🚌 Plus, a free shuttle service is coming to PB.
6AM City In-house

You grow, Desert Bloom 🌸

What to know: 2023 Desert Bloom at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
SD Anza-Borrego Desert Bloom 2023
The 2023 Desert Bloom is shaping up beautifully at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. | Photo via @wildly_imperfect_photo
‘Tis the season for wildflowers — but no show is quite as spectacular as the one Mother Nature puts on at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in eastern San Diego County this time of year.

Against the rugged, earthy terrain sprout the vibrant flowers of the annual Desert Bloom, which is shaping up as we speak. Let’s see when — and where — the wildflowers grow.

SD Anza-Borrego Desert Bloom 2023

If we’re lucky, the Desert Bloom typically happens between late February and mid-March. | Photo via @smilinghiker72

🗓️ Timing is everything

SDtoday spoke with longtime Borrego Springs resident Betsy Knaak — executive director of the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association (ABDNHA) — who said the peak of the Desert Bloom is typically March 15, give or take a week.

However, due to the wild weather and heavy storms this winter, Knaak said the season could extend into early April — but it’s difficult to say with certainty.

She said the desert soil is damp from the storms and, with less sunshine and cooler temps, it hasn’t had much time to dry out. This means the typical deep germination of the flowers is a bit delayed, but it’s already happening in some parts of the desert.

“The minute it warms up, the flowers are really going to want to get going,” said Knaak. “Many species haven’t bloomed yet.”

SD Anza-Borrego Desert Bloom 2023

Oh, it’s Desert Bloom season alright. | Photo via @txl.lax

📍 Where the wildflowers grow

ABDNHA publishes a fresh wildflower map every Friday during Desert Bloom season. Visitors can also visit the association at 652 Palm Canyon Dr. to pick up a free hard copy.

Knaak says good spots for blooms as of Friday, March 3, include:
  • Coyote Canyon — at the entrance, and ~1 mile in from that point.
  • Henderson Canyon Road — on the eastern end; this is a go-to spot.
  • DiGiorgio Road
Meanwhile, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is tracking blooms via this map, which also shows cacti blossoming at Cactus Loop Trail at Tamarisk Grove.

Pro tip: The park runs a free Wildflower Hotline — 1 (760) 767-4684 — featuring recorded info about the Desert Bloom that is updated as needed.
WHAT'S BLOOMING?
What do you look for in a skincare routine?

A. Convenience
B. Clean products
C. Anti-aging
D. I don’t have a skincare routine.

Congratulations to Jamie W. for winning a $50 gift card to our online shop, Six & Main. Did you know you could be our next winner? Answer this week’s survey questions for a chance to score a gift card!
SUBMIT YOUR ANSWER

Click here to have your event featured.

Monday, March 6
  • Spring Into Fitness at Otay Ranch Town Center | Monday, Mar. 6-Monday, Mar. 13 | 9 a.m.-8 p.m. | Otay Ranch Town Center, 2015 Birch Rd., Chula Vista | Free | Try out a new fitness class — for free — from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and yoga, to gymnastics and dance.
  • Jurassic World: The Exhibition - San Diego | Through Sunday, April 16| 11 a.m. | The Westfield Mission Valley Mall, 1640 Camino Del Rio N., San Diego | $19-$45 | An immersive world of life-sized dinos and interactive displays.
  • Spirit of Harriet Tubman | Monday, Mar. 6 + Tuesday, Mar. 7 | 7:30 p.m. | North Coast Repertory Theatre, 987 Lomas Santa Fe Dr., Ste. D, Solana Beach | $37 | A show recreating stories of Tubman’s work as conductor of the Underground Railroad.
  • The Flaming Lips | Monday, Mar. 6 | 8 p.m. | The Sound, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar | $75-$193 | Do you realize this psychedelic rock band is taking the stage at the new venue?
Tuesday, March 7
  • National Geographic Beyond King Tut: The Immersive Experience | Through Sunday, Mar. 26 | 10 a.m. | Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar | $38-$80 | A vibrant, multimedia experience that takes you to Egypt — and into the history of King Tut and his tomb.
  • Amy Grant | Tuesday, Mar. 7 | 7 p.m. | The Magnolia, 210 E. Main St., El Cajon | $45-$90 | Baby, baby: The longtime pop singer and songwriter headlines the El Cajon venue.
Wednesday, March 8
  • Kimbra, Tei Shi | Wednesday, Mar. 8 | 8 p.m. | The Music Box, 1337 India St., San Diego | $28 | The Grammy-winning “Somebody That I Used to Know” singer tours for her new album, “A Reckoning,” with special guest Tei Shi.
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.
CULTIVATING LOCAL FUN
6AM City In-house

Weather
  • 60º | Clouds with some sun | 40% chance of rain 🌥️
Sunrise + Sunset
  • Rise: 6:11 a.m.
  • Set: 5:50 p.m.
Tide
  • Low: 2:27 a.m. + 3:10 p.m.
  • High: 8:30 a.m. + 9:25 p.m.
  • Water Temperature: 56°
Civic
  • The Port of San Diego is expanding its regulation code to prohibit oversized vehicles like RVs and boat trailers from parking in all areas of San Diego Bay. You can voice your opinion at a public meeting on Thursday, March 16, at 2 p.m., at the Port of San Diego Administration Building. 🚐
Open
  • Cardiff-by-the-Sea debuted its brand-new Cardiff Farmers Market this past Saturday in the parking lot of the Mira Costa College San Elijo Campus off Manchester Avenue. The open-air market featuring local vendors will sprout every Saturday — same place — 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 🥬
Transit
  • A new electric vehicle shuttle will launch in Pacific Beach early this summer to give locals and visitors a free connection from the Balboa Avenue trolley station to the shoreline. The shuttle will be just beachy — with space for surfboards; the city and SANDAG are still working out details of the route. 🚌 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Biz
  • The Lost Abbey is exiting its longtime production facility and tasting room in San Marcos that it shared with Port Brewing. This is part of the brand’s “growing down” strategy after being jolted by the pandemic and other factors. The Lost Abbey’s other tasting rooms will remain open. 🍻 (SanDiegoBeer.News)
Ranked
  • Campspot ranked Lake Cuyamaca Recreation and Park District No. 4 among the best tent campgrounds in the US in 2023. The destination is in Julian (add it to your road trip list) — with gorgeous views of San Diego’s mountains — and offers fishing, boating, tent and RV camping, and cabin rentals. 🏕️ (Campspot.com)
Plan Ahead
  • Liberty Public Market will celebrate its 7th anniversary on Saturday, March 18 + Sunday, March 19, with live music, food, and fun. Expect a special Anniversary Brew at Bottlecraft, a scavenger hunt, beer bingo, and record vendors selling their gems at Vinyl at the Market. 🎉
San Diegan
  • El Cajon native and boxer Skyler Bailecki, 12, won second place at last month’s National Silver Gloves competition. The young fighter says while he loves boxing, his goal is to someday become a UFC champion. 🥊 (Fox 5)
Finance
  • Don’t let your credit cards go to waste. Kudos helps you get the most rewards and benefits every time you shop online. It’s simple to use and completely free. Try Kudos now and start saving on the money you’re already spending. 💸 *
Travel
  • What’s your vacation vibe — cozy, luxurious, or chic? For a cozy stay, look no further than this snug and cheerful getaway on beachy St. Simons Island, Georgia. For luxury, book this lush Hawaiian resort on the island of Kaua’i. And for the chicest of stays, peep this renovated house in downtown Charleston.*
Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

Ooo Baby, Baby 🌊

Birch Aquarium’s Weedy Seadragon dad gives birth to 70+ ‘baby weedies’
SD Birch Aquarium Weedy Seadragon babies
The babies hatched between Feb. 26 and March 2, 2023. | Photo via Jordann Tomasek + Birch Aquarium
Birth announcement. 📣

After weeks of wishing and waiting, Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography announced its Weedy Seadragon dad has given birth to 70+ “baby weedies.”

The aquarium shared this sweet video of the newborns who hatched between Feb. 26 and March 2, and are already fully independent. The babies each measure ~1 inch and weigh less than 1 gram. Eventually, they’ll grow to be 13-15 inches long.

The weedies and dad are doing well, but Birch Aquarium said the little ones will remain behind-the-scenes for up to a year so experts can closely monitor them and feed the “picky eaters” a special diet of tiny mysid shrimp.

Eventually, some may join the existing 16 adult Weedy Seadragons in the facility’s Seadragons & Seahorses exhibition, or be transferred to other institutions for further breeding and education programs.

The species is difficult to breed and raise in captivity, making this a research milestone.
SEADRAGON BABY FEVER
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Monica.

Editor’s pick: I am so jazzed about the upcoming spring and summer concerts at The Rady Shell; the waterfront venue has quickly become one of my favorite venues for live music and was definitely my happy place last summer. 🎶

In fact, I just bought tickets to see the Violent Femmes with the San Diego Symphony on May 10. They’ll be celebrating the 40th anniversary of their self-titled album and I can’t wait to see how they blend their indie rock sounds with the orchestra’s arrangements.

Missed Friday’s newsletter? We shared our dog-friendly San Diego guide of places to explore with your pup in tow. 🐶
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.

Sales: Julie Brown | Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

ADVERTISE | SHOP | CAREERS | ETHICS

Did a friend forward this free newsletter to you?
SUBSCRIBE

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

Copyright © 2023 6AM City Inc, All rights reserved.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY