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LIVING IN THE CITY: Emily Mason

East Village scores big as a downtown San Diego 'hood thanks in large part to proximity to Petco Park and Padres games

RonDon SD News

Sep 1, 2021

"Living In the City" is the San Diego Sun's feature Q&A with downtown San Diego residents. It's a way to get to know the city by meeting the people who live here. This is the second installment of an ongoing series.

Name: Emily Mason

Location: Metrome (East Village)

Personal deets: Fifth year living downtown. Originally from Cincinnati. I’m a sales trainer at a Kearny Mesa med-tech company.

Working from home: I wake up at 4:30 a.m. and am at the gym by 5. Then it’s drink coffee, walk dog, do chores, work, repeat.

Memorable downtown moment: We were dining at a restaurant. A car stopped outside. The window rolled down and someone screamed, “Carol Baskin did it!”

In the front row at Petco Park.

Best aspect of your location: I like East Village because of being close to Petco Park and the ease of going to Padres games.

Padres games: The beauty of living downtown is that we are gifted with so many free tickets when our North County friends can’t make it down to games.

Events: I especially like when the Padres have concerts after the games.

Parking advice: Take an Uber downtown. Especially for big events, parking can be pricey and hard to find.

Cost of living: Downtown San Diego isn’t as pricey as the San Francisco Bay Area. But it’s way more expensive than Cincinnati.

Safety: You should be aware of your surroundings but I don’t walk around with a great deal of fear.

Emily and Oscar getting ready for a walk.

Pets: Oscar is my 15-year-old Puggle. He loves to eat leftover food off the sidewalk—problematic when I take him on walks.

Comic-Con moment: When Comic-Con is in town, I dress Oscar in an Iron Man t-shirt and take him for walks down Fifth Avenue.

Walking/biking/driving: My transportation is 95 percent walking and 5 percent driving.

Scooters: Great at first. Now, there are too many and too often left in disarray. I also feel strongly that they shouldn’t be used on the sidewalk. I don’t trust that these scooter users have the Tony Hawk ability to adjust and maneuver.

Worst aspect of your location: Noise from traffic and construction and the honking sound the trolley makes.

Best reason to live downtown: Being close to everything I need in life, with plenty of options. Need a drink? There are myriad bars. In the mood for Greek or Italian food? No problem. Need dry cleaning done? Two blocks over.

The rooftop scene at Lumi.

Coffee shop: I end up at Copa Vida (East Village) a lot, mostly for the location and ambiance.

Lunch place: Half Door Brewing Co. is a hidden gem. I like their pretzel bites and Father Ted beer. It’s great to sit on the second-floor deck with a view of Petco Park. Service is quick and friendly.

Dinner spot(s): Full Moon Sushi (great service/staff). Lumi (sushi with a view). Huntress (best steak and ambience in town). Water Grill (seafood and service). Meze (best Greek food).

Bar(s): The Nolen for rooftop views and Happy Hour prices. Bub’s for watching sports.

Best insider tip: Be an early riser for breakfast on weekends. After 9 a.m., you’ll stand in long lines to get seated. SDSun

(The San Diego Sun is produced by Ron Donoho under the umbrella of the FACEBOOK-Bulletin project for independent journalists.)

STORIES YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

  • "Living In The City: Danny Rolls in the Marina District"

  • Here Comes The San Diego Sun!

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