Monday, September 24, 2018

What's to do in San Diego?

My wife has a work conference in San Diego at the tail end of the week and I'm flying out on Friday to join her. I've never been to San Diego, but I've heard nothing but great things about the city which Ron Burgandy implores to stay classy.
I've already made plans for Saturday night. Yep, baseball. I've haven't crossed a new MLB ballpark off my list in a couple of years and I'm truly looking forward to exploring a new stadium. PETCO, I'm on my way!

The Diamondbacks will be visiting the Padres on Saturday night and I'm sure I'll see plenty of bench guys in the lineups for both teams. It's never too early to get a look at what you might have in the fold for next season. Especially considering how the Dbacks have been playing as of late:
Hopefully, it'll still be an exciting game.

This is a baseball card blog, so about cards of the two guys who I consider to be the faces of the San  Diego and Arizona franchises.
Tony Gwynn, for my money, is the best pure hitter during my lifetime, may he rest in peace. It would take an awful for someone to wrestle the title of "Mr. Padre" away from him. I debated on whether Randy Johnson or Paul Goldschmidt should get the nod here. I love me some Randy Johnson, but Paul Goldschmidt is quietly putting together a HOF-caliber career while only suiting up for the Diamondbacks.

Alright, time to poll the audience.

Here's what I need from you all:
1) An interesting restaurant to take my wife out for dinner on Friday night - It can't be too fancy, because I'm not packing anything but shorts and t-shirts. Also, no chain restaurants, please.
2) Something to do to fill the time on Saturday - my wife's conference is an all-day event and I'll be looking to see some sites. I've thought about Sea World, but I'd love to do something less commercial/pricey if possible.
3) A good place to consume 1000 calories in one sitting for lunch - Friday night's dinner should be more of a well-balanced meal and Saturday's lunch should leave me craving nothing more than a beer and dog at the game that evening. Hey, when the cat's away the mouse will eat whatever it wants.
4) Card shop - anyone know of a decent LCS I could kill an hour or two at?

I'll take any and all suggestions into consideration!  Thanks in advance!

13 comments:

  1. I don't know anything about San Diego. But, I'm hoping you gave a great time!

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  2. When I visited San Diego two winters ago, my girlfriend and her father took me to dinner in the Gaslamp Quarter. We only ate at the Old Spaghetti Factory, but there are a number of great restaurants around that area.

    Two days later, my girlfriend and I spent five hours on the USS Midway museum there. It's time consuming, but historically and militarily fascinating, as well as reasonably affordable. Those are my personal recommendations, but regardless of what you do, San Diego is a blast.

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  3. Too bad Torrens isn't there this year, I would've told you to go see a Padres game and watch him on my behalf.
    Have fun all the same though.

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  4. I lived in San Diego most of my life, though I was in the eastern outskirts and was never much for "doing stuff" and plus that was like a decade ago at this point, so I guess I don't really have recommendations, sorry to say. Oh, the Stone Brewery tour was fun! And yeah, Petco is nice. Have a great time!

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  5. I enjoy the Corvette Diner. One of their meals + a milkshake would probably hit 1,000 calories easily. Petco Park is a nice ballpark. I think I prefer the Zoo to Sea World, but I would imagine a travel or tourism site could give better suggestions than I could.

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  6. The USS Midway is a good way to spend an afternoon. Aside from that, I'm afraid I can't be of much help.

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  7. Haven't been down to the SD area since 2012... so I can't comment on the stuff you're interested in. I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed walking around Kobey's Swap Meet and have been yearning to take a road trip down there just to hit it up.

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  8. PETCO is a great looking park. I went there for the first time last year. I stayed 45 minutes outside of SD so I don't really have any good recommendations. WOuld love to go back sometime though.

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  9. Hi Tom - Petco is a beautiful park. Took my wife down last summer and we caught two games of Padres v. Royals. Everything about it is good - great views, right in the city, walking distance from lots of stuff, the corner of the "Western Metal" building in left field serving as the LF foul pole, good food, good weather.

    My best recommendation is that inside the stadium there is a concession stand called "Baked Bear" that makes fresh ice cream sandwiches. That is, you walk up to the window...choose the type of cookies you want...choose your flavor of ice cream, and they put it together in front of you. A little pricey, but very tasty on a hot day. That is on the main level, down the left field line (Section 124).

    I found this website helpful for learning all about the park before I went:
    https://www.petcoparkinsider.com/petco-park-concessions
    If you're into beer, there is definitely a "beer culture" down there with lots of different local brewers selling at the stadium. You're not stuck with just Bud or Bud Light.

    If you have a rental car (or want to take the ferry or a cab/Uber), I would say drive over the bridge and hang out on Coronado Island. Hotel Del Coronado is an interesting architectural place to see. I would recommend "Leroy's Kitchen" on Coronado for dinner with the wife - it's nice, but still laid back - and so close to the beaches that shorts would be expected.

    There's LOTS of boats...military, commercial, personal... down there, so if you like looking at boats, SD is a good place to be. Saw someone else mentioned the Midway museum - I haven't been yet, but would like to go see that sometime.

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    1. Yes! Thanks, Josh! I was hoping there was someone out there who could help me out with a few suggestions. I am an ice cream guy and will definitely have to stop by Baked Bear. Thanks for link to the concessions and the Leroy's Kitchen suggestion, too!

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  10. And if you like Tony Gwynn, there is a Tony Gwynn-themed beer, and a Tony Gwynn statue in the plaza behind Center Field.

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  11. Don't miss Clairemont Sportscards in the Clairemont district, just a bit north of downtown. Best organized shop I've ever been in, and nice owners as well. The craft beer culture is well represented all over SD, personal favorite is Ballast Point (main complex) in Miramar.

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    1. Excellent! I was hoping for a card shop. Thank you!

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