The coolness of all things University Heights in one Boulevard!…read more Very much the heart and center of San Diego's U.H. with great spots like Parkhouse Eatery, Plumeria Vegetarian, Good Omen Coffee Co, that cool dive Lancers, and let's not forget about Cheers, the bar #YouWannaBeWhereEverybodyKnowsYourName Some many cool finds such as Kairoa Brewing Company, awesome wall art by Summer's Market, the iconic archway, painted utility boxes, plenty of street parking though definitely pay attention to those signs for limits and street sweeping days on the more residential side streets of Park Blvd. It's just as vibrant as any part of SD, but more laid-back and casual, college friendly meets elder millennial, though very much open to and welcoming of all especially places like the Diversionary Theatre, the third oldest lgbtq+ theatre in the U.S. #ColorMeImpressed #ThatDOESImpressMeMuch It's come up a lot and enhanced it's mellow effect with a lot of modern touches. One of the more elevated areas in terms of the cost of living. And rightfully so since it's such a cool hub of local meets multiple communities. Only a skip over to Mission Valley, Hillcrest, North Park and many fellow great neighborhoods. Super walkable, super enjoyable and super more than the University Heights - Park Blvd: Business District.

Visiting university heights for some coffee near the historic sign stretching across the street…read more Coffee shops are quaint and sort of transport you out of the urgency of the day. Little side streets with hills and dips. We parked along the sidewalk. I saw a lonely leaf in the middle of fall unveiling its vibrancy gently upon the dampened pebbles. It sprawled among the gathered grayscale making me stop and see beauty in the little things. When stones are thrown your way don't let them pile on top of you, let them lay beneath you so you can rise in resilience.

In recent decades, Grantville, an early suburb of San Diego, had devolved into a mess of bad…read moretraffic bordered by run-down apartments and old (not historic, just old) houses, used car lots, "massage" parlors and drive-thru junk food. But hope springs eternal, and strange and wonderful things are happening in Grantville. The Grantville Community Plan calls for road and traffic improvements, new and better housing and public spaces, and, importantly, "...[respect for] the vitality and livelihood of locally owned and operated businesses while promoting the expansion of new business opportunities." As evidence that civic planners can do good, I offer the soon-to-open PurpleMint - a vegetarian bistro set prominently amidst vendors of pizza, tacos and unhealthy sandwiches. The place hasn't opened yet, so I can't speak to the quality of the food, but it almost doesn't matter how well they cook. What's important is that PurpleMint's owners believe that the area will support alternatives to Arby's and El Pollo Loco, and they brought innovative investment to an underserved stretch of Mission Gorge Road. I'm not a fan of vegetarian cooking, but that doesn't matter, either. I appreciate the diversity that PurpleMint (and a few doors down, the vegan Donut Panic) offer Grantville's workers and residents. Now, if only Caffe Calabria would open a brick-and-mortar shop nearby... ****************************** Grantville Community Plan: http://www.sandiego.gov/planning/community/cpu/grantvillemasterplan/index.shtml The PurpleMint Bistro: http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-purplemint-bistro-san-diego Donut Panic: http://www.yelp.com/biz/donut-panic-san-diego-3?hrid=keC5OlD8-VQlyEbjTlhcmQ Caffe Calabria: http://www.yelp.com/biz/caffe-calabria-san-diego

I've been calling this area home for the last 3 years, so far the longest I've lived in one area…read moresince moving to San Diego. I really like living in the area, which is a hidden secret to me. It's on a main artery into mission valley. Close to freeways. Very centralized, but not actually living in Mission Valley and not as far East as Santee! The Good... *The convenience of the freeways. You can easily get to the 15, 8, and 805. Drive a few more minutes to the 163 and 94 which are also close. * We have your basic shopping needs here. Necessities like Starbucks, Jamba, Petco, Vons, Home depot, Rite aid and a CVS. * Decent dining options. Nothing super fancy, but good variety for lunch or dinner throughout the week. * Close to Costco and Costco gas. Yes, I love Costco! The Bad.... *Even though the freeways are close, the morning and evening traffic is horrible. It sucks going onto the 15N in the morning. You can easily wait 20-30 minutes waiting to get on the freeway. Heading West on Mission Gorge is the worst! Same with trying to get into the freeway after 5pm. *The crime. I hate to say it... Tons of cars get broken into. Definitely don't leave anything worth something visible in your car when you park on the street. *The ridiculous speedway called Mission gorge road. Prior to the road construction. Cars and motorcycles literally race towards Santee from the starting line at Zion. *The construction on Mission Gorge road. It was a 6 lane speedway that has been reduced to a single lane in each direction. They found the road is susceptible to a sink hole from the giant newly built apartment complex... Thanks Verge... You suck! Hopefully they'll soon solve the road problem and finish construction. If you can go to work early like I do, you don't have to wait as long in traffic in the mornings. Overall a pretty decent neighborhood to live in.

Wow! What a great place to park your car!!! They paved the road and there is lots of room…read more I parked my truck here. Then I walked up to the top of South Fortuna Peak. If you come up/down the south approach to the peak, I recommend you bring a walking stick because the trail is in bad shape. It is easy to fall. The ground is sandy and steep. If you walk the north approach, it's less seanic, but samer walking.

The pedestrian bridge that spans the little ravine at the east end of Clairemont Mesa Blvd that you…read morehave to cross over to get into Mission Hills Regional Park is sooooo cool. It is an iron frame construction bridge with wooden planks set in that you walk/run/ride on. The bridge will actually move a bit as you cross which is kinda a cool sensation. The area all burned (including the wood planks) in the Cedar Fire, and thus the area is quite interesting as it recovers from the devestating fire. I love this place to enter the park, as well as the bridge you cross. YAY for bridges. I heart bridges.

This review concerns the 2008 Taste of Adams Avenue, an event with more than 20 food venues…read morespanning 4.5 miles of Adams Avenue in San Diego. First off, comprehensive planning of the event was lacking. Early on the Association's website link to sell tickets was not working. This gaffe was so pedestrian, say circa 1998. The HTML code problem could have been resolved by a fifth grader. The trolleys to move the people were following each other. Why not split them up and be more responsive? Did anyone think about this? In the middle of a heat wave, Twiggs and Antique Row Cafe were offering bottled water. Kensington Grill seemed to violate the spirit of the event by offering to sell a bottle for $2. I don't think so. The bottles for sale at Kensington Grill wholesale for 35 cents. The event is not exactly a marathon, but hydrating the participants seems like the thing to do. Water should be freely available. Doesn't have to be bottled, just has to be there. Kudos and Pans Kudos to Burger Lounge for giving an entire burger, tasty and wonderful eaten in the lounge, which is an experience in itself. Kudos to Mariposa for scooping all the famous ice cream. The line out the door never ended. Pan to Jaynes Gastropub. Not prepared, not ready, couldn't handle it, we walked out after waiting 20 minutes. Update 6/23/2008: Jon Erickson, owner of Jaynes Gastropub, wrote me a personal apology. Despite his prep and planning, the crowds generated by Yelp overwhelmed his restaurant. He estimated 900 people in 3.5 hours. Jon's gracious letter convinced me that I have to go back. Truth is that I have heard good things about his restaurant, and I love great food.

I can't say enough great things about the Adams Avenue Business Association. These guys break a…read moresweat to bring some of the coolest and most culturally diverse events to the oldest community of San Diego. Taste of Adams, Adams Avenue Street Fair, The Roots Festival and more...every one of those events requires several hours of man power, and they do it with a smile. Big ups!!

There is a bench named in honor of a homeless man named Jeff Pastorino. He came to the community of…read morePoint Loma sometime in the 1990's and never left. Most days when he was alive, he merely sat on a bench. Yes-he had mental problems. Many of us do. But he was a gentle soul who managed to touch the hearts and minds of the prosperous people of Point Loma like no other. There has been a book written about him called "The Man on The Bench" by Alton Jones. Here is a brief overview from The Man on The Bench website: "The book chronicles the amazing story of Jeffrey Pastorino, the man we called the "Mayor of Point Loma." "He sat on a bench for nearly twenty years. People thought he was crazy and by many standards, he was. But after discovering his past and the events that brought him to that bench, I began to wonder who was truly crazy. The path of that discovery turned out to be the basis for this amazing story. The life of this unlikely man serves as a beacon for all of mankind when it comes to dealing with our insecurities and shortcomings." In his honor now there is a nice little set-aside area with arbors and flowers at the Honorary Bench area on the corner of Rosecrans and Avenide de Portugal. Many people drive by and don't realize, it was in this very area that Jeff literally lived for so many years. After Jeff's death in 2009, (from heart disease that he refused to get treated) concerned friends of Jeff used detective work to find his family and they contacted them with news of Jeff's passing. This was a blessing in itself since Jeff's family had long since given up hope of ever finding him. His brother flew out to California from Pennsylvania and claimed his brother's ashes and met the people who befriended their brother. Over the years, community people hooked Jeff up with food and drink-(not alcohol) from nearby merchants and offered him clothing and blankets. Not to mention their friendship and yes-respect. Jeff opened the eyes of many a Point Loman. The OB Rag mentioned that rich Point Lomans assuaged their guilt by friending Jeff. The OB Rag stated: "Is this gush of emotion simply material well-off Peninsulans massaging their own guilt about homeless people, and that particular homeless man?" I don't think so. And I think it is so awesome that next to the Memorial Benches to the Peckhams (big time rich!) and other movers-and-shakers on the scene, there is a beautiful bench that honors dearly departed Jeff Pastrorino-"The Mayor of Point Loma." No less a big shot in my book-and I hope not yours either!

Ironic it in dedication to a homeless man, yet they put a bar in the middle to prevent the homeless…read morefrom sleeping on it.

The mission of the Point Loma association is " an organization of residents and businesses…read morecommitted to improving the quality of life of Point Loma through beautification, education, charitable activities and civic collaboration." Point Loma Association was organized in 1961,and originally called "Point Loma Village Beautiful," They were primarily concerned with the aesthetics of the Point Loma Village area. Now they have expanded their scope to include the entire Point Loma area. Today- in addition to beautifying projects, The Association represents the community through direct involvement with agencies of federal, state and local governments, the Port District, the San Diego Unified School District, the Peninsula Community Planning Board, and others who directly affect our quality of life. Group membership consists of residents and local businesses working together. They donate time, effort and money to make the Peninsula a better place in which to live and work. As you drive around and enter into Point Loma from Nimitz Blvd., and other points, you might see signs posted with beautifully planted horticultural areas. For instance, as you exit Famosa Blvd., onto Nimitz Blvd. and go past Bill Cleator Park, that triangular area is planted with cactus, bougenvilla and other colorful plants. The group has taken a weedy, overgrown eyesore and beautified it for the community. Also important to recognize is the Point Loma Association has a graffiti removal hotline on their website which I have used on occasion, since that is a chronic problem that needs addressing.Yes-even in the prosperous community of Point Loma. Next time you are driving around the Point, be thankful that this great group of Point Lomans exist to make your community a better, and more eye-pleasing and soul-pleasing place.

Lots of diggin, but i always walk away with a stack for cheap…read more Prepare to spend a whole morning.

Waiting every 3 months for the SDRC to come around is too long a wait…read more The $10 early bird entry fee is a bargain considering you get the chance to get first dibs at some of the choice goods the vendors bring in. And because the SDRC is part of a circuit that runs up and down the west coast, you can be sure that there's always new stock at every show. The stack of 12-15 new records I usually leave with is a testament to that.

Driving southbound on the I-5 and exiting Coronado Avenue heading west all the way down towards the…read morePacific Ocean, you will run out of road and hit straight into this beautiful red 3 poles together making John Banks' masterpiece overlooking Imperial Beach. Coronado Avenue turns into Imperial Beach Boulevard at 14th Street. If you turn right onto Seacoast Drive and glance toward the structures, the red poles will display the letter "A" "R" "T" and if you look at the collection from different areas, the 3 red poles will look like extended banners fluttering in the wind. It's a very interesting landmark gracing Imperial Beach. There are two benches on either side of the sculpture where you are welcome to sit and gaze out into the oceans to watch the waves roll in and tides dance about along the beach. I love this artistic landscape beautifying the entrance onto the beach from Imperial Beach Boulevard which literally punctuates this place as exactly what it is... ART! Come and check it out!