High-flying hipsters are heading to San Diego to take in the city's SoCal style and artsy scene.
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Where to stay For Euro chic, check into The Keating ( www.thekeating.com). Located in a historic Romanesque Revival building in the tendy Gaslamp Quarter, this 35-room boutique hotel was designed by Pininfarina, the Italian design firm behind luxury brands Ferrari and Maserati. Expect modern Italian designs, bold colours, ergonomic furniture (custom designed by Pininfarina), Bang & Olufsen BeoVision electronics and Frette linens. Before heading out, jump-start your day with a cup of espresso from the in-room Lavazza espresso machine.
Where to dine If you want to see and be seen, head to Confidential
Restaurant Loft ( www.confidentialsd.com), a martini bar/restaurant co-owned by winemaker Andrew Firestone of fame. Lounge on a white leather sofa, sip a Honey dew Bas il Martini and enjoy ahi tartare and dates wrapped in bacon while you eye the glam clientele. For a more intim ate vibe, head to local favourite Cafe Chloe (www.cafechloe.com), a Parisian-style bistro in the East Village that offers classic steak-frites and vol-au-vents. End the evening on a sweet note at Extraordinary Desserts (www.extraordinarydesserts.com). San Diego native Karen Krasne fashions pastries, tortes, pies, mousses and crème brûlées decorated with fresh flowers and gold leaf. Her bestseller -- Passion Fruit Ricotta Torte -- is made with layers of ricotta cake soaked in passion fruit juice and smothered with passion fruit whipped cream, kiwi fruit, strawberries and bananas.
Where to party Eden, the Ivy Hotel's sundeck and rooftop bar, and the four-storey Envy nightclub -- where you have plenty of room to work on the six other sins -- are new to the scene. Another popular venue is Stingaree (), a three-storey restaurant/nightclub with a floor-to-ceiling waterfall, rooftop cabanas and a fire-pit, as well as a second-floor VIP area where Fergie and Josh Duhamel have been spotted. Wear your skinniest jeans and longest lashes to make it past the velvet rope. End the night at the W San Diego's rooftop Beach bar ( www.whotels.com), where you can warm your toes on the heated sand floor, sip a signature Blueberry Mojito and watch old surfing movies projected on the wall or simply lie back, bask in the glow of the fire-pit and take in the skyline view.
Where to escape Twenty minutes north of downtown San Diego is a place that is magical enough for Dr. Seuss to have made it his home and that counts Robin Wright Penn, Anne Rice, Deepak Chopra and the Hearst family as one-time residents. La Jolla is a vision of bougainvillea-covered roofs, palm-lined streets and estate homes. This bluff-top enclave is artsy and upscale. (You'll want to shed your flip-flops and jeans for high heels and a sundress.) On Prospect Street -- La Jolla's version of Rodeo Drive -- you'll find posh boutiques, inns and restaurants. Fortunately, the best parts of this neighbourhood -- the beaches, coastal coves and verdant hillsides -- are free. After a leisurely lunch on the Ocean Terrace at Georges at the Cove (www.georgesatthecove.com), walk down to La Jolla Children's Pool and watch the harbour seals sun themselves on one of the most beautiful beaches in southern California.
Image courtesy of Joanne Dibona
