Imagine your life was a sitcom, and each month of the year was its own episode.
We did just that, and since we’re all friends here, we thought we’d recap 2023 in the style of “Friends” episode titles. This means we’ve defined each month by “the one” distinguishing thing or moment, as if we were going to tell a story to one of our close pals.
January
“The one that waved in 2023"| This year had a stormy start, and the Ocean Beach Pier sustained damage in early 2023 that would keep it closed for about 6 months. It sparked a long conversation among locals about whether the city should repair or replace the pier.
February
“The one with the blizzard warning” | OK, there was no snow in San Diego County, but there was a blizzard warning in the San Bernardino County mountains, which are monitored by the National Weather Service’s San Diego branch. The headline went viral, but San Diegans just got a lot of rain.
March
“The one with the dream team” | This month was filled with excitement for the 2023 MLB season, especially after the Padres’ success in the 2022 season. The Friars had a superstar roster, and while they didn’t have an amazing season, the excitement in March was unmatched.
April
“The one where SDSU almost won” | San Diego State Aztecs Men’s Basketball set March Madness brackets ablaze with multiple wins. On April 1, the team defeated the Florida Atlantic Owls in the Final Four, but they lost to the UConn Huskies in the championship game.
May
“The one with the 10-ft ball” | Sports in San Diego keep getting bigger, and this month Major League Soccer announced it will expand into the city. At the ceremony, officials displayed a mirrored, 10-ft ball with panels to represent the 18 cities that make up San Diego County. San Diego FC will debut in 2025.
June
“The one with the red panda cub” | Pandas and the San Diego Zoo go hand-in-hand, so it was a thrill to welcome a baby red panda, Pavitra, on June 9. Locals are in love with the cute cub, so expect crowds when you visit her, but it’s definitely worth it.
July
“The one with the comics-centric Comic-Con” | In 2023, many of the expected panels opted out of the pop culture convention due to strikes in Hollywood. So, the Con placed a larger emphasis on comic books and animation, like its earlier days — and it was still a blast.
August
“The one where Hilary stopped by” | Locals saw Hilary, the first tropical storm to make landfall in San Diego in 84 years, soak the county. It prompted closures across SD and San Diego Unified School District postponed its first day of school due to the storm.
September
“The one with Serra Mesa pride” | This community celebrated a once-in-a-lifetime event on Sept. 21, 2023. That date — in its numeric format — aligned with the community’s zip code and gave us “92123 Day.”
October
“The one with the podcast” | We might be biased, but we fondly remember appearing on AJ Machado and Sara Perry’s “All in San Diego” podcast — you can give it a listen.
Note: This is also the month when “Friends” actor Matthew Perry died. We miss him and thank him for his humor in the iconic show.
November
“The one where the Board of Supervisors made history” | The District 4 special election was a hot topic this year, but it ended in a historic win. Monica Montgomery Steppe was elected as District 4 Supervisor, becoming the first Black woman to serve on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.
December
“The one with all the lights” | We know this month isn’t truly over, but it’s hard to top the stunning light displays that take over San Diego in December. We’ll be talking about the San Diego Bay Parade of Light’s “Christmas Traditions Around the World” theme for years to come.
