Anyone know where to go in San Diego? or as far north as orange county?
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San Diego
post #2 of 34
3/8/06 at 6:18pm
Sun Moon perfumes & gifts is a perfume wholesaler which is awesome! I can't say enough about how great their prices are. It is on Palomar St., take the 5 freeway and get off on Palomar, head east and once you cross the trolley train tracks it is on the left side of the street (you can make a left at the light after the tracks and a left again inside the little mall).
BTW, Be sure to take cash because that is all they take, they have an atm there but I don't trust that flimsy looking thing.
BTW, Be sure to take cash because that is all they take, they have an atm there but I don't trust that flimsy looking thing.
post #4 of 34
3/11/06 at 8:49pm
post #5 of 34
9/26/06 at 11:27pm
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post #6 of 34
2/15/07 at 4:21pm
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I wanted to give the details I found on Sun Moon, which is mentioned above. It is actually in Chula Vista, which is 15 minutes or so south of San Diego (and north of Tijuana).
Sun Moon Perfume & Gifts
689 Palomar St
Chula Vista, CA 91911
(619) 427-5448
--------------------------------------
thenmarcher, is the Nordstrom with the good selection you talking about in your post the one in Fashion Valley? There appear to be stores in Horton Plaza downtown and the University Town Center as well. Thanks.
Sun Moon Perfume & Gifts
689 Palomar St
Chula Vista, CA 91911
(619) 427-5448
--------------------------------------
thenmarcher, is the Nordstrom with the good selection you talking about in your post the one in Fashion Valley? There appear to be stores in Horton Plaza downtown and the University Town Center as well. Thanks.
post #7 of 34
2/18/08 at 12:02am
post #8 of 34
2/19/08 at 10:53pm
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--------------------------------------
thenmarcher, is the Nordstrom with the good selection you talking about in your post the one in Fashion Valley? There appear to be stores in Horton Plaza downtown and the University Town Center as well. Thanks.[/QUOTE]
Fashion Valley. Parking is a living hell. Also has a neimans there.
TNMA
thenmarcher, is the Nordstrom with the good selection you talking about in your post the one in Fashion Valley? There appear to be stores in Horton Plaza downtown and the University Town Center as well. Thanks.[/QUOTE]
Fashion Valley. Parking is a living hell. Also has a neimans there.
TNMA
post #9 of 34
7/8/08 at 2:32pm
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So happy to have discovered this thread. Can't wait to get down to Chula Vista!
The SAs in the Sephora at Fashion Valley were much less helpful and friendly than those in San Francisco (off of Union Square). The Nordstrom SAs at FV were nice but not terribly forthcoming with samples.
I'll be curious to check out the mini-Sephora in the JC Penney's at FV. I also want to hit the Bloomie's there.
The SAs in the Sephora at Fashion Valley were much less helpful and friendly than those in San Francisco (off of Union Square). The Nordstrom SAs at FV were nice but not terribly forthcoming with samples.
I'll be curious to check out the mini-Sephora in the JC Penney's at FV. I also want to hit the Bloomie's there.
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9/21/08 at 7:45pm
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post #11 of 34
9/21/08 at 10:12pm
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Everso, the Gaslamp District is in downtown San Diego. There aren't a whole lot of fragrance places down there, at least not that I know of.
Your best bet would probably be to visit Horton Plaza, the shopping mall downtown. The Nordstrom and Macy's there have O.K. frag selections. There's also apparently a Perfume Gallery there--I've never been, so I can't say if it's any good.
Have a fun trip, and let us know if you find anything good!
Your best bet would probably be to visit Horton Plaza, the shopping mall downtown. The Nordstrom and Macy's there have O.K. frag selections. There's also apparently a Perfume Gallery there--I've never been, so I can't say if it's any good.
Have a fun trip, and let us know if you find anything good!
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9/22/08 at 11:13am
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9/23/08 at 8:37am
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post #14 of 34
10/10/08 at 11:18am
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11/17/08 at 5:57pm
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Wow! I just came back from San Diego, and I gotta say I envy all of you Basenotes members who live there!
If you ever have a lay-over in San Diego, it is *SO* easy to use public transportation to go perfume shopping. Here's what I did.
From the airport, take Bus 992 to downtown. Get a $5 all-day pass. Get off at Santa Fe Depot (downtown). Take the Blue Line Trolley to Old Town. (It's not really blue. It's actually red. But it says BLUE LINE.) Get off the Blue Line and transfer to the Green Line to Santee (again, the trolleys are all red, despite what it says on the scroll screen). Get off at Fashion Valley.
Walk thru the Macy's and on the other side is a walkway. Go down that way, and you have a Nordstrom's on your left and a Neiman Marcus on the right.
Heavens!
Neiman Marcus: Jo Malone, L'Artisan, Prada, Tom Ford, Karl Lagerfeld, La Prairie, etc.
The SA's here were not as forthcoming with samples as next door at. . .
Nordstrom's: Estee Lauder including Private Collection, Chanel, Dior, Bulgari, Givenchy, Hermes, True Religion, Lolita Lempicka, Valentino, Cartier (they had Must de Cartier, even. . . )
Without my even asking, SA's gave me decanted samples both days I went there. Freaky! I wish they were this nice in *my* town!
On the second floor is. . .
L'Occitane: again, the SA's there was so helpful. . . she gave me a buttload of samples, even though I didn't even buy anything!
Also, towards the food court, there is an Aveda. I had never been to one before. They have essential oils. (Now I know what Divatologist is talking about when she refers to her special Alien + Aveda Patchouli blend!)
I'm sure there's more, but I just didn't have enough time to look around as it was getting dark, and I didn't wanna be walking around downtown San Diego in the dark. And it's good I left when I did, cuz as I was walking back to my hotel, I stopped to help an elderly man in a motor scooter who had just gotten beaten up and mugged by a guy on a bike. He had gotten punched in the eye and the ribs before another guy saw what was going on and crossed the street to beat up the attacker. The mugger got away, but not before the old guy ripped his shirt off. So if you see a guy biking around downtown San Diego, with wild crazy white hair and his shirt half ripped off, tell him I'd like to bash his testicles till they hemorrhage. How dare he beat up on a helpless elderly guy!
If you ever have a lay-over in San Diego, it is *SO* easy to use public transportation to go perfume shopping. Here's what I did.
From the airport, take Bus 992 to downtown. Get a $5 all-day pass. Get off at Santa Fe Depot (downtown). Take the Blue Line Trolley to Old Town. (It's not really blue. It's actually red. But it says BLUE LINE.) Get off the Blue Line and transfer to the Green Line to Santee (again, the trolleys are all red, despite what it says on the scroll screen). Get off at Fashion Valley.
Walk thru the Macy's and on the other side is a walkway. Go down that way, and you have a Nordstrom's on your left and a Neiman Marcus on the right.
Heavens!
Neiman Marcus: Jo Malone, L'Artisan, Prada, Tom Ford, Karl Lagerfeld, La Prairie, etc.
The SA's here were not as forthcoming with samples as next door at. . .
Nordstrom's: Estee Lauder including Private Collection, Chanel, Dior, Bulgari, Givenchy, Hermes, True Religion, Lolita Lempicka, Valentino, Cartier (they had Must de Cartier, even. . . )
Without my even asking, SA's gave me decanted samples both days I went there. Freaky! I wish they were this nice in *my* town!
On the second floor is. . .
L'Occitane: again, the SA's there was so helpful. . . she gave me a buttload of samples, even though I didn't even buy anything!
Also, towards the food court, there is an Aveda. I had never been to one before. They have essential oils. (Now I know what Divatologist is talking about when she refers to her special Alien + Aveda Patchouli blend!)
I'm sure there's more, but I just didn't have enough time to look around as it was getting dark, and I didn't wanna be walking around downtown San Diego in the dark. And it's good I left when I did, cuz as I was walking back to my hotel, I stopped to help an elderly man in a motor scooter who had just gotten beaten up and mugged by a guy on a bike. He had gotten punched in the eye and the ribs before another guy saw what was going on and crossed the street to beat up the attacker. The mugger got away, but not before the old guy ripped his shirt off. So if you see a guy biking around downtown San Diego, with wild crazy white hair and his shirt half ripped off, tell him I'd like to bash his testicles till they hemorrhage. How dare he beat up on a helpless elderly guy!
post #16 of 34
11/18/08 at 8:29am
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Fashion Valley mall also has a Sephora, Kiehl's, Bath and Body Works, and Art of Shaving. Lots to do there!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aiona 
Wow! I just came back from San Diego, and I gotta say I envy all of you Basenotes members who live there!
If you ever have a lay-over in San Diego, it is *SO* easy to use public transportation to go perfume shopping. Here's what I did.
From the airport, take Bus 992 to downtown. Get a $5 all-day pass. Get off at Santa Fe Depot (downtown). Take the Blue Line Trolley to Old Town. (It's not really blue. It's actually red. But it says BLUE LINE.) Get off the Blue Line and transfer to the Green Line to Santee (again, the trolleys are all red, despite what it says on the scroll screen). Get off at Fashion Valley.
Walk thru the Macy's and on the other side is a walkway. Go down that way, and you have a Nordstrom's on your left and a Neiman Marcus on the right.
Heavens!
Neiman Marcus: Jo Malone, L'Artisan, Prada, Tom Ford, Karl Lagerfeld, La Prairie, etc.
The SA's here were not as forthcoming with samples as next door at. . .
Nordstrom's: Estee Lauder including Private Collection, Chanel, Dior, Bulgari, Givenchy, Hermes, True Religion, Lolita Lempicka, Valentino, Cartier (they had Must de Cartier, even. . . )
Without my even asking, SA's gave me decanted samples both days I went there. Freaky! I wish they were this nice in *my* town!
On the second floor is. . .
L'Occitane: again, the SA's there was so helpful. . . she gave me a buttload of samples, even though I didn't even buy anything!
Also, towards the food court, there is an Aveda. I had never been to one before. They have essential oils. (Now I know what Divatologist is talking about when she refers to her special Alien + Aveda Patchouli blend!)
I'm sure there's more, but I just didn't have enough time to look around as it was getting dark, and I didn't wanna be walking around downtown San Diego in the dark. And it's good I left when I did, cuz as I was walking back to my hotel, I stopped to help an elderly man in a motor scooter who had just gotten beaten up and mugged by a guy on a bike. He had gotten punched in the eye and the ribs before another guy saw what was going on and crossed the street to beat up the attacker. The mugger got away, but not before the old guy ripped his shirt off. So if you see a guy biking around downtown San Diego, with wild crazy white hair and his shirt half ripped off, tell him I'd like to bash his testicles till they hemorrhage. How dare he beat up on a helpless elderly guy!

Wow! I just came back from San Diego, and I gotta say I envy all of you Basenotes members who live there!
If you ever have a lay-over in San Diego, it is *SO* easy to use public transportation to go perfume shopping. Here's what I did.
From the airport, take Bus 992 to downtown. Get a $5 all-day pass. Get off at Santa Fe Depot (downtown). Take the Blue Line Trolley to Old Town. (It's not really blue. It's actually red. But it says BLUE LINE.) Get off the Blue Line and transfer to the Green Line to Santee (again, the trolleys are all red, despite what it says on the scroll screen). Get off at Fashion Valley.
Walk thru the Macy's and on the other side is a walkway. Go down that way, and you have a Nordstrom's on your left and a Neiman Marcus on the right.
Heavens!
Neiman Marcus: Jo Malone, L'Artisan, Prada, Tom Ford, Karl Lagerfeld, La Prairie, etc.
The SA's here were not as forthcoming with samples as next door at. . .
Nordstrom's: Estee Lauder including Private Collection, Chanel, Dior, Bulgari, Givenchy, Hermes, True Religion, Lolita Lempicka, Valentino, Cartier (they had Must de Cartier, even. . . )
Without my even asking, SA's gave me decanted samples both days I went there. Freaky! I wish they were this nice in *my* town!
On the second floor is. . .
L'Occitane: again, the SA's there was so helpful. . . she gave me a buttload of samples, even though I didn't even buy anything!
Also, towards the food court, there is an Aveda. I had never been to one before. They have essential oils. (Now I know what Divatologist is talking about when she refers to her special Alien + Aveda Patchouli blend!)
I'm sure there's more, but I just didn't have enough time to look around as it was getting dark, and I didn't wanna be walking around downtown San Diego in the dark. And it's good I left when I did, cuz as I was walking back to my hotel, I stopped to help an elderly man in a motor scooter who had just gotten beaten up and mugged by a guy on a bike. He had gotten punched in the eye and the ribs before another guy saw what was going on and crossed the street to beat up the attacker. The mugger got away, but not before the old guy ripped his shirt off. So if you see a guy biking around downtown San Diego, with wild crazy white hair and his shirt half ripped off, tell him I'd like to bash his testicles till they hemorrhage. How dare he beat up on a helpless elderly guy!
post #17 of 34
11/18/08 at 9:17am
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post #18 of 34
3/14/09 at 1:49am
- Aiona
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San Diego via public transportation:
This whole idea of exploring San Diego via public transporation started because American Airlines ****ed up my flight bigtime, so that I ended up staying in a hotel by the Star of India overnight. While I was waiting for them to figure out that they were going to cancel my flight (which took 8 hours for them to decide) and since I am not someone who is willing to pay $9 for a chicken salad sandwich in a plastic box, I took the city bus to the gaslamp district in order to find cheaper food.
Since that time, I've discovered *MORE* places one can go via city bus/trolley.
From the airport, the city bus #992 goes downtown (and quickly too, it only takes about 10 minutes from the airport to the Santa Fe trolley stop), so if you have a long layover (4 hours or so), you can easily hop outside of the airport and do some perfume shopping before catching your flight.
Places I've been via public transport from the airport:
1. Fashion Valley Mall
Take Bus 992, get off at Santa Fe depot downtown. Get on the Blue Line (it's called "blue" but the trolley is colored red, don't ask, I dunno why that is either) going to Old Town. Get off at Old Town and hop on the Green Line, which stops at Fashion Valley Mall.
Nordstrom's, Neiman Marcus, Sephora, Aveda, Art of Shaving, Bath and Body Works, L'Occitane, and maybe others, but I never have enough to time walk the whole place.
2. Mission Valley Mall?
Okay, I haven't been here, yet, but if you continue on the Green Line, a few stops later is the Mission Valley Mall. I don't know what they have here.
3. Horton Plaza/Perfume Gallery
Take Bus 992, get off on Broadway, anywhere between the San Diego County Courthouse and "NBC San Diego." Walk directly south, and you will run into Horton Plaza. If you enter around the NBC San Diego building, you walk right into Macy's, and if you take the escalator up, you are *in* the men's fragrance department. Walk thru the store to reach the women's section. And if you keep walking, you walk right out of Macy's into the main part of the plaza, second level. Follow the walkway south, and you will pass by a Bath and Body Works, and eventually you will hit Nordstrom's. And right next to Nordstrom's, you really can't miss the Perfume Gallery. I can't say they have much, other than a TON of mini's. There was a cute little mini of Bulgari Omnia, that I debated purchasing for my cousin (whom I found out loves it), but I ended up passing on any purchases for now. They had Creed samples, but no bottles. I thought that was weird.
4. And if you wanna go to the beach, instead of heading into Horton Plaza, hop off the 992, and get on the 901 which takes you all the way to Coronado Island, where you can get off at Hotel del Coronado, and walk south 3 blocks where you can sit on the sand, before you have to head back to the airport to get frisked, sit strapped into a cramped chair in pukey 70's upholstery, and be denied food and water for a few more hours.
This whole idea of exploring San Diego via public transporation started because American Airlines ****ed up my flight bigtime, so that I ended up staying in a hotel by the Star of India overnight. While I was waiting for them to figure out that they were going to cancel my flight (which took 8 hours for them to decide) and since I am not someone who is willing to pay $9 for a chicken salad sandwich in a plastic box, I took the city bus to the gaslamp district in order to find cheaper food.
Since that time, I've discovered *MORE* places one can go via city bus/trolley.
From the airport, the city bus #992 goes downtown (and quickly too, it only takes about 10 minutes from the airport to the Santa Fe trolley stop), so if you have a long layover (4 hours or so), you can easily hop outside of the airport and do some perfume shopping before catching your flight.
Places I've been via public transport from the airport:
1. Fashion Valley Mall
Take Bus 992, get off at Santa Fe depot downtown. Get on the Blue Line (it's called "blue" but the trolley is colored red, don't ask, I dunno why that is either) going to Old Town. Get off at Old Town and hop on the Green Line, which stops at Fashion Valley Mall.
Nordstrom's, Neiman Marcus, Sephora, Aveda, Art of Shaving, Bath and Body Works, L'Occitane, and maybe others, but I never have enough to time walk the whole place.
2. Mission Valley Mall?
Okay, I haven't been here, yet, but if you continue on the Green Line, a few stops later is the Mission Valley Mall. I don't know what they have here.
3. Horton Plaza/Perfume Gallery
Take Bus 992, get off on Broadway, anywhere between the San Diego County Courthouse and "NBC San Diego." Walk directly south, and you will run into Horton Plaza. If you enter around the NBC San Diego building, you walk right into Macy's, and if you take the escalator up, you are *in* the men's fragrance department. Walk thru the store to reach the women's section. And if you keep walking, you walk right out of Macy's into the main part of the plaza, second level. Follow the walkway south, and you will pass by a Bath and Body Works, and eventually you will hit Nordstrom's. And right next to Nordstrom's, you really can't miss the Perfume Gallery. I can't say they have much, other than a TON of mini's. There was a cute little mini of Bulgari Omnia, that I debated purchasing for my cousin (whom I found out loves it), but I ended up passing on any purchases for now. They had Creed samples, but no bottles. I thought that was weird.
4. And if you wanna go to the beach, instead of heading into Horton Plaza, hop off the 992, and get on the 901 which takes you all the way to Coronado Island, where you can get off at Hotel del Coronado, and walk south 3 blocks where you can sit on the sand, before you have to head back to the airport to get frisked, sit strapped into a cramped chair in pukey 70's upholstery, and be denied food and water for a few more hours.
post #19 of 34
3/14/09 at 1:55am
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By the way, the Neiman Marcus at Fashion Valley has a whole set of Tom Ford's stuff for about $180. I got to sample them all, and I really really like Japon Noir. I noticed it doesn't have a whole lot of good reviews, in the directory. And maybe I only liked it because I sampled Champaca alongside it, and I gotta say, I don't like that one at all.
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9/3/09 at 3:23pm
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Kobe's Swat Meet is a flea market held every weekend (Fri, Sat, Sun) in San Diego, near the airport, with about $2.00 entrance. There are several booths, and I think it's run by one group, that are basically makeshift Perfumanias. Mostly department store fragrances with the occasional imported prestige stuff, but no niche. It's probably great for finding varieties of things (edt, edp, lotion) or discontinued frags you can't find elsewhere, but the prices are laughable compared to what you can get online. Also, a lot of their juice is pretty old. Still, pretty fun to dig around (there are like five booths!), especially for minis.
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3/1/11 at 11:01pm
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4/25/11 at 4:34pm
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4/25/11 at 6:45pm
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4/25/11 at 10:13pm
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Quote:
Thank you for your response, I actually live just about 2-3 miles from Fashion Valley Mall, I was just wondering if B'Noters in this area get together or if there are any designers coming around.
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4/26/11 at 6:31am
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Quote:
I also used to live a couple miles from Fashion Valley. On Rancho Mission Road in the Mission Verde condo complex. Small world. Now I live in New Jersey
How I miss San Diego!!!Is it possible that any of those perfume counters at the mall have any event info? Sometimes Sak's or Neiman's has events. But that may only be in larger cities. LA and NY, etc.
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4/26/11 at 8:17am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chaplain 
I also used to live a couple miles from Fashion Valley. On Rancho Mission Road in the Mission Verde condo complex. Small world. Now I live in New Jersey
How I miss San Diego!!!
Is it possible that any of those perfume counters at the mall have any event info? Sometimes Sak's or Neiman's has events. But that may only be in larger cities. LA and NY, etc.

I also used to live a couple miles from Fashion Valley. On Rancho Mission Road in the Mission Verde condo complex. Small world. Now I live in New Jersey
How I miss San Diego!!!Is it possible that any of those perfume counters at the mall have any event info? Sometimes Sak's or Neiman's has events. But that may only be in larger cities. LA and NY, etc.
Ouch!!! from Diego to Joyzee....................

























































































post #27 of 34
4/26/11 at 2:13pm
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I live in San Diego. :-) Unfortunately I don't find the perfume selection to be all that exciting. Saks has closed down, but now we have a Hermes. They have diminished the selection at Nordstroms and Sephora, and the sales staff is so aggressive at Neiman Marcus I hate to step foot in there. (this is all at the Fashion Valley mall). I usually drive up to South Coast Plaza in Orange County for more serious sniffing, although the selection is not that esoteric there either. I end up ordering samples from Luckyscent most of the time. Perfumerie Alexander in La Jolla is nice but limited. At least they have Amouage.
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1/20/12 at 11:22pm
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1/29/12 at 12:50pm
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1/29/12 at 12:51pm
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3/19/12 at 8:47pm
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Ahh, San Diego, how I love thee!
We took the hotel shuttle to the airport, then caught the 992 city bus from Terminal 2 to the Maritime Museum. Then walked over to the Midway where we spent the majority of the day.
Then took a pedi-cab up to the Sante Fe trolley stop. Took the Blue line trolley to Old Town. Got off and switched to the Green Line that stops at the Fashion Valley Mall. This is all do-able with a two-year-old and an Ergo carrier, by the way.
Fashion Valley now has a LUSH Store right next to the Art of Shaving. The cashier informed me they just opened in December 2011. It definitely wasn't there last time I was in San Diego!!! I could not resist the jasmine shower gel.
And as a result, did not visit any other shops on this trip. It's a good location for them... Hitting me right as I walk in from Macy's (from the trolley station).
We took the hotel shuttle to the airport, then caught the 992 city bus from Terminal 2 to the Maritime Museum. Then walked over to the Midway where we spent the majority of the day.
Then took a pedi-cab up to the Sante Fe trolley stop. Took the Blue line trolley to Old Town. Got off and switched to the Green Line that stops at the Fashion Valley Mall. This is all do-able with a two-year-old and an Ergo carrier, by the way.
Fashion Valley now has a LUSH Store right next to the Art of Shaving. The cashier informed me they just opened in December 2011. It definitely wasn't there last time I was in San Diego!!! I could not resist the jasmine shower gel.
And as a result, did not visit any other shops on this trip. It's a good location for them... Hitting me right as I walk in from Macy's (from the trolley station).Quote:
Originally Posted by Aiona 
San Diego via public transportation:
This whole idea of exploring San Diego via public transporation started because American Airlines ****ed up my flight bigtime, so that I ended up staying in a hotel by the Star of India overnight. While I was waiting for them to figure out that they were going to cancel my flight (which took 8 hours for them to decide) and since I am not someone who is willing to pay $9 for a chicken salad sandwich in a plastic box, I took the city bus to the gaslamp district in order to find cheaper food.
Since that time, I've discovered *MORE* places one can go via city bus/trolley.
From the airport, the city bus #992 goes downtown (and quickly too, it only takes about 10 minutes from the airport to the Santa Fe trolley stop), so if you have a long layover (4 hours or so), you can easily hop outside of the airport and do some perfume shopping before catching your flight.
Places I've been via public transport from the airport:
1. Fashion Valley Mall
Take Bus 992, get off at Santa Fe depot downtown. Get on the Blue Line (it's called "blue" but the trolley is colored red, don't ask, I dunno why that is either) going to Old Town. Get off at Old Town and hop on the Green Line, which stops at Fashion Valley Mall.
Nordstrom's, Neiman Marcus, Sephora, Aveda, Art of Shaving, Bath and Body Works, L'Occitane, and maybe others, but I never have enough to time walk the whole place.
2. Mission Valley Mall?
Okay, I haven't been here, yet, but if you continue on the Green Line, a few stops later is the Mission Valley Mall. I don't know what they have here.
3. Horton Plaza/Perfume Gallery
Take Bus 992, get off on Broadway, anywhere between the San Diego County Courthouse and "NBC San Diego." Walk directly south, and you will run into Horton Plaza. If you enter around the NBC San Diego building, you walk right into Macy's, and if you take the escalator up, you are *in* the men's fragrance department. Walk thru the store to reach the women's section. And if you keep walking, you walk right out of Macy's into the main part of the plaza, second level. Follow the walkway south, and you will pass by a Bath and Body Works, and eventually you will hit Nordstrom's. And right next to Nordstrom's, you really can't miss the Perfume Gallery. I can't say they have much, other than a TON of mini's. There was a cute little mini of Bulgari Omnia, that I debated purchasing for my cousin (whom I found out loves it), but I ended up passing on any purchases for now. They had Creed samples, but no bottles. I thought that was weird.
4. And if you wanna go to the beach, instead of heading into Horton Plaza, hop off the 992, and get on the 901 which takes you all the way to Coronado Island, where you can get off at Hotel del Coronado, and walk south 3 blocks where you can sit on the sand, before you have to head back to the airport to get frisked, sit strapped into a cramped chair in pukey 70's upholstery, and be denied food and water for a few more hours.

San Diego via public transportation:
This whole idea of exploring San Diego via public transporation started because American Airlines ****ed up my flight bigtime, so that I ended up staying in a hotel by the Star of India overnight. While I was waiting for them to figure out that they were going to cancel my flight (which took 8 hours for them to decide) and since I am not someone who is willing to pay $9 for a chicken salad sandwich in a plastic box, I took the city bus to the gaslamp district in order to find cheaper food.
Since that time, I've discovered *MORE* places one can go via city bus/trolley.
From the airport, the city bus #992 goes downtown (and quickly too, it only takes about 10 minutes from the airport to the Santa Fe trolley stop), so if you have a long layover (4 hours or so), you can easily hop outside of the airport and do some perfume shopping before catching your flight.
Places I've been via public transport from the airport:
1. Fashion Valley Mall
Take Bus 992, get off at Santa Fe depot downtown. Get on the Blue Line (it's called "blue" but the trolley is colored red, don't ask, I dunno why that is either) going to Old Town. Get off at Old Town and hop on the Green Line, which stops at Fashion Valley Mall.
Nordstrom's, Neiman Marcus, Sephora, Aveda, Art of Shaving, Bath and Body Works, L'Occitane, and maybe others, but I never have enough to time walk the whole place.
2. Mission Valley Mall?
Okay, I haven't been here, yet, but if you continue on the Green Line, a few stops later is the Mission Valley Mall. I don't know what they have here.
3. Horton Plaza/Perfume Gallery
Take Bus 992, get off on Broadway, anywhere between the San Diego County Courthouse and "NBC San Diego." Walk directly south, and you will run into Horton Plaza. If you enter around the NBC San Diego building, you walk right into Macy's, and if you take the escalator up, you are *in* the men's fragrance department. Walk thru the store to reach the women's section. And if you keep walking, you walk right out of Macy's into the main part of the plaza, second level. Follow the walkway south, and you will pass by a Bath and Body Works, and eventually you will hit Nordstrom's. And right next to Nordstrom's, you really can't miss the Perfume Gallery. I can't say they have much, other than a TON of mini's. There was a cute little mini of Bulgari Omnia, that I debated purchasing for my cousin (whom I found out loves it), but I ended up passing on any purchases for now. They had Creed samples, but no bottles. I thought that was weird.
4. And if you wanna go to the beach, instead of heading into Horton Plaza, hop off the 992, and get on the 901 which takes you all the way to Coronado Island, where you can get off at Hotel del Coronado, and walk south 3 blocks where you can sit on the sand, before you have to head back to the airport to get frisked, sit strapped into a cramped chair in pukey 70's upholstery, and be denied food and water for a few more hours.
post #32 of 34
1/7/13 at 8:58pm
- cacio
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Just back from a conference in SD. The perfume gallery in Horton plaza downtown does have some interesting old mainstream. Among others, I saw an insense, a rocabar, metal, and similar stuff. There was also a big bottle of Fendi (!), but he wanted $400 for it, so no, thanks. (the selection at the Horton pl Macy was pitiful, that at Nordstrom just a touch better, but still even less than the usual nordstroms).
In La Jolla, Alexander perfumes had a couple of niche, the most interesting being Ramon Monegal, which gave me the opportunity to test them (including one horrid aquatic). In front of it, on the other side of the street, there was a mainstream place which had a few interesting mainstream oldies, nothing I didn't have, but one may well find something. They did have for instance a wonderful Feu d'Issey body lotion for only $38, which I had to leave there because 200ml cannot be brought on the plane (what a pity!). I also saw a local perfumer lab (Tijon, one block off Girard), whose scents were broadly tropical themed. Nothing of particular interest, as often happens with these local stores.
cacio
In La Jolla, Alexander perfumes had a couple of niche, the most interesting being Ramon Monegal, which gave me the opportunity to test them (including one horrid aquatic). In front of it, on the other side of the street, there was a mainstream place which had a few interesting mainstream oldies, nothing I didn't have, but one may well find something. They did have for instance a wonderful Feu d'Issey body lotion for only $38, which I had to leave there because 200ml cannot be brought on the plane (what a pity!). I also saw a local perfumer lab (Tijon, one block off Girard), whose scents were broadly tropical themed. Nothing of particular interest, as often happens with these local stores.
cacio
post #33 of 34
1/16/13 at 6:58pm
- Aiona
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post #34 of 34
1/17/13 at 9:53am
- cazaubon
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- 235 Posts. Joined 12/1969
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