Best kept SoCal secret: "Behind the Model Railroad Museum in Balboa Park, in the parking lot—I guess it’s the corner of the Japanese Friendship Garden—there's this lone rainbow eucalyptus. It's huge, but it's not just a usual eucalyptus tree. It's this kind that has a trunk that is all the colors of the rainbow, essentially. It’s unreal. Just one humble little tree (it’s pretty big actually). And I always try to park right there and walk by and hang out with it for a second."

The themes in the PST ART exhibit Transformative Currents, hosted at multiple locations in Orange County and San Diego, echo much of the work that Sedarat himself is doing: examining how issues such as climate change and pollution are affecting the Pacific Ocean and using the concept of currents to illustrate connection and mutual responsibility. “I want to know what people are talking about, especially when we're looking at the history. What can we learn from stuff that's already happened?"

As you travel further along the coast towards San Diego, stop off at San Diego Botanic Garden. “I’ve always loved plants,” expresses Sedarat, “and the San Diego Botanic Garden is an amazing place.”

“Wetlands are important,” he explains. “They're amazing in the context of sea level rise and storm flooding control.” To experience their beauty, Sedarat recommends the San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve and Nature Center at the base of the Torrey Pines Natural Reserve. “It’s one of the few easily accessible spots [to the lagoon] and the wetlands are a quick fix if you're trying to immerse yourself in nature without having to drive hours."

Helen and Newton Harrison: California Work, also at multiple locations, showcases the life work of this husband and wife team, two of the earliest ecological artists. "I love how these things all connect to something that definitely hits close to home for me on an environmental level. And it’s going to be fun to check out some of these venues," says Sedarat. "Like, one of them is the La Jolla Historical Society, and I've walked by that building so many times and not realized what's in there."

The tour’s next stop is PST ART’s Embodied Pacific. One of the host venues is Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography where Sedarat studies and works. The exhibition is an expansive exploration of oceanography through workshops, programs, and immersive exhibits. “When I first started out as an undergraduate, I was actually pre med,” Sedarat reflects. “But [over time], I realized I was happier working in the ocean."

Another venue of Embodied Pacific is at Kendall-Frost Mission Bay Reserve, where there are more wetlands. “I would love to see infrastructure develop and start to use wetlands more than has been done so far. Wetlands’ design actually solves a lot of our extreme environmental issues and climate problems. So Kendall Frost is really awesome and I can't wait to see what's going on there in relation to this exhibit.”

Around now you may be feeling hungry. Head to one of Sedarat’s favorite restaurants in the area, a friendly diner: Harry's Coffee Shop in La Jolla. “It’s been there for so long,” he says. “Like some of the professors I'm friends with from Scripps, who are generations older than me, have been going to Harry's since Harry was alive. When you go inside, it's like you're getting transferred back to the 50s or 60s."

After you’ve refueled, it’s time to head into San Diego proper. Interested to read up on all you’ve been seeing? Sedarat suggests Verbatim Books, a large independent bookstore that specializes in secondhand books. “They've got character, for sure. And they really seem to like dinosaurs,” he laughs. “Definitely worth checking out.”

“[Balboa Park has] got a rotating slew of different displays and exhibits and even just their gardens are beautiful to walk around in,” says Sedarat. “It's kind of like Central Park as far as California goes.” [Editor’s Note: There are two PST ART exhibitions in Balboa Park to check out! Wonders of Creation: Art, Science, and Innovation in the Islamic World at the San Diego Museum of Art and Blue Gold: The Art and Science of Indigo at the Mingei International Museum.]