Fall Media Diet Check-In (Plus Other Life Pursuits) [Teaser] - Book Riot - The Podcast

Summary4 min read

Book Riot Podcast – Fall Media Diet Check-In (Plus Other Life Pursuits) [Teaser]

Date: November 14, 2025
Hosts: Jeff O’Neal (B) and Rebecca Schinsky (A)
Theme: Jeff and Rebecca check in on their “fall media diet,” discussing non-book activities including travel, indie bookstore visits, food adventures, family outings, and memorable local highlights in San Diego, CA.

Episode Overview

This teaser episode dives into what Jeff and Rebecca have been enjoying lately beyond their usual book talk. Jeff recounts his recent family trip to San Diego, sharing vibrant stories about indie bookstores, culinary excursions, and must-see attractions. The conversation is light, warm, and full of recommendations for literary-minded and curious travelers alike.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. San Diego Travel & Vibe

San Diego vs. LA:
Jeff describes San Diego as “what people who haven't been to LA think LA is,” highlighting its breezy, idyllic coastal atmosphere.
- “The weather is just unbelievable. It was like 65, 68 and sunny and low humidity with a little light breeze.” (00:41)
Neighborhood Feel:
San Diego feels smaller and more neighborhoody than LA, especially compared to the more touristic or sprawling LA areas.

2. Bookstore Adventures

Warwick’s in La Jolla
- Notable Fact: Warwick’s is the oldest continuously family-owned bookstore in the US.
- Established in 1896, which is rare for California.
  - “1896 on the west coast is old and you wouldn't know that walking into it now.” (02:26)
- The store is half indie bookstore, half gifts/stationery/jewelry — a likely factor for surviving in a pricey location.
- Unique Touch: The premium in-store real estate is dedicated to art and coffee table books, suggesting an affluent clientele.
  - “When you walk right in...on the left hand side, it's all like art and coffee table books. Like a wall of it cover out.” (02:50)
Verbatim Books in North Park
- Funky, used bookstore with a college-town vibe.
- Jeff enjoys the classic used bookstore experience—didn’t find the titles he wanted, but bought two other discoveries.
  - “They didn't have any of the three things I was looking for but I bought two other things. So that's how you...that's how you go.” (03:23)

3. Culinary Excursions

The Taco Stand in North Park
- Repeatedly recommended by locals and readers (notably Vanessa Diaz).
- Family goal: to eat as many tacos as possible.
- Insider tip: Eat onsite for best experience, and do not miss the churros with condensed milk dipping sauce.
  - “Don't get it to take out...Eat them right there and get the churros...you will be a happy camper.” (04:04)

4. Campus and Library Visits

University of San Diego & The Geisel Library
- Modern, striking design reminiscent of something out of Star Wars.
- Jeff explains its namesake is from Dr. Seuss’s real name, reflecting the Seuss family’s patronage in the area.
  - “It's the Geisel library...the real name of Dr. Seuss, and the Seuss family gave the money for that library...a real patron of the zoos and the arts in the San Diego area.” (04:47)

5. Zoo Experiences

San Diego Zoo Highlights
- Differentiates between the classic San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park and the more safari-themed park further north.
- Their unique draw: The only location in North America with a duck-billed platypus.
  - “They are the only zoo in North America that's a duck billed platypus. So we got to go see.” (05:27)
- Fun trivia: The peculiar weight/size of a duck-billed platypus sparks a playful guessing game.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On San Diego Weather:
“It's so beautiful down there...the weather is just unbelievable.” — Jeff (00:41)
On Historic Bookstores:
“1896 on the west coast is old and you wouldn't know that walking into it now.” — Jeff (02:26)
Used Bookstore Serendipity:
“They didn't have any of the three things I was looking for but I bought two other things.” — Jeff (03:23)
On Taco Priorities:
“Don't get it to take out...eat them right there and get the churros that has a condensed milk dipping sauce and you will be a happy camper.” — Jeff (04:04)
Library Architecture:
“It's like a modern looking building. It's really cool as great vistas and views inside. But it's the Geisel library which other people may know as the real name of Dr. Seuss.” — Jeff (04:47)
Duck-billed Platypus Question:
“Do you know how much the average weight of a ducktail build platypus is? And if you do why I don't.” — Jeff (05:33)

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:22 — Episode kicks off: Travel and media chat begins.
00:41–02:15 — Jeff’s San Diego impressions, neighborhood descriptions, and bookstore intro.
02:15–03:23 — Dive into Warwick’s and Verbatim Books.
03:23–04:04 — Taco Stand and culinary highlights.
04:04–05:00 — USD campus and Geisel Library.
05:00–06:08 — Zoo/safari park distinctions and platypus trivia.

Summary Takeaway

This lively “media diet” episode gives listeners an inviting snapshot of what excites bookish travelers beyond the shelves. Whether it’s uncovering an ultra-historic bookstore, seeking the perfect taco, or marveling at library architecture and platypuses, Jeff and Rebecca paint a vibrant, relatable picture of fall adventures. Their friendly banter and practical tips make it engaging for fans of books, travel, and curious living.

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Transcript21 lines

[00:02]
A
You're listening to a teaser for Book Riot Podcast premium content. If you want to hear the rest, join us@patreon.com bookriotpodcast for just $10 a month, get access to our full library of premium content. In addition to receiving early ad free access to the regular episodes you hear in the show. Here we go.
[00:23]
B
All right, Rebecca, it's fall media diet time. Or just like other stuff we've been doing that isn't books. I guess I, I can talk about some traveling. I didn't talk about my San Diego bookstore adventures. I can do that here. I know you've seen some movies or some tv. Where would you like to start? We can sort of ping pong back and forth.
[00:37]
A
I would love to hear about San Diego travel. I've actually never spent time there.
[00:42]
B
Well, San Diego is what people who haven't been to LA think LA is. It's, the weather is better especially it's more of. It's on the coast. Like again, the San Diego that I visited, maybe this is more touristy parts, but a lot of the LA that I go to is not on the water. And so, and it has, it has a, it has a big city feel to it where San Diego feels like a lot of smaller neighborhoods. But the weather is just unbelievable. It's unbelievable. It was like 65, 68 and sunny and low humidity with a little light breeze. I've been there a few times. We went and stayed in La Jolla, which was, which is a Tony. I guess it's a different town, but it's in the San Diego area. It's on the water. All the fancy coffee places that you can walk to, it was just, there's beaches that the kids splashed around the water. Again, it's still pretty cold, but like it's, it's so beautiful down there. And you know, we did the zoo, we went to a couple of universities just to walk around like this is one thing we've done as the kids have gotten to their teen years is going to check out a college. University is kind of like just an activity on its own. You go to a different part of town, you can learn something about the school and give them some sense of possibility. But I found, I found, I went to two bookstores that were individually notable. The first one is Warwick's in La Jolla, which is in the tony downtown area. But would you like to guess the year that Warwick's was established?
[02:15]
A
Oh, I think I read something about Warwick's recently.
[02:18]
B
It was the PW Bookstore of the Year for 2024. That's how I heard about it initially.
[02:22]
A
It's like pre1900 1896.
[02:27]
B
1896 on the west coast is old and you wouldn't know that walking into it now. I'm sure this is not the original Clappard house or whatever they were in in 1896. It's in this downtown area. And half of it. I think one of the reasons they've probably survived in this very I much must imagine extremely expensive piece of real estate is essentially half of the store is like gifts and stationery and like jewelry and stuff.
[02:50]
A
Okay.
[02:51]
B
And the other half is a nice little beautiful indie bookstore. And they did something that I haven't seen an indie bookstore do. And not many bookstores writ large. Which is when you walk right in, you know, usually the most valuable real estate is right there to the right and to the left on the left hand side. It's all like art and coffee table books. Like a wall of it cover out of coffee table and art books. Which is quite beautiful. And also suggests that people have maybe higher cart prices when they're walking in there because you're gonna pick up, you know, $150 book about the history of Nikes or something like that. But a really charming, Lovely Bookstore. But 1896 is nothing to sneeze at. The other bookstore I went to is in north park in San Diego called Verbatim Books and it's all used books and it was funky and strange. It reminded me of like a college town bookstore. And it was great. It was really cool. I beloved Raven. Yeah. And I had the experience that you sometimes have when you go to used bookstores. They didn't have any of the three things I was looking for but I bought two other things. So that's how you. That's how you go. So Verbatim in North park also. Our goal as a family was to eat as many tacos as we could. And we really did our. We really did ourselves proud. We Vanessa Diaz recommended who is from San Diego when I was there for my brother's wedding several years ago. A place called the Tacos Den in North Park. And we ate there twice this trip. And it was don't get it to take out. They're good take out but eat them right there and get the churros that has a condensed milk dipping sauce and you will be a happy camper. So those are my. Oh, one other book related thing on the University of San Diego campus they have this really striking library that looks like Something out of a Star wars, you know, matte painting. It's like sits up and out the. And like it comes into this. It's got kind of a stalk and then it has layered like this. It's like a modern looking building. It's really cool as great vistas and views inside. But it's the Geisel library which other people may know as the real name of Dr. Seuss and the Seuss family gave the money for that library. And you see Geisel stuff. Like a real patron of the zoos and the arts in the San Diego area.
[05:01]
A
I had no idea.
[05:02]
B
Which was pretty cool there on the same time. What else? Anything else there? Yeah, the taco stand. The safari park is great. The San Diego Zoo. There's two San Diego zoos. There's one in Balboa park which is the one most people know. This other one's about an hour north of that and they have this huge like African savannah kind of preserve thing. You take a tram around and they have, they have. And the reason the number one star of the show that Ames beelined it for is they are the only zoo in North America that's a duck billed platypus. So we got to go see.
[05:33]
A
Very exciting.
[05:34]
B
Do you know how much the average weight of a ducktail build platypus is? And if you do, why I don't. And if you don't. Would you like to guess?
[05:41]
A
Oh my God, I'm gonna be terrible.
[05:43]
B
No, everyone's gotten it wrong. My brother was off by.
[05:47]
A
I've never seen one in real life.
[05:49]
B
Well, this is the thing. This is the thing that's. This is why I'm asking the question. I'm not telling you any of this. Just like what is the cultural weight of a duck Bill Platter book in your mind and I implore you yay. Until you listener to make a guess.
[06:04]
A
I'm gonna guess that a duck billed platypus like what do you think of.
[06:09]
B
As a comp in your mind? Like what size animal is it in your mind?
[06:11]
A
Yeah, that's what I'm doing. I'm thinking about like what size dog is a duck billed platypus similar to and this is probably wrong in like several ways but I'm gonna go with like a Jack Russell, like 18 pounds, 22 pounds. Thanks so much for listening. Join us at patreon.com bookriotpodcast to hear the rest of this episode and get access to our full back catalog of premium content. That's pat.com bookriotpodcast.