Pokemon Go burst into pop culture only a few weeks ago, but it’s already reaching new milestones. Not only is it the biggest mobile game in U.S. history, but with more than 21 million active users a day, people are spending more time using the Pokemon Go app than using Facebook or Twitter! The thing about fads like this is that it’s all about staying power. Here in San Diego, we see people walking around all day with their phones up, trying to catch adorable Pokemon characters who they can then train and battle in “gyms.” Based on the Pokemon card game that was popular in the early 2000s, and is still popular among the 5-12 year old set, Pokemon Go blends people’s smart phone addiction with real time GPS tracking that seems to be the perfect storm to turns people’s obsession, no matter how brief, onto this new game. Thorn Street Brewery was designated as a Pokemon Gym, so we have had an inside peek at the players and the game and we give it two thumbs up. It’s fun, easy and actually brings people together.
Trends and fads come and go, however, and although we are happy to have Pokemon Go around as long as its little heart desires, there are a few other trends that we have noticed happening around San Diego that we are ready to have “go gentle into that good night.”
Mustaches
Sorry, North Parkers. Although we have nothing against facial hair in general, and understand that beards are an important part of craft beer and brewing, mustaches have run their course. Though this is not a trend that started recently, in our opinion, it’s time for it to be over. Not only are mustaches ruining hot guys everywhere, there is also that length where it goes from respectable to picking up every crumb or beer head it comes across and…just no. Now the mustache trend as reached it’s tipping point, since you can find them on everything in pop culture from phone cases, to fake nails to baby pacifiers so we can only hope that we see a decrease in ‘staches from here on out.
Orange Theory Fitness
We are all for fitness, but the hushed and furtive tones that people are taking when talking about this newest fitness obsession, already raises red flags. Orange Theory Fitness is picking up the work-out trend where SoulCycle and Crossfit left off. People frenetically work out for 60 minutes while watching their name up on a big scoreboard and trying to keep themselves in the “Orange Zone” in the hopes of creating something called “Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption” (which they tell you will keep burning calories after you are done working out). Our issue isn’t with the program itself, since everyone likes something different, but when you hear people talking incessantly about their undying love for it at happy hour, at school pick up and at everywhere in between, it’s officially reached fad status.
$8 Pints of Beer
When out to dinner recently in North Park at an unnamed, delicious restaurant, it was shocking to see $8 for a pint of Societe Pupil IPA. Now inflation is understandable, and for some reason a $7 beer doesn’t gall us in the same way, but $8 is just too much for a beer in our hood when you can go to any taproom or brewery near 30th street and get a delicious craft beer pint for $6. Sure barrel aged and high ABV beers are more expensive, but a good ol’ IPA shouldn’t be nearly the same cost as buying the 6 pack at the store. Our wallet needs the $8 beer trend to die, but unfortunately, we don’t see that happening anytime soon.
The San Diego Heat
We are just about to head into the hottest three months of the year, here in San Diego, in another record breaking year for heat. When I moved to San Diego 16 years ago, I remember a couple of week at the end of August topping 90 degrees, when now we have a couple solid months that push that temperature and higher. Yes, complaining about the weather is pretty pointless, but if we could just put in a good word with Mother Nature to please bring back our “70 and sunny” San Diego days that we all moved here (and pay out the nose) for, that would be awesome.
So there you have it; four San Diego trend that we are ready to see end. Let us know what fads are you hoping will be over this year?
Anna Brigham
7/15/16