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Our annual guide to what’s new, cool, and delicious in San Diego and Baja (plus, things to do from a distance!)
Town and Country Resort
This story was published in the December 2020 issue of San Diego Magazine. Some of these attractions and businesses are now temporarily closed due to the Regional Stay Home Order. Visit covid19.ca.gov for the latest information.
Arts & Culture | Shopping & Beauty | Health & Wellness | Kids & Pets | Food & Drink | Baja
AirOshi
Get plenty of social distance by enjoying a scenic tour of San Diego by air. Aeronautical athlete Anthony Oshinuga takes passengers aboard his jet to experience the glistening ocean waters and the city’s historic landmarks from above. Oshinuga placed second at the 2015 National Championship Air Races.
Pickup and drop off from Montgomery Field and Palomar Airport
The famed “Pink Lady” hotel offers workcationers an Office by the Ocean package to set up your workspace in one of the high-end property’s king-size guest rooms for the day. You’ll get a sanitized and comfy desk and chair, high-speed Wi-Fi and, of course, a view worthy of your next Zoom meeting background.
1132 Prospect Street, La Jolla
FemX Quarters
FemX Quarters is a Latina-founded multipurpose creative space for women that hosts events and includes coworking spaces and studios for photography, film, and audio recording. Because of the pandemic, FemX Quarters had to expand its digital footprint by launching online courses geared toward today’s economy and by hosting physically distant but socially connected events.
1919 San Diego Avenue, Mission Hills
The Del’s oceanfront cabana guest rooms got a complete makeover with refreshed coastal colors and stunning alfresco settings with lounge areas, fire pits, and sunset views. The new nearby pool also has private cabanas to offer a refreshed spot to enjoy craft cocktails and swanky SoCal living.
1500 Orange Avenue, Coronado
The Point Loma landmark remains true to its 1960s midcentury aesthetic, but with revamped interiors, thanks to local design firm Human Kind Design Company and to Electric Bowery.The property also changed its popular “dive-in” movies to “dine-in” movies over the oyster-shaped pool with a $50 prix fixe menu.
1410 Rosecrans Street, Point Loma
Voices of Our City Choir
Cofounded in 2016 by jazz singer Steph Johnson, this choir for people experiencing homelessness made it to the semifinals of this year’s America’s Got Talent competition. The celebrity judges were wowed by an original song the choir performed and by the story of how this group—now a nonprofit—welcomes people off the street and has empowered over 60 of its members to find stable housing.
1550 Market Street, East Village
2020 has been an extremely challenging year for the arts, and North Park’s Media Arts Center has adapted by transitioning its most popular events to virtual happenings. The organization behind Digital Gym Cinema and the annual Latino Film Festival hosted both events online with weekly arthouse engagements and digital access to the film festival’s movies. The nonprofit also continued its youth filmmakers program this summer, giving teens interested in cinema a chance to produce a documentary.
2921 El Cajon Boulevard, North Park
This innovative gallery concept shows only one piece of art at a time. Avoid crowds—visits are limited to groups of four, by appointment only—and enjoy the experience of “slow art.” Each visit is free, and a gallery worker will be on hand to offer information and insight or simply let you appreciate the work in silence. Each show runs for three weeks.
7722 Girard Avenue, La Jolla
The beloved gay nightclub pandemic-pivoted in truly spectacular fashion (we would expect nothing less) by transforming into an outdoor party palace complete with go-go dancing stages, socially distanced tables, a full menu, and fun decor.
1051 University Avenue, Hillcrest
In October, visual artist and South Park local Melody Moulton opened Trash Lamb, her first standalone art gallery. The intimate gallery features a variety of thought-provoking pieces by artists working in different media from San Diego and beyond. A small shop, curated by Moulton and stocked with artisanal goods, occupies the front. Moulton is also an avid traveler. The pandemic grounded her in more ways than one, giving her the courage to take the leap into this new venture.
2365 30th Street, South Park
The San Diego Public Library has kept readers of all ages engaged online despite coronavirus-related library closures. The SDPL Virtual Hub has real-time and recorded bilingual storytimes, teen and adult book talks, craft activities, science experiments, and special guest performances. The librarians dress up in costumes and do all the voices as they read aloud to book lovers young and old.
Various locations
The Nada Shop
Becca Batista
Consider Samantha Simone the North County queen of low-waste living. She opened up her own refillery in Encinitas just last year, selling eco-friendly household cleaners and bath soaps in bulk. Bring in your own containers and fill them up, or let her team guide you through the Starter Collection to kick off your sustainable lifestyle. In addition to formulas, the shop also carries products that’ll get you on a greener living track—think reusable mugs and bags, and even solid dish soaps to avoid single-use plastics.
937 South Coast Highway 101, Encinitas; 332 South Coast Highway, Oceanside
When Janelle Noble Donovan’s daughter was suffering through a cycle of infections, she became desperate to create a solution. In developing Anshi topical rubs, she aimed to use the body’s largest organ—the skin—to promote healing. The dry rubs contain pink Himalayan salt for quick absorption, and can also be used as a shower scrub or bath soak to relieve various ailments, including joint and muscle pain, cold and flu symptoms, and bites and burns.
Music venues are hurting right now, and The Casbah introduced new merch this summer for loyal concertgoers and music lovers to show their support. The crowd favorite is the “Froberg” tees, featuring a cartoonish design by musician and former Encinitas resident Rick Froberg (Hot Snakes, Drive Like Jehu). The illustration is available as a unisex tee, women’s tank, and coffee mug. Also new to the merchandise is 2020’s hottest accessory—a face mask, with Casbah branding. Trust us, you can rock it.
2501 Kettner Boulevard, Little Italy
What started as a bow tie business has evolved to meet a niche market: wood-brimmed hats. The caps are crafted with real woods and spot-coated with epoxy resin for dashes of color. All fedoras come with iconic accessories, like a feather, quill, or pin. We’ll tip our hats to that!
With the homesteading lifestyle on the rise, home hobbyists need a shop of their own. Enter Home Ec., stocked with gardening supplies, cookbooks, sewing kits, and even the owner’s sourdough starter. Preheat your oven!
2355 India Street, Little Italy
You can’t get any more homegrown than running a plant shop out of your house. A former co-owner of North Park Nursery and its sister shop Eden San Diego, Stephanie Ward bases her new venture out of her Imperial Beach home and runs on an appointment-based system. The inventory skews toward tropical plants, but she also has all the basics like snake plants and pothos.
Imperial Beach
Klover’s art-forward dispensary livened up its industrial neighborhood when it opened up shop last year. Splashed across its exterior walls are murals from local cross-border artist Panca. Inside is a suite of THC-rich products from the highest-quality brands California cannabis has to offer.
3500 Estudillo Street, Pacific Highway
The longtime dream of Rais Case owner Julie Ellis, The Rising Co. in Oceanside opened in early 2020. The co-op is brimming with something for everyone from wares to activities. Beyond the merchandise, there’s coworking spaces, Seaborne Coffee Company, and fitness classes.
332 South Coast Highway, Oceanside
Maek
Married ceramicists Michaela and Ryan Maes opened up their first-ever brick and mortar shop in Ocean Beach last summer. They do all of their throwing in the shop, so customers can see the time and care each piece needs. Fan favorites include the Thumb Cup, the Traveler mug, and Portholes wall mirrors. Coming soon: a membership-based ceramic studio.
1918 Bacon Street, Ocean Beach
Sommeil—that’s French for ‘sleep’—is the boutique arm of the North Park mattress shop Sleep Bedder. They stock all the creature comforts one could want to wind down for a restful night, from candles to bath soaps and herbal supplements. If you’re into it, there are also crystals, sage, and smudge sticks.
2867 El Cajon Boulevard, North Park
When you have minimal square feet to work with, you bet your inventory has to be refined. That’s been Shop Soet’s philosophy since they opened in Hillcrest last summer. The little shop is tucked below the Abpópa microloft complex on Fifth Avenue and the gem of its inventory is a two-story wall of vinyl records that leads to their “music den” upstairs. On the bottom floor, you’ll find a modest collection of homewares, jewelry, books, and beauty and skin care goods.
3776 Fourth Avenue, Hillcrest
When he welcomed his first child into the world, Mark Frahm realized that the frayed shoebox he’d been using to store his cannabis stash was no longer adequate. To solve this problem, he created Rob Rodney, a luxury line of leather storage cases designed to keep cannabis products safely out of reach from kids and pets. The bags have locks and come with airtight jars and magnetic pouches to store joints, vapes, gummies, and oils.
No matter what you call it—an expansion, a rebranding, a reset—we’re loving that Melanie Michaud transformed her South Park clothing boutique, Graffiti Beach, into a second location of her Bankers Hill shop, Thread + Seed. The South Park post swapped the fast-fashion finds in favor of timeless pieces at an affordable price.Perfect for the holidays, the shop has a Build-a-Box Bar for shoppers to create their own gift box.
2220 Fern Street, South Park
Designer Ugochi Iwuaba makes her mark with attention-grabbing fashion inspired by African textiles and silhouettes. The same scene-stealing power that won Ugochi Iwuaba the award for Best Show at Orange County Fashion Week is back this season in liquid metallics and delicate details (hello, virtual holiday parties). Browse the racks at her eponymous flagship boutique, which opened this summer in Mission Valley.
5080 Camino del Arroyo, Mission Valley
Timshel in Thread Spun
This modern-meets-vintage home goods boutique charmed Normal Heights for mere months before COVID-19 caused the closure of its brick and mortar. Then, the young owners found a saving grace through Thread Spun, which lent a nook of its shop space to Timshel to run as a pop-up and spotlight its sustainable wares and slow-fashion products.
1114 North Coast Highway 101, Encinitas
This Normal Heights plant shop pivoted their sales strictly to Instagram stories during the shutdown and got their process so perfected that they’ve continued their online sales even after reopening. Simply DM the shop to let them know you’re ready to retrieve your purchase and they’ll slide your new plant out the door, no contact required. In-person shoppers will love the newly installed community cutting swap wall.
3504 Adams Avenue, Normal Heights
Sojourn Healing Collective
Tiffany Allen
Coinciding with its three-year anniversary, Sojourn Healing Collective moved from its original Bankers Hill location to a new space with two sunlit studios in Golden Hill. Already known for their various yoga practices, meditation, sound healing, and breathwork, Sojourn has recently rolled out new in-person classes and workshops, plus a virtual studio membership for online instruction. The 2,000-square-foot facility has a modern vibe, brought to life with a plant wall, crystals, and an outdoor community courtyard.
811 25th Street, Golden Hill
Based on the success of their first two medical spas, Revive Salon & Spa expanded farther north with a new location in Encinitas. Providing laser, skin, and body treatments; facials, peels, and waxing; Botox and other fillers; Revive also houses full-service hair salons at their Mission Valley and Carmel Valley locations. All virtual consultations are free.
109 North El Camino Real, Suite 9, Encinitas
Set your leg warmer and leotard stereotypes aside. Jazzercise has lived on for 51 years for good reason—you burn calories, and fast. This year, the San Diego–based fitness empire has ramped up its Jazzercise On Demand workout so you can start burning calories from the moment you get up off the couch. The workouts target all muscle groups and incorporate strength, high-intensity interval training, and Pilates moves that bring the dance routines well into the modern era.
This hot-mat Pilates studio quickly grew a dedicated following after it debuted in Bankers Hill last year. When public health regulations barred indoor workouts for much of 2020, owner Betsy Blumenfeld hopped on the next best thing by launching an online streaming service for those determined to keep getting their sweat on. A monthly subscription of $25 grants access to over 200 videos, with new ones added each month. Their specialty is the Savor and Spice classes, which move through quick, blood-pumping intervals of classic mat moves.
Saffron & Sage is offering a comprehensive Mind, Body + Spirit detoxification so you can reset and rewire. Commit to this six-week self-care series and you’ll receive a detox kit designed by holistic health practitioners that includes nutritional guidance, sample menus, recipes, nutritional and homeopathic supplements, and daily journal prompts. It also comes with access to weekly virtual workshops, Saffron & Sage’s virtual classes, and flower essences delivered to your door.
2555 State Street, Mission Hills
Movement Warehouse
Movement Warehouse facilitates high-intensity weight lifting that prioritizes form over setting personal records. Think an athlete training facility, not a CrossFit. Owner Michael Hamanaka says it’s the people and community that make you want to keep coming back. In light of the pandemic, the gym upgraded their space for complete outdoor training and cleaning on rotation every six to seven minutes.
1425 Garnet Avenue, Pacific Beach
The nearly 70-year-old hotel got a new lease on life after $70 million worth of construction work, and the results make a big splash. The expansive pool deck has three areas to explore, including a kids’ pool. Older kids (and brave younger ones) will adore the Twister, a four-story-high waterslide (the city’s tallest!) while grown-ups will appreciate the margaritas served poolside. The hardest part of your day may be telling the kids when it’s time to head back home, but that’s a small win any parent will happily take! Day passes can be purchased at resortpass.com.
500 Hotel Circle North, Mission Valley
Rancho Bernardo Inn has debuted a private, interactive falconry experience for guests. Under the guidance of expert handlers, you can don the falconer’s glove and have close encounters with owls and other majestic raptors. You’ll learn all about the history of this ancient and noble sport and play field games with the birds on the sprawling Argon Lawn.
17550 Bernardo Oaks Drive, Rancho Bernardo
The former Camp-Run-A-Mutt location welcomed a refreshing rebranding inspired by the daycare owner’s 11-year-old puggle, Kirby. The new name comes with the same trusted service, but with updated perks like temperament testing to keep things safe, spacious big-dog and small-dog play yards, and dog pools for your pup to splash around. You can pick from half- or full-day stays or overnight boarding, and even treat your four-legged friend to a grooming so they come home happy and squeaky clean.
7888 Othello Avenue, Kearny Mesa
Stylish sustainability is at the heart of Le Shoob. The brand offers a collection of treats, goods, and wears for your favorite furry companion that you can feel good about. The small-batch treats are made from 100 percent natural ingredients and bagged in recycled packaging. Collars, leashes, and harnesses are available in a wide range of colors and, with each purchase, Le Shoob donates ten percent to Hearts & Bones Rescue.
The iconic indoor pool at Mission Beach opened last summer after getting a $12 million facelift. The new retractable roof and floor-to-ceiling windows let in plenty of light and ventilation, and during daytime recreational swim hours, there’s a fun floatie obstacle course for the kids to tackle in the shallow end. For the ultimate pool party, you can sign the kids up for a full day camp experience.
3115 Ocean Front Walk, Mission Beach
Home & Hound
Becca Batista
Home & Hound’s owner, Brittany Garbani, is on a mission to make home decor and dog garb jibe harmoniously. The inventory’s neutral color palette and Garbani’s minimalist-meets-boho aesthetic is a big part of it. The shop is a true 50/50 split between serving humans (textiles, accent furniture, decorative accessories, entertaining wares) and dogs (walking, eating, sleeping, and playing essentials). We couldn’t agree more with the shop’s tagline, “Home is where your hound is”—so decorate accordingly.
3768 30th Street, North Park
Experience the wildlife at this quiet retreat in Alpine. The Children’s Nature Retreat is a 20-acre sanctuary for 150 domesticated and wild animals. Visitors get up close with 22 different species, including one of the few white camels in the world. Many of the animals were donated from owners who could no longer care for them or rescued and brought to the sanctuary for a bit of San Diego sun and peace.
5178 Japatul Spur, Alpine
American Pizza Manufacturing
James Tran
American Pizza Manufacturing offers restaurant-quality pizzas and pastas without the prep work. Crowd favorites include the Harley pizza, topped with Italian sausage, caramelized onions, sage, Asiago, and mozzarella. Salads and desserts complete a full and no-fuss dinner.
7402 La Jolla Boulevard, La Jolla
At long last, University Heights has a wine shop to call its own. Married couple Juerie and Paul opened Clos this summer, delivering all the mom-and-pop vibes you wish for in a neighborhood bottle shop. They specialize in natural and organic wines sourced from small growers and producers. Grab a bottle to go or post up on the patio and stay awhile with a meat and cheese board or the house specialty, tinned fish.
4521 Park Boulevard, University Heights
From the high-altitude mesas of Durango, Mexico, comes Izo Mezcal, a smooth, smoky spirit that’s meant for sipping. Crafted from wild agave hearts, Izo has hints of banana and green apple flavors with subtle floral notes. The distillery will soon release a well tequila and sotol to round out its full collection.
Luca at The Guild Hotel
Kai Oliver-Kurtin
International travel may be on pause, but guests dining at Luca in The Guild Hotel will feel transported to the French Riviera thanks to the restaurant’s chic alfresco setup. The menu combines flavors from the Mediterranean and North Africa, and its location makes for the perfect workday lunch spot.
500 West Broadway, Downtown
Metl Bar & Restaurant mixes alcohol and ice cream in deliciously campy ways. Try a “Painchiller” with three kinds of rum, orange, pineapple, and nutmeg; or stay on trend by ordering the “Tygrr King.” This wild concoction includes Skrewball Whiskey and chocolate rum dashed with banana pudding, cashews, and Whoppers candy.
748 Fifth Avenue, Gaslamp Quarter
Ivo Fedak sells his hard-to-grow gourmet mushrooms at local farmers’ markets. He specializes in “wood lovers,” or exotic strains that grow on trees and in forests—king trumpets, oysters, and lion’s manes, to name a few. Pay him a visit and expand your palate!
San Diego’s first zero-waste plant-based restaurant makes creative use of products that many restaurants throw out, like banana peels, which transform into a taco filling. Vegan proteins, including taste-alikes for crab and chicken, are all made in-house.
1733 S. Coast Highway, Oceanside
This multi-restaurant spot opened on the North Embarcadero in July. You’ll need to call ahead to get a reservation at Brigantine on the Bay. Just cruising by? Check out Ketch Grill & Taps. Over 1,000 seats are spread out across the two-story complex—most with fantastic bay views.
1360 North Harbor Drive, Downtown
Pâtisserie Mélanie
Combining the best of a palmier and a croissant yields the kouign-amann. Le Cordon Bleu–trained chef Melanie Dunn creates her masterpiece by laminating the dough with lots of butter—the result is a rich, flaky, cinnamon-topped dessert that’s totally delicious.
3788 Park Boulevard, Hillcrest
Encinitas’ favorite spot for live music recently created a charming venue in the back of their restaurant, transforming the parking lot with market lights, artificial turf, barrel tables, and an elevated stage, so you can safely enjoy the local musicians while you sip a Coupe de la Vie nightcap—cold brew with Irish cream, crème de cacao, and vodka.
517 South Coast Highway 101, Encinitas
Tracy Borkum of Cucina Urbana fame has joined forces with the Snake Oil craft cocktail wizards to create Camp Cucina, a dynamic all-outdoor pop-up scene. Come holiday season, Urban Kitchen Group will continue to cater to the festive gatherings at Julep.
1735 Hancock Street, Middletown
The Vegan Lion delivers homestyle, plant-based comfort foods. Chef-founder Quin Butler runs San Diego’s first completely vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free meal service. Order the best-selling Lion Wings Meal: Air-fried oyster mushroom “wings” show off Quin’s skill with seasonings and stay crispy and delicious even through cross-town transit.
1100 North Magnolia Avenue, Suite D, El Cajon
Last summer, chef Socheath Sun (formerly of Tiger!Tiger! Tavern) opened one of the most talked about lunch spots downtown: a pop-up that has only one dish on the menu, which changes daily. Diners can expect dishes that span Southeast Asia. Sun’s family is from Cambodia, and dishes like prahok k’tiss (a dip of minced pork, eggplant, lemongrass, and chili) make appearances on the menu. Give Chef Sun a follow, and see what her loyal fan base has been raving about.
734 Park Boulevard, East Village
Yipao Coffee Bar
Israel Palacio
Positioned as an offshoot of Kairoa Brewing Company, Yipao specializes in Colombian coffee, roasted in San Diego. In addition to single-origin cold brews, pour-overs, espresso, and other coffee drinks, they sell bags of beans at Seaside Market in Cardiff and at their University Heights location to take to go. Just look for the namesake yipao jeep parked right in front.
4601 Park Boulevard, University Heights
Dare we say some cocktails taste better in a can? One sip from You & Yours’ collection of vodka sodas and gin and tonics, and you’ll see what we mean. New this year are two vodka sodas in Meyer lemon and cucumber mint flavors, rounding out the distillery’s collection of eight canned sippers. Both are made from their award-winning grape-based vodka and distilled at their tasting room.
1495 G Street, East Village
Owner David Young is no newbie when it comes to the business of fruit, with a degree in pomology (fruit science) and 20 years in winemaking to prove it. But what’s most impressive about his cidery is that everything is found, grown, and made on-site. Recipes include ingredients like pineapple weed and white sage, which gives their crisp apple ciders an extra flair. The tasting room is right on the apple orchard, making a sweet alfresco cider experience that much sweeter.
4200 Highway 78, Julian
Having a midweek slump? Tune in to Wino Wednesdays for some wine, cheese, and respite at this biweekly tasting hosted by one of the city’s most acclaimed cheese shops. Every week, they highlight a new wine from around the world, like a Spanish garnacha or even a local pinot noir, and pair it with a cheese plate for a virtual tasting on their YouTube channel. Order ahead online, pick up the cheese and vino that day at their shop in Del Mar or Mission Hills, and get ready for a comfy happy hour at home. If you’re up for it, you can engage in the live chat, but no one minds if you just sit in your sweatpants and listen in while you sip. If you want something more interactive (that will get you off the couch) they also have cooking classes hosted by Venissimo employees. Just want to socialize? Sign up for their informal Sunday Sessions and toast to making it through another week.
Realm of the 52 Remedies
When happy hour has to be a home affair, only the best cocktails will do. That’s where Common Theory’s not-so-secret speakeasy comes in. 52 Remedies’ innovative craft cocktails are now available in “Home Therapy” bottles to go—complete with garnishes. All you need to do is pour over ice and enjoy. Each week, the bar features three new recipes that you can order individually or as part of the Home Therapy Wellness Kit, which comes with all three premixed cocktails, garnishes, barbecue taro chips, and a surprise gift.
4805 Convoy Street, Kearny Mesa
Baja Excursions
Ever wanted to rappel 25 meters off the ocean? It might be time to give coasteering a try. This nature tourism company offers a variety of extreme sports and outdoor activities such as hiking, canyoneering, kayaking, and coasteering. It’s the only company in Tijuana and Rosarito that has federal and state accreditations that are required for their line of services.
Departs to various locations
Tijuana’s only interactive science and technology museum is designed to catch your curiosity with 10 modifiable workshops, labs, robotics, and special events to explore. Most recently added is the planetarium, a space dedicated to the knowledge of the universe. They are offering online events, and visits are by appointment only.
Tijuana
La Lomita Winery is where chef Sheyla Alvarado continues to build her legacy in Valle de Guadalupe. After her residency at the vineyard’s acclaimed TrasLomita, Lunario shows off her mastery of the forces shaping the valley’s culinary universe. The six- and eight-course menus, which change with the phases of the moon, source from nearby fincas and the Ensenada coastline. The dining room is housed inside a greenhouse reminiscent of an observatory.
Ensenada
Sharpen your cooking skills with professional executive chefs at the Culinary Art School of Tijuana. They offer day courses for amateurs that walk you through popular dishes such as pan dulce, craft cocktails, veggie tacos, moles, salsas, burgers, crepes, and more. Courses include the recipes, ingredients, an apron, accident insurance, and a diploma at the end of the course. You don’t need great knife cutting skills, just comfortable shoes and a willingness to learn.
Tijuana
La Saladita
This new cantina from the owners of the iconic Cantina de los Remedios is focused on providing a seafood menu that distinguishes the fresh produce of the Baja region with rich marinades, sauces, and preparations from Southern Mexico. Menu items to try include the juicy golden shrimp marinated to perfection in paprika and soy, and a two-pound zarandeado octopus marinated in flavorful adobo, flash fried, and served with warm handmade tortillas.
Tijuana
Border Psycho laid a foundation of irreverent takes on classic brews. The craft label made major moves since last year, starting with Playami, its new taproom and multilevel dining space in the Playas de Tijuana neighborhood. Inside the tanks, they’ve been pulling off some must-drink collabs with brewers on both sides of the border, including San Marcos’s Mason Ale Works.
Tijuana
A new hospitality option for the millennial traveler is now taking reservations in downtown Tijuana. The 17-room hotel has city views and lots of natural light—ideal for snapping some photos—and houses a coffee shop, bar, and coworking spaces. The project was a collaboration led by Mariel Cuervo of Coyote Projects and Miguel Marshall of Centro Ventures.
Tijuana
This 360-degree outdoor event space is designed like a drive-in movie theater with a four-sided concert stage. Guests can park in front of one of the four large LED screens and enjoy movies, concerts, boxing matches, and live DJs Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. There are also food trucks and pop-up food stands.
Tijuana
Chef Jair Téllez’s landmark Verde y Crema made its much-anticipated return to a new two-level structure on Avenida Revolución downtown after a nearly two-year absence. Its outstanding menu has seen few changes, so anyone can get a taste of the dishes that got Tijuana buzzing for years.
Tijuana
When Telefónica opened in a downtown parking lot, few would have imagined its future as a foodie destination. Today, the food hall continues to top Tijuana to-do lists with its local tap list and roster of chefs. Founder Antonio Gamboa has big plans in the works: he announced on KPBS in February that he is actively looking for a San Diego location for a cross-border expansion.
Tijuana
Tacos del Koshy
In Tijuana there are many taquerías to choose from, but this new spot is worth all the hype. In addition to staples such as carne asada, adobada, birria, cabeza, carnitas, lengua, suadero (interior shank), and tripa, Tacos del Koshy serves up Central Mexican flavors and original creations. Must-order items include the Taco del Koshy, with crispy suadero, pig skin, beans, and guacamole; and salsas that are made with special house recipes.
PARTNER CONTENT
Tijuana
Discover eateries, outings, and shops within this inland North County community
Just south of Lake Hodges near 4S Ranch and Poway, Rancho Bernardo is a suburban community that blends residential neighborhoods with industrial pockets, elevated by a decidedly diverse food scene.
Over 60 years ago, this North County neighborhood was once part of a family ranch. Since that time, big tech companies have taken up residence here, including Amazon, Sony Electronics, Oura Ring, HP, Teradata, and ASML. Rancho Bernardo Inn serves as a community hub, with locals frequently meeting at the hotel’s restaurants, golf course, and spa.
Whether it’s work or a round of golf that brings you to Rancho Bernardo, we’ve taken care of the agenda planning with our guide to the area’s best restaurants, activities, and shops.
Sample ingredients plucked straight from Rancho Bernardo Inn’s onsite garden and served at their signature restaurant Avant. One of the neighborhood’s most upscale dining options, they serve a French-inspired menu with nods to California, including many seafood options. Don’t miss their more casual sister restaurant Veranda for al fresco dining.
17550 Bernardo Oaks Drive
Wood-fired pizzas and handmade pastas are standouts at The Kitchen, Bernardo Winery’s counter-service restaurant specializing in Sicilian flavors. Charcuterie boards and bruschetta make for great starters or snacks while wine tasting.
13330 Paseo Del Verano Norte
Fast-casual and family-owned eatery Bushfire Kitchen recently opened a location in Rancho Bernardo, serving sandwiches, bowls, salads, burgers, protein plates, and housemade empanadas. Bushfire prepares comfort food with healthy ingredients, and offers plenty of vegetarian and vegan options.
11962 Bernardo Plaza Drive, Suite 110
Some might call The Cork & Craft an overachiever. This gastropub has an in-house craft brewery and winery: Abnormal Beer and Wine. The more, the merrier. Their sushi menu is definitely worth exploring, but don’t miss other specialties like garlic noodles, chicken wings, and pork belly.
16990 Via Tazon
You don’t have to leave Rancho Bernardo to get a white tablecloth steakhouse experience. Carvers Steaks & Chops has prime rib (their best seller), filet, ribeye, porterhouse, New York strip, and other cuts, served alongside crab-stuffed mushrooms, wedge salad, French onion soup, potato skins, and other steakhouse specialties.
1940 Bernardo Plaza Drive
This no-frills Burmese restaurant is known for its traditional tea leaf salad that’s topped with sesame and sunflower seeds, garlic chips, peanuts, tomatoes, jalapeños, fried yellow beans, and fermented green tea leaf dressing. Tucked into a nondescript strip mall, Burma Place is a great takeout option when you want to eat garlic noodles, fried rice, chicken curry, and samosas from the comfort of your couch.
16719 Bernardo Center Drive, Suite A
Find authentic Vietnamese cuisine at Phở Ca Dao, including favorites like phở noodle soup, vermicelli noodles, broken rice dishes, and spring rolls. One of eight locations throughout San Diego, this family-owned chain uses robot servers for food delivery.
11808 Rancho Bernardo Road, Suite 100
It’s all about the sauce at fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant The Kebab Shop. Smothering your chicken shawarma, gyro, or falafels in garlic yogurt, cilantro jalapeno, fire chili, and dill yogurt sauce is practically a rite of passage. The hardest part is deciding whether to order a wrap, bowl, or salad.
11980 Bernardo Plaza Drive
Get a taste of South Asian flavors at Casa Lahori, a Pakistani restaurant noted for its grilled meat kabobs. Other best-selling dishes include beef nihari, chicken biryani, and shahi paneer— best enjoyed with naan bread.
11975 Bernardo Plaza Drive
Grill your own meat on the tabletop at Kangnam Korean BBQ, an interactive, all-you-can-eat experience that’s well-suited for large groups. Marinated beef bulgogi, grilled galbi short ribs, and spicy pork are served alongside traditional banchan dishes like kimchi, japchae glass noodles, and flavorful stews. Weekday lunch specials provide a nice discount on these filling meals.
11828 Rancho Bernardo Road, Suite 117–119
Dig in to your favorite curries and kebabs at Curry & More Indian Bistro. Most entrees are served with a choice of two side dishes, including basmati rice, potatoes with cumin, daal, naan, or mixed greens. Help offset the spice with one of their sweet mango or strawberry lassi drinks.
11808 Rancho Bernardo Road, Suite 123
Kai Oliver-Kurtin is a San Diego-based writer who covers travel, dining, events, and culture. Her writing has been published in USA Today, Condé Nast Traveler, Fodor's Travel, Marie Claire, and HuffPost, among others.
The city's pet-friendly courses combine scenic greens, wagging tails, and a round that’s as much about your pup as your swing
Golf doesn’t have to mean stiff collars, pleated khakis, whisper-talking on the green, or pretending your sand trap fails aren’t actually hilarious. Around San Diego, a handful of rebel courses are quietly rewriting the rules of an afternoon round, making them more relaxed, more social, and yes, more dog-friendly. These are the fairways where leashed pups pad alongside their people; where a suspenseful search for a golf ball in the bushes or—no!no!no!no!no!—in the water hazards are part of the fun; where every polite golf clap comes with a smiling, panting audience. If your ideal golf day includes a walk, a drink, and your dog riding shotgun, this is your teeing ground.
For proof that a golf course can be approachable without being boring, look no further than Emerald Isle Golf Course in Oceanside. The executive course delivers consistently beautiful greens, rolling elevations, and just enough challenge to keep you engaged, not stressed—unless your pup breaks free and runs for the rolling elevations, in which case you’ll be very engaged and maybe a little stressed. Locals love holes like the canal carry on No. 3 and the wildlife-dotted pond on No. 16, while golden-hour sunsets steal the show most evenings. Dogs are genuinely welcome here, not an afterthought. Grab them a slice of watermelon from the clubhouse, pose in the cart for Instagram cameos with an Emerald Isle scarf (it doubles as an adorable bandana for your four-legged friend), or introduce them to the course’s resident pups like Bogey, the assistant director of instruction, and shop dogs Karl and Frank. Affordable, friendly, and no-frills, Emerald Isle feels like golf you and doggo can’t wait to play.
660 S El Camino Real, Oceanside
The Loma Club is where golf goes social. Set in Liberty Station, this historic 9-hole par-3 course trades country club stiffness for an easy, neighborhood energy that feels distinctly San Diego. The course is walkable and unintimidating, with skyline and harbor views doing most of the heavy lifting. The Loma Club is just dipping its paws into the dog-friendly trend, and welcomes them on the mini course and off the fairways. Though your pup is the epicenter of your world, the patio at Loma Club is the real star, hosting live music, trivia (even the smartest dogs are stumped), and cocktails that rival golf itself. You don’t even need clubs to enjoy it. Show up with your dog, wander the course, grab something from the clubhouse, and stay for hours. You’ll feel like you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.
2960 Truxtun Rd, San Diego
Calling Goat Hill Park a golf course almost undersells it. Known as the “People’s Park,” this historic Oceanside staple operates more like a community space where golf happens. Expect dogs strolling alongside the players, music streaming from magnetic speakers attached to golf carts, beginners smacking balls alongside serious talent, and locals and tourists sharing the same teeing grounds with a few four-legged besties trotting alongside. Saved from redevelopment in 2014, Goat Hill embraces a raw, unpolished look that’s both intentional and refreshing. With ocean views, a “19th-hole” fire-pit, and zero pretense, it’s golf at its most human…because: dogs.
2323 Goat Hill Dr, Oceanside
Ready to add your pup’s name to the illustrious list of golf greats? Same. At the iconic The Club at Omni La Costa, the vibe is equal parts championship-caliber and casually fabulous. Emerald fairways so perfect you’ll hesitate to step on them, palm-lined paths practically begging for a golden-hour strut, and rolling greens that ripple in the sun. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, your four-legged plus-one enters the chat: For members and overnight guests, the La Costa lifestyle rolls out the (very chic) welcome mat for your (leashed) pup, turning tee times into a social affair of breezy, citrus-kissed luxury and leisurely strolls. Really—what are you waiting for? Even your dog’s got a standing invite.
2100 Costa Del Mar Rd, Carlsbad
Isabella Dallas is a freelance writer for San Diego Magazine and the Arts and Culture Editor at The Daily Aztec in her final year at San Diego State University. She previously worked as an editorial intern for SDM, but when she’s not writing, you can find her trying the best coffee spots in SD, devouring the latest rom-coms, and indulging in anything and everything pop culture.
Telefèric Barcelona will open its first San Diego location early this summer
Westfield UTC mall is adding yet another “first” to the ever-growing roster of restaurants. The first US location for China’s stir-fry sensation Chef Fei is on the way later this year, Japan already reinvented crispy rice pioneer Katsuya by opening the first Katsuya Ko, and now, it’s Spain’s turn—Telefèric Barcelona opens early this summer.
The family-owned, Barcelona-based tapas joint first opened in the US 10 years ago in Walnut Creek, California, but co-founder and CEO Xavi Padrosa says they’ve had their eye on San Diego for years. Westfield UTC “just clicked,” he says, pointing to the burgeoning collection of world-class eateries already within the mall’s walls. Plus, La Jolla’s breezy vibe echoes Spain’s easygoing tapas culture.
The indoor/outdoor space spans 5,526-square-feet, with seating for 150 inside, 60 on the patio, and 16 more at the bar. Xavi’s sister and co-owner Maria Padrosa designed the Mediterranean-inspired space as a contemporary take on coastal Catalonia, using imported furniture and materials from Spain like hand-glazed tiles and wood accents. And if all the dining spaces are planets, the center of the suite’s universe is the bar.
Padrosa points to signature favorites like patatas bravas (fried potatoes drizzled with a spicy red sauce and house aioli), jamón ibérico de bellota (Spanish ham from free-range pigs raised on acorns, cured for 38 months and sliced to order), gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp), pulpo Telefèric (octopus with potato purée and pimentón XO, a spicy Spanish/Cantonese fusion sauce), and croquetas (a popular fried tapas dish coated in breadcrumbs and made with béchamel mixed with fillings like jamón or king crab.
There are a very small handful of legit paella spots in San Diego (Costa Brava in Pacific Beach and Cafe Sevilla in Gaslamp Quarter come to mind), so I’m personally looking forward to giving Telefèric’s a go—especially the squid ink paella negra, which is perhaps the most goth paella of all. Every location also offers different weekend specials, La Jolla’s being seafood-driven and meant to pair with beverage director Alex Serena’s drinks. There are over a hundred Spanish wines, Spanish-inspired cocktails, sangria, and of course, plenty of twists on the iconic gin and tonic. The restaurant will also have a gourmet market called The Merkat with imported Spanish sundries.
With more US locations in the works (Newport Beach will open soon after La Jolla), Padrosa says the company hopes to open more across California, but are open to anywhere in the country that feels right. “We don’t know exactly what new cities will appear on our map in the coming years,” he says. But in true Catalan fashion, anywhere they go should be ready for big plates of hearty Spanish cuisine.
Telefèric Barcelona La Jolla opens early summer 2026 in Westfield UTC. Opening hours will be Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Most of the time, you have to be 18 years old to change your name. In Arcana’s case, it was about a month. The immersive speakeasy behind Archive in Encinitas updated their moniker to Animga (a play on “enigma”) earlier this month, after what one can only assume was an upset letter from a similarly-named business. However, partner Paula Vrakas promises that the concept remains the same—mystery, cocktails, and a forthcoming bottle locker membership club. Since the only constant is change, Anigma is off to a good start!
Listen Now: The Latest in San Diego’s Food and Drink Scene
Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].
Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
The annual event honors middle market companies creating jobs, scaling up, and investing in the region
San Diego is known for its startup culture and innovation economy, but what happens when the company moves beyond its early-stage years? The San Diego Business Impact Awards aim to answer that question, spotlighting the middle market businesses helping drive the region’s economy.
Hosted by San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and JPMorganChase, the second annual awards celebration takes place on Thursday, July 23, from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Scripps Research Auditorium. More than 200 executives, entrepreneurs, and business leaders are expected to attend the networking and cocktail event honoring some of San Diego County’s fastest-growing companies.
Businesses headquartered in San Diego County that have operated for at least two years are encouraged to submit their nomination by Thursday, June 18 at 4 p.m. Companies across industries—from technology and life sciences to tourism and consumer products, as well as pre-revenue startups—are eligible for recognition.
For EDC President and CEO Mark Cafferty, the event is as much about building connections as celebrating success. “We’ve had a longtime partnership with JPMorganChase; their work aligns with our efforts to support underserved communities and drive talent development,” says Cafferty. “And the networking was invaluable last year. I’m still in touch with people I met at last year’s awards.”
EDC is an independently-funded nonprofit that works directly with San Diego companies to help them grow the local economy, make the region as a whole more competitive, and attract and retain top-tier talent with quality jobs. Through EDC, companies can get help starting or expanding their business with support for things like site selection, permit navigation, and regulatory guidance, plus connections to local resources and potential business collaborators.
The San Diego Business Impact Awards began as an idea with one of EDC’s longtime strategic partners, JPMorganChase. The two organizations share a commitment to San Diego and are dedicated to bolstering middle market businesses.
“We’re blessed with a robust innovation economy and startup community,” says Aaron Ryan, San Diego Region Manager for JPMorgan’s Commercial and Investment Bank and vice chair of the firm’s’ San Diego Market Leadership Team. “But one of the segments of the business community we felt was overlooked was emerging middle market companies—the businesses that are no longer small but not yet large.”
Ryan says supporting those companies is critical as they scale and decide where to invest, hire, and grow.
San Diego’s high cost of living remains one of the region’s biggest business challenges, making talent recruitment and retention increasingly competitive. But local leaders point to the region’s quality of life, climate, and collaborative business community as advantages that continue to attract employers and workers.
“In order to support thriving households, there has to be enough high-quality jobs for people to be able to afford to live here,” Cafferty says. “Once a company grows and excels past that middle market point in their growth cycle, they become much more likely to pay higher wages and compete globally.”
Both Cafferty and Ryan proudly tout the unique collaboration that exists among San Diego County businesses. Bringing together top universities producing high-quality talent, cutting-edge research institutions, a robust military and defense presence, leading ocean science and environmental organizations, and a binational, cross-border identity creates a distinct business ecosystem that defines and strengthens the San Diego region.
Last year’s San Diego Business Impact Awards celebrated nearly 60 honorees from 49 industries, representing a total of 8,232 jobs across eight sectors, including: software and technology, healthcare and life sciences, consumer goods, professional services, finance, construction and manufacturing, defense, and hospitality and tourism. On average, honoree companies doubled their revenues over the previous year, employed more than 145 San Diegans each, and offered an average annual compensation of $192,415.
Top honorees included defense contractor Innoflight, environmental consulting firm Bancroft Construction Services, life sciences startup Element Biosciences, defense technology contractor GALT Aerospace, organic grocery store chain Jimbo’s, and biopharmaceutical company LENZ Therapeutics. During the event, Innoflight Founder and CEO Jeff Janicik held a fireside chat offering his insights on investing in the community and embracing San Diego culture.
This year, organizers hope to continue highlighting the middle market players driving economic impact across the region. Nominations are now open through June 18 at 4 p.m. Get your tickets to the San Diego Business Impact Awards celebration to enjoy drinks by Snake Oil Cocktail Co., light bites, live music, and networking.
From San Diego’s coastline to Los Angeles stadium and fan zones across the region, here’s how to experience soccer’s biggest event
When three nations and 16 cities come together to host the FIFA World Cup 2026, the scale stops feeling like a tournament and starts feeling like geography. A continent becomes the stage as borders soften into corridors. And Southern California—shaped by migration, sport, entertainment, and constant movement—sits inside that landscape with all eyes on it.
San Diego and Los Angeles have always felt connected. Hop on the Pacific Surfliner, and the trip unfolds in one continuous stretch of coastline, passing beach towns, neighborhoods, and city centers.
Traveling from San Diego, everything still feels slightly suspended as the Pacific Surfliner follows the coast north with ocean on one side and a slow suburban blur on the other. San Diego stays in exhale. Los Angeles is already building toward something louder.
This summer, Los Angeles will host eight matches of the FIFA World Cup at Los Angeles Stadium, including the US Men’s National Team opener on June 11, while the region stretches into 39 days of programming across stadiums, parks, transit hubs, beaches, and neighborhoods. Instead of one massive fan hub, Los Angeles is embracing a citywide celebration, with fan zones spread across its entirety.
But this pattern has been rehearsed here for decades. In 1994, Southern California became one of the defining stages of the World Cup, when matches at the Rose Bowl placed global attention on the region and turned local stadiums into international landmarks, confirming its ability to hold the world at scale.
What distinguishes Southern California is not just infrastructure, but cultural permeability. Fashion, music, film, art, and sport constantly overlap here, creating an environment where identity is flexible and always in motion. From the Venice boardwalk, where skate culture shaped modern street style, to global soccer stars rubbing shoulders with Hollywood celebs, to authentic Spanish cuisine moving up and down the I-5 corridor, everything circulates.
The World Cup is not introducing anything new here, it’s showing up for the summer and showing out, revealing what this city has always known about itself. What follows is a look at the fan zones and how Los Angeles turns itself into a city-wide stage for the tournament, one neighborhood at a time.
As the heart of Los Angeles, Union Station is an official Fan Zone June 25-28 during the World Cup, but in practice it never really stops being one.
It is the city’s circulation point, its meeting ground, its pressure valve. Commuters, travelers, match-day crowds, and everyday Angelenos all move through the same space, and everything mixes, overlaps, and scales in real time. In a way, this is where the World Cup stops arriving in Los Angeles and starts moving through it.
The Pacific Surfliner from San Diego to Los Angeles makes that shift feel almost too easy. No stress or gridlock anxiety, just a straight line up the coastline with ocean on one side and everything slowly becoming more built on the other. It’s one of the rare ways into LA that doesn’t feel like arrival as friction. You can sit with a laptop, watch the Pacific drift past, grab coffee from the café car, and let the city come to you in pieces.
That’s the beauty of arriving at Union Station. Instead of feeling like you’re on the edge of the city, you’re immediately surrounded by it. And, inside, the station already reads like a World Cup nerve center: banners, movement, multilingual energy, the sense that something global is about to funnel through this exact point. The Heart of the City Fan Zone only sharpens that feeling, with simultaneous match screens, DJ sets, meet and greets, and immersive activations built around marquee games like USA vs. Türkiye.
From there, the city splits outward.
ROW DTLA feels like the first exhale after arrival. A converted industrial campus turned creative district where restaurants, retail, and open-air courtyards form a self-contained ecosystem. If you’re looking for the perfect first meal in LA, make it lunch at Pizzeria Bianco. The thin-crust pizza is reason enough to go, but the space leaves just as much of an impression.
What I liked most about ROW DTLA is how quickly it resets you after the train. One minute you are stepping off at Union Station, and the next you are in a space that feels like its own version of LA, a city inside a city with some of the most curated shopping I’ve ever seen.
Bodega hides itself behind a convenience-store front, a sneaker and streetwear space disguised as something ordinary, like LA refusing to make anything feel too obvious. The whole campus moves like that, part retail, part gallery, part neighborhood you are only temporarily inside.
Isabella Dallas is a freelance writer for San Diego Magazine and the Arts and Culture Editor at The Daily Aztec in her final year at San Diego State University. She previously worked as an editorial intern for SDM, but when she’s not writing, you can find her trying the best coffee spots in SD, devouring the latest rom-coms, and indulging in anything and everything pop culture.
Talking farm to table, fraud-to-table, and the feasibility of the movement with the beloved restaurateur who saw it all
Garden Kitchen was special. During its seven-year run on a quiet street in Rolando, even the farmiest-to-table devotees were pointing to chef-owner Coral Strong and slow-clapping. When a dramatic rent-hike forced her to close in 2022, Strong wasn’t sure what to do next.
Farm-to-table wasn’t new by any means—chef Alice Waters spawned the movement at her pioneering restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley in the early ‘70s, and many San Diego chefs did it right. But by the mid-2000s, the idea had been so co-opted by the mainstream that the meaning was almost completely lost.
“In the beginning, I used to get very honestly angry and upset when I would go to other restaurants that were claiming they were farm-to-table, but knowing some of the chefs or prep cooks inside [telling me] ‘Oh no, that comes from Restaurant Depot,’” she says.
Food critic Troy Johnson’s cover story in 2015 documented the fraud, titled “Farm to Fable.” At Garden Kitchen, Strong only used produce and meat sourced from local San Diego farms—an honorable, if not arduous endeavor.
Strong grew up in Cardiff before her parents moved the family to Costa Rica in 1989. They’d bounce between the two countries for months at a time, but when they lived in a motel by the beach while building their own house, she witnessed an incredibly tight-knit food culture. “As a Latin American country, everyone kind of cooks together,” she says. Everyone chopped, prepped, prepared, and served as a unit. “[That] definitely shaped my adolescence as to how I thought about food and the community of food.”
When her father, a commercial fisherman, brought the family back to San Diego, Strong leaned into an entrepreneurial streak, moving from coffee to accounting and eventually bartending to pay the bills. But food remained a passion, especially after she met her future husband, who was working at a farm and ranch in Escondido.
“We were just always disappointed with the vegetables out at restaurants and were like, ‘Why can’t they just make vegetables taste good?” she wondered. She realized that despite having more small farms than any other county in the country, most restaurants in San Diego simply weren’t using local ingredients.
So she decided to do it herself.
Strong opened Garden Kitchen without any formal culinary training—just a commitment to getting the freshest vegetables, meat, fruits, and other produce onto people’s plates. Her first chef quit within a month, telling her it was impossible. “So I got in the kitchen one day and said, ‘I can do this, let’s figure it out.’ I taught myself how to cook.”
She already had connections with farmers, fishermen, and ranchers, and designed a different menu almost daily based on what she could get. “My farmers sometimes delivered in the middle of dinner service,” she laughs.
Garden Kitchen lasted until after the pandemic, but before the current economy cut into already razor-thin margins. Could Garden Kitchen exist today? She’s not sure.
“The biggest thing right now is just looking at the finances and how expensive it is,” says Strong. “Obviously, the cost of food is up right now, gas is crazy right now… it just crushes you.” Despite that, she believes that committing to the true farm-to-table ethos is as easy as one decides to make it.
“If you think it’s hard to order directly from your farmer, if you don’t understand the absolute pleasure in doing that and you’d rather order from a computer, then that’s your own difficulty,” she says. “People say they’re into it, but are they willing to make the effort like I am, to drive an hour to go get my meat, or drive 35 minutes to go to my farm to go pick it up? I don’t know.”
Today, Strong works as a private chef, hosts pop-ups, and offers catering services, all still using seasonally available ingredients from San Diego. And while she has no intentions of opening another restaurant, she says we might see even more of her in the future.
“I have a large property [in Valley Center], and let’s say that there will be more of my food to come,” she promises.
Listen Now: The Latest in San Diego’s Food and Drink Scene
Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].
Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
Scripps study shows that some patients may be able to taper their dose and maintain results
While glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agents have been used to treat Type 2 diabetes for more than 20 years, their recent emergence as weight-loss wonder drugs marked a new frontier in medicine. But their effectiveness has left some patients wondering what to do once they’ve reached their goal. Stopping the medication could mean regaining some, if not all, of the weight. A Scripps Clinic internal medicine physician recently conducted a small study of whether GLP-1 patients who had reached their goal weight could maintain that weight by taking their regularly prescribed injection every other week instead of weekly. Spoiler alert: 30 of 34 patients did. Read more about the study here and what that may mean as pharmaceutical companies roll out oral GLP-1s.
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