Forget everything you know about Tijuana -- the all night clubs, cheap margaritas, junk taxis, "gringo" tourists and Chicklets. You won't find any of that where you're going.
Tijuana is still "the border," but it is also Mexico's fastest growing city. With an unofficial population pushing 2 million people and 60 million crossing the border each year, Tijuana is redefining itself with a new artistic and culinary movement.
San Diego is often thought of a beach town where young people and college students get rowdy seven days a week. While this may be partially true, it must be mentioned that San Diego also has a growing sophisticated side. San Diego has blossomed in the last few years as people with refined tastes have voiced their needs for new evening activities. What do people with refined tastes drink? Wine.
I have to admit right from the start of this article - I eat meat. That might make you think I'm not worthy of writing this article, and rightfully so. But I do practice conscious breathing, attend yoga classes once in a while and have read the Power of Now by Eckart Tolle, Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh, and The Tao of the Jump Shot by John Fitzsimmons Mahony.
A one-hour drive from San Francisco takes you from the urban gray city streets to the rolling fields of grapes and bright blue skies of the Napa Valley. This famous wine region is known for fruity Cabernets and bold Merlots. Tourists flock to the tasting rooms to stand elbow-to-elbow waiting for their turn to take a sip from a tiny glass.
Los Angeles boasts some of the best restaurants in the United States, but the sprawling metropolis is packed with so many great restaurants from which to choose it can be hard to know where to begin. An ideal choice is to explore the areas of Brentwood and Beverly Hills. Home to amazing shopping, star gazing and restaurants galore, this section of town can easily fill a day of exploration.
With gluten friendly fare in big demand, San Diego's hippest restaurants are quickly educating themselves and developing delicious options. "Gluten friendly" has become a growing demand as approximately 1 in 133 people are said to have an allergy or sensitivity to gluten which requires eliminating wheat, barley and rye from the diet and it takes creativity to establish menu items without these ingredients.
If you are lucky enough to be in sunny San Diego for the weekend and feel like seeking some mischief, there is no better place to be than Pacific Beach. A popular beach area for tourists and beach lovers located north of downtown and south of La Jolla, Pacific Beach welcomes everyone and the locals have seen it all. It is a common occurrence to see a 50 person pub crawl most sunny weekends of the year. The attractiveness of this particular spot is the easy accessibility of all the bars and shops, and the positive energy of the weekenders and locals looking to have a great time.
Don't let those stories about the Sonoma "diet" fool you. If you're looking for a place to indulge your taste buds, there's nowhere better than the Sonoma Valley Wine Country.
Cliché as it may seem, "dinner and dessert," can mean a blessed merriment for your taste buds. For a low key night out in Chicago, one merely needs to begin with a cheerful appetite, a little cash, and maybe some elastic waist pants, (no calorie counting on this trip). On this evening in Chicago, we start and end our night on West Randolph.