from the land. At Juice Holler, Sergott has created a holler for the busy modern times, using local ingredients to create a spot for people to come together and enjoy fresh, fast, feel-good fuel for their day.
Everwell Acupuncture
We’ve all had that experience with a medical professional where we’ve felt rushed, ignored, or misunderstood—and ultimately, like we didn’t get the answers that we needed. But at Everwell, the holistic acupuncture practice located in Solana Beach, the care team wants to transform your understanding of what healthcare can look like.
Patients at Everwell experience care rooted in intentional listening and radical empathy—and trust us, those aren’t just corporate buzzwords. This place actually puts those ideas into practice. You will always be given the time you need to tell your story— initial in-take appointments are two hours long—and you can rest assured that your story will be believed. Every single question and concern will be addressed by a dedicated practitioner who wants to find the specific solutions that work best for you, and you’ll receive care that’s aimed at healing the body, mind, and spirit.
Everwell’s highly trained, doctorate-level practitioners blend evidence-based acupuncture with the practice of classical Chinese medicine. (If you’ve never tried acupuncture before or aren’t sure if the team will be a fit, we’d highly recommended Everwell’s complimentary 20-minute consultations.) Research shows that by stimulating specific points on the body, acupuncture activates a natural healing response in the body, helping to restore balance, regulate the nervous system, and improve overall wellbeing. This allows the practice to address an incredibly wide range of conditions from chronic pain and autoimmune disorders to digestive issues, from stress and burnout to headaches migraines, fertility and postpartum struggles, hormonal imbalances, sleep concerns and more.
At Everwell, you can expect to feel heard, trusted, respected, and cared for. This is a space that doesn’t want to be just another healthcare provider you visit; it wants to provide patients with dedicated partner who will be there for their entire health journey.
