The puppy gurus at Dog Fancy magazine have released the results of their fifth annual Dog Town USA contest and guess where tops the list? 

Yep, for the second time, San Diego was rated the best big city in the country for dogs and the people who love them.  Editors and readers loved San Diego’s dog beaches and parks and our wide array of pet-friendly hotels, restaurants and more.

Tags: dog, in the news

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One of my favorite things about San Diego is all the diverse neighborhoods located within the county.  All in all, there are more than 100 neighborhoods and one each offers its own unique experience, personality and charm.  While I could go on and on about each, my hands-down favorite is Ocean Beach…well “OB” as us locals like to call it.

With each visit, this town’s laid-back, hippie beach vibe is contagious.  I find myself truly relaxed as I sip mimosas in the sun, in awe with my latest fashion finds and entertained by the diversity of people and personalities that flock to this area. 

To sum it all up, here are my OB highlights, hot spots and favs:

Food

• Whenever friends or family come to visit, I make sure to take them to Tower Two Café.  While the food is just average, it’s the casual beach setting that draws me here…. Ok, and the mimosa beach buckets. (True story: the bottle of champagne comes in a colorful beach pale filled with ice, and it even has a cute little shovel attached!) Here, you can sit in the sun on the outdoor deck and look out into the ocean.  It’s dog- friendly too, so your pup can enjoy the sun, socializing and table scraps.

 

Runner ups:

• Hodad’s has been around for over 40 years and serves some of the best burgers in San Diego, even CNN thinks so.  The catch, it’s so popular that there is almost always a line out the door but the burgers are definitely worth the wait. 
• If you like fish tacos you must go to South Beach Bar & Grill.  This little beach bar has won numerous awards and recognition and in my opinion, serves the best fish tacos I’ve ever tasted…try the Mahi taco, you won’t be disappointed, I promise!!

Shopping

• My go-to for cute shoes or accessories is Lola Luna on OB’s main drag, Newport Avenue.  They always have the best shoes that you don’t see in department stores, which means most people won’t have them.  Also, they always have a sale table outside with $10 shoes… what could be better than that??

Runner ups:

• Dream Girls is one of my newer discoveries and also one of the more expensive places in OB.  It’s located on Newport Ave and they have an amazing selection of
  

  heaven on earth

  good-quality clothes, shoes and accessories so you defiantly get what you pay for.  So far, it’s proven impossible for me to leave this place empty handed.

• Also on Newport Ave. is the Closet.  I like this place for cheap clothes and shoes for nights out or special events.  Since the clothes are always changing to keep up with the latest trends I find that most visits here are either hit or miss.

Activities

• Of course a visit to OB would not be complete without stopping at the beach.  True beach lovers can surf, swim and tan, while those who just  want to take in the view can perch themselves on the boardwalk or walk across the OB Pier for amazing ocean views.  There’s also Dog Beach, a leash free beach area where dogs and their owners can splash through the waves and play fetch on the beach.

Runner ups:

• Every Wednesday from 4-8 pm, (and 4-7pm in winter) OB hosts a fantastic farmer’s market along Newport Ave. Here you can find fresh, locally grown produce and flowers, but there are also delicious food stands with all types of ethnic cuisine (mmm…sambusa) and live music, handmade jewelry and, drum roll please…… llama rides!
• Antiquing… not really my thing but if I was going to take up the hobby, I’d definitely shop in OB where they have the largest concentration of antiques and collectable in all of San Diego. In OB’s Antique District, on Newport Ave. you will find an eclectic array of one-of-a-kind antiques, mid-century modern furniture, fine estate sale items, vintage jewelry and so much more.

Tags: antique, beach, dining, dog, food, ocean beach, Shopping

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Hungry?  Just a little?

Here’s five new eateries to whet your appetite:

• Claire’s on Cedros, an eco-friendly bakery and café, opened in Solana Beach earlier this month as the first freestanding restaurant in the U.S. to receive Platinum LEED certification. The laid back, dog-friendly restaurant offers organic eats (natch) for breakfast and lunch. 
• Also in August, The Red Door opened in Mission Hills with affordable New American comfort food for dinner daily, lunch on weekdays and brunch on weekends. Priced below $20, dinner entrees include cornmeal-crusted Cajun catfish with sweet potato-crab hash and a surf & “cheeky” turf with sea scallops, braised pork cheek, roasted garlic jus and crispy polenta.  Um, hello?  Yum. 
• Here’s a double – Barona Resort & Casinoin San Diego’s East County opened two restaurants in July and both are great values (and good for those of us playing the penny slots).  Italian Cucina serves classic Italian dishes, pizzas, calzone and pasta all priced under $20 while Seafood Plaza offers grilled items, priced from $6.95 to $12.95, oysters at the raw bar and signature rolls at the sushi bar. 
• In June, Cucina Urbana opened in Banker’s Hill adjacent to Balboa Park serving affordable Italian regional cuisine with a local farm-to-table ethos (no menu item tops $20). Crazy good starters include seasonal pickled vegetables, pate and other spreads served in mini mason jars and antipasti like amazing fried squash blossoms with ricotta, purple basil pesto and lemon aioli.  Innovative pastas and modern spins on classic Italian entrees round out the menu.  The restaurant is open daily for dinner. 
• Also in June, a long-time San Diego favorite returned with the opening of Casa de Bandini in Carlsbad.  For more than 25 years, the restaurant was a fixture in Old Town and, once again, diners can enjoy the ambiance of Old Mexico with strolling mariachis, brightly colored umbrellas on a sunny outdoor patio, authentic regional cuisine and giant, frosty margaritas. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Okay, I can’t stop at just five.  Just one more because, in San Diego you can never have too many great new restaurants.  Especially when they’re serving up frosty margaritas.

• Casa de Reyes in Old Town State Historic Park reopened in May with a new chef, menu and bright cheerful design. The restaurant has always been popular for outdoor dining so they doubled the size of the patio and added a new shade arbor and dramatic fire pits.  Salsas are made fresh daily; each burrito is served with a specially prepared sauce, and chili rellenos are made the old fashioned way with a creamy, homemade cheese sauce. The restaurant is open daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner and – yes! – margaritas. 

Tags: 5 to try, bankers hill, Carlsbad, casino, dining, dog, food, green, mission hills, old town, solana beach

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Treat dad to a special Father’s Day this weekend and check out these fun events :

1. This Saturday, watch adorable pups ride the waves during the 4th Annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition at Imperial Beach.  This free event, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., features talented surfing dogs as they surf in three different heats: small dogs, large dogs and tandem. 

2. Head over to the UCSD campus this Saturday and Sunday and check out the 23rd Annual La Jolla Festival of Arts and Food Fair.  The festival will have nearly 200 art displays, live music, food, book signings, and special events just for dads.  The festival will also have a new attraction, Calle Color, a live street chalking exhibition.

3. Beginning this weekend, explore  Park at Dark when the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park extends its summer hours to 8 p.m. As daylight turns to darkness, take nightime tours on Journey Into Africa, catch new summer shows with special animal encounters and watch as the park’s nocturnal creatures emerge. 

4. Eat, shop and explore the Little Italy Mercato this Saturday from 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.  More than 70 booths will take over Date Street and offer farm fresh produce, artisan foods and specialty items.  There will also be live music and a special pet place.

5. Celebrate Father’s Day this Sunday by taking dad on a special kayaking adventure.  Bike and Kayak Tours in La Jolla is offering all dads FREE kayak tours after 4 p.m. while the rest of the family will receive 10% off their tour.

Tags: 5 to try, coronado, dog, festival, free, kayak, la jolla, little italy, surfing, wild animal park

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Edie Jarolim, a dog travel expert, who writes the blog Will My Dog Hate Me was spotted on NBC 4 in Tucson, AZ sharing tips on fido-friendly travel to San Diego.   Woof Woof!

Tags: dog, in the news

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Fido-friendly beaches, parks, hotels, restaurants and more.  For your jet setting four-legged friends, San Diego is a perfect vacation destination. 

Don’t believe me?  Listen to the experts!

Earlier this week, the website DogFriendly.com (a resource for pet travel since for more than a decade) published their annual list of the top ten dog-friendly destinations in the U.S.  based on the quality of dog-friendly accommodations, transportation, beaches, parks, attractions, stores, dining and things to do with your dog.

Tags: beach, dining, dog, hotels, in the news

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Summer is quickly approaching, and I can’t think of a better way to appreciate the long days and warm sunshine than a day on the beach with my best friend – my dog Eleanor.

Here are Eleanor’s top picks for dog-friendly beaches:

Fiesta Island: The best of both land and sea. An off-leash dog island in Mission Bay with tons of grassy areas to run around with new dog friends and its very own dog beach perfect for doggy paddling and playing fetch.  This is probably the least-crowded dog beach, even on weekends.

OB Dog Beach: Another off-leash dog beach located in Ocean Beach. One of the most popular San Diego dog beaches, there’s tons of space for both humans and dogs to run around, and even a dog wash across the street where you can clean off and pamper your pup. This place gets crowded in the summertime, so it’s best to come in the evening if you’re not looking to have a dog party.

Coronado Dog Beach: A great off-leash dog beach with stronger surf for dogs who have mastered the doggy paddle. This beach has lots of open space and water hoses for rinsing off or keeping hydrated on warm days.

Tags: beach, dog, parks, summer

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