1. Westfield Shoppingtown Parkway Plaza
City: El Cajon, CA
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (619) 579-9932
Address: 415 Parkway Plaza (at Johnson)
Description: This sprawling mall is anchored by Sears, JCPenney, and Mervyn’s and has hundreds of specialty stores. Young girls love Afterthoughts, Claire’s, Rave Girl, and Anchor Blue; for the grown-ups there’s Victoria’s Secret and Frederick’s of Hollywood as well as the usual array of music, electronics, clothing, and specialty shops. The food court has fast food from different countries, and there’s a Rubio’s Fish Taco and a Jasmine Chinese Bistro here also. The multiplex theater is a good place to chill after a hard day of shopping.
2. Romance World
City: El Cajon, CA
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (619) 588-5494
Address: 854 Jackman Street
Description: If you adore romantic fiction, head to Romance World for oodles of books from authors ranging from Debbie Macomber to Barbara Cartland. Even if you have to make the drive from another part of the county, if you love this genre, you have to visit this store. Here you’ll find romance books from the top to the bottom of the shelves. You might get to see one of your favorite authors, too, as the store occasionally attracts big-name romance authors for signings. Call for an events schedule or to find out what’s going on in the store. The staff will special-order hard-to-find books.
3. Art World-Western Heritage Gallery
City: El Cajon, CA
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (619) 440-1041, (800) 269-8081
Address: 1266 Broadway Street
Description: According to Insiders who love Western or wildlife art, this is the primary gallery in Southern California. Many people travel from Los Angeles to visit it. More than 50 artists are represented here, including Bev Doolittle, G. Harvey, Mark Martensen, Frank McCarthy, and many more. The store also carries numbered fine-art prints and limited editions. The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
4. Christian Community Theater
City: El Cajon, CA
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (619) 588-0206, (800) 696-1929
Address: 1545 Pioneer Way
Description: The theater presents productions that the entire family will enjoy, and often there are children’s classics on the live theater “menu.” The Christmas programs at the El Cajon Performing Arts Center are especially popular, and many Insiders make attending them a family tradition. Eight different productions are staged each year. The company’s emphasis, however, is on education for young people—their values and goals as well as their acting skills.
5. East County Performing Arts Center
City: El Cajon, CA
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (619) 440-2277
Address: 210 East Main Street
Description: Built in the 1970s by the city of El Cajon and the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, the 1,142-seat theater is back in the black after being acquired by the Arts Center Foundation in 1997. Since then the concert and performance venue has been revamped, creating a fabulous venue, with a new state-of-the-art sound system, stage curtain and carpeting, and heating and air-conditioning systems. Recent programs have included Natalie Cole, Patti Austin, Crystal Gayle, and the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. The season runs May through December. Seats in all price sections are wheelchair accessible. Really worth a look.