Kinsee Morlan
Live: North Park
Work: North Park
How long: I’ve lived in San Diego for about a decade, minus a year-and-a-half stint in a small mountain-town in Colorado.
BREAKFAST: Most of the time, I hide my drag-queen tattoo on the back of my neck with my hair. But, if you happen to get a glance and ask me about it, I’ll tell you the tattoo came after an especially exciting brunch at Lips San Diego. Who knew drag queens dressed as pregnant nuns went so well with bleu cheese and mushroom omelets? The all-you-can-drink mimosas and Bloody Marys make this one of my favorite places to get my egg on.
LUNCH: If only I had more class (and more cash), I’d pretend my lunches are spent at fancy seaside restaurants with white wine spritzers and locally sourced salads. Instead, I typically spend my noontime meal at a taco shop or some other ethnic hole-in-the-wall. My favorite spot of the moment? Cali Baguette in City Heights. They make $3 or $4 banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches) that will put your little taste buds into a frenzy.
DINNER: OK. I’ll admit it. I’m a vegetarian. I know that just lost me most – if not all – of my cred with you carnivore types, but I imagine beating a cow to death with my bare hands every time I put a steak to my lips. The folks at Jyoti-Bihanga Vegetarian Restaurant in Normal Heights may be weird and culty, but I’ll be damned if they don’t make the best Neatloaf and BBQ mock duck this side of the Mississippi.
BAR: I’m a sucker for quality craft cocktails and I like trying out new, experimental drinks as often as I can. This year, El Take it Easy launched a craft-cocktail program inspired by the history and culture of San Diego and Tijuana, so that’s where I drank for a good part of the summer. People-watching with a cocktail in hand while kicking back on that front patio is priceless.