Ever want to get away where you can enjoy an endless coastline by day and immerse yourself in a chic city vibe by night? Say hello to San Diego. 

Spectacular beaches, mouthwatering cuisine, marine preserves, art, culture, and an eclectic nightlife, San Diego has it all. Here are five reasons why San Diego just may be California’s best beach town.

1. The Best Mexican Food, North of the Border

Less than an hour drive from the Mexico border, San Diego has some seriously delicious Mexican restaurants. Bracero Cocina de Raiz, a sexy downtown hotspot with sweeping city views, celebrates its culinary heritage with a fresh modern twist. Think fresh masa, a (sustainably caught) raw fish bar for tiraditos and ceviche, albacore served two ways with a lime salsa verde and acorn squash in mole negro. Most plates are meant to share. But with flavors so bright and fresh, you might have to negotiate who gets the last bite. A word to the wise, when the waiter says the salsa is hot, believe it. One drop can make you cry. To cool down the heat the ever-popular Javier Wallbanger is the perfect libation.

Then there’s Puesto in La Jolla where Chef Luisteen, a self-proclaimed “tacoteur” has reimagined the traditional Mexico City-style taco to make your taste buds sing. At this taco lover’s dream, all salsas and tortillas are made from scratch, proteins are sustainable including slow-cooked guisados, and Taco Tuesdays are elevated to an entirely new level. Puesto has a curated tequila program that will take conventional tequila permanently off your palate. Add in housemade aguas frescas and wines from Valle de Guadalupe region of Baja and you won’t go thirsty.

For more casual beach dining, Pacific Beach Fish Shop serves their award-winning TKO taco with grilled mahi-mahi topped with house made tropical mango salsa. Mix and match (sustainably caught) fish with different marinades to create your own taco masterpiece.

2. The Catamaran Resort Hotel & Spa

Ever wanted to be completely surrounded by views of water? Well, you can at the Catamaran Hotel and Spa, especially when you request a bay view room. A beloved San Diego favorite, it’s a staycation hotspot for locals. A California Green Lodging Program member, the hotel keeps its operations green so that the ocean and sky stay blue. A tropical Polynesian-themed hideaway in Pacific Beach, the Catamaran is pure bliss that puts an all-day smile on your face. Think palm trees, tiki torches, koi ponds, waterfalls, waterfront fine dining, sunset concerts, luaus, a bay view jacuzzi, and fire pits.

Mission Bay is the Catamaran’s backyard and the Pacific Ocean is across the street. Surf in the ocean or sail and paddleboard in the bay. Or rent a bike and cruise the boardwalk. It’s all at your fingertips. Then at sunset, soak in a bay view hot tub. Or rub elbows with locals at Moray’s Bar and enjoy a refreshing libation as the sun drops amongst tiki torches and fire pits. For dinner, mosey on over to Oceana Coastal Kitchen for delicious California cuisine. If the waterfront dining doesn’t already hook you, its seasonal menu with fresh seafood from the Baja and the Pacific will. Don’t forget the spa with holistic rituals and energy treatments such as Shiatsu and The Ancient Ocean Ritual. That after-spa feeling and bay views are what vacation dreams are made of.

3. La Jolla, Sea Bluffs and Sea Lions

There’s so much to do in La Jolla, you might never want to leave. La Valencia Hotel’s ocean-front terrace restaurant, THE MED, is the perfect place to start. It’s an authentic taste of San Diego’s old world Spanish charm. The restaurant boasts a sumptuous sustainable seafood menu and an extraordinary wine list. Don’t miss the roasted cauliflower, daily crudo, or the giant locally sourced Mediterranean mussels. Count La Valencia in for nightlife, too. Live music and bespoke (plant-based) dinners are just a few events that keep the hotel on the pulse of La Jolla’s nightlife scene.

Next, you’ll want to walk over to La Jolla’s children’s pool on the bluffs overlooking the azure ocean. Where you’ll see naturally comical sea lions frolicking in the water and napping on the rocks. If you’re feeling adventurous, get in the water with Everyday Calfornia’s kayak and snorkel tours that will take you through the La Jolla Ecological Reserve where you’ll see the stunning coastline from the water, dolphins cruising by, and bright orange garibaldi swimming through the sea grass. Then, catch a wave back to shore.

When booking a room, stay in the pet-friendly boutique Empress Hotel. Centrally located, it’s just a block from La Jolla’s sandy bluffs and a few minutes walk from quaint coffee shops, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego and a plethora of excellent restaurants. Recently renovated, the Empress has a sophisticated ocean theme and offers an app for an effortless stay. Ask for the jacuzzi suite and enjoy soaking in the tub with an ocean view.

Although not on the water, lunch at The Farmer and the Seahorse is not to be missed. Under the helm of award-winning chef Brian Malarkey, it’s an eccentric whimsical space that offers not only a culinary adventure but also a lifestyle experience. You’ll be invited to a pickup game of bean bag toss in an adjacent colorful garden. Inside is just as eccentric with a silver Airstream trailer casually parked amongst the tables. Try the local’s favorite butternut squash lasagna with ricotta, kale, and mushrooms. It’s worth coming back for.

4. L’ Auberge Del Mar, Casual Coastal Chic

If you’re not already staying at the historic L’ Auberge del Mar, treat yourself to eco-luxury at one of the “Best Luxury Resorts” on the Condé Nast Gold List. Committed to being clean and green, its spa exclusively uses Osea organic products. And its restaurants Coastline and KITCHEN 1540 share a vertical, hydroponic garden showcasing herbs and flowers used in the menu and cocktails. While Coastline is ocean-front casual al fresco dining, KITCHEN 1540 exudes an elegant artsy vide. Relax in the open-air lobby lounge or walk up to the upper deck where a charming row of white wooden rocking chairs await to relax into while you watch the sunset.

A day spent in Del Mar is a day well spent indeed. With Del Mar Village just across the street from the hotel, you’ll always get a bird’s eye view of Del Mar’s gorgeous coastline. Take a walk along the Scripps Bluff Preserve with an infinity view of the Pacific and inland lagoons and see the sky speckled with hot air balloons. It doesn’t get much better than this.

5. Get Wet with Surf Diva

Who is the best surfer in the water? According to Surf Diva, it’s whoever is having the most fun! Owned and operated by twin sisters Izzy and Coco Tihanyi, Surf Diva has been sharing the stoke of learning to surf for over 20-years. Based in La Jolla Shores, you can book a private lesson with an encouraging and enthusiastic surf instructor who will do everything in their power to ensure you stand up the first time. The occasional beginner’s face plant is well worth the high of gliding with the wave. While Surf Diva began as an all-women surf school, they quickly became a La Jolla institution and now offer all levels of surf lessons to everyone. And actively support charities focused on education and female action sports services.

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“You do not have to choose between your passions. If you want to combine them, you should.” Those are the good words of Future:Standard owner/buyer Jessica Althoff. With her  desire to support the environment, promote fair labor practices, and spend her days looking at (and wearing), beautiful clothes, she launched Future:Standard, one of our favorite online eco fashion boutiques.

We are very excited to be co-hosting a celebration for Future:Standard’s 1^st Birthday party, and if you’re in the San Diego we hope you’ll come out to support ethical fashion!

WHAT: Enjoy a few savory cocktails and sweets while shopping 15% off our eco-chic styles at our pop-up shop! Bring in a few items you no longer wear and Swap n’ Shop with a few of San Diego’s top fashionistas! Any leftover items will benefit the Goodwill Foundation.

WHEN: Friday, January 27, 2012, 7pm-10pm

WHERE: at Blokhaus (1600 National Blvd., San Diego, CA).

We would love to see you there! Please RSVP at futurestandard@ellecomm.com.

Can’t make it? You can still take part of a special EcoSalon offer of 15% off at Future:Standard. Just use promo code “ecosalon” at checkout. Promo code is good through Friday January 27, 2012 at midnight PST.

The post Celebrate Future:Standard’s 1 Year Anniversary with EcoSalon appeared first on EcoSalon.

Researchers at U.C. Davis are trying to connect the dots leading to 10 autism clusters in California. One theory is that those parents are using certain hazardous household products, exposing their kids to dangers linked to the neuro-developmental disorder that usually surfaces by the time a child turns three.

According to the Contra Costa Times and other news sources reporting the findings, the study authors don’t attribute the cases to a toxic waste plant or other widespread polluter, but rather to household items like cleaners or landscaping products.

The report released by the University this week says the clusters show autism rates nearly twice the amount of ones in surrounding areas, including three in the Bay Area: Parts of Redwood City, San Carlos and Belmong; Parts of Santa Clara and Sunnyvale; Western San Francisco. No clusters were found in the East Bay.

Other clusters are in Southern California and the Central Valley. And one San Diego cluster was found to have rates of 61.2 per 10,000 births, compared with 27.1 per 10,000 births in the surrounding region. The researchers said the study is the first one looking at the geography of autism births in the state to learn of local sections of elevated environmental risk.

In producing the study, which was published online in the journal Autism Research, the scientists looked at nearly all of the 2.5 million births recorded in California from 1996 to 2000. The report says some 10,000 children born during that period were later diagnosed with autism.

The scientists who conducted the study are now conducting two additional studies examining the environmental causes of autism, and plan to collect dust samples from the homes of 1,300 families to see if common chemicals are the culprits.

Main Image: Mercury News

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