Fashion Valley Shopping Center

Fashion Valley Shopping Center is one of the trendies, hippest shopping malls in San Diego. This is the place for beautiful people to stroll around, shop, stop, watch and be watched. So if you’re into Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, Tiffany & Co, Victoria Secrets, Gucci, and Godiva chocolates, this is the place for you!

Fashion Valley is a 2-level, outdoor shopping mall with 200+ stores and eateries. The food court is on the upper level. You can enjoy a Starbucks and a Cinnabon, or grab a drink at the trendy D’lush specializing is deluxe beverages.

As to shopping: what's your desire?

Healthy and Beauty: Sephora, The Art of Shaving
Home Decor: Brookstone, Williams-Sonoma
Jewelry: Tiffany & Co, Rolex
Stationary: Hallmark, Papyrus
Specialty: Apple Computer, Swarovski Crystal
Department Stores: Nordstrom, Macy's
Children's Fashion: GapKids, Gymboree
Men and Women's Fashion: from Abercrombi & Fitch to Victoria Secrets and more!

See entire list here

Looking for something a bit more relaxed? Browse at the Borders bookstore, or see a movie in the AMC18 movie theater. With 18 screens, there's got to be something you like!

Ok, so this sounds great for adults, but what if you have kids? Not to worry, there’s plenty here for the kids too. Noteworthy are:

Geppetto’s Toy Store: You won’t find any action figures or Barbies in this toy store! Geppettos is a hands-on, educational toy store. Most of the toys are designed to inspire and encourage children to explore. Read more... Build-a-Bear Workshop: This place is amazing, you have to see it to believe it. The idea is that you make your own teddy bear (but it can be a dog, a dinosaur, a lion, or any number of other characters). Start by choosing a bear... Read more... Cinnabon: Another kid-friendly establishment is the Cinnabon. They sell cinnamon buns, cinnamon twists, drinks, coffee and so forth. But, the best part is that you can stand outside the window and watch them make cinnamon buns: - roll out a mound of dough into a one-yard slab; - smear on butter (a lot of butter); - sprinkle on the secret cinnamon recipe, - roll up the slab of dough, slice, bake, and eat!. If you have never seen it done before, it’s really fun to watch; and if you’ve seen it before, you will want to see it again. Sweet Factory: When the kids are tired, then it’s time for a snack. One of the kiosks in Fashion Valley shopping mall sells candy. Candy, chocolate, and nothing else. Is that not heaven for kids? They have a wild time looking for the candy of choice. Why not let them have a treat for good behavior. Reactrix Floor Ads: Sometimes Fashion Valley has Reactrix Floor Ads. These are interactive advertisements projected onto the floor. When you step on the ad, a sensor detects your moves the ad elements reacts accordingly. In essence, it is a video game which you play with your feet. Advertisers deliberately place balls, space ships, vegetables and such for kids to stomp on. But it’s not so easy: as soon as your feet descends on a tomato, it rolls away. The Reactrix Media Network may or may not be available when you visit the mall, but it's an indication of the shiny, modern, opulent feel of Fashion Valley shopping mall. Did I mention the luxurious patio furniture strategically placed for your enjoyment?

Food

Eventually, everyone ends up talking about food. You need energy to shop, right? The upper level of Fashion Valley has a food court which offers sushi, pizza, Mediterranean, Mexican, and a variety of snacks. It’s all very good.

If you are interested in a sit-down meal, try:

California Pizza Kitchen for gourmet pizzas. You can put all sorts of things onto the pizza giving it a unique flavor very different from the usual cheese & pepperoni pizza. See restaurant review here

The Cheesecake Factory is a must see. They serve real food (moderately priced entrees) and over 50 types of cheesecake. Their menu boasts over 200 items. Web site

PF Chang's China Bistro is a classy, trendy, and expensive restaurant serving up Pacific Rim fusion foods.
This means it’s food with an oriental twang to it. It’s not Chinese food, it’s not Japanese Food: it’s fusion. Portions are not large and price is moderately high, but you’re paying for the atmosphere and excellent service too. Definitely something you should try at least once if your budget allows for it. Web site

Boudin San Francisco Sourdough Bakery and Café
is an affordable establishment serving up soups and sandwiches. Very nice café / bistro with indoor and outdoor seating. Boudin is tucked away in the on the ground level of Fashion Valley shopping center. Web site

Bathrooms are located on the second level near the food court. Of course, bathrooms are also available in the larger department stores and sit down restaurants.