Sunny San D

Alright, Mother Nature, I’ve had enough! You’ve tortured Chicago all summer with mediocre temps and endless rain (nyc wasn’t much better) and now it’s fall. Thanks a lot. Sigh. Now that I’ve turned my wardrobe for the season, I guess it’s time to start accepting the fact that we might need to wait until next summer to bask in the sun. Or perhaps just move to San Diego, where it’s perfectly sunny and 80 degrees every.single.day. That’s what one of my closest friends did almost 2 years ago, and after making a trip out there recently to celebrate her wedding, I might just follow in her footsteps.
 
San Diego has the best of both worlds—-chic city living, and a quick escape to the lazy beaches of La Jolla. To start my trip I stayed in the Gaslamp District (San Diego’s downtown area) at an amazing little boutique hotel called The Keating. The Keating features 35 unique guest rooms and was designed by the acclaimed Italian car maker, Pininfarina, who has been employed by a wide variety of high-end automobile manufacturers like Ferrari, Rolls-Royce and Maserati. It’s fair to say that the hotel is up to par with the luxurious brands and venues that Pininfarina has crafted in the past. Lush red carpets and a grand stairway give the lobby a very rich, European feel. The Keating also boasts the very first elevator in San Diego–which is reason enough to take the stairs (all the way to the penthouse level haha). Stairs aren’t so bad, though. A little bit of exercise for the body and automobile artwork for the eyes–the halls are fittingly adorned with luxury model cars. I was pleased to see that the contemporary lofted suite, or “stanza” if you will, was outfitted with exposed brick, stainless steel fixtures and vanities, a walk in rain shower and plush crimson bedding. Each piece of furniture, also designed and hand crafted by Pininfarina, created another element of style and eye candy, and the room was filled with some of the coolest gadgets from Bang and Olufsen that you can imagine. It was hard to drag the bf out of the room after he discovered a universal cell phone charging station next to the bed, but a girls gotta eat so we hit the road. The Keating is literally in the heart of e v e r y t h i n g. Block after block of restaurants, shops and bars made me fall in love with the Gaslamp District. There’s just so much energy there! We wound up grabbing a bite on the rooftop lounge at super hot-spot JSix located atop Hotel Solamar. Their tropical lounge overlooks downtown San Diego and the bay. Great food, great scene, stunning view —and I hear it’s jumpin’ at night!! 

 
The wedding was in La Jolla so we took a 20 minute drive to the beach and checked into The Grand Colonial. With a stellar location in the heart of downtown, the Grand Colonial is literally steps from high-end boutique shopping and delicious restaurants with a view (yummmmm—George’s on the Cove). And just off shore you can find activities, like kayaking through the coves and snorkeling, to satisfy your aquatic side. The hotel itself was built in the early 1900’s but has since been renovated. The guest rooms are spacious and comfortable with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. It is by far the most luxurious hotel in the area, but to be honest the area simply does not have much to offer as far as hotel luxury is concerned. Who cares, though–you’re in an adorable little town on the ocean, and it’s 80 degrees outside. Did I already mention that? Maybe the Chicago temps have taken their toll on me, but there’s something truly special about San Diego. If you don’t know, now you know.

For more info visit www.thekeating.com, www.thegrandcolonial.com, www.jsixrestaurant.com