Artist Susie Reneau


Susie Reneau is an artist, who lives and works in La Jolla, California. She creates beautiful art using silk screen, as well as drawings and paintings. Her work is playful and enlightening, using animals and bright colors to demonstrate the feelings of peace and happiness that associate her work. She uses quotes in much of her work and has successfully created additional commodities from her original artwork by reproducing it in larger quantities, making postcards and other more ephemeral items. She also makes an annual calendar, largely by hand.

Images that recur in her work include penguins, cats, tea cups, and many other critters. Pigs, unicorns, and butterflies are also important players. She chooses quotes from the inspirational to the silly, and everything in between, addressing such issues that all of face in life: birth, death, nature, shopping, chocolate, friendship, and so many more.

You can buy her work in San Diego at Studio Maureen in South park.

Susie Reneau
PO Box 2488
La Jolla, CA 92038

Mission Beach Boardwalk

The Boardwalk in Mission Beach is a great place to spend a sunny afternoon. The entire boardwalk stretches for three miles from Law Street at the north end of Pacific beach, all the way down to the jetty in Mission Beach, just across the channel from Ocean Beach. The boardwalk goes officially by the name "Ocean Boulevard" and many locations acutally use that as their address.

Along the entire boardwalk you will find restaurants, shopping, and sunny spots. In Mission Beach, especially, you will find, of course, the MB Roller coaster. This is a classic San Diego landmark, and has been around for decades. The surrounding area is now a developed "mall" with an emphasis on entertainment: There are other rides, as well as arcades and carnival type games. In other words, there are plenty of places to waste money. There are also tourist trap shops selling t-shirts with bikini bods, naked butts, USA, San Diego, and dead starfish and seahorses, among other items to waste even more money on.

There is Canes, which is a bad restaurant, but which has good concerts in the evenings. They have a deck with a fun view, looking down on the people meandering the boardwalk. Then there is Hamel's, a resource for renting all kinds of boards and blades. And of course you can also find a plethora of bars, pizza joints, and ice cream vendors, as well as strange characters riding on boards, blades, and choppers.


Mission Beach has been recently renovated, most especially notable are the surrounding houses. Check out the admirable architecture. It is mostly modern in style, which doesn't appeal to all, but it is certainly but well-done.

Head to the south end to watch the volley players and enjoy the scenery. At the end, you will find the jetty which offers a dangerous adventure if you walk out to the end. Plenty of people do it, but it can be very slippery.

Pacific Beach Boardwalk


The Boardwalk in Pacific Beach is a great place to spend a sunny afternoon. The entire boardwalk stretches for three miles from Law Street at the north end of Pacific beach, all the way down to the jetty in Mission Beach, just across the channel from Ocean Beach. The boardwalk goes officially by the name "Ocean Boulevard" and many locations actually use that as their address.

Along the entire boardwalk you will find restaurants, shopping, and sunny spots. In Pacific Beach you will find, specifically, new swanky places like the bar, hotel, and restaurant at the end of Felspar. You will also find such standbys as Kono's breakfast joint (@ Garnet), where you get greasy eggs, potatoes, and bacon from early morning to midday. This is right across from the Crystal Pier, and the Crystal Pier Hotel, floating above the water.

Then there is the PB Hostel, where there is always a random mix of travelers, young and old, all looking to get very drunk at any given moment. And of course there is the coffee chop and bakery that is always changing names, but which I will always know as the Mission (just south of Grand). This is a great palce to sip a latte or munch a muffin and watch the passer-bys.

Speaking of which, this is probably the best pastime of the PB boardwalk - people watching. Grab a spot along the seawall, lay out a towel by the volleyball nets, or choose a table or chair at a cafe or restaurant right along the sidewalk, and settle in to watch a wide array of partiers, families, and random people. There is the guy who roller blades in slow motion, the roller blader who wears a speedo decorated for the nearest holiday (although he hasn't been around lately), and all the other funny characters. Enjoy the show!

The Green Tea House Cafe

The Green Tea House Cafe in Kearny Mesa is one of my favorite boba tea shops in town. Word on the street is that they were sold about a year ago, shortly after the Tapioca Express went in three shops down from the Green Tea House Cafe in the same complex. (This is very poor management by the complex owners, IMHO.) I tried the Tapioca Express once, and Green Tea House is way better. it is much more natural tasting (though not sure if any boba is really all that natural...)

The Green Tea House sometimes has DJs or other events on the weekends and in the evenings. I could take or leave these events; I just go for the boba. What I love is that they have a great selection of flavors (tremendous, really). You can get green, black or mixed boba and with or without milk (actually non-dairy creamer, as is standard at boba tea shops). My favorites are the flower teas, like jasmine green or rose black, with milk.

The Green Tea House Cafe
4646 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92126
(858) 715-9500

Balboa Park Japanese Gardens


The Japanese Gardens in Balboa park are located just north of the giant outdoor organ (the largest out door organ in the country, by the way). The gardens require a modest fee to enter, and it is worth, but probably only one time. I wish I could say that the gardens are a spectacular place to while away an entire day or afternoon, but the truth is they are only mediocre. They have coy ponds and interesting buildings, but they just lack that special “kabang” that makes you want to return over and over again.

However, in one of the pagoda buildings they have rotating exhibits. These can be anything from uninteresting to quite extraordinary. I saw a beautiful exhibit of Japanese calligraphy there once, fro ma calligraphy master who was there himself speaking about his work. That was a special experience.

Also, they have a nice teashop. It is, again, not the most mind-boggling tea shop. They don’t have the largest selection, not he most peaceful scenery, but it is a nice place for a cup of tea on lazy afternoon in Balboa Park. And if the exhibit in the garden sounds interesting, it’s worth going in again.

Balboa Park Sculpture Garden


The Balboa Park Sculpture Garden is a hidden treat in the cultural haven of Balboa Park. Everyone knows about Balboa Park – the museums, the gardens, the Prado, the zoo. But the Sculpture Garden is a well-kept secret.

If you look straight at the San Diego Museum of Art, which is by the large water fountain at the west end of the Prado (pedestrian walkway), the Sculpture Garden is to your left. There is also a Water’s Café to your left. This is a delightful café to get a bite to eat with delicious, fresh food. It is run by Water’s Catering Company, a favorite food place in San Diego. You simply go by the Water’s Café cart, through the little dining area and out to grassy opening. There you will find the sculpture garden. Don’t be fooled into thinking that Water’s is a restaurant; it’s not, you are free to enter the covered area, and in fact it is the only access way to the Sculpture Garden.

Once you are in the Sculpture Garden give yourself some time to play. Take some pictures. These modern sculptures are great to let your imagination play with. The Old Globe Theatre looms behind them, contrasting in style and creating a wonderful backdrop. You may even like to bring a picnic, or buy something at Water’s Café to enjoy in the sun among the sculptures.

Add this stop to your next day in Balboa Park. It won’t take up a full day, but it can add a special stop to the other, more well-known attractions of Balboa Park.

Going Native Resources

Thinking about doing some gardening? There are a lot of factors in choosing to garden, including if you have the time to maintain the garden, what kinds of plants you will put in, how much time and money you want to put in, and how you will maintain it. For a beautiful garden that requires very little maintenance, and saves you big bucks in water, think about going native!

Many choices for lawn and garden require massive amounts of water. One of the worst offenders is one of the most common: The grass lawn that we are so famous for in the USA. Native plants, on the other hand, are chosen for the specific clime they reside in, so they naturally use the amount of water available for the region.

Going native can also mean you won't have to amend the soil, because the plants are made for the soil where you are planting them! Again, that means saving money on fertilizers, and it also means you are preventing fertilizers from being washed into the water system (local rivers, lakes, and eventually bays and oceans), where they disrupt the natural balance of the ecosystem causing disruptions in plant and animal life than can eventually leave entire areas dead.

Especially in arid or semi-arid climates, it is especially important to consider drought tolerant and low water using plants. And if you're going that far, then go ahead and look into natives. They help preserve the unique natural beauty of your corner of the world by giving native insects more terrain to live in and a wider selection of plants to pollinate. This also means you will be attracting native hummingbirds and butterflies to your garden when your native plants flower. Beauty attracts beauty!

Some resources in San Diego for going native:

Water Conservation Garden

San Diego Native Plant Society

Walter Andersen Nursery

Quail Botanical Gardens

Landscape Watering Calculator

Bella Tosca Day Spa

Bella Tosca Day Spa is part of the Town and Country Hotel, located in the heart of Mission Valley, between Fashion Valley Mall and Interstate 8. Upon arrival, it looks like nothing special, but the facilities are quite nice once inside. The Town and Country is a San Diego classic hotel, and has been around since Mission Valley really was a valley, and on the edge of both town and country.

Bella Tosca offers a full service hair and nail salon, and a complete day spa. After check-in, you are given slippers and a robe, a nice amenity not provided at some day spas. The locker rooms are separate for men and women, and have a dry sauna and a large hot tub, as well as multiple showers and a well stocked counter area. One down side is that the indoor hot tub makes the rest of the facilities smell strongly of chlorine. You can also use the workout facilities and attend classes if they have any running (but these are rare).

All the facilities are included with a spa treatment (but not a salon treatment). The price for day use is very reasonable, at only $25. Treatments are averagely priced for spa services, at about $100 for an hour.

Town and Country is particular good for groups, as they can accommodate many people within an hour or two hour time range, sometime most spas can not do. Everyone can use the sauna and hot tub as they wait for the group to complete their treatments. Be sure to schedule ahead.


500 Hotel Circle
San Diego, CA 92108
866-91Relax (866-917-3529)
www.bellatosca.com

Aqua Gardens Day Spa

The number of day spas in San Diego is fairly high, and it is rising. San Diego is finally becoming a sophisticated city. This means good news for people who like to live life well, and enjoy fine things, like good restaurants and spas. And it also means that more people will be bale to afford these things as more good restaurants and spas move to this city.

Aqua Gardens is a little over a year old, near the corner of 4th and Washington Street in Hillcrest. They do not have a parking lot, only street parking, so arrive early to ensure you find a spot on time. They will make change inside if you need it.

They offer a number of specials, the majority of them exclusively for first time customers. You can call to see what they are currently offering. I am a big proponent of using first-time customers specials (or any special discount). This means you can try a new place without a risk of feeling like you lost the money if the atmosphere or treatment wasn’t right for you. If it is right for you, then you can make a conscious choice to continue to invest the money to go there and receive treatments as part of your wellness plan.

Aqua Gardens offers a wet and dry sauna, and a pool, all available free of charge when you receive a treatment. You can also pay a day use fee to use these facilities without receiving a treament, though it is rather highly priced, though other treatments are average.

The staff is very friendly, and the owner is often at the reception desk. He is very willing to accommodate requests and even changes at much later dates than many spas. They use Young Living Essential Oils, a very high grade of essential oils. The bathroom is well stocked with plenty of towels and products. But there is only one, and it is the only changing room, which can be problematic if many others at the spa at the same time, though because it is a very small location you will often find yourself there a lone or with only a couple others. It is in a remodeled house, which also adds to the charm. They offer you tea or water when you arrive and depart. Overall it is a pleasant experience, though for me nothing extraordinary.

UPDATE: Aqua Gardens is no longer in business.

Locavore Resources

Here are some resources for dining locally and in season in San Diego.

Local Harvest offers lists of farmers and locally produced natural foods, available by USA zip code. A list of San Diego food producers is found here.

Slow Food is an international movement dedicated to preserving artisanal ways of growing and preparing food. San Diego has it's own chapter.

They also have a list of Slow Food Restaurants in San Diego, though I warn you that all it means is that the restaurant is a member (they don't all serve local produce, though many do).

Green Restaurant Certification offers certificates at various levels for being eco-friendly.

"The Well-Traveled Tomato," recent article in San Diego Reader, explores where our food comes from and where all it goes before it gets to our plate.

Be Wise Ranch


Be Wise Ranch, located in the Santa Fe Valley, just twenty miles north of San Diego, is a local source of organic and seasonal produce. Be Wise Ranch sells their produce locally at Jimbo's (Escondido, Carlsbad, Del Mar & 4S Ranch), Baron's (Rancho Bernardo & Point Loma), Cream of the Crop (Oceanside), and People's Food Coop (Ocean Beach).

If you want to get your hands on some on their mouth watering, sun-ripened produce, you can go to one of the stores listed abve. But here's the even better news: You can also sign up for their CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program and get fresh vegetables and fruits delivered the day they are picked to a drop off location near your home or work. Locations include State College, North Park, Mission Hills, Mira Mesa, Rancho Bernardo, Escondido, Ocean Beach/Pt. Loma, Pacific Beach, University City, Poway, Rancho Penasquitos, Scripps Ranch, Encinitas, Leucadia, Fallbrook, and Vista. You select the location that's most convenient for you.

And it just keeps getting better. Signing up for the CSA will actually save you money. The CSA puts you in direct contact with your local farmer, so you cut out the middle man, saving money every week. You can choose from a large or small box, and a weekly or bi-weekly pick up, so you get the amount of produce that works for you. Getting your box of veges is like having your birthday every week (or every other week): You get loads of delicious fresh food taht will make you so happy when you pull the produce out of the box. You will continually be amazed at how much you get for such a good price.

Check out he details and sign up at http://www.bewiseranch.com/csa.htm

Vegetarian Thai Restaurant in PB

Ivory Thai Cuisine in Pacific Beach has two locations, one on Garnet and one on Hornblend. Both offer all the usual Thai menu items, like Pad Thai, fresh spring rolls, Tom Yum soup, a variety of curry dishes, a plethora of noodle dishes, and much more. Both are inexpensive and tasty. Though they taste good, the quality of the ingredients is only average: dishes are typically rather oily. The lightest dishes are the soups, and because they feature more Asian vegetables and spices the ingredients seem to be fresher, too.

The locations are small and don't boast much ambiance, but the staff is very friendly and willing to accommodate most requests. They are especially kind to their senior patrons, always helping them into their chairs, etc.

The Hornblend location is soon converting into a vegetarian version of this typical Thai diner. (The Garnet location will retain full meat options). The emphasis will be on lighter, healthier fare, taking a corner standby up a notch. I look forward to trying the new presentation of this local standby. I hope the reincarnation of Thai will also emphasize a higher vegetable to noodle ratio.

Ivory Thai Cuisine
859 Hornblend St
San Diego, CA 92109
http://www.ivorythaicuisine.com/