Plus love letters to Balboa Park and a new sushi restaurant
6AM City In-house

Heart eyes for days ❤️

Last-minute local ideas for Valentine’s Day
SD Skyline Pexels
Our city is teeming with romantic possibilities. | Photo via Zaw Win Htun
There’s no dodging Cupid’s arrow — Valentine’s Day is here. Whether you’re celebrating your friendships or sugaring up your sweetheart, we’ve got last-minute Valentine’s Day ideas that will have you loving love.

🌵 Get fantastical with botanicals

If you’re quick, you might have your pick of bouquets using same-day flower delivery. (We’re eyeing those locally designed arrangements.)

Or, get creative and nab a potted plant from these plant spots. Nothing says forever like a hardy succulent.

🥂 Keep spirits up

If you didn’t score reservations, don’t overthink… grab a drink. The following spots have weekday happy hours:
  • Wet Stone Wine Bar | Tuesdays-Saturdays, 5-6 p.m. + Sundays, 4-9 p.m. | Wine + dine with $8 glasses of select wines and sangria, $26 select bottles, $12 house blind flight trios, and food selections of Mediterranean olive mix, avocado and tomato salad, chicken and chorizo flatbreads, and oysters.
  • Whiskey Girl | Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, 3-7 p.m. + Fridays, 4-6 p.m. | Sip on $5 well drinks, $6 long drinks + Crown Royal can cocktails, plus $4 Dos XX on Taco Tuesdays from 4-10 p.m.
  • Barleymash | Mondays-Fridays, 3-6 p.m. | Indulge in half-off beer, wine, spirits, and select appetizers, including your choice of 29 beers on tap, 15 cans + bottles, a bountiful selection of whites and reds, plus an endless list of agave, corn, rye, whiskey, and scotch.
For more options, check out our happy hour guide.

🌟 Go stargazing

It doesn’t get much more idyllic than bundling up and looking at the stars. Grab some blankets (and maybe a hot drink) and head to one of these spots away from man-made light to take in the sky.

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Tuesday, Feb. 14
  • Lovebirds Valentine’s Special at Smokey & The Brisket | Tuesday, Feb. 14 | 11 a.m.-9 p.m. | Smokey & The Brisket, 5465 Lake Murray Blvd., La Mesa | $45 | Enjoy a prix fixe Valentine’s Day menu at this spot known for its BBQ.
  • Celebrate Loving You | Tuesday, Feb. 14 | 1 p.m. | The Shops at La Jolla Village, 8801-8879 Villa La Jolla Dr., La Jolla | Free | Create a mini bouquet and celebrate self-love.
  • Chess Club | Tuesday, Feb. 14 | 4-5 p.m. | Mission Valley Library, 2123 Fenton Parkway, San Diego | Free | Sharpen those chess skills — or learn how to play.
  • Valentine’s Day at the Cove | Tuesday, Feb. 14 | 4-9 p.m. | George’s at the Cove, 1250 Prospect St., La Jolla | $95 | A prix fixe Valentine’s Day menu and ocean views at this classic La Jolla spot.
  • Novamenco | Tuesday, Feb. 14 | 6 p.m. | Humphreys Backstage Live, 2241 Shelter Island Dr., San Diego | $15 | It’s a family affair — this group features five brothers specializing in modern flamenco and jazz grooves.
Wednesday, Feb. 15
  • San Diego International Jewish Film Festival | Wednesday, Feb. 15-Sunday, Feb. 26 | Times vary | David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre, 4126 Executive Dr., La Jolla | $15-$75 | A series of films that remember Jewish history and celebrate culture.
  • R-E-S-P-E-C-T | Through Sunday, March 12 | Times vary | Coronado Resident Theatre, 1142 Orange Ave., Coronado | $28-$82 | A celebration of the music of Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, Dionne Warwick, Janis Joplin, Diana Ross, and more.
We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
GOTTA LOVE LOCAL FUN

Weather
  • 54º | Morning showers likely, cloudy afternoon | 41% chance of rain 🌦️
  • Parts of East County got some fresh powder. Palomar Mountain Birch Hill recorded ~2 inches of snow from a storm that ended yesterday morning, and it’s not over yet. Julian can expect a light mix of snow and rain today with snow showers in the evening. ❄️ (KPBS + National Weather Service)
Sunrise + Sunset
  • Rise: 6:32 a.m.
  • Set: 5:33 p.m.
Tide
  • Low: 11:22 a.m. + 9:30 p.m.
  • High: 3:09 a.m. + 6:31 p.m.
  • Water Temperature: 57°
Development
  • Biotech company Genentech is growing its body of knowledge with a $450 million expansion on its campus in Oceanside. The San Francisco-based corporation will research medicines for rare diseases and plans to be operational in early 2025. 🧪 (Times of San Diego)
Coming Soon
  • Blue Ocean Sushi will open its third (and largest) location in San Diego later this year, this time at Westfield UTC near Macy’s. The new spot will offer high-quality sushi — including nigiri and specialty rolls like the “Padres” — plus sashimi and Asian American fusion dishes. 🍣 (Eater San Diego)
Feel Good
  • Love Balboa Park? Then send the landmark a Valentine. Forever Balboa Park wants visitors to submit a fond memory or message on what the park means to them. The organization will share some of the responses this week on social media. 💌
Ranked
  • Romantic, but on a budget. WalletHub ranked San Diego No. 3 among the best places to celebrate Valentine’s Day without breaking the bank. The list looked at cost-effective US cities for celebrating the holiday based on factors like florists per capita, weather, and the cost of a three-course meal for two. 💗 (WalletHub)
Arts
  • “Memory is a Verb: Exploring Time and Transience” is now open at the Oceanside Museum of Art. The new exhibition — on display through Sunday, May 14 — features the works of 11 female photographic artists reflecting on memory, nostalgia, time, and human identity. The museum is open Wednesday-Sunday; get tickets. 📸
Wellness
  • Need a little self-love? Bloom From Within — a wellness-focused event featuring mindful coffee tasting, sound healing yoga, and meditation via local Latina-owned brands — is this Saturday at the Maya Moon Collective, a cacao cafe in Normal Heights. The event is from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; bring your own yoga mat. 🧘
Older Adults
  • The Encinitas Chamber of Commerce will host its Senior Expo: Embracing Retirement, on Saturday, Feb. 25, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at the Encinitas Community and Senior Center. The free event will feature resources on health care, fitness and wellness, financial services, and more for retirees navigating a new chapter. 📄
Shop
  • What’s getting us through February: Our humidifiers. We love the Levoit Blue Cool Humidifier for its quiet design, multiple mist levels, and how easy it is to clean. Do your skin (not to mention, your houseplants) a favor and up your home hydration.*

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Building a bridge 🌉

Update: West Mission Bay Drive Replacement Project trucking along
SD West Mission Bay Drive project December 2022
The project in December 2022 — when traffic partially opened in both directions for the first time ever. | Photo via City of San Diego
The city’s infrastructure project to replace the West Mission Bay Drive Bridge has been trucking along.

The $150 million plan has overhauled the previous 4-lane bridge built in the 1950s. Now, there are two separate, parallel bridge structures with three lanes in each direction — designed to reduce congestion in the typically busy zone. Multi-use paths for cyclists and pedestrians are also en route.

According to the project team, crews spent last month pouring concrete for bridge rails on the northbound bridge and working on the traffic median rails. They’ve also been installing overhead signs.

Meanwhile, the bike path to the south of the bridge is currently closed so crews can build the new path for cyclists and pedestrians. It’s expected to reopen late this month. Cyclists should avoid this area for now. 🚲

The city says the project is on track to be completed in the first quarter of this year.
6AM City In-house
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Monica.

Editor’s pick: Happy Valentine’s Day, San Diego. 💞

Today got me thinking about why I love our city. Maybe it’s the beautiful beaches. Maybe it’s the cute coffee shops. Or the craft beer scene. Or the brunch vibes. Or the arts. Or our parks.

To be honest, my full list of reasons is far too long for this newsletter, but it all comes down to this: San Diego is easy to fall in love with because of its natural beauty, people, and culture. We are so lucky to live here. — XOXO, SDtoday. 🌇

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Four reasons to visit the Anaheim Majestic Garden Hotel near Disneyland.
Connect with us.

Editorial: Monica Garske, Michael Beausoleil, Britt Thorson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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