1. FOOD

1. The Patio 

The Patio restaurant has two locations — one on Lamont Street in Pacific Beach and one on Goldfinch in Mission Hills. I dined at the Lamont location for a New Years Eve brunch and started my meal off with a Mr. Chow cocktail made of gin, tyku, cucumber, lime and sriracha! For an appetizer, I tried the soup of the day, a cup of pozole served with tortilla chips, cilantro, onion, radishes and a slice of lime — delicious! 

For lunch, I tried the open-faced blackened fish sandwich served with a tomato, arugula and citrus aioli on a toasted asiago bread. My meal was extremely tasty. I was surprised to enjoy a cocktail with a splash of sriracha. The overall environment was relaxing; the patio had a cozy outdoor fireplace, hanging wall mirrors of different varieties, rows of bulb string lighting. Also: friendly employees — always a plus! 

2. Ironside Fish & Oyster Bar

Are you a fan of seafood? If so, you need to visit this new spot in San Diego's Little Italy. Ironside! The restaurant's atmosphere is lively, with a dimly lit setting, making it ideal for a dinner date spot. Individuals can sit at the dessert bar to watch pastry chefs prepare their latest treats or at a cozy booth or table. One wall of the place is even decorated with piranhas — a kind of spooky twist on incorporating ocean life in the interior.

As far as the food the goes, I had zero self control. We began with the restaurant's "chowder fries" — clam chowder soup atop a pile of french fries. Sounds healthy, right? 

I tried a plate of six different oysters, a bucket of beer braised-mussels cooked with andouille sausage, tasted the delicious, buttery lobster roll and tried my first entree of Corvina fish. I left Ironside extremely full but very content. It had great food, great thorough list of cocktails and a great location. 

2. COCKTAILS

1. Juniper & Ivy 

I immediately felt like I was in Manhattan in this place. It was very chic, yet had an industrial feel with wood ceilings, dim lighting and comfortable booth seating. The kitchen was exposed to allow individuals to watch the chefs prepare food. One may recognize the acclaimed chef Richard Blais, winner of Bravo's Top Chef All-Stars, leading  the culinary team at Juniper & Ivy. Although we were unable to eat what I've heard to be exceptional food, the cocktails were by far my favorite of the trip. 

I willingly tasted (and finished) a few beverages this particular evening. I recommend my favorites: The Soltera made of tequila blanco, aloe liqueur, lime, cucumber and mint — refreshing and perfect for tequila lovers like myself. The Devil in Disguise made of rye whiskey, creme de mure, ginger, soda and bitters was a tasty lighter whiskey version that I found to be a nice twist. And In The Ivy was made of orange blossom vodka, pressed lemon, summer berries and Riesling — the perfect amount of sweetness.

 2. Kettner Exchange  

I love how in San Diego, in the middle of December, you can sit atop a rooftop bar and enjoy happy hour well into the late evening. Kettner Exchange is a fairly new spot in the area and another gem to visit in Little Italy. My drink of choice? Try the PD Collins — gin, cocchi rosa, lemon, blood orange, cinnamon, peach bitters and soda!  

3. BEER

1. Blind Lady Ale House

For the beer enthusiasts, Blind Lady is the place to visit! For beers of all varieties and a decor that speaks to the core of San Diego's culture, I was a happy camper. The indoor space has a lot of great natural light, antique skateboards and authentic beer cans and bottles along the walls. The menu is constantly changing, introducing customers to different brews. 

For the charcuterie- and cheese-obsessed individual that I am, I had to try both plate offerings and was happy that I did. From pâté wrapped in prosciutto to Purple Haze goat cheese from Humboldt county — and some of the best brie cheese I have ever consumed — the samplings were scrumptious. They even included pickled onions, jalapeños, spicy bar nuts, sauerkraut, authentic honeycomb and sliced apples.

2. Panama 66

The same owners of Blind Lady Ale House started Panama 66, an open-air restaurant and bar in the middle of Balboa Park's San Diego Museum of Art. On a beautiful day this is the place you want to be. It was lovely to walk around as the sun shined in, viewing the sculptural art pieces installed along the green grass, choose from a variety of beers and wines and relaxing. I grabbed a blanket and watched the sun go down by Balboa Park's pond — simply beautiful.