SoCal Locale

03/23/2024

Excited for the blooms again!

Wildflowers began to bloom this February in some of Southern California’s low elevation deserts and will continue to inject new life into the dry landscape throughout the spring.

09/20/2023

Even though we are not short of delicious food in San Diego, I was really missing the humble digs that I grew up loving in the Twin Cities. But today, I finally found a place that brought me closer to home. It took me two years but I finally found a restaurant in San Diego that sated my Hmong palette. So Saap is the new owner of the space that housed the beloved Ban Lao whom closed down recently. They moved up from their original spot on Market Street, and I honestly would not have heard about them had I not decided to stop by Ban Lao (I didn’t know they had closed) for some papaya salad. Before today, Ban Lao was the only place I could find that made decent papaya salad - not exactly hitting the mark for me, but good enough. But So Saap hit the spot! Their papaya salad is bomb, like Lao-Hmong style bomb, with a raw crab on top for an addt’l $4.

I also ordered a bowl of kao p**n and the waitress asked if I wanted the chicken feet and pigs blood that comes with it. Heck yes! I sat there, quietly savored every bite and felt so satisfied that I literally teared up. It brought me home.

I was told that they’ll have a papaya salad bar on Saturdays where you pick your ingredients and they conjure it up into a tom sum for you. I’ll have to return and will.

📍So Saap, 4134 University Avenue, SD

08/21/2023

Havana Nights at the Grand Social @ Fairmont Grand Del Mar. We thoroughly enjoyed our evening chilling to Havana beats at the Grand Social. Our GA admission came with a blanket to spread out on the lawn, complimentary ci**rs and salsa dancing for the fam. Yummy bites and drinks are also available for order from the lawn bar. It was a perfect chilled SoCal evening! They have one more Havana night for the season, and we can’t wait to go back.

08/21/2023

FINALLY, There’s shuttle service from the San Diego area to LAX again!

Scheduled shuttle service between San Diego and LAX. Stops: Old Town, Sorrento Valley, Carlsbad, LAX | Tickets $68 | 7 days a week

08/10/2023

A friend from the Bay Area introduced me to mi quang and it is now one of my favorite Vietnamese dishes, better than pho imo. Here’s the signature frog legs mi quang from Da Nang Corner in SD. Soul good!

03/04/2023

Enjoyed the beautiful desert blooms at Anza Borrego State Park. Blooms should be good at the park for another month with more coming in March.

01/24/2023

February is Museum Month in San Diego County with 50% off admission discounts to 60+ museums.

Explore the FUN during San Diego Museum Month with 50% off admission to 60+ San Diego County museums, historic sites, gardens, zoo/aquariums and more. Just pick up your pass at a one of 80+ libraries throughout San Diego County.