The Fable Field Notes

Local guides to eating, exploring, and getting just a little spooked in San Diego — written by the guides who lead the tours.

Victorian parlor with tufted chairs and a carved fireplace
Ghost Stories

Ida Bailey and the Canary Cottage: San Diego’s Most Notorious Madam

Who was Ida Bailey? The story of the Stingaree's most famous madam, her Canary Cottage on Fourth Avenue, and what history can…

October 18, 20266 min read
Black-and-white Old West style building
History

Wyatt Earp in San Diego: The Lawman’s Gambling Years in the Gaslamp Quarter

Yes, Wyatt Earp lived in San Diego. Here's what the records show about his gambling halls, the Oyster Bar, the Stingaree district…

September 23, 20266 min read
Victorian-era house with ornate trim
History

A Brief History of the Gaslamp Quarter: San Diego’s Victorian Heart

How San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter went from a muddy red-light “Stingaree” district to a 16-block National Historic landmark full of restored Victorian…

June 26, 20262 min read
A single street lamp glowing in the fog at night
Ghost Stories

San Diego Ghost Stories: The Most Haunted Places in the Gaslamp Quarter

Murder, hauntings, and Victorian-era legends — a local guide to the most haunted places in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, and how to…

June 26, 20263 min read