today’s city guide is dedicated to sunny san diego, california and is courtesy of local artist, megan lyders. megan created a guide divided by neighborhood with great design and home shops as well as some great places to get a bite to eat and hang out at night. click here to view the full city guide or just click “read more” below. thanks to megan for all of her hard work! as always- if you think something’s missing or would like to add a new spot feel free to leave your suggestions in the comment section below.

[traveling this summer? click here to see our selection of international and domestic d*s city guides]

SAN DIEGO DESIGN GUIDE

San Diego didn’t receive the name, “America’s Finest City” without reason. Nestled along the southern California coastline, about 15 miles from the US-Mexican border, this beautiful harbor city dishes out daily sunshine and refreshing breezes.

While most people associate San Diego with its beautiful beach communities and its noteworthy surf, over the past 15 years, the once desolate downtown district embarked on a major facelift. With the help of the Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC) redevelopment efforts, the downtown San Diego area is now one of California’s hot spots, boasting eclectic neighborhoods, decadent restaurants and high class entertainment.

While it’s divided into a collection of neighborhoods, Little Italy, Hillcrest and North Park are essential stomping grounds for any designer. Nearby in the Gaslamp, the streets are dotted with well known chains, like Design Within Reach or Z Gallerie. And, a five minute drive will lead to the Fashion Valley outdoor shopping center. It features over 200 stores and housing high-end retailers like, Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn, Williams and Sonoma, as well as fashion forward boutiques, like Jimmy Choo, Marc Jacobs and Tory Burch. But, the independent specialty stores found within the urban cityscape boast an unparalleled selection and stylistic vision that would otherwise be missing from national chain retailers.

LITTLE ITALY:

Emerging as an intriguing neighborhood, with its rapid evolution, Little Italy maintains its balance of tradition and modernism. It is where you can find homemade sausages made daily or fresh flowers and organic produce at the weekly market, the Little Italy Mercato, while picking up a Jonathan Adler pillow or a Trina Turk skirt in one of the many alluring boutiques.

Little Italy is a handful of streets bound by the newly renovated W Hotel and the Museum of Contemporary Art, up to the industrial spaces on Laurel, which hover under the flight path. The nucleus of Little Italy centers on the brightly colored cottage-shops, which were once fishermen homes, which line Fir Street. Restaurants, boutiques, shops and bars radiate outward along India Street and Kettner Boulevard. Amongst the brightly colored, bold and contemporary buildings, the sidewalks are scattered with people sipping espresso or enjoying a glass of wine outside the many cafes and restaurants. With a mix of both professionals strolling in their business suits, to designers working in their live-work lofts, the essence is pure “neighborhood.”

STORES

• Che Bella: The inside-outside floral boutique opened in 2002 in a Fir Street cottage-shop, supplying the area with a selection of unique flowers. Entering the market-like setting through a delicate iron gate, Che Bella creates beautiful custom floral arrangements, which are complimented by elegant vases, including Christian Tortu glass and Bauer and Heath Ceramics. Owners, Carla and Jim Bassi, recently merged their two stores, Che Bella and Che Bella Nido, which offered the finest in modern, organic home furnishings and accessories. Amongst the funky and lush flowers, the store now includes an assortment of pieces, like Chilewich and Jan Barboglio.
• Mixture: The large split-level warehouse holds an extensive amount of contemporary and modern home furnishings and accessories, and offers custom furniture and interior design services. The store’s sun soaked and breezy spaces are clad with exclusive products from Cor, Artifort, e15 and Moooi (check out the studly horse lamp!). And don’t overlook the Scavolini kitchens, Kettal outdoor furniture, Grey Designs lamps, and other accent pieces. The exposed concrete walls are adorned with original art from various artists, and periodically Mixture will host exhibitions and other events worth checking out.
• Architectural Salvage: In its new location on Kettner Boulevard, this large open space is stocked full of an abundance of interesting antiques and salvage items. The walls are lined floor to ceiling with grates, hardwares, glass, doors and other hard to find authentic items. They are preservation-oriented, and emphasize sustainable practices through reuse. The inventory is never static, so if you find something you like, you better grab it!
• India Ink Papers: This quaint specialty stationary boutique is filled to the brim with colorful, creative, and decorative papers, stamps, and accessories. Owner, Stacey Himmel, focuses on promoting letterpress, new artists, and the latest paper trends. With in-house designers, like Amy Kreft, the store can easily offer customized stationary and design services for all occasions. But, India Ink also carries a wide range of catalogues and products, like: print and letterpress combination labels from ilee, Sudio Olivene’s recycled hand letterpress, Pocketo wallets and journals and Made by One Girl embellished vintage wallpaper guest books. Majority of business comes through custom orders executed onsite, but for those that like to do- it-themselves, there is a wide selection for plenty of options and the staff is beyond helpful and friendly!
• DNA European Design Studio: Off the main pedestrian thoroughfare on a busy traffic corner sits DNA, a full service design studio and showroom. In its sleek interior, DNA showcases modern furnishings and contemporary kitchen + bath design from some of the top manufacturers in Europe. Collections include: Valcucine, Fritz Hansen, Moroso, Carl Hansen and Son, Living Divani. Jesper Pedersen, co-owner and Danish architect, along with the DNA design department, offers a wide range of services from interior design services.
• Igloo Shop: Grace loves this shop’s clothing and great selection of prints and odds and ends.

  BOUTIQUES

  • Station Boutique: Interior designer, Kristi, opened her clothing and home accessory boutique in 2007 in a beautifully self-designed and decorated space on Cedar Street. The finely detailed tiffany blue walls are lined with contemporary fashions and surround a quaint living space situated underneath a large silver chandelier. Her men and women’s clothing is primarily transported from NYC/East coast, including lines such as Fluxus, Plenty, Tulle and Trina Turk. Intermixed are Voluspa candles, Thomas Paul and Lauren Sanders handmade pillows and a variety of lifestyle books.
  • Niche Boutique: This modern yet feminine SoCal fashion savvy boutique, situated along the Fir Street cottage shops, is stocked with women and children’s clothing and accessories. With a selection that is consistently with the latest Los Angeles trends, owner, Liz Townsend, handpicks pieces from designers like: Mike & Chris, Nightcap, and Prairie Underground. Niche also includes jewelry by LA and San Diego designers, and recently the boutique expanded to carry a modern and gifty children’s’ section. It’s hard to leave here empty handed!

  GALLERIES

  Little Italy is scattered with a wide selection of art galleries. On the first Friday of every other month, the neighborhood hosts Kettner Nights, where galleries and shops stay open late and serve complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Some of my favorite galleries are: Pecoff Gallery, R3 Gallery and Scott White Contemporary Art.

  EAT

  Extraordinary Desserts: Pasty chef, Karen Krasne, opened her second irresistible dessert establishment on Union Street, expanding her menu of delectable treats to include savory eats and an eco-sensitive wine selection. The space, designed by Jennifer Luce, resonate Karen’s holistic ideals through minimalist paneling punctured with ovals and circles, along with a Buddha relief and organic accents in a large industrial cafeteria space. In addition to the display cases full of artfully decorated desserts, are shelves of homemade teas and jams, candles (Herve Gambs and Voluspa), ceramics and coffee table books.

  You shouldn’t come to Little Italy and not have Italian food. While your options are plenty, my personal favorite is Buon Appetito followed by the delicious and authentic gelato at Pappalecco (both places display local artwork).

  NIGHTLIFE

  While Little Italy isn’t known for its nightlife, it’s a great place to grab a glass of wine at Sogno Divino or listen to nightly jazz at Anthology. A hidden weekend nightspot on Juniper, Airport Lounge, has an outdoor patio that’s situated directly under the flight path. Airport Lounge is a chic “Restaurant. Lounge. Garden.” that projects abstract images on its stark white walls, while “flight attendants” serve your libation of choice.

  HILLCREST & NORTH PARK

  Hillcrest is part of the Uptown neighborhoods. This quirky community continues to go through gentrification, and is well known for its tolerance and diversity. The scattered residential streets are lined with vintage Craftsman bungalows, but there is still a large amount of retail along the tree-lined main streets. You won’t find high-rise condos and office buildings, but rather strings of interconnected low-rise buildings, which are home to ethnic restaurants, coffeehouses, stylish boutiques, and specialty stores.

  Like other urban neighborhoods north of Balboa Park, the streets’ grid pattern and relatively high population density, results in a high rate of pedestrian activity. The heart of Hillcrest is the perpendicular bustling Avenues of Fifth and University. Farther down University at 30th Street lays one of the most sprawling neighborhoods in San Diego, North Park.

  North Park, an up and coming arts district, contains an eclectic array of businesses. Galleries, independent shops, restaurants and bars can be found scattered along the main arteries, surrounded by cozy pockets of Craftsman fixer-uppers. North Park offers a growing selection of fresh modern styles but it still maintains its bohemian roots. With an influx of arts and culture, it is home to many local artists and musicians.

  STORES

  • Cathedral: (Hillcrest) Although owner Amy Capam’s boutique is primarily known for its high-quality candles and candle accessories, her store has expanded to also include an array of home décor. Mixed amongst a plethora of Volupsa, Archipelago, Kobo, Kai, and BURN candles, Amy has artfully mixed ceramics, vases, pillows, and lighting. She carries Jonathan Adler ceramic figurine, Roost lighting and Chilewich mats. It’s a challenge to walk out empty handed!
  • Pomegranate Home: (Hillcrest) The open showroom-style store carries sophisticated and varied furniture, accessories, house wares and lighting. Many of their accessories, like vases and ceramics, harmonize the aesthetics of classic and contemporary. They also have a selection of aromatherapy, candles and books.
  • House Boi: (North Park) Ari Clare and Alex Wheeler opened their hip retail store only a year ago, and successfully integrate contemporary furniture and home accents with men’s clothing and accessories. Focusing on the rare and funky, the hand selected home furnishings and accessories include: Zuo modern mid-century furniture and Thomas Paul silk pillows. Upon the store walls, they rotate a wide range of art, and they frequently host art shows and events. Ari Clare (who previously worked with Phoenix based Palmcroft Design Group) offers full service interior design, customize upholstery and pillows. The fashion forward men’s clothing consists of lines like, Greg Perry swimwear, Hard 8 embellished pieces, La Famila LA based streetwear, and Kee Gan hats.
  • Kalos Design: (North Park) Sharing a split level boutique with Kate Ross Shoes, Kalos Designs’ owner and resident artist, Amy Paul, weaves home décor products throughout the gallery-like industrial space. An artist by trade, Amy aims to promote products that posses innovation, superior craftsmanship, and excellence of artistry, color and form. With an emphasis on community, Kalos Designs works with emerging and established artists to include products that range in spectrum, like: living sculpture by Britt Neubacher, eco-friendly silver and woodworking by Miki Iwasaki, one of a kind reclaimed vintage cast jewelry by Tara Gasparian and furniture by Ramon Zarate. In addition, the store features products such as Chilewich flooring, Perch ceramics and Kiln enamel.
  • Design/One: (North Park) With its large glass façade, this mid-century modern furniture and art store draws in the seasoned designer as well as the leisurely window-shopper. Inside, the beautiful gallery-style store has an outstanding inventory of pedigreed pieces. In addition to furniture, storage and lighting, like Paul McCobb seating and Walter Von Nessen Lamps, the store also carries art/objects ranging from organic to tribal.

  BOUTIQUES

  • Kate Ross: (North Park) Kate Ross’ savvy men’s’ and women’s’ clothing boutique carries “wearable” clothes with a fashionable edge, like LA Made, Porridge and Corey Lynn Calter. But as desirable as the clothing may be, the classically designed and laid back interior mirrors Ross’ style. The space includes elements like custom plywood fixtures, a Rob Nelson parachute ceiling and a William Leslie light sculpture.
  • Kate Ross Shoes: (North Park) With an eye for style, this shoe boutique houses a hand picked collection of chic footwear. Carrying brands like Pour La Victoire French style shoes, the versatile designs of Frye, Jeffrey Campbell forward urban shoes, and fanciful Faryl Robin shoes. It’s a perk that the boutique space is shared with Kalos Designs, so while you’re trying on shoes, you can grab a coordinating Ananas bag.
  • Tag: (Hillcrest) Tag, a pet boutique, is a stylish spin on the traditional pet store while still offering the essentials, as well as other treats. Owners, Tim Oliver and Carl Gustafson, scour the pet accessory market, from Europe to New York City, while still supporting local San Diego designers and artists. They maintain a gallery of local artists work, featuring dogs and cats, which are displayed throughout the vibrant and contemporary store. Tag is a great place to spoil your dog or cat!

  GALLERIES

  Both Hillcrest and North Park have an abundance of big and small galleries, studios, and work spaces. On the second Saturday evening of each month, Ray Street, a small street in North Park that contains a number of galleries, hosts “Ray at Night.” Galleries entertain with wine and cheese, while the streets feature dance and music.

  There are a lot of galleries to browse, but keep in mind the disparity in skill. A few that do a great job scouting out established and emerging talent is: 4 Walls, Planet Rooth and Rubber Rose.

  FOOD

  Both Hillcrest and North Park are home to some of the best breakfasts in town, one shouldn’t miss Hash House A Go Go, where it’s highly recommended to share one of the delicious but gigantic rosemary-plumed dishes. Or check out Café on Park and enjoy pancakes stuffed with Captain Crunch cereal and blackberries in an industrial chic setting with high ceilings and metal beams overhead (which also rotates local art). At both restaurants expect long waits, especially on the weekends, but it’s worth it! Other favorites are The Mission and Spread.

  Heading downtown on Fifth Avenue in Hillcrest is the delicious restaurant, Laurel. The food and presentation is of the Urban Kitchen’s high-quality standards, and the grape mojito is a tart treat. The luxe interiors are embellished with stunning details. The contemporary space combines design elements reminiscent of swinging London and hip Paris.

  In North Park, named by Gourmet magazine as one of the best farm-to-table restaurants, the Linkery, cooks up some of the best global cuisine with Latin American influences. Known for its delicious homemade sausage links and micro-beer paired dinners, this neighborhood gem is a great gathering spot.

  NIGHTLIFE

  Hillcrest’s nightlife is plentiful and is full of local flavor. One can grab cocktails at the campy bar and ever-packed Mo’s, or a sip a specialty cocktail at the brand new lounge, Universal, At Universal, one enters a dreamscape of vibrant colors, like a milky way of gilded driftwood. But, outside of bars and lounges, there is the independent theater scene at Compass Theatre (formally 6th @ Penn Theatre), which offers cutting-edge and offbeat shows.

  In North Park the once seedy Bluefoot Bar has been revamped into a hot spot, where French doors open up onto a relaxing patio, and where hipsters can also be found socializing here at local events. Also, the recently opened, The Office Bar, with high ceilings and cool dark décor, brings along some of the areas best bar staff and DJs.

  NEARBY TO NOTE:

  Beyond the heart of metropolitan San Diego, there is another whole long list of must-stop-at shops, boutiques, and restaurants that line the coastal towns like, La Jolla, Del Mar, Solana Beach and Encinitas. Below are a few of my favorite independent “North County” stores. Writing about all of them could surely take up another entire guide!

  • Grounded (Encinitas): Owner, Juli Risner, opened this amazing modern outdoor living boutique (which also offers innovative landscape architecture services by her husband, Richard) in the surfside town of Encinitas. The large, bright open floor space contains an ever changing selection of hip modern décor and furniture, like: a large Architectural Pottery ceramic planters and containers, Dayna Decker vegetable wax candles, Angela Adams wool rugs, Lister outdoor teak (from sustainable farms) furniture, and Chilewich rugs and mats. A recent find during my last visit was a Charles & Marie’s white porcelain planter toped with miniature urban park scenes.
  • Dreamy (Encinitas): Tucked within the Lumberyard shopping center in Encinitas, this inviting boutique invigorates the senses. One is immediately engaged by the aromas of Volupsa candles, the catchy bold displays of mixed accessories and the incredible suspended pendant lamps from Shine Home. Founder, Heather O’Quinn, co-created the girly and glamorous interiors of Dreamy with Sean Barnes of Visual Lovin Spoonful. Dreamy supports many local vendors, like Chris’ Bolton’s jewelry or the letterpress of Erika Firm (Delphine Press), and is one of the only distributors of the UK brand, Orla Kiely. It’s the perfect store to take a break, shop and unwind!
  • Muttropolis (La Jolla & Solana Beach): Originating in San Diego, this pet boutique now has 5 locations in CA and AZ. The whimsical interiors look like a candy land for our furry friends and it’s a shopping utopia for trendy pet products. And to top it off, they host all kinds of social events, like wellness workshops and mutt mingles.

  *A FEW EXTRA FROM GRACE (i’ve always heard these were great shops, just let me know if i’ve been misinformed)*

  • Boomerang for Modern: all the classics (mid century modern classics, that is)
  • Gardenology: garden shop via AT: LA