Hey Neighbor!
I’m on the plane back to the United States after nearly a month in Europe, right when a record-breaking heat wave is taking effect. For those of you who haven’t been to Europe, here are a couple of the creature comforts you’d miss from home: air conditioning and free water at restaurants shortly after you’re seated. When you’re in the middle of a heat wave, you miss those things even more.
While I love seeing my family in Germany, I’m always happy and appreciative to come home to San Diego. We aren’t perfect, but we have a lot to be grateful for.
Quite concerning, though, is the spate of bad things happening in our neighborhoods lately, particularly shootings. Hopefully, we can band together to keep our community safe and harmonious.
Let’s dig into this week’s news.
~Tanja
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I started following mmm-yoso’s blog many years ago. He’s a local who chronicles his restaurant visits. I say chronicles because he isn’t your standard-fare restaurant reviewer. His “reviews” are more like diary entries to help him remember the people and places he visits. They are honest and unvarnished. Mmm-yoso, who prefers anonymity, built a large following of locals who trust his word (and his taste buds). Last week, he ate at Mien Trung in Linda Vista, a mom-and-pop shop that serves central Vietnamese cuisine. Read all about it.
Guest Post: Mien Trung Restaurant Review
E-bike Regulations are Coming
Less than a week after an e-bike rider was critically injured on Balboa Avenue in Clairemont, the San Diego City Council approved measures to regulate e-bike usage. Spearheaded by District 7 Councilmember Raul Campillo, the new rules will go into effect June 30 and include:
🚲 An age limit of 12 years old for class 1 and 2 e-bikes
🚲 More stringent enforcement of helmet requirements and passenger restrictions; passengers are only allowed if the e-bike has seating for additional riders
🚲 Cited individuals can forego the $25 fine by completing an e-bike safety course
Comings & Goings
👨🍳 Something’s cooking at Latchkey Brewery on Morena Boulevard in Bay Park. Permit filings indicate they plan to add a kitchen to their space, so it sounds like you’ll soon be able to pair your IPA or Kölsch with some tasty bites.
☕️ This local chain seems to evoke either feelings of joy or of being overrated. If you’re in the joy camp, you’ll be happy to hear that Better Buzz Coffee has filed a permit to open a drive-thru location at 7404 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard in Kearny Mesa. The space, occupied by Carl’s Jr., was listed for lease on LoopNet.
🇹🇭 Many of you were saddened by the closing of Di Chan Thai, located at 5535 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard in Clairemont. While Di Chan isn’t returning, a new Thai restaurant, Kanna Thai Kitchen, is taking over, as spotted by mmm-yoso.
According to permit filings, a few other restaurants seem to be in the works, primarily on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, but no names have been assigned yet, so be sure to check each week’s newsletter for updates.
🛑 Ma’s House, located in the same shopping center as Kanna Thai Kitchen, at 5537 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, has shuttered. They served Chinese halal cuisine.
This 5BR, 3BA home is located at 3025 Chicago Street in Bay Park and spreads across a spacious 4,212 sq ft. Enjoy a resort-like pool as you catch the sunset across the city, beach, and bay skyline. Each bedroom includes a walk-in closet, and there is an attached junior ADU with its own entrance, kitchen, and bathroom. The home is wired for high-speed CAT-6 internet and designed as a smart home to make life easier.
- Your neighborhood one-stop for all things beauty — hair, brows, lashes, facials, massage, and more. It’s a women-run collective on Clairemont Drive where you get real one-on-one attention. Appointment only, the way it should be. Grab the Explorer Exclusive deal: 20% off any service from Unique Impressions Collective, a full-service boutique salon in Clairemont.
- Need someone to walk your dog or check in on your cat? Going out of town and need an in-home pet sitter? The Daily Wag is here to help! Grey Valdes is a Bay Ho resident with a passion for pets, and she has been actively involved with dog rescues for more than a decade (which is why she is a 2x foster fail pet parent). If you’re looking for a trustworthy person to care for your pet, The Daily Wag is offering $10 off any service.
- A yoga studio and wine bar on Balboa—take a class, stay for a glass. Patrick and Victoria are Clairemont neighbors who built Vinya from scratch, and it’s genuinely one of the coolest things in the neighborhood. Grab the Explorer Exclusive deal here: 10% off a meal and/or a free yoga class at Vinya: vino+vinyasa
- Renate is a Clairemont neighbor who bakes authentic German breads and pastries from scratch. You order ahead online and pick up from her home on Fridays. Everything sells out fast! Get the Explorer Exclusive deal while it lasts: 15% off your first order of baked goods from Little Backstube microbakery
Meet Onion
Like an onion, this handsome fella has many layers. If you’re looking for a mellow new BFF, here he is. Onion is 7.5 years old and prefers chilling on the couch to endless games of fetch. He’s been known to befriend other dogs—and even cats—so if you already have a pet, he’ll fit right in. Visit this American Staffordshire Terrier mix at the San Diego Humane Society.
Please check the calendar on the website for this week’s events. We’ll return next week with the newsletter event listings.
Fast Times is 100% free and independently owned and operated (heck, it’s just me). Your contributions help keep it going, so we can have more fun and continue building a stronger community. I appreciate any and all support.
