It can be readily observed that San Diego neighborhoods such as Pacific Beach and Gaslamp perpetually focus on creating and maintaining the latest trends.
From chic salons to nightlife hotspots and creative cuisine, they dish it and we devour it without the slightest hint of hesitation. But when we locals are in search of the road less traveled or the realm where schematic enterprises thrive, Little Italy is without a doubt the epicenter of the daring and bold in San Diego.
India Street is the main commercial corridor in Little Italy, and for many years we’ve grown to associate India as home to the best Italian restaurants in San Diego. While the Busalacchi lineup will never let you down, the time has come for a new air of culture to plant its roots among the evolving climate of Little Italy. Discover one of the most refreshingly beautiful ventures to hit the scene: Numero Water Boutique.
With San Diego chosen as the flagship U.S. location, it is easy to see that Numero Water Boutique is truly a one of a kind gem. Daisuke Miura, CEO and visionary behind the innovative water concept, grew up in Izu, Japan where he always had access to the best quality of water which flowed through the foothills of Mount Fuji. In 2008, after many years distributing his premium line of natural spring water throughout Japan and other countries, Miura approached longtime friend, Timothy Smith, with a newfangled idea to bring the establishment to the United States.
As the name insinuates, the focal point of Numero is in fact its one-of-a-kind water.
“The store itself is our platform to educate people about our water,” said Lesley Barnes, Vice President of Numero Water Boutique. “One of our main goals is to illustrate to each of our customers how the unique health benefits of each of our three waters can enhance and improve their daily lives.”
Quench your thirst, and then some
When your body is quenching for some quality hydration, Numero 29, sourced from Izukani, Japan, allows for easiest absorption and helps to keep your body feeling energetic throughout the day. For individuals with an active lifestyle, Numero 51’s replenishing properties of bicarbonate help the body to recover faster and more efficiently by buffering lactic acid generated during rigorous exercise and also play a major role in digestion and pH balance. The last of the waters, Numero 76, is naturally enhanced with metasilicic acid which helps to promote healthy skin, normal growth, bone formation and connective tissue health.
But while one might easily presume that Numero is merely a boutique that specializes in the facets of premium Japanese bottled water, the essence of the Japanese Wabi Sabi philosophy resides at its core. From the moment I pulled open the lofty glass door and stepped inside the boutique’s petite first floor, I knew I wasn’t in Kansas – er, San Diego – anymore.
The living waterfall of foliage spilling down from the second floor provides as a perfect mechanism to capture curiosity and lure guests up the oak stairs in search of more. As you hit the top step you are catapulted into the Zen-inspired ethereal ambiance of the sweeping, white-walled foyer.
Numero offers guests the opportunity to indulge in a variety of specialty products and offerings, including Onsen mineral foot baths set in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook central India Street, individualized reflexology foot massages to revitalize the mind and body, a collection of Japanese inspired tea kettles and artwork to take home, and an organic line of unisex beauty products your skin will fall in love with. It is easy to see that there is much more than H2O to be found here.
H20 VIP tea tasting
But of course, while many multifaceted luxuries can be found every which way you turn, I have to confess that the Numero experience is simply incomplete without a journey into the land of teas. Being an utmost fanatic of all things tea related, I felt I had set foot on my very own cloud nine when I took a seat at the bar within the VIP room. Numero’s fully-stocked contemporary exhibition kitchen houses a copious array of strainers, kettles, goblets, ceramic Japanese “story-telling” cups and a flavorful selection of over 30 specialty hot and iced brews to be stirred, sipped and savored. I immediately set out on my tasting excursion, sampling everything from fruitful Senchas and organic Matchas to iced Greens and the sweet and bitter frothy Numero favorite, Mecha. Hands down, if Nirvana could be materialized, I just found my personal rendering.
For those who also have a serious addiction to the herbal attributes of tea or are simply in search of refuge in which serenity is effortlessly attainable, Numero offers monthly or yearly VIP membership programs which include access to private relaxation rooms, discounted reflexology foot massages, first priority on featured cooking classes (i.e. the art of sushi making) at the exhibition kitchen and the chance to experience a modernized twist on ancient Japanese tea ceremonies.
“The Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi is all about finding the perfect in the imperfect and the way we designed the entire establishment, all the way down to the sheer architectural aspects, was with this ideal in mind,” says Barnes. “Although the foundation of Numero is set on the constituents of water, we want to be more than just that to our clientele. We want Numero to be a destination spot where people can gather for a business meeting, take part in one of our featured events with a friend or simply take a moment out of their day to just sit back, relax and enjoy life.”
Numero Water Boutique is located at 1660 India Street (India and Date). Discover more about Little Italy in San Diego.
Numero Water Boutique photos by Jared Gase
