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Ligaya Malones on Muck Rack

Ligaya Malones

Verified
San Diego
As seen in: The Curious Passport, Forge, Medium, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, New York Magazine, Time Out, Atlas Obscura, Flipboard, Lonely Planet, Bon Appetit, Condé Nast Traveler and
Covers:  Travel, Food, Culture, Wellness, Outdoors
Freelance travel writer for hire. But I like staying in too. Context seeker, snack enthusiast.

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Ligaya Malones’s Journalist Portfolio

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This Lesser-known Wine Destination Is Quietly Becoming the Next Great Culinary Hot Spot

This Lesser-known Wine Destination Is Quietly Becoming the Next Great Culinary Hot Spot

Come to Lodi for the wine, stay for the flaky pastries, homegrown tomatoes, and wood-fired pizzas.

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This vast San Diego resort proves that sometimes more is more

This vast San Diego resort proves that sometimes more is more

Time Out reviews the Fairmont Grand Del Mar, a sprawling 249-room estate just outside of San Diego.

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This Downtown San Diego hotel was inspired by the Palace of Versailles

This Downtown San Diego hotel was inspired by the Palace of Versailles

Time Out reviews The Westgate Hotel, a 223-room stay in the heart of San Diego's Downtown.

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Sand-Reckoner's High Desert Wines - San Diego Magazine

Sand-Reckoner's High Desert Wines - San Diego Magazine

The local wine label is bringing the Sonoran Desert's fruitful offerings to Tucson

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Honolulu Is a Real City, Not Just a Vacation Destination

Honolulu Is a Real City, Not Just a Vacation Destination

Waikiki is still a hit with tourists, but an inspiring wave of homegrown entrepreneurship has thrust other ne…

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The Amateur's Guide to Visiting an Art Museum

The Amateur's Guide to Visiting an Art Museum

How to get the most out of an intimidating space

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Articles

The 20 Best Mexican Restaurants In San Diego

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By Helen I. Hwang, Ligaya Malones Verified, Candice Woo
| The Infatuation Verified
San Diego has some of the best Mexican food in the whole country. That could mean incredible lamb barbacoa in a strip mall joint close to the border, or great seafood that comes out of a truck parked in an eerily empty parking lot. You might eat carne asada quesadillas under the Coronado Bridge, or lining up for a classic California burrito stuffed with French fries, which tastes incredible when you're a few drinks in but also pretty damn good when you're sober.
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Tahona - Review - Old Town - San Diego - The Infatuation

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By Ligaya Malones Verified
| The Infatuation Verified
Tahona serves Mexican food you won't find at other spots in touristy Old Town, like short rib birria ramen or a fall-apart pork tamal with plantain purée. It's a fancy-ish restaurant with leather banquettes perfect for dates and small groups actually interested in conversation, compared to other, more rowdy restaurants in the area.
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TJ Oyster Bar - Review - Chula Vista - San Diego - The Infatuation

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By Ligaya Malones Verified
| The Infatuation Verified
The perfect order at TJ Oyster bar includes cheesy smoked tuna fries. This longtime South Bay favorite specializes in truly excellent coastal Mexican, where seafood cocktails come with a bright and subtly sweet tomato-based sauce and a half order is generous enough for two. Go for the campechana version with scallops, shrimp, and krab because why limit yourselves to just one type of sea snack? And the serrano-based shrimp aguachile verde is milder than the rojo but still kicks.
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