Share this page on

BY JILL FERGUS

San Diego glaslamp quarter is becoming trendier tham ever yet somehow , stays true to the citys laidback vibe

Sure, you may know San Diego has year-round perfect weather and 65 miles of stunning coastline, but if you haven’t been to this sun-kissed Southern California city lately, you might be surprised at how hip it has become. Granted, it’s nothing like its glitzy neighbor up north—but San Diego isn’t trying to be the next LA. The vibe is much more relaxed, even at the trendy see-and-be-seen places. In addition to buzz-worthy restaurants and bars, you’ll also find design-conscious boutique hotels and eclectic shops and galleries. Plenty of excitement can be found in the Gaslamp Quarter, a 16-block historic district in the center of downtown, just a few minutes walk from the convention center and PETCO Park, where the Padres play.

One of the Gaslamp’s hottest spots is the recently opened Bondi (www.thebondi.com), an Australian-themed bar and restaurant. On the menu you’ll find dishes such as fish and chips, grilled Tasmanian trout, and barbecued barramundi with corn fritters. There’s also a selection of hard-to-find Australian beers and wines including lagers like Bluetongue, Boag’s and Gage Roads, and pinot noirs and chardonnays from the Hunter and Yarra valleys.

Another cool spot is Confidential (www.confidentialsd.com), partly owned by Andrew Firestone of “The Bachelor” fame and specializing in small plates courtesy of executive chef Chris Walsh. Enjoy bacon-wrapped dates, mini quesadillas, lemongrassmarinated chicken skewers, and cocktails like honeydew basil martinis and watermelon mojitos.

Jade Theater (www.jadetheater.com) opened last month, the latest from Jason Seibert, chef/owner of Cafe Cerise, a San Diego mainstay. Design elements include high-tech waterfalls and a jellyfish aquarium.

The Asian fusion menu features dishes like Canton-style duck with sesame-scallion flatbread and steamed black bass with rice noodles. After dinner, head to the lower level Buddha Ultralounge for sake and tea-based martinis.

The Gaslamp Quarter is also known for its avant-garde art galleries such as Michael
J. Wolfe Fine Arts (www..mjwfinearts.com), housed in the historic Brunswick building, which showcases both national and international contemporary artists. Noberto Martini, who hails from Italy, and California-born John Engen are just a few of the artists represented.

You’ll also find contemporary art in a variety of mediums (sculpture, paintings, installations) at the minimalist CJ Gallery (www.cjartgallery. com), which boasts a large concentration of Asian artists such as Li Huai and Sunho Choi.

After gallery hopping, head to shops like Villa Moda (www.villamoda.com), where you can find upscale women’s clothing, accessories and jewelry. Volcom (www.volcom.com) is the place to buy surfer clothes and accessories—shorts, custom T-shirts, hats and backpacks. Stock up on local wines at the San Diego Wine and Culinary Center (www.sdwineculinary.com), which features a wine bar with daily tastings.

You won’t have to leave the quarter to find a cool place to stay. Although the 35-room Keating Hotel (www.thekeating.com) is located in an 1890 Romanesque revival building, the interiors are ultra-modern courtesy of Pininfarina, the Italian firm that designs Ferrari and Maserati cars. Expect platform beds with Italian linens, wall-mounted plasma televisions and Bang & Olufson stereos. At the Ivy Hotel (www.theivyhotel.com), set to open this spring, you’ll find 159 rooms including a bi-level suite with a spiral staircase leading to a private poolside cabana and a rooftop bar with stunning skyline views. And this fall, a branch of the Hard Rock Hotel (www..hardrockhotelsd.com) will debut, featuring a Nobu restaurant and a Rande Gerber lounge.

There’s also the historic US Grant Hotel (www.usgrant.net), dating back to 1910, which reopened last November after a $52 million makeover. The 270 rooms are decked out with Empire-style furnishings and specially commissioned “dripping paintings” from French artist Yves Clement. Have a cocktail in the handsome bar and dine on California cuisine in the Grant Grill under the direction of executive chef Andreas Nieto.

Late night, there are plenty of options for those who want to hit the town. One of the most popular places is J6Bar (www.jsixsandiego.com), the rooftop cocktail lounge at the trendy Hotel Solamar. Order drinks from the thatched-roof bar and unwind on poolside teak loungers; palm trees strung with colorful lights lend a festive atmosphere.

Another hotspot is Stingaree (www.stingsandiego.com), a three-level restaurant/bar in a restored warehouse with rooftop cabanas. Celebrities like Kanye West, Paris Hilton and Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas are fans. And the next morning, when you are in need of caffeine, join the locals at Café 222 (www.cafe222.com), known for its strong coffee and hearty breakfast fare; don’t miss the pumpkin waffles featured in Gourmet magazine.

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY

DURING the early 1900s, the Gaslamp Quarter was known as the red-light district. Filled with gin joints, gambling halls, brothels and opium dens, it was frequented by sailors and unsavory characters. The area became known as the Stingaree, based on the idea that you could get stung just as badly there as you could from the stingrays in the bay. One of the city’s most famous residents was Wyatt Earp, the Illinois-born lawman and entrepreneur who spent several years in San Diego after his Tombstone days. He owned several gambling parlors and saloons, and one of his favorite restaurants was the Oyster Bar housed in the Louis Bank of Commerce Building on Fifth Avenue. Eventually, public outcry led to the decision to clean up the area—despite the not-so-secret fact that the chief of police and mayor were frequent visitors. On November 11, 1912, the brothel of Ida Bailey, the city’s most famous madam, was raided and 138 of her “ladies” were arrested. The incident was the beginning of the end of the Stingaree. Today, the area, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, contains the largest concentration of Victorian buildings in the country. You can take a guided walking tour to learn more about its fascinating history through the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation. www.gaslampquarter.or

• Game Theory

  Business leaders look to video games as the future of management training.
  read more ›
  
  

• What's in Storage

  Don't toss out old emails and files like yesterday's garbage. With easy-to-use archiving sysems, saving has never been simpler or more valuable for your business.
  read more ›
  
  

• On the Town - Indianapolis

  
  read more ›
  
  

• Odd Man In

  Once considered an eccentric outsider, Johnny Depp has managed to shoot to the top of Hollywood's A-list—on his own terms.
  read more ›
  
  

• Pack Frat

  Male college students are the secret to a junk hauling company's success.
  read more ›