Belleville, N.J.: Ericka, I was out in San Diego ten years ago with my ex-girlfriend and fell in love with it. I can't wait to go back. One night, her parents took us to dinner at this amazing, "authentic" Mexican restaurant somewhere near what looked like a church in an "Old Town"-type district. I don't expect you to know the exact place, but where would you recommend going for really great Mexican? (Other than Tijuana, of course!)

Ericka Chickowski: Was it the place where you can watch the ladies pat down tortillas right in the sidwalk windows? If so, then you're thinking of the Old Town Mexican Cafe, a quintessential San Diego eatery right in San Diego's historic Old Town district. I particularly like the carnitas there. They are delicious!

Also, did you know that the old brick house across the street is rumored to be the most haunted house in America? Called the Whaley House, this historic building is definitely worth a walk through once you've stuffed yourself silly. If you eat at a window seat, keep on the lookout—I've heard reports of people spotting apparitions in the Whaley House windows from Old Town Mexican Cafe.

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Ann Arbor, Mich.: Is it safe to visit Tiajuana?

Thanks,
James

Ericka Chickowski: I'm going to have to give a qualified yes. While an undercurrent of violence does exist in Tijuana, the average tourist rarely sees it. The thing is, most of the episodes we hear about in the news are nasty disputes between warring drug lords down there and a lot of them happen in places you probably would never visit.

Having said that, I would definitely recommend keeping a decent command of your faculties while down there. At night, don't get falling-down drunk in the clubs, travel in groups of two or more and stick to well-lit and populated commercial areas. Be respectful of Mexican law—that means no drugs or guns. And, above all else, avoid the red-light district in Zona Norte. Of all the places that American tourists are likely to experience crime down there it is in the area your mother taught you better to visit, known as "La Coahilla" to the locals. But you weren't planning on going to the naughty parts of TJ, right?

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San Francisco, Calif.: Hi, Ericka. We're going to be in La Jolla the weekend of June 21 and 22 for our son's college graduation. It takes place the morning of Sunday, June 22nd. Would you have any ideas for nice Sunday brunch spots where we could take him for his post-graduation celebration (which won't break the bank)?

Thank you,
E & D

Ericka Chickowski: Congratulations to your son on his graduation! I give him bonus points for graduating from a university so close to the beach. I know I might not have been able to make it through if I lived here during college. There are more fun activities than there are days to skip class...

Anyway, there are lots of fun brunch spots in San Diego. One of my top picks is Brockton Villa, which sits in a beach bungalow on a cliff overlooking the gorgeous scenery of La Jolla Cove. Brunch is affordable and delicious here. If you are a fan of French toast, definitely go for the Coast Toast. It is legendary among the swimmers who frequent the Cove.

If you are more in the mood for a buffet, there is also the dazzling Sunday spread at La Valencia's Mediterranean Room. There are tables and tables of fine food placed between beautiful ice carvings and the view here is also fantastic. It is a big splurge, though, at $49 a head. But your son only graduates once—well, unless he's going to grad school, that is.

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Dallas, Tex.: Hi! I actually just booked a long weekend trip to San Diego for Oct. 10-13 (leaving from Dallas). I went to San Diego as a kid (to the zoo, etc.), but now am looking for a somewhat romantic weekend getaway itinerary for two (married) adults. Just so you know, we're both 30, active, enjoy wine-tasting and beach activities. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Jennifer

Ericka Chickowski: Hey, Jennifer. I'm starting to run too low on time to give you a full itinerary, but I wanted to be sure and recommend a fun activity sure to spark the romance. Out on Coronado Island you can take a sunset gondola ride through the Coronado Cays. They'll have an appetizer tray waiting for you on the boat, along with wine glasses and corkscrew. You can even hire a violin or mandolin player to serenade you along the way. You'll need to supply the wine, so I'd recommend stopping by Wine Styles in Coronado on your way to the gondola. Enjoy!

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Ericka Chickowski: Sadly, I'm running out of time for our chat. I want to thank everyone for their great questions. In fact, I received so many that I was unable to get to them all.

If I didn't get to your question, please visit my Amazon page in the coming days and check out my author's blog. I plan on answering the extra questions over there. You can sign up for an RSS feed and can also purchase my new book while you're on the page. Thanks everyone!