The Subscript Wishlist: Seeing San Diego
USA
Sometimes the bigger ticket items get checked off, because, well, they consume (and hopefully give) more. For some reason, San Diego was on my ‘small w’ wish list. Not the kind that stole the limelight, but once I arrived here, I was delighted that the subscript desire was being satiated.
My body responds to sunlight. So even on a slim sleep schedule, I sprang out of bed and slipped into my summer outfit, armed with a sleek slather of sunblock. Did those that resided here religiously safeguard their skin? I tried to swallow what living in a world like this would actually mean on Monday mornings. The city seemed to have a chill vibe – like everyone was on an extended vacation, worked (mainly) for pleasure, or was part of the F.I.R.E. movement. Luckily, I somehow only really noticed the niceness of the locals and missed out on seeing much of the of military, though could subconsciously sense its significant presence. Known for its year-round ‘perfect weather’, the city offers many outlets to experience the life of leisureland. Almost everywhere, the streets were lined with fashionable folk. Many of them with large young families in tow, out for a stroll or heading to brunch, grabbing a concoction of the latest superfood smoothies or licking a gelato. Definitely, it seemed most were #livingtheirbestlife.
Like the chef that knows how to take high quality ingredients and spotlight specific scents, tease out textures and highlight certain notes, the districts we hit up each had a unique flavour to flaunt. The oft photographed Coronado bridge leads you into this wonderland ring around San Diego Bay and connects the city to the idyllic Coronado Island. As we slid around the sliver, sporadically sprinkled sailboats soon appeared in sequential stripes. It’s easy to see why the island might target retired cohorts and approximately 2 million tourists annually.
Quaint, quirky, artsy and beach themed stores line the main drag which, coupled with a mélange of hipster, healthy and high-end eats seemed to offer a balanced bliss. Regardless of your shopping affinity, most could surely spend several hours strolling the streets or snaking in and out of establishments. When you’re done for the day, the legendary Hotel del Coronado awaits, not only as an icon from the past that’s hosted US presidents, royalty and celebrities, but one that’s still a hotspot for vacationing in the present.
From zooming out to focusing on the details of the built and natural environment, I was so pleased to be perusing this picturesque place. It looked like a scene from a postcard that makes you wish you were there - and this time, I was! As I slurped up the surrounding, my eyes soon settled on a slew of apartments that lined the coastline.
It tickled my imagination to consider what it would take to live out a life like this. Then again, what stops us from designing the life we’d want to live now I wondered. What are the subscript goals in our lives that often get snoozed? I looked inward to see if I could, with clarity, identify barriers and enablers to living my wish lists in real time.
The panoramic perspectives were pregnant with possibilities. Here were people who, by chance, circumstance or concerted effort were creating their lives with a backdrop of beautiful. Not that there weren’t drawbacks, dramas, dips or downsides here too, but I felt a dollop of ‘good on y’all’ for those that - here, there, anywhere – are consciously committing and coordinating … even if it was for a sneak peek visit like I was doing!
There seemed to be enough play to please most people. From Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, Mission Bay, Del Mar, Solana and Sunset Cliffs, each section of sand offered a mood that was meant for some more than others.
Be it bohemian, high energy college style, athletic action, family friendly or upscale strolling, there seemed to be something for anyone looking to hang out on the coastline. That in itself has high value, not to mention that the sun rarely baits and swaps; but equally so, I was drawn to the chillaxy vibe of the city. People didn’t seem to give off the air of ‘grind or get out’, a seriousness that seems to be a tacit undercurrent in much of North America. More than a mere city where desires, dreams and diversity mesh, San Diego made me feel like ‘life’s short, so what am I doing to enjoy the ride, in this moment?’
More often than we may choose to remember, the logistics and levy of life may curtail a deep-seated drive. Can we quickly and consciously count the dreams and ‘would love to dos’ on any given day? Perhaps we’ve relegated, replaced or retired a few un/knowingly …
As if a hairdryer orchestrated the strands, I smiled as the sun landed squarely on my shoulders, my hair dancing in the warm wind. Obviously, I knocked off another subscript wish by parading around this place with the top down. After all, can it get more stereotypical than to sightsee SD in a convertible?
While that desire was a no brainer, there were others where the wish woke up while it was being fulfilled. Strolling its many natural delights, Del Mar’s wide angle soft and spotless bit of beach meant that yet another checkmark appeared in tandem with the birth of a desire.
It’s like the gems hidden within the not knowing what we don’t know … how many more subscript wishes lurked beneath and beyond what was overtly on my lists? I thought of the things that keep replaying on my screen. Even as I swipe away from that which detracts, my focus finds its way back to bold, italic and starred sections in a preferential way. San Diego reminds me that while these too have merit, there’s the subscript, superscript, the fine print and the invisible ink inklings that also hold much reward - if we let them.
Most tourists to SD would hit up La Jolla, often ranking in the must do/don’t miss attractions.
Balancing the agenda to include the highlights, we wandered the walled walkway above, watching sea lions and seals play and prance initially pleasantly then somewhat petulantly. That initial scrambling to see what the sole sea lion or seal was squabbling about soon gave way to multiple monologues where I wondered if market shares of mansions were impacted by their constant confrontations and if nearby neighbours dreamed of a mute button.
While we hit up several of the specialties that were social media’s screaming sensations, I found myself appreciating the little treasures we happened to stumble on. Yes, the infamous coast toast with its orange fusion and homemade jam was interesting, but so too was the random samplings along the way. Finding hole in the walls to fine dining, the complexity of culinary concoctions was delightful. Teeming with a culture of coffee, gelato, food, art, surfers, sand and an overall sense of palpably playful-happy, I see what the fuss is all about for this city.
I took another bite of the shrimp taco, the lime accented the smoky grilled flavours that played on my palate as the hearty helping of garlic, tomato chunk and spice selection was second to none. While I’ll be dreaming about Tamarindo’s salsa in the days to come, for now, this meal kept me in the present. Thanks to my bestie’s invite, I was actualizing my longstanding baby wish to check out San Diego! Wootwoot.
I’m grateful for this chance to prance and relook at life’s dance. How many of us have a budding chef, artist, athlete (or _____ [insert passion here]) inside that are being shortlisted for the big-ticket benchmarks we somehow feel we should spend time on?
May we honour our wish lists - yes, the neon flashing light list and those we’ve scribbled as a subscript … even if we have to squint to see that fine print,