Little Italy has a fun vibe, but I did not find very many shops. Lots of food options including…read moreSalt and Straw. I took public transit so I did not have any parking issues which were an obvious issue. The transit there is good and fares are dirt cheap. Highly recommend transit and a short walk.

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN FOOD & CULTURE! I came to decompress and explore Little Italy on a Friday…read moreafternoon. My main goal was to explore the walkability, public transport options, and lodging choices. I would give Little Italy an A+ in all three categories! Throughout the district you'll find Italian restaurants at every corner, mini-marts, and boutique stores. If you'd like to vacation here, you can literally spend a couple of days in Little Italy and have everything you need in one spot. A trolley station is available near the center of the main hub and there's plenty of hotels! I wouldn't stay over the Summer as prices are exorbitantly high, I'd visit during the off season. July would be the worst month to stay in my opinion! Little Italy has a massive plaza with bistro-style tables and chairs open to the public. I couldn't help but notice the fact that I felt transported to Italy! Several restaurant owners had an Italian accent or spoke Italian. Additionally, the aroma of pizzerias and pubs were quite enticing. If you're into sports, there's several locations with screens for watching live events. My only issue with Little Italy is the lack of parking. Everywhere you go, street parking and paid parking is FULL. You'll be lucky to find a spot during the summer season. I found a spot after half an hour of circling the vicinity like a San Diego shark. The city needs to create more underground lots or more street parking.

I have so many fond memories of Balboa Park and I look forward to making more, from Halloween…read moreparties at the San Diego Air and Space Museum and my friend's wedding to exploring Spanish Village Art Center for the first time, visiting the Botanical Building, going to the Japanese Friendship Garden, discovering the museums, and experiencing December Nights. San Diego wouldn't be the same without this beautiful landmark!

There are 16 museums in Balboa Park, so you can be there all day and not see all of them. They had…read moreart vendors selling their stuff outside. I noticed there wasn't any security around, and there was a lady without a top walking around near the bathrooms. The public bathroom was horrendous, but that is a given that it would be dirty. They didn't have soap. We went to the Japanese Friendship Garden for $16 and had an amazing time walking around. The parking was easy, and you can pay at the machine.

North Park is my fave neighborhood in SD! Amazing food scene, rad bars, and eclectic shops. From…read more30th St to Ray St, there's always something new to discover. Can't get enough of this vibrant community

Everything you need is right here. Good food, beer, bars, music venues, beautiful people and even a…read moredistillery! Oddly enough, everything you don't need is here too. Such as, dog poop left on the ground, (no stray dogs here..) urine scented sidewalks, thefts, car break-ins, rude and smelly folks, paid parking in residential neighborhoods. I still go, but even my 20 year old daughter has witnessed the transition since we've been going for about 15 of those years. Everyone thinks it's cool to own a dog but they lack the decency and or common sense to care for them. Carry those little baggies and keep them leashed. Simple right? Apparently not for some. This happens in my neighborhood too, so possibly this is a millennial thing.. Wait, maybe I shouldn't generalize and blame a generation- all ages really do apply here. Pick up after yourself AND your dog. I could name the numerous establishments here, but I do have a few favorites that I particularly like. Sicilian Thing pizza, Crazee burger, Spirits 619, Lefty's, City Tacos, Yog-Art and a few others I can't think of right now. So if you live here you may take Yoga classes that you actually pay for. I couldn't resist taking a snapshot of the sign on the power pole, which suggests your Yoga could be free if you just bend over and pick up that doggie doodoo. Are you up for the challenge or not?

Tasting Event We…read morewanted to combine my birthday and my friend's birthday by having a September birthday celebration! I've been seeing these tasting events throughout San Diego so we decided to check out the Taste of North Park. North Park is in hipster neighborhood with fun energy. They have really cute boutiques, cozy coffee shops, trendy bars, and craft breweries. Each restaurant has so much character and charm! We only managed to complete 32 out of 50 restaurant tastings in 3 hours before tapping out. It was such a fun experience exploring each place and seeing what kind of food they have to offer. Now I'm intrigued to check out the other neighborhood tasting events too!

Pleasantly surprised with Taste of North Park. The event was incredibly organized. People are given…read morewristbands and a passport book that includes a map that shows all participating locations. It was even color coded if the business was giving out food or drinks. Pros: -great way to visit and sample different venues in North Park -lots of businesses were really generous with their portion sizes -there was a good mix of food and alcoholic beverages -although I am not vegan, I appreciated that they had places that gave out vegan friendly items -some venues were a little further than others so I was happy that they had a complimentary EV ride that came on a regular basis. Cons: -none Overall, solid event! In the future, I'll need to remember to bring water.

This is probably the longest overdue review I have ever written, but at this point, not writing it…read morealmost feels selfish because I would very much like to always be able to get a table here. But alas, Carbon Angela's Kitchen deserves every flower, every reservation, every "you have to try this place" text thread, and every bit of love. This place has become one of my absolute favorite hidden gems in San Diego. Easily top five for me, and as someone who dines out a lot for a living, that is not a casual statement. There are places you like, places you recommend, and then there are places that start to feel woven into your actual life. Carbon Angela's Kitchen is that for me. Angela is truly the heart of this place. She has this way of making you feel like you are not just coming in for dinner, but being welcomed into something she deeply cares about. And Emanuele is absolutely part of that magic too. Together, they have built something that feels warm, generous, soulful, and so special. They feel like long-lost friends and family now, and I am honestly just so proud of them and all they are creating. The food is the kind that makes you want to order with the whole table in mind. The griglia mista is hands down one of the best investments you can make if you are dining with a group. It is the meat platter, it is the moment, and it is absolutely worth ordering. Four to five people can split it, especially if you are also doing appetizers, salad, wine, and a few extra things for the table. It is such a perfect nod to what Carbon was before Angela took over, when the space leaned more BBQ, but now it feels beautifully married with Angela's warmth, Italian influence, and the kind of hospitality that makes the whole meal feel like an experience. And please do not sleep on the rest of the menu. The short rib is fire. The arancino trio is always a yes. The eggplant croquette? Obsessed. The crespelle? So good. The Everything Salad is my favorite salad on the menu, and the street corn should never, under any circumstances, be skipped. I said what I said. The wine selection is top tier, the appetizers are memorable, and the whole place has that rare magic of feeling cozy, intentional, and completely unpretentious. You can come for a low-key dinner, a girls' night, a celebration, or one of those "we just need a really good meal and a really good glass of wine" kind of evenings. And the back patio? Perfect for an evening under twinkling lights. It is one of those spaces that just begs for a long table, good conversation, clinking glasses, and the kind of night that accidentally turns into a core memory. They also have catering menus available, which is very important information to keep in your back pocket if you are hosting anything soon. What Angela has built is honestly something to behold. One of the hardest-working restaurateurs doing the dang thing in a city like San Diego, and now opening Bedda across the way too? I am in awe and wonder watching it all unfold. It takes so much courage, grit, taste, excellence, and heart to build what they are building, and you can feel all of it in the room. Carbon Angela's Kitchen is a true labor of love, a hidden gem, and one of those places I will keep cheering for again and again. Go hungry. Order the griglia mista. Get the Everything Salad. Do not skip the street corn. Share Share Share, so you can try a little bit of everything and do a tried and true family style meal, you won't regret it.

We dined on Sunday for the first time and tried their Sunday Funday Feast. This Sunday the feast…read moreincluded a Choice of one Pasta Dish; Fresh baked Focaccia and fresh salad. It's served Family-Style and is enough for 3-4 people which was only $60. The restaurant is small and charming with a window into the kitchen. They make their pasta fresh (be sure to include your pasta texture preference when ordering (Al Dente or Softer, etc.) We were greeted by Angela (the owner) and she made us feel welcome (as if we were dining over a friend's home which I absolutely loved). She started us off with some fresh baked Focaccia which had herb + cheese baked into the top (of course it was delicious). We added an appetizer called Crespelle which was a really yummy spin on a Manicotti made the right way (with a Crespelle). The salad was fresh and tasty. We order the Rigatoni Sugo which has a Tomato based sauce and assorted meats (Meatballs, Sausage, Cubes of meat) and was delicious along with the meats as well. We also added the Picanha Steak Entree with the Brie Fondue and that was so different while being soooo yummy. We enjoyed some wine with our meal and we finished with this really delicious Bavarian Cream Filled Napoleon with a Berry Coulis (desserts do change so check with restaurant to see what they have available the day you want to visit).. We can't wait to come back and try their Grigliata Mista (Meat Feast for 3-4 people).

There's a new weekly international market in town, and I have a weird feeling it might not last…read morelong. I went yesterday and saw about 20 vendors but less than 20 people attending. I had never heard of any of the food vendors, so I tried one randomly. I was able to get some sort of Mexican dish I've never tried for $3, which is a hell of a bargain for the amount of food that I got. I'll probably go back here semi-weekly to try new food vendors out. There are a few clothing/knick knack vendors, but nothing amazing. And a guy was playing guitar and singing when I stopped by. Could use a bit more press, but would be a nice addition to San Diego if it stayed.

This is such a fun fair! Delicious food and games for kids (and adults). Happy to have it in the…read moreneighborhood!!

We attended our FOURTH Taste of the Gaslamp, this is 2025!!! We have been coming since 2022!!!…read more It's a FUN San Diego Event. We started at Goodnight John Boy, which is a 1970's Nightclub!!! It was also STOP 1, serving PIZZA. We stopped at in on 16 RESTAURANTS!!! HERE IS HOW OUR DAY WENT: We proceeded over and up. We ate PIZZA again at PIZZA ON FIFTH. THEN, back down, BACK AND FORTH, and down some more. Back and Forth, AND UP!!! We had pizza and more pizza, a couple places had sliders. CHEESE BALLS at The Field!!! I ate both of our Cheese Balls, and they were large and filled with soft, creamy white cheese. When we walked into THE FIELD, the Staff approached us and took us to a table, the only empty table in the place!!! After that, they even exchanged the stool that was there with a backed chair. GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! YUMMY, yummy Truffles at Sugarbear!!! We then ran into the MEXICAN REGION, with Rockin Baja and Hasta Manana, and Baja Rick's Cantina!!! We loved HASTA MANANA, in particular. It went all out MEXICAN FOOD, we had three different things to eat, including Chips and Guacamole, a Potato Taquito, and Arroz Con Leche. HASTA Manana was the HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY!!! At ROYAL India, we tried Chicken Marsala!!! We were thrilled to see CAFE SEVILLA again serving Paella!!! We were also thrilled to see SUGAR BEAR again serving DELICIOUS DESERTS!!! I have to say this about SUGARBEAR, we were greeted warmly by the owner, who was standing outside. It was JUST LIKE LAST YEAR. WHAT A DAY!!! I mean, this is a Classic San Diego LOCATION, location, location, the Gaslamp Quarter. Then, DID I MENTION, you get to taste the food at 16 Restaurants!!! TELL ME, what is better???

The many areas of the Gas Lamp you can find the old wedtarchetecturesnof the many buildings and the…read morehardwoods of the stairs you find the stone work of the early days. From the early years of the cable cars to the first cars that were seen on the streets you can see how the architecture has changed. There are many places of the city that have theooks of the city from the many buildings that lead down the main street of Broadway. Architectural areas of the Broadway Districtict to the 5th Ave that takes you down into the Gaslamp and the upper area of the Hillcrest area which was one of the many areas of the older areas. From the Keating Building to the Huntress you find many areas of Little China that when you walked down you could find the gentlemen's entertainment. The city of San Diego has destroyed mareas of the Gaslamp the many hotels the marina hotel that has it reaches to the lower areas of the Gaslamp. With the greater part of the architectural areas of the Gaslamp are the many areas of the market and and Fast that shows the many places of Hotel San Diego. The one hotel that that had so many years of the history for the many areas of market street of the late 1890s 1900s the cable car was the one that transported many . As a Yelp Elite Reviewer the travel about the city and the Gaslamp the dates on the buildings you can find the many dates. With the many events that have taken place in the Gaslamp to the Saint Patrick's Day and the street scene fantastic things were done.

Who we hang on cause you're comes while bus driver to drive all around town and scare you and put…read moreyou up for oh riproaring good time

The Baron is back!…read more Now that the Baroness and I are freeholders, I feel that my review needs an update, so here we go: Bosforo - Haven't been, but heard good things. Turkish pizza? Worth a try. Get a reservation; this place is always crowded. Sahara - Mediterranean takeout (with a couple of sidewalk tables). Decent beer selection, but read the label. They sell some NA brews. Caveat emptor! Nozaru - Their vegan ramen is on my list to try. Thai Joint on Adams - This jawn never disappoints. Their roots go back to Plumeria in University Heights, but they have vegan as well as omni menus. Dos Palmas Cafe - My sister said that this was the best breakfast sandwich that she has ever eaten. Hopnonymous Brewing Company - A welcome addition to the neighborhood. See my review. Rosie O'Grady's - They are back, and so are $5 draft Tuesdays! But, do they have live music anymore? Miss Shelly's Shack is slinging the grub, but if you are vegan, don't come hungry. See my review. Ska Bar - RIP Uptown Bicycles - Game Over Community Fridge - A free resource where we can share food and other resources with those of us who are less fortunate. It is in front of Normal Heights United Methodist Church. Adams Avenue Theater - Event space that sometimes hosts free comedy shows. I love Normal Heights. Normal Heights loves cool visitors. The Baron has spoken!

We randomly and luckily stayed at an Airbnb in this neighborhood…read more There are great coffee shops, breakfast sandwiches at Lestats, ice cream and plenty of craft beer and hard liquor bars. Look carefully and there are custom painted electric boxes around this walkable neighborhood. Plus, there is a grocery store and pharmacy at the east end of the neighborhood. The name Normal Heights cracked me up every time I saw the sign. Why be normal?! Life is good!