Handpicked by Locals: 5 places to eat, drink and explore in and around Rancho Bernardo

Sean Boyd said he is fortunate to have found his career path as a kid after attending shows at the Joan B. Kroc Theatre in Rolando Park, near where he grew up.

“I was very lucky,” Boyd said. “I got started at a young age at the Joan Kroc Theatre on University Avenue, and I just love that facility. I think everything about it is great.”

He said a couple of artistic and educational directors had a huge effect on him, including Siobhan Sullivan, “who just had that kind of passion that’s infectious,” and helped him find his professional calling. 

“I feel very lucky that Siobhan has been a constant in my life,” Boyd said. “I just love being able to pull from her knowledge and then try to build on the practice and that foundational work she laid for me.”

Boyd is the cofounder, artistic director and CEO of the Trinity Theatre Company in Mission Valley, which started in 2012. He oversees daily operations and handles business and creative aspects of the organization to ensure all programming is consistent with the company’s mission of connecting its programming to family, friends and community.

One example of its community scheduling is its Grown-Up Stage programming, which offers plays designed for adults and features four to five-stage productions each year.

Boyd said the Trinity Theatre’s next Grown-Up Stage production is “If’s (Imaginary Friends)” by playwright Thomas J. Misuraca, which runs Nov. 28 through Dec. 14.

“Thomas has created a beautiful piece where childhood companions long forgotten suddenly reappear with questions, demands and a mission of their own,” Boyd explained. “As one man tries to navigate adulthood, he’s pulled into a surreal and heartfelt world where fantasy collides with reality and the past refuses to stay buried.” 

Boyd added that the Trinity’s fall youth programming includes “James and the Giant Peach,” which plays in Mission Valley in November and Disney’s “Newsies,” which is being shown at the Trinity’s Carmel Valley satellite location in December.

Before starting the Trinity Theatre Company, Boyd worked as an actor at the Cygnet Theatre and the now-closed San Diego Repertory Theatre. Plus, he has directed shows at Scripps Ranch Theatre and the Joan Kroc Theatre, which he said was a “very fun and full circle moment” for him.

“It’s exciting to see a bunch of people get together and bring their collective voices together who have different perspectives and to unify into one story that we can share with the public audience,” Boyd said. “And the audience’s reactions to those stories change from one show to the next, which again creates a whole other dynamic to our shows.”

When Boyd is not working, he enjoys spending time in Rancho Bernardo, where he has lived with his wife since 2019. He said long-term planning to start a family one day, and the sense of a small community drove them to this neighborhood. 

“I remember on one Christmas Eve, my family came to visit us, and we walked my brother back to his car and everyone was calling each other out by name,” Boyd remembered. “‘How’s it going, Sean? How’s it going, Mike?’ And my brother said, ‘What a cool dynamic. It feels like a real neighborhood. It feels like a real community,’ which is awesome.”

Here are Boyd’s favorite places for dining and exploring in Rancho Bernardo.

Q: Where is your favorite dining option?

A: I love going to Elmisa Cafe! There are great gluten-free options and delicious coffee. I also love the music and ambiance. It’s a perfect place to hang out for a coffee meeting or a quick work break.

Q: What is your favorite small retail business or pop-up vendor to support?

A: I think the upkeep in the 4S Commons Town Center is really great. I love the options, the food, and all the other stores. It’s a place to go for an extended period. It really does tend to be a first stop. And there’s the Westwood Shopping Center, there’s the Edelsweiss Bakery, and I love going by the bakery. They have delicious tarts and treats.

Q: Where is your favorite open space?

A:  I live in the Westwood area of Rancho Bernardo, which has a wonderful walking trail as part of our community. It’s fairly flat and goes around the neighborhood. There are plants, foliage going on and and I love staring at the trees. It’s an easy walk. It’s quiet and peaceful. There are also benches where you can see squirrels and bunnies, just living their best life out there. We also have a clubhouse with a swimming pool, children’s playground and pickleball courts.

Q: Where is the best piece of artwork?

A: Other than my dad’s paintings, which hang proudly in my home, I love the landscape architecture on the walk in The Westwood Club. The gardening team has done a beautiful job making it an inviting piece of artwork. I’d hate to say it’s nothing special, but it’s beautiful to me. It’s just the work that they’ve done. You can tell that the gardening team has this true attention to detail.

Q: Where is your favorite entertainment attraction or historic landmark?

A: I love hanging out at Instant Replay. I don’t drink, even though it’s a bar, but I’ve spent many an hour playing pool with my friends, especially after a long day of teaching and working.