MAY 15TH, 2008
CALIFORNIA BLUE
San
Diego is in the midst of a renaissance. The southern California
metropolis is as hot as the scorching sun that bleaches its beaches.
stay
A neo-gothic gem, The Sophia
was built in the roaring '20s and was the city's first hotel with en
suite bathrooms. Nestled between Little Italy and the Gaslamp Quarter,
it retains its flapper vibe, but with a $16 million reno it now has
luxe modern amenities today's flappers have come to expect. 150 West
Broadway, 1-800-826-0009, www.thesofiahotel.com
shop
Forget
postcards. Scent is a proven trigger of memories. Claus Porto's 12
months of soap box set ($99)—August's red poppy, May's mimosa—will do
the trick. Available at Little Italy's Mixture, a 1940s warehouse
converted into a treasure trove. 2210 Kettner Blvd., 619-239-4788, www.mixturehome.com
eat
No
need to head to Tijuana, just wander to the Gaslamp Quarter. La
Fiesta's mole pablano ($16), chile rellenos ($13) and camarones al
chipotle ($24) will have you shaking your maracas. 628 Fifth Ave.,
619-232-4242.
do
Get your motor running and
head out on the highway. Downtown San Diego Harley-Davidson will hook
you up with a rental hog for a self-guided tour up the Pacific Coast.
What better way to experience the pine-tree dotted mountains that give
way to causeways and ocean air? Maybe the one time that leather chaps
are socially acceptable. 2400 Kettner Blvd., 619-233-6677, www.downtownsandiegoharley.com
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