San Diego's hottest arrivals in shopping, nightlife, dining, entertainment, attractions, museums, theater, culture, sports and recreation. MAPS of San Diego

shopping
Rodeo South
Venezuela-born fashion maven Carolina Herrera clicked her leopard-print heels through San Diego recently to promote the opening of her new "lifestyle" boutique, CH Carolina Herrera, one of just seven in the country offering fashions not just for women but also men, children and, surprisingly, pets. Such a sight is becoming more frequent at the Fashion Valley Mall, where Herrera's shop is among a crop of notable newcomers, including watch company Tourneau and Just Cavalli. 7007 Friars Road, Mission Valley, 619.688.9113.

event
In Bloom
Floraphiles won't want to miss the opening of the Carlsbad Flower Fields, a 60-year-old tradition celebrating the Giant Tecolote Ranunculus flower. The Technicolor blooms will stretch across 50 acres, open daily March 1-May 11. New this year: an American flag made of red, white and blue anemone flowers. 5704 Paseo Del Norte, Carlsbad, 760.431.0352.

art
Big Ideas
Maya Lin, best known for her revolutionary Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., showcases more large-scale works in Systematic Landscapes, March 30-June 30 at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego's downtown branch. Comprised of three large installations, as well as smaller sculptures and drawings, the exhibition provokes questions about the viewer's relationship to both natural landscapes and technology. Lin will be the featured speaker at MCASD's lecture series, held April 4 at the museum's Sherwood Auditorium in La Jolla.

• MCASD downtown, 1100 Kettner Blvd., 858.454.3541
• Sherwood Auditorium, 700 Prospect St., La Jolla

MUSEUM
EAST MEETS WEST
Good things start and end at the San Diego Museum of Art. Originating here before embarking on an international tour, Rhythms of India: The Art of Nandalal Bose (through May 18) uses nearly 100 works to demonstrate how Bose, roundly considered the father of Indian modern art, contributed to the country's struggle for independence. The show marks the 60th anniversary of Indian independence as well as Gandhi's assassination. SDMA is also the final destination for a major retrospective of the work of 19th-century artist Asher B. Durand (through April 27). As a founder of the Hudson River School of landscape painting, Durand's canvases are steeped in the ideology of Manifest Destiny. More than 50 works are presented, including portraits of President Andrew Jackson and perhaps his most famous painting, Kindred Spirits. San Diego Museum of Art, 1450 El Prado, 619.232.7931. sdmart.org

dining
Gaslamp Goes Global
The Gaslamp Quarter has long been dominated by Italian trattorias and steakhouses, but two newcomers are making the downtown dining scene decidedly more cosmopolitan. At the corner of Sixth and F, EXY brings "chic Greek" to the Gaslamp with traditional dishes like keftethes (Greek meatballs), along with Grecian twists on contemporary staples like short ribs, cooked in red koki-nisto sauce and served with goat cheese. Nearby at the tri-level Jade Theater, chef James Montejano (formerly of sushi-fusion hotspot Cafe Japengo) scours Asia for inspiration for his menu; selections include crab kimchi, tandoori lollipop lamb chops, clay pot clams and pho with wagyu beef.

• EXY, 789 Sixth Ave., 619.238.0412
• Jade Theater, 701 C St., 619.814.5125

PHOTO
ANNIVERSARY PARTY
Portraits come in many surprising forms, as the Museum of Photographic Arts demonstrates in its spring exhibitions. Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, MoPA—one of the only museums in the country dedicated to photography—presents works ranging from the arresting faces captured by Fredric Roberts for Humanitas: Images of India (May 3–Sept. 7) to the deconstructed images of South African artist Gary Schneider, who created a self-portrait from his own blood, chromosomes and hair follicles (Flesh, April 26–Sept. 14). Additional photos from MoPA's extensive permanent collection are also on view, some dating back as far as the mid-19th century. 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619.238.7559.

READ
JUST A BUNCH OF RECIPES
Sam the Cooking Guy (aka Sam Zien) is the anti-Martha Stewart of food TV. Zien, who hosts his Discover Health channel cooking show Just Cook This! from his San Diego kitchen, earned fans with his comic, common-sense approach and simple, anyone-can-make-‘em dishes. In his latest book, aptly named Just a Bunch of Recipes, Zien doles out recipes for Mini Crab Cake Sandwiches and Brussels Sprouts You'll Actually Eat, along with tips like, "If you ever forget what temperature you're supposed to cook something at, 350 will always work—and I'm not kidding here!" Sam's book hits stores March 31; Just Cook This! airs Tuesday afternoons on Discovery Health.

MUSIC
Live from San Diego
Among the artists touring through town this spring: Avril Lavigne plays Cox Arena April 30, while indie rockers Nada Surf hit the Casbah March 18. At the Belly Up Tavern, catch harmonica whiz Charlie Musselwhite on April 13, or prepare for an ‘80s flashback as Def Leppard and REO Speedwagon team up for a show at Coors Amphitheater on April 26. Songwriter Sara Bareilles, known for her hit "Love Song," plays House of Blues April 1. For the jazz cats, Anthology Lounge welcomes Diane Schuur March 28.

• Cox Arena, 5500 Canyon Crest Drive, SDSU campus, 619.594.6947
• Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., Midtown, 619.232.4355
• Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach, 858.481.8140
• Coors Amphitheater, 2050 Entertainment Circle, Chula Vista, 619.220.TIXS
• House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp, 619.299.2583
• Anthology Lounge, 1337 India St., Little Italy, 619.595.0300

dining
TEMPTATION ISLAND
The "island" of Coronado has suddenly become the new go-to spot for devoted gastronomes. Mistral, the new restaurant at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort, has attracted attention (and awards) for its dedication to using sustainably grown ingredients; serious foodies can even take a chef-guided tour of the property's organic herb garden. Meanwhile, the Hotel del Coronado debuts Eno, a wine-cheese-chocolate concept with locations in Chicago and San Francisco.