Adventure San Diego: San Diego's North-Side Jewel

Scores of visitors touchdown in San Diego each year. Offering mile after mile of sandy beaches and 70 degree weather all year-round, this surfer's paradise plays host to families, singles, and workers alike. Even the staunchest beach-lovin' followers, however, need a break from the relentless sunshine and salt-water soaked days. Whether to purchase a few souvenirs, enjoy a local brew, or catch a concert, Solana Beach's Cedros Design District guarantees the best place to hang in San Diego's North County.

Solo: Located in an abandoned airplane hanger, Solo is, hands-down, the ultimate gift-scavenging playground. Offering antiques and garbage-picks that have been transformed into usable works of art (think abandoned film reels turned into coffee tables), housewares that range from sea-themed throw-pillows to hand-carved woodcut prints, handmade papers, coffee table books galore, and children's accessories, it's impossible to leave Solo without a purchase in hand. Details: www.solocedros.com.

Cedros Gardens: This gardening sanctuary specializes in perennial plants and organic gardening. Discover new flora species, sit-in on a free gardening-centric class, or simply visit Daisy, the resident cat, who always seems to be asleep on the counter. Details: www.cedrosgardens.com.

Cut Loose: If you're searching for Southern California fashion beyond the string bikini, Cut Loose designers have created a unique, comfortable, and flexible clothing-line made of natural and garment-dyed fibers. "Clothing for the real world." Details: www.cutloose.com and modcitymom.blogspot.com/2008/12/style-learning-to-cut-loose.html.

Pizza Port: After an afternoon of shopping, it's time for a local-brewed beer (or root beer), some succulently garlic-y beer buddies, and a cheese-kissed pizza pie. Pizza Port, now in three Southern California locations (Solana Beach, Carlsbad, San Clemente), offers a jukebox, picnic tables, and pinball machines that supply a great backdrop for "grub and grog" that the whole family can enjoy. Details: www.pizzaport.com.

BellyUp: Still want more? Belly-up to the BellyUp where local musicians and iconic bands alike fill the bill. Details: www.bellyup.com.

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Style: Learning to Cut Loose

When I first moved away from Chicago, I was terribly homesick. I missed the over-abundance of unique shopping opportunities, the boutique on every corner, and the independent clothiers, all within walking distance from my home and from each other. After countless hours of researching neighborhoods and local shopping on the web, I would grudgingly get in my car and drive and drive (and drive some more) until I found a place here or there, tucked away in some remote corner of some distant neighborhood.

Now that I'm settled, I realize my initial response was, perhaps, a tad on the dramatic side. Sure, I still need to drive everywhere, but San Diego offers quite a few independently spirited store options. And, once you find one that you like, another isn't far behind.

During one of my little adventures, I discovered the perfect shopping stretch in Solana Beach, located in the heart of North San Diego County. Not only did this quarter of a mile stretch offer store after store of one-of-a-kind shopping opportunities, for the first time in a long time, I was more relaxed and a bit more myself. Here, I found stores where I could buy unique clothes, housewares, and gifts that wouldn't break the bank and I could meander and browse in a way that I hadn't experienced in a long time. Nowhere did I frequent more often than in a little, comfortable find, Cut Loose.

Cut Loose, founded in San Francisco, offers clothes made of natural and garment dyed fibers. As their motto states, clothing for the real world—they're comfortable pieces for real women. It's the type of store that your mom, your daughter, and you could all, collectively, enjoy. Each of you may be drawn to different items, but all would leave with a purchase in hand. Their colors and collections change with each season, but their quality and comfort never alter. And, most importantly, you don't have to live in San Diego or San Francisco to buy a Cut Loose design—their line is sold in boutiques across the country.

It may seem shallow, but, for me to feel at home in California, I needed to discover good neighborhoods, exceptional shopping, and beautifully made clothes. Stumbling on Solana Beach provided me with the first opportunity to unwind, enjoy, and truly cut loose. Details: www.cutloose.com.

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