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Strong Bones
Located in the heart of Mission Hills on Fort Stockton Drive, Backbone Floral opened its brick-and-mortar this past summer after years of custom and event floral work. Owner and designer Jesse Zmuda is mostly known for her variety of dried flowers, including her arrange-it-yourself dried stem bar, which is especially good for home decor buffs who are ballin’ on a budget and can’t spring for fresh blooms every week. But she also carries fresh flower bouquets, vintage home goods, cards, local art, and gifts.
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Boutique Vibes
Just opened in La Jolla is Orli, the first boutique hotel from local siblings Hailey and Max Waitt. Orli debuts after a two-year restoration and renovation of a private residence built during the 1910s, originally designed by Irving Gill, widely considered the father of California modernism. The property spans two structures and connects through a spacious courtyard with ample plush seating under century-old olive trees. Overall, there are 13 custom-designed guest rooms and suites with decor bells and whistles, like record players and vintage typewriters, and complimentary cold brew and kombucha on tap.
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Crack Open (Another) Cold One
Canned cocktails are certainly having a moment and San Diego’s got a brand new one, Melograno, that comes in four flavors: Pomegranate Cosmopolitan, Melon Margarita, Orange Blossom Martini, and Cucumber Lime Mojito and was soft-launched in a bunch of local restaurants earlier this year, including some of the SDCM and Cohn Restaurant Group spots. The brand also took home two bronze and silver medals each at the 2022 New York World Wine & Spirits Competition. 12-ounce Melograno canned drinks come in a 12-pack and clock in at 120 calories, 5% ABV.
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Looking Shady
San Diego-based celeb-favorite sunglasses brand Alexander Daas–worn by Sir Patrick Stewart, Zendaya, and Michael Keaton–just released new shades. They’re made with premium materials, like high-quality acetates, anti-reflective coating, and proprietary Daas Digital Progressive lenses, which are supposed to give you X-ray vision (or something like that). In particular, the new collection features the “Milan” shades—round-framed with a keyhole bridge, designed to appeal to all gender expressions. They also come in eyeglasses and a range of colors.
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Fresh Off the Presses
Operating throughout SoCal and Italy but based out of a charming, bohemian Golden Hill villa, Cucina Migrante runs farm-and-cooking-oriented pop-up dinners, team-building experiences, private chef services, and culinary tours. The name reflects the experiences of its founders, Adisa Ziric, a Bosnian refugee, and Francesco Bonsi, who immigrated to the U.S. from Italy. They just released their self-titled cookbook, which is part recipe collection, part narrative of a lifestyle intimately tied up in farming, the local food system, and finding joy in cooking.
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Fit for Kids
Why should adults get to have all thefun when it comes to athleisure? RanchoBernardo-based Rylee & Cru is a modern, stylish mommy-and-me-type clothing brand whose athleisure line, Play x Play, is much more Outdoor Voices than Laura Ashley. Adults and kids can choose from tie-dye and monochrome sweats, leggings, t-shirts, and even crop tops. The company features a transparency guide on its website, which details its efforts towards ethical and sustainable sourcing and business practices.
