San Diego

April 2026

This was my third time in San Diego, and unfortunately my third time trying to see the city between work obligations, this time for a conference. In a sense this worked in my favor, as my free time was limited to the golden hours of gorgeous West Coast afternoon light.

We used this time to walk the Embarcadero waterfront, which features the USS Midway Museum and an adjacent statue recreating the famous V-J Day in Times Square photograph. With the modern knowledge that the woman was an unwilling participant in the kiss, the backside of the sculpture betrays the non-consensual nature of the act.

On a lighter note, we managed to squeeze in a visit to the world-famous San Diego Zoo where the Lion King’s full cast came to life. My favorite was the gangly and awkward adolescent giraffe, while my wife’s was the lion in a deep catnap, tongue fully extended.

The nautical-themed conference center itself offered a few worthwhile frames with its sail-inspired architecture. Thankfully there were ample food options nearby for quick, cheap lunches between conference sessions. The standout was the Gaslamp outpost of Tijuana chain Tacos El Gordo, where the spice of the adobada and the smokiness of the carne asada justified the chaos of the hectic queuing “system.”

Other standout meals included dinner at Ichifuji, where Chef Fujita provided a lively, jovial, and communal atmosphere that was a refreshing contrast to the usual formality of omakase. On our last night, we met an old friend at Din Tai Fung, the global xiaolongbao behemoth that, for me, is steeped in nostalgia (see Taiwan set #7).

It is difficult to see the entirety of a city in three half-afternoons and nights, but we certainly did our best. One day we will explore San Diego not between obligations, but with the time to experience all that it has to offer.

Recipes: Classic Cuban Negative, Reggie’s Portra.

Artistic Direction: My Wife.