A Sun-Drenched San Diego Weekend

Two of the best things I did were both in La Jolla: going for a run along the coastline, on the paved path that runs a few miles along the shore, and hiking in Torrey Pines State Park. Both were moderate-level activities, but unbeatable in terms of scenery and views.

Quick Tips:

In La Jolla, walk down the beach about a quarter-mile south of La Valencia (the hotel I've written about in this journal) and take a look at the hundreds of sea lions lazing on the beach!

Best Way To Get Around:

If you'll be in San Diego for any length of time, do rent a car as everything is very spread out and some of the best places to go, such as La Jolla, Torry Pines, Coronado Island and more, definitely require a car.

La Valencia is a classic, gorgeous hotel straddled between the deep blue Pacific Ocean and the upscale shopping and dining center of La Jolla. Everything about the hotel is top-notch, from the massive arrangement of tropical flowers displayed in the plush lobby, to the at-your-beck-and-call service, to the details of the newly remodeled rooms.

I was lucky enough to be upgraded to what's called an ocean villa, which was actually poolside but just fine with me! The suite of rooms included a tastefully decorated bedroom with an adjoining living area, complete with fireplace, wet bar and hidden television, as well as an oversized bathroom with almost more features than the room itself! The shower alone had so many options, it was hard to decide just how to indulge first: body-massage setting, or rain-forest drizzle effect, or the steam and shower combo?

The piece-de-resistance for me, though, was the patio off the back of the room, featuring terracotta tiles, a comfy lounge chair and glass tables, and partially-secluded view of the pool and ocean. Absolute heaven, and a great place to sit and enjoy a drink as recent memories of wintry New York City melted away.

The hotel is not exactly on the beach, but a narrow access path gets you down there in mere seconds, and you can walk or run along the ocean in either direction. I didn't eat any meals at the hotel (Sunday brunch was along the lines of $40!) but from what other guests told me, the food is phenomenal and worth a splurge. I did, however, indulge at the bar, called The Whaling Room, and the friendly bartender Jason kept me company over a martini. I also don't want to forget Gaye, the lovely concierge, who went out of her way to secure me a brunch reservation at the casual but jam-packed Brockton Villa restaurant at its busiest time on Sunday morning.

La Valencia is very pricey, but really lived up to its reputation and my expectations. I highly recommend a stay at the hotel, and my two nights there was definitely not enough!

For more information about La Valencia, or to make a reservation go to the La Valencia web site.

The Bristol Hotel in downtown San Diego is filled with personality and features bright decor, friendly staff and spacious rooms. The colors and style reminded me of an art deco, South Beach kind of place: lots of primary colors and geometric shapes.

The location of the hotel is excellent if you want to be smack in the middle of downtown; it's just 3 blocks' walk to the Gaslamp District which is filled with restaurants, bars and nightlife... and also just a 10-minute drive from the hipper Hillcrest neighborhood, also filled with fantastic restaurants and bars.

My room was bigger that I thought it would be, with a huge bed, enough space to spread out with my laptop and get some work done, and also a separate area with some cozy armchairs in which to lounge around and relax. The only down side of the room was the less than stellar view of the parking garage across the street, but beyond that I could catch glimpses of the bay.

The one thing lacking in this hotel is a decent fitness room; I did have a good laugh when I saw the closet-sized space with one treadmill and one bike, which passes for a gym. Luckily, there is a great YMCA only 4 blocks away for which you can get a $7 day-pass and work out using their top-notch facilities.

It's extremely hard to classify the food at Kemo Sabe, but one description I've read just about gets it right: a fusion of Southeast Asian, Pacific Rim and Native American. That's right, you'll find such tastebud-twisters as a "sushi roll" made with corn tortilla, goat cheese, peach chutney and wasabi... sounds rather terrifying but somehow the flavors come together and work wonders! The decor of the dining room is really pretty; a combination of southwestern and Asian motifs done in earthy tones and lots of wrought-iron.

We were warned -- by everyone from our local friend who recommended the place, to our very own waitress -- to order absolutely no more than one appetizer and one entree for the two of us. Apparently the portions are tremendous and that would be plenty. Unfortunately, as it was almost 10pm when we sat down and we were starving, we were overcome by the classic eyes/stomach disconnect and ordered two apps and two entrees, plus dessert. The food was fabulous, but I really didn't need another meal for about a week after all that!

The portion sizes are in fact gargantuan, but really delicious. The favorite among regulars is the Roasted Nut-Crusted Fried Brie (really low-fat I'm sure) which sports, and I quote the menu, "jalapeno jelly, grilled squaw bread, chile-rubbed tortilla & honey roasted garlic". It all works beautifully together, the creaminess of the cheese alongside the grainy corn tortilla and crunchy nuts, with spicy jalapeno adding to the mix. Also delicious was my Chicken Satay Stack - tender chicken breasts grilled in a spicy peanut satay sauce stacked like pancakes, garnished with a fruity salsa and something called a 10-spice plantain.

The dessert was out of control: the "Potted Brownie" topped with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. Nothing subtle or delicate about this dish... super-sweet and a great way to round off all the spicy flavors of the dinner.

All in all, a great meal with some extremely unique flavor combinations. But do take my advice: unless this will be your only meal for a few days, use restraint when ordering!

The Brockton Villa is a local gem that came highly recommended by the concierge at La Valencia. Thank goodness she called ahead and secured us a table in advance, because the place was completely packed on Sunday morning at 10am -- there's serious demand for the delicious food and unbeatable cliffside setting!

It's hard to decide which is better about the Brockton Villa; the food or the views, but both are really incredible. The brunch menu included the usual staples like french toast, eggs, waffles and such, but all with unique local twists.

The specialty of the house is called "Coast Toast" and people really go nuts for this dish... in fact, the restaurant is in the heat of "Coast Toast March Madness" right now, a funny sweepstakes where anyone who orders the toast is entered to win FREE Coast Toast for one year (max. 3x daily) After tasting this delicacy, I can see why people love it so much! It's a combination between regular french toast and a fluffy souffle, with delicious vanilla and orange undertones. Delicious! My friend Eric ordered the Coast Toast, while I had the Mexican Steamers: kind of like an omelet but steamed using an espresso machine (with no coffee in it!) and garnished with chorizo, salsa and cheese. As you can tell, this was not your standard french-toast-'n-eggs brunch!

The restaurant is in a charming house set up on a cliff overlooking the Pacific. The sweeping views are just beautiful, and the oversized windows let you take it all in and enjoy the sea breeze as you eat.

For more on The Brockton Villa check out their web site!

Torrey Pines State Reserve Park consists of miles of rugged hills covered with the beautiful, unique "Torrey" species of pine tree. Apparently this area is the only region in the world to feature this exact tree, which is very wild-looking, bent into all sorts of sharp and dramatic angles.

The park is for day-use only, and no camping is allowed. There are trails that run anywhere from a quarter-mile to many-mile loops, and most seem to have vast, sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, which also keeps the temperature mild and breezy. It's the perfect place to go for all levels of hikers, as there's something for everyone, but mainly it seemed that the hiking was very moderate.

For more information on the park, check out the Torrey Pines State Reserve Web Site.

The area of beaches comprised of La Jolla Shores, La Jolla Cove, Children's Cove and Windansea Beach is a beatiful stretch of golden-white sand, rocky outcroppings and some wildlife is great for spending a relaxing weekend afternoon. When I was recently there on a Saturday afternoon, walking along the path that runs parallel to shore just a few hundred feet from the water, I saw a number of elaborate weddings going on with the ocean as a backdrop. This is a testament to how picture-perfect the beaches are, with crystal clear water and clean grounds.

The highlight of these beaches (at least for a visitor, maybe not a resident!) is Children's Cove. Apparently it was originally created for kids to swim in the shallow and protected waters, but somehow a vast clan of sea lions laid claim to the spot, and you can now see these big fat furry creatures sunning themselves happily at almost any time of year! It's pretty amazing; hundreds of them sprawled out, catching some rays and flopping in and out of the water as they please.

You can run or walk along the water for miles in either direction, sometimes winding your way onto residential streets now and again, but mainly with the ocean as a gorgeous backdrop.

For more information on the beaches in this area, check out this web site on San Diego beaches.