Seaweed and the search for a sense of place have anchored Mohammad Sedarat to the SoCal region of San Diego and La Jolla. Sedarat is a marine ecologist and Ph.D. student at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla. His research explores how global warming is affecting the ocean’s kelp forests, and how we may be able to conserve and restore them. Follow along as he takes us on a tour of his favorite spots of the region.
Southern California, California
Favorite place to eat in SoCal: Harry's Coffee Shop in La Jolla. It’s been there for so long. Like some of the professors I'm friends with from Scripps, who are generations older than me, have been going to Harry's since Harry was alive; their kids grew up on Harry's. It's just a diner, but when you go inside, it's like you're getting transferred back to the 50s or 60s. There’s no cell reception, they’re always playing Baroque classical music, and every square inch of wall space has some kind of cool art…historic photos, old baseball cards. And then, after a long dive day, if you finish in time—because they close early, they're more of a breakfast place—you can close Harry’s, which sounds like you're closing a bar, but it's, like, 3 p.m. You can eat as much food as you want because you've been starving in the field the whole day and you're there with your buddies from work…. Definitely some good memories right there.
Best kept SoCal secret: Behind the Model Railroad Museum in Balboa Park, there's a parking lot—I guess it’s the corner of the Japanese Friendship Garden—there's this lone rainbow eucalyptus. It's huge, but it's not just a usual eucalyptus tree. It's this kind that has a trunk that is all the colors of the rainbow, essentially. It’s unreal. Just one humble little tree (it’s pretty big actually). And I always try to park right there and walk by and hang out with it for a second.
I love SoCal because...we have Torrey Pines in Southern California and we don't really have them anywhere else. They're one of the rarest pine species, and they only naturally grow here in Southern California. And so our coastline is beautiful already, but it's that much more unique because of the tree line that these Torrey Pines create.
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Transformative Currents: Art and Action in the Pacific Ocean
EXPAND YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVE
The themes in the PST ART exhibit Transformative Currents, hosted at multiple locations in Orange County and San Diego, echo much of the work that Sedarat himself is doing: examining how issues such as climate change and pollution are affecting the Pacific Ocean and using the concept of currents to illustrate connection and mutual responsibility.
“Anything with environmental devastation, especially the Pacific Ocean, I'm there,” says Sedarat. “I want to know what people are talking about, especially when we're looking at the history. What can we learn from stuff that's already happened? And I appreciate that the exhibit has a cultural aspect. Being environmental is the buzzword, but there’s more to it now. And when the issue becomes more inclusive and well rounded, then it’s not so much just about science. It’s about progress, thinking both inside and outside a bigger box than what we've kind of been biased into working in. There are so many different players that aren't part of the conversation who have something to offer. So this exhibit is going to be very cool to see. And then Crystal Cove on the Newport Coast [Editor’s Note: The Crystal Cove Conservancy is one of the exhibit hosts] is gorgeous.”
Ecke Ranch Road, Encinitas
WED-MON:9AM–5PM (last ticket entry at 4 p.m.)
TUE:CLOSED
ADVANCE RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED
TAKE A GARDEN TOUR
As you travel further along the coast towards San Diego, stop off at San Diego Botanic Garden. “I’ve always loved plants,” expresses Sedarat, “and the San Diego Botanic Garden is an amazing place.” Let that garden serve as inspiration for your own and stock up at nearby nursery Solana Succulents. “It’s a well-kept secret because you have to drive along the coastal 101 to even get there. You'll go in, and you'll think you're either in a park or someone's very well-curated backyard garden, but everything's for sale. And you'll find things that aren't your classic Home Depot, non-native variety of plants. The owner, Jeff Moore, he loves the native plants, especially succulents, that we find around here.”
2710 Manchester Avenue, , Cardiff
MON-SUN:9AM-5PM
ESCAPE INTO NATURE
Sedarat also has an affinity for wetlands, especially because of their ecological role in nature. “Wetlands are important,” he explains. “They're amazing in the context of sea level rise and storm flooding control.” To experience their beauty, Sedarat recommends the San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve and Nature Center at the base of the Torrey Pines Natural Reserve. “It’s one of the few easily accessible spots [to the lagoon] and the wetlands are a quick fix if you're trying to immerse yourself in nature without having to drive hours. You walk maybe 10 minutes in any given direction, and you can't really see anything aside from the local nature.”
Helen and Newton Harrison: California Work
MEET TWO ECOLOGICAL ARTISTS
Helen and Newton Harrison: California Work, also at multiple locations, showcases the life work of this husband and wife team, two of the earliest ecological artists. “I'm excited for these exhibits,” says Sedarat. “[The Harrison’s efforts] to make topsoil, that's amazing. I love how these things all connect to something that definitely hits close to home for me on an environmental level. And it’s going to be fun to check out some of these venues. Like, one of them is the La Jolla Historical Society, and I've walked by that building so many times and not realized what's in there. And then Mandeville Art Gallery at UCSD…it’s just a concrete box on the outside, but inside, it opens up and it’s the perfect gallery.”
Embodied Pacific
VISIT SITES NEAR AND DEAR TO SEDARAT
The tour’s next stop is PST ART’s Embodied Pacific. One of the host venues is Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography where Sedarat studies and works. The exhibition is an expansive exploration of oceanography through workshops, programs, and immersive exhibits. “When I first started out as an undergraduate, I was actually pre med,” Sedarat reflects. “But [over time], I realized I was happier working in the ocean. Instead of having to take vacation from, like, a day job in healthcare to go to the ocean, I could actually just be there every day. And the Birch Aquarium was part of that realization, that tipping of the scales in that direction.”
Another venue of Embodied Pacific is at Kendall-Frost Mission Bay Reserve, where there are more wetlands. “I would love to see infrastructure develop and start to use wetlands more than has been done so far. Wetlands’ design actually solves a lot of our extreme environmental issues and climate problems. So Kendall Frost is really awesome and I can't wait to see what's going on there in relation to this exhibit.”
Ask Sedarat to recommend a beach in the area and he has an easy answer: “The beach near Scripps where I work. You're in the office, but you can walk down the hill or from wherever you are on campus, and get on the beach within minutes and have a surf or a swim. There are tide pools just to the north of the pier. It’s maybe a little bit on the nose, but it’s where I hang out the most.”
7545 Girard Avenue, La Jolla
MON-SUN:7AM-2:30PM
GRAB A BITE
Around now you may be feeling hungry. Head to one of Sedarat’s favorite restaurants in the area, a friendly diner: Harry's Coffee Shop in La Jolla. “It’s been there for so long,” he says. “Like some of the professors I'm friends with from Scripps, who are generations older than me, have been going to Harry's since Harry was alive. When you go inside, it's like you're getting transferred back to the 50s or 60s. There’s no cell reception, they’re always playing Baroque classical music, and every square inch of wall space has some kind of cool art…historic photos, old baseball cards. After a long dive day, if you finish in time—because they close early, they're more of a breakfast place—you can close Harry’s, which sounds like you're closing a bar, but it's, like, 3 p.m. You can eat as much food as you want because you've been starving in the field the whole day and you're there with your buddies from work…. Definitely some good memories right there.”
3793 30th Street, San Diego
SUN-MON:10AM-6PM
TUE:12-6PM
WED-THU:10AM-6PM
FRI-SAT:10AM-7PM
EXPLORE SAN DIEGO
After you’ve refueled, it’s time to head into San Diego proper. Interested to read up on all you’ve been seeing? Sedarat suggests Verbatim Books, a large independent bookstore that specializes in secondhand books. “They've got character, for sure. And they really seem to like dinosaurs,” he laughs. “Definitely worth checking out.”
3793 30th Street, San Diego
PARK AND GROUNDS ARE OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY, 365 DAYS A YEAR. VENUE AND RESTAURANT HOURS VARY. PLEASE CHECK EACH LOCATION BEFORE YOU VISIT.
On the outdoor theme, Balboa Park—and its 1,200 acres—are well worth a wander. “They've got a rotating slew of different displays and exhibits and even just their gardens are beautiful to walk around in,” says Sedarat. “It's kind of like Central Park as far as California goes.” [Editor’s Note: There are two PST ART exhibitions in Balboa Park to check out! Wonders of Creation: Art, Science, and Innovation in the Islamic World at the San Diego Museum of Art and Blue Gold: The Art and Science of Indigo at the Mingei International Museum.]
3793 30th Street, San Diego
MON-FRI:8AM-5PM
SAT-SUN:9AM-4PM
For a little healthy energy boost, pop over to Rad Habits Juice Co. “It’s owned by a single mom [Jenna Kuiken] who’s just, like, a total queen. The space is very artistic inside, kind of edgy at times, but all the juices are super colorful and nourishing. Sometimes, when my partner and I are on a bike ride, we’ll end up there, especially on a hot day.”
1549 El Prado, Balboa Park, San Diego
SUN:11:30AM-7:30PM
TUE-SAT:11:30AM-8PM
CLOSED MONDAY
FINISH WITH A TOUCH OF FANCY
To wind up the day, stroll back through Balboa Park to The Prado, a Spanish-influenced restaurant housed in a National Landmark building. “It’s a more spendy option, but I like it because it's right next to the Japanese Friendship Garden and it’s got a lot of trees and plants. I'm a sucker for that, right? And the food either tastes good because I like the views, or the food is just good, too.”
