Allesen Wanderland

Author: allesen

  • La Mesa Neighborhood Walk

    One of the things I wasn’t able to do with Pisco the way that I wanted to, was to explore La Mesa on foot. I mean, we did walk down the main downtown street – La Mesa Blvd – which is lined with restaurants and old historic buildings. And we went down to the historic La Mesa Train Depot to see the original depot building and the old train cars, but the neighborhoods were not something that Pisco was interested in doing. Partly because of his age, La Mesa is after all known as “The Jewel in the Hills,” and hills and age don’t mix well; but also because there are fewer people walking in the neighborhoods who might pet him, and there are absolutely no restaurants that might give him food. He was a very strategic dog.

    So, this weekend I arranged to go walk around the neighborhoods in La Mesa. For those who don’t know already, I run a Facebook Group for women over 40 (yeah, I’m old, in fact I’m old enough I may have to start a group for the next age group up), and I’ve been arranging “neighborhood walks” for the women in my group. We’ve done Bird Rock, which was lovely, but landed on a rainy day so only one brave soul came out, and we did indeed get stuck in a downpour right at the end. Amazing neighborhood though, the homes there are so beautiful, and there are spots to get some stunning ocean views – definitely worth trying again.

    Bird Rock view

    We did Mission Hills which was one of the first neighborhoods that I fell in love with when I moved back to San Diego. The beautiful, stately Spanish and craftsman styles homes, the wide tree-lined streets, the cute little shopping district. It’s no wonder it demands a high price tag.

    And we did Del Dios, which is out by Lake Hodges, and is known as a bit as a haven for artists. It has amazing views, with homes that have been personalized by the artists. You’ll find art installations hidden around every corner, interspersed with the horses and succulent gardens. I’ll do a post about this one in the future.

    Del Dios spaceship house

    And of course we did Kensington because it’s my absolute favorite, and we’ll probably do it again as well. The Spanish style homes can not be beat. We also found out that the people there are incredibly nice – one neighbor brought water out to us because she saw us walking in the heat (it turned out to be quite a hot day), and then she ended up inviting us (I think there were 8 of us??) into her home to show us around because it had a historic designation and I had been curious about it. The house was beautiful, the neighborhood makes my heart happy. I hope to live there one day.

    But this weekend, I had arranged La Mesa. And sadly, I only had 1 person turn up. Now, part of me wasn’t that surprised, because, well…..La Mesa. If you’re not from here, let me tell you a little bit about La Mesa.

    Kensington

    La Mesa is an inland city within San Diego County of about 60,000 residents. It’s about a 20 minute drive from La Mesa to Ocean Beach, downtown or the airport without traffic. It has a trolley stop, so it’s actually a great place to live if you work downtown, or in Mission Valley. And to top it all off, the schools in the area are highly rated, there is good shopping available, and Sharp Grossmont Hospital is even located in La Mesa. But, La Mesa is inland. One thing that people in San Diego are prone to do is be a bit stuck up about living close to the coast. And since La Mesa is east of the 15, it’s honestly out where most people in San Diego never go.

    But, here’s the thing people don’t get….. La Mesa is WONDERFUL. If La Mesa weren’t so far from my best friend, I would probably live there. The architecture in La Mesa is a mix of mid-century ranch homes, craftsman bungalows, Spanish revivals, moderns that have replaced tear-downs, and oddly, some homes that kind of look like they belong in the mountains. There is an adorable downtown area with antique shops, and boutiques, more coffee shops than you can count, and some really good restaurants (we went to Casa Gabriela afterwards for lunch and it was quite yummy). There is a farmer’s market every Friday afternoon that I have been dying to check out, and the city has multiple annual events including a Flag Day Parade, classic car show, Taste of La Mesa Village, and halloween and holiday events as well.

    The surrounding neighborhoods are an eclectic mix – there are sections that just look like your basic southern California flat mid-century neighborhood full of ranch and bungalow houses, others that are more craftsman-y, and then there are the hills, which are my favorite. The hills have winding roads going up them that remind me of the Hollywood hills. They’re lined on both sides with cool houses and you can get amazing views from all sides.

    When people move to San Diego, especially if they are younger, they’re told to look at North Park, Pacific Beach and Little Italy. If you have money, you’ll be told about La Jolla, Coronado and Del Mar. And if you have a family, you’ll be told Carlsbad, but if you have a family and money, then it’s Carmel Valley and Encinitas. All of these are more coastal. Pull up any list of “best places” to live in San Diego and the names on the lists are always coastal, and always the same. And I’m not going to argue with them, I think anyone who can afford to go coastal probably will.

    But, what these “best places to live” lists do, is they make people overlook the fact that there are amazing places to live in San Diego county that are just a little bit inland and less well known. And guess what? You’re still in California, and you’re still living the San Diego lifestyle!

    The other thing these lists do is make is so that if you can’t afford to live in one of “the best places to live in San Diego” that people think either they just shouldn’t move to San Diego, or they’re going to hate it, or they aren’t as excited about where they’re going to live. And that’s just a shame in my book, because there are so many hidden gem neighborhoods in San Diego that no one has ever heard about.

    La Mesa is actually one of the places that I use as an example when I try to explain to people that when you move to San Diego, you don’t have to live at the coast to enjoy San Diego. You can be just 20-30 minutes from the beach and have amazing views in a place like La Mesa for a fraction of the cost of somewhere like La Jolla.

    And honestly, I’d choose La Mesa over North Park. And let me tell you, saying that out loud may get me thrown out of San Diego. But La Mesa doesn’t have the homeless population that North Park has. La Mesa is easier to get around than North Park. La Mesa has parking. La Mesa has a trolley. La Mesa has a real Target (not that we’re shopping at Target anymore, but you get the point). La Mesa has Trader Joe’s. La Mesa has lower price per square foot, so you can get more space. La Mesa has a lot going for it.

    Now, I mentioned how much I love the hills in La Mesa, but I will say, they can also be a drawback. They make walkability in some areas a bit more challenging. For example, if you’re really in the know, you can find the hidden La Mesa stairs. These stairs are in the Mt Nebo/Windsor Hills area and while the streets literally corkscrew up the hill, these stairs allow you to walk directly up or down the hill without having to walk all the way around and around on the street.

    The original plan for the neighborhood walk this weekend was to tackle a few of the staircases, but in all honesty, it had taken everything in me just to show up (grief is real, it’s unpredictable, and you don’t get to decide when it ends), so climbing 245 stairs was not something I had in me that day. Luckily my friend, after already climbing a good bit of hill just to get to the start of the steps, was perfectly fine skipping them as well.

    And then we saw another woman preparing to climb the stairs, and somehow we ended up talking to her, and she was recovering from surgery but was training because she was going on a cruise, and wanted to be able to climb this lighthouse that had 300-and-something stairs; and next thing I knew I was being peer pressured into climbing the stairs with her. We still only went up from one street to the next – there were 2 more streets to go – but I’m proud of me for doing something rather than nothing.

    Above is the picture I took when we were just planning to take a picture and say we saw them….. and then a picture of me actually climbing them. I climbed them Kilimanjaro style….pole pole (pol-ay pol-ay)…. which means you go really slowly and the goal is to never get out of breath. The best part of the stairs is that if you turn around when you get to the top, there are great views (see above). It was overcast this particular day (thanks May Gray), but we could still see some hills in the distance.

    My favorite thing about these neighborhood walks is that you see things you would never see if you are driving by. For example, we saw this one house that at first glance looked like it must be the haunted house on the street. As we looked closer, though, we realized it looked like a stately Craftsman, but it was under this huge old tree, and was behind a big hedge with stuff all over the place, so was hard to see. It had a massive wind chime hanging over the porch and an old (fake) well pump, and a bucket and pulley system to bring the water up (also fake/not usable). Once we spent some time looking at it we realized it wasn’t the home of the neighborhood witch, but rather the neighborhood artist.

    Then there were these statues of lions wearing sunglasses. And of course the fuzzy and flowering cacti. This Victorian gingerbread home captured my attention as well. And this modern version of a Spanish style home had us mesmerized.

    This is one of my favorite things about La Mesa – the diversity of architectural styles. I love that there is a historical element being retained which you can see in some of the old craftsman and Spanish revival styles homes that still hit the market from time to time, as well as in the amazing art deco buildings that line La Mesa Blvd downtown. But then you’ll see the modern element coming in as well as the aging and not well taken care of homes get torn down and replaced with newer options.

    I still probably need to go back and explore some more of La Mesa on foot.

    The nicest part of La Mesa is called Mt Helix and there are some incredible houses on it. It also has a park at the top with an amphitheater where they have concerts, and a food and wine festival, and other community events. I’d like to attend an event there at some point. The hill itself, while windy and narrow, has a pedestrian path that lines the road making it easy for folks from the surrounding neighborhood to walk up to the park.

    There are parts of La Mesa that are great for first time home buyers (yes, at San Diego prices), and a whole area with condos that are quite nice, and are less expensive than their coastal counterparts. One of those areas is called Severin-Grossmont and it’s known for it’s mid-century contemporary ranch homes. This would be a fun neighborhood to walk around and see what people have done with their homes and their often fairly large lots.

    Lake Murray is another great thing that is in La Mesa. It’s a lovely lake with a walking trail, and you can kayak and fish, and there are lots of places to have a picnic or watch the sunset. Pisco particularly enjoyed watching the ducks and geese. I have yet to walk all the way on the walking trail – it’s an out and back. We went once and didn’t make it very far. I didn’t go back because there were times I’d take him to a trail like that, and we’d make it about 10 feet before he’d say “no way, Jose”, so I wasn’t rushing to drive all that way for nothing. Which means, I need to plan to get back to Lake Murray again soon.

    So what do you think? Does La Mesa sound like a neighborhood you’d enjoy?

    If you’d like to see more about La Mesa, I did make a video about it which you can check out here. In the video, I actually drive around La Mesa, so you get a different perspective:

  • San Diego Dog Beaches Ranked: A Local’s Guide to All Four

    If you’re anything like I was, one of the first things you research before moving to a new area is what it’s going to be like for your dog.  And if you’re considering San Diego, I have good news: this city is seriously dog-friendly.  We’ve got four dedicated dog beaches, each with its own personality.  I’ve been to all of them, many times, and I’m going to give you the real rundown on what I love and what I don’t love about each one.

    No fluff. Just the stuff you actually need to know before you load up the car.

    Ocean Beach Dog Beach

    Ocean Beach Dog Beach is the OG. Literally, it’s so established that most locals just call it “Dog Beach.” It’s been around forever, it’s well-known, and it deserves its reputation as a San Diego institution.

    That said, if I’m ranking the four beaches, this one lands at the bottom of my list. But that by no means makes it bad, after all, there are only 4 names on the list, it’s just usually my last pick if I’m looking at all options.

    Here’s my main issue: parking. During busy times, finding a spot can be frustrating, and the spaces in the lot are tight. The beach itself also has a large soft sand area, which sounds lovely until you’re trying to walk across it and your legs are burning.  I’ve learned to head down toward the water immediately from the parking lot and walk near the rocks to get to the water, it’s much easier, but it’s also more crowded, which is why I’ve spent plenty of time slogging through the deep sand just trying to avoid people.  Also, all the trash cans are way back through the soft sand, so at some point you’re gunna get to deal with it.

    The other thing I’ll mention: the first time I visited, there was a noticeable amount of dog poop in the sand. Other visits have been totally fine, so I think it’s one of those “depends on the day” situations. Just worth being aware of.  Also, Ocean Beach is Ocean Beach and every so often there are reports of dogs getting poisoned after getting into drug paraphernalia that has been left laying around – not usually on the dog beach itself, but nearby.  So stay vigilant if you are taking your dog here.

    What I genuinely like about Ocean Beach: the variety. You’ve got crashing waves, and the inlet where the San Diego river meets the sea, which is calmer water; so whatever your dog prefers, it’s there. But, at the same time, the surf area is much calmer than at Coronado because the break is out further, so your dog can actually go in it. And the beach is always off-leash, no seasonal restrictions or time windows to worry about, which is a real plus.

    Coronado Dog Beach

    Coronado comes in at number three on my list, and honestly, it’s only that low because getting there takes a little more effort. My first tip, is do not listen to Google Maps – I just mapped it on y phone and it put a line around the entire Coronado beach as the “dog beach”.  This is WRONG.  The dog beach entrance is only at the far end of the beach.  

    Some people find parking to be challenging.  I never have.  You just have to plan to park in the neighborhood directly adjacent to the park and walk over.  And this is one of the drawbacks of this beach, there is usually a bit of a walk to get to the beach access, and then there is also a walk to get down to the actual beach itself. 

    Here’s the upside of that walk, though: by the time you reach the sand, your dog has usually taken care of business near the trash cans.  Definitely a point in it’s favor.  But I should note that the little park that is just outside the entrance to the beach does not allow dogs in it, so make sure they’re doing their stuff on the beach side of the street. 

    There is a decent walk from the street to the beach, but there is a pathway that makes it so that you don’t have to walk on the sand for most of it which makes it much better for the warmer days.  There’s still some soft sand to get through, but not very much, especially compared to other beaches. 

    The beach itself is beautiful. It feels like a classic Southern California beach – long, straight, deep, with crashing waves.  Like all of them, it’s best at low tide when you’ve got more packed sand and room for the doggos to run.  Coronado Dog Beach is always off-leash, which I appreciate, and is the biggest of the dog beaches with waves; so if you want to go to a dog beach, but want it to feel a little more peaceful, this is that beach. 

    Something that makes this beach very unique is it’s location.  To one end, you can see the Hotel del Coronado in the distance. Walk the other direction and you’ll eventually hit a fence marking the edge of the military base. And if you come in the morning, keep an eye out for sand dollars; Pisco had zero interest in them, but I think they’re a lovely bonus.  One note though, you can’t walk down to the Hotel Del, you’ll see when you walk into the beach that as you come in, to the right is the dog beach and to the left – towards the hotel – is no dogs allowed. 

    One practical thing I really appreciate about the Coronado dog beach is that there is a rinse station so you can wash your dog off before heading back to the car. This is a detail that comes in super handy when your dog is covered in sand, and it’s the only dog beach that has one. 

    Fiesta Island

    Fiesta Island might be the most underrated of the four, and it’s honestly my second favorite. The logistics alone make it worth considering: it’s easy to get to, parking is simple (you can literally park almost anywhere you want), and the whole island is off-leash dog-friendly. Not just a designated stretch of beach – the entire island.

    There is a main dog beach area where most people congregate on the back of the island, and there’s also an inland section that is considered a dog park where you can actually do kind of a mini-hike.  It’s also great if your dog isn’t a water dog or you just want to walk without getting sandy. 

    The water that surrounds the island is calm, with no big waves, so dogs can swim easily.  Because of this, I actually recommend this to people when they are bringing their dog to the beach for the first time.  It gives them an introduction to the water without you having to worry about them being carried away by a wave.  I started Pisco at Coronado and I was terrified he was going to get swept out to sea. It took me a while to take the leash off. 

    Pisco didn’t actually like the water very much, so this was the only place he ever went into the water and it was because it was calm and shallow….and usually only to try to check out something that was floating nearby.

    Because the water is flat, it’s also great for water sports from paddle boarding to kayaking to jet skis to water skiing.  Pisco loved chasing the kayaks and jet skis, which was both adorable and slightly ridiculous.  But that means it can also be a great place to come if you want to go paddle boarding or kayaking with your dog. 

    Now, the honest part: the sand and water at Fiesta Island aren’t pretty. There’s often white foam in the water, and the sand is compacted with patches of seaweed, and depending on the weekend, there can be litter from people who hung out there.  In fact, the water can be down right dangerous and there are often warnings that bacteria levels are too high for it to be safe to swim. It’s a good idea to check the water quality before letting your fur child swim in it – this is actually true of all the beaches.  You can do that at sdcoastkeeper.org.

    One fun bonus for summer evenings: you can see the SeaWorld fireworks from the island, and since by the time you’re reading this they may have switched the fireworks for drones, this could be a fun place to take your furry best friend to celebrate the holiday. That being said, if there are still fireworks, please be VERY careful – every single year there are lots of dogs that go missing because they are scared away by the fireworks.  Don’t put your dog in a position to be so scared that they feel they need to leave you because you aren’t protecting them. 

    If you want a longer walk, Fiesta Island is great for that too. You can circle a significant portion of the island without retracing your steps, which I appreciate when I want to actually get some exercise and not just stand around while Pisco sniffs things. 

    Del Mar Dog Beach

    Del Mar Dog Beach is my favorite. It’s not even close.

    This is the most scenic of the four — full stop. The cliffs, the tide pools, the way the sunset reflects on the wet sand at low tide. I linger here to take in the scenery more than at the other dog beaches. Of course I’m also biased because this has been my closest dog beach for the longest time.

    Parking can be a little annoying if you want the closest spots (they’re paid), but park a couple of blocks away and you can usually find free street parking without too much trouble.  My best recommendations are either on Border Ave (which is the road next to the vacant lot – it’s what Via Del La Valle turns into if you continue across the 101), or the north side of Via De La Valle (the south side has meters, the north side does not).  Worse case you’re down Cedros or S. Sierra Ave, neither of which are still that far.  Or you can go the other direction and park on Camino Del Mar on the other side of the river. This again, also gives your dog time to get their business done before you hit the sand and while you’re close to the trash cans.  Of course, if you have an older dogger, it may be worth it to pay for parking to be closer so they can spend more time at the actual beach and less time getting there and back.  You can see these recommendations highlighted in pink on the map below.

    As you enter the Del Mar Dog Beach, you’ll notice a Memorial Dog Garden where people have left painted rocks in memorial for their dogs. The garden gets decorated on the holidays and is a sweet addition to the area.

    A few things to know before you go:

    Check the tides. A lot of this beach disappears at high tide, so timing matters. When the tide is out, you can walk north along the shore, check out the cliffs, and explore tide pools. It feels more like an adventure than a dog walk.  If the tide is in, there’s still the main dog beach area, it’s just a smaller space so you don’t get to do much walking. 

    Mind the cliffs. They’re gorgeous, they’re beautiful to look at, but they can, and do, crumble. I kept Pisco away from the base, even though he was very committed to peeing on them every chance he got.  I did not want either of us to get smooshed by falling rock – yes, people have died this way in just the past few years. 

    The calm water area has a current. There’s a calmer stretch where the San Dieguito River meets the ocean, but the current is strong. If you let your dog swim there, make sure they’re a confident swimmer and keep a close eye on them.  I’ve definitely seen some dogs looking very nervous as they were trying to swim back to shore but not looking confident they were going to make it. 

    The one real trade-off at Del Mar: seasonal hours. During the off-season (Labor Day through June 15th), the north dog beach is off-leash all day. But in summer, off-leash hours are limited to dawn until 8 a.m. I’ve seen this enforced, so don’t assume you can show up at noon in July and let your dog run free.

    Even with that restriction, Del Mar Dog Beach is worth every bit of the planning it requires. It’s one of the few beaches in all of North County that allows dogs at all, which makes it especially precious.

    Del Mar Dog Beach is also the site of the Helen Woodward Surf Dog Surf-a-Thon which is exactly what it sounds like – a dog surfing competition.  And if you’d like your dog to participate, they even offer classes ahead of the event so your dog can learn.  Don’t worry, the competitors for the most part are not professional level surf-dogs, they are dogs just like yours and mine who just enjoy being in the water with their hoomans. 

    Dog Beach Safety and Care

    One thing I want to point out is an important safety reminder that I don’t think a lot of people thing about….. Sand gets hot, like really, really hot.  If you’ve ever been to the beach and tried to walk on the sand barefoot during the day, you know what I’m talking about.  It’s like trying to walk across hot coals.  Well, that’s what it feels like for your dog too, they just don’t complain because that’s just how dogs are.  They’ll suffer in silence until their paws blister.  Don’t do this to them.  Take them to the beach only when it’s cooler, or if you can carry them to the wet sand, or if they can wear booties to the wet sand. Don’t so the, “oh, we’ll just run over there real quick” – try doing it yourself first, I bet you put your shoes back on. 

    Also, dogs have a tendency to get thirsty while they’re running around having fun, and will grab a quick drink of the ocean water, which of course is only going to make their thirst worse.  So if you have a really active dog, take water with you. 

    As mentioned, water quality can be sketchy, so check to see if it’s safe before letting your dog frolic in the ocean or bay.  If you wouldn’t let a kid get in the water, don’t let your dog in there. There are also critters in the water to be aware of.  Both in the bay and in the ocean, there are sting rays, and it is possible your dog could end up on the wrong end of one.  Jellyfish also wash up on shore.  Mostly they are fairly harmless, but best to keep your pups away from them as a precaution. 

    If tide pools are visible, please be vigilant to keep your dog from causing harm.  Just as with a child, dogs should not be touching the wildlife, this includes walking on it.  It might be cute to watch them sniff it, but please be aware of their safety and the safety of the sea creatures.  We are visiting the home of the sea creatures; let’s treat it with the respect that it deserves. 

    This should go without saying, but take poop bags, watch your dog, pick up their poop. I’m blown away by how many people take their dogs to the beach, and then just stop paying attention.  It’s not safe for your dog, and it’s how we end up with a beach full of poop.  

    Finally, be prepared to clean them off afterwards.  Like I mentioned, most of the beaches don’t have a way to wash off your pup, so if they’re water dogs, they may be coming back to the car completely covered in sand and salt water.  Plan to take them to get a bath right afterwards.  If they’re the kind that really just get their footsies dirty (like Pisco), these foot washing things can be great (https://a.co/d/053irJuh).  At the very least, have a towel in the car to help dry them off and brush off some of the sand. 

    The Bottom Line

    San Diego treats its dogs well. Whether you’re into the gritty, always-open vibe of Ocean Beach, the classic beauty of Coronado, the feral-open space of Fiesta Island, or the scenery at Del Mar, there’s a dog beach here that’ll work for you and your pup.

    My recommendation: visit all four. They’re each genuinely different, and what works best depends on where you live, what your dog likes, and which kind of view you prefer.

    If you’re relocating to San Diego, and wondering whether it’s a good city to move to with a dog — it absolutely is. And I’d love to help you find the right neighborhood to go along with all these beach days. Reach out anytime.

    Want to see more video detail of these beaches? Check out the YouTube video I did on this topic here:

  • Two San Diegos, Both Perfect

    When I moved back to San Diego in 2020, I landed in Hillcrest, right on the border of Bankers Hill. Not on the coast, but what I discovered almost immediately was that I didn’t need to be. Coronado, Ocean Beach, Fiesta Island, Pacific Beach. All of them were just 10 to 15 minutes away on a Saturday morning with no traffic and nowhere to be.

    Pisco and I made a ritual of getting coffee and a doughnut – I was working my way through every doughnut shop in central San Diego, which is a project I highly recommend – and then we’d pick a beach and go. Fiesta Island was his favorite. If you’re new in town, it’s this flat, unglamorous little island in the middle of Mission Bay that is completely off-leash, and wide open in a way that allows dogs to be dogs and brings them so much joy. He’d run up and down the sand, chase the jet skis, and I’d stand there being so grateful that this was my life.

    Coronado is more civilized. The kind of place that makes you feel like you’re living inside a postcard. It’s got that perfect California beach feel with the long lines of sparkling crashing waves. Or on the bay side you get postcard perfect views of the San Diego skyline.

    Pacific Beach on a quiet winter weekday afternoon was its own kind of perfect, lined with the boardwalk and people walking or biking or skating by; surrounded by restaurants, and shops, and tourists snapping pictures of the beauty that we sometimes take for granted.

    The central San Diego beaches have an energy to them, it’s younger, more alive, a little unpredictable in the best way. We were regulars. We were happy.

    Then I moved to Carmel Valley.

    Carmel Valley is a wonderful place, and I’ll write about it properly another time. But what had been 10 to 15 minutes suddenly became 20 to 25. The Saturday ritual got harder to justify. And then came the trips where I’d drive all the way to Fiesta Island, or even Del Mar dog beach and Pisco would get out of the car, go potty, and look at me like he was ready to go home. A 20-30 minute drive for five minutes. That’s when the beach trips quietly stopped.

    Sea Grove Park, Del Mar, California, dog on bench, ocean in the background

    I’d still take him to the main Del Mar beach sometimes, or at least to Sea Grove Park to sit and watch the water. Still beautiful, absolutely, but different, quieter. More subdued. Some of that was the beaches themselves, which have a different energy than the ones we used to go to. Some of it was Pisco. He actually loved just sitting on a bench with me outside and enjoying the fresh air, but he was torn, because there were also so many people he needed to meet! He wanted to meet everyone, investigate everything, and then he’d get tired faster than either of us wanted to admit.

    I lost him recently. And I’ve been sitting with the list of things I kept meaning to do and didn’t because either he couldn’t, or wouldn’t, not to punish myself, just because the list exists and now I’m the one who has to do something about it.

    I want to walk the entire length of the beach from Torrey Pines all the way down to South Del Mar and back – something he wasn’t willing to do in these past few years. I want to go to Wind and Sea, which doesn’t allow dogs, and just sit there for a while. I want to grab coffee or lunch and plant myself on the sand, and do absolutely nothing useful. Pisco was not a sit-and-do-nothing dog. He had places to be. Now I can be still.

    Torrey Pines is on the list too — the trails through the reserve, the views over the Pacific that look like they were designed specifically to make you feel small in the best possible way. Dogs aren’t allowed on the trails, which limited the times I would go. I want to go to the Botanic Gardens and the Wild Animal Park – sorry, the Safari Park, old habits die hard, it was called the Wild Animal Park until 2010 – and all the Balboa Park museums, and hikes that were always too long or too hot for Pisco, and day trips that weren’t good for dogs.

    San Diego is a great place to have a dog, but there are limits, and if you’re anything like me and you feel super guilty leaving your dog behind, it means you miss out on some things. So I’m going to take this time between dogs to experience as much as I can that has been on hold.

    I’ll report back.

  • Welcome to Allesen Wanderland

    I’ve been trying to figure out how to start this for a while now.

    Do I explain what this is? Do I tell you who I am? Do I just dive in and hope you follow? I guess I’m kind of going with a combination of all three.

    I grew up in California and went to UCSD – many moons ago. Back then, San Diego was pretty simple from a college student’s perspective. Campus. Pacific Beach. La Jolla Shores. Maybe Horton Plaza or the Gaslamp if we were feeling adventurous. That was pretty much the map. And it was pretty great.

    I left after college, built a life and a career in the Bay Area and then Atlanta, got my MBA, and then one day finally made my way back to San Diego with a U-Haul, and fresh eyes, and absolutely no idea how much I’d been missing.

    I moved back in May of 2020. The height of the pandemic. I’m sure you remember what that was like, and you know there wasn’t a whole lot to do. By afternoon both my dog, Pisco (pronounced Pees-co and named after the national drink of Peru, the Pisco Sour), and I, would be going stir crazy. So, I’d put him in the car, and we’d just drive. We’d explore neighborhoods I’d never been to, find streets worth walking down, discover corners of this city that hadn’t existed in my mental map of it. There was no traffic, so it was fun and easy, and I never went less than 85 MPH. The city felt quiet and a little surreal and completely ours. He loved it. I loved it.


    The first time we went to Kensington my mouth dropped as I slowly drove through the neighborhood and watched the beautiful houses go by. Tree-lined streets, gorgeous Spanish and craftsman style homes, this incredible village feel tucked into the middle of the city. I had lived here for four years as a student and didn’t even know it existed. The same is true with so many other amazing areas that I would have been scared to go to back then, but now have become some of my favorite places in all of San Diego. My dog and I found most of them together, one slow pandemic afternoon at a time.


    As life came back after the pandemic, our afternoon adventures got harder to pull off. Traffic made it more frustrating to get around, he got older, and had health issues, and didn’t want to walk as much. The weather didn’t always cooperate to leave him in the car if I wanted to get out and explore, and I felt guilty leaving him home to go explore alone, so mostly we just didn’t go. The exploring quietly stopped.


    I lost him this past Saturday.

    I’m not going to try to explain what that’s like because most of you already know. But here’s what I keep coming back to: I want to go explore for him now. I want to see the things I kept putting off because of his health and logistics and guilt and weather. I want to make good use of this time, because if I’m not going to have him with me — then I have to do all the things I didn’t do because of him. Otherwise what was I waiting for?

    That’s why I’m starting this now.

    Allesen Wanderland is where I’ll share everything I find – neighborhoods, hidden corners, local spots, what it actually feels like to live here versus what the brochures say. I’m a real estate agent by trade, so yes, some of this will be useful if you’re thinking about buying or selling a home here. But mostly this is just me, exploring paradise and letting it keep surprising me.

    I’m going to go find the things he would have loved.

    I’m glad you’re here for it.

    — Allesen

  • A Better Way to Get to Know San Diego

    A Better Way to Get to Know San Diego

    San Diego gets flattened into a postcard pretty fast. A beach. A sunset. A fish taco. Nice, sure, but if you are trying to figure out where you might actually want to live, or even just how the city really feels from one pocket to the next, that version is not especially helpful.

    That is where Allesen Wanderland comes in. This is a place for neighborhood details, local perspective, and the kind of details you only notice when you spend time wandering around on purpose. The goal is simple: help you love where you live, or at least get a little closer to knowing where that might be.

    What you will find here

    • Neighborhood perspective beyond the usual talking points
    • Local lifestyle observations that make a place feel real
    • Thoughtful guidance for people moving to San Diego and locals looking closer at their own city
    • A personal point of view without the brochure language

    I am a California native, a UCSD alum, and someone who left San Diego and spend 20 years determined to come back. And when I did, I came back with fresh eyes. Which turns out to be useful. I may notice what longtime locals overlook, and I can also point out when a place is being oversold by people who have clearly never tried to park there on a Saturday.

    San Diego is not one thing. That is the whole point.

    Some posts will be practical. Some will be more observational. Some will probably begin with a walk, a side street, or a question that refuses to leave me alone. All of them will be written for people who want a more grounded, more useful, more human sense of this city.

    Who this is for

    If you are thinking about moving here, welcome. If you already live here but want to understand San Diego beyond your usual orbit, also welcome. If you like local writing with a little curiosity, a little honesty, and a strong preference for places that feel lived in rather than staged, you are in the right spot.

    There is a lot to explore. I plan to keep wandering.