For those of us who didn’t score tickets to see Kathy Griffin at the San Diego Civic Center this weekend (tear), here’s a list of other weekend happenings to keep us occupied:

• Yes!! This Saturday and Sunday is the Adams Avenue Street Fair, California’s largest free music festival and one of my
  

  Adams Avenue here I come...

  favorite annual events. Set along Adams Avenue (between 35th Avenue and Bancroft Street) in Normal Heights, the event features 70 musical acts on six different stages, carnival rides, over 300 arts and craft vendors, beer gardens and yummy food galore! The fun goes down from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Sunday.  Insider Tip: I suggest pulling out some mullah because a lot of the vendors are “cash only.”

• Beat the heat and catch a flick during the annual San Diego Film Festival this weekend at the Gaslamp Theater. Showcasing a number of American and international full-length films, documentaries and short films, you can also catch Q & A sessions with directors and maybe even a star sighting or two. Individual passes are available, but day passes are recommended. Plus, with the purchase of a day pass you can get into the special workshops, panels and fabulous after parties. Click here for a complete list of showings.
• Long before there was a sponge that lived in a pineapple under the sea, there was a famous explorer that sailed the sea; in fact, that explorer, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, discovered San Diego in 1542. In honor of his discovery, we’re celebrating the annual Cabrillo Festival this Saturday and Sunday. This free event includes cultural festivities, educational activities, music, food, dancing and a wonderful reenactment of the famous explorer landing on the shores of San Diego Bay.
• This Saturday, Smithsonian Magazine presents national Museum Day, which means a number of museums all over the country are providing free general admission. More than a dozen of San Diego’s museums are participating in this event, including San Diego Botanic Garden, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, Birch Aquarium at Scripps and California Center for Arts, Escondido Museum. To take advantage of this offer, you must click here to register for and print out a Smithsonian Museum Day Card. I just registered for mine and it takes less than a minute!
• Enjoy the cultures and customs of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia during the 15th Annual Pacific Islander Festival this Saturday and Sunday at Mission Bay’s Ski Beach. This free event will have continuous entertainment, food, music and unique crafts.

Tags: 5 to try, cabrillo national monument, festival, film, free, live music, mission bay, museum, normal heights

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Tony and Marilyn on set at The Del.

The Hotel del Coronado is throwing a birthday party for Some Like It Hot, the best American comedy ever. 

(That’s not my opinion on the flick, the American Film Institute says so.)

The movie debuted 50 years ago, forever linking the grand dame San Diego hotel with Hollywood’s blonde bombshell, Marilyn Monroe.

On Sept. 18-19, movie buffs and Marilyn fans will gather to celebrate the 1959 classic, directed by Billy Wilder and shot on location at The Del, with a spectacular weekend filled with events including a gala dinner guest-starring none other than Tony Curtis. 

Information on reserving these events or booking the Some Like It Hot Weekend Celebration Package (it includes accommodations and tickets to all events) is online. 

The hotel has warned guys, gals and guys dressed as gals to book early as space is limited.

Tags: coronado, film, hotel del

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I got a call last night from a friend who had just attended a screening of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (part of Lyric Opera San Diego’s “Classics of Comedy” summer film series) and she reminded me just how brilliant a filmmaker John Hughes was.  She said, “I never get sick of that movie,” and I had to second that emotion.  I guess that’s what a “classic” movie really is — one you never get sick of.

So far this summer, plenty of classics have been screened around town, and the fun continues during the “Classics of Comedy” movie series showing at Birch North Park Theatre, right here in my neck of the woods.

Next in the series:

Harold and Maude
Sunday August 23 at 2:30 P.M. & Wednesday, August 26 at 7:00 P.M.

Young Frankenstein
Sunday, August 30 at 2:30 P.M. & Wednesday, September 2 at 7:00 P.M.

Tickets are $9 for general admission and $7 for seniors and students.

And the Comedy Classics Keep Comin’!

From mere comedy, we now bust into downright mirth with Lyric Opera San Diego’s “Music and Mirth at the Movies,” presenting simultaneous performances on both stage and screen.

On Friday, September 11 at 7:00 P.M., Lyric Opera San Diego will present a special screening of Buster Keaton in Sherlock, Jr. with live musical accompaniment by film accompanist, Dr. Philip Carli, on the keys.

Tickets for this performance are $12 for general admission, $10 for seniors and students, and $8 for children.  Aside from the live performer, the extra couple of bucks gets you two short subjects and a cartoon.

I have to tell you that one of my earliest and fondest memories of San Diego is of an outdoor screening of Buster Keaton’s The General at Spreckels Organ Pavillion in Balboa Park.  There was live accompaniment that time, too — on Spreckels’ giant pipe organ, no less!  A lot of folks might not think old movies like this are for them, but I remember how hysterical the entire audience — young and not-so-young — became during that flick, and I’m sure it had everything to do with the communal experience and “live” performance.  And here we go again.

Think you’re too cool for silent movies?  I promised you mirth, didn’t I?  Take my Buster Keaton challenge on the 11th.  You’ll be on the floor with the rest of us.  (Of course, the music will be a little different from this clip.)

I have no idea whether or not this violates any copyright laws.  All I know is Buster Keaton belongs to everyone.

Tags: film, North Park, things to do, what to do

(2 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)

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No, not exactly.  You might see Comic-Con banners back up at the Convention Center as well as what looks like a large Comic-Con crowd on the street today.  Don’t panic!  You didn’t travel through one of Dr. Strange’s spacetime portals to last month’s Comic-Con; it’s just a movie set.

Photo courtesy of the Unified Port of San Diego

The film in production is called Paul.  It’s a comedy about two comic book *ahem* enthusiasts who travel cross-country in an RV and land at Comic-Con, and it stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz . . . hel-lo?).  But most exciting is the appearance of San Diego as itself.  You remember San Diego, don’t you?  Star of such films as Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, Return of the Killer Tomatoes, and Killer Tomatoes Strike Back, among many other films and television shows.  (Okay, more recently, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.)

Get ready to see yourself grace the silver screen once again, Diego!

Left to right - Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Middle Earth vacationers

Sorry to those hoping for a surprise encore of Comic-Con 2009.  If you want to attend the real Comic-Con, you’ll have to travel through time the regular way with the rest of us and wait until next year — July 22-25, 2010, to be exact.

‘Nuff said.

Tags: comic-con, downtown, film

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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So, you think you can dance? Wait til you see this awesome little guy at the Barona Pow Wow.

Warm ocean temperatures, coastal highs in the mid-70’s and crowds back in school make fall one of the best times to visit San Diego’s beaches and world-famous family attractions.   But, in my opinion, an even more exciting reason to visit in fall are all the cool events celebrating the cultures and people who make up San Diego. 

It’s common to hear San Diegans say “everyone here is from somewhere else.”  Well, here’s a chance to dig below the surface and find out where we come from – you might be surprised!

Fall cultural heritage events include:

• The Pow-Wow Trail of California, celebrating the culture and history of the indigenous people of the state, winds through San Diego in September.  The Barona Band of the Mission Indians holds their annual Barona Pow-Wow Sept. 4-6 at the Barona Reservation in Lakeside.   The following weekend, Sept. 11-13, The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation holds their Pow-Wow at the Sycuan Reservation in El Cajon.  Both events include traditional singing, dancing, games, arts and crafts, costumes, food and much more.   
• On Sept. 26-27, the Pacific Islander Festival brings the spirit of the islands to Mission Bay’s Ski Beach with a celebration of the traditional cultures of the indigenous people of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia – an area that includes more than 2,000 unique Pacific islands.  This fall marks the 15th anniversary of the event which brings to San Diego the traditional food, dance, music, art and friendly hospitality of the people of Hawaii, Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti and many more vibrant island cultures. 
• More than 200,000 people gather in La Mesa during Oct. 2-4 for the largest three-day Oktoberfest west of the Mississippi.  Lovers of German food, music, culture and beer flock to the festivities and celebrate German culture with traditional foods like bratwurst and sauerkraut, frosty brews flowing in three huge beer gardens, hundreds of craft vendors, costumed folk dancers and a children’s carnival.   
• On Oct. 11, San Diego’s Little Italy Association presents the 15th Little Italy Festa – the largest one-day Italian American festival west of the Mississippi.  A grand celebration of Italian culture, more than 120,000 people gather annually for this traditional street festival that serves up traditional music, authentic foods, specialty crafts and Gesso Italiano, an Italian street chalk painting exhibition.   Sporty types also enjoy the street stickball exhibition games – San Diego is home to 10 stickball teams and visiting teams come from around the region – and can register early to enter the bocce ball tournament on Oct. 12.
• The San Diego Asian Film Festivalreturns Oct. 12-29 to Mission Valley with programming that has earned an international reputation as one of North America’s top Asian-American film festivals. Last year, it drew a record crowd of nearly 18,000 film buffs and attracted high profile filmmakers and celebrities, including Academy Award-winning director Jessica Yu (short film, Breathing Lessons), Aaron Yoo (Disturbia, Nick and Nora), John Cho (Harold and Kumar), Leonardo Nam (Sisterhood of Traveling Pants), and YouTube sensation Christine Gambito of HappySlip.
• On Nov. 1, the city of Oceanside brings its Annual Dia del los Muertos celebration to the historic Mission San Luis Rey. The mission grounds are transformed into a Mexican plaza with thousands of marigolds used in the creation of “ofrendas,” or altars, which are memorials to loved ones who have passed. Guests can enjoy music, dancing, food booths, a retail mercado and the Chalk Cemetery, an interactive area where guests use flowers, candles and chalk to create their own ofrendas. 

Tags: fall, film, la mesa, little italy, mission bay, mission san luis rey, native american, Oceanside

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Want to see the BIGGEST movies for free this summer? 

Now through Sept. 7, you can see IMAX flicks for free at The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park by printing out a Summer Splash coupon and paying regular gallery admission – $10 for adults, $8.75 for kids and seniors. 

Free IMAX Summer Splash Flicks at the Fleet

The Summer Splash IMAX movies are:

ADVENTURES IN WILD CALIFORNIA - Careen down an icy raven; skysurf on thermals above the clouds; swim through the oceans with otters; explore the heart of a thirty-story tall Giant Sequoia and ride one of California’s biggest, surfable waves in this virtual  Golden State expedition. (Showing daily July-Aug.)

UNDER THE SEA – Be transported to some of the most exotic and isolated undersea locations on Earth, including South Australia, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Coral Triangle islands of Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, for face-to-face encounters with mysterious sea creatures. (Showing daily July-Aug.)
 
LEWIS & CLARK – The journey of exploration that shaped a nation is re-created in this film.  (Showing Aug. 1-9)
 
EVEREST – The true story of climbers who found strength in tragedy on the world’s highest mountain. (Showing Aug. 10-16)
 
JOURNEY INTO AMAZING CAVES –  Explore unusual caves, including ice caves in Greenland and underwater caves in the jungles of Mexico.  (Showing Aug. 17-23)
 
MYSTERIES OF EGYPT -  Journey through the Land of the Pharaohs against the wondrous backdrop of the sweeping Nile and the majestic Giza pyramids.  (Showing Aug. 24-31)

Tags: balboa park, deals, film, free, summer

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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That's a military helicopter flying a car over San Diego Bay. Crucial plot point.

While you won’t see stunts like that everyday, you can inject a little high octane excitement into your vacation.  Here’s how:

• Rent a Go Car Tour around town.  Sharing the road in a little, yellow motorized scooter will give you a perspective on how it must feel to face down a giant robot/vehicle. Plus, they look kinda like Bumblebee.
• Call Corporate Helicopter tours to schedule a private chopper tour and get a Decepticons-eye-view of the downtown skyline and San Diego Bay. 
• Younger kids can learn the rules of the road and bone up for those high-speed chases at Legoland’s Fun Town Driving School. 
• Visit the San Diego Automotive Museum and imagine what Autobots of the past might have looked like. Is that vintage truck Optimus Prime’s grandfather?
• Or, see those classic cars in action each Thursday during the La Mesa’s weekly Back in Time rally or on Friday’s during Escondido’s Cruisin’ Grand events.
• If you just have to get behind the wheel yourself, sign up for San Diego Prestige’s Supercar Tour- a luxury car road rally through the gorgeous, winding San Diego back country.

Tags: classic car, film, legoland, san diego bay

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If you’re mid-century modern fan, The Mingei Museum in Balboa Park has an exhibit for you this summer.  Masters of the Mid-Century California Modern covers the careers of Evelyn and Jerome Ackerman, designers whose home accessories, furniture and architectural elements were at the forefront of the now iconic design movement.

In celebration of the exhibit, the museum is hosting Hollywood Modern: Modernist Set Design in Mid-Century Cinema, a film series with screenings on three consecutive Thursdays in July. 

The three films they’ve selected all feature amazing mid-century modern design and hilarious hi-jinks: the romantic comedy Pillow Talk, the Doris Day and Rock Hudson classic (July 2); the spy spoof Our Man Flint starring James Coburn (July 9); and Blake Edwards’ raucous comedy The Party with the incomparable Peter Sellers (July 16).

I don’t know about you but I love me some Peter Sellers! 

Hollywood Modern at The Mingei also features that staple of the 50’s and 60’s – the cocktail party – with film-inspired cocktails and appetizers from 6 – 7 p.m.

Admission is $10 for members and students and $15 for non-members.

Tags: balboa park, drinks, film

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Travel Like A Local with Modern Mixology and other summer fun.

Did you know we’ve got an online radio show?

Last week, she interviewed guests who spoke about all the summer activities at Loews Coronado Bay Resort - ranging from Modern Mixology classes to guided herb garden tours – and the free outdoor summer movies presented by San Diego County Parks & Recreation. 

Organic cocktails and outdoor movies?  Sounds like a perfect summer afternoon to me!

Tags: coronado, drinks, film, summer, travel like a local

(2 votes, average: 2.50 out of 5)

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