Little Italy Mercato Farmers Market
As the autumn breeze turned to a chilly winter frost, my mom and I began our journey at the Little Italy Mercato Farmers Market, a place I would soon deem as the most diverse and pleasant marketplace I have attended within my home city of San Diego, Calif. It is a location that tourists should certainly explore on their visit to the city.
Open on Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., I walked along the colorful streets as my morning blended into afternoon in a flavor of various smells, tastes and ideas. Running from a lower street near the bay to a street nearly five blocks up, my mom and I perused the vendors as they beckoned us forward with enthusiastic pitches for their original creations.
With so many things available at the market, it was hard to pinpoint an object I would genuinely like to possess, so I did not end up buying any trinkets or meals during our exploration. However, this does not mean I did not find value and creativity in many of the wonderfully unique products being sold at the market.
For instance, one of the goods I enjoyed seeing was a booth decorated with specially constructed light bulbs; displaying a rustic look, some of the lights had inspirational words on the inside, and some of them took the form of an interesting body, such as the sitting robot whose hand was a bulb itself.
Another, my mom and I spent a lot of time examining an exhibit of beautifully taxidermied critters further down the line of booths. From butterflies to bats, the creatures took on a hauntingly gorgeous look, something that was sure to catch the eyes of nearly everyone walking around.
Nearly halfway down one of the countless roads lay another innovative gem: jellyfish air plants. Hanging from the ceilings of airy, bright tents, I seriously considered taking one home. The jellyfish air plants' green, healthy legs extended from their large conch shells, establishing a strong yet inviting presence to viewers.
Finally, at the top of the street lay an entire stand of books — something I looked over with a grateful eye. As a lover of all kinds of books, it was wonderful to see such a wide selection of novels being sold and cherished by my fellow San Diegans, sparking a connection we could all bond over.
As for my mother, she rather enjoyed the presence of many jewelry booths displayed at the market. With a love for gold rings, necklaces and earrings, she visited the booths of several vendors who showcased their gorgeous jewelry; some were beautifully simple and others glamorously extravagant, at moments it was difficult to turn from the various products pitched to the two of us.
Of course, it would not be a farmer's market without the food, and there sure was a lot of it! One of the things that I took most to heart was the wide assortment of fresh fruit and vegetables. Each stand, no matter which section of the market you were in, housed a variety of fresh produce and colors each unique to the eye. While the more material trinkets made my eyes hungry, the farm-fresh food made my mouth water.
Overall, the Little Italy Mercato Farmers Market was certainly a success. Despite not purchasing anything, the experience of connecting with others in my community and spending quality time with my mother alone was worth the 30-minute grab for parking. One thing is for certain: if you’re looking to join in on the afternoon fun at the Little Italy Farmers Market, make sure to show up early so you’re able to truly experience the feeling that comes with such a distinctive marketplace!
USS Midway Museum
Following my excursion with my mother to the Farmer’s Market, we drove ten minutes down the road to our next recommended spot: the USS Midway Museum.
It was $34 per person at the door and $32 per person online, my mother and I paid beforehand, making sure to print our tickets before approaching the military ship. Once we passed through security — which proved to be quite an easy task, as the Saturday we attended was not as busy — we made our way to the entrance of the museum itself. In all honesty, I am not ardent in the world of nautical history; yet, in all honesty, the moment my mother and I boarded the ship and passed the welcome sign at the front, the aura of the ship was impressive, and it drew me in immediately. I felt as though I was boarding a ride at Disneyland, a fact boiled down to the smell of the ship itself. Once we joined the line of others going in for their self-guided tours, my mom and I took a mandatory picture from the crew and were told that we could pick them up at the end of our time aboard.
After claiming our photo-card, we pursued the rest of the vessel, grabbing the self-guided tour information phones, which we were told would tell us facts about the ship as we walked through; all we would have to do was point it at the various QR codes around the ship and put it to our ear. With our information phones in hand, we continued our journey through the former naval ship.
With real model airplanes laid out all along the main floor as well as the flight deck, touring the USS Midway Museum is a must-visit for any San Diego citizen in search of not just an informative, but a genuinely good time.
After walking through the main floor, which held a multitude of planes, historical models, virtual reality systems for people to try out and the infamous Top Gun Gift Shop, my mom, and I made it to the second floor below, where we explored the galley, medbay, cafeteria, officers’ quarters, engine room and many more areas.
One thing that makes the museum tour especially memorable are the several dressed-up mannequins in naval and marine gear, all positioned in different areas around the ship. Although it somewhat creeped me out at times, it did not at all diminish the experience we had going through the interesting crevices of the ship’s lower levels.
As we finished that section of the plane, we then visited the top level: the flight deck. Along with more planes being showcased, there were also actual lessons being taught by professional flight crew members within the navy. Along with the endless information and history to learn all along parts of the ship, the view that took up the entire flight deck was truly beautiful … something that a visitor to San Diego may value in their visit to the city.
My mom and I finished our own tour in an hour, as we skipped the VR activities and movie history lessons that are offered on the main floor, which usually bumps up the museum experience to two to three hours total. I left the museum and the ship feeling a sense of calm and accomplishment, as though I had not only learned something of value, but I had had a wonderful experience in the midst of it.
by Liv Weaver
