Veterans Day falls on November 11, the anniversary of the Armistice of World War I — not a great battle but an achievement of peace.  Each year, San Diego honors United States veterans with the San Diego County Veterans Day Parade taking place downtown on Pacific Highway beginning at 11:00 A.M.  Everyone is invited to come and see one of San Diego’s most spectacular parades.

After the parade, you can visit the U.S.S. Midway Museum and watch as its newest addition — a restored World War II Corsair fighter plane — is lifted onto the fight deck.  Veterans will receive free admission to the museum and $1 from every ticket sold that day will be donated to the Veterans Village of San Diego.

While you’re there, check out the collection of military memorials along the bay, between the U.S.S. Midway and Seaport Village.

Building on the spirit of the occasion, LEGOLAND California has recreated the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial in miniature.  The mini-memorial is situated in the park’s  Miniland, between the mini Lincoln Memorial and the mini Washington Memorial, just like the real thing in Washington, D.C.

Also in honor of Veterans Day, Old Town Trolley Tours of San Diego will treat all veterans — active duty, retired, and honorably discharged — to an entertaining and enlightening city sightseeing tour on Wednesday, November 11.  Just bring your valid ID card showing active duty or retirement, or a DD214 (proof of release from the military), to any Old Town Trolley booth for your complimentary boarding pass.

And just so you know, the world-famous San Diego Zoo offers free admission all year round to active duty military personnel (U.S. and foreign) with valid military ID. Spouses and dependents receive 10% discount on the Best Value Admission, which includes bus tour and Skyfari aerial tram.

Here’s to making a happy Veterans Day happen in San Diego!

Tags: free, holiday, legoland, military, sightseeing, tour, zoo

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Today is October 1, which means for the next 30 days kids and families can enjoy:

Free admission into the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park during Kid Free Days. All children ages 3 – 11 will receive complimentary admission into both parks for the entire month.

Free admission on any one- or two-hour Harbor Cruise of San Diego Bay with Hornblower Cruises & Events. Complimentary tickets will be provided for up to two children, ages 12 and under, per each paying adult for the entire month.

Half-priced admission into four museums in Balboa Park: the Mingei International Museum, the Museum of Man, the Museum of San Diego History and the Museum of Photographic Arts (MoPA) will offer half-priced admission every Saturday and Sunday morning from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.  Note: this offer is actually valid through May 31, 2010 with some blackout days effective after October 31; please check museums to verify for half-priced admission days.

Tags: balboa park, cruise, deals, free, harbor, museum, san diego bay, wild animal park, zoo

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Remember when Peter Brady made two dates for the school dance with two different girls and tried to keep them both without either one finding out?  His solution was simple: find a kid at school who looks identical to him for some reason and set him up with one of the unwitting young ladies.

I’m facing a similar double-booking problem this weekend — two huge, 2-day events that I look forward to each year: Adams Avenue Street Fair and the Pacific Islander Festival – both taking place September 26 and 27.  Unfortunately, without the wits and resources of a Brady, there’s no way for me to enjoy both days of programming.  Yes, these are my troubles.

Adams Avenue Street Fair

 

Adams Avenue Street Fair is the outdoor event I most look forward to every year.  With six musical stages, carnival rides, and a food and arts & crafts bazaar, it’s San Diego’s most happening block party as well as Southern California’s largest free music festival.  I never miss it, and every year I come away with some great, new local discoveries, as well as chili-lime kettle corn breath.

It’s hard enough choosing which stage to go to at any particular time during Adams Avenue Street Fair, let alone deciding which day to cut entirely.  This year, the music I’m most looking forward to, or curious about, will come from Red Pony Clock, Akayaa & Bolga Zohdoomah, and Jack “Mr. Bongo” Costanzo & his Latin Orchestra.  And I can personally vouch for The Styletones and Gregory Page.

Find a complete schedule of performers and their websites here.

Adams Avenue Street Fair runs from 10:00 A.M. to 9 P.M. on Saturday, and from 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.

Street Fair Report 9/28/09: One thing this year’s Adams Avenue Street Fair had in common with those from most previous years is that it was the best one yet.  I became so swept up in the music on Saturday that I found myself returning for more on Sunday and, in the end, I stood up the Pacific Islander Festival (and my pulled pork and mac salad).  So much for multitasking.  Peter Brady — 1, me — 0.  But boy, did I dance this weekend!

Charlie Konopka busks some San Diego blues on Adams Ave.

Yes, even the buskers brought the goods this year.  It reminded me of an embryonic South by Southwest.  If next year’s Street Fair is to top this year’s, I think these three acts will have to put something together.

 

Pacific Islander Festival

The other event I look forward to every year is the Pacific Islander Festival, also going on September 26 and 27.  This one takes place at Ski Beach on Mission Bay, and it celebrates the rich folkways of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia with ethnic food, arts & crafts, cultural exhibits, and a stage with a steady schedule of musical and cultural performances.  It’s the place to go to sit on the grass with your plate lunch and shave ice and take in some ukulele combos and a poi ball dance performance.  That’s my kind of dinner theater.

 

The Pacific Islander Festival opens on Saturday at 9:00 A.M. and is pau at 4:00 P.M.  On Sunday, it’ s 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

Limited parking is available for $10 in the lot on the west side of Ski Beach, but you should get there early to catch that worm.  A good alternative would be to park at one of the three remote parking lots and catch a free shuttle into the festival.  And wear sunscreen, bruddah!

Tags: festival, food, free, live music, outdoors, things to do, what to do

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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

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1. This weekend is the 4th annual ArtWalk on the Bay, as in San Diego Bay along the downtown waterfront embarcadero. The event will feature live music, wine tastings, kids activities and of course, some of the region’s finest art.  The free event takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at the Embarcadero Marina Park North (behind Seaport Village).
2. San Diego’s culinary community joins forces for the 5th annual San Diego Restaurant Week, kicking-off this Sunday. More than one-hundred of the city’s top restaurants will offer prix-fixe, three-course dinner menus for just $20, $30 or $40 per person. Hungry? What a great excuse to eat, bon appétit!
3. This Sunday, the spirit of Brazil comes to San Diego during the Brazilian Independence Day Street Fair & Parade in Pacific Beach. This family-friendly event will feature an amazing display of Brazilian culture with samba dancers, a capoeirea show (the super cool martial arts dance form), costumes, live music, food and a Carnival parade down Garnet Avenue; this free event takes place noon to 6 p.m. and I can’t wait! I’ve always wanted to visit Brazil, now I can get a taste without the expensive plane ride.
4. The 18th Annual Paddle For Clean Water Festival takes place this Sunday at the Ocean Beach Pier from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. In an effort to raise awareness about the need for clean water, the San Diego Surfrider Foundation will host this free event with a non-competitive paddle out in Ocean Beach, live music, vendors, a huge raffle, kid zone, beer garden and food.  Special shout out to San Diego’s own Tribal Seeds who will be performing at the event.
5. Did you know that Sunday is National Grandparent’s Day? Well, my grandparents are my two most favorite people in the world, so in their honor, here are some special deals being offered this Sunday:
   

   love my fantastic grandparents!

   Visit the Ruben H. Fleet Science Center where all grandparents accompanied by a paying child will receive free admission; enjoy a Grandparent’s Day brunch or dinner cruise with Hornblower Cruises & Events; experience Grandparent’s Day on the Bay with an introductory kayaking lesson across San Diego Bay to Coronado; or, at the very least just call your grandparents to say hi.

Tags: 5 to try, art, free, live music, ocean beach, pacific beach, san diego bay, san diego restaurant week, things to do, what to do

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My perennial favorite public art project is blooming again along the shores of San Diego Bay.  Each year since 2003, the Port of San Diego has commissioned artists to dream up fantastic, fanciful sculptures and install their “urban tree” on our waterfront. 

Over the years, the Urban Trees project has produced works of art that range from literal to surreal to kinetic to musical to just plain silly.

What does Urban Trees version 6 have to offer?  

Well, the trees are installed, the Port has posted a handy google map to guide you and they are definitely worth a leisurely stroll along the Bay to check them out. 

Pop art crops up in “Popcorn Chicken” a 10′ tall red and white striped popcorn box filled with, you guessed it, chickens. 

It’s graceful and beautiful but it also reminds me of being a kid and long lazy afternoons lost in imagination. 

A little whimsy – it makes me smile!

Tags: art, free, public art, san diego bay, sculpture

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If you have spent any time driving near the Marine Corps Air Station on Miramar Road, you probably have driven past a collection of vintage military aircraft.  That collection is the pride of the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum, the only museum dedicated to Marine Corps aviation.

I joined a group of Visitor Services volunteers on the trip up to Miramar to tour the museum and get a little history on the landmarks – a lot of history, actually.  With some notice to the museum you can request a tour from a docent, and we scored one of their major docents — a Sergeant Major docent, in fact.  Sergeant Major Mike Zacker, USMC (Retired), was there to take us through nearly one hundred years of Marine Corps aviation.  He gave an entertaining tour filled with military zeal and plenty of harrowing personal accounts, as one would expect from a four-decade veteran.

Aside from the impressive collection of aircraft and service vehicles, the exhibits housed within the museum building were extensive, with military artifacts dating back to 1918.  The stuff here is neat enough on its own, but listen to old uncle Alex: get one of the docents to show you around! They’re all retired military of some ilk, and it’ll be your very own interactive History Channel — with no commercials.

This attraction is about 20-30 minutes from downtown, and it’s a treasure for San Diego’s military presence, which includes the families who come to town to see their sons and daughters graduated, promoted or deployed.  Folks in uniform as well as their families are welcomed with open arms (the kind on your body, not the shooting kind).

Museum entry and docent-led tours are free but donations are accepted.  All donations are applied toward the planned construction of the new, world-class Marine Corps Aviation Museum.  When completed, the museum will house extensive, permanent aviation exhibits as well as an on-site restoration facility.  Hopefully, I’ll get to let you know when it’s done.

This weekend, September 5 & 6, will be your opportunity to climb inside the cockpits of four fighter jets on display during Open Cockpit Days!

Tags: free, military, museum, things to do, what to do

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1. This Saturday and Sunday, over 300 of the world’s best bodysurfers will be in San Diego for the 33rd Annual World Body Surfing Championships.
   

   I wonder if he's competing in the Body Surfing Championships?

   The event takes place from 6:30 a.m. until late afternoon on both days at the Oceanside Pier and Beach in Oceanside. The public can grab a spot and watch as men and women ages 12 – 65+ surf their hearts out for bragging rights as “the world’s best.”

2. Enjoy a weekend of family fun and music at the Summergrass San Diego Bluegrass Festival this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The festival features bluegrass bands from around the world, music workshops, kid’s activities and a Kid’s Music camp, food, vendors and even onsite camping. The fun goes down at the outdoor Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum in San Diego’s North County from 3 p.m. – 10 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Sunday, but gates open early and stay open late so feel free to arrive early and settle in. Tickets are $17 – $20 per person or $54 for a three day pass; kids 10 and under get in free.
3. This weekend, experience a tropical island getaway during the Sunset Luau at the Catamaran Resort & Spa in Mission Bay.  Doors open at 6 p.m., where you’ll receive a lei greeting and complimentary Mai Tai. Dinner starts at 6:45 p.m. and includes a wide variety of Hawaiian and mainland dishes (and even a slow roasted pig), served buffet style. Following dinner is a thrilling fire and knife dance as well as traditional dances from Tahiti, Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand and Hawaii. Tickets are $58 for adults and $25 for children.
4. This Saturday is the 1st Annual Ocean Beach Summerfest from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Dusty Rhodes Park in Ocean Beach. The event will include carnival rides, food, live music, a craft fair and a beer garden. This free event is open to the public, and leashed dogs are welcomed.
5. Hop aboard the San Diego Ferry and enjoy a scenic ride across San Diego Bay to Coronado Island.  The Ferry departs from downtown’s Broadway Pier or the San Diego Convention Center and costs only $6.50 roundtrip.  Once across the Bay, you’ll be at the Coronado Ferry Landing, where a number of shops, galleries, restaurants and live entertainment await.

Tags: 5 to try, coronado, festival, free, mission bay, music, ocean beach, Oceanside, summer, things to do, what to do

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There’s fun stuff happening this weekend, especially on Sunday. So if you’re in the mood for great music, good food and whales and mimosas too, check out these weekend activities and events:

1. Get your groove thang on this Saturday and Sunday at the North Park Music Thing, a two-day concert event. On Saturday
   

   doin her thing at North Park Music Thing

   night around 7 p.m., a number of North Park’s most happening bars and clubs will transform into a concert hallapalooza during the Saturday Night Music Fest where over 100 bands will perform on 20 stages at venues like True North Tavern, Bar Pink and The Office Bar. Saturday night admission tickets will be sold at each venue for $20 and provide entry into all 20 venues. Then on Sunday, the North Park Music Thing festivities continue from noon to 7 p.m. with the Sunday Street Fest, which will feature 3 stages of live music, a live art show, international food and street vendors.  Street Fest tickets will be $20.

   *** This just in: Tin Can Alehouse will be selling one-cent beers on Saturday night during the Music Fest. Buy one beer and get the second one for a penny! ***

2. On Sunday, Hillcrest’s main drag, Fifth Avenue, will come alive during the annual Hillcrest Cityfest Street Fair. Taking place from noon to 9:30 p.m., this free event will have music, arts and crafts, food, entertainment stages, children’s rides and more. Take part in the Lantern Parade at 8:30 p.m. and stay for the countdown to the relighting of the famous Hillcrest city sign at 9 p.m.
3. This Sunday is a chance of a lifetime…a chance to see the largest mammas on the planet, Blue Whales! They’re here in San Diego for the summer and you can check them out with H&M Landing’s Blue Whale Cruises. The 8 hour cruise departs this Sunday at 9 a.m. from H&M Landing’s home base in Point Loma. The cost of the cruise is $80 for kids and $100 for adults.
4. Carlsbad’s annual Art in the Village event goes down this Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with live jazz performances and over 200 arts vendors selling sculptures, photography, ceramics, handmade jewelry, furniture and more.
5. I think Sunday’s are the perfect days for brunch and mimosas. There are a number of places in town to kick back and let the bubbly orange juice elevate your mood, but I’m quite fond of the summertime Sunday brunch at The Pearl Hotel. Every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., The Pearl serves up a delicious brunch selection at very reasonable prices. The best part? For just $20 you can enjoy your choice of entrée and bottomless mimosas.

Tags: art, Carlsbad, festival, food, free, Hillcrest, live music, North Park, Point Loma, summer, things to do, whale watching, what to do

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My dad is coming to visit me this weekend and I couldn’t be more excited! I decided to turn our weekend plans into a special “5 to try,” which includes some of our favorite things to do and some new places we’re going to check out. 

I think we’re going to have a great time this weekend and maybe I’ll see you around?

1. Our first stop will be the Fish Market for oysters and cheesy garlic bread, a little tradition of ours. It’s located right next to the airport and since he arrives in the afternoon, the outdoor patio will be a perfect spot for lunch. The restaurant is located right along San Diego Bay and has awesome views of military ships, sailboats and pelicans. I think this will be a great start to the weekend.
2. The Del Mar Races are in full swing every Wednesday – Sunday until September 9, we’ve never been but we’re going to try our luck this Saturday. Gates open at 11:30 a.m. and tickets cost $6 for stretch run seating and $10 for clubhouse seats. Wish us luck! In addition to the races, this Saturday at the racetrack is the Craft Microbrew Festival from noon to 6 p.m. The festival will have live music from local bands and tasty taps form over 25 of San Diego’s finest breweries; admission to the festival is free with racetrack tickets. Can’t wait!
3. Of course no trip to San Diego would be complete without a visit the beach. We’ll probably head over to my favorite, Ocean Beach, on Sunday morning to hang out and walk around. It’s a great location for people watching, something my dad and I both enjoy, as well as grabbing a quick bite and shopping…Hmm, I wonder if I can talk my dad into getting me a new pair of shoes??
4. The first time my dad came to visit me in San Diego, we went to Busters Beach House & Longboard Bar in Seaport Village. We had such a great time, that we’ve gone back every time he’s visited and this weekend is no exception. We’ll be there sometime between 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. for the daily happy hour specials, $1 fish taco and $3 Pale Ale, yum! Before we leave, we’ll probably walk around Seaport Village and stay for some of the live music and entertainment.
5. This weekend is the Latin American Festival and Mata Ortiz Pottery Market in Old Town. This free festival takes place Friday through Sunday at Bazaar del Mundo and will showcase really neat, authentic Mata Ortiz pottery, art, music and live art demonstrations. Since my dad has never been to Old Town, this will be a great stop before dinner on Sunday evening. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Tags: 5 to try, craft beer, del mar, dining, free, ocean beach, old town, san diego bay, seaport village, summer

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