Bust out the party hats — today marks SDtoday’s second anniversary of bringing hyperlocal, positive news and fun events straight to your inbox.

To celebrate our birthday, we’re sharing our favorite SDtoday moments and discoveries from this past year — two of each, because we love a theme party, you know?

The time that we climbed onto this giant sitcom couch during Comic-Con 2023 to snap this pic still makes us giggle. | Photo via SDtoday Staff

📝 Monica’s Picks

Two favorite memories with Michael:

Covering Comic-Con 2023 together, especially singing karaoke while pretending to be contestants on “The Voice.”
Meeting Michael’s mom during her visit to San Diego — hi, Mary.

Two of Monica’s favorite stories:

Meet Bill Brown: The heartbeat of the Balboa Park Carousel | Bill is an absolute San Diego gem who takes so much pride in preserving a piece of local history; he’s also helped make beautiful memories for generations of locals.
San Diego scrapbook | I loved sifting through the city’s archives to learn the stories behind historical photos.

Two fun SD recommendations:

Try The Britannia Tearooms, a British-influenced, Victorian-themed tea room that opened over the summer in the Midway District.
I’ve been loving the Coast Walk Trail in La Jolla but, really, any lovely local hike is a good idea.

We love our co-working sessions — together, we're plugged into SD. | Photo via SDtoday staff

📝 Michael’s Picks

Two favorite memories with Monica:

Checking out the “Excelsior! The Life and Legacy of Stan Lee” exhibit at the Comic-Con Museum.
Our family movie night watching "Hocus Pocus" at Rooftop Cinema Club.

Two of Michael’s favorite stories of the last year:

Hillcrest's new sign | I love diving into local history and shining a light on a beloved community's development.
30 pizza shops in San Diego | Pizza and cheesy puns, need I say more?

Two fun SD recommendations:

Jungle Bells at the San Diego Zoo is a seasonal must — it returns Saturday, Dec. 9.
There's so much to do in Civita Park, but you definitely need to experience "The Magic Tunnel."