A friend of ours is moving across the country in 7 days and starting a new adventure – we’re so jealous! But it gave us an opportunity to swing down to San Diego and surprise her at her going away party on Sunday. Not wanting to miss an opportunity to explore some fun spots, we drove down on Saturday and spent some time hitting some very cool new-to-us bars, restaurants, and stores. And I have to say, San Diego, you’re way cooler than you let us all believe.

We stayed with a good friend in Carlsbad, and because we pride ourselves in being the best possible houseguest you’ve ever had, we stopped at Prager Brothers Artisan Bread to pick up croissants & rolls for breakfast the next morning. It’s in an odd location in an industrial area, but this is the real deal. Traditional, natural, organic bread and the croissants have that perfectly baked, golden outside crust with an airy, light center. I could eat a dozen.

If you walk two doors down, you’ll find Happy Pantry, which carries all things fermented and has a delicious selection of kombucha on tap. If you’re a local, they also have classes on making kombucha. (If you’re a little further north, a great place to buy fermented goods & learn more is The Fermentation Farm in Costa Mesa).

After we picked up our friend Gina, we headed into San Diego proper. I’m a planner by nature and will research a location for hours to find the fun zones. Thankfully, Polite Provisions was spot on. It’s located in an old pharmacy (I love repurposed buildings that keep the old signage!), and once you walk in, you’d think you were in 1940’s Paris. Even though it was only 5 p.m., the place was packed and we really had to elbow up to the bar.

The decor is simple – a brass & marble bar, multiple taps for a variety of cocktails on tap (genius) and bentwood chairs. They’re known for their communal drinks – think, Flaming Scorpion for 6. We did not. But I did have my favorite drink, an old-fashioned (first one in 2 months!), and not only did it not disappoint, it was gorgeous. They completely elevate the experience by embossing the ice cube (excuse me, what?).

Polite Provisions does not serve food, but one of their sister company’s, Soda & Swine, is next door and they will deliver food to the bar.

From there we hopped over to Juniper & Ivy, where, without a reservation, we were able to nab a quiet spot in the bar. What a gorgeous restaurant (sorry, no photos, too busy eating). This was just a pit stop to have a quick bite, and Juniper & Ivy has great small plate selections – I’m talking about a Spicy Tuna handroll in a Sesame Leaf, a Biscuit with silly smoked salt & butter and the Baja Yellowtail Tostada with Shark Sauce.

Not yet satiated, we drove up to Encinitas and had pizza at Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizza. If you go, you must get the Signature pizza with Lemon EVOO, Fresh Mozzarella, Ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano, Lemon Zest, Red Onion & Basil. You won’t regret it.

On Sunday, we had some time before the going away party and headed downtown to North Park. What a cool little enclave! The residential areas off the main streets are peppered with little Craftsman bungalows, and we had just as much fun driving around and looking at them as we did walking the main street.

If you go, make sure to stop at Love & Aesthetics. I’m not sure I’ve seen a better-curated shop, filled with fun gifts, beautiful simple jewelry, oddities, and minimalist decor items.

And my rule is, if you find a Matcha Tea shop, you must go in. Holy Matcha is the perfect pick-me-up, hot or iced, sweetened or not.

But truth be told, my main reason for wanting to go to North Park is because I have long been a subscriber to the Pigment newsletter, and the little girl in me would have had a serious tantrum if I had been so close and didn’t make it there.

Another beautifully curated shop, with lots of fun gifts, cards, stationery, jewelry, candles, and behold, a succulent workshop.

I resisted, but I did come home with a few fun items.

I love our little weekend excursions. And I love that you don’t have to travel far to have new experiences and explore. I’m hoping to share more of our mini-travels, so stay tuned!