Born and raised in San Diego, I have lived throughout the county from Pine Valley to Point Loma and many places in between. I attended Grossmont and Granite Hills High Schools and graduated from UC San Diego. I met my husband in Mission Beach in 1995 and we raised our family in Point Loma, where he grew up. While the East County holds a special place in my heart, Point Loma is home.
I am the oldest of five girls and am very close to my four younger sisters. I am a wife to the most amazing man on the planet and a mother to three outstanding kids.
Our family owns San Diego Gymnastics, which offers gymnastics, parkour, active pre-school, after school care and fun events to children across San Diego. We started our first location in our neighborhood in Point Loma and now have six gyms across the county. As we continue to grow in San Diego with multiple new locations on the horizon, we recently took a major step in our expansion by offering franchise opportunities. It is an exciting and busy time for our family. Besides my marriage and my children, San Diego Gymnastics is the thing I am most proud of.
In my free time I love to travel, do yoga, play golf and spend time with my family.
About Christina Grady
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
My husband Doug is my partner in every way. He went to Point Loma High School and graduated from USC. He is a devoted husband and father, avid sports fan, golf addict and loves the ocean. We have three adult children. They all went to Point Loma High School. Gavin, 26, graduated from Chapman University. He continues to participate in multiple sports, is a die hard sports fan, lives in Point Loma and works for San Diego Gymnastics. Kyle, 24, graduated from the University of Michigan. He has a passion for flying helicopters and planes, lives in Virginia Beach and is an officer in the United States Marine Corps. Gabriella, 21, graduated from Arizona State University. She loves to travel, lives in Miami and works for San Diego Gymnastics.
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
I graduated from UCSD, majoring in Communications and Political Science. My internships and first jobs were in media and radio sales advertising. We started San Diego Gymnastics in 2008.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
Life is short! Live everyday to the fullest, have fun and never settle.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
On a beach in Mexico.
Christina Grady & Our Community
Q: What are a few of your favorite restaurants in our community?
We love eating out and have so many San Diego favorites! Mexican food: Marieta’s in La Mesa and Nico’s in Ocean Beach. Sushi-Shino in Little Italy, Azuki in Banker’s Hill and The Joint in Ocean Beach. Italian-Old Venice in Point Loma and Vinarius in Little Italy. Fine Dining: 3rd Corner in Ocean Beach and Ruth’s Chris on Harbor Drive.
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
My entire life. My first job was at the La Mesa Recreational Center as a gymnastics coach and basketball referee.
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
There are so many amazing people that I have been lucky to know over the years. But two that stand out would be NFL football coach, Marty Schottenheimer and basketball legend, Bill Walton.
Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
Grossmont Center is a place where I grew up going as a child and then loved to hang out, shop and go to the movie theater with friends when I was a teenager. Now we have a San Diego Gymnastics location there. It is a place that I have watched transition over the years and has come full circle for me.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
San Diego has so many beautiful and unique aspects. I think what I love the most is the geographical diversity…beaches, valleys, mountains and deserts all within reach and the proximity to Mexico, my home away from home.
Q: If you could choose anyone alive today and not a relative, with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would you meet for this lunch?
Barbara Morton-she is half of the husband and wife team that own and operate the Brigantine Restaurant Corporation. She is a strong woman, wife, mother and business owner who leads by example in all aspects of life that are important to me. She has been an inspiration to me for over 25 years and she probably doesn’t even know it. I would pick her brain on family, business and life. I would probably meet her at one of her awesome restaurants.
For Fun
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
The Great
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I danced on top of a piano in the 1988 Super Bowl halftime show in San Diego with the Rockettes and Chubby Checker.
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
My husband!
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My kids!
Q: What community organizations and/or local nonprofits do you admire/support?
Through San Diego Gymnastics, our commitment and financial support goes to our local schools. We believe strong kids, create strong families and communities. Other causes that I have a passion for supporting are finding a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease, helping our neighbors south of the border and stopping domestic violence.
Q: What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Don’t worry about things you can’t control. I’m not good at following that advise. But I try!
Q: What Neighborhood do you live in?
Point Loma
What I love about my Neighborhood:
Our friends, walks at Sunset Cliffs, live music at Humphrey’s and our close proximity to downtown and the airport
Please describe your ideal San Diego weekend:
Friday-Morning coffee with my husband as we drive along the cliffs and check the surf, 9:30am yoga with girlfriends at Core Power, a round of golf, boat over to Coronado for dinner and then back to Point Loma to raft up and listen to music at Humphrey’s from the water. Saturday-drive south to Ensenada, have lunch at Muelle Tres and then to Valle de Guadalupe, take the dirt roads back to Rosarito, eat lobster and watch the sunset. Sunday-kickback at the house and watch football or go to a Padres game, cook a fun dinner and get a goodnight sleep.
Q: Finally, what three words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Family, friends and fun!
