Week 15: A Spring Picnic and University Heights

Week 15: April 9-15, 2023

One of the main reasons I decided to stay in San Diego after graduating from college was because I have such a good, solid, fun group of friends in this area. We've all been through a lot together and grown and evolved as individuals and as a group through college. I always tell people that my friends are my family, especially as we navigate the young adult world together. When we were all separated from our immediate families during the beginning of COVID and lockdowns, we had each other.

To provide context for this week's topic - At the beginning of last year, we were emerging from another era of COVID-variant restrictions (can't even remember which variant it was because there have been so many...) and we were all feeling the pain of separation and isolation. We hadn't seen each other in ages, and were overdue for some much needed time together. After calculating risks and asking everyone's thoughts, we decided to have a Spring Picnic at Kate Sessions Memorial Park.

Because last year's Spring Picnic was such a fun, refreshing time together, we had another one this year. Spearheaded by some of the resident trendy girlies of our group, I have a feeling that this picnic will soon become an annual tradition. We dressed in pastels and spring colors and coordinated who was bringing what through a Shared Note on the Notes app. The potluck style of the picnic is a great way to share responsibility and costs (and to laugh at the few [men] who are almost incapable of planning ahead). Kate Sessions Park is gorgeous, overlooking San Diego from the La Jolla hills. It is frequented by families and diverse groups enjoying the sun, and it is dog-friendly, which is always a plus!

We took a bunch of pictures on Daniela's disposable camera, but I failed to get a good photo of the potluck spread and flowers. Here is a cute photo of me and Dani (and you can sorta see the tea-time sandwiches and flowers on the blanket).

Me and Daniela, courtesy of Sam's Snapchat Story

While the picnic itself is not necessarily something new for me, I think it is a great way for all of us to mentally reset, or to start new. After this year's picnic, we ended up at some restaurants and bars in Pacific Beach that we frequently visit. Those were also not new experiences, but, dear reader, don't fret! I still managed to visit two new places yesterday: Parks and Rec and Swan Bar.

The moody patio area at Swan Bar

The espresso martinis at Swan Bar are a known local delicacy and I had the pleasure of experiencing one last night. It was definitely one of the best espresso martinis I've ever had. We were all a little crispy from our time in the sun at Kate Sessions, and welcomed the dark, cool environment of Swan Bar. The difference in ambiance between the sunny, Spring Picnic and the moody, dark vibes of Swan Bar was a great representation of the many things one can experience in San Diego.

A very blurry (low light!) espresso martini

Swan Bar seems like a great, trendy place to go on a first date. I will report back if that ever actually happens, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

After Swan Bar, we also decided to go to a nearby bar called Parks & Rec. It was R&B night there, and it was so fun to dance and sing to some old throwbacks. Going out in University Heights was new for me, and Swan Bar and Parks & Rec did not disappoint. My friends and I are quite good at convincing each other to have just one more drink, or to dance to just one more song, or to stay out just a little longer. I don't blame us, we have so much fun together. The whole day, including the picnic, restaurants, and bars, was an impressive twelve hour ordeal. It was a blast. I'm exhausted, sure, and I am in dire need of electrolytes and rest, but I'm happy. I feel so blessed to have good people in my life and can't wait to continue our Spring Picnic tradition. Who knows what next year's picnic will bring.

If you want to check out Swan Bar's Instagram page, click here.

Here's their Yelp (unclaimed) page as well.

Also, you can read more about Kate Sessions Park here.

See you next week.