La Jolla, CA

It can be hard for locals to decide on the best San Diego brewery, but the popular review website Yelp recently declared Pure Project the best one in California.

San Diego is known for being one of the craft beer capitols of the U.S., and local brewers have pioneered many of the most popular styles today. Pure Project is one such San Diego brewery that puts a unique spin on your favorite beers.

For Pure Project, craft beer excellence looks like attention to detail, a heavy focus on quality ingredients, and a commitment to sustainable sourcing. That’s why it’s one of the most notable San Diego breweries out there — and why it has captured the attention of Yelp.

Some standout beers at Pure Project include the Joshua Tree Facelift, which is made with Talus, Nelson, Citra Cryo hops and carries notes of citrus, lemongrass, and apricot. It also makes a delicious Built to Last Mexican-style lager crafted with New Zealand-grown Freestyle Hops.

For fans of traditional West Coast India Pale Ales with San Diego styling, the Clearer Thinking IPA might be up your alley. It’s made with Strata, Nelson, Citra, & Citra Cryo Hops, sports an 8.5% ABV, and has dank notes of resin and melon.

As mentioned earlier, Pure Project is a San Diego brewery that’s focused on people and the planet. Through their “Beer for Good” mantra, Pure Project is a climate-neutral brewery that works to reduce its plastic consumption whenever possible. It’s also a member of 1% for the Planet and has donated more than $300,000 to nonprofit partners since its founding.

Although every day is a good day to drink beer in San Diego, you may have another excuse coming out. American Craft Beer Week is between May 15 and May 21 this year, so be sure to check out Pure Project and some of the other top 10 breweries in North County.

If you want to dive into San Diego brewery culture in the city’s jewel, you can check out our beer lover’s guide to La Jolla.

Banner image courtesy of pureproject.org

While not expected to be as severe as other SoCal regions, excessive rainfall in San Diego County could cause flash flooding.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA — Another powerful atmospheric-river-fueled storm is expected to slam Southern California Tuesday bringing torrential downpours, flooding and snow at higher elevations — but San Diego County may escape the brunt it.

The storm is expected to be far more powerful in Southern California than last week’s, and is expected to hit Ventura and Los Angeles counties hardest on Tuesday.

While the local mountains could receive several inches of rain, coastal and valleys could get nearly 2 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service. The mountains and foothills will receive the highest rates of rain, possibly between a half-inch and 1 inch per hour.

Find out what's happening in La Jollawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Forecasters said there is a 5 percent chance that San Diego County will see rainfall exceeding levels that can cause flash flooding.

“Flood watch in effect for most of southwest California tonight thru early Wed. This is a very wet storm, with a lot of water over already saturated grounds,” the weather service warned. “Expect significant road and creek flooding. Moderate threat of river flooding and burn scar debris flows.

Find out what's happening in La Jollawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Confidence is fairly high that this storm will bring significant widespread heavy rainfall to the region. In fact, it will be a big surprise if it does not do so."

While rain is likely to start falling in the pre-dawn hours in San Diego County, the brunt of the storm is expected to hit the area late Tuesday afternoon through late Tuesday night, according to AccuWeather.

"There will likely be widespread and significant roadway flooding across the region from this storm, but there may also be more significant flooding, with mud and debris flows, rock slides, and some flooding of creeks and rivers," according to the NWS.

Although the storm will be particularly wet, forecasters said the snow level will remain above 8,000 feet, with little to no accumulations anticipated, according to AccuWeather.

Dry weather is expected to return Wednesday night through Thursday night, with another smaller system sliding into the area by Friday and lasting into the weekend although the bulk of that storm will likely remain to the north, resulting in a mostly dry but cool weekend.

--City News Service contributed to this report.

The big weekend for car lovers is finally here. The La Jolla Concours d’Elegance officially starts this weekend with plenty of festivities from Friday through Sunday.

As one of the best car shows in San Diego and Southern California, the Concours d’Elegance brings together hundreds of world-class automobiles from across the globe. You’ll find more than 150 stunning cars displayed alongside the pristine La Jolla Cove coastline.

For those interested in attending, the Concours kicks off with a VIP party on Friday night. The signature Scripps Park event will feature a hosted cocktail bar, amazing dishes from local restaurants, a live auction, and plenty of entertainment.

On Saturday, April 22, the famous Tour d’Elegance will commence. The parade of cars will travel through beautiful scenic routes before ending up at a private beach club showing off private, exclusive car collections.

The actual Concours d’Elegance car show will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 23 in Scripps Park. Along with a display of more than 150 classic cars, there will also be live music, champagne and honey tasting, and other festivities.

General admission to the car show proper on Sunday starts at $95. However, there are also plenty of ways to enjoy the Concours d’Elegance without needing to purchase a ticket.

For example, on Friday, April 21, there will be an incredible — and free — display of 75 breathtaking Porsches on La Jolla’s Prospect Street The aptly named Porsches on Prospect event runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

If you’re a fan of Ferrari vehicles, you’ll definitely also want to check out the La Jolla Motor Car Classic. This event will feature a lineup of Italian-made sports cars right outside of the main Concours d’Elegance event on Sunday.

In other words, this is the best event for car lovers in the San Diego area. And, there are plenty of ways to celebrate the occasion.

Where to buy La Jolla Concours d’Elegance tickets

For more information or to purchase tickets, check out the official Concours website.

Banner image courtesy of lajollaconcours.com

La Jolla has its share of beautiful coastal views year-round, from Scripps Pier to the sunsets at Windansea. But for a few months each year, the occasional geyser-like bursts of air from gray whales out at sea join the mix.

As part of their 10,000-mile-plus annual round trip to Baja California and back to the Arctic region, gray whales can be seen from La Jolla’s coast from December to about April.

They’re now making their southern migration to their breeding and calving grounds in the lagoons of Baja, where most will stay from January to March. The migration back to their northern feeding grounds begins for some in February and is completed for most by May.

Gray whales, which weigh 70,000 to 90,000 pounds, travel at about 5 mph and average about 75 miles a day, according to the Oceanic Society. Newborns are about 15 feet long and weigh about 1,500 pounds.

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Ally Rice, a staff researcher at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, said “gray whales are interesting because they make one of the longest migrations of any mammal. They spend the winter down in these little warm lagoons in Baja California ... to mate and give birth because it is a nice warm place. What people see now is the whales passing San Diego as they head down. ... Then in the spring they will be heading back north.”

The migration is staggered, she said, and pregnant whales might head down sooner. Those that have given birth might head north later. As they pass our coast, they need to come up for air, which provides a chance to see them.

Contrary to popular belief, Rice said, the whales are not blowing water out of their spouts when they breach.

“It’s actually hot breath reaching the cold air and creating condensation,” she said. “Then they breathe in and dive back down. [The condensation] can be 15 feet high, so that is the easiest thing to see. You can see it from far away and it will hang out in the air, so even if the body is underwater, you can see the breath. Gray whales ... will take three to five breaths and go under for 10 minutes and come up again.”

One also might see a whale’s 10-foot-wide tail during a dive.

Viewing spots in La Jolla

Places in La Jolla such as The Cove and the Torrey Pines Gliderport provide a high vantage point to see the whales as they make their journey.

Another spot is Whale View Point, a short stretch of shoreline parks along Coast Boulevard South.

Area resident and La Jolla Parks & Beaches board member Ann Dynes, who shepherded a project to put native vegetation and new benches at Whale View Point, said she has seen whales from there on occasion.

“It’s purely random; you have to be sitting outside looking out,” she said. “But once, [my husband, Bob, and I] saw a mother and her calf that had gotten trapped in the kelp bed, so they were really close. Other times, you see them breach out of the kelp beds. It’s just a question of how close they come and how often they breach. We feel beyond lucky that we get to look out at the beautiful water. To me, the whales are a lovely occasional happenstance that enhances … one of the nicest little coastlines.”

Whale View Point is located roughly in the 300-600 blocks of Coast Boulevard South. It was so named on an original La Jolla Park subdivision of 1887 that was prepared for the Pacific Land Bureau. The city of San Diego later took to calling the area Cuvier Park because the largest viewing area is at the end of Cuvier Street.

La Jolla Historical Society historian Carol Olten said locals must have named the area Whale View Point, possibly for the occasional viewing of whales, as other landmarks in the area are similarly named for other things.

“Some other nearby points identified on the map are Rocky Point, Alligator Head Point and Goldfish Point,” she said, and “in reading the social reports in some of the old late-19th-century newspapers, I occasionally have come across people referencing their observances of sea life offshore, but most often the smaller seal critters.”

Whale-watching tips

Rice suggests binoculars when watching for gray whales from shore — and a little patience.

“Gray whales are one of the smaller of the baleen whales, but they can still get up to 45 to 50 feet long,” she said. “They are distinct in that they have a mottled gray color instead of one color and have barnacles on their heads, so they have this bumpy appearance. A lot of these bigger whales have baleen, which are hard plates at the top of their jaw made of keratin like our fingernails. Gray whales ... are bottom feeders. They dive down, roll onto their sides and leave their mouth open and suck up the sediment and take up all the little critters on the seafloor and filter it though their baleen.”

Local companies offer whale-watching tours at sea, though Rice advises those aboard boats to keep their distance. The Marine Mammal Protection Act calls for 100-yard separation between vessels and whales to prevent injury. ◆

Brunch is a staple of American dining culture and a particularly popular phenomenon in San Diego. Whether you’re hunting for smashed avocado toast with bottomless Bloody Marys or creative egg dishes, this curated list of spots around town will make choosing where to brunch an easy decision with tasty food, strong coffee, and maybe a few cocktails.

One of the year’s biggest brunch holidays is coming up, with Mother’s Day on the horizon. Reservations are a must for the big day, whether you’re treating mom to mimosas and a luxe buffet or afternoon tea service.

Note: map points are listed geographically.

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The Seabird Resort’s oceanfront ballroom will be the setting for Piper Restaurant’s Mother’s Day brunch, available on May 14 between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. and priced at $110 for adults and $42 for kids 5 to 12. Expect a buffet of brunch classics, along with a fried chicken and waffle bar and a toast bar.

The Encinitas restaurant’s special Mother’s Day brunch, priced at $70 per person, is a three-course affair that’ll start with fresh-baked lemon blueberry Danishes and include options like gin-cured salmon toast, hangar steak and poached eggs, and an East Coast-style lobster roll.

With views of the Pacific Ocean, the L’Auberge Del Mar’s Mother’s Day event is a brunch buffet, priced at $150 for adults and $49 for children that will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The special spread will include made-to-order omelets, a chilled seafood display, hand-carved meats, and a range of desserts.

Among the several Mother’s Day happenings at the hotel is a special Mother’s Day edition of the afternoon tea held in its elegant lobby lounge. With seatings from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the service will include premium tea, finger sandwiches and pastries, and a glass of sparkling wine plus a make-your-own succulent activity. $125 per adult, $60 per child ages 4 to 11.

With the Torrey Pines Golf Course as a lush backdrop, the Lodge’s Mother’s Day brunch will run from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, featuring a three-course brunch created by executive chef Kelli Crosson that will offer course options like French toast, English pea carbonara, roasted beef tenderloin, white wine-braised halibut, and lavender honey cake. The feast is $145 for adults and $75 for children 11 and under.

Executive chef Mike Minor’s plan for Mother’s Day at the waterside restaurant is a luxurious four-course prix fixe menu that will be served starting at noon until 7 p.m. Moms in attendance will also get an edible souvenir in the form of a box of handmade chocolates.

For Mother’s Day, the Prospect Street restaurant is opening its lower level dining room for a Mother’s Day brunch that’ll take showcase its floor-to-ceiling ocean views. Offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the menu from executive chef Masa Kojima includes a la carte options ranging from brioche French toast and eggs Benedict to huevos rancheros and a wild mushroom and cheese omelet. Its other levels, George’s Ocean Terrace and Level2, will both be open 11:00 a.m., featuring additional breakfast dishes on top of its regular lunch menu.

Festa Della Mamma, aka Mother’s Day, will be celebrated Italian-style at the al fresco restaurant within the InterContinental San Diego hotel. Priced at $67 per person and $39 for children aged four to twelve, the brunch includes bread and frittatas for the table to share and daytime dishes like toast alla Francese with mascarpone, boozy figs, and berries and lasagna with truffle fonduta.

The downtown hotel is presenting its iconic tea service on select days in May, including Mother’s Day. Held in its grand lobby from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and priced at $75 for adults and $35 for children ages 2 to 12, the experience includes tea, gourmet tea sandwiches, pastries, a glass of champagne for those of age, and a take-home gift, with a harpist providing live music to dine by.

The acclaimed East Village restaurant with a four-course Mother’s Day meal served family-style. Available from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and priced at $75 for adults and $40 for children 10 and under, the menu from chef/owner Travis Swikard will include his signature spreads and pita bread along with course choices like eggs Florentine, pistachio brioche French toast, and grilled lamb dolmas.

The Pendry San Diego’s all-day restaurant is all about the Moët this Mother’s Day, with a brunch offered from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 14 that will include a glass of Moët Champagne and access to various brunch stations ranging from a custom crepe bar to a hand-carved meat station as well as menu options like breakfast lasagna and strawberry French toast. There will also be photo booth and crafts for kids to enjoy. $85 per adult and $32 per child.

The legendary Hotel del Coronado is a longtime favorite destination for Mother’s Day brunch, with its largest event held in Southpointe Ballroom. Priced at $185 for adults and $95 for children four to 12, and free to children under 3, the brunch will feature live music and a champagne toast along with a chilled seafood bar, carving stations, and an extravagant dessert bar.

The Seabird Resort’s oceanfront ballroom will be the setting for Piper Restaurant’s Mother’s Day brunch, available on May 14 between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. and priced at $110 for adults and $42 for kids 5 to 12. Expect a buffet of brunch classics, along with a fried chicken and waffle bar and a toast bar.

The Encinitas restaurant’s special Mother’s Day brunch, priced at $70 per person, is a three-course affair that’ll start with fresh-baked lemon blueberry Danishes and include options like gin-cured salmon toast, hangar steak and poached eggs, and an East Coast-style lobster roll.

With views of the Pacific Ocean, the L’Auberge Del Mar’s Mother’s Day event is a brunch buffet, priced at $150 for adults and $49 for children that will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The special spread will include made-to-order omelets, a chilled seafood display, hand-carved meats, and a range of desserts.

Among the several Mother’s Day happenings at the hotel is a special Mother’s Day edition of the afternoon tea held in its elegant lobby lounge. With seatings from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the service will include premium tea, finger sandwiches and pastries, and a glass of sparkling wine plus a make-your-own succulent activity. $125 per adult, $60 per child ages 4 to 11.

With the Torrey Pines Golf Course as a lush backdrop, the Lodge’s Mother’s Day brunch will run from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, featuring a three-course brunch created by executive chef Kelli Crosson that will offer course options like French toast, English pea carbonara, roasted beef tenderloin, white wine-braised halibut, and lavender honey cake. The feast is $145 for adults and $75 for children 11 and under.

Executive chef Mike Minor’s plan for Mother’s Day at the waterside restaurant is a luxurious four-course prix fixe menu that will be served starting at noon until 7 p.m. Moms in attendance will also get an edible souvenir in the form of a box of handmade chocolates.

For Mother’s Day, the Prospect Street restaurant is opening its lower level dining room for a Mother’s Day brunch that’ll take showcase its floor-to-ceiling ocean views. Offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the menu from executive chef Masa Kojima includes a la carte options ranging from brioche French toast and eggs Benedict to huevos rancheros and a wild mushroom and cheese omelet. Its other levels, George’s Ocean Terrace and Level2, will both be open 11:00 a.m., featuring additional breakfast dishes on top of its regular lunch menu.

Festa Della Mamma, aka Mother’s Day, will be celebrated Italian-style at the al fresco restaurant within the InterContinental San Diego hotel. Priced at $67 per person and $39 for children aged four to twelve, the brunch includes bread and frittatas for the table to share and daytime dishes like toast alla Francese with mascarpone, boozy figs, and berries and lasagna with truffle fonduta.

The downtown hotel is presenting its iconic tea service on select days in May, including Mother’s Day. Held in its grand lobby from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and priced at $75 for adults and $35 for children ages 2 to 12, the experience includes tea, gourmet tea sandwiches, pastries, a glass of champagne for those of age, and a take-home gift, with a harpist providing live music to dine by.

The acclaimed East Village restaurant with a four-course Mother’s Day meal served family-style. Available from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and priced at $75 for adults and $40 for children 10 and under, the menu from chef/owner Travis Swikard will include his signature spreads and pita bread along with course choices like eggs Florentine, pistachio brioche French toast, and grilled lamb dolmas.

The Pendry San Diego’s all-day restaurant is all about the Moët this Mother’s Day, with a brunch offered from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 14 that will include a glass of Moët Champagne and access to various brunch stations ranging from a custom crepe bar to a hand-carved meat station as well as menu options like breakfast lasagna and strawberry French toast. There will also be photo booth and crafts for kids to enjoy. $85 per adult and $32 per child.

The legendary Hotel del Coronado is a longtime favorite destination for Mother’s Day brunch, with its largest event held in Southpointe Ballroom. Priced at $185 for adults and $95 for children four to 12, and free to children under 3, the brunch will feature live music and a champagne toast along with a chilled seafood bar, carving stations, and an extravagant dessert bar.