As we approach the end of November, despite the apparent lack of seasons in San Diego, there is a definite switch in mentality as fall has finally settled in. The weather is crisp, people don coats and scarves, and there is an air of seriousness as everyone buckles down to prepare for finals.

Executive Chef Matt Gordon of Urban Solace has a lot going on in his head: It’s where his creative process happens.

While getting ready to check out of our hotel room two Sundays ago, my family and I found ourselves glued to the tube by a rerun of James Cameron’s “Titanic.” We picked up from the scene where Jack, played by my childhood (and adult) crush Leonardo DiCaprio, confronts Rose, portrayed by the talented Kate Winslet, on how scared she is to break away from the constraints of the upper-class world.