We are planning our family summer vacation trip around art and design school visits for my oldest, Grasshopper and Sensei, who is a rising senior in high school. Her wish list for this trip includes a visit to the Chihuly Gardens in Seattle so we will be driving from San Francisco to Vancouver, British Columbia, with a pit stop along the way in Seattle. For anyone planning a similar trip, note that rental car places will not let you return the car to another country, including Canada. Thus, we have to fly out of Seattle in order to drop the car off.
We are also doing a quick leg in Southern California to see a few schools, and my mother as well. At 92, she’s now in an independent living home, so we plan to see her and take her out for a meal. Foodie stops are important for all legs of the trip, and I’m including my research on those in this post below. My mother likes Asian food that is both delicious, plentiful, and inexpensive. We all joke that she must have a hollow leg because her appetite is impressive.
How about you? Any foodie stops you recommend for us to check out in Southbay California, San Francisco, Seattle, and/or Vancouver, British Columbia? Thanks for sharing.
Art Schools Southern California
California Institute of the Arts: CalArts
My daughter is interested in the very competitive computer animation program at CalArts.
Otis College of Art and Design
We are going to do a drive-by of Otis as it’s not really on our list but is near where we are staying.
We are not visiting Art Center College of Design though it is a terrific art school because it does not offer a foundation year. Instead, the Art Center College of Design requires undergraduate applicants to declare their major and submit a portfolio in that area of specialization.
At ArtCenter, we offer a specialized education that places students in intensive studio classes specific to their major from their first term of study. We require that students choose a major when they apply and that they submit a portfolio specific to that major (see Step 2 below). So it is important to understand our programs of study and how they align with your creative ambitions.
Art School Northern California
My daughter loves San Francisco so this art school is on the list based on that preference alone. Also, though the acceptance rate is quite high at 76%, my daughter notes that everyone gets employment after graduating. That could be due to location; Silicon Valley has an unceasing appetite for those looking for commercial art jobs.
Art School Vancouver, British Columbia
Emily Carr University of Art + Design
Emily Carr is moving fifteen minutes from its previous location on Grenville Island in Vancouver, British Columbia, to its new campus dubbed the Great Northern Way Campus. It has the first year foundation year that my daughter wants and also offers Industrial Design as an undergraduate major. We don’t know too much about this school but I have been to Vancouver before and it’s a wonderful city!
My daughter has a few stops she wants to make during this trip including:
Shepard Fairey. She would like to figure out a way to visit his studio in Los Angeles. That might take some sleuthing and maneuvering.
Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle. Since we will be driving from San Francisco to Vancouver, British Columbia, we are making this stop for her.
Foodie Stops in Southern California
Uncle Bill’s Pancake House
1305 Highland Ave
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
We were here before and it gets crowded.
“There’s nothing quite like the quaint beach bungalow-turned pancake house Uncle Bill’s. The Manhattan Beach mainstay is quite the local hangout, with serious weekend lines. But when your morning flapjacks come with ocean views, who can really complain.” from Eater LA
Yellow Fever
24416 Crenshaw Blvd #4
Torrance, CA 90505
“Longtime Torrance staple Yellow Fever offers healthy Pan-Asian fare in the popular build-your-own format. Select a base of rice, noodles, or greens; flavors that range from the “Seoul” to “Kona,” then add toppings to create a bowl you won’t feel guilty eating.” from Eater LA
I-naba restaurant
20920 Hawthorne Blvd
Torrance, CA 90503
My mom would like this restaurant:
“This humble strip mall Japanese establishment is an understated but excellent all-around restaurant with a few tricks up its sleeve. First, it’s a part of the group that makes the amazing noodles at Ichimiann, so the soba and udon are about as good as you can get in L.A. Second, there’s super affordable tempura omakase, with a parade of freshly fried vegetables, meats, and seafood for a very reasonable price.” from Eater LA
The Kettle
1138 Highland Ave
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
24 hour!
“After a night of bar hopping up and down Manhattan Beach Boulevard, you’re likely to end up at The Kettle, one of the South Bay’s few 24-hour restaurants with an extensive menu that satisfies just about all of your late-night cravings.” from Eater LA
Foodie Stops in San Francisco
Sotto Mare
552 Green St
San Francisco, CA 94133
This gets high marks for Italian-style seafood & pasta.
Fog Harbor Fish House
Pier 39
San Francisco, CA 94133
Since we will be near Fisherman’s Wharf, it would be nice to walk to dinner. This restaurant also has scenic views of the bay & Golden Gate Bridge.
Great Eastern
649 Jackson (at Kearny)
We are looking for dim sum because San Francisco is known for it.
“Chinatown’s best dim sum house isn’t its prettiest or cleanest. Novices and veterans alike will benefit from asking for the comprehensive photo menu, which silently answers questions like “Is that deep-fried?” The baked pork puns have a great soft texture. A foil bottom for the steamed Shanghai dumplings keeps their soup waiting for your bite. Don’t miss the sauteed string beans with XO sauce; scraps of dried meat flavor the crisp beans.” via SF Weekly
Foodie recommendation from Debbi Michiko Florence:
If you are in the San Mateo area, Santa Ramen is by far the BEST ramen I’ve ever had in the US and comes very close to the ramen I’ve had in Tokyo. 1944 S El Camino Real, San Mateo, CA 94403 Closed on Tuesday. Usually has a long line.
Foodie Stops Seattle
Harbor City Place
707 S King St
Seattle, WA 98104
Gets a lot of accolades for best Dim Sum and is near Chihuly Gardens.
Taylor Shellfish Oyster Bar
Foodie Stops Vancouver, British Columbia
Dynasty Seafood Restaurant
108-777 Broadway W
Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 4J7
Best Dim Sum Vancouver.
The Sandbar Seafood Restaurant
535 Johnston St
Vancouver, BC V6H 3R9, Canada
“Seafood hot spot under the Granville Island bridge with sushi made to order & live music nightly.”
Au Comptoir
2278 W 4th Ave
Vancouver, BC V6K 1N8, Canada
“Charming all-day cafe serving French classics, plus a full brunch.”
Kinome
2511 W Broadway
Vancouver, BC V6K, Canada
Won Best Casual Japanese by VanMag.
Hokkaido Ramen Santouka
1690 Robson St.
Vancouver, 604-681-8121
Best noodle house.
Marutama Ra-men
780 Bidwell St., 604-688-8837
Motomachi Shokudo
740 Denman St., 604-609-0310
p.s. More about Art Colleges from our college tours:
Visiting School of Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC)
Visiting California College of the Arts
Visiting Emily Carr Art + Design University in Canada
Applying to Art School: School of Visual Arts
Applying to RISD: Advice from Antonio Peters in Admissions
Visiting California Institute of the Arts (CalArts)
Tips for National Portfolio Day
Xtreme Week at Mass College of Art
and some fun stuff …
If you are visiting New York City, here are our cheap foodie finds.
45 Art Gifts for Seriously Arty Kids (by my arty daughter)
Art Competitions for Kids and Teens
Our Art Gift Kits for Arty Kids
10 Inspirational Art Books for Arty Kids
Please check out my artboard in which I save art ideas for my arty daughter. It has 64,000 followers!
Follow PragmaticMom’s board Art with Kids on Pinterest.
My books:
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Starred review from School Library Journal
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award longlist
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Sounds like a fun list. We are heading to Tampa Fla. this fall and I found that we have a Chihuly museum just a few minutes away from our condo. My middle son and I plan making a side trip out of this.
Hi Mother of 3,
How lucky! We might have to check out your Chihuly museum too if we are down in your area!
Lots of luck with the visits. Enjoy your visit with mom and have a wonderful vacation!
Thanks so much Barbara Ann!