UPPER HEADLINE
Accommodations
Rarefied is pleased to now have onsite accommodations available for out of town bands/artists that want to get away to beautiful San Diego and focus in on making a record.
Your 15 foot commute
Let's explore the onsite accommodations that are mere steps away from where you will be working.
The House
A North Park Spanish Bungalow
Built in 1928, this Spanish style house has been upgraded through and through for today's modern way of life while retaining plenty of character. Interior design was provided by Megan Heacock White.
The 2 bedroom, 2 bath house also has a sleeper sofa in the living room. Additional sleeping areas are possible in the studio lounge and/or studio itself. Fill out the form below to learn more and start the booking process.
EXPLORE THE ACCOMMODATIONS
House Amenities
Here's some more information about the house you could be relaxing in after a long day of recording.
- 1400 sqft plus front and back yards
- Primary bedroom includes:
- King size bed
- Walk-in closet
- En-suite bathroom w/ dual sink vanity, Toto washlet bidet, and sunken shower/tub area
- French doors open to back deck
- Secondary bedroom includes:
- Queen size bed
- 55" Smart TV
- Secondary full bath with tub/shower
- Laundry room with LG washer/dryer
- Dimmable lighting throughout
- Living room features include:
- Sofa bed, coffee table, and 2 swivel chairs
- Working wood fireplace w/ screen and tools
- 65" Smart TV with sound bar
- 1950's Dynakit stereo w/ Klipsch Forté speakers
- Record player and Bluetooth inputs to receiver
- Dining room seats 6+ with additional table leaf
- Galley kitchen includes:
- Viking gas stove top and convection oven
- Sub-zero fridge w/ water dispenser & ice maker
- Bosch dishwasher
- Microwave, toaster, and coffee maker
- Farmhouse style sink w/ disposal
- Breakfast nook
- Hardwood floors
- Spanish "saltillo" tile in bathrooms
- Central A/C and heat
- Tankless water heater
- Whole house water filter
- Driveway with Level 2 EV Charger
- Solar power (for house and studio)
- Tesla power wall
- Solid and fast WiFi (AT&T fiber)
- Backyard includes teak dining table w/ umbrella and 6 chairs
- Security system access available upon request
- Outdoor security cameras
Come focus & thrive in lovely San Diego, CA
We are "BBB" approved!
No, not the Better Business Bureau! I'm talking BEACHES, BURRITOS, and BEER. Among other things, San Diego is known for its great beaches/weather, amazing Mexican food, and an incredible craft brewery scene. Fill out the form below to start the conversation.
MORE ABOUT THIS CLASSY CITY
SAN DIEGO STATS
Here's some interesting things to know about "America's finest city".
- Population: 1.382 Million (2021)
- 8th largest city in the US by population
- Some of the best weather in the US
- Avg summer highs in the mid 70's
- Avg winter highs in the mid 60's
- Winter lows only go down to the high 40's late night/early morning
- On average, only 41 days out of the year have rain
- Snow only falls in local mountains
- There are 31 beaches to chose from
- A great surfing and boating city
- Smog is not an issue like it is in LA
- Outside of rush hour, traffic is not an issue
- Most areas of the city are accessible by car in 15-20 minutes tops
- Unlike San Francisco, parking is not a big issue
- The city contains many different walkable neighborhoods w/ their own distinct vibe
- There are many small music venues to catch local or touring acts as well as bigger venues w/ bigger acts
- Los Angeles is about 2.5 hours away by car
- Mexico (Tijuana) is 20 minutes away by car. You can literally walk across the border.
- Due to its proximity to Mexico, some of the best Mexican food in the US can be found in San Diego.
- The burrito and fish taco are popular items here
- There are over 150 craft breweries
- Local beers are available at most convenience stores, restaurants, and tasting rooms throughout the city
- The West Coast IPA style beer is common, but other options abound
- Recreational Cannabis is legal here. Dispensaries can deliver to you.
- The airport is in the heart of the city and is a short 15 minute or less drive
- Condé Nast Traveler has ranked San Diego its #2 big city in America
- Comic-Con takes place here every July; a haven for comic/movie lovers
The local neighborhood
North Park: hip, central, safe
The studio and house are located in San Diego's North Park neighborhood. Named for being north of beautiful Balboa Park (a giant area with museums, the famous San Diego Zoo, and other attractions) this spot has a lot to offer a visitor to the region and is perfectly safe.
Extremely walkable, you'll find great restaurants, bars, and night life right in the vicinity. Plus there is a super market, CVS, and Walgreens all within blocks. Fill out the form below to learn more and start the conversation.
So much to do!
Here's a taste of some of the restaurants, breweries/bars, and other fun things to do right in the vicinity of the studio and the house you'll be working and staying at.
Restaurants
- Mexican
- Panchitas
- The Taco Stand
- City Tacos
- Rancho's (good veggie options)
- El Comal
- Lucha Libre
- Italian (pizza and otherwise)
- Lefty's Chicago Pizzeria
- Tribute Pizza
- Cori Pastificio Tratorria
- Alexander's
- De Luca's
- URBN (pizza)
- Piacere Mio
- Gelati and Peccati (pizza & gelato)
- Cafe's
- Influx
- Santos
- Subterranean
- Caffé Calabria
- Communal
- Dark Horse
- Asian
- SOI 30th (Thai)
- Bangkok Spices (Thai)
- Thai Time (Thai)
- Underbelly (Ramen)
- Tajima (Ramen)
- Tabu Shabu (Japanese)
- Poki One n Half (Japanese)
- Shank and Bone (Vietnamese)
- Sipz (vegetarian/vegan)
- Hoxton Manor (Laotian)
- French
- Smoking Goat
- Breakfast
- The Mission
- The Big Kitchen
- Atypical Waffle Co.
- Flap Your Jacks
- Breakfast Republic
- Other
- Grand Ole BBQ ys Asado (BBQ)
- Streetcar Merchants (fried chicken)
- Crazee Burger (burgers)
- Pete's Seafood (Boston style)
- Olympic Cafe (Greek)
- Curryosity (Indian)
- Panama 66 (in Balboa Park)
- Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams
Bars/Breweries
- Thorn Street
- Mike Hess
- North Park Beer Co.
- Fall
- Modern Times
- Original 40
- Poor House
- Belching Beaver
- Rip Current
- Second Chance
- Bluefoot Bar
- The Office
- West Coast Tavern
- 619 Spirits
- Seven Grand
- Part Time Lover
- Botanica Art & Cocktail Bar
- U-31
- Live Wire
- Mothership
- The Rose Wine Bar
- Bivouac Ciderworks
Day and Night Life
- Balboa Park
- San Diego Zoo
- San Diego Museum of Art
- San Diego Natural History Museum
- Museum of Us
- San Diego Air & Space Museum
- Automotive Museum
- Timken Museum of Art
- Mingei International Museum
- Fleet Science Center
- Comic-Con Museum
- Japanese Friendship Garden
- San Diego Model Railroad Museum
- California Tower
- Spanish Village Art Center
- Spreckels Organ Pavilion (largest outdoor pipe organ in the world!)
- The Botanical Building
- The Old Globe (theater)
- Morley Field (tennis courts, pool, etc.)
- Bird Park (lovely place to picnic)
- Frisbee golf course
- Velodrome
- Balboa Park Golf Course
- Places to see live music
- The Observatory
- Soda Bar
- Whistle Stop
- Til-Two Club
- The Tower Bar
- Seven Grand
- Black Cat Bar
- SPACE Bar
- Red Fox Room (piano bar)
- Other
- Coin-Op Game Room (arcade)
- Live Wire (DJ's/dancing)
- The Office (DJ's/dancing)
- Part Time Lover (DJ's/dancing)
And the list goes on...
A short drive will take you to many popular San Diego attractions like Sea World, the USS Midway (aircraft carrier museum), beautiful hikes of all kinds, the La Jolla seals, Petco Park, the Gaslamp District (clubs and such), Legoland (45 minute drive), many different beaches, and, of course, quick access to Tijuana, Mexico...
Final thoughts...
If you made it this far, I commend you! You must be serious about finding an inspiring place to make your next record. Obviously, Los Angeles, is the first place that comes to mind in Southern California for such things since it has so many great studios and a long history of amazing records being made there. But I think Rarefied Recording and San Diego (particularly this North Park location) has so much to offer it is worth very serious consideration.
For one, Rarefied is just as well designed and equipped as its counterparts in LA. I also personally know a plethora of incredibly talented musicians that live out here and are ready to work if you need an extra player.
Secondly, by coming here you get to avoid a lot of the devilish negatives that unfortunately come along with the "City of Angels". I'm talking about things like ridiculous traffic at almost all hours, confusing roadways, smog, excessive heat, crowds, and a significantly more expensive environment to work from.
Ask anyone that has been to both LA and San Diego, and you will always get the same answer- San Diego is super chill. People are generally friendly, relaxed, and happy to be living in what might honestly be "America's finest city". LA deserves its props, but I think you will find that San Diego is every bit as enjoyable and definitely more conducive to the focus, clarity, and low-stress environment you ideally want when making your next album.
Thank you for reading.
Sincerely,
Roy Silverstein
Owner/Chief Engineer
Rarefied Recording