Hi all,
In September I’ll be moving to San Diego and I’d love some tips and recommendations for fellow elektronauts 
I’m not even from the US so I barely now anything from the city, so any comment will be helpful.
Cheers!
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I am born and raised in San Diego, and happen to be a Concierge at a luxury hotel here.
I do this for work so ask away!
Do you know what part of town you might be moving to?
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In terms of music venues,
The Casbah (Personal fave, smaller more divey intimate setting) One of the music landmarks
Soda Bar - Similar Vibe as the casbah
North Park Observatory (Bigger show venue in a converted movie theater)
Belly Up Solana Beach (kinda nice and fancy) Lots of world music
The Music Box
Some fun smaller bars that have music/synth nights
Whistle Stop
Part Time Lover
Winstons Ocean Beach
Redirecting... OPEN OSCILLATOR is one the the open mic synth nights that frequents several venues
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Born and raised in San Diego also. Dude, you nailed it with your list of venues! Agree 100%
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whistle stop is great. used to live in san diego from 97-2004. loved that place. many good times there. played records there once in a while for a night called “friends chill”… which had a reuinion get together a while back.
casbah is classic. saw so many shows there… played the back room a couple times.
to the OP - @mncrmo check out ocean beach, mission beach etc… you will eventually even if you don’t plan to… but some days at the beach are always good. i don’t know if it’s still there but “bud’s ice cream” just before you get to the pier in ocean beach was always really good and they made ice cream sandwiches with waffles.
go see a concert at balboa park organ pavilion. it’s a huge outdoor organ. massive pipes. kinda amazing when the organist has those sections of the score that read “open to interpretation” and the organist will just jam. bass notes are obviously massive.
also, not sure it still happens but the wednesday farmers market at ocean beach is fun. the san diego fish company always had the good. used to get the “tuna jerky” every time. amazing thing to eat w/a beer.
i have many fond memories of san diego. but i don’t know what’s current. just be free and check stuff out. say yes when someone asks if you want to go somewhere.
cleveland national forest and the desert out there are great.
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I go to San Diego every year, and I’m eager to check out the recommendations.
Solana Beach is also great if you want to go to the Beach without a shit load of people all around. There’s a little park that you can park your car at, and usually it’s not too bad. In fact I love that beach as their is hardly any people there, it’s not littered with a bunch of random shit, and you can chill read a book, and relax. Just be sure not to shit near the cliffs.
Anyone know if Hipp-e and Halo still live there, and if there’s ever any house shows? Siesta records use to be downtown and was a cool little shop, but I’m sure it’s long gone now. Anyone know of any other record shops?
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I love San Diego. Played the Casbah a couple times and I highly recommend it. Eat all the Mexican food you can find.
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First year at least I’ll be in La Jolla, since I’ll go for graduate studies at ucsd.
Probably sooner than later I’ll want to live closer to downtown. Some people have told me that the public transport is ok to go from downtown to La Jolla.
Also… Is a good city to commute by bike? I actually don’t know how to drive a car and I’m thinking in taking my bike with me to not depend so much on public transport.
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I’ll probably check them all in my time there.
Thanks!!
I love these recommendations, I’m also very interested in national parks and nature around the city.
Thanks!
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Not the soundest advice
But, seriously, very nice to see forum members giving useful tips. I hope to go to the US again some day. Through work I was twice in the Mid West for month each time, from Chicago to New Orleans and a lot in between, but would love to visit the the South West and San Diego - great weather, sea, good food, an electro music scene, not too crowded and some friendly/helpful locals - sounds pretty damn good.
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Hey I’m not sure how you found that but I do NOT consent to you posting pictures of me all over the internet!
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For me the spicier the better so probably mexican food will be a main part of my diet… Until stomach aches become too much hahahah
Best of luck in your graduate program at UCSD! My major was computer engineering, which was really just half electrical engineering and half computer science. I enrolled under Warren College so I choose music as one of my two required Area Studies. At time time the graduate students as the Music Department had access to studios/gear that we undegrads could only dream of.
A bike will certainly reduce your travel time around campus. Even though i was under Warren College, I still had to walk to classes at Muir College or even all the way down to Revelle. Google Maps says you could bike to The Casbah taking the Rose Canyon Trail, among other things, but it’s an estimated 1hr ride. Probably better off taking the San Diego Trolley and/or bus.
Anyway, UCSD puts on a lot of its own concerts. You’ll find them once you get there. In my day, they booked free shows over by the Sun God or the Price Center Friday evenings.
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It is… if you’re not going very far. Some parts (especially around La Jolla) are hilly. Although, the public transportation (busses, trolley/trains) are very bike friendly, so you can augment your bike ride with public transportation for longer excursions. Of course, there’s always uber/lyft/friends when you need to get somewhere specific.
Congrats on grad. school at UCSD. It’s a fantastic university. They have folks like Tom Erbe and King Britt who teach classes there from time to time.
Also, welcome to San Diego. It’s expensive AF to live here, but there are ways to shave costs. I’m sure your fellow students can help you with that.
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Those things have me really excited! Also Miller Puckette being there is very inspiring for me. I’m going to grad school in the Music Department (Computer Music especifically) and is the first time I’ll study music in a “formal” way, so everything will be new to me.
I could guve you updates when I arrive there, and I’d be glad to show you the music department when I arrived
Cool, it sounds similar to my biking here (Santiago, Chile). A bit hilly also, so I think I’ll use the bike mainly for transport inside the university.
Thank you both!
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Dude! You must have some skills and talent to be admitted there as a graduate student in Computer Music! I’m excited for you, for real! Definitely post updates of your experience!
so awesome Miller Puckette is still there! I only met him once. I managed to schedule some one on one time with him to get some help on a Max patch I was struggling with. He was very nice.
You might run into fellow students over there who will ask you about Alejandro Jodorowsky once you reveal you’re from Chile.
Thank you so much! I’ll enjoy a lot my time there. Let’s hang up if you’re still living in San Diego!
hahahahah I don’t know if I should be happy or sad about it.
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Yeah his reputation was better a few years ago, lol.
I moved away from San Diego soon after graduation from UCSD but still come back once in a while to visit relatives. I’ll be in touch the next time that happens.
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