San Diego Summer: Family Outings, Summer Camps, & Things For Kids To Do

Nova has already finished 6th grade. Last Friday was her last day of school and we're in full how-to-occupy-her-time freak out. How are we going to keep her busy and prevent her from saying the forbidden word (B-O-R-E-D) when we still have to work around here? A couple years ago I did a post about Summer Camps because I was busy researching for her, but now that she's 12 (and spends a month in St. Louis during the peak of summer vacation), we tend to find fun stuff to do more readily, but I still thought I'd update this post for other parents out there who might be hunting for ways to keep the kids occupied. I'd love to hear your favorite spots or camps in the comments. And we'd love to be invited to your pools on a moments notice. Lists after the jump...

Great News For Seals! California Coastal Commission Unanimously Approves Permit Extensions

Today the California Coastal Commission voted unanimously to approve 10 year extensions on two permits which allow for the beach at Children's Pool to close beach access during pupping season (December-May) and for a guidance rope with signs about the Marine Mammal Protection Act during the remaining months of the year. I was there to join supporters like the Seal Conservancy and the Sierra Club. The meeting went from 9am until about 7pm, with numerous items on the agenda, though the La Jolla Seals, with the biggest group of supporters and opposition, was the last issue heard for the day. It was especially satisfying because a woman screamed in my face that if I supported the seals, I was against veterans, and I'm a traitor and I should leave the country. Uh, wow.  I didn't get to stay for the duration of the meeting, it was great to hear the process work. At the end of the night, it was pretty hopeful as Commission Chair Steve Padilla closed the night implying that monitoring was important, that enforcement is a challenge, and if harassment continues, the Commission might need to step in and do more, not less, to protect these beautiful animals.

Lots of older pics after the jump.

Things To Do In San Diego: Tuesday, June 11-Monday, June 17, 2019

Damn. I was totally watching the Tony Awards on Sunday and I got so sad that I don't have a connect with Broadway San Diego, because the upcoming season looks AMAZING but I'm just not in that income bracket. I did, however, make it to the Zoo, saw Toad The Wet Sprocket, went to the OAT for Father John Misty, Jason Isbell, and Jade Bird, went to the Casbah for Sebadoh, went to Nova's soccer tournament, checked out the grand opening of the new H Mart by Convoy, and took the dog to Fiesta Island. Nova's out of school and they're taking a small hiatus with soccer, so we'll be running around trying to keep active. I'll be working at The Babe Rainbow tomorrow, checking out the Advanced Placement tour at House of Blues, and probably checking out Operators on Friday. Listings through Monday are after the jump.   

San Diego Zoo Safari Park Summer Safari Celebration in Effect

It's the most wonderful time of the year! The San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park (WAP to the natives) kicks off their summer celebrations. I'm posting the full press release for SDZ Safari Park after the jump, but the TL;dr is that the Safari Park will be open until 7pm on Saturdays and Sundays through September 1st, and starting this week, until 8pm on Mondays and Tuesdays through July 30th. On top of that, from June 16-September 2nd, the Zoo will be open until 8pm. If you don't have your annual pass, there's no better time to get it than now. Make sure you get at least the Keeper's Club level to get the free parking at Safari Park, otherwise you're throwing down $15 per visit. Also, pro-tip: if you're driving North on the 15, jump in the carpool lanes, exit at Del Lago, loop to the right through the mall (Beethoven) and you'll cut some time on the drive. Press release and adorbs animal photos after the jump. (All photos taken at the Safari Park from regular public viewing areas throughout the park over the past few years)

Saturday: Join The Barrio Art Crawl

For information on the Barrio Art Crawl, click here.

Things To Do In San Diego: Tuesday, June 4-Monday, June 10, 2019

I had kind of a weird week. I had gone to that Lemonheads show a couple Saturdays ago and went out after and nothing was out of the ordinary. I went to a Memorial Day Party, and then on Memorial Day we went to Safari Park, and then late that night, my body just quit. I got super sick and still had to work and I was miserable. I couldn't sleep because I couldn't breathe at night, and I was downing fluids, allergy pills, CBD, cold medicine, hot tea, honey, and anything else that I thought might work. I even motivated to make my own homemade chicken soup. So I didn't do much of anything. I took Nova to soccer on Wednesday which meant I still got some fresh air at La Jolla Cove with my sea lions, but that was kinda it. I also slept. A lot. By Friday I was feeling much better and worked at The Irenic for the Gnash show, and Saturday Nova had a little soccer tournament, but I was still relatively reclusive. On Sunday morning, Nova and I decided to walk part of the Rock n Roll Marathon course and ended up walking to the Zoo, and Sunday I decided to do the listings so I could carve out my Monday for the Wonderfront announcement event. They had these amazing blackberry margaritas and I realized I hadn't had an adult beverage since The Lemonheads show 8 days prior. Woah. So I promise I will get back out. I can't remember the last time I went more than a week without a show (or a drink, let's be honest.) So this week I'm gonna get out a little more. I'm hoping to make at least one of the Toad shows, am working on a photo pass to FJM, and will probably check out Sebadoh. In the meantime, have you ever seen seagull chicks??? I hadn't until Monday, when Darren and I went to the Cove during Nova's soccer, so here's to the beach-bag-opening, Dorito-and-Cheeto-stealing gulls of the future. I worked my ass off to update the music venue page (still a dozen or more to add), so check it out, and full listings are after the jump.

91X Presents Sun Fiesta at Petco Park at the Park on August 2nd

In all my commitment to be downtown for the Wonderfront announcement on Monday, I completely forgot to post about 91X's exciting announcement (though, let's be honest, this would be a really great stage at Wonderfront) about Sun Fiesta, taking place on Friday, August 2nd at Petco's Park at The Park. Side funny, if you look up Park at the Park on the Petco Park website, it explains that "The Park at the Park is a park in the Park."  That is some special marketing right there.

Anyway, I love The Head and The Heart so you better believe I'm putting this one on my calendar. Tickets go on sale Friday. For all your info and ticketing, check out the event site here. Also, The Head and The Heart posted the presale password is FIESTA, so you don't have to wait until Friday to get tickets. GA tickets come in around $40, with a base price of $29.99 and about $11 in fees, per ticket. 

91X Sun Fiesta
Friday, August 2nd
Petco Park Park at the Park

Get ready for a day full of awesome music, amazing food, great drinks & much more!

THE HEAD AND THE HEART
LOVELYTHEBAND
SYML
TWIN XL

Tickets go on-sale at 10am THIS FRIDAY, June 7th

Rosey's Read Watch List: Embryos Don't Have Hearts | Ramy | Dead To Me | Chelsea Handler

I'm gonna start this post with the most important thing that everybody should read: Embryos Don't Have Hearts. More reading and watching after the jump.

RIP M'bari - San Diego Zoo

Wonderfront Announces Lineup

Wonderfront Music & Arts Festival is coming to San Diego's waterfront November 22-24, 2019. The festival is being billed as "a 7+ stage, 80+ band, 3-day music, culinary, and arts festival throughout downtown San Diego, spread across the various parks and piers along the Port of San Diego, from South Embarcadero up to Broadway Pier."

On Monday, they presented a sweet little media event and live-streamed the announcement, but we've got it in your hot little hands so you don't have to wait. Get info and tickets to the event here: http://wonderfrontfestival.com

Update:
Apparently not all media respected the embargo. This wasn't supposed to be published until 3:30, but people chose to leak it anyway. The Wonderfront site appears to have crashed before the announcement event but appears to be back up and running now. You can also follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for updates.

Photos: Superorganism & Simpson @ Music Box, April 23, 2019

After double weekends at Coachella, Superorganism popped into San Diego to play a show at the Music Box on April 23rd. Darren and I were happy to finally check them out live, though it was a whole lot different live than what my photos could possibly reflect. There were near constant animated videos projected behind the collective, while the stage lighting was mostly dark or monochromatic or flashing or spinning or sparkling or all of these things at the same time. Definitely not my best work, which is unfortunate because after a show like this, I make my own roadblocks and end up not posting photos for weeks or months. Anyway, it was a great show, their music is super quirky and chill and there were a ton of people on stage making the whole show an event. Pics after the jump.

Saturday, June 1: Art Around Adams- Free & All Ages!!

Saturday June 1 is Art Around Adams. This is a free and all ages event, except for the 21+ stages at the Ken Club, Rosie's, and The Ould Sod. It runs from Noon to 8pm. Keep in mind, Adams Avenue remains open to vehicular traffic during this event, so mind sidewalks and crosswalks, and use your common sense and look up from your phone every once in awhile.
For all the info you need to know, check out the official site here. For good measure, all the set times after the jump. 

World Sea Lion Day - May 30, 2019

I mentioned I've been sick this week, but to say I didn't do anything this week would be a lie. On Wednesday, I was well enough to take Nova to soccer, and I thought the fresh air and no contact with other people would serve me well, so  I went back to La Jolla Cove to shoot the sea lions. I came to find out that the next day, May 30th, was "World Sea Lion Day," though I can't seem to find all the calendars that let us know such things.

Obviously I've been posting a lot of these lately, but since I'll be flooding you with music photos the next week, I thought I'd post some of this week's shots to celebrate the day. Though not shown, I'd also like to draw attention to their neighbors in La Jolla, the California Harbor Seals, who still need our help to sign two petitions: one is to keep up Casa Beach closed during pupping season and the other is to keep the safe distance rope up year-round. The hearing is June 12-14. I also just kinda wanted to post since I'm taking a gajillion pics each week and not really sharing them and maybe to just post something that makes me smile after getting all ranty on my last post.

World Beach Games Bid Adios To San Diego

I'm pissed. I need to vent.

This week in the news, there were numerous stories about the ANOC World Beach Games pulling out of San Diego. If you were unaware, the short story is that San Diego was supposed to host the inaugural World Beach Games here in October, an event which had already been postponed from 2017. For shorthand, the event was literally known as "San Diego 2019," so, uh, so much for that branding. Whatcha gonna do now, ANOC?
My thoughts, after the jump. 

CRSSD Announces Fall 2019 Lineup

I was just looking at an old Hot Chip poster thinking they were due for another San Diego date. CRSSD Fest just announced their Fall 2019 lineup, taking place on September 29 & 30 at Waterfront Park. Tickets open Tuesday, June 11th at 11AM PT. Alumni on sale just before that at 10AM. Save this link.

Things To Do In San Diego: Wednesday, May 29-Monday, June 3, 2019

They're showing The Lion King on ABC and according to Wikipedia, "The Lion King is scheduled to be released on July 19, 2019, which marks the 25th anniversary of the release of the original film." And in light of the passing of M'bari at the Zoo, I thought I'd share this pic of the male at the Safari Park (I think his name is Ernest, but I can't be sure) who was having a good time showing off on Memorial Day. It was a super great weekend...Nova had her final futsal game, we got to see my niece's games, we got in a little mini hike at Mission Trails, I went to see The Lemonheads, hung out at Ken Club. On Sunday we went to Tim's annual Memorial Day BBQ, and on Monday spent most of the day at the Safari Park, but somewhere in the mix of all of that I got super sick, which hit me hard Monday night and will probably linger for at least a week, though I'm fighting with tons of fluids, OTC meds, tea, soup, emergen-C, and some CBD products from Pure Ratios which I'm now selling on the side. (use coupon code "sddialedin" on your orders!)  There are some rad shows this week, but for now, I'm Down for the count and not trying to get everyone else in my orbit sick around me. Full listings through Monday are after the jump.