2024 Archives - San Diego Magazine https://staging.sandiegomagazine.com/tag/2024/ Thu, 31 Oct 2024 17:26:54 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://staging.sandiegomagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/cropped-SDM_favicon-32x32.png 2024 Archives - San Diego Magazine https://staging.sandiegomagazine.com/tag/2024/ 32 32 Donna DeBerry’s Second Act: Creating Equity for Minority- & Women-Owned Businesses https://staging.sandiegomagazine.com/features/donna-deberry-black-chamber-commerce/ Wed, 30 Oct 2024 22:24:46 +0000 https://sandiegomagazine.com/?p=89838 The former DEI director left retirement to become CEO of the San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce to help fight the city's systemic challenges

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Donna DeBerry moved to San Diego from Austin to “hang at the beach and have a good time,” she says. After a successful diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) career spanning several cities and prominent corporations—Indeed.com, Starbucks, Nike, Wyndham—DeBerry thought she was ready to retire. But the beach would have to wait.

“I decided that something was missing from my life at that moment, and once more I needed to give back,” DeBerry says.

In January 2020, she became president and CEO of the County of San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce (CSDBCC), where she supports minority- and women-owned enterprises. “Everybody should live for a legacy transforming and shaping peoples’ lives for the better,” she says.

Early in her career, corporate HR roles offered DeBerry insight into the systemic challenges women and Black people face in the business world. DeBerry founded her consulting business to show executives how inclusive policies positively impact companies’ bottom line.

“The struggles are still real for women, especially women of color, in business,” DeBerry says. “It’s a question of equality versus equity. Yes, we might have an equal opportunity to start a business, but we don’t have equitable access to the capital that we need to compete.”

Black and white photo of Donna DeBerry, president and CEO of the Central San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce
Photo Credit: Erica Joan

In March 2024, CSDBCC launched the Women’s Kitchen Table as a safe space to network and organize. DeBerry keeps tabs on San Diego’s wealthiest institutions, like SDG&E and UC San Diego—just two of the many organizations CSDBCC partners with—to make sure minority-owned businesses have access to vendor contracts, along with funding to support growth. Under her tenure, San Diego–based corporations have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to support CSDBCC initiatives—Sony Electronics alone has contributed more than $200,000.

“[Something] I’m proud of, personally and professionally, is that any time I’m in an influential position, I bring more women along,” DeBerry says. “It’s my responsibility to open those doors.”

DeBerry recently sold her Carlsbad home and moved onto a boat at Pier 32. At 69, she has raised four children and now has four grandchildren. “This is my best life, doing something good for the community,” she says.

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For This Local Entrepreneur, Events Are an Art Form https://staging.sandiegomagazine.com/features/lauren-garces-social-aristry/ Wed, 30 Oct 2024 20:02:10 +0000 https://sandiegomagazine.com/?p=89871 From December Nights to the Asian Film Festival, Social Artistry founder Lauren Garces creates spaces that foster connection and community

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“The goal is always to create spaces of belonging, where all guests can feel respected, be themselves, and form connections, while cultural learning is happening,” says Lauren Garces, the creative mind behind event production company Social Artistry. “I constantly ask myself, ‘How can I intentionally build these spaces?’”

The daughter of Filipino immigrants, Garces grew up in Hawai‘i. After earning a degree in marketing at SDSU and working in event production for more than a decade, she started her company in 2020 with the intent of helping her community come together during the pandemic.

One of Social Artistry’s first “events” was not exactly a gathering. Called Box Creations, it was a response to the fear AAPI women felt while venturing out in a time when hate aimed at people of Asian descent was on the rise. Garces partnered with the Asian Business Association, Cox, SDG&E, and local artists to paint electrical boxes along Convoy with messages of hope and healing.

Garces is also part of the organizing force behind Balboa Park’s December Nights and helped make the beloved event a “drive-through” during the pandemic.

San Diego event planner and CEO of Social Artistry, Lauren Garces
Photo Credit: Erica Joan

“We created a piece of San Diego history,” she recalls. “There was nothing else like it—people were honking along to ‘Jingle Bells’ while they waited in line in their cars. It brought San Diegans together at a time when we were so alone.”

Garces has now added her magic to Convoy San Diego Night Market, the Linda Vista Multi-Cultural Fair, and the Asian Film Festival, designing gatherings that connect local art, food, dance, music, entertainment, crafts, and cultural organizations to welcome visitors and residents alike. “One big event could be a celebration of a special time, but we also want it to be a showcase for what that community offers,” she says. “We want to inspire action to support our communities year-round.” She’s been invited to work on several Lunar New Year celebrations in 2025.

Most of the events Garces organizes are free to attend, backed by city, county, and local sponsors. She also co-chairs the San Diego Asian Pacific Islander Coalition, a partnership of more than 40 organizations from around the county. The coalition has secured empowerment grants from San Diego Foundation and driven a new research study of the AAPI diaspora in San Diego.

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15 of the Best Food & Drinks to Try This November https://staging.sandiegomagazine.com/food-drink/where-to-eat-san-diego-november-2024/ Tue, 29 Oct 2024 18:22:33 +0000 https://sandiegomagazine.com/?p=90003 SDM staff shouts out our favorite food finds this month

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The movies would have you believe that journalists run on caffeine and whiskey, yet that’s… only partially true. Our blood type is at least 30 percent espresso, but the modern reporter also nourishes their curious brain and fast-typing fingers with plates any 19th-century newsie would envy: beef carpaccio, popcorn chicken, creamy ramen. And then, as good scriveners do, we share it here for you. Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Best food to eat from San Diego restaurants featuring American Sampler Sando from Smallgoods in La Jolla

American Sampler Sando

Smallgoods

This artisan La Jolla deli, voted “Best Sandwiches” in town by our readers, makes a killer version of an Italian sub with all US-produced inputs. It’s got mortadella from San Francisco, Golden Nugget ham, finocchiona salami, sheep milk Alpine cheese, local Big Bill on the Hill’s mustard, mayo, baby arugula from Fred’s Urban farm, and Breadbar seeded loaf slices. It’s perfect. —JB

Best food to eat from San Diego restaurants featuring Chawanmushi from Omakase by Ambrely in East Village

Chawanmushi

Omakase by Ambrely


Savory Japanese egg custard, known as chawanmushi, isn’t often served outside traditional Japanese restaurants in the US. Chef Ambrely Ouimette‘s spin on the classic dish showcases her experience behind the sushi bar, using eggs, celery tsukudani, and maitake mushrooms. One blissful bite transported me straight back to a ryokan in Kyoto. —BD

Best food to eat from San Diego restaurants featuring Turon Crème Brülée Latte from Mostra Coffee in Bankers Hill

Turon Crème Brülée Latte

Mostra Coffee

One could argue that coffee culture is jumping the shark wearing a DayGlo tutu. Blame Instagram. If a drink doesn’t look like it’s headed to the Met Gala, it’s getting booted from the menu. The camera caffeinates first, after all. Enter this crunchy sugar-crusted, jackfruit-syruped, housemade-banana-milked Lady Gaga of a beverage in Bankers Hill (among other locations). It knows its angles, secretly loves paparazzi, and tastes like it went to private school. —MH

Best food to eat from San Diego restaurants featuring Chicken Fried Rice from Cross Street Chicken And Beer in Del Mar

Chicken Fried Rice

Cross Street Chicken And Beer

A restaurant that shares a parking lot with a Ralphs might not inspire culinary confidence, but Del Mar plays by its own real estate rules. The Korean fried chicken at Cross Street (also in Convoy) is crispy and comforting. Get it on sandos, in salads, or alongside fluffy fried rice with a perfectly runny egg. Plus, an easy grocery run after. Win-win. —MH

Best food to eat from San Diego restaurants featuring Fig Leaf Old Fashioned from Roma Norte at Seaport Village
Photo Credit: Mandie Geller

Fig Leaf Old Fashioned

Roma Norte

The menu at this Seaport Village hotspot is encyclopedic, but ask the bartenders to bring you their favorite and you may get this ceramic teacup full of intrigue. You’ll need to leave the small talk at home-with butter-washed bourbon, fig leaf cordial, and cacao bitters, this slow sipper is made for deep conversation. Make sure you’ve done your reading. —MH

Best food to eat from San Diego restaurants featuring Local Sheepshead "Zarandeado" from Vistal Bar + Restaurant in Point Loma
Photo Credit: Diana Rose

Local Sheepshead “Zarandeado”

Vistal Bar + Restaurant

Great things rarely come from restaurants that require staff name tags, but the seafood program at this fine-dining-establishment-meets-airport-lounge in the Intercontinental lobby is doing flavorful things with a top-notch locally caught fish program. Pretty cool considering the US imports upwards of 80 percent of its seafood. This dish is Tommy Gomes-supplied local sheepshead (whitefish, bouncy on the palate), baked Nayarit-style, then sauced (but not drowned atop poblano polenta. Memorably good, no name tag required. —MH

Best food to eat from San Diego restaurants featuring Panang from Curry in Pacific Beach

Panang

World Curry

I’ve always been tickled by World Curry‘s concept: curries from cuisines all over the planet-including the cozy Thai panang-available in one laidback restaurant. (Side note: Someone should do the same thing with different cultures’ fried chicken.) Though the longtime PB institution closes its doors in December, there’s still time for spicy excursions. —AR

Best food to eat from San Diego restaurants featuring Piña Colada Slushie from Bay Hill Tavern in Bay Hill

Piña Colada Slushie

Bay Hill Tavern

With gloomy skies outside and my friends locked in to a football game on one of several TVs in Bay Park’s Bay Hill Tavern, summer couldn’t feel further away… until a vacation vessel of sweet slush lands on the table. It’s not a poolside cabana, but it’s close, and, since it’s sweetened only with pineapple juice, the cocktail won’t trigger Vegas-esque sugar headaches. Touchdown? —AR

Best food to eat from San Diego restaurants featuring Pad Thai from Sb Lai Thai Kitchen in the Gaslamp Quarter

Pad Thai

Sab Lai Thai Kitchen

Would I recommend taking your partner’s parents to dinner by simply plucking a restaurant name off a map? No. But it worked out, and now you don’t have to repeat my folly. Sab Lai is an underrated (see: not crowded) joint serving satisfying noodles and stir-fries in the Gaslamp. A friendly spot for pre-gaming a bar hop, fueling up for Petco concerts, or wooing the in-laws. —AR

Beef Carpaccio from The Amalfi Llama at Westfield UTC La Jolla

Beef Carpaccio

The Amalfi Llama

Opened in March, Amalfi Llama at Westfield UTC is all about Patagonian live-fire cooking techniques mixed with Italian ingredients. It’s one of the few places in San Diego using this method to cook meat, adding that delicious charred flavor to the dishes. While all of the cuts are worth a try, don’t skip the beef carpaccio as an app. It’s incredibly thin slices make you feel like you’re eating clouds, and what’s not to love about that? —NM

Best food to eat from San Diego restaurants featuring No-Loko espresso martini from J & Tony's Discount Cured Meats and Negroni Warehouse in East Village
Courtesy of J & Tony’s

No-Loko

J & Tony’s Discount Cured Meats and Negroni Warehouse

I recognize that the zero-proof version of an espresso martini is simply a latte. But the No-Loko at this East Village haunt endlessly streaming The Sopranos is complex enough to earn its spot on the cocktail menu. Café de olla syrup, coffee concentrate, cold brew, grated cinnamon. Don’t fuhgeddaboudit. —AR

Best food to eat from San Diego restaurants featuring Creamy Chicken Ramen from Tajima Ramen in North Park
Photo Credit: James Tran

Creamy Chicken Ramen

Tajima Ramen

Cooler weather means one thing: ramen season. Tajima on Adams Avenue is no-frills in the right ways. A solid joint to drop in for a quick hit of soup like vou’d stop for a quick beer (they have both). Sit at the bar and watch the kitchen cranking out an impressive number of to-go tubs while sipping on creamy chicken broth that isn’t just rich, it’s wealthy. Come on, thermostat, drop. —MH

Mini Burritos from John's Market in Solana Beach

Mini Burritos

John’s Market

Sequestered in the cuts of Solana Beach, John’s serves up some of the most soul-nourishing, family-recipe Mexican this side of Tecate. The mini burritos ($2.75) with housemade refried beans taste like a morning in some small coastal town 3,000 miles south. Machaca, chorizo, you can’t miss. Simple, made with amor. A true Mexican market with handwritten prices, hidden in a residential neighborhood. Oro. —MH

Kraken Roll from Ototo Sushi Co. in Point Loma

Kraken Roll

Ototo Sushi Co.

On the south end of Liberty Station, where the parking is plentiful and the patios are quiet, Ototo (also in Clairemont) anchors an oft-forgotten corner of Point Loma, next to an old landlocked Navy training ship. Bringing work or a book along for happy hour when the sun is out? Very SD. The Kraken is a can’t-go-wrong choice: yellowtail, cucumber, and avocado topped with more tuna, crispy onions, and garlic soy. —MH

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November Pub Note: Rising to the Occasion https://staging.sandiegomagazine.com/features/pub-note-november-2024/ Mon, 28 Oct 2024 19:02:59 +0000 https://sandiegomagazine.com/?p=89723 San Diego Magazine's CEO, Claire Johnson, reflects on the November issue featuring local women making a difference in our community

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“Everyone watches women’s sports.” You probably saw that slogan—the brainchild of athletes Chloe Kim, Simone Manuel, Sue Bird, and former Wave FC captain Alex Morgan—plastered on tees in every crowd shot at the Paris Olympics this summer. And the Olympians proved it.

San Diegan Ilona Maher led the US women’s rugby team to their first medal and landed a turn on Dancing with the Stars in the process. Swimmer Katie Ledecky clinched her place as the most decorated woman in Olympic history. Oceanside’s own Sky Brown nabbed team Great Britain a bronze medal for skateboarding… with a dislocated shoulder. And then there’s the staggering stat that, if American women were their own country, they would rank third for overall number of medals. In Paris, women ran the show.

Young San Diego athletes Bryce Wettstein (olympic skateboarder, Jake Marshall (WSL pro surfer), and Jaedyn Shaw (olympic soccer player) at Balboa Park

That kind of visibility is a powerful currency. This issue is about exactly that, featuring women who we saw and said, “Damn, you’re doing the thing.” Like Danielle Boyer, the 23-year-old Indigenous engineer who saved for two years to join her high school robotics club. Now she’s at the forefront of using technology to preserve cultural heritage.

Or Meg Ferrigno, the entrepreneur who runs a B Corp that distributes free compostable period products to underserved communities. Or our cover star, Ann Najjar, who took a male-dominated position and made it her own.

Women make up 52 percent of San Diego’s population. They run or own 33 percent of all the city’s businesses. They head 70 percent of its households with children. Women are the list makers, the appointment schedulers, the budget balancers, the food shoppers. They are caregivers, financial planners, healthcare experts, therapists, personal assistants, teenager punching bags. And, with 59 percent of women over the age of 16 working for a paycheck, many of them are carrying the weight of two full-time jobs—at home and at work.

I offer these stats as perspective. The challenges women face aren’t universal, but there are commonalities in their stories. The women we feature in this issue didn’t walk a straight line to success. It took hard work, risky decisions, and the determination to overcome social and economic obstacles to get to where they are. This issue is as much about celebrating them as it is about naming the challenges and adversities women continue to face.

My hope is that you’ll see some aspect of your own path reflected in this journey. For every incredible story we discover, there are thousands more we haven’t seen whose accomplishments deserve to be told. Every year, San Diego Magazine lauds the women of San Diego at our annual Celebrating Women event, honoring the industry pioneers and rising stars that you, our readers, nominated and voted for. In 2024, we received a record-breaking 350 nominations, proof of the power of community. I personally can’t wait for the event on November 6 at UCSD’s Park & Market. I always leave feeling humbled and inspired.

This is why we do what we do, and why San Diego Magazine remains committed to telling the stories of all San Diegans. This month, these pages are dedicated to the women of this city who are doing the damn thing.

Here’s to you.

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2024 Holiday Gift Guide: 35 San Diego Goods & Local Finds https://staging.sandiegomagazine.com/everything-sd/san-diego-holiday-gift-guide-2024/ Fri, 25 Oct 2024 19:12:50 +0000 https://sandiegomagazine.com/?p=89535 Our handpicked guide to the best locally sourced gifts from San Diego artisans and shops this holiday season

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The holiday season is here, and it’s the perfect time to get a head start on shopping. Finding the right presents for friends and family can be tricky, but San Diego’s local shops, artisans, and makers offer something special for everyone. Whether you’re looking for kitchen upgrades for your family, a unique piece of décor for your friends, or the perfect toy for your pet, these local San Diego gifts are sure to spread holiday cheer.

I’m shopping for…

The Chef | The Socialite | The Homebody | The Adventurer | The Parent | The Local


San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring an arrangement of products for the chef in your life
Photo Credit: Erica Joan

San Diego Gifts for the Chef

They’re the designated executive chef for every holiday dinner, whipping up dishes that rival those at San Diego’s Michelin-starred spots.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Community Supported Agriculture Box from Yasukochi Family Farms
Courtesy of Yasukochi Family Farms

Community Supported Agriculture Box, $29–39

Yasukochi Family Farms


What’s better than a single surprise? One every week. With a subscription to Yasukochi Family Farm’s CSA box, a ridiculously generous (and reasonably priced) bounty of seasonal, local fruits and veggies will land at your recipient’s door four times a month. They won’t get to choose what comes, but figuring out a menu based on the latest cornucopia is half the fun.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring San Diego Etched Whiskey Glasses from Apollo Emporium
Courtesy of Apollo Emporium

San Diego Etched Whiskey Glasses, $40

Apollo Emporium

Give them the world—or at least the city. With these glasses from Little Italy home goods shop Apollo Emporium, one can trace all of San Diego across a single old fashioned. Neat! (No pun intended.)

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring San Diego Cooks: Recipes from the Region's Favorite Eateries, Bakeries, and Bars from Figure 1 Publishing
Courtesy of Figure 1 Publishing

San Diego Cooks: Recipes from the Region’s Favorite Eateries, Bakeries, and Bars, $34.95

Figure 1 Publishing

Really, this new book from SDM contributors Ligaya Malones and Deanna Sandoval is just as much a gift for you—as long as your recipient is willing to share when they try their hand at homemade versions of iconic San Diego dishes like JRDN’s steamed mussels, Smokin J’s brisket chili, and Extraordinary Desserts’ lemon meringue cake.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Bourbon Vanilla Extract from Bees & Teas Herbal Apothecary
Courtesy of Bees & Teas

Bourbon Vanilla Extract, $20

Bees & Teas Herbal Apothecary

Bourbon infused with real Madagascar vanilla adds complexity to holiday baked goods—as well as coffee, french toast, horchata, and other treats. The bottle comes full of whole vanilla pods, so your giftee can simply pour in more bourbon when things run low.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Puebla Talavera Mantequilla from Casa y Cocina
Courtesy of Casa y Cocina

Puebla Talavera Mantequilla, $37

Casa y Cocina

Handmade in Puebla, Mexico and sold at dangerously-easy-to-get-lost-in North Park home goods shop Casa y Cocina, this gorgeous ceramic dish keeps butter soft, safe, and close at hand.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring jar of Chili Crisps from Karanchi
Courtesy of Home Ec

Chili Crisps, $18

Karanchi

Karanchi founder Nguyen Le’s favorite way to eat his addictive, garlic-studded chili crisp is atop avocado toast—but, really, there’s no going wrong here (one NYT Cooking recipe even suggests adding the ingredient to fettuccine alfredo). You can pick it up online or at local shops like Home Ec (Little Italy), Bica (Normal Heights), Tablespoon (North Park), and Wildwood Flour Bakery (Pacific Beach).

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Hand-Painted Stoneware Platter from Apostrophe Home
Courtesy of Apostrophe Home

Hand-Painted Stoneware Platter, $45

Apostrophe Home

Charcuterie boards just got even more photogenic, thanks to this weighty, 16-inch stoneware serving dish from downtown’s Apostrophe Home. (Looking to shop for a set? The store sells a pretty serving bowl in the same pattern.)


San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring ideas for the socialite in your friend group
Photo Credit: Erica Joan

San Diego Gifts for the Socialite

They get a free drink everywhere they go and can reapply their lipstick flawlessly in even the smokiest vintage restaurant mirror.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Milano Slim Crossbody Bag from Mavis by Herrera
Courtesy of Mavis by Herrera

Milano Slim Crossbody Bag, $110

Mavis by Herrera

Local Mavis Herrera works with artisans in Mexico to produce this stylish bag made from recycled plastic. It’s sized just right to hold a phone, wallet, key, and a hand cream or lip balm (without being so big it becomes a receipt graveyard).

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Lucia Strand and  Saltwater Strand from Ordoñez Le
Courtesy of Ordoñez Le

Lucia Strand, $557 & Saltwater Strand, $123

Ordoñez Le

Handmade in SD, Ordoñez Le’s beaded necklaces add a delicate pop of color and the alleged energy-balancing powers of gemstones. They’re all cute, but we’re partial to the Lucia (with two hands to rep your friendship) and the Saltwater (featuring a shell charm for beach-loving besties).

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Restore Mini Set from Aloisia Beauty
Courtesy of Aloisia Beauty

Restore Mini Set, $70

Aloisia Beauty

This set from Latina-owned, cruelty-free skincare company Aloisia Beauty is intended to provide everything your recipient needs for healthy skin—two cleansers, a gently exfoliating peel, and a moisturizing gel—in travel-ready packages.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Mahiri Lip + Cheek Tint from Dehiya Beauty
Courtesy of J.Crew

Mahiri Lip + Cheek Tint, $38

Dehiya Beauty

Available in seven shades with names like “The Queen,” “Warrior,” and “Siren,” this oil- and shea butter–based tint from Moroccan-inspired beauty brand Dehiya adds a buildable flush of color to cheeks and lips.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Alia Argan Beldi Cleanser and Mihakka Moroccan Exfoliating Tool from Dehiya Beauty
Courtesy of Dehiya Beauty

Alia Argan Beldi Cleanser, $38 & Mihakka Moroccan Exfoliating Tool, $22

Dehiya Beauty

Paired with a cotton-covered, Marrakech-made, terra cotta exfoliating tool called a mihakka, this argan oil cleanser is designed to clean skin without stripping it. Plus, the packaging is so pretty they’ll want to leave it out on the counter.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring I Smell Like Money Eau de Parfum from Gavin Luxe
Courtesy of Gavin Luxe

I Smell Like Money Eau de Parfum, $65

Gavin Luxe

What’s the aroma of wealth? According to fragrance company Gavin Luxe, it’s vanilla and jasmine with touches of brown sugar, tonka bean, patchouli, amber, and musk.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Ring Sueño 2 from June Handmade
Courtesy of June Handmade

Ring Sueño 2, $175

June Handmade

Alongside its broad collection of adorably twee leather shoes, June Handmade makes conversation-starting ceramic pieces, including statement rings that would look equally elegant strung on a necklace chain as they do on a finger.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Tortuga Gin from Storyhouse Spirits
Courtesy of Storyhouse Spirits

Tortuga Gin, $100

Storyhouse Spirits

The product of a collab between East Village distiller Storyhouse Spirits and the new Omni San Diego hotel in downtown, this citrus-forward gin has notes of lemon and orange peel and lemongrass.


San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring ideas for the homebody in your family
Photo Credit: Erica Joan

San Diego Gifts for the Homebody

They’ll change careers before they return to office, and they refer to their patio as “the sanctuary.”

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Matcha & Bergamot Scented Candle from Home Base Smell Good Co.
Courtesy of Home Base Smell Good Co.

Matcha & Bergamot Scented Candle, $24.99

Home Base Smell Good Co.

Celebrated Asian fusion steakhouse Animae burns candles from local maker Home Base Smell Good Co. in its chic bathrooms. This lightly sweet tea scent will bring gravitas to even the most cramped apartment commode.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring a Monthly Membership from Vino Disco Wine Club
Courtesy of Vino Disco Club

Monthly Membership, $120

Vino Disco Wine Club

Send natty wine straight to their door with this subscription. San Diegan Erin Callahan curates four organic, biodynamic, and small-batch bottles every month—along with a playlist that matches the vibes.

Secret Keeper, $85 & Chimenea Incense Burner, $85

Perro y Arena

Tijuana-born artist Socrates Medina Ahearn produces playful, functional, and gorgeous ceramic pieces like a mini chimenea that directs plumes of incense smoke upward and a coyote-head box for storing small objects (and secrets). You can find his work at outposts in SD and TJ, including the Mingei International Museum’s onsite shop.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring a Moss Art DIY Kit from Euflora
Courtesy of Euflora

Moss Art DIY Kit, $45

Euflora

There are few things a homebody loves more than a plant… except maybe a project. This kit is both in one. Recipients can spend a happy afternoon or two arranging and gluing preserved moss and lichen in a wood frame to create evergreen art. 

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Club Time Warp Sun Catcher from Apollo Home
Courtesy of Club Time Warp

Club Time Warp Sun Catcher, $60

Apollo Home

Available at Apollo Home, this sun catcher from California artist Club Time Warp adds funky hippie sensibilities to any space with poured resin, crystals, and stones on a macrame rope. 


San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring ideas for the adventurer or outdoorsman in your life
Photo Credit: Erica Joan

San Diego Gifts for the Adventurer

They show up to work with wet hair and a too-big-for-a-Monday smile from a morning surf sesh.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Kelly Slater: A Life of Waves book from Rizzoli
Courtesy of Todd Glaser Photography

Kelly Slater: A Life of Waves, $55

Rizzoli

San Diego–born surf photographer Todd Glaser has spent more than 15 years capturing 11-time World Surf League champion Kelly Slater in and out of the water. The duo explore that archive in this new coffee table tome sure to inspire any grom. 

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring The Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean book from Penguin Random House
Courtesy of Amazon

The Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean, $19

Penguin Random House

Local author Susan Casey takes readers into the deep, talking with oceanographers and marine geologists and biologists about the alien creatures and strange landscapes that exist where light can’t reach.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Leopard Shark Mug from Ludvik Handcrafted
Courtesy of Ludvik Handcrafted

Leopard Shark Mug, $118

Ludvik Handcrafted

Ludvik Handcrafted’s one-of-a-kind mugs are functional works of art depicting marine critters like green sea turtles, bat rays, and leopard sharks—La Jolla’s most beloved annual visitors. 

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Rainbow Turkish Cotton Towel from Citizens of the Beach
Courtesy of Amazon

Rainbow Turkish Cotton Towel, $18–80

Citizens of the Beach

Upgrade their ragged beach towels with a soft, Turkish cotton variety in a fun print. Local company Citizens of the Beach sells these linens on Amazon, on Etsy, and at pop-up markets around town.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Roy Lichtenstein MCASD x Slowtide Beach Blanket from The Shop at MCASD
Courtesy of The Shop at MCASD

Roy Lichtenstein MCASD x Slowtide Beach Blanket, $80

The Shop at MCASD

The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego partnered with San Diego towel brand Slowtide to produce this eye-catching beach blanket (with a water-repellent lining) based on legendary pop artist Roy Lichtenstein’s Mirror #4, a piece on display at the La Jolla arts institution.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Horny Toads Surf Wax
Courtesy of Horny Toads Surf Wax

Original Surf Wax, $3

Horny Toads Surf Wax

A Pacific Beach native launched this surf wax company in 2020, naming it after his father’s surf club (members Hank Warner and Mike Lovell went on to craft sought-after boards and fins). The watermelon-scented wax makes a great stocking stuffer.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Cozy Reversible Jacket from All That Apparel
Courtesy of All That Apparel

Cozy Reversible Jacket, $222

All That Apparel

Local entrepreneur Jody White turns deadstock fabrics into sustainable clothing like this reversible jacket. Giftees can wear the playful print on the outside and the cozy fleece inside for foggy coastal mornings and then flip for a subtler look while running errands. 


San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring ideas for new parents and kids
Photo Credit: Erica Joan

San Diego Gifts for the New Parents

They somehow manage to wrangle twin newborns and three rescue pets into matching sweaters for a holiday card photo that’s not leaving your fridge… ever.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Insulated Dog Water Bottle and Persimmon Classic Leash from Cookies & Co.
Courtesy of Cookies & Co.

Insulated Dog Water Bottle, $28 & Persimmon Classic Leash, $37

Cookies & Co.

Make hikes on San Diego’s many dog-friendly trails safer and more stylish with goodies from local pet company Cookies & Co.: a sturdy leash in an eye-catching hue and a metal water bottle that pups and their people can both drink from.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Nooee Pet Cave from Decker’s Dog & Cat
Courtesy of Nooee Pet

Nooee Pet Cave, $86.99 & Speckle & Spot California Dog Toy, $18.99

Decker’s Dog & Cat

The hardest part about shopping for pet-centric presents at Decker’s Dog & Cat’s La Jolla and Clairemont outposts? Deciding what to choose from their massive inventory. For kitties, may we suggest a sleek, easily cleanable bed? Puppies, on the other hand, will dig a squeaky toy paying homage to the Golden State.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Maison Rue City Blocks & Gems Set from Palomita
Courtesy of Palomita

Maison Rue City Blocks & Gems Set, $80

Palomita

SD–based kids’ company Palomita curates stuff for children that’s sustainable, artist-driven, and—maybe best of all—so pretty that parents won’t mind when it ends up scattered all over the living room. Case in point: Maison Rue’s cute wooden houses, which help toddlers develop fine motor skills as they slide pretty lucite blocks into window-like cutouts.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring a Vintage Youth Sweater from Timshel

Vintage Youth Sweater, $40

Timshel

Charming University Heights shop Timshel vends new and antique homewares, locally made jewelry and accessories, and vintage fashion, including retro knitwear for little ones in a range of kid-friendly colors. 

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Yellow Linen Striped Shorts from The Milk Crew 
Courtesy of The Milk Crew

Yellow Linen Striped Shorts, $32

The Milk Crew 

A linen-viscose blend makes these soft shorts from kids’ clothing brand The Milk Crew comfy and durable for beach days, play dates, and trips to The New Children’s Museum in downtown.

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Custom Charm Jewelry from Raiz
Courtesy of Raiz

Custom Charm Jewelry, $65–$350

Raiz

Portraits of kids and pets are the most common subject on mom-owned jewelry company Raiz’s delicate, customizable charms, but the founders say customers get creative, requesting signatures, old photos of their ancestors, and more. 

San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Red Cozy Things Print from Cozy Made Designs
Courtesy of Cozy Made Designs

Red Cozy Things Print, $24

Cozy Made Designs

In addition to jewelry and custom invitations, menus, temporary tattoos, and more, San Diegan Kara Gil vends cute art prints, like this nursery-ready compilation of comforting doodles, on her site Cozy Made Designs.


San Diego gifts to buy this holiday season featuring Neighborhood sign Ornaments from WTF Mary
Courtesy of WTF Mary

Gifts for Any San Diegan on Your List

Neighborhood Ornaments, $15–25

 WTF Mary

Local designer WTF Mary laser-cuts mini versions of San Diego’s iconic neighborhood signs and transforms them into holiday ornaments. Sure, a star on the top of the tree is classic, but repping your ’hood amid the Santas and sparkly baubles? Way cooler. 

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The Best Things to Do in San Diego This Month: Nov. 2024 https://staging.sandiegomagazine.com/things-to-do/san-diego-events-things-to-do-november-2024/ Tue, 22 Oct 2024 21:07:15 +0000 https://sandiegomagazine.com/?p=89080 How to stay busy and important this month in America's Finest City

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November is here, bringing cooler weather and the realization that 2025 is almost over. It’s the perfect time to enjoy pumpkin-flavored drinks and wear a beanie in San Diego without ridicule. This month, take part in vibrant Día de Muertos festivities, Thanksgiving gatherings, and a lineup of exciting theater productions. Plus, don’t miss San Diego Beer Week, where you can sample the best brews from the city’s top breweries. With the holiday season in full swing, there’s no shortage of things to do—so embrace the festive spirit and get out there, San Diego!

Food & Drink | Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art | More Fun Things to Do

Things to do in San Diego this month November 2024 featuring San Diego Beer Week event Nov 1-10  presented by the San Diego Brewers Guild

Food & Drink Events in San Diego This Month

San Diego Beer Week

November 1-10

Check out what’s on tap as the San Diego Brewers Guild—a collective of local crafters, taprooms, and breweries—unveils its all-star suds for San Diego Beer Week.

Things to do in San Diego this month November 2024 featuring the Encinitas Holiday Street Fair event
Courtesy of Encinitas 101 MainStreet Association

Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Month

Día de Muertos

November 2

A free Día de Muertos celebration at downtown Chula Vista’s Memorial Park will honor passed loved ones with an altar competition, a lowrider car show, crafts for kids, and more.

Coronado Film Festival

November 6-10

Coronado’s annual film festival will bring five days of movies, panels, and premier parties to the peninsula. To enjoy all the motion picture magic, snag the all-inclusive Emerald Badge.

Becky G

November 17

Latin pop phenom Becky G will serenade downtown audiences with English and Spanish hits like “Shower” and “Por el Contrario” at Gallagher Square’s first full-seated concert.

Encinitas Holiday Street Fair

November 24

Find gifts for every recipient on your list before December hits at the Encinitas Holiday Street Fair, where attendees can shop hundreds of local vendors.

Things to do in San Diego this month November 2024 featuring a theater production of Hadestown at the Civic Theatre downtown
Courtesy of Ticketmaster
Hadestown

Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Month

Hadestown

November 8-10

Calling all fans of musicals and Greek mythology—head to the Civic Theatre for Hadestown, a concept-album-turned-stage production adapting the ancient tale of Orpheus and Eurydice.

Your Local Theater Presents… at the La Jolla Playhouse

November 11/19-December 12/15

As the years and his aspirations slip away, an actor struggles to leave a small-time A Christmas Carol production behind in Anna Ouyang Moench’s Your Local Theater Presents… at the La Jolla Playhouse.

Things to do in San Diego this month November 2024 featuring the Rady Children Invitational Basketball tournament
Photo Credit: David Frerker
Rady’s Children Invitational

More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Month

Celebrating Women Event

November 6

San Diego Magazine toasts the city’s trailblazers across industries at our annual Celebrating Women event, featuring awards, panels, networking, and more at UCSD’s Park & Market.

Downtown Skate By The Bay

November 25-January 5

Other towns may have frozen lakes for ice skating, but San Diego’s got a seaside roller rink. Glide over to the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina for Downtown Skate By The Bay.

Rady Children’s Invitational

November 28-29

Four men’s college basketball teams, including two from last year’s Final Four, will hit the hardwood at LionTree Arena for year two of the Rady Children’s Invitational.

The post The Best Things to Do in San Diego This Month: Nov. 2024 appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

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Diverse Research Now Looks to Bring Racial Equity to Medical Trials https://staging.sandiegomagazine.com/features/diverse-research-now-medical-trials/ Fri, 18 Oct 2024 19:01:18 +0000 https://sandiegomagazine.com/?p=89112 A local organization is striving to help develop medicine that serves everybody

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In the early 1950s, a doctor at Johns Hopkins Hospital sampled cells from Henrietta Lacks, a young Black woman dying of cervical cancer. Those samples became the basis for the polio vaccine, in vitro fertilization, gene mapping, and other breakthroughs in biomedical research—but the cells were taken without Lacks’ knowledge and consent. Decades later, her case is an example of why diversity amid research participants can benefit medical discovery and why mistrust marks the relationship between communities of color and researchers.

Historically, white men have been the dominant group included in research—which meant medications coming into the market could be ineffective or even harmful for other groups. There is not comprehensive data on the diversity of today’s research participants, but a 2022 study found in trials that gathered racial data—less than half of which do—the vast majority of enrollees were still white, even in research on diseases which disproportionately affect certain groups.

A review by FCB Health New York of federally registered clinical trials from 2000 to 2020 found that zero percent of diabetes clinical trial patients were Native American, yet the disease hits Native communities the hardest. Similarly, Black patients die of heart disease at a higher rate than any other race, but they make up just three percent of clinical trial enrollees for the illness.

In early 2023, San Diego transplant Dr. Renarda Jones founded Diverse Research Now to educate marginalized communities about the benefits of participating in clinical trials and help scientists develop lasting community relationships. The organization’s various programs help participants find clinical trials that suit their needs, help patients understand how trials work, and provide “study buddies” that advocate for participants at trial visits.

“In order for us to have a drug that’s going to work for everyone, we have to test it on everyone,” Jones says.

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Can You Predict the Future Health of Your Child? These Scientists Say Yes https://staging.sandiegomagazine.com/everything-sd/health-fitness/fore-genomics-genetic-health-screening/ Wed, 16 Oct 2024 19:16:10 +0000 https://sandiegomagazine.com/?p=88814 Fore Genomics is helping parents detect which health risks their kids are predisposed to through newborn genetic screenings

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If you were given the chance to see into the future, would you take it? For new parents Mandy and Morgan Moseley, the answer was yes. When their baby was just two months old, the couple turned to Fore Genomics for a glimpse of what might be on the horizon. “I have a lot of health issues in my family,” Morgan explains. “I wanted to see what was genetically passed down to my son.”

La Jolla–based Fore Genomics provides a genetic health screen for children that reports on more than 500 different conditions with pediatric onset, giving parents the opportunity to better understand their kids’ health. Humans have over 20,000 genes. By sequencing the whole genome—100 percent of the DNA—Fore Genomics can examine for variants in the genes to determine to which conditions an individual is predisposed. All it takes is a cheek swab.

“Your DNA can tell you if you’re at risk of developing disease later in life,” Matthew Pelo, Fore’s CEO and founder, explains. The test is designed for seemingly healthy children with no symptoms. With early detection, proactive decisions can mitigate health risks before issues even arise.

“Some diseases can be managed through diet, some through lifestyle. With others, you can take medication and potentially delay the onset of symptoms indefinitely,” Pelo says. Pre- and post-test counseling is included with the screening, so parents can be equipped with a tailored care plan for their little one’s health.

For the Moseleys’ child, the screening came up clear. “The only result they found was that ibuprofen isn’t going to work as well for him, which is a good thing to know,” Mandy says. “Babies can’t communicate when pain meds aren’t helping.”

Since Fore Genomics retests each year (a service included in the base price), they will know if any new red flags arise. “If something does come up, we are going to be ahead of it,” Morgan says. She is specifically on the lookout for diabetes, which runs in her family but often goes undetected. “My mom didn’t know she had it and almost died. That’s probably the biggest reason why I wanted to get him tested.”

Currently, the price tag is around $1,500. Pelo says the test cost over $10,000 when he originally launched it at a research institute in New York. He’d like to bring the price down even further, he explains, but it’s an expensive screening to run. Currently, this type of testing is not covered by insurance, so if parents are interested, they have to foot the bill themselves.

A man and his son talking with a doctor about San Diego Company Fore Genomics which provides health screenings to predict the health of children
Courtesy of Fore Genomics

To some parents, like the Moseleys, the insight might sound priceless. To others, it could be a portal to a world of anxiety. To avoid stressful news with no course of action, Fore Genomics originally opted to report only on conditions with treatment plans. Pelo tells me that parent advocates pushed for more info. “Even if there’s no approved treatment option, there are still clinical trials, advocacy groups, Facebook groups. There are other ways to get involved,” he says. “Based on their guidance, we’ve expanded what we screen for.”

Genetic testing is not a rare occurrence. Almost every newborn in the US undergoes a state-mandated genetic screening—in California, it covers 80 conditions, including sickle cell disease and rare metabolic disorders. Fore Genomics goes further, testing for hundreds more conditions. “We’re basically newborn screening on steroids,” Pelo says, adding that Fore’s is currently the most comprehensive test that can be done on a child. “We want to give parents access to more information.”

This type of testing differs from NIPT (non-invasive prenatal testing), which screens for conditions in the womb. “There are a couple of companies expanding what can be done [with] NIPT,” Pelo says. “But even then, there are a lot of concerns on what you can and should be reporting on.” Disability advocates have questioned the ethics of terminating a pregnancy based on genetic complications, drawing parallels between NIPT and eugenics. The Fore Genomics Genetic Health Screen is designed for newborns, infants, and children under the age of 5. “The child is already here,” Pelo says. “We want them to live the healthiest life possible.”

A major concern raised by direct-to-consumer DNA tests is data privacy. Companies like 23andMe or Ancestry.com utilize DNA for genealogical purposes, which exempts them from being HIPAA-compliant. Since Fore Genomics uses genetic testing for health and medical reasons, the company still falls under HIPAA and cannot disclose an individual’s health information without consent. However, even under HIPAA, a genetic testing company can sell your data—as long as it’s stripped of any identifying details. According to Pelo, Fore doesn’t do that. “We take data privacy and security very seriously,” he says.

Fore Genomics has to think about the child’s consent, as well. The company only screens for conditions with pediatric onset—not diseases that may arise later in life, like Alzheimer’s or ALS, even though that information is available in the genome. Pelo says it’s up to the child to decide whether they want that knowledge when they come of age.

How long does Fore Genomics hold onto an individual’s sequenced DNA? “Potentially forever,” Pelo says. “The DNA you’re born with is the DNA you die with. So, sequencing at birth can potentially tell you stuff 40 or 50 years later.”

Mandy and Morgan Moseley’s son is now 10 months old, and they are expecting a baby girl in 2025. They intend to order a Fore Genomics genetic health screen for her, as well. Many of the conditions in Morgan’s family predominantly affect women, and Morgan herself has a blood clotting disorder, as well as fertility challenges and Hashimoto’s disease. “Men don’t usually have thyroid problems or issues with fertility,” she says.

“Knowing that she’s going to be female, I’m more excited to get her tested.”

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UCSD Develops Plastic-Eating Bacteria to Eliminate Pollution https://staging.sandiegomagazine.com/features/uc-san-diego-bioplastic/ Fri, 11 Oct 2024 20:29:24 +0000 https://sandiegomagazine.com/?p=88919 The Jacob's School of Engineering landed on a novel solution to plastic pollution: cannibalism

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Since the early 1900s, plastic has accomplished unprecedented feats of world domination and changed the trajectory of planetary evolution. It’s in our homes, clothes, food, landfills, oceans, and even bodies, in numbers exceeding nine billion tons. The problem, of course, is getting rid of plastic. The stuff takes hundreds of years to decompose, and, even then, it’s not gone, just microscopic. But scientists may have landed on a solution, and it’s straight out of a horror movie—for the plastic, anyway.

Researchers at UC San Diego have developed a type of bioplastic capable of eating itself when exposed to the moisture and sugars found in compost heaps and landfills. The plastic itself is a type of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a material typically found in footwear and memory foam, but it contains bacterial spores from a strain called Bacillus subtilis. What makes this combination of materials work is the nature of the spores, which, according to Jon Pokorski, a nanoengineering professor at UCSD’s Jacobs School of Engineering, become a type of bacteria that can use TPUs as a food source.

Courtesy of UC San Diego

While this is an immensely promising discovery, the method is still being tested on a very small scale. The spore-studded TPUs haven’t made it onto the shelves and into our homes at this point in time, so you don’t have to worry about stepping on a banana peel and seeing your Crocs go all Silence of the Lambs on themselves just yet.

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Salk Institute’s “Super” Plants Hope to Combat Climate Change https://staging.sandiegomagazine.com/features/salk-institute-harnessing-plants-initiative/ Thu, 10 Oct 2024 20:26:05 +0000 https://sandiegomagazine.com/?p=88646 The research institute has been engineering plants to grow larger and deeper roots that contain suberin, a polymer known for sucking up carbon

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When Wolfgang Busch first became mesmerized by plant roots as a young scientist, he didn’t realize they could potentially help save the world. He was captivated by how, without a brain, they could do things like actively track down nutrients. Now, he believes the simple root—the unsung underground hero of foliage and flora everywhere—might just be the buffer between us and climate devastation.

Over billions of years, Busch explains, plants have evolved to take up carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air. They absorb it through their leaves, build their own biological material using the carbon, and then release the oxygen, which is the O2 that we breathe. In other words, every part of a plant has been constructed from CO2, powered by sunlight via photosynthesis. “Plants are very good at this,” he says. “So making them a little better will go a long way.”

For the past seven years, Busch and his team at The Salk Institute’s Harnessing Plants Initiative have been engineering plants to grow larger and deeper roots that also contain more suberin, a polymer found in the roots of all land plants that is legendary for sucking up carbon.

Busch says this recipe—deeper and more suberin-rich roots—will keep carbon locked beneath our feet for longer. Because suberin is slow to decompose (it’s like jawbreakers for soil microbes), it becomes “a very stable currency in the carbon bank of the soil,” he explains.

Salk Institute scientist Wolfgang Busch who is leading the Salk Institute's Harnessing Plants Initiative to develop genetically modified plants to reduce the effects of climate change
Photo Credit: Mateo Hoke
Busch shows off the new and improved root system of his “Salk Ideal Plants.”

Once Busch and his team master these magic roots on a model lab plant— and they are well on their way—they plan to transfer these traits to common crops to solve more than one problem: By the 2080s, the world population is expected to soar to 11 billion, and humanity will be growing more food to meet demand. “So combining food production with carbon sequestration was a no-brainer,” Busch says.

This is the masterplan: Farmers throughout the world adopt these “Salk Ideal Plants” as new growing specimens. As they feed Earth’s larger population, they will also be banking carbon beneath the sun drenched soil in a vast network of mega-roots. If everything goes to plan, Busch expects that in a couple of decades, his program will be responsible for pulling two gigatons of carbon out of the atmosphere each year, which would be equivalent to taking 400 million gasoline-powered cars off the road. “We just need to work very hard for it,” he says.

An epson seed-planting robot assisting the Salk Institute lab's Harnessing Plants Iniative
Photo Credit: Mateo Hoke
Larry the Seed-Planting Robot assists Busch and his team in the lab. Larry was specially engineered for the Salk Institute and paid for in part with a crowdfunding campaign.

Inside his lab, Busch picks up a small, translucent, cylindrical container with a tiny trial plant inside. The rice stalk is growing in clear agar gel, making its roots visible. The root system stretches downward like a mass of tributaries, small parts of something greater. “A lot of roots, huh?” Busch says, with a wide grin.

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