San Diego Magazine

Welcome back to Wildlife Wednesday. Today’s featured critters: the Coronado flamingos.
 
Many moons ago–okay, 2018–a birder was driving by the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge, just north of Imperial Beach. Something pink caught his eye. Surely, he thought, that’s not a live flamingo. A lawn ornament, perhaps? A bachelorette party pool float that went rogue? He got out his binoculars. It was, in fact, a live flamingo.
 
Experts were flummoxed. The pink peglegged creatures are most certainly not native to San Diego. Was it a fugitive from the zoo? SeaWorld? The Coronado Marriott? No, said all three. None of their flock were missing. Was it an exotic pet that was set free? Floyd did have a band on his leg, so he was in captivity of some sort at some point. The mystery still hasn’t been solved.
 
Locals have since dubbed him Floyd (because he’s pink), and he’s become a Coronado icon. Floyd’s always seemed happy enough, wading in the marshes, eating brine shrimp. But what a lonely existence. The sole flamingo in a world full of gulls. A perpetual bachelor, cursed by circumstance. Can’t even attempt to blend in, because he’s the color of a highlighter.
 
Well, in 2023, a hot new bombshell entered the villa. Again, no one knows where this second flamingo, who some call Flo, came from. (Ornithologists believe she’s a girl, but as far as we know, no one’s actually, you know, confirmed.) Maybe it was a wrinkle in time and she hopped off Noah’s Ark. Maybe a kindhearted millionaire took pity on Floyd and transferred the finest flamingo in his mansion’s moat to the marsh. Who’s to say?
 
These days, the lovebirds (or platonic pals–but lovebirds sounds cuter) live together at South Bay National Wildlife Refuge. They’re often on the west side of the bay, but occasionally they venture to the Chula Vista side. Your best bet to spot them is to take the Bayshore Bikeway.
 
Have you seen the flamingos? Do you have additional flamingo lore to share? Drop it below.
 
Thank you to for sharing your photos.
 
Editor’s note: some call Floyd Pinky. We can neither confirm nor deny which he answers to.

Some singers are best known for their vocal ranges; others, for their stage presence and star power. But only one can belt out a ballad while flying upside-down across a stadium. And that’s P!nk.

The three-time Grammy winner is headed to Petco Park next week for Summer Carnival 2024, her eighth concert tour. (As of August 2024, it’s the third highest-grossing concert tour by a woman.)

She’ll take the stage after opening acts by Sheryl Crow, The Script, and KidCutUp. The stacked setlist–which is just as much a circus as it is a concert–kicks off with "Get the Party Started" and "Raise Your Glass.” A selection of acoustic songs puts P!nk’s famed vocals front and center, though the energy stays high. And to end the night, you’ll dance to the likes of “Blow Me One Last Kiss” and "So What.”

Catch Summer Carnival 2024 at 6:30 on September 11, 2024, at Petco Park. Tickets, like P!nk, are flying. Get yours now.

https://www.ticketmaster.com/pnk-summer-carnival-2024-san-diego-california-09-11-2024/event/0A005F7D0739464B?utm_campaign=Adv-2926403&utm_source=san+diego+magazine&utm_medium=other_med_ln_digital

New on sdmag.com: a guide to the 17 best tennis courts and clubs in town.

Think surfers and sailors in this town have it made? The waves can go flat for weeks at a stretch, and there’s only so much wind and daylight to go around. Tennis players, on the other hand, most certainly do. They can don their pleated skirts and headbands and revel in nearly 365 days of ground strokes, volleys, serves, and smashes.

In the City of San Diego alone, there are 159 courts, more than 140 of which are outfitted with lights for nighttime play. Writer Chase Scheinbaum rounded up the most premier places to play in a guide on sdmag.com. Best part? Many of the courts in this guide are accessible to the public for the amenable price of free.

Link in bio.

Pictured here:

Golden Hill has a lot of history—and, as hyper-gentrification looms, it’s striving to retain it. The neighborhood’s western slope was once a large rancheria, with a Kumeyaay village at what is now 20th and B streets. Developers cleared the village in 1887 to make way for mansions—the sobering backstory behind the eclectic mix of Victorian, Spanish colonial, classical revival, prairie, Swiss chalet, Orientalist, Tudor, art deco, and craftsman homes that now define Golden Hill.
 
Today, the urban neighborhood, known for panoramic downtown views and its under-the-flight-path status, is just on the edge of the city’s hustle and bustle. Jacarandas dot the wide streets with pops of lavender, as residents stroll by patronizing local eateries, like the beloved sizzle-fest that is Turf Club, Michelin-noted Kingfisher, or the equally delicious Panchita’s Bakery (pro tip: go here for donuts).
 
For the full neighborhood guide by Leorah Gavidor (._gavidor) head to the link in our bio.
 
Photography:

“If you can follow directions, you can get in a boat,” says Brewster Schenck, who has quadriplegia. For the past five years, he’s cruised with , a nonprofit that allow people with disabilities to sail San Diego’s waters without limits.
 
Challenged Sailors Inc. has eight specially designed Martin16 sailboats docked at Harbor Island. The two-person vessels are weighted so they can’t tip over–even if they filled with water, they wouldn’t sink. The sails are controlled by two ropes and the rudder by a joystick, so the boater can sail without ever having to leave their seat. These boats can even be fitted with technology that allows sailors who can’t use their limbs to control the boat with their breath. As a precaution, a volunteer sailor travels in the seat behind.
 
Volunteer Dale Burchby recalls a woman who went sailing with them after a catastrophic accident that rendered her suddenly needing a wheelchair.
 
Looking out at the bay, she asked, “Where do we go?”
 
Her companion sailor said, “Anywhere you want.”
She burst into tears.
 
Reporter spent a cloudy afternoon on the water with Challenged Sailors–read her full story with the link in our bio.
 
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“In an adopted land that only sometimes feels like home,” says writer Madhushree Ghosh about San Diego’s Punjabi Tandoor, "this family and their food tells me they and I do belong.”⁠
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The Indian dhaba has been a San Diego institution for decades, with seven locations across SoCal. And in a city where new food fads and expensive cocktails are the norm, Punjabi Tandoor steadfastly reflects middle-class South Asian sensibilities with a California vibe. Each selection on their menu—two-dish vegetarian combos of dal makhani and saag paneer, plates of chicken or lamb curry, typical flavorful dhaba fare—has always been around $12 to $14.⁠
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Punjabi Tandoor is owned and operated by the Saini family, and they’re guided by seva, or service, a tenet integral to Sikhism.⁠
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“The guest is god,” the white-bearded Saini patriarch, Jagdish Singh, tells . “Our food is to serve everyone.”⁠
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At lunch hour, South Asian diners—engineers from Qualcomm, science folks from the area’s biotech companies—are homesick for comfort food, which draws them to Punjabi Tandoor. The restaurant attracts guests from other communities, too, and there’s a familiarity among the customers, people who have been frequenting this place for years.⁠
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But the Saini family’s success has also been marked by tragedy. In May 2020, Jagdish’s 29-year-old son Harpreet died in a solo car accident, leaving behind his wife Jaspreet “Jassi” Saini and their 15-month-old son, Ajit. ⁠
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The Sainis could have easily collapsed into grief. But the tragedy brought them closer. A few months later, with her in-laws’ blessing, Jassi became the face of the Morehouse Drive location. In Sikhism, women and men are equal. She was now their daughter and their son.⁠
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Jassi tells Ghosh, “You know, the diners loved my husband. I had to make my own space after he passed away.”⁠
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“How did you take the helm, then?” asks Ghosh.⁠
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“I did what he would have done,” says Jassi. “Welcome our customers, give them food, [and] wish them well.”⁠
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Read the full story of Punjabi Tandoor here: https://sandiegomagazine.com/food-drink/punjabi-tandoor-family-restaurant/
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Photos by

Any action-sport-averse observer who’s ever witnessed a skateboard wipeout has probably wondered, “Why bother?” The scrapes and sprains, the stomach-swooping sensation of dropping in, like Tower of Terror without Disney-level safety regulations—what could make it worth it?

“[There was] a study done [showing] that the anticipation before you do a trick gives you more dopamine than actually landing the trick,” says 28-year-old Obecian Jesse. “It gives you that shot to be like, ‘Okay, go again. I almost have it. It’s right there.’”

It’s poetic, really: The joy isn’t in succeeding, but trying. And try San Diegans do, packing the skate parks in Volcom-clad droves to face the half-pipe, grapple with the grind rail, and find friendships in the process, carrying on a skating legacy that started in La Jolla in 1947, when a couple of teens strapped their sister’s roller-skate wheels to a two-by-four to build the very first board.

To capture that community, we ventured out to three of the city’s parks, photographing young skaters, documenting their style, and asking them their “why.”

See all photos and stories at the link in our bio.

Photos by
Story by

Voting is open! Help us choose who will be honored in our 2024 Celebrating Women Awards. Vote for incredible women in 15 categories, from business to the arts to STEM. From established industry pioneers to younger rising stars with ambition in their eyes, there's a pantheon of inspiring locals in this lineup. The women with the most votes in each industry and subcategory will be honored at San Diego Magazine's 2024 Celebrating Women Summit on November 6. Voting is open through Sunday, August 25. Don't wait–cast your ballot here:

https://sandiegomagazine.secondstreetapp.com/cw-noms24/

Thank you to our sponsor, Rancho La Puerta!

Celebrating Women Nominations 2023 Check it out now!

Fleet After Dark is kind of like your AP Physics class (yes, we know you’re that smart), but with mood lighting, a substitute teacher who lets you do whatever you want while playing cool science flicks in the background, and it’s adults-only (18+).

Fleet Science Center's after-hours experience invites you to meander through the beloved museum’s exhibit floors, including StudioX, where you can create kinetic sculptures, tower challenges, and cardboard mazes to spark your creativity. Speaking of kinetic energy: leave the cerebral world behind and dive into Pause|Play, a literal ball pool of fun and physical touch.

And while Comic-Con is over, don’t put your Star Wars costume away just yet, because August’s Fleet After Dark event has a pop culture spin. Listen in as local scientists discuss Star Wars: The Phantom Menace in a panel discussion, explore the science behind lightsabers, see if you have what it takes to shoot down the First Order Starfighters with UC San Diego, and join in on a round of astronomy jeopardy with SDSU. Keep an eye out for nerdy, hands-on make-and-take activities and themed games sprinkled throughout the exhibit floors.

It’s a hands-on, minds-on night that energizes the whole body, and it's happening this Thursday, August 22. Save your spot here: https://www.fleetscience.org/events/fleet-after-dark

He’s perhaps the most successful Christian artist of our time–and he’s coming to San Diego this October. Chris Tomlin, a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter whose music has been streamed billions of times (yes, billions!), is set to play at Viejas Arena with special guest Tauren Wells. Tomlin’s Holy Forever World Tour has sold out arenas across the world, and Tomlin’s back in the U.S. after touring Europe. On Friday, October 11, he’ll perform hits like “How Great Is Our God” at Viejas Arena. Doors open at 6 p.m. Get your tickets now:

https://www.ticketmaster.com/chris-tomlin-holy-forever-world-tour-san-diego-california-10-11-2024/event/0A00606DAD411C58?utm_campaign=Adv-2869461&utm_source=san+diego+magazine&utm_medium=other_med_ln_digital

Hello. This is a message for retail buyers and spiders only. If you are not a retail buyer or a spider, please feel free to keep scrolling.

Guys. It’s August. In fact, it’s not even the middle of August. It’s the 13th, for Pete’s sake. And it’s 80 degrees. We’re going to need you to cool it on the fall behavior. It’s too soon for pumpkin décor and flannel. It’s too soon to plant yourself in a web in our yard and sit there ominously for days on end. We are not ready to buy a giant bag of mini Snickers, and we are not ready to fend you off with a stick while screaming internally. Thank you for your consideration.

Lovely shot of Sunday’s sunset (the best part of this weather) by .

A year ago today, the world woke up to learn about the devastating fires that engulfed historic Lahaina on the island of Maui. 365 days on, and the story is still unfolding for the beloved former capital of the Hawaiian kingdom.

We followed Lahaina residents who are on the front lines of the rebuild—physically and emotionally—to hear their stories and thoughts on Lahaina’s progress and its future.

Take a solemn ride down the eradicated Front Street with writer Danielle Allaire (), who was born on Maui and raised in Lahaina herself. Link in bio for the full story.
 
Film photos by Wendy Laurel ()

Little Italy wasn’t always the bustling bastion of Aperol spritzes and excellent dogspotting that we know today. In the early 20th century, the neighborhood was a stronghold of tuna canneries, which employed thousands of immigrant fishermen from Italy and Portugal. But the I-5 tore through Little Italy in the 1970s, replacing huge swaths of homes, and rising costs and competition forced the last canneries to shutter a few years later.⁠
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Two decades later, development consultant and Little Italy native Marco LiMandri came up with a new vision of his hometown: public gathering spaces, community events, mixed-use buildings, and that big, shiny sign announcing the neighborhood’s name. He also spearheaded the formation of the Little Italy Association. Now, at 48 blocks, the neighborhood is the nation’s largest Italian-American cultural district.⁠
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LiMandri and his company New City America have breathed new life into nearly 100 neighborhoods across the country, in places as far-flung as Nashville and Washington state. Now the company is working on replicating its success in Little Italy in two other San Diego neighborhoods: East Village and Chula Vista.⁠
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For the full story on the district's inception, click here: https://sandiegomagazine.com/features/new-city-america-downtown-spaces/

Last chance to nominate! Our Celebrating Women Awards nominations close on Wednesday. Link in bio.
 
Do you have a sage mentor who’s shaped your career trajectory? Know a driven, eager young woman who’s carving her own path? We want to hear about them. Honor the women doing great things in our city with our annual Celebrating Women Awards.
 
Through Wednesday, August 7, head to sdmag.com/CW-Noms24 to nominate a San Diegan who is making waves in her industry. One established “pioneer” and one fresh “rising star” will be awarded in each of 15 categories that represent the diverse span of industries in our fine city, from entrepreneurs to educators and artists to administrators. From there, vote on our semifinalists starting August 19. In November, we’ll announce and celebrate the winners in-person at our annual Celebrating Women Summit at UC San Diego Park & Market in East Village.
 
Link in bio to nominate now.
 
Thank you to Rancho La Puerta for making this year’s Celebrating Women Awards possible!

Things that are guaranteed to happen by Friday: the likelihood of spotting Spider-Man in East Village will diminish, the U.S. will score a few more golds, and our Best of San Diego party will sell out. The early birds got the worms—VIP tickets are gone and GA is nearly sold out, so if you don’t have yours yet, you better hustle to the link in our bio. (sdmag.com/bosd24)

What to expect from the party of the summer: on August 2, from 6:30 to 9:30, two thousand-plus of your SD neighbors will descend upon Liberty Station to taste and sip the best food and drinks in town, straight from the pages of SDM’s Best Restaurants and Best of San Diego issues. Saunter through the crowd to the sounds of The RUED and Paul Cannon as you mingle with top chefs and local tastemakers. Fight the FOMO and get your GA tickets now.

Best of San Diego is a 21+ event.

Thank you to our sponsors who make Best of San Diego possible!










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Call us Mister Rogers, because it’s a beautiful day for a Neighborhood Issue. There are 18 cities in San Diego County, and–depending on who you ask–between 100 and 200 neighborhoods. Every one of ‘em, from P.B. to Santee, has a distinct story and spirit. To celebrate the diverse vibes of our local boroughs, we filled the August issue with a deep dive into a handful of them: Barrio Logan, Del Mar, Golden Hill, Encanto, and La Mesa. Longtime locals share their perfect itineraries for exploring their stomping grounds, and we unpack their past, celebrate their present, and reflect on what’s to come.
 
Speaking of which: check out the cover, bright and busy in our futuristic version of Del Mar. Locals gather in the vibrant downtown plaza, plans progress to move the coast train underground with a $4 billion tunnel, and the (receding) beach is still the place to be. In the issue, you’ll find more on what’s in store for SD ‘hoods, from O.B.’s increasing density to poetry painted on the streets of City Heights.
 
Link in bio to get your copy now. (Or subscribe and help keep print alive. Future San Diegans need something to read while riding their flying cars.)

It’s the first full day of Comic-Con, meaning that San Diego’s guys-in-helmets population just rose approximately 400 percent. hit downtown to capture the superest, scariest, and most sweat-inducing (you guys okay in there?) cosplays, costumes, and makeup.
 
Check out the full gallery with the link in our bio, then head back here to help us brainstorm: If San Diego had its own superhero, what would their powers be and what would their costume look like?

The Olympic Games start this week in Paris. We’re all decked out in our Team USA gear. If teams went by city instead of country, San Diego would be at an unfair advantage: More than 60 Olympians dwell in SD County. That’s around 10% of the US team as a whole—and almost 60% of our nation’s skateboarding roster.
 
Encinitas resident Bryce Wettstein is one of seven San Diegans shredding for America this summer. But it’s not her first rodeo—she was named to the first-ever Olympic skateboarding team at the tender age of 15. The now-20-year-old has a skating style that friend and fellow Olympian describes as “really poetic.” Expect sonnets during her first competition on August 6.
 
But first, keep your eyes on another SD Olympian competing today at noon: Jaedyn Shaw, the 19-year-old Wave FC forward hailed as the next Megan Rapinoe. The 2022 US Soccer Young Female Player of the Year winner will aim to up her already-impressive career goal count (20!) against Zambia.
 
Before the big show, Managing Digital Editor caught up with Wettstein, Shaw, and (a 25-year-old, Encinitas-based pro surfer who landed his first sponsorship by age 10) to explore what it means to be helping shape the future of sports in San Diego. Click the link in bio to read more, then tune in to cheer on Wettstein and Shaw. Good luck, and . San Diego is behind you.

For 16 years of covering San Diego's food and drink culture, writer Troy Johnson has kept a list of the best dishes and drinks he's found. We asked him to share 10 or so near Downtown, to give the spiderpeople of Comic-Con International a guide of what to eat and drink this week.

He gave us thirty two. Thanks, and face palm. This is his list.

Where and What to Eat at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 | San Diego Magazine Food critic Troy Johnson shares his favorites restaurants and food dishes around San Diego for visitors attending Comic-Con 2024.

“Joan liked her coffee black,” Irwin Jacobs says of his wife, Joan Jacobs, who had passed away at the age of 91 just two weeks before he sat down with editor to reflect on the philanthropist’s life. “We spent a lot of time here in the kitchen.”

The two met at Cornell at 17, married in 1954, and had four sons along the way. Irwin was a professor of engineering; Joan worked in schools and in the travel industry. When Irwin decided to quit to co-found Qualcomm, the couple had no idea they’d end up with a net worth of over $1 billion.

The Jacobses have donated hundreds of millions of dollars to arts, educational, medical, and scientific causes across San Diego, including more than $100 million to the San Diego Symphony after its bankruptcy in the 1990s.

“That was her idea,” Irwin says.

Joan’s legacy is apparent across the city–The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center, the Jacobs Medical Center—but it’s also felt at this kitchen table, where Irwin and Joan ate three meals a day together and drank their coffee.

For more on Joan’s extraordinary life, as told by Irwin, click here: https://sandiegomagazine.com/everything-sd/joan-and-irwin-jacobs/

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New on sdmag.com: our guide to San Diego Bayfest 2024.

You may not practice Santeria, but we bet you do a pretty spot-on sing-along. This Saturday, July 20, head to San Diego Bayfest to see the one and only Sublime live. Original members Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh are joined by Jakob Nowell (the late Brad Nowell’s son) on vocals. This Waterfront Park festival has a stacked lineup–you can also catch Atmosphere, Goldfinger, Barrington Levy, Makua Rothman and Kyle Smith. Local food vendors will serve some of the city’s best fare, while local bartenders will pour craft cocktails and beer. Check out our guide on how to do this quintessential SD festival right. https://sandiegomagazine.com/things-to-do/san-diego-bayfest-2024/

Guide written by Aeva Dobson
Photo courtesy of Bayfest

If your time spent in OB and Point Loma spans decades, not just years, you likely know all about the Coulon family, proprietors of the well-loved but now-shuttered Belgian Lion. And there’s a good chance that you also know about their granddaughters, Anne-Marie, Jacqueline, and Dominique, who own Point Loma’s Little Lion Cafe, now entering its 10th year of service.

Chef and co-owner Anne-Marie joins Happy Half Hour to talk about her family’s storied culinary history and deep roots in OB, what it was like growing up in a restaurant kitchen, and the challenges of running a small-but-beloved restaurant in an increasingly expensive San Diego.

Tune in here:

Little Lion’s Chef Learned Everything from Her Grandparents | San Diego Magazine Little Lion Cafe's co-owner and chef Anne-Marie Coulon talks running a small restaurant, her family's history, and all things SD.

It’s all happening in South Bay – and you can be at the center of the action. Introducing CASA Estílo, a brand-new, super-luxe, 55+ active living community. Casa Estílo is right at the heart of Chula Vista’s Third Avenue, so residents can walk to some of San Diego’s best restaurants and most happening cultural areas, and they’re just a few steps from the coveted San Diego Country Club.

With a variety of living options, ranging from studios and lofts to 1- and 2-bedrooms with balconies, Casa Estílo has the perfect fit for any lifestyle need. But it’s not just the units that make this community shine. Casa Estílo offers its tenants a plethora of conveniences and amenities, from its friendly concierge service to a fitness center, a car washing service, and more.

Engage with neighbors in a friendly game of bocce ball or take a dip in the pool to let any woes wash away. Enjoy these amenities and more, all while Casa Estílo’s impeccable staff caters to your every whim. It’s a dream lifestyle for the discerning over-55 set–and it can be yours at Casa Estílo. Click for more info: https://uqr.to/1rfp4

THE INTERVIEW: Jakob Nowell of Sublime.

It’s a California summer, the windows rolled down, the back of your thighs sticking to the seat. It could be any year; you could be 10 or 15 or 28. The radio is on; the beat is thick and sweet: “Oh, let me, let me tell you why I feel like that…”

It’s Bradley Nowell, singing new lyrics for the first time in almost three decades, recorded before his death in 1996. His voice is joined by SoCal native band Stick Figure and Bradley’s son, Jakob Nowell, the new frontman of Sublime—though Jakob isn’t so comfortable with that title.

“My dad, Bradley, was Sublime’s only frontman,” Jakob says to writer Inna Vityaz, who sat down with Nowell for a new piece on sdmag.com. “I’m only here to fulfill a role and then try to see where we can bring that to new heights, into new areas.”

Alright, not the frontman of Sublime. Who, then, is Jakob Nowell? These days, he pursues his personal music with his band Jakobs Castle. But he also considers himself a “conduit” for his “uncles”–Sublime bassist Eric Wilson and drummer Bud Gaugh–so that they can continue to play. (Speaking of which: the trio is performing at San Diego Bayfest on July 20. Details here: www.bayfestsd.com/san-diego-bayfest/ )

Nowell is walking the tightrope between the old and the new. “You cannot recreate a moment,” he emphasizes. So an entirely new record is out of the question (though he’s playing with snippets of unreleased ideas from the Sublime catalog). But the spirit of Sublime—and the unique collaborative nature that made the band’s music so vibrant and compelling—can live on.

Read the full story here: https://sandiegomagazine.com/everything-sd/jakob-nowell-sublime-band-singer/

Jakob Nowell Is Not Sublime’s Frontman | San Diego Magazine Raised in San Diego, Bradley Nowell’s son returns home with his father’s band, Sublime, on July 20 to headline Bayfest on July 20.

Ready for some unbridled elegance after a day spent turf-side?
After Opening Day at Del Mar Racing on July 20, make your way to the The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe for the most elevated of afterparties, Unbridled at the Inn. Tickets to this post-pony party include a complimentary glass of champagne, a bevy of small bites, and a cash bar for when that extra Mint Julep (or whatever you're drinking) is a must. This one-of-a-kind experience will also feature music by world-famous DJ IRIE. For a more private affair, cabanas are available for groups of up to 10 people. Channel your inner upper-crust from 6pm to midnight for this extra-special soirée–save your spot here:
https://theinnatrsf.com/happening/unbridled-at-the-inn/

Lilian's Wynn Nightlife Derby VIP

This event is exclusively for guests 21 and over.

Picture, if you will, a hotel suite with a view. Below is a meandering, turquoise lazy river, and beyond are mountains flecked with desert scrub. On the table is a waffle egg sandwich, which is flanked by other savory treats and a bevy of drinks: a pink Cosmo-looking thing with Martin Short’s face sits next to a margarita with a rainbow straw and a row of multi-hued beers from Rincon Reservation Road Brewery.

If you’ve guessed the location to be Harrah's Resort Southern California in the grounds of the Rincon Reservation, you’d be right. (They’ve renamed the area within the wider rez Funner, CA, which is an actual location you can Google.) This week’s Happy Half Hour blasts to you live from one of the most lively casinos in town.

Tune in here:

Mayor Martin Short's New Menu Offerings at Harrah's Resort | San Diego Magazine We visit Harrah’s Resort in Funner, CA, to try waffle sandwiches, Pride-a-Ritas, and beer from the nation’s first tribal-owned brewery.

San Diego animal shelters are in crisis mode. For just over a year, they’ve been sounding the same alarm–there are more homeless pets than they can support. This has happened before, but typically for brief periods, like kitten season. Now, though, organizations are struggling to adopt out dogs, too–especially large breeds. The number of days that large dogs are waiting to get adopted has doubled.

“Dog overpopulation in shelters right now is something we’ve never seen before,” says Dr. Gary Weitzman, CEO of San Diego Humane Society (SDHS).

National organization Shelter Animals Count says the usual flow of animals in and out of shelters has fallen out of balance since the pandemic, but the “why” behind this crisis is complex. Owners are surrendering their pets because they simply can’t afford their care anymore: veterinary costs have shot up 60 percent in the last decade. Other times, they can’t find housing that’ll allow pets, or their specific breed is banned. A vet shortage is majorly impacting spay and neuter programs. At this point, shelters–including SDHS–simply don’t have the space or resources to take in more animals.

So where do we go from here? What’s next for shelters, both in SD and across the nation? Head to the link in our bio for the full article by Drew Sutton. (And before you go, a reminder: the best way for the average person to help is to adopt a shelter pet. The second best way is to scroll through adoptable animals and send a few dozen links to your friend who’s always wanted a cat. If anything will convince them to pull the trigger, it’s the knowledge that a slightly rotund tabby named Quarter Pounder needs a home.)