S1: Welcome in San Diego , it's Jade Hindman. On today's show. The gifts and experiences you can share this holiday season. This is KPBS Midday Edition. Connecting our communities through conversation. Tis the season for last minute holiday shopping , which might mean anxiously tracking online orders or rushing through department stores , if that's your thing. This year , though , you might consider shopping local. It's a great way to support San Diego's vivid food , art and culture scenes and of course , the people making it all happen. Here at KPBS , we've put together a list of 31 local gifts showcasing the very best of San Diego. Joining me with the details is Julia Dixon Evans , KPBS arts reporter and host of The Finest podcast. Julia , welcome.
S2: Hey , Jade. Thanks for having me.
S1: You know , it's always great to have you here. So talk to me about the vision for the gift guide.
S2: And maybe holiday shopping isn't a priority right now. Or maybe it's something that you're dreading for a variety of reasons. And I think being intentional and selective and therefore like maybe naturally more minimal about the things that you're buying , it's kind of a way to counteract that. And for me , this gift guide is kind of like a love letter to San Diego and how creativity is everywhere. This idea that you can find something interesting and unique and also utilitarian or meaningful right here , made by somebody right here , I love that. And yeah , in that way , it's it's a way of connecting us shoppers to gift recipients to the people making those gifts in the first place. And while some of the things on our gift guide are definitely splurges , there are some affordable things and even free things on there. There's also a lot of food related stuff , and food definitely brings people together.
S1: I'm glad that this year and like all years , that it meets people where they are. Um , you know , this isn't the first year. KPBS staff have compiled a gift guide.
S2: We've organized them by types of gift. And I think that also drove the type of items people suggested. Um , it's definitely a little more robust with more contributions from different KPBS staff members from the first , the first year. So we have suggestions from reporters , but also some of the behind the scenes people. There's editors and producers and people from programming , development , corporate sales , you name it. Um , one of the things that my editor , Krissy , when is so good about is whenever somebody says they went somewhere or they use some product , she will interrupt them and be like , submit that to the gift guide. So I think that empowered a lot more of the suggestions. Like , these are things that people here have actually used or tried , and last year's list is still pretty relevant. Like most of those picks are still available or they're good springboards for for other ideas.
S1:
S2: This was a suggestion of Chrissy. It's this mini cooler shaped like a burrito that you put a burrito inside to keep it warm. It's thermal insulated , so it actually does work. It keeps your burrito warm for up to three hours. There tagline is friends don't let friends eat cold burritos. It has the set a built in like separated pocket for a little tubs of salsa and hot sauce. Um , This is perfect for anyone who frequents taco shops. It's just like an extremely San Diego gift to me. And since we have published the gift guide , they've sold out of most of the colors. But they still have some in this like hot pink syrup inspired colorway. It's called Sonora Sunset and this is just 1799.
S1: Wow , that is very San Diego.
S2: And there's another one. That one that I suggested. It's from home. Eck. It's this local home goods store in Kensington Normal Heights area , and they do workshops like collaborative workshops with Best Bud Floral. And these workshops are things like domestic crafts like cake decorating or floral design or making like a block printed table runner. So you can look at their schedule for upcoming classes. But you can also buy gifts in the store for the home , like cookbooks , pantry items like heirloom beans , and tons of cooks , tools and things like that. Or you can get a gift card , which is especially good if you're leaving things to the last minute.
S1: Very interesting. So.
S2: This is in Kensington. It was suggested by editor Meghan Burke. I use a refill store myself. It's not something that I ever would have thought of for gift giving. I love that idea. This place , Earth Well , sells all sorts of bulk items to refill your own containers or canisters. So like laundry detergent , moisturizer , cleaning products , shampoo , doctor Bronner's soap. Tons more. And they also sell a bunch of new things like environmentally products. You can get candles , bamboo utensils , refillable floss , soaps , all sorts of stuff. So those are great places to to stop in for a gift. And if you're in North County , Earth well also participates in like a monthly market. And this is in Vista on the third Saturday of the month. And they have information about it on their website.
S1: Oh , that sounds great. Well , one thing I love about the guide is the. Who are you shopping for section ? You've curated sections for the Foodie. The storyteller and the collector in your life , just to name a few there.
S2: Like gift giving really is about the receiver. So this is a way of thinking about people. Like the types of people. It's nothing like groundbreaking for a gift guide , but I really like how it shook out in this guide. Um , one of the categories for the eco conscious , sustainably minded person on your list. So yeah , there's that refill store. You could also get a set of wrapped bamboo utensils. There's a CSA. Um , I didn't suggest that one , but I wish I did. And there's a storyteller category. That one is really broad as well. So like film stuff , book lover lover's book. Gift certificates. My favorite is for the explorer , adventurer and nature lover category. One of the things I suggested was a National Forest Adventure Pass. This is $30 for an annual pass , and you can park anywhere in any Southern California National Forest. So that's including Mount Laguna. We also have disc golf or paragliding on there too. Wow.
S1: Wow. Well , what are your suggestions for that ? That one person in your life that's just impossible to shop for.
S2: I mean , look at these categories and think about how some of their traits might line up with the category. Do they love stories ? Do they love creating things themselves ? But also there's some really unique things on there , like the burritos. Um , another suggestion is these car jewelry fragrance decanters. It's like a little crystal that you affixed to your air conditioning vents. So that's sort of like extremely unique gift is perfect for that person.
S1: It is for those who are looking for a more meaningful gift.
S2: This is a local artist , Rafael Rios , who creates a ring or a pendant made with a fingerprint. So either gift your own or get one made of a kid or a grandkid to give to someone who wants to feel more connected to that person. You have to book a quick studio session to get the imprint made , and then it takes about 2 or 3 weeks for shipping or to go pick it up. So you have to hurry. But you can also find other things from Rafael's site or book a workshop with him.
S1: And this is , you know , these are all local places.
S2: So to find locals where they are and like , hand them your money in exchange for gifts. Like , it shouldn't feel as old fashioned as it sounds , but it kind of feels like a lost art. And it's shopping locally as a way to make sure that these local creators can keep making things here in San Diego. It's kind of like a way to lock in talent and communicate.
S1: That's great. I've been speaking with Julia Dixon Evans , arts reporter and host of The Finest podcast. Julia , thank you so much.
S2: Thank you. Jade , this was fun.
S1: Up next , there is a book that explores 100 things you should do in San Diego before you die. The author joins us after the break. Welcome back to KPBS midday Edition. I'm Jade Hindman. Okay. We just heard about the KPBS Holiday Gift Guide featuring local creators and shops here in San Diego. But what about giving the gift of an experience this year ? Well , David Swanson is out with the third edition of the book , 100 Things to Do in San Diego Before You Die. The book series provides bucket list guides for various U.S. cities from Indianapolis to Las Vegas. David joins me now to talk about the latest edition. David , welcome.
S3: Thank you.
S1: So you also wrote the second edition of this book , which came out in the spring of 2020. Huh. Obviously a very weird and trying time.
S3: How fragile. Yeah.
S1: Yeah.
S3: But one of the things that that surprised me was how strong the sales for the book were in San Diego. And I think part of it was because people were into staycations then , and that first year , you know , travel was limited and we were all looking for things that we could do close to home. So I would say the bulk of the book is still the same. Keeping keeping in mind the fact that the audience is very large , largely local. However , about a third of it has been revised or completely changed up. I'm always looking for new things. You know , I want to get beyond the zoo and the SeaWorld and the beaches. And so although those are certainly in there for the people from out of town , I know San Diegans are looking for something more in depth.
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S3: I think it makes a great gift for somebody who has just bought a home here , or just moved here. Um , but I think it's also great for visitors. I mean , if you're coming here for the first time or second time and you're looking to spend 5 or 7 days , there's there's plenty to do here. Keep you busy for about 100 days , I would say.
S1: All right. Well , you're a third generation San Diegan. Yeah.
S3: I worked for landmark theaters for many years. 17 years. Uh , the Ken , the Guild , the the , My Long Lost Love , the Guild Theater and the Fine Arts Theater and PB and but in 1995 , I left the company and went out on my own as a freelance writer and took a trip to Thailand and and wrote it up for the Los Angeles Times. And they bought it and I thought , wow , well , this is a career I could do. So 30 years later , I continue on as a freelance travel writer. And I think , you know , the perspective I bring is that I know San Diego quite well being a native , but also it's it's I'm able to look at it from the context of other places around the world and see what really stands out in the city and what is unique about the city.
S1: Well , the book covers a lot of range , from Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay to a trip to Coronado Island.
S3: So , for instance , for Coronado Island , one of the things I suggest is renting a bike downtown. There's a number of different bike shops downtown , taking the ferry across and doing the Bayshore Bikeway , which is a 24 mile route that goes from Coronado south along the Silver Strand and then up on the west. Excuse me ? The east side of San Diego Bay , through the shipyards and back downtown. It's all flat. So if you're a decent shape , you can do it on a regular bike. But e-bikes are widely available these days , and I think it's a great family outing with a lot of scenery and a lot of history as you go along.
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S3: Um , Baja Winery tours , you know , we do have our own wineries here in San Diego County. But I think one of the things that a lot of people don't realize is that south of the border , 50 miles or so south of the border in the Guadalupe Valley , are some fabulous wineries. And I didn't discover those until I was in a on a trip in Cancun and just out of out of the blue. The waiter recommended a Mexican wine and I thought , well , I suppose I'll try it. It was outstanding. I was really shocked how good it was and was from the Guadalupe Valley. Those bottles rarely make it across the border , except you for people who actually go down and buy them. They're just they're not exported to the United States. So and you can do that as a day trip. There's a company called Baja Wine Tours that does them , and you can go down for the day and you're not bringing your own car if you don't feel comfortable doing that. So that's one one little surprise I have in there.
S1: Yeah , I've heard nothing but good things about the wineries.
S3: Oh , yeah. It's a beautiful , beautiful area. Yeah.
S1: Yeah. You know , did you consult anyone for the book , like friends or family or a bit.
S3: For instance , I'm not a golfer , but my niece is a golfer here in San Diego , and I. So I did reach out to her and said , you know , I know all about Torrey Pines , and I know that's an outstanding golf course. Give me some other recommendations. So she consulted on that. So thank you Hailey.
S1: There we go. So listen writing a guidebook is an inherently controversial thing since people are always going to have different opinions.
S3: So there's a couple of things that go into it because obviously I don't want something that's , you know , brand new and may not survive the test of time. So if you're recommending a restaurant , you want something that's got some traction , that's been there for a few years and has a following and isn't going to close , you know , at the next pandemic , sorry. Um , so , for instance , for Mexican food , you know , there's a lot of fabulous Mexican restaurants and no one's going to agree on the one. Everyone's going to have their own favorite. And it can be the neighborhood. It can be , you know , any number of things. But I selected Casa Guadalajara. And the reason is because I really feel it captures the experience of what I grew up with as a child , when my family would go to Old Town and have have dinner at La Pinata , that was our Mexican restaurant. We had our Chinese restaurant , we had our pizza restaurant. Our Mexican restaurant was La Pinata in Old Town. And , you know , having the ladies in the in the ruffled dresses and having the , the , the , the older ladies out in front making the tortillas live for you. That's an experience that's not duplicated almost anywhere else in the United States. I mean , there's probably a few other places in the southwest you can find that , but I think that's a really quintessential San Diego experience.
S1: Is there anything you left out of the book , like a secret spot you want to keep for yourself ? Not that I'm expecting you to reveal that here , but you know I'm going to try.
S3: I wouldn't say there's someplace that I left out to keep it secret. Um , you know , I there was a couple of things I did debate about , and I just thought , you know , I don't think this book is going to have thousands of people , you know , clamoring down at Torrey Pines , which I think is a jewel in San Diego. Torrey Pines State Park , I really think that's a really special place. Um , but I will say there was one place I left out , and I am so sorry I did because it is my favorite museum in Balboa Park. And the reason , quite frankly , is that they were closed during the pandemic or just just before the pandemic for a renovation. And that's the main gay museum , which is my my one most favorite museum in all of Balboa Park. And I didn't include them , and I was so embarrassed by that. So. Minjae. I'm sorry.
S1:
S3: Well , again. Torrey pines. Torrey pines , the glider port there is where Charles Lindbergh learned to fly. And my , my aunt , whom I never knew because she passed away at the age of 19 years old , was the first female glider pilot , and she learned to train alongside Mary Lindbergh back in 19 2829 at the Torrey Pines glider port. And it's an experience that you can have doing paragliding today , and I think it's 150 or so dollars and it's it is an experience. It is something you will never forget. It's , you know , you can go to Disneyland and , you know , go on Space Mountain or you can have a real thrill. And I think that that's a terrific one. Yeah.
S1: Yeah. Anything that you think is like , overrated in San Diego.
S3: What would I say is overrated ? Summer. People come here in May and June , and they think they're going to sit on the beach and get a tan. Surprise me. And , you know , the cloudless months of the year here. Whereas December and January , I think , as a percentage of the day , are the sunniest. And I always think that coming in the fall , the winter , you know , is is an ideal time to experience San Diego. But you got to bring a sweater , actually , you got to bring a sweater any time of the year here. Yeah. We eat outside , we eat by the water , and 8:00 rolls around. Unless we're in the middle of a summer heat wave , it's going to be chippy.
S1: Chilly , a little chilly. Yeah , that's very true. Like.
S3: Physical gifts , for the most part , they they wear out. They , you know , they have a lifespan that may not survive You an experience that you remember. You know , for many , many years and share with others what that experience was like. I mean , I've certainly had my share of them all around the world , and those are stories that I love to tell. Experiences bring stories. Indeed.
S1: Indeed. Well , I've been speaking with David Swanson , who's got many , many stories in his book. He's a third generation San Diegan who is out with the third edition of the book , 100 Things to Do in San Diego Before You Die. David. Thanks again.
S3: My pleasure. Thank you.
S1: That's our show for today.
S4: I'm your host , Jade Hindman. Thanks for tuning in to Midday Edition. Be sure to have a great day on purpose , everyone.
