Captain's Log

When planning your trip to San Diego, remember that our city’s airport is ranked #1 in the country as the closest to downtown and popular tourist areas. This means your first and last days don’t have to be wasted “travel days” schlepping from airport to hotel and vice versa. Let’s say you’re arriving in San […]

Think back; What was your first job? Cashier? Babysitter? Fast-food? Most people, when asked that question, screw up their faces as they recoil from the memory of their first and often worst job. Yesterday, while wiping the water spots from Riviera’s windows and polishing the stainless steel, I reflected on my first job and how […]

The giant bulge in the front pocket of his jeans was a dead giveaway. What else could a two-inch square be but a box containing an engagement ring? But Joanne, the lovely “fiancee-to-be,” asked no questions as they boarded Riviera and made themselves comfortable. She had resigned herself to enjoy the lavish attention shown by […]

I’ve witnessed the evolution of San Diego’s Waterfront all my life. As a teenager armed with my camera, I rode my bike through the railroad yard wastelands before the creation of Seaport Village and on the boardwalk planks of the Embarcadero, and watched the Portuguese and Italian tuna fisherman unload their catches. For many years, […]

“You haven’t lived until you’ve sailed.” Anyone fortunate enough to have stood on the deck of a sailing vessel as it cuts through the sea powered only by wind knows this to be true. In a world where adults spend, on average, a staggering 7 hours per day in front of a screen, a day […]

My Dad, a man of incredible bravery, was a WWII war hero, a father of five, and a devoted husband who had been married to my mom for over 50 years. His courage and dedication were unmatched, and I consider myself beyond fortunate to have him as my father. Dad introduced me to the magical […]

When I was born, my mother was 41, and in the 1960s, having a baby when you were over 40 was rare. I realized by the fifth grade that my parents were old. I don’t mean they were just older than me; they were ancient! My two best friends, Richie Brownsberger, and Mike Fillipponi, had […]

“The kids will love it”! Famous last words spoken by innumerable parents as they plan their spring break vacations: Past bad memories of family excursions gone awry fade as the fantasy of a successful vacation with the kids, full of love, laughter, and gratitude, soaks the parental brain into believing a fun-filled family outing will happen, […]

It always fascinates me how couples meet—a dinner party, arranged by a nosey aunt. A chance meeting with friends at a bar, or perhaps she just swiped right, and the rest was history. Clinton, a young man from Arizona, first saw Kaleen (his future wife) in 2017 on a beach in San Diego, precisely seven […]

Statistically, going to dinner to celebrate Valentine’s Day does not end well. A recent poll suggests that 49% of all couples that dine out for the Holiday of Love find it disappointing. Yet, year after year, couples flock to overcrowded restaurants, go through the motions, and pay the swollen check on what is typically a […]