San Diego, things to do

San Diego Hotels, Bars and Restaurants

Posted on 02. Nov, 2009 by Corey Tess in Drinkin & Dining, Featured, General, Travel & Fun

As you may know from my last blog, I took a little jaunt down to San Diego last month to meet some friends from out of state at a Conference. Well, I discovered some new favorite hang outs, hotels, restaurants and bars and of course my stand by favorite – NOBU! YAY!

One of my friends was staying at The U.S. Grant, so I popped over to join him for lunch at the GG Lounge, which was absolutely adorable with a mixture of old world grandeur and modern flair. I especially loved the lighting. I had Caesar Salad and a glass of Rose’ and it was delish followed by a yummy cappuccino with plenty of foam.

The hotel is rather pricey, but it is gorgeous! Huge chandeliers in the lobby and a plethora of lush seating make it a charming space to spend time in if you happen to have to wait for someone who is perpetually late, like my friend DJ, who kept me waiting while he shopped at the Louis Vuitton store across the street!

US Grant Lobby - San Diego
After lunch, I took a peek at the guest rooms and learned that they all feature original artwork, large bathrooms and duvets – not that I saw them all, but I asked. Duvets are a must must must anywhere I sleep, by the way… Anyway, the rooms were luxurious and well appointed.. well worth the high price tag.
US Grant Guest Room

but I wasn’t staying there, so after lunch I headed over to meet my other pal where we were staying, The Ivy! Another really cool hotel with a total eclectic and modern décor and a signature scent known as Ebony… no, you cannot buy it.. (as the kind’ve rude concierge let me know) The lobby features Viao laptops for guests and modern- almost too modern recliners (you feel a little like you are a the dentists office, LOL) but they do have some super hot bars, one with over 300 wines by the glass, this feat is achieved using the new wine station technology that is all the rage at wine stores. Wine Bar

YUM! A nightclub that is open from Thur-Sat. I didnt get to go to that sadly, it looked pretty fun though.. very “look at me” kinda place, so if you are in San Diego and want to dress up and show off, ENVY might be a good place to hang out… Envy NightClub

If you are more like me these days though, you want to have a cocktail and chill on sofas with friends while taking in a view, so that is what we did at the IVY ROOF TOP -
Ivy Roof Top Bar in San Diego

It has a modern firepit.. lots of comfortable seating, couches, divans, and of course heat lamps over large outdoor beds.. my friends and I bogarted a bed with a great view and hung out with some wine and talked under the stars, it was a nice relaxing time and I recommend it to those of you who dont like to have to scream over pounding techno to be heard by your friends (well, not all the time anyway) – During the day the rooftop has a great dipping pool (3 feet all around) with cabanas and lots of poshness.. if you are at leisure, it has a great view of the city and the marina… lay around, get tan in the most perfect weather on the planet and the best thing, they have pool side bar service by a great staff.. say hi to Nick! This location is really is worth a look even if you are not staying at The Ivy.. Rooftop Pool in san diego

As for the rooms and the stay.. I am of two opinions.. it is really unique and fun… Sexy views, loft style with lots of woods and glass.. a unique ambiance, very modern and edgy. At the same time, the room I had was a little oddly laid out.. as cute as it was, I kept running into this glass panel that separated the sink area and the bedroom because there was an odd angle to the way the door was in relation to the panel and the bed.. it was like you had to make a sharp turn to get in – the shower had a limited sort of shower head and you had to reach in through a glass cut out to turn it on with out getting wet.. as adorable as it is, if you are into functionality and convenienceversus sexy and design heavy, you wouldnt like this location for a stay.. however, if you are looking for a place to impress a lover.. perhaps this is the one :LOL.. Room at The Ivy Guest room at The Ivy Guest room San Diego Ivy

The restaurant in the hotel is called The Quarter Kitchen and carries over the modern style of the hotel in a much more functional style with very comfortable chairs – everything is rather square and low – allowing lots of light and a good view across the room. I had the Turkey Club and Truffle Fries (TRUFFLE FRIES I SAID! YUMMMMY – here is a recipe for Truffle French Fries in-case you want to make me some!) quite a lovely little place and if you have a seat by the window, you can watch the city activity which I love, a bit slow on service, but the server was very cute… so I forgave him. Quarter Kitchen San Diego Quarter Kitchen in san diego

The hotel does provide an Escalade to drive you here and there, which my friend and I made good use of to get down to Seaport Village where we enjoyed a walk along the marina and some coffee and cookies from a little cookie shop, I have been to the seaport before and recommend the Harbor House for yummy dinner and a pretty view or Busters for something more sports barish.. wings and a beer. We were flirted with by the Irish horse carriage driver and spent some time just enjoying the view. A nice place to relax, shop, hang out.. etc… Seaport Village Gazebo

Now the best time of all was at one of my favorite places to eat when I have the funds or someone to treat me (which was the case this time) NOBU! I have eaten in the NoBu’s in Malibu, Beverly Hills, Hawaii and Las Vegas – my dream (one of many) is to eat at the one in Japan. Some things to try when you want to be WOWed: