San Diego is My Home

03
Dec

December Nights

Author: HelenKay, Category: Events & Happenings, Festivals, Holiday Events

One of the best kick-offs to the holiday season happens this weekend, December 7th and 8th - December Nights.  This is a festival of eating, games, singing and lights. Or, as some of us like to think of it, the perfect opportunity to stuff yourself full of healthy treats like funnel cake while wandering around Balboa Park.

Approximately 300,000 people showed up for the two night (plus Saturday afternoon) event last year. More are expected this year. That means you should expect one thing - a horrific time finding parking. That’s the downside. The upside is…well, did you read the part about funnel cakes? Hard to imagine what could be better than that.

23
Nov

It’s A Wonderful Life

Author: HelenKay, Category: Holiday Events, Special Shows, Theater

Thanksgiving is over for another year.  That means Christmas is right around the corner.  For many, Christmas would not be Christmas without It’s A Wonderful Life.  If you are one of those, you’re in luck.  The Cygnet Theatre Company (on El Cajon Blvd. by SDSU) is performing It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.

The play is in previews now.  Regular shows run from December 1st through December 30th.  You can get more information, including that about ticket sales, here.

22
Nov

Thanksgiving Aftermath

Author: HelenKay, Category: Holiday Events, Shopping

You’ve eaten enough turkey to feed a small village.  You’ve watched football from sun up to…well, you’re actually still watching it.  You’ve cooked and napped and visited with family.  At this point, most people would shower, crawl into bed, groan from their food overindulgence and curse the holiday season.  But, you can do something a bit different.  Shopping.  Yes, shopping. 

The Las Americas Outlets open at…are you ready for this?  Midnight.  Forget about waiting until early Friday morning.  That’s for the lazy folks.  Those of you with true holiday spirit can drive to the border and get a jump on your holiday shopping now. 

You think I’m kidding.  Nope.  Check here for more information.

21
Nov

Tree Lighting

Author: HelenKay, Category: Arts, Holiday Events

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.  That means…Christmas is almost here.  With Christmas comes manic shopping, shiny decorations in every store and tree lighting ceremonies.  There’s other stuff, sure, but concentrate on tree lighting ceremonies for a second. 

Sunday (Nov. 25th) ushers in one of the bigger tree lighting celebrations in the area.  At 5:00 p.m., you can head over to the Old Globe Plaza in Balboa Park for the holiday kick-off festivities.  The ceremony coincides with the first showing of “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” in the theater.  You need tickets, so  contact the Old Globe Box Office.

13
Nov

The Nutcracker

Author: HelenKay, Category: Arts, Events & Happenings, Holiday Events

The weather is getting cooler.  We actually got a trace of rain over the weekend.  Thanksgiving is around the corner, and you know what that means…Christmas!  For some people, it would not be Christmas if they missed a showing of The Nutcracker.  The City Ballet is performing this holiday classic at the Spreckels Theater downtown as part of this year’s ballet season.  Book early because you only get a few chances to see the show.  The Nutcracker will be performed for two weekends - December 7-9 and December 15-17.

If you miss The Nutcracker (or don’t care about The Nutcracker) but love ballet, check out the rest of the ballet season here. The season runs through May ‘08.

02
Oct

Scary Time

Author: HelenKay, Category: Events & Happenings, Holiday Events

You ready to be shocked by something other than the subpar performance of local sporting teams?  October means Halloween which means getting the beejesus scared out of you.   And, you have a few choices.  Actually, there are huge numbers of people out there who want to make you scream in terror.  If you want haunted, you can find haunted. 

Here are a few options to get you started:

First, there’s the Haunted Hotel on the corner of 4th Avenue and Market Street. 

Then there’s the Haunted Trail of Balboa Park. 

Last we have the Scream Zone at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.  The events there are described like this:

• The Scream Zone returns to one of the creepiest parts of the Del Mar Scaregrounds, the Green Lot on the far west side near the training track. Enter through the Solana Gate, off Via de la Valle between the Coast Highway and Jimmy Durante Boulevard.

• Haunted Hayride! Board the open-sided haywagon for an unsettling trip through the haunted barns on the back side of the Del Mar Race Track. Huddle close together on this ride because zombies and ghouls will be waiting! Terrific fun for the family or anyone brave enough to come along for the ride! (May not be appropriate for small children.)

• The Chamber The Chamber is a twisting, turning labyrinth of scares. As you claw your way through, you will find yourself spinning in San Diego’s longest tunnel of terror. Characters around every corner will chill you to the bone.

• NEW blood-curdling scenes in the House of Horror. Dozens of chambers filled with fiends, apparitions and scares, all guaranteed to make your spine crawl with fear. This attraction is not recommended for children younger than 10.

Plenty of scary to go around.