Cool San Diego StuffFeb 18, 2010, San Diego CheapHow to take a vacation in San Diego cheap. Cheap and free things to do in san diego ca. Permalink -- click for full blog post "San Diego Cheap" Feb 3, 2010, Cups Lounge La Jolla Grand OpeningLast Saturday I had the pleasure of attending the Cups Lounge grand opening celebration, and what a grand opening it was! The lounge has actually been open for a few months, but this was the official grand opening party. I have never seen such a hullabaloo over any kind of cafe. It looked like the opening of a club... complete with search lights, logo-themed spotlights on the sidewalk and in the street, lighted tents, and a line out the door that lasted for quite awhile. They had a special decoration station for the kids to decorate their own cupcakes and free samples of many of their cupcakes, truffles, mocktails, and appetizers. I watched in awe as tray after tray of these delicious specialty cupcakes were brought out and distributed among the line of people waiting to get in. It was awesome. Cups Lounge serves a variety of mini-cupcakes, all baked daily. They also offer coffee items, tea, and food. I believe everything they serve is organic, and they have vegan and gluten-free treats, as well. Local djs and talent perform at the lounge. They also offer catering, classes, and parties. You can see what the daily offerings are and sign up to get a 20% discount on their website. Feb 2, 2010, San Diego Sunroad Boat ShowI went to the San Diego Sunroad Boat Show last weekend and it was pretty cool. I had never been to a boat show before and I loved being able to explore all of the amazing yachts. There was a tent that had vendors, a few classes, and a lot of boats to explore. My two favorites were these big yachts that had bbq grills on the back and lounge chairs built into the front deck. They could easily fit 50+ people. It was really neat to see all the different options and ways to decorate the boats. Feb 2, 2010, Sushi On a Roll - San Diego Sushi BuffetEvery Monday night Sushi On A Roll, a catering/ cooking class company, has a social in their private sushi bar. I had the pleasure of attending tonight for the first time. It is only $15 for a delicious variety of different fresh sushi rolls. The location itself is a bit obscure, south of Petco Park. However, there is plenty of parking and the inside is very nice. The sushi bar is in the middle of the room and is set up so that people can stand around and watch the chef prepare the sushi rolls. They also have bar seating around the chef's workstation. In addition, there is a large screen projection tv and four flat screens for watching movies or sports. They had everything from California and tuna rolls, to specialty rolls the chef created. They also had steamed gyozas and fried spring rolls for appetizers. The chef even created a special dessert roll made with fried tempura bananas and topped with strawberries and mangos. The Monday socials are the only time the company is open to the public. Otherwise, you would need to book in advance to reserve the room for parties and cooking demonstrations. We arrived around 5:30 pm and they hadn't really started putting everything out yet, but it was good to get there early. When they did start putting the food out, we pretty much had free access to it and didn't have to fight anyone. The crowd seemed to die down around 7pm, so going there around that time is another option. I would definitely recommend taking advantage of the social if you get a chance. It is also good for groups because everyone pays separately at the door, so you don't have to worry about splitting the bill at the end. Jan 15, 2010, MexicoMexico is right next to San Diego so it is a nice little side trip. Find inside information about traveling to Mexico here. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Mexico" Jul 29, 2009, San Diego CA Beach HotelsSan Diego has some beautiful beaches. Many people come here from all over the world to take advantage of the weather and beaches. Because of this, many people are looking for the best San Diego, CA beach hotels. I decided to make a list of 10 great San Diego, CA beach hotels. 1. Hotel Del Coronado 2. La Jolla Shores Hotel 3. Beach Cottages 4. Catamaran Resort 5. Ocean Park Inn 6. Del Mar Motel on The Beach 7. Surfer Beach Hotel 8. Best Western Blue Sea Lodge 9. Pacific Terrace Hotel 10. Ocean Beach Hotel
Jul 23, 2009, San Diego Comic Book Convention - Comic-ConComic-con is back in San Diego this weekend! Unless you've been living under a rock then you know what a big deal this is. Tickets have been sold out for weeks and people from all over the country come into San Diego for this. I went twice and it was awesome. Even though I'm not really a comic book fan I thoroughly enjoyed the convention. First of all, the costumes are amazing. People really go all out, even more than halloween! I dressed up as Wonder Woman and Emma Frost and both years had tons of people taking my picture. Anyone can feel like a celebrity there. There are a ton of clinics for people who want to get into the comic business. I mostly went to the interviews. A lot of famous celebrities go and are interviewed. I got to see Josh Lucas one year (I am like in love with him) and a bunch of other really famous people there promoting their new movies. I read that Johnny Depp stopped by today! I also went to the movie screenings. If you want to go you can check craigslist.org to see if anyone is selling tickets. You can also get a feel for it by going to one of the after parties or just by walking around in the gaslamp. For complete info click below: Jul 15, 2009, Sight and SoundSight and Sound is an art event which features performances and exhibitions from local artists. The event takes place in different venues, but lately has found a home at Planet Rooth in North Park. There is a $5 cover to get in, but proceeds benefit different charities every month and entry includes a free beverage if you arrive before 8 pm. The next Sight & Sound is taking place this Saturday 7/18/09. I made a video of one of them that you can see here: Jul 3, 2009, San Diego FireworksHappy 4th of July from San Diego's Best Attractions!!! I hope you have a safe and fun day. There are some excellent places to see fireworks here. The higher up you get, the more different locations you can see. Mt. Soledad is great, but it gets really crowded so you have to get there really early (I suppose that is true for most places, though). Same with USD, Cowles, and probably Mt. Helix (I've never been there for the 4th). Other than that, anywhere near one of the fireworks displays should be good or Fiesta Island is pretty good because you are right under the Sea World fireworks. Here is a list of the different places for fireworks this year. All fireworks displays take place Saturday, July 4th and begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. SAN DIEGO * Coronado: Glorietta Bay; 10 a.m. - Annual Coronado Independence Day Parade; Daylong festivities; fireworks; (619) 437-8788. * La Jolla Cove; (858) 454-1444. * Mira Mesa Recreation Center / Mira Mesa Community Park; During the day, food, rides, games and entertainment; fireworks; (858) 538-8122. * Mission Bay Yacht Club; (858) 488-0501. * Ocean Beach Pier; (619) 226-8613. * Mission Bay: Paradise Point Resort; (858) 274-4630. * San Diego Bay, Embarcadero - "Big Bay Boom"; (858) 751-5755. * Mission Bay: SeaWorld; 9:30 p.m.; (800) 25-SHAMU. * Rancho Bernardo: Webb Park; (619) 889-8505. EAST COUNTY * El Cajon: Kennedy Park, 1675 East Madison Avenue; 12 noon - Annual 4th of July Picnic; fireworks. * Julian, SR 78, SR 79; 10 a.m. Celebration; Parade at noon; NO FIREWORKS DUE TO FIRE RISK. * La Mesa: Lake Murray; Music Fest (noon to 9 p.m.); Fireworks start at 9:15 p.m. * Ramona: Olive Peirce Middle School; Grounds open at 5 p.m. for town picnic including food booths and games; fireworks; (760) 789-1311. * Santee: Town Center Community Park Ballfields; (619) 258-4100 x201. * Spring Valley Park; (619) 479-1832. NORTH COUNTY * San Marcos: Bradley Park; Food and music earlier in the day; fireworks; (760) 744-9000. * Vista: Brengle Terrace Park; Festivities, 11a.m.-9:30p.m.; fireworks; Free shuttle services, parking available; (760) 726-1340, x1574. * Camp Pendleton: Del Mar Beach Bash; All day activities including music, food and games (starts at noon); fireworks; (760) 725-2313. * Escondido: Grape Day Park; Afternoon festivities, including game and food booths, music and entertainment; (760) 745-1159. * Carlsbad: Legoland; fireworks, 8:30 p.m. (included with admission); (760) 918-LEGO. * Oceanside Pier; O'Fest Carnival (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.); NO FIREWORKS DUE TO BUDGET CONSTRAINTS; (760) 967-2005. * Poway; Poway High School Stadium; 15500 Espola Rd; 7-10 p.m.- music, games; $2 charge; younger than 11 years free with adult; fireworks (no contact number). * San Diego County Fair: Del Mar Fairgrounds (included with admission); (858) 755-1161. SOUTH BAY * Chula Vista: NO FIREWORKS DUE TO BUDGET CONSTRAINTS. * National City: Kimball Park; Carnival rides, games, food booths; fireworks; (619) 336-4290. Jun 9, 2009, Cheap and Free Things To Do In San DiegoThis was an article I was planning to write but someone beat me to it... oh well... check it out here... Jun 9, 2009, 10 Fun and Unique Things To Do In San DiegoIf you can imagine it you can pretty much do it in San Diego. I made a list of things that are fun and kind of out of the ordinary. 1. Trapeze Classes - for $50 you can do a 90 minute trapeze lesson. http://www.trapezehigh.com/index.php 2. Aerial Classes- Monday nights you can take a beginning aerial class and get your cirque on for $25. http://aerialrevolution.com/classes.htm 3. Go Paragliding at Torrey Pines- tandem flights are $150. http://flytorrey.com/cms/ 4. Ride on a Hot Air Balloon- with the coupon in the Reader flights are about $300. http://www.gohotair.com/index.html 5. Get Your Speed On- drive a go-kart up to 40 mph on this indoor track. http://miramarspeedcircuit.com/index.php 6. Fly a Classic Plane- For an unforgettable date you can do a sunset fly and dine package where you fly a biplane at sunset then have dinner at the Four Seasons for $539 for two. http://www.barnstorming.com/index.html 7. Shoot a Gun- get your rage out at an indoor shooting range. http://www.gotammo.com/ 8. Go Rock Climbing- for $18-$21 you can rock climb all day with gear... http://www.solidrockgym.com/?page=rates 9. Learn to Dance- everything from Tango to Waltz. Classes are $35 a month or $10 a class...http://www.starlightdance.com/ 10. Get Your Art On - paint your own ceramics... plates, cups, candy dishes, you name it. There's one in Del Mar and La Mesa. http://www.ceramicafe.com Jun 9, 2009, Sushi!San Diegans love their sushi, me included. I have been to many sushi places around San Diego and can say there is everything from your "fast food" choices to your high end five-star restaurants. If you're looking for some decent cheap sushi on the run, Ichiban in Hillcrest and PB has an awesome happy hour every day from 3-7 pm. Lots of choices for less than $5. For a fun, "hip" experience I recommend RA Sushi on Broadway downtown. They have a good happy hour with 1/2 off sushi and appetizers and $1 sake. Another cool place is Harney Sushi in Old Town. It's a bit pricier but the sushi is very good and it has a dj playing cool music. If you want to feel like you're in Japan, check out one of the many sushi places on Convoy St in Kearny Mesa. My favorite place is Nozomi. They have really cool rolls that they decorate to make them look even better. My favorite sushi are the rolls at Zen at On Broadway. They aren't exactly traditional but oh so delicious. Also, if you eat there you get a stamp for free cover to come back to the club later on. Other than that, just yelp it (I am a huge yelp fan) or look for coupons in the Reader. Jun 4, 2009, Take Me Out To The Ball Game! Padres!There's something about baseball games that just says summer to me. I went to Petco Park last night for a Padres game and it was so fun. If you're looking for a fun summer activity, this is a great option! Petco Park itself is great. There are a number of different seating options accommodating everything from the little kids who can't sit still to the very large corporate parties. There is a park area and sand area for the kids and families and I think tickets are like $5 for those areas. The boxes are nice and have rooms with tables and then seats to watch the game, as well. I was surprised by the great deals they are having this season. I took the trolley down last night and it happened to be Tuesday so I got $6 off my ticket for "trolley Tuesday". I then paid $10 for a hot dog, small popcorn, a cookie, peanuts, and a beer... sweet! Anyway, I think it is always fun to go to a baseball game at least once a year. I love the excitement of the crowd and the songs and the mascots running around... so fun. Definitely check out the Padres website for all the inside info.
May 28, 2009, Mansion Party and IHF FundraiserIndonesia! An International Humanity Foundation Fundraiser (IHF) will take place Saturday, May 30th from 5pm -9 pm. It is a cultural event based on culture, tradition, and legacy of Indonesia. This spectacular will feature amazing food, entertainment, and education on this very unique country. Proceeds from this event will be used to help IHF in their mission to educate the poor and to educate the world about the poor. The IHF is a non-religious, non-political, non-profit organization that strongly believes in an equal opportunity for all and in preserving the cultures, traditions and beliefs of the marginalized communities it works in. The night's event will include amazing dances from Giri Nata performing Gamelan dancers. Giri Nata is an ensemble that developed from the music and dance program at the Museum School in San Diego. The ensemble is lead by Dr. Alexander Khalil, an ethnomusicologist and long-time student of Balinese music, and Wuri Wimboprasetyo an expert in Balinese and Javanese dance traditions. In addition, the Waworoendeng String Trio will be performing chamber music. The trio, based in Loma Linda, is an ensemble comprised of Alva, Jeremiah and Emerald Waworoendeng and has played as a group for the past five years. Previously members of the Southern California Young Artists’ Symphony, they specialize in high quality music with a repertoire that includes the finest classical selections, popular Broadway plays, and romantic themes from the big screen. There will also be a photo exhibit on site of pictures taken at one of the IHF orphanages in Indonesia, courtesy of the Framed With Hope project. The pictures provide a first-hand glimpse of the life of the children through powerful images taken by the orphans themselves. Bali Thai Cafe will be providing a taste of Indonesian cuisine. Bali Thai Cafe is located at 407 Camino Del Rio South, San Diego, CA 92108. From curious first timers to devoted die hards, their flavorful Thai and Indonesian dishes have garnered many accolades. Pre-sale tickets are only $25 ($30 at the door). Ticket price includes admission for 2 people, food, and entertainment. Info and tickets can be found at www.silkroadproductions.us May 20, 2009, Art Around AdamsWanted to let you know about a cool event coming up on June 6th, 2009 from noon to 10pm... The Art Around Adams Festival will feature three stages with 30+ acts... spotlighting the best in San Diego performance, from music to stand-up comedy to blacklight theatre. Tickets are $15 and the festival is a fundraiser to maintain the activity programs at the Adams Recreation Center. May 14, 2009, Hillcrest Art NightsEvery 3rd Wednesday of the month there is a cool art event in Hillcrest called Hillcrest Art Nights. It is on University Ave from 6-10 pm. This event will feature new and repeat local artists, fashion and jewelry designers, live performers to include circus acts, acoustic music, DJ’s and fashion shows, as well as local cuisine from some of Hillcrest’s most popular restaurants. The event is FREE to attend. The HILLCREST ART NITE events will consist of art spaces set up along the sidewalks of Hillcrest allowing event-goers to walk through a three-block portion of the community to view art, enjoy entertainment, shop and eat at some of Hillcrest’s most popular restaurants at discount prices, some of which include Baja Betty’s, Wine Steals, Bamboo Lounge, The Ruby Room and CC Lounge. Local shops also offer discounts to those coming out for the event. May 11, 2009, Aqua Day SpaI love getting pampered. I love spas and massages and getting my nails done. I've been to a few places in San Diego to get treatments done but the place I really like to go lately is Aqua Day Spa. It is in a strip mall on Convoy in Kearny Mesa. It is nice inside but not real posh. The reason I like it so much is because it is a Korean spa and they scrub the hell out of your skin and get all your dead skin off. It is kind of gross, but you really feel clean afterward. You actually see all your dead skin on the table when they are doing it. Once they are done exfoliating the skin off of you, you shower off and then go back for the massage part. It is a nice deep tissue massage that they end by doing a cool cucumber mask mini-facial and washing your hair for you. You totally feel squeaky clean after. When you walk in you see a small but nicely decorated lobby where a woman greets you and asks what services you would like. I recommend the exfoliation/massage. It is an 80 minute treatment and costs $90. You can also pay to just use the facilities for the day for $20, but the day pass if free with any service. You pay and are given a basket with a robe and towel and a locker key. The spa has a red clay mud room, a steam room, a sauna, a hot tub, a cold tub, and a self-serve bathing area where you can exfoliate your own skin if you don't want to pay to have it done for you. They also have lotion, hair products, a hair dryer, razors, tooth brushes, and combs you can use. I am not one for lounging around for more than 30 minutes, as I get bored easily, but if you go with a friend you can easily spend a few hours there. There are some excellent little restaurants in the same strip mall and the sushi place right next door is amazing (I think it's called Nazumi). They have all kinds of special rolls. So you can hang out and make a day of it if you want. http://www.aquadayspasandiego.com/ Here is a video I made: May 11, 2009, San Diego NeighborhoodsExplore and learn about the different San Diego neighborhoods from a San Diego native. Permalink -- click for full blog post "San Diego Neighborhoods" May 11, 2009, Fashion Valley MallIf you like upscale shopping, this is the place for you. It is a lovely outdoor mall, great for window shopping at places like Tiffany's, Bloomingdales, Nordstroms, Gucci, Apple, Coach, Kate Spade, Juicy, Abercrombie, and all the other fun places to spend your money. They also have the normal mall stores and they just opened H&M. There is a movie theater, as well. As previously mentioned, the food court could be larger but most people don't go here to eat. If they do they can go to Bing Crosby's, the Cheesecake Factory, or P.F. Chang's, which are all delicious. http://www.simon.com/mall/default.aspx?ID=765 You can check out a video here: May 11, 2009, The Fish MarketMy family and I went here for mother's day dinner and it was lovely. I like the location of this place. Even if you have to wait for a table you can stroll around outside where there are nice views of the bay and midway museum. They also have a small patio/deck in the back with seating where you can wait and have a drink. The food itself is yummy. We had the sushi rolls, lobster and shrimp dinner, crab and shrimp louie salad, bacon shrimp, and fish and chips combination. All the portions were good sizes and yummy. They have really good bread, too. We had chocolate dipped strawberries for dessert. Our total for 5 people with drinks and everything was only $150, so that's not bad for a seafood restaurant on the water. http://www.thefishmarket.com/ I made a video of The Fish Market for you. Mar 16, 2009, Contact MeContact me for questions and comments about San Diego vacations. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Contact Me" Mar 16, 2009, Working on the siteHi! I've been working on the site for a little over a month now. It is so fun to write about all the places I've been here in San Diego. I hope you're enjoying the site and if you want to ask me any questions or leave a comment, please do! I would love to hear from you.
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