It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting Moonlight State Beach in Encinitas, CA gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Encinitas, CA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
“Martesha has always been in a good mood and pleasant while providing her services to”
“I have been with Always Best Care for about 2 years, caring for my 86”
“I am very proud to Belong to Always Best Care Senior Services ❤️ Because”
“Great company. The staff is amazing and helpful. I was a caregiver for my husband”
“My name is Gabriela, I have been with Always Best Care for seven years and”
“I been working with always best care for a year now, let me just say”
“My experience with the clients with them have been great.Plus they have a very flexible”
“Hi, my name is Janett .. Working at Always Best Care has been the best experience”
“I'm a caregiver with Always Best Care. I've work for the agency since early April”
“My name is Haley Maddox and I’ve been with Always Best Care for a few”
“So grateful to be apart of this wonderful community of people, it is such a”
“Have really enjoyed working for Always Best Care !”
“Chelsea from the day she manager has been sweet and wonderful, making sure my schedule”
“Aida Gomez is truly an Angel in disguise She is patient with me & attend to”
“For me it is a honor to be part of this company called ALWAYS BEST”
“Hello ???????? there this is Leonardo Martínez I’m one of the formal Care givers associates”
“I’m really thankful for Always Best Care they stepped in to provide my great aunt”
“Honestly this is a great company to work for. The owners really care about what”
“Ethan Kim was fantastic! Called late in the afternoon that my sister needed help the”
“Ethan Kim was extremely helpful in assisting us set up in home care support. His”
“Just wanted you to know that we moved Beth into Pacific Pointe last weekend. All”
“Outstanding service taking care of my Dad. The CNA assigned was awesome and we felt”
“Ethan did an excellent job finding placement for my father within tight time parameters. The”
“Ethan Kim of Always Best Senior Services helped me find a place for my husband”
“Ethan is a hard-working, honest man who will do everything in his power to get”
“Martesha has always been in a good mood and pleasant while providing her services to me. She goes beyond what has been asked to do both physically and mentally. Her attitude is always positive and encouraging me in my recovery. She is an excellent companion and helpful to me. She is morally fit and encouraging I can’t thank you enough. ABC thank you for providing services”
“I have been with Always Best Care for about 2 years, caring for my 86 year old father. Although I am his main caregiver, I still need help. My dad has 2 caregivers assigned to him which allows me to still keep my job. Dawn, his daily caregiver, goes that extra mile. Treating my dad as if it was her father. And Martesha, a newer caregiver for my dad, knew just what to do. And with a little background about my father, she didn't need much prompting ABC is so thoughtful and really shows their employees and client's how much they are appreciated.”
“I am very proud to Belong to Always Best Care Senior Services ❤️ Because is a Company which really care about of their clients and their team workers”
“Great company. The staff is amazing and helpful. I was a caregiver for my husband and they help with training and were always pampering me with gift cards, birthday cards, Raffles. It felt just like a hug in this road”
“My name is Gabriela, I have been with Always Best Care for seven years and I have to say, it's really a great company to work for. The owners and manager are very professional, attentive, kind and flexible. As a caregiver is important that my client's needs are met and that we are a good match, and ABC does this perfectly. It's been a rewarding experience, taking care of my clients and Always Best Care has a huge heart towards people in need of care. Thank you ABC”
“I been working with always best care for a year now, let me just say how wonderful it has been to work for such an amazing company that not only cares for their clients but also their employees. If you are looking for a job as a caregiver I would highly recommend always best care!”
“My experience with the clients with them have been great.Plus they have a very flexible hours.”
“Hi, my name is Janett .. Working at Always Best Care has been the best experience of my life, from the day I went to apply for the job as a caregiver I felt very humbled. Im happy working at ABC and I hope to continue working for many years.. "❤️"”
“I'm a caregiver with Always Best Care. I've work for the agency since early April 2023. My experience has been fun, challenging at times but very rewarding. My clients are very nice. It is a great place to work. Management and administration are very communicative and attentive. They always address any concerns I have whether it is schedule issue, a client issue, or a special request. I love working for ABC. I highly recommend our company for any prospective or experienced caregivers. ????”
“My name is Haley Maddox and I’ve been with Always Best Care for a few months now and I would just like to say I absolutely LOVE and appreciate the company because they are always willing to work with you and your schedule to fit your personal life as well. Not only that but they make sure you know it’s ok to report any and every kind of complications at work and they always encourage you to ask questions and I like that a lot because not many jobs give you that comfortable feeling that YOU matter too. Thank you to ALWAYS BEST CARE for taking great care of not just their clients but their employees as well!❤️”
“So grateful to be apart of this wonderful community of people, it is such a great company! My clients treat me as I am their family and I truly take great pride in being able to care for them.”
“Have really enjoyed working for Always Best Care !”
“Chelsea from the day she manager has been sweet and wonderful, making sure my schedule which is very complicated was met. She is a blessing to me”
“Aida Gomez is truly an Angel in disguise She is patient with me & attend to all my needs as a caregiver.. Her appearance & personality is awesome!!????. Am very pleased with Aida. I love her flexibility.”
“For me it is a honor to be part of this company called ALWAYS BEST CARE . From the first moment they always treated me with great respect , always worried about what I need . For me , my clients are part of my family, they are people who needs heard,respected and loved♥️I feel very blessed to be their caregiver ????.. Thank you very much for allowing me to be part of your beautiful company ????”
“Hello ???????? there this is Leonardo Martínez I’m one of the formal Care givers associates for Always best Care I would like to thanks not only always best care in general for the amazing management but specially to my manager the best and most caring manager I have ever had ever, specially when it comes to work and making things work for everyone, awesome communication stills and training, always showing the best guidance for work,making me learn something new I can apply for work, honestly couldn’t be more great full and satisfied for chelsy Boscarino being by manages. God bless sincerely.”
“I’m really thankful for Always Best Care they stepped in to provide my great aunt with the care she needed when we couldn’t. The entire team treated us like family and went above and beyond our expectations.”
“Honestly this is a great company to work for. The owners really care about what they do and it's really refreshing for a change. It's been a blessing to be apart of the family. I look forward to continue my journey with them and helping seniors in our community!”
“Ethan Kim was fantastic! Called late in the afternoon that my sister needed help the next day. Ethan was able to secure help and nothing but complements that everything was better than expected. His service defines compassion and caring. If we ever need help, will only place a call to him.”
“Ethan Kim was extremely helpful in assisting us set up in home care support. His staff was very friendly and made my mother comfortable. Ethan was always available to answer questions and was quick to provide substitute support when needed. Would highly recommend this company for senior care.”
“Just wanted you to know that we moved Beth into Pacific Pointe last weekend. All is going well and I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to show me this place.”
“Outstanding service taking care of my Dad. The CNA assigned was awesome and we felt great knowing that she was there throughout the day. She was attentive, caring and genuine. I would highly recommend their services. You will not be disappointed.”
“Ethan did an excellent job finding placement for my father within tight time parameters. The home care facility Ethan helped us to find has turned out to be the best thing that could have happened for all of us. They have my father rehabilitated with their extra attention and care to the point where he can even walk again.”
“Ethan Kim of Always Best Senior Services helped me find a place for my husband to recuperate after surgery for a broken femur and extensive surgery. He took me to see three places. I was able to choose one and I am very happy with my choice. I know I wouldn’t be able to accomplish this on my own. Very grateful for his service.”
“Ethan is a hard-working, honest man who will do everything in his power to get the right service you need.”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Encinitas Community Park in Encinitas, CA with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Campfire or visit SelfRealization Fellowship Meditation Gardens, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
Request More Information
While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Encinitas, CA, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Encinitas, CA understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Encinitas, CA 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
Ggiata Delicatessen, an East Coast inspired deli serving Italian style sandwiches and other deli fare, is working on a new location in Encinitas at 710 S Coast Highway 101.The company recently submitted documents to the San Diego Department of Environmental Health and Quality to open in the former home of Charlie’s Electric Bikes. No opening date has been announced. Ggiata currently operates locations in Los Angeles neighborhoods including Melrose Hill, West Hollywood, Venice, H...
Ggiata Delicatessen, an East Coast inspired deli serving Italian style sandwiches and other deli fare, is working on a new location in Encinitas at 710 S Coast Highway 101.
The company recently submitted documents to the San Diego Department of Environmental Health and Quality to open in the former home of Charlie’s Electric Bikes. No opening date has been announced. Ggiata currently operates locations in Los Angeles neighborhoods including Melrose Hill, West Hollywood, Venice, Highland Park, and Studio City.
Ggiata was founded by childhood friends Noah Holton-Raphael, Max Bahramipour, and Jack Biebel, who grew up eating traditional East Coast-style deli sandwiches in Montclair, New Jersey. The company opened its first store in historic Melrose Hill before expanding to additional Los Angeles neighborhoods. According to the company, each location maintains the nostalgic and welcoming atmosphere that defines Ggiata.
The menu focuses on Italian deli staples, including chicken cutlets, housemade sauces, sesame baguettes, and rainbow cookies. Sandwiches include the Spicy P, Chicken Parm, Eggplant Parm, Meatball Parm, Classic Italian, and Cheesesteak. The menu also includes wraps, salads, sides, desserts, and breakfast items. Among the signature sandwiches is the Draper, made with chicken cutlet, Prosciutto di Parma, Stracciatella, shredded lettuce, balsamic glaze, and garlic aioli on a grilled seeded baguette.
The menu also includes the Portobello Melt, a vegan option made with grilled Portobello mushroom, vegan mozzarella, roasted red pepper, grilled onions, basil, and vegan pesto on grilled ciabatta. Breakfast offerings include egg and cheese sandwiches, Italian sausage and egg sandwiches, and buttermilk biscuits with jam.
Ggiata says its mission is to bring East Coast-inspired deli fare to its communities while working with local vendors for its ingredients. The company continues to serve dishes such as the Spicy P, Classic Italian, and Perfect Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap across its existing locations. The Encinitas site would bring the deli concept to another city, though additional details about the location have not been announced.
Encinitas sits along a stretch of Southern California coastline that feels genuinely unhurried. With sandy beaches, a thriving surf culture, and a downtown strip lined with independent shops and restaurants, it draws people who want proximity to San Diego without the noise of a large city. If you are weighing a permanent move, this moving to Encinitas CA guide covers the essentials you need to make a confident decision.What Living in Encinitas California Actually Feels LikeLiving in Encinitas, California means settling into a...
Encinitas sits along a stretch of Southern California coastline that feels genuinely unhurried. With sandy beaches, a thriving surf culture, and a downtown strip lined with independent shops and restaurants, it draws people who want proximity to San Diego without the noise of a large city. If you are weighing a permanent move, this moving to Encinitas CA guide covers the essentials you need to make a confident decision.
Living in Encinitas, California means settling into a community that takes its coastal identity seriously. The city stretches roughly six miles along the Pacific, and the pace of daily life reflects that geography.
Mornings often begin with surfers heading to Swamis or Moonlight Beach, and afternoons tend to revolve around outdoor dining, farmers’ markets, and the network of trails running through San Elijo Lagoon. The population sits at around 65,000 residents, making it large enough to have real amenities but small enough that neighborhoods still feel distinct and walkable.
Choosing where to live depends heavily on the kind of lifestyle you want. Here is a breakdown of the best neighborhoods in Encinitas CA:
The cost of living in Encinitas CA is noticeably higher than the national average, and housing is the primary reason. The median home price regularly exceeds one million dollars, and rental prices for a two-bedroom apartment typically range from $2,800 to $3,800 per month, depending on the neighborhood and proximity to the water. Leucadia and New Encinitas generally offer more competitive price points than Old Encinitas or Cardiff.
Beyond housing, everyday costs like groceries, dining, and utilities are moderately elevated compared to inland California but are fairly typical for any coastal San Diego County community. The tradeoff most residents point to is quality of life. Access to beaches, trails, and a year-round temperate climate offsets the premium for many people who make the move.
A thorough Encinitas relocation guide would not be complete without some practical advice for the moving process itself. Here are a few things worth keeping in mind before your move date:
In the end, moving to Encinitas is about more than finding a place to live; it is about choosing a coastal lifestyle built around the outdoors, community, and a slower pace of life. If you are clear on your budget, neighborhood priorities, and commuting needs, Encinitas offers a uniquely balanced blend of small-town charm and coastal Southern California energy that can make a long-term move feel both practical and deeply rewarding.
Few surf filmmakers have shaped surf culture more than Taylor Steele. From his early days editing to the beat of punk rock in Focus to the more atmospheric sounds of Sipping Jetstreams, Steele’s films introduced new music to an audience that was eager for something raw. He hit the mark, again and again, resonating not just with surfers, but an entire generation.He’s like a master sommelier when it comes to pairing surfing with music. A master who knows how to recognize an audio-visual combination that, if...
Few surf filmmakers have shaped surf culture more than Taylor Steele. From his early days editing to the beat of punk rock in Focus to the more atmospheric sounds of Sipping Jetstreams, Steele’s films introduced new music to an audience that was eager for something raw. He hit the mark, again and again, resonating not just with surfers, but an entire generation.
He’s like a master sommelier when it comes to pairing surfing with music. A master who knows how to recognize an audio-visual combination that, if done right, becomes unforgettable. This September, he’ll be hosting another iteration of the Sessions Surf Festival
The festival kicks off September 12-13 with a live-music and surf contest weekend at Seaside Beach in Encinitas, the backdrop to many of his first films. The headlines are Unwritten Law, whose songs have appeared in his films going back to Focus, and Osees, whose sound powered the iconic South America section of Psychic Migrations. Tickets are available here.
We caught up with him ahead of the festival to talk about the music behind his work, how his process has changed over the years, and what he’s hoping to create at Seaside.
“Honestly, it was less of a process than people imagine. I was 18. Punk rock was what I listened to, and more importantly it was music I could actually get. I wasn’t licensing anything — I was calling bands who were friends of friends and who thought it was cool their song might end up in a surf video.
But once I had the songs, I was pretty obsessive. It was all about the performance. I’d edit each wave to the drum cymbal — there’s a tempo in the cymbal where if you land the spray coming off a top turn right on it, the turn suddenly hits so much harder than it did on its own. That was the whole formula. Music was there to make the surfing feel bigger.
The other thing was that in the ’90s the surfers and the bands were both into the movies. It wasn’t a transaction. Everyone was the same age, everyone was broke, everyone wanted the same thing. And the tempo of punk just meshed with the tempo of surfing that was happening at the time.”
“I’m not sure the audience growing ever really factored into it. What changed was the feeling I was chasing. Early on, music was there to get you amped. I wanted you to watch a section and go straight to the beach and be frothing to surf. That’s a specific job, and punk did it perfectly. The tempo of it just meshed with the tempo of surfing.
Then as my life changed and what I was surrounded by changed, my perspective changed. I wanted to show the world as something beautiful, romantic, and inspiring — in large part because my girls were young at the time and that’s what I wanted to hand them. Once that’s the goal, the music has a completely different job. It’s not driving specific turns or moments; it’s carrying the tone of a place and the feeling of a trip.
That’s a harder brief, but not because there’s more pressure on it. It’s harder because a song that makes you want to go surf is easy to recognize the second you hear it, and a song that captures what a month somewhere actually felt like isn’t something you find by shopping for tracks. By Castles we were solving it by recording a lot of it on location, having the surfers play and pulling in local music. That got us somewhere a playlist never would have.”
“That’s a hard question. There have been so many iconic sections and soundtrack pairings over the years — that’s honestly one of my favorite parts of bringing a film together.
When I was a kid I’d watch the same films and the same sections over and over, and those songs just get ingrained in your brain. I think that happens for a lot of surfers. You hear a song years later and it’s tied to your favorite section, and it brings back a piece of what we all love about being out there. That’s a strange kind of power for a piece of music to have, and it’s not something you can plan for when you’re making the thing.
That’s what we’re trying to create with Sessions this year. We’ve got Unwritten Law, who’ve been part of so many sections in my films going back to Focus, playing live at Seaside — which is where I started shooting. And the South America section in Psychic Migrations with Burch, Ozzie, and Nate Tyler is up there with the best-paired sections of all time, so having Osees headline feels right. They’re also one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen.”
For tickets and more information on the Sessions Surf Festival click here.
Start the Conversation
858-299-6900
