San Diego is one of my favorite cities. It has so many virtues, it’s not easy to name them all. Weather may be the first on the list. San Diego has the best climate in the world. Situated right on the Pacific coast, it is blessed year-round with gentle breezes and pleasant temperatures that are almost never too hot or too cold. True, there is a period in early summer referred to by locals as “June Gloom,” when the mornings are often cool and overcast with fog wafting over the coastal areas, but all one needs to do to survive June Gloom in to put on a light jacket.
 | A hawk whistles, high Above the eucalyptus As clouds and mist form. |
Balboa Park in downtown San Diego is another wonder. This exquisite Spanish Colonial style city park and botanical garden houses the San Diego Zoo, without a doubt the finest zoo in the world and a leader in veterinary research and international interventions to save endangered species. It was the San Diego Zoo that rescued the California Condor, once down to nineteen individuals, and now recovered to dozens of majestic mating pairs soaring over the hills and canyons of Southern California and Mexico.
 | The pink flamingo On her tall legs bends down to Touch her small gray chick. |
| From his stone kopje, The rock hyrax, hiding, glares At zoo visitors. |  |
The zoo’s sibling, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, located in Escondido several miles inland in the historic San Pasqual Valley, is also well worth a visit. At the spacious Safari Park, visitors can view large herds of animals living together in mixed species as is the case in their natural habitats. A tram ride or safari trucks bring viewers close to giraffes, rhinoceros, cape buffalo, crowned cranes and other African animals, and a similar habitat houses Asian animals. Animal lovers can also enjoy close-up views of Sumatran tigers, lions and gorillas in large and well-designed enclosures.
 | In the San Pasqual Valley, jacarandas bloom On the battleground. |
| The last Northern White Rhino on earth rests in the Dust in noon sunlight. |  |
Visitors to the Safari Park who have a little extra time on their hands can venture on through the scenic San Pasqual Valley to the little town of Julian, famous for Apple Pie. The Julian Pie Company on Main Street, specializes in some of the best pies you have ever eaten outside of Grandma’s house. We prefer the sugar-free Apple Pie, as the apples themselves are so sweet, that no additional sugar is needed, but be sure to order your pie warmed up and topped with vanilla-cinnamon ice cream. For those of you in a hurry, the tiny town of Santa Ysabel is right on the road that leads to Julian, and has a satellite Julian Pie Company shop. The apple pie at the Santa Ysabel shop is just as good as the pie in Julian.
| Back in San Diego’s beautiful Balboa Park, visitors can enjoy more than a dozen first-class museums and cultural venues, including the San Diego Natural History Museum, the San Diego Air and Space Museum, the San Diego Museum of Art and the Japanese Friendship Garden. The elegant Old Globe Theatre is also located in Balboa Park, as are several more contemporary live theaters. This summer, in addition to modern productions, the Old Globe will host performances of Shakespeare’s The Tempest in July and Much Ado About Nothing in August and September. |  |
Many county fairs today have lost their rustic rural charm, but the San Diego County Fair is still an old-fashioned fun filled adventure. Located in the 1937 vintage Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on coastal land owned by the State of California, the fair echoes the racetrack’s motto: “Where the surf meets the turf.” In this gorgeous setting, just north of San Diego, families and fun lovers of all ages can enjoy carnival rides, live entertainment, and all the old time fair staples: livestock, including cattle, pigs, goats and llamas, as well as rabbits, poultry and pigeons, student visual and industrial arts and individual crafts including flower arranging and garden design, wood carving, baking and cake decorating, to name only a few. This year’s fair will run from June 1-July 4.
| Llamas at the fair Groomed like poodles, maintain their Regal dignity. |  |
The San Diego County Fair is also a junk food Mecca not to be outdone. Here deep fried food is king, as is bacon and anything whatsoever that can be covered in chocolate. And for serious meat lovers, good California style barbecue with roasted corn and fried artichokes is readily available.
 | Fried jalapenos Stuffed with Baby Ruth candy Bars: Lunch at the fair. |
San Diego’s historic Spanish and Mexican heritage also adds to the city’s cultural integrity and charm. San Diego’s Old Town, now a state historic park, is located at the intersection of Interstate Highways 5 and 8 in downtown San Diego. Old Town is on the site of the first European settlement in what is now California. Here a military fort and Mission San Diego de Alcala were founded in 1769 by Spanish soldier and administrator Gaspar de Portola and Spanish Franciscan priest Junipero Serra. California’s first mission was relocated early in its history and has been beautifully restored and preserved in its current location on San Diego Mission Road. Still a parish church and a minor basilica, Mission San Diego is open for tours for a small donation. Visitors can enjoy the lovely grounds planted with native species, view the original chapel and observe ongoing archeological research.
Old Town is now a thriving tourist destination that combines the best of the old and the new. Visitors can stroll through historic buildings, visit shops and restaurants and enjoy daily live Mariachi music. Let us not forget that after first being claimed by Spain, California belonged to Mexico from 1821-1846, and Mexico is right next door to San Diego. In fact, adventurous tourists can park their cars in San Diego and walk into Tijuana, San Diego’s neighboring city, for a day of exploration. You will need to bring your passports, and you may have to wait patiently in line to re-enter California, but you will find our neighbors in Tijuana friendly and welcoming.
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My husband and I have walked into Tijuana, and we have also taken the 83-mile drive to charming Ensenada, two-hours straight south of San Diego. Ensenada is a beautiful city to explore on foot, and we enjoyed the chocolate filled churros (deep fried pastries) made to order from a little shop in the downtown market area. On your return to San Diego, you will find good Mexican restaurants and cultural events everywhere. San Diego’s reputation for great fish tacos is well deserved. Even Rubio’s, a San Diego originated fast food chain now found in many local malls and shopping centers, serves good fish tacos.
I have mentioned only a few of San Diego’s unique landmarks and destinations to entice you to come to this magical and historic city to make discoveries of your own. No matter what you decide to do in beautiful San Diego, you will need a good breakfast to fortify you for the adventures ahead. If you are heading to the San Diego County Fair, I recommend Milton’s in Del Mar (2660 Via De La Valle) for a hearty New York Deli style breakfast in a stress-free Southern California setting. At Milton’s, the coffee will arrive quickly, the portions will be generous and the staff of professional and competent grownups, most of whom have worked there for years, will not address you as “You guys.” Milton’s is the kind of place where business men in suits and ties drop by to read the newspaper while enjoying an excellent breakfast before heading to the office. My favorite Milton’s breakfast is LEO: lox, eggs and onions. This delicious concoction combines scrambled eggs with generous amounts of smoked salmon and sautéed onions. Wayne loves Milton’s homemade corned beef hash, which he considers first rate. Breakfast is served all day at Milton’s, and there is also a bakery loaded with enticing pastries as well as a deli on the premises. Milton’s is justly famous for its multi-grain bread, which can be purchased at the restaurant or at good local grocery stores.
Another great place for breakfast, also north of San Diego, is Tip Top Meats, 6118 Paseo Del Norte in the quaint town of Carlsbad. Like Milton’s, Tip Top Meats is a deli and grocery store with a restaurant. The grocery store specializes in German foods, and the butcher shop is serious about meats. So are the customers, who at our last visit were 90 percent male and looking for a breakfast that packed as much meat as possible. A typical Tip Top Meats customer arrives in his pickup along with his buddies in tee shirts and work boots ready to load up for a long day at the construction site. Guests place their orders at the counter, serve themselves coffee and pick up their food when it is ready. Tip Top’s signature breakfast is the Big John, which includes three egg, any style, home fried potatoes, toast and bacon, plus all the pork or Polish sausage and bratwurst or ham you can eat. Yes, we have seen Tip Top customers going back for more meat after eating an entire Big John Breakfast. Other selections include steak and eggs, pork chop and eggs, waffles, omelets and strudels and pastries. As a non-meat eater, I enjoyed the vegetable omelet.
For more modest eaters and those who enjoy a healthier breakfast, we like Lockwood Table, hidden away in the back of a parking lot in the town of Solana Beach (346-B South Cedros Avenue.) This warm and welcoming little place features fresh organic food, gracious service and meticulous attention to detail. On weekends, Lockwood Table offers lovely baked egg souffles served with fresh berries, yogurt, potatoes and toast. Your toast will arrive with homemade jam. Flavor combinations for the souffles include turkey and gruyere, bacon and gouda or spinach, tomato and feta. Other menu items include brioche French toast and a variety of breakfast sandwiches and wraps. Guests can choose to eat indoors or out. Solana Beach, a coastal town just north of San Diego, is famous for Torrey Pines State Beach and Natural Preserve and is well worth a visit for people who prefer outdoor activities.
Another excellent place for breakfast on the same street in Solana Beach is Claire’s on Cedros (246 North Cedros Avenue.) This dog friendly restaurant in a lovely seaside cottage describes its cuisine as “California-style comfort food.” Claire’s, which is very popular and can be crowded, offers a huge menu with something enticing for everyone. Guests can order from a long list of freshly baked muffins, cinnamon rolls, breads, pastries and desserts as well as a large selection of savory breakfast items. Among my favorites are the lemon ricotta pancakes with pure maple syrup and the green enchiladas with eggs, guacamole and black beans. Many of the items on Claire’s menu have a decided Spanish accent, including Huevos Rancheros and a variety of breakfast burritos. Guests can even order Pico de Gallo (fresh tomato salsa) to add an extra kick to their breakfast.
For visitors who plan to spend the day at the San Diego Zoo or the museums in Balboa Park, Hash House A-Go Go, a hugely popular breakfast destination, is located in a nearby neighborhood (3628 Fifth Avenue in downtown San Diego.) This chain restaurant is famous for enormous portions of American cuisine marketed as “Indiana Tractor Food” and “Twisted Farm Food.” Though these terms may seem gimmicky and sort of out of step with San Diego’s ambience, the food is in fact delicious. The extensive menu includes all sorts of hash, including corned beef hash and mushroom hash (which I thoroughly enjoyed,) along with waffles and even biscuits with sausage gravy. Every breakfast arrives with a very good freshly baked biscuit, and the flavors and preparation of the food are outstanding. The restaurant opens at 7:30 AM, and every time we have eaten there, we have had to wait in a long line outside. I wouldn’t worry about that. Remember, San Diego has the best weather in the world.
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