after having a ton of rain this january in la, the sun decided to resurface last week.  even still, nothing could compare to how stunning the weather was in san diego this past weekend.  i have never been to san diego and experienced bad weather or anything less than a spectacular time.

 

i was in town to celebrate my friend hillary’s 29th birthday and there was something awesome in store each day.

 

 

had to post this solo photo of her because she is so fire.  the jacket is vince camuto and she found it at nordstrom rack for $30 (which is literally insane).  her boots (that i chopped off) are over the knee suede lace ups from ibiss boutique in willow glen.  even though they are in the bay, they ship.  anyway, we were en route to an amazing wine bar and completely unplanned, both had faux fur incorporated into our outfits.  while i did mine with a sweater dress, hillary paired hers with a sleek back bodysuit and some dark denim.

 

 

my faux fur jacket from asos is on sale and available now! because i love a print, here is one in a print similar to hillary’s that is also from asos in extended sizes!  i love that it dresses up any outfit and has pockets large enough for my keys and iPhone – you know, the crucial things.  the sweater dress is also from asos and is on mega sale for $18! my booties are an old but faithful pair.  i just can’t bring myself to get rid of them.  now, onto exploring san diego.  our first stop was…

 

 

carruth cellars wine garden!  there is no way i can return to san diego and not return to this place.  not only was the service phenomenal, the wine delicious and the build your own charcuterie board(s) to die for, the outdoor/open air vibe was so refreshing.  since it was a winter evening, they had heat lamps on for us and ample seating for our group of 12.  it truly was the perfect way to kick off the weekend and somewhere i could see myself going every single friday if i lived in san diego.

 

 

 

saturdays in san diego are meant to be spent at smoking gun.

 

 

not only is this bar ridiculously fun and super spacious, they have a brunch that is to die for.  i recommend anything with the brisket and a side of their cheese sauce. you can thank me later.

 

 

our birthday brunch for hillary quickly turned into six hours of nonstop fun.  they even take reservations and are dog friendly.  trust me, it is worth your while.

 

 

we were all wiped out from our boozy brunch and called it a night.  we headed over to pb the next day for brunch at world famous and it was worth the trek.

 

 

not only does valet parking for $7 making the dining experience exponentially better, there is truly something on the menu for everyone.  our table did three orders of the fried brie.  because i wanted something a little cleaner after the previous day of shenanigans, i started with a delightful avocado toast and had an extraordinary salad loaded with fresh lobster as my main course.

 

 

the fact that this is the view from the restaurant patio and directly outside of it makes it even better.

 

 

winter in california is not overrated, especially in sd.  i cannot wait to go back in march.

 

if you head to any of these places while there, let me know what you think!

 

xoxo,

k. tap