June Gloom Over PA Weather Any Day

August 2017

🇺🇸: San Diego, CA

Nobody warned me about June Gloom. Maybe they did and I didn’t listen. Who knows? San Diego in late August still carries some of that marine layer. This meant grey mornings with overcast skies that slowly taper off in the afternoon if you’re lucky. Locals apologized for it. I told them to spend one summer in Pennsylvania and get back to me. Stepping outside in PA during August feels like wrapping yourself in a hot wet blanket. I will take moody and mild over swampy and suffocating every single time. A little grey never hurt anybody.

We stayed with friends, which meant no rental car, no hotel, and a crash course in figuring out a new city on foot and Uber. First stop was Balboa Park, which immediately caught me off guard with its beauty and busyness. Museums, gardens, open space, and stunning architecture all crammed into one space. It’s essentially a city within a city. We spent a good chunk of time there and still didn’t scratch the surface. The Japanese Friendship Garden was a genuine highlight. Quiet, carefully tended, and a nice contrast to the energy of everything else around it. Having now been to Japan, I think I would appreciate it more.

I also spotted the Air and Space Museum from the outside. I think it may have been closed that day. I’m still upset about it. At least I was able to admire the SR-71 Blackbird parked out front. I’ve logged more hours than I’d like to admit in Microsoft Flight Simulator, and seeing that aircraft in person made me giddy. A plane of aviation legend. One of my favorites, aside from the Concorde. 

To add to that, the USS Midway Museum was made for me. I love flight, I love history, and I love stumbling into things I didn’t plan for. We caught what appeared to be a Navy celebration on the top deck. It was some time of induction ceremony. I’m still not entirely sure what the occasion was, but it added something to an already great visit. Walking the flight deck, standing on a ship that actually saw history, and getting up close to the aircraft is the kind of experience that’s right up my alley.

We also hit up the Museum of Man, which I think is now called the Museum of Us. It’s housed in one of the most beautiful buildings in Balboa Park. The exhibits are thoughtfully done and cover a surprising range of human history and anthropology. You go in expecting an hour and come out two hours later with no regrets.

Next, we got out of downtown and up to Torrey Pines. The trails along the coastal bluffs above the Pacific hold impeccable views. La Jolla followed, which has a completely different energy — upscale, beautiful, and populated by seals who have claimed the rocks as their own sovereign territory.

When your are in San Diego, you will always be recommended to go to the Zoo. I’m not usually a zoo person. The ethics of it have always sat a little uneasily with me. But the San Diego Zoo has a reputation for a reason. The habitats are expansive, the animal welfare standards are among the best in the world, and the conservation work they do is legitimate. I came in skeptical and left genuinely impressed. If you’re going to do a zoo, do this one.

The food deserves its own mention. Mexican food in North Park was some of the best I’ve had, and I don’t say that lightly, since I have been to Mexico twice before this. When you’re that close to the border, the ingredients and the technique are all authentic. Our friends also took us to Pretzel and Pints, a Philly bar transplanted to San Diego. I didn’t know places like this existed on the West Coast, that is, bars built around a specific city’s teams, catering to transplants who just need to watch the Eagles with people who understand the gravity of Philly sports. It makes complete sense when you think about it. It was a nice slice of home from almost 3,000 miles away.

Of course, we had In-N-Out. It’s practically a condition of entry into California. The burger was good, genuinely good. Maybe even great. But the fries… ugh! They had the structural integrity of a fry and the flavor profile of a packing peanut. I understand the loyalty. I respect the institution. But the fries are simply not it. The burger though — I’ll give them that much.

San Diego was a great first California experience. First time on the West Coast, early trip with my girlfriend, first time eating truly great Mexican food in its natural habitat. I would like to go back. And next time I’m getting inside that Air and Space Museum.