Roaming around La Mesa

When you think of San Diego, you think of downtown, the beaches and all the other popular destinations beach, SeaWorld, zoo… just google San Diego- lots of places show up but not La Mesa (at least on the first few pages). The other day, I ventured to La Mesa Village. One of the reasons I went out that way, was to check out the newest Brian Malarkey creation Gingham (Searsucker, Burlap etc…) . I went in the afternoon and they weren’t open for lunch that Saturday afternoon, so I went and browsed up and down the street.

 I eyed a tea kettle I wanted at Aubrey Rose Tea Room, a gnome at Homeland Florist, tried on some clothes at a trendy boutique and a few second hand stores. Things have changed, La Mesa Blvd. used to be a bunch of antique stores and a few places to eat and a hole in the wall bar; not anymore,  like many neighborhood stores the old goes and the new comes in. There are new bars, updates to old and the newest trend in this area, the resale shop and even a wine tasting store. Lots of second-hand clothing places. Almost as many as the antique and furniture resellers, as La Mesa Blvd. is known for their antiques and in the summer the Thursday night car shows. La Mesa Village is great for window shopping and small time people watching. Some of the Blvd. still has the original facades in tact but it still maintains the small town feel.

I went back in the evening with a friend and we ate dinner at Gingham. Greeted by a antique carousel horse in the window, the restaurant has a unique decor, part  hip saloon/part antique modern (Is there such a thing? ). There were a pair of cow skeleton chairs with a sign that says “Keep Gate Closed! Horses and Cattle Grazing.”    The menu was sort of like a riddle, oil boil instead of fried, smoked, not canned…you get the idea. The menu is mostly a la carte, but the creativity shines through and when you get the food. I am no food critic, but it is good and the servers are attentive. I am all for specialty cocktails which I need to return to try (they only had beer and wine that night).  I was thouroughly surprised of the night vibe. There was music at the bars and people of all ages around at 8 pm at night. Not quite the newest hip place in San Diego, but cool nevertheless. So with that said, venture out and enjoy the old school charm of La Mesa Village, you’ll be glad you did.