San Diego
I've headed down to San Diego for a couple of days on work events. Cruised through the University of San Diego and thought it a very nice laid back campus. I think this is the first time I've been at USD and the campus reminds me of the University of Redlands except for the weather difference.
I stayed at the Doubletree Hotel San Diego Downtown. With several teleconference call meetings the next morning before my work event, I thought it best to stay in San Diego. The hotel appears to have gone through recent renovations and has a warm interior design. The lobby and restaurant has an open feel and I wouldn't have minded hanging out there. The complimentary wireless internet helped as well. I decided I would opt for street parking instead of the hotel garage. If you're willng to walk a couple of blocks, this part of downtown San Diego is manageable for parking. The gaslamp district is not too far but far enough. I think since Little Italy is nearby, there are more residential people in the immediate area.
Went to a nearby wine bar restaurant, Enoteca Style, for dinner. Primarily a wine bar with limited food menu consisting of either salads or paninis, it hit the perfect spot for me. I wasn't in the mood for a heavy dinner and the Beech Panini (chicken panini) was super yummy. Very large portions, I had an average taste glass of Prosecco wine with it. Fairly reasonable in terms of price and the ambience was very nice. It seemed that the owner was the only one working as both bartender and waiter, so the service was a little slow in the beginning. I didn't have enough room for dessert but the options looked appealing. (I know, a surpise!!)
I visited UC San Diego and I'm always suprised how large the campus is and wonder if it is the largest UC campus. The one amenity I really like from this campus is that they allow people to access their wireless internet as a courtesy for non-UC students/personnel. I moved to another hotel due to a lower rate found and stayed at the Hampton Inn San Diego Downtown. I basically moved seven blocks west of the Doubletree which also landed me next to the train tracks that runs through San Diego, the MTS. If you want to be next to the MTS, this is a great hotel but be forewarned you will very clearly hear the trains every time. The Hampton also looks relatively new and is almost across the street from San Diego bay. I ended up with a suite with a separate living room which was also handicap accessible. The room ended up being super spacious - wider doors, accessible bathrooms, etc. As mentioned earlier, the train noise can be loud and I saw that the bedstand had complimentary ear plugs to offset the noise.
I ended the night with some gelato from Pappalecco. I ended up eating my lunch for dinner and wanted something sweet. Ignoring the pack of snacks I brought, I headed out for a brief 20 minute walk to get some air and spend some money in San Diego. ;p The gelato was tasty, all the flavors were labelled in italian but I basicall got strawberry, chocolate chip and banana in a waffle cone. At first the cone tasted stale but got better as I went down the cone, not sure how that happens.
I've finally seen San Diego State University, my first time here. I've had friends who really enjoyed their time here and it does seem like a small private university in comparison to the other CSU campuses. Seemed like a nice intimate campus to have studied here, people seemed friendlier around here. If you're ever on campus, they make the tastiest coffee cake ever.
I stayed at the Doubletree Hotel San Diego Downtown. With several teleconference call meetings the next morning before my work event, I thought it best to stay in San Diego. The hotel appears to have gone through recent renovations and has a warm interior design. The lobby and restaurant has an open feel and I wouldn't have minded hanging out there. The complimentary wireless internet helped as well. I decided I would opt for street parking instead of the hotel garage. If you're willng to walk a couple of blocks, this part of downtown San Diego is manageable for parking. The gaslamp district is not too far but far enough. I think since Little Italy is nearby, there are more residential people in the immediate area.
Went to a nearby wine bar restaurant, Enoteca Style, for dinner. Primarily a wine bar with limited food menu consisting of either salads or paninis, it hit the perfect spot for me. I wasn't in the mood for a heavy dinner and the Beech Panini (chicken panini) was super yummy. Very large portions, I had an average taste glass of Prosecco wine with it. Fairly reasonable in terms of price and the ambience was very nice. It seemed that the owner was the only one working as both bartender and waiter, so the service was a little slow in the beginning. I didn't have enough room for dessert but the options looked appealing. (I know, a surpise!!)
I visited UC San Diego and I'm always suprised how large the campus is and wonder if it is the largest UC campus. The one amenity I really like from this campus is that they allow people to access their wireless internet as a courtesy for non-UC students/personnel. I moved to another hotel due to a lower rate found and stayed at the Hampton Inn San Diego Downtown. I basically moved seven blocks west of the Doubletree which also landed me next to the train tracks that runs through San Diego, the MTS. If you want to be next to the MTS, this is a great hotel but be forewarned you will very clearly hear the trains every time. The Hampton also looks relatively new and is almost across the street from San Diego bay. I ended up with a suite with a separate living room which was also handicap accessible. The room ended up being super spacious - wider doors, accessible bathrooms, etc. As mentioned earlier, the train noise can be loud and I saw that the bedstand had complimentary ear plugs to offset the noise.
I ended the night with some gelato from Pappalecco. I ended up eating my lunch for dinner and wanted something sweet. Ignoring the pack of snacks I brought, I headed out for a brief 20 minute walk to get some air and spend some money in San Diego. ;p The gelato was tasty, all the flavors were labelled in italian but I basicall got strawberry, chocolate chip and banana in a waffle cone. At first the cone tasted stale but got better as I went down the cone, not sure how that happens.
I've finally seen San Diego State University, my first time here. I've had friends who really enjoyed their time here and it does seem like a small private university in comparison to the other CSU campuses. Seemed like a nice intimate campus to have studied here, people seemed friendlier around here. If you're ever on campus, they make the tastiest coffee cake ever.
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