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Living in San Diego

San Diego's strong economy, diverse population, great educational institutions, unsurpassed quality of life, and world-renowned location make it the ideal place to work and to live. Because of its highly educated workforce and mix of high-tech industry and recreational assets, a marketing consortium of high-tech industries has dubbed San Diego "Technology's Perfect Climate."

At a Glance

Living in San Diego: Just the Essentials

Is there a city in this city?

People come to San Diego for three things: the beaches, the San Diego Zoo, and Sea World. They move here for the weather. But we're actually the country's sixth-largest city (fifth during the summer, when everyone from Phoenix—known as Zonies—arrives to escape the heat), and we really do have a downtown, one that is changing dramatically. Just outside Horton Plaza is the historic Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego's old red-light district. For several years now its restaurant row on Fifth Avenue has been attracting date-night guests. But the past few years have seen a burst of activity as old buildings have been bought and restored by developers keen on creating a Main Street atmosphere. Alongside existing galleries and restaurants are new boutique hotels, hip retailers, and, in the East Village, the Padres new downtown stadium. The result is a seamless urban landscape and a vibrant downtown.

I need a culture fix. Where's it happening?

What do you like? Theater? Music? Film? Let's start with theater. You know those huge Broadway hits Big River, the Who's Tommy and Thoroughly Modern Millie? They all originated at the La Jolla Playhouse in the Mandell Weiss Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of UCSD. Not bad for a little local theater started by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire and Mel Ferrer. Music? For classical, try the La Jolla Chamber Music Society, which presents artists like the Takacs Quartet, Sarah Chang and Yefim Bronfman in the intimate Sherwood Auditorium at the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla. For live jazz, the Athenaeum presents some of the finest artists around. Jazz aficionados are also drawn to Humphrey's, Croce's and the KSDS-FM jazz radio station at 88.3. For film, of course, there are the Landmark Theatres, but consider as well a ride into Mission Valley to the new Madstone Theaters in Hazard Center, which among their offerings presents Mexican and Asian film festivals, or to the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park for its very eclectic film series with names like "Adoption Made Funny" and "118 Minutes in the Theater."

Where can I escape the roar of the crowd?

San Diego County is home to some of California's most diverse and striking beaches. World-class surfing, windsurfing, sea kayaking, and hang gliding can be found on beaches in Carlsbad, Leucadia, Encinitas, Del Mar, Cardiff, Solana Beach, Del Mar, La Jolla, Pacific Beach, and Coronado. Many San Diegans get their autumn fix by driving up to the town of Julian in San Diego's backcountry, only an hour or so out of the city. There, they can take in the fall colors, courtesy of the cedars, oaks, and sycamores that forest this mountainous area. Camping opportunities abound in the mountains surrounding San Diego, which offer primitive camping sites, challenging backpacking trips, and fully equipped car and RV campgrounds. Year round, people in San Diego love decompressing south of the border in Baja California with a plate of lobster in one of a myriad of tiny fishing villages in Baja or watching whales in the Sea of Cortez.

My pup needs an adventure. Where can we play off leash?

The City of San Diego has a list of leash-free dog parks and is opening up new ones, including Doyle Park on Regents Road. But for true puppy pleasure, go over to Coronado's dog beach at the northern end of Ocean Boulevard or Del Mar's dog beach off of Highway 101 at Via de la Valle. There's even a hose-off spot on the street to get rid of that pesky sand.

What's your perfect Sunday afternoon in the city?

We can't get enough dim sum, particularly at Jasmine in Kearny Mesa. An army of servers roll around carts filled with savory chive cakes, pork and shrimp shiu mai, sesame balls, braised eggplant, and other delicacies. On Sundays we get there between 11 and 11:15 A.M. By 12:30 or so we're ready to work off the meal. When we have a hankering for the ocean, we head over to La Jolla Shores Beach, one of the most pristine stretches of sand in San Diego, or go further south to the Children's Pool Beach to hang out with the harbor seals.

Where can I shop till I drop?

San Diego has malls galore, but if you want to stroll city streets, go to La Jolla Village. All along Prospect St. (the village's more casual version of Rodeo Drive), starting at Cave Street and going as far as the Museum of Contemporary Art, the area swings with both impeccably dressed local matrons on their way to lunch at La Valencia Hotel and T-shirt–clad tourists visiting the Hard Rock Café. Take detours along Girard, Fay, and Herschel avenues and pop into the tucked-away courtyards to find art galleries and clothing shops.

Random Favorites, Please.

Okay, in no particular order: The Secret Garden at Anderson's La Costa Nursery in Encinitas, New York City in Legoland's Miniland in Carlsbad, Art Walk in Little Italy every April, the Giant Dipper roller coaster in Mission Beach's Belmont Park, Antiques Row on Adams Ave. in Normal Heights and Newport Ave. in Ocean Beach, watching the horses run at the Del Mar Racetrack in the summer, the Sunday farmers market at La Jolla Elementary School, the tide pools near the Cabrillo Monument in Point Loma, hiking in Mission Trails Regional Park, shopping on Cedros Avenue in Solana Beach and, of course, golf at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course.