Rosey's Diary & Newsy Things: Kamala Harris Ate TFG | Toxic Sewage Gets Studied | Fireworks Decimated Protected Birds | Gas Prices To Rise (Before An Election? No!) | New Worries: Avian Flu, Dengue, EEE

Kaja Giving TFG A Big Middle Finger (Taken 9.4.24)

My mom and I went to the Old Globe to see Henry 6. We saw the first part, Flowers and France, last week, and then saw the second part, Riot and Reckoning on Tuesday. We really enjoyed both parts and the staging and production were cool, though I did kinda have to laugh at the many fight scenes because it was like a LARPers fantasy come true. I didn't know the material going in and it always takes a minute to get in the rhythm of Shakespeare, but if you have the chance to see both parts, it's well worth your time, and it appeared there were open seats on both of the nights we went. 

However, Tuesday was also the Harris v Trump presidential debate. Being that Tuesday is when I try to get my listings at least started for my Thursday publish date, I am watching it on YouTube, and let me assure you, I've had to take many, many breaks. It is painful to watch TFG-- lying liar who lies--talk at all, let alone the nonsense he was spewing. What a disgrace of a human. When he was famous in the 80s, I detested him. His appearances on TV and movies and in print made me feel so icky, even as a little girl. I continued to detest him and his shitty golf courses and casinos and his creepiness in the beauty pageants. Then his stupid fucking show in the Aughts and then his whole birther movement (the rebirth of white supremacists saying the quiet parts out loud) and then when he ran and won...like seriously, America. We need to right this wrong that he was even allowed near the White House and make him go away forever, preferably in a tiny jail cell where he belongs for the remainder of his natural life.  

Stay safe out there. You know the assignment.    

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, September 5-Wednesday, September 11, 2024: The Messthetics | Dougie Poole | Keane | Vance Joy | Lucy's Fur Coat | The Polyphonic Spree | Bonnie Raitt |Soul Coughing | Gardens & Villa | P!NK |

I was thinking that September would be a chill and quiet month with just Adams Avenue Street Fair to look forward to, but these listings are crazy! I'm actually going to see both parts of Henry 6 with my mom this week, plus have a couple merch nights in between, so I'm already feeling over-committed for the week. Plus it's gonna be crazy ass hot so maybe when I'm not working, I'll just go find an air-conditioned spot to hang out in. Too bad our kid isn't into ice skating because The Kroc Center was always ideal for heatwaves. Whatever shows or events you choose this week, stay cool and stay hydrated. We don't need people passing out or getting ill from heat-related causes. Stay safe out there. 

Side note: I'm removing North Coast Rep Theatre from my listings. The only way to access their calendar is to now subscribe as a patron first, and I'm not willing to do that. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, August 29-Wednesday, September 4, 2024: Ramona | RIKI | Counting Crows | Las Cafeteras | Pato Banton | Moenia | Midge Ure | Thievery Corporation | Zheani |

I am really, really, enjoying this week. There's a little bit of a lull in summer touring so things aren't bananas every single day, and I can even tell all the band agents are publicists are taking a light week, if they're even working at all, just by the ever so slight decrease in my email volume. I know it is the calm before the storm, however, because as soon as Labor Day passes, it will be full steam ahead with everyone busting my ass for promotion. So let me ask you this little favor. If you're a person who loves going to shows, take a look at our Casbah calendar for September and BUY YOUR TICKETS IN ADVANCE. Obviously for most local shows, you can and should just pay at the door, but for touring bands, your early purchase not only demonstrates that the artist has support in this market, but the agent considers the buying patterns when booking other bands on their rosters and routing them through San Diego. It makes a huge difference with the kinds of shows we get here in San Diego or whether artists skip us on their loops from Arizona to LA. Keep our little music dream alive as we buckle up for the sprint from Labor Day to Thanksgiving. 

Stay safe out there. 

Rosey's Diary: San Diego Is Expensive (Duh!) | DOJ Files Suit Against Rent-Setting Algorithm | New COVID Vaccine Available | San Diego Zoo To End Late Hours & Kangaroo Bus Service |

Xin Bao (4 yo Female, Taken 8.27.24)

I haven't done a diary link post in awhile, but there were some emails and links that I had building up, so I wanted to make sure to share this before I get to this week's listings. 

Things have been mostly good. Toby is back in school, has been very busy with marching band and also was accepted to San Diego Youth Symphony and is learning to play stand-up bass. We hardly see him, but we hope that is a good thing. His trip to Finland was good overall, though a bit eye-opening as he encountered a lot of anti-LGBTQ attitudes and Nationalist points of view that he didn't really expect. 

Darren is busy at work and exhausted after work as they've been working on fire-breaking urban canyons which is a ton of manual labor. He had a work thing last week at Bowlero with his work friends and we had fun bowling for the first time in maybe a decade, but as we were leaving, I was SHOT AT by some asshole teens with I don't know- an airgun? a pellet gun? I don't know my mock-assault weapons, but I was hit in the forehead by something and it was completely terrifying even though I was uninjured and whatever hit me didn't break skin. The thought some kids can just race through a cul-de-sac and open fire with anything is pretty scary. Apparently it was part of a shooting spree they went on throughout the Eastlake area of Chula Vista to terrorize their neighbors. I reported it to police, but I don't expect anything to happen. Someday those little shits will shoot at someone who will quickly retaliate with real bullets and it will be a whole different situation. I hate all guns in all forms and blah blah there are certain reasons to have them whatever whatever. I hate them all and ammosexuals can seriously GFY. 

Back to talking about joyful things: I've probably, so far, already taken about 3000 photos of the pandas, most of which will never be shared because, well, that's a lot. Not exaggerating. I'm sharing just a few of my latest from Tuesday.  

Stay safe out there. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, August 22-Wednesday, August 28, 2024: Tiltwheel | IDAHO | Ghostland Observatory | Dale Crover | Sweet & Tender Hooligans | Gary Clark, Jr. | Lizzy & The Triggermen |

Obviously there was great relief for me being able to be back home and also getting the van fixed and then the kid getting home from Finland and getting back to school and kicking off his senior year. While I've been spending a lot of time at the zoo, I've been taking advantage of seeing the pandas as much as possible, trying to find the best viewing times, learning their habits, when they're active, etc. I gotta be honest though, I can't wait for it to be cold...or at least hoodie weather, because I think they're gonna really love it. Work is pretty busy which actually has me busting ass and going to sleep earlier and waking up earlier than usual for me, and I kinda like it. But of course, these listings took a while so maybe Thursday will be more low-key for me. I don't have any big show plans this week, but I will be working for Lucky Daye on Sunday and maybe if I can get my Casbah newsletter done earlier, I'll head to the Dave Dick fundraiser. Have a great week! 

Stay safe out there. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, August 15-Wednesday, August 21, 2024: Pony Bradshaw | Shrinkray | John Legend | Joss Stone | Cults | Talib Kweli | Goatwhore | Steve Poltz | Sage Francis | The Marias | Son Little |

I'm back in my house and came off a great night working for Tinariwen at Music Box. What an incredible performance! I've always missed my opportunities to catch them in the past, so I'm glad I finally got to experience them. Thanks to everyone who has reached out since we were temporarily displaced, but we're all back to normal again, so it's more gorillas and orangutans and stalking the pandas for me while trying to keep up with work as we get into the busy fall touring season. You can see from Thursday alone how bonkers it's gonna get all the way through about Thanksgiving. I don't think I have any merch gigs this week, but Vacations is gonna regret not calling me because nobody can handle their merch like I can. They probably need a team of 4 people just to try to match my efficiency and volume, but whatever. Anyway, it's a good week of shows, my house is almost fixed, my van is fixed, my animals are all back to normal in like 30 minutes of being back in our apartment, so all is right with the world. Just steer clear of COVID...it's back with a 21% positivity rate!! Yikes. Can't wait for that next booster!! Also, if anyone from the Old Globe wants to reach out...my mom and I really wanna see both parts of Henry 6. Hook it up, yo. 

Stay safe out there. 

Rosey's Diary: Lessons From (Temporary & Planned) Displacement

Displacement sucks. I am going to start this post with many caveats: I am in no way suggesting I understand the experiences of the unhoused or of people displaced by flooding, fire, or other natural disasters. My property manager gave us ample warning that our apartment needed to be inspected, that the stairs subsequently failed that inspection and they would need to be rebuilt. When he let us know we would have to have the stairs completely rebuilt, I asked if at the very least it would be possible to schedule while Toby is in Finland on a foreign-exchange program, which he was able to accommodate. So I knew construction was coming, my house is still my home, and eventually I will get to be back home and everything will be better and back to normal. Fingers crossed. Or better than normal as I will no longer have death-trap stairs that I tripped on somewhat regularly and were at risk of steps corroding at any moment. But still, I've learned some lessons and I wanted to share. Or vent. Or whine. Or whatever. After the jump. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, August 8-Wednesday, August 14, 2024: Luke Bryan | Havnauts | STRFKR | Convoy | OMA & Shing02 | Jane's Addiction | BALTHVS |Carter Winter | Amyl & The Sniffers | Mary Lambert | Alvvays |

OMG. These listings took me so long. I tried to start them at the Zoo (impossible), then I tried working in my studio but my cats were so thrilled to see me they were climbing all over my laptop (impossible), then I tried to work at my mom's but she watches terrible television, so by the time she went to bed and I could work, I was zonked out. So then I tried all over again on Wednesday and did part of them at my mom's and finally finished them on Wednesday. I'm gonna be a vagabond for the weekend, so sorry these aren't very organized and sorry if I missed anything but things are pretty chaotic in my life at the moment, as our apartment gets some hefty construction and then plumbing in the studio and trying to not pull a Jewel and live in my van, but it's actually surprising how when all you need is a couch and access to a shower and maybe some outlets to charge all the devices, everyone scatters. I'll be fine, but getting back online this weekend is the least of my concerns. The only real news anyway is that 40 Olympic competitors (so far) got COVID so that's something to keep an eye on as I see more and more friends testing positive locally, and then also, the big announcement by Kamala Harris for Walz as her VP. I'M ALL IN. Another presidency with TFG would be DEVASTATING. Do your part. 

Peace out. Stay safe out there.

Panda Preview: The Giant Pandas Are (Maybe) Ready For Their Public Debut at San Diego Zoo

 

Thursday is the big day that the San Diego Zoo finally opens Panda Ridge to the public. While the pandas arrived in San Diego on June 27, they've been off habitat as they quarantined and adjusted to their new San Diego lifestyle. The zoo made extraordinary measures to make sure nobody was getting sneak peeks or disturbing them in that time...putting windscreens across the entire Bashor Bridge, adding railings to prevent looking over, staffed the area with two guest ambassadors from open to close, erected walls around the habitats, closed off half the overflow seating for Treetops Bistro, closed the stairs at Bashor Bridge into the Canyon. They would even go so far as closing the Skyfari for "regular maintenance" whenever the pandas were exploring their yards. 

So naturally starting last week, dignitaries, media, researchers, volunteers and employees began run-throughs for the viewing. On Monday, I got the chance to see them with a friend who is a donor. We had a 4pm viewing time but got wind that they were letting people in ahead of their time, so here I'm going to divulge my recommendations for seeing the pandas. 

First of all, I do not know how they're running the time-ticketing vs the paid-viewing. But let's assume you get a ticket and a time slot. Before you even go to the zoo, plan ahead!!! The pandas are behind 8-10' high glass that is about 4 feet in front of the walking path. Any given time of day there will be reflection. I am intentionally posting my photos with heavy reflection so you can see how it looks. I wear ALL BLACK and brought a black long sleeve light jacket I use, as well as a cut up black shower curtain that I usually use for sitting. The people wearing flashy, bright and printed clothes couldn't see jack shit except everyone else's reflection. This was a late afternoon viewing, so I knew what to expect in this area after months of spending hours shooting the baby red panda, Pavitra. 

Second, I did not get one single worthy phone photo, even with my fancy new camera. If you're only bringing your phone, snap a pic or two and then just enjoy the viewing. I shoot with a pretty entry level camera, a Canon 90D and a 75-300mm lens. There are zoo regulars shooting with cameras and lenses worth $5k, $10k, $25k dollars and more. Don't try to compare your photos to their photos. Let them hobby and you enjoy your time. 

Last thing I'll say is that for this special donor preview, we had a 30 minute window, plus the extra 15 minutes we went in early. The public timed viewings will only be 15 minutes. Still, I heard a statistic that the average person spends 90 SECONDS at each animal at a zoo. They want to see, snap a selfie, maybe record a video they'll never watch, and move on. This is why the entitled maniacs get all pissed off when people don't get out of their way...their kids are cuter than you and deserve to get the best view the second they walk up to the habitat even if you've been waiting minutes or hours for that one special moment...All this to say...don't be rushed along. There will be lots of people saying "Share The Bear" but you have a window of time for the entire habitat. When Xin Bao went up to her hill, I checked out Yun Chuan (4 yo male), but he was fast asleep, so I went back to Xin Bao (3yo female) and got to see her basically rolling in her bamboo with joy, which was pretty special to watch.  But note the glare. It is harsh and everywhere, even when I blocked the yellow posts with my jacket and plastic and sat on the ground to get under the bamboo reflecting off higher on the glass. I was able to hold my black plastic up so my friend in a fully mechanized wheelchair could see the pandas when most other people couldn't see at all. I don't know what the policy will be like for the public, but I would HOPE that strollers are not allowed, as people bring WONDERFOLDS the size of my childhood day bed and think everyone else has to yield to them. The pathway was not expanded in any parts, but there is a lot more room for the first habitat with Xin Bao, who got the space of the former Takins, versus Yun Chuan who got the space of the red pandas. And speaking of red pandas, KOLA is back. Make sure to look for him snoozing high up in his tree on the right as you first enter the habitat. 

Obviously I'm so glad the pandas are back, but the zoo is going to be BONKERS and there are going to be a lot of disappointed people who only catch Xin Bao on her hill or Yun Chuan in one of his 4 hour naps. Be patient. Be a member. Don't put all your expectations into amazing views in one 15 minute visit. San Diego Zoo is posting a ton of PROFESSIONALLY shot photos and videos on their social media, where they can get behind-the-scenes and BEHIND-THE-GLASS footage. Just enjoy watching these super cute creatures. And if you're disappointed, just head next door and see much rarer animals, the Amur Leopards, or go up and visit the Guam Kingfisher who is COMPLETELY EXTINCT in the wild, and realize that conservation goes a lot further than just this hot panda summer. Photos after the jump. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Friday, August 2-Wednesday, August 7, 2024:Tiki Oasis | King Buzzo | Endless Sunsets | Matte Blvck | Jhene Aiko | Spoon | Gaslight Anthem | Alex G | Norah Jones | Pokey LaFarge | Foo FIghters |

Not gonna lie, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment. Our kid leaves to Finland this weekend, I'm working a massive show on Friday and then again on Saturday, and then on Monday, construction starts on my apartment, which will make our place completely inaccessible for the duration of construction, which they say is only gonna be 5 days, but I'm gonna be cautiously optimistic and hope that is true. It's just a lot. So. I finished listings and I'm just gonna go ahead and publish so you can plan your week ahead...and hopefully not be nearly as frazzled as I am. 

Stay safe out there. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, August 1, 2024: Imagery Machine | Fractal | Lola Kristine |

I am not feeling particularly great at the moment, so I'm just gonna give you Thursday listings and then I'll get around to the rest of the week when I can get to them. After the jump. 

Rosey's Diary & Newsy Things: COVID Is In The Air: Cases Rising (again) | Pandas To Make Public Debut | Reviving Epicentre | Waterfront Park Expands Activities | All In For Kamala |

Ekuba, the legend (Taken 7.30.24)

Pride has passed. Comic-Con is behind us. Now we're just left with hot Brat Summer and Kamala Fever. I've been trying not to freak out about all the things, I'm not particularly looking forward to construction on my apartment starting next week and living out of a suitcase until it's done, but I'll get through it, I'm sure. Besides that, I haven't posted in a minute because besides the aforementioned biggie things in San Diego, I also got a new phone and two weeks in, I still feel like I'm still setting things up and configuring things how I want them...which is a complete pain in the ass, by the way...but I'm just trying to move forward and not sweat the small stuff. I'm trying to get listings done early this week, but after how this day went, I'm gonna guess that's just not in the cards. Ah well. You'll get them Thursday, one way or another. 

Stay safe out there.

Photos: Shelbi Bennett, Grampa Drew, C. Gibbs Review @ Casbah

Photos by Tim Fears

 It's wonderful to know that we can still celebrate local songwriters and musicians that play original music the old fashioned way, and on a Sunday evening to boot. We had the lovely Shelbi Bennett known for her presence in The Midnight Pine as well as The Havnauts, playing new original tunes. Grampa Drew of Flim Flam Fame (say it 10x fast) and C. Gibbs of Modern English opening the show.

Photos: Comic-Con Preview Night 2024

 

Wednesday night was preview night of Comic-Con 2024. Admittedly, I've skipped out the past couple years because of COVID and whatnot, but I was ready to jump back into the action this year, at least to check things out. I haven't done a big photo post like this in ages and forgot that they reload newest to oldest, so give me a little grace because it took three attempts to get photos up at all without crashing my apps. 

I arrived right around 6, which was the perfect time to cruise up to the Sails Pavilion and grab my pass before doors were open and lines were moving into the main floor area. From everything I read, strollers were not allowed, but that proved not to be the case, and navigating the floor is complicated as there's no natural flow to how the crowds move, where lines occur for giveaways or booths with limited edition items. Being a little removed from all things pop-culture, it's interesting to see what creates a buzz and what doesn't, how much people will pay and how long they'll wait for beanie babies Collectibles. I kinda like to see the elaborate displays and the huge building wraps, as well as walking along Martin Luther King, Jr. Promenade along the trolley line to see all the pop-ups and activations. I will note my friend Ted Washington is again at a Small Press table for his art and publishing, Puna Press, so make sure to say hi. It was also a treat to see and hear SpongeBob SquarePants voice actors Tom Kenny (Spongebob, Gary) and Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick Star) as they gave interviews, while their costumed character counterparts danced around in the background. I don't know how much time I'll spend downtown the rest of the week, but I'll try to get my shit together when posting. I will be working at the Mosh Eisley event on Friday at Music Box, so if you're there, say hello at the merch booth. 

Stay safe out there, my little nerds!! 

Things To Do In San Diego: Wednesday, July 24-Tuesday, July 31, 2024: Comic-Con | Spritual Cramp | Michael Franti | Devotional | Lake Street Dive | Dwight Yoakam | Zack Oakley | Pallbearer | Willie Nelson | Dad Bod | X |

Okay. So. I did all my listings for the week last night so that I could merge them and also update my Comic-Con Page (which you can find if you click the little "Move To" triangle at the top of the page on Mobile). I have not, however, updated all the free stuff and activations. I'm going to go down to preview night, shoot some photos, and check things out before I decide what is worth listings and what is a bust. So, enjoy and share the listings and I'll get back to updating tonight. And I promise I'll find a better pic, too. 

Listings are after the jump. I updated activations and multi-day events, which can be found on my Comic-Con Page, as I linked before. 

Stay safe out there. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, July 18-Wednesday, July 24, 2024: The Decemberists | Pedro the Lion | Ragana+Agriculture| SD Pride | Drug Hunt | Metalachi | Shelbi Bennett | Sun Kil Moon | Comic-Con |

I feel like I'm in the hellish part of my summer that should be the best part, so I'm trying to take a step back, take a breath, and give myself a little wiggle room to feel my feelings and have anxiety and then hopefully get my head together and come out on the other side. 

As you well know, this week is San Diego Pride. Technically, it started last week, but it all culminates in big parties, the parade, and of course, the Pride Festival in Balboa Park. Toby will be playing in the Pride Band in the parade, but shout out to San Diego Youth Services + OSP, HYC, and Ringer's Roller Rink/Derby United, who I believe will all be represented in the parade as well. It is not an overstatement to say that these services, programs, and support systems literally SAVE LIVES. For parents, PFLAG, HRC, and others have also been a lifeline, and we're so grateful. As far as listings go, I put some of the Pride things, but I'm certain Rich's, The Rail, Uptown, Mo's and all the others have their own things going on and will be slammed all weekend. If any of those have specific events that jump out, I'll add them in. 

Then just as soon as it all ends, Comic-Con is coming. The volume of my email has tripled in the last couple weeks, that's the price you pay for getting a media pass, so I'm really trying to work through all those emails and see what are just hyping specific panels or collectibles and book releases and author signings with the stuff we're concerned with on this site --- the parties and activations. So, that said, I know I included Wednesday night listings here, per usual, however, I have not yet integrated anything Con related that is outside of the usual venues included here. I hope to pepper them in throughout the week and eventually update my Con guide, but like I said, things are a little crazy right now. I'm temporarily without a vehicle, wasted half a day going to pick up said vehicle and dropping $1700 only to find out the problem I took it in for in the first place wasn't even looked at. So, another day without a car and no real idea if the issue can be fixed within the umbrella of repairs and service that I've already paid for. Nightmare. 

Anyway, stay safe out there. Like, really stay safe out there. COVID is still a thing coming back strong this summer as our boosters are all really not doing much anymore, MPOX is hitting back strong, and after last weekend's events, lunatics are brazen and even more empowered by all the vitriol and call to arms they've heard spewed at this week's RNC.  

Rosey's Diary & Newsy Things: SDPD To Add Surveillance to Pride | Sea Lions Continue to be Harassed | SD Is $$$$$ | Pandas Are Here (But You Can't See Them)| SCOTUS Is The Worst |

Winston, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park's Silverback, Passed Away (Taken 3.13.24)

I had been working on this post and then a bunch of work things and life things came up and I never got around to finishing it and then Saturday happened and I don't want to have anything to do with news at all and am trying to live off-line as much as possible. So if you notice this post is outdated to before the weekend, you are correct, and I'm not even going to post or talk about or link to anything having to do with what happened Saturday because for me, it CHANGES NOTHING. In fact, it verifies even more that Biden is my candidate and I cannot wait for every person with a hot take to move on to the next thing. You want 2A and no rules and open carry and bump stocks and an AR-15 style gun for everyone and all this bullshit? Congratulations. This is the world you get. Fuck you that you never thought it would be used against you while predicting (ordering?) a future "bloodbath" when TFG loses. 

Stay safe out there. Pride is this weekend and EVERYONE needs to be vigilant in looking out for any lunatics that might be out to make a point. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, July 11-Wednesday, July 17, 2024: In The Valley Below | The Church | Niis | Marty Stuart | Alejandro Escovedo | Toad The Wet Sprocket |

I'm going to keep it super short because my to-do list is far too long and I just got home from seeing Ducks Ltd. and they were AMAZING. It was a great reminder why you should listen to NEW music and forget about most of the nonsense that charts or whatever you are telling you are the thing to listen to. There's a lot of rad stuff this week, so check the listings, and I'll try to update if I get any new info or realize that I missed a whole bunch of stuff. 

Stay safe out there. 

Things To In San Diego: Friday, July 5-Wednesday, July 10, 2024: Red Fang | The White Buffalo | Harry Connick, Jr. | Avalon Anniversary | Ducks Ltd. |

I'm not gonna lie, not only did I not leave my house on the 4th of July, I'm not sure I even went outside except to maybe grab my cats off the patio when the neighborhood fireworks started popping off. And it was glorious. I needed a day at home without any responsibilities...until I realized I hadn't done listings or a Casbah newsletter. Sigh. So here are this week's listings. The Belly Up is kicking off their 50th Anniversary celebration, but it felt a little redundant to put that label on all of their shows. Otherwise, it's kind of a light week for shows but still plenty going on in San Diego that maybe a summer slow down is just what we need. The County Fair wraps on Sunday, San Diego Pride events will start to pick up, and before we know it, Comic-Con will be here. Enjoy the slower pace before San Diego gets bonkers. 

Stay safe out there. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, June 27-Thursday July 4, 2024: Cosmo's Midnight | DIIV | Chicano Batman | Mistress 77 | Blink-182 | Iron & Wine | Mountain Grass Unit | Redd Kross |

Being that Independence Day is just a week away, I decided to run these listings through Thursday. I'm looking forward to seeing The Color Purple at New Village Arts on Thursday night, and I always love working for Mistress 77, which I'll be doing on Saturday night. In between, you know I'll be at the zoo and also planned a Sea World trip before my pass expires. Beyond that, I'm so exhausted, I would really, really enjoy some sleep. Catch ya on the flip. 

Rosey's Diary & Newsy Things: Animal Shelters Need Your Help | Panda Fever | Rescued Baby Dolphin At Sea World | Coastal Commission NIMBYs? | Where Did Your Stolen Bike Go?

The Fools & Fables Crew at Casbah (6.20.24)

I don't have a ton of links this week because the news has been a lot of the same as usual stuff as always...campaign bullshit and NIMBY nonsense and a whole lot of bloviating by old white guys in Washington who get nothing done but slowly suck away our rights, so I'm just going to go ahead and publish what I do have so we have a clean slate going into the next week. 

I will say it was a pretty good week, albeit with full on summer heat. Besides my daily zoo trips, my sister and a couple friends and I went to the Fools & Fables show at the Casbah on Thursday night and afterwards I caught up with my pal, Tim Fears. Keep an eye out, because he's gonna be shooting a lot of shows and sharing his photos right here on sddialedin.com. On Saturday, Toby's rock camp played a concert at Music Box in the daytime. You can watch Toby's band's performance here. That night I worked for Dead Man's Party, also at Music Box, so it was a fun double-header. 

The C is going back around with new variants, so stay safe out there. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, June 20-Wednesday, June 26, 2023: Fools & Fables | Melt Banana | Kate Yeager | Hot Water Music | Heavy Hawaii | Third Eye Blind | REIK | OB Street Fair | The Dollyrots | Sparta |

This has been a rough week. For many years, I've been a stay-up-late/sleep-in girl and that has been just fine for me. I'm used to sitting on my laptop and working until 4am and then sleeping until whenever I slept enough to do it all over again. But with Darren's new job, this week I was designated driver to get Toby to Rock n Roll Camp For (Teens) every day by 9am. That means up at 7am. That is EARLY for an insomniac like me. But he has been so stoked all week long and immediately formed a band and will be one of ten groups playing on Saturday morning at Music Box. While it is called Camp For Girls, there are a lot of LGBTQIA+ kids, so he has really found teens he can connect with. 

These early mornings mean I've been at the zoo extra early, but honestly today, I feel like my eyes are sunburned. It's only going to get hotter as we bust into summer, so I may have to adjust my days and activities accordingly. I'm hoping to make it to Fools & Fables tonight, but we'll see if I can make it work. In the meantime, I hope everyone has a really great weekend and gets out to some live music because I don't know if you've heard, but all that post-pandemic revenge concert attendance and advanced ticket buying has plummeted. Of course, it depends on the shows and venue and cost, but oversaturation and everything being so damn expensive means you really have to think about where you're spending your money. Try supporting local when you can. 

Stay safe out there. Happy Summer 2024. 

Photos: The Raveonettes @ Music Box (Casbah Presents)

 

Photos by Tim Fears

Seeing the Raveonettes live was a long-time coming as I've never crossed paths with them but have always wanted to see live. My good friend Daanon from AZ had seen them at a festival the week prior in northern NV and said it's time for me to see them... sold! It was much better than I ever expected, and bonus points for having killer but incredibly simple lighting; it goes a long way for making great photos!

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, June 13-Wednesday, June 19, 2024: Tyler Halverson | W.I.T.C.H. | French Cassettes | Dent May | The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band | Daryl Hall & Elvis Costello | Chest Fever | Cowboy Junkies | Noah Kahan | KALEO |

It's Father's Day Weekend and the weather seems to be doing somersaults as it tries to figure out where exactly it will all land, but it sounds like it could be a hot one this weekend, so find your way to a beach or a pool by day and then find yourself some entertainment at night. I've got some family things this week but I'm also very much looking forward to working for Celeste Barber on Sunday night. I gotta say, too, that I worked for W.I.T.C.H. the last time they were in town, so if you're looking for my overall pick for the week, it would be that show on Friday night, though obviously there are ton of great things rolling through town. The San Diego County Fair also kicked off on Wednesday, and since there are so many side stages and musical acts every day, besides the big Grandstand or Paddock shows, I included a link to "Daily Music" where you can just look up the date and it should show you all the things. The fair always has so much going on, I've always found their site impossible to navigate, but that link should at least make the music part a little easier. 

Have a great week. Stay safe out there. Happy Father's Day for all the dads out there. 

Rosey's Diary and Newsy Things: Pride Month Resources | Transpo Projects | Baby Sea Lions | Panda Plans | Budget Revised to Cover Fatal 15 | Bird Flu News |

Baby Baird's Tapir Born 6.2.24 (Taken 6.11.24)

I guess it's been a minute since I've posted a diary. So let's see, we went to the North Park Music Fest on the first and then last week Darren started his new job. On Tuesday we went to La Jolla Cove to see the Sea Lion rookery before going to La Jolla Playhouse to see The Ballad of Johnny and June, on Saturday we did a kayak cleanup of the National City tidelands, and on Sunday I went to the Celebration of Life for my friend Mike Down, and then Monday we saw Vampire Weekend at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre. In between I've been working my butt off, going to the zoo, and I had to run the kid around to some appointments before he finished school on Thursday and kicked off summer break. I've been fully engrossed in watching the Karen Read trial via Emily D Baker on YouTube so I've been missing out on all my usual trash TV, which I can say is just fine by me. I've really been enjoying my zoo days and evenings, though I know it will get a whole lot busier and hotter and I might have to incorporate other places to work that aren't so bananas, but I'll get there when I get there. I hope pre-summer is treating everyone well thus far. 

Stay safe out there. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, June 6-Wednesday, June 12, 2024: The Coronas | Janet Jackson | JJUUJJUU | Xana | Chris Thile | The Raveonettes | Kacy Hill | Vampire Weekend | Frank Turner |

Let's see...since last post, we had North Park Music Fest, which Darren and I went to on Saturday night for a couple hours. Make sure to see Tim Fears' photos in the last post. It was super fun, and for a long time we stopped taking advantage of living in walking distance from the heart of North Park, so we definitely need to get out more. He started a new job this week, so he'll have weekends off, mostly, so I'm pretty excited about that. There's a ton of stuff this next week, and I'm feeling like I saved some events online but can't seem to find them, so if I find things I missed here, I will definitely update. 

Nothing really else major to report at the moment, but stay safe out there and enjoy all the good stuff happening in this rad city. 

Photos: North Park Music Fest - Louis XIV, Transfer, Ten Bulls

 

Photos by Tim Fears

This years' North Park Music Festival was a huge success by most indices: talent, turnout, and a great time. While getting over a cold prevented me from being there all day, shooting 3 bands and hanging with some of my favorite SD music fam, it was a stellar time.

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, May 30-Wednesday, June 5, 2024: Blackwater Holylight | Yard Act | The Chameleons | North Park Music Fest | Adopt-A-Pet Day | Rock N Roll Marathon | Sarah McLachlan |

Can we be honest for a minute here? Does ANYONE like Rock N Roll Marathon weekend? I'm just going to assume you're saying "no" and we can move on. Our car was towed a couple years ago because for some reason the idiots who have to distribute warnings, only do it on the exact streets that are used for the marathon, and not on the adjoining streets in neighborhoods like North Park and Normal Heights, where we regularly park around the corner or down a couple blocks because of impacted parking. And while the running routes are easy to understand, there is no clarity on if there are any roads that vehicles can cross or exactly what times they open once runners pass. The bus information is even worse because it is so damn murky. So it looks like if I want to go to the Zoo on Sunday morning, I'm gonna have to walk or bike there. But even that's not clear if I can use the closed off streets for such purposes if I'm not a badged runner. I fucking hate it. But this weekend is also the North Park Music Fest, which I have not had a hand in for several years, since before the Mini-Park and when it was still NPFoA. So much evolution has happened since then, but what really matters is that Transfer is playing, so I'm (fingers crossed) at least gonna catch that, but Tim will be out there shooting the whole thing for San Diego: Dialed In. Beyond all that, and this has nothing to do with music, but the San Diego Humane Society is having a super event on Saturday for free adoptions, licensing, tags and more, so check the link below for details on that. 

I know, I know, we've got it so rough up in these streets of this incredible city. Try not to be too bummed out you live in such a glorious place. 

Stay safe out there.  

Rosey's Diary and Newsy Things: ReWilding Mission Bay | Pellet Shootings In Hillcrest | Free Movies In The Park | Bots Stole COVID Relief Money |

I cannot even begin to talk about what a rollercoaster weekend it was, so I'll just say we enjoyed URBN on Friday and Kristian's wedding on Saturday, I didn't spend nearly as much time at the zoo this weekend as I expected to and it was bonkers when I actually did, and on a whim, Toby, Darren and I drove up to Laguna to hike a few different short trails and loops to get out of town and try to start the week with clear heads. I don't have much in the way of links this week because I tried to not be online as much as possible, but I've got plans this week so I'm trying to get listings done early so I don't have to worry about them later this week. I hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend however you chose to spend it and I will be head down, nose to the grindstone, and just trying to move on from some of the nonsense that grated me but isn't worth talking about. 

Stay safe out there. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, May 23-Wednesday, May 29, 2024: Fruition | Cloud Nothings | Maggie Rogers | Wine Lips | Natalie Merchant | World Goth Day | girl in red | Guitar Wolf | Jon Foreman |

I am so looking forward to Memorial Day weekend if it just means fewer emails for one extra day. There are so many fun things to do, even if we're gonna be in full-on May Gray mode. I'll be working at the Fruition show on Thursday, and then doing a bar crawl for my friend's pre-wedding celebration on Friday, and then I think there's some sort of party or reception for the wedding that I'll try to get to on Saturday. That means I'm missing out on some prime zoo time, of course, and on Friday night is member preview night for the summer hours and then the zoo will be open from 9am-9pm for the majority of the summer, minus a few special events when they close early. Safari Park hours extend from 9am-7pm as well, and both parks have music and entertainment and such. SeaWorld Summer Spectacular also kicks off this weekend, so whether you care or not, at least know that fireworks will be back on the weekends, so plan accordingly for your pets.  We'll also be going to girl in red next week, so I'm definitely looking forward to that. 

I hope everyone has a super duper weekend. It is Memorial Day, so honor that how you will. For me, it's a year since my sister-in-law's interment, so my thoughts will be with my brother and the rest of my family. 

Stay safe out there. 

Things To Do In San DIego: Thursday, May 16- Wednesday, May 22, 2024: Wednesday | The Toxhards | RJD2 | Twin Ritual | Pond | Fiesta Del Sol | Baby Bushka | Moorea Masa | Bully | Pete Yorn |

The Quartyard is undergoing some changes, but will be SOLD OUT Thursday night for WEDNESDAY

I'm really looking forward to Thursday night at Quartyard. As I write this, there are about a dozen tickets left, but I suspect they'll be gone by the time this actually publishes. This week there are so many things going on that it feels a little overwhelming. I'd personally recommend seeing RJD2 at Music Box, who always blows minds with his skills but there are definitely a lot of great choices, including Fiesta Del Sol, some great indie shows, and a million ways to spend time outdoors, including the rest of San Diego River Days. Find your fun. 

Stay safe out there. 

Rosey's Diary and Newsy Things: SDMA Winner List | Gloria Submits Revised Budget | Floods Ravage Brazil | New C-19 "FLiRT" Strain Symptoms |

Baby Langur (Taken 5.12.24)

I've been watching the Emily D Baker livestreams of the Karen Read Trial because as we inch closer to November, the news is just hard to watch. My little family has a ritual where every night we watch the monologues or features from the late night shows - Seth Meyers, Colbert, Kimmel, and Fallon - and even those are hard to watch sometimes. The coverage of TFG is just too much and the comedians' impressions of him are just as bad as seeing his stupid face and hearing his actual voice. So I've been watching this trial, or listening to the stream while I work, or while I'm walking around the zoo, and I kind of regret it because the prosecution is so bad so the case has ceased to be interesting. All of this to say, I don't really have much to post this week. With Darren on the job hunt and having more time together, I feel stretched a little thin. We did have a great time at the Waxahatchee show on Tuesday, but after I came home to get my listings going and write a work newsletter, so today I felt pretty sluggish, though I still went to visit the apes and then D and I went to a River Days event to see the future site of The River Center at Grant Park. I still feel like I have a million things to do tonight but first things first, I'm posting this, then finishing listings. They'll be up in the morning. 

Stay safe out there. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, May 9-Wednesday, May 15, 2024: Lol Tolhurst x Budgie | David Sedaris | Gator By The Bay | Pacific Avenue | Wonderfront | Psychedelic Furs | Face To Face | Aaron Lee Tasjan | Waxahatchee | and more!!

Waxahatchee (10.13.2018)

It's a big weekend in San Diego: it's Mother's Day, Gator By The Bay is back at Spanish Landing, and Wonderfront is back at the Embarcadero. Unless some last minute surprises happen, however, I'll be sitting out the latter two. The good news, however, if you're not hitting the festivals, is that there are so many great shows in town this week and weekend, so your music needs are covered if you're not inclined to watch music with a line of port-o-potties in the vicinity. And honestly, the weather has been so amazing that really, just doing anything outside, even if May Gray creeps in, is going to be incredible as we're still before any major influx of tourists. If you've read this far, I'm going to tell you this little secret for you to use this weekend and into the entire summer: parking at the San Diego Zoo is free. While it may get busy, it's rarely ever full. And so with that information, you should know that the SDMTS number 7 and the Rapid 215 both service the zoo stop by the carousel and get you downtown in about 10 minutes. There's also a stop for both near Inspiration Point near the World Beat Center. The two buses can get you to any other bus or trolley line which get you to Petco Park or Comic-Con or Wonderfront or Broadway Pier or anywhere for $6 for a daypass in the Pronto app. And even when the zoo is closed, you can park ANYWHERE in Balboa Park except between the hours of 2am-6am. (Vehicle parking is prohibited in Balboa Park parking lots from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. daily (SDMC 63.02.21) with the exception of Marston Point parking lot. Parking in Marston Point parking lot is not permitted from sunset to 7 a.m. daily and 10 a.m. on Thursday for maintenance.) Keep that our little secret, mkay?

Have a great week. Stay safe out there. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, May 2-Wednesday, May 8, 2024: Kiltro | Bendigo Fletcher | No Vacation | Peach Cooler | Manic Hispanic | Blu DeTiger | Mariachi El Bronx | Hoverii | Roger Daltrey | Tyson Motsenbocker | Bob Schneider |

This week was the San Diego Music Awards. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners, from all the photos, it looks like another epic night. You can see all the winners here. 

The rest of the week is looking pretty busy with lots of sold out or near sold out shows around town, plus some Cinco de Mayo festivities for grown-ups or families. I'll be working at the No Vacation show and possible Peach Cooler, but might try to work a few more into my plans. We shall see. 

Have a great week and stay safe out there. 

Rosey's Diary & Newsy Things: Panda Update | Oceanside Pier Empty Restaurant Catches Fire | Animal Shelters in State of Emergency | Avian Flu Hits Dairy Farms |

Tiger Cub (Hutan or Puteri?) at San Diego Zoo Safari Park (4.30.24)

I don't have much of a diary this week because I'm a little emotionally spent and physically tired. Besides my regular work, I worked at Emo Night Karaoke on Friday, then Julia Wolf on Sunday, and then after that show, Darren and I went to see A Beacon School at Casbah. I got my Monday zoo time, then on Tuesday, after I spent the morning at the zoo, D and I went to Safari Park on his day off to deliver flowers for his old work. It was definitely bittersweet because some stuff was going down at his job and sure enough, he was let go from the park the next morning. He wasn't taken by surprise by it, but it still fucking hurts. So now we have that to deal with and it is scary and heartbreaking and of course our rents just went up again, because San Diego, so I'm trying not to panic but it really fucking sucks. And I can't really talk about it because it's not my story to tell, but you know I have some thoughts.  

So yeah. Life goes on. I'll be working at Music Box on Thursday, maybe Casbah on Friday, and will probably try to partake in some Old Town Cinco de Mayo festivities over the weekend because I'm a sucker for mariachis. 

Stay safe out there. Nolite bastardes carborundorum. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, April 25-Wednesday, May 1, 2024: Neil Young | Emo Night Karaoke | La Lom | Art Alive | ArtWalk | Encinitas Street Fair | Adams Avenue Unplugged | Book Crawl | San Diego Music Awards | San Fermin | Yellow Days |

I'm not gonna lie, trying to get listings done in a timely fashion so they publish in the morning while also spending long days away from home because everyone else in my household is currently sick really sucks. It also kinda feels like I'm just planning on getting whatever non-Covid thing they have eventually, so I'm trying to stay on top of work and shopping and general adulting. So. Lots of stuff this week and weekend. Lots of San Diego Music Awards showcases leading up to the awards on Tuesday night at Humphrey's. Adams Avenue Unplugged, Artwalk, Book Crawl, Encinitas Street Fair...there's a lot!! I'll be working at the Casbah on Friday for the Emo Night Karaoke and can't wait to see what everyone sings and also be working at the Julia Wolf show on Sunday at Quartyard. Beyond that, I'm just gonna see which way the wind blows, drink a shit-ton of fluids and immune boosters, be outside as much as possible, keep the air purifiers running, and do my best not to get sick with this plague that some are calling "The 100 Day Cough". Also, Tim Fears did a photo post. Check it out. 

Stay safe out there.  

Photos: The Schizophonics, Mistress 77 and Dream Burglar at Casbah

 

Photos by Tim Fears

This show was super fun and what I'd consider a classic Casbah show where you have friends in each of the bands and they all are all killing it doing what they do best.

Rosey's Diary & Newsy Things: Gentrification: Protecting LGBTQ+ Nightlife | Soaring Rents | Public Park Bans Bikes | City Fails FIDO Dogs | Bird Flu | Pathogen Descriptors Rewritten |

Ficus at Fiesta Island Dog Park, before the foxtails seeded. (Taken 2.18.24)

At some point I have to stop collecting links and actually make a post. I've been trying, but work has been crazy busy...the Casbah is presenting more shows at outside venues than ever before, or at least to pre-pandemic levels and the agencies are fully staffed up with 6-12 person marketing teams to remind me -- one person -- that I'm not meeting their expectations. I love taking my laptop to the zoo to get work done, but I find more of my day actually on the laptop than actually experiencing the zoo. As a result, when I get home at night I've been trying to keep that my time, which this week means bingeing Girls 5eva. 

I went to LA last Sunday for the opening of my cousin's new business and ended up making an overnight out of it, with a super rainy Sunday at the LA Zoo and then a much nicer rain-free Monday. I helped out with merch for The Last Dinner Party on Friday afternoon and then we went to the show that night. Darren spent his days off being sick at home, so I've been trying to give him all the space at home he needs to nap and recover, but then after the kid's concert at school, he said he was also feeling sick and likely won't be going to school tomorrow. They're both negative on COVID tests, but I'm still gonna try to do all the things we did back then, because I do not want to also get whatever sinus-throat tickle-congestion thing it is. I'll get to listings this week, and I don't have any major plans besides working at our Quartyard show on Sunday but I'll definitely keep myself scarce at home if I can. 

Ohhhh! And one more thing! Remember when this was just a music site?? Tim Fears is gonna get back to posting photos here. I'll add mine when they're worthwhile than more than an IG post, but be on the lookout for his stellar shots. 

Stay safe out there. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, April 18-Wednesday, April 24, 2024: Sessanta | Faye Webster | Herbie Hancock | The Last Dinner Party | Earth Day | Record Store Day | TWRP | Brittany Howard | Willie Nelson | Mk.gee | Neil Young |

There is so much happening this weekend, and next week is even more nutso, but I have to say, I was looking for Record Store Day stuff and I wasn't finding shit. Sure, I found the list of stuff available across all record stores, but it feels like maybe the store traffic is so intense that all the in-stores and live music that used to be associated with it are gone. Or I couldn't find them. Or I looked in the wrong places. Whatever the case may be, head to Vinyl Junkies and then hit happy hour at Whistle Stop and you can get down with the vibe. (Update: I've added the live music and djs for VJRS which I found after I posted) 

It's also Earth Day weekend, which might snarl my zoo plans, but we'll see. The bus gets me to both, so maybe I'll just have to pack light and partake in both. 

As always, if I missed anything, feel free to hit me up on IG or FB or whatever. 

Stay safe out there. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, April 11-Wednesday, April 17, 2024: Sheer Mag | Trevor Noah | Bad Religion & Social D | The Hangmen | Lang Lang | Billy Joel & Sting | Schizophonics |

For a while I had been hearing that The Merrow had been sold, but this week is the first time I've noticed that a link to the old website now goes to the new name, EQ. I'll get around to updating my music venues page, but just know that EQ is FKA The Merrow. 

I started listings on Tuesday and finally went to bed around 4, then worked from the zoo all day Wednesday, then worked at the Chastity Belt show, then had to finish the listings, so I'm pretty wiped. I'm certain I'm missing a lot from these listings, so feel free to shoot me a DM on socials to tell me what's up and I'll update when I can. This weekend is the open ranch at the alpaca ranch that I love, I'm not including it in the listings but you can find it on Facebook if you search Hazpaca. I'll be going to the Bad Religion show with my mom, sister, and nieces on Friday, and have some busy weekend plans, but I'll try and manage my time and get all the things updated. 

Stay safe out there. 

Rosey's Diary & Newsy Things: COVID Misinfo Persists (Shocker!) | Avian Flu Hits Dairy Farms | Gallagher Square Reno | OB Pier Plan Unveiled | Voters Sick of Stadiums? | Fun History of Avocados in US |

Dad and kids, circa 1989

April 9th marked one year since my dad died. As I've shared before, he was very sick for a very long time, so it certainly wasn't unexpected, but in retrospect, it was definitely his style to go out on Easter 2023. I miss him dearly and I wish I had better organized old photos and videos because I miss his voice the most, even though I carry him with me. We went to a mass on Sunday...I guess called a "mass intention" for my dad and my sister-in-law, which was pretty much a normal mass with an extra shout out from the priest, but it meant a lot to my mom, so off course we went and had a nice family dinner afterward. 

I woke up pretty early today and got some house and yard stuff done with Darren. We found a baby opossum and hoped that putting her back under the house would reunite her with her mama, but Darren saw her again later on by herself, so I'm just hoping that she is old enough to survive separation. Last year, I was with Denny when I got the call that my dad had died, and he was extra cute on Monday when I had some rare late afternoon alone time with him before my friends showed up and he got silly and playful for everyone. Today was a different story, but I'll get to that in the zoo goss. I came home to find everyone already asleep, so I cleaned some more, made a fat dinner, and have been keeping an eye out for my little opossums, but nothing yet. I have to start listings since I'll be working tomorrow night at Quartyard, but hopefully can still work a schedule off some normal sleep. 

Stay safe out there. I love you.   

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, April 4-Wednesday, April 10, 2024: bar italia | Hurray For The Riff Raff | Jesse Daniel | Good Kid | The Cactus Blossoms | STRFKR | Old 97's | John Cleese | Slow Hollows | Chastity Belt |

Sold Out Gregory Alan Isakov at The Sound (Taken 3.7.24)

You can tell by the way the listings are starting to get longer and longer that we're staring down Coachella, with it's first weekend next week. There are so many great shows and not all are conveniently booked on weekends, so you might have to rearrange some things to say, get to the Chastity Belt with it's early door time on a Wednesday, or even double up on shows or nights going out to get it all in. As for me, I worked for Nicotine Dolls on Friday and Adi Oasis on Tuesday, and I'll be working for Good Kid, The Cactus Blossoms, and Chastity Belt this week. And next weekend my mom, sister and nieces are going to the Bad Religion show, so I guess I need to procure a ticket to hang out with them for that. 

It's a busy week and the Casbah has about a dozen announcements this week alone, so stay tuned and make sure you get the newsletter so you're on top of it. 

Stay safe out there. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, March 28- Wednesday, April 3, 2024: Mike Doughty | Marnie Stern | Mary Timony | Skating Polly | Victoria Canal | Andy Frasco & The UN | The Vices | Melissa Etheridge | Torres | Adi Oasis | Madi Diaz |

Listings are done. I don't have a lot to say except there are some great shows this week. With Easter and family and all the things, I don't know how much I'll be out, but I will be working the Adi Oasis show on Tuesday at Quartyard, so say hi if you're coming by. Full listings this week are after the jump. 

Rosey's Diary & Newsy Things: Operation Palm Lift | Animal News | A Vision For A Safer America | San Diego - Diverse & Happy |

Silverback Winston at San Diego Zoo Safari Park (Taken 3.13.24)

I really lagged getting listings done this week as I've had zero desire to work at all. I mean, I have, and I dragged my laptop to the zoo all week while tourists gawked over my shoulder because the orangutans love to watch familiar people do stuff, like type on a laptop or dig through a backpack or eat lunch, but it has been hard to focus. First, I found out that my friend, Mike D from Amenity died over the weekend. That was two days before the first anniversary of my sister-in-law's death and so this time last year, I was driving my sister's car with my nieces to New Mexico to be with my brother and his kids. By the time we got back, we had a big anniversary party for my parents and then my dad died just a few days later, on Easter Sunday. So this time of year brings up a lot from last year. I'm just trying to find beautiful things and enjoy life to the max because what else can we do? But sitting on my laptop is not my favorite at the moment, so these are some articles I've picked up over the past couple of weeks, but I'm just gonna leave it here so I can get sleep and keep myself busy doing things in the world and not just on this screen.

I love you. Stay safe out there.  

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, March 21-Wednesday, March 27, 2024: Federico Aubele | The Spits | Los Straitjackets | Jack Tempchin | Thumpasaurus | The Budos Band | Lyle Lovett | Swami | Devotchka | Bruce Springsteen |

While I was working on these listings, I was on the Pechanga Arena website and wanted to see if Bruce Springsteen was sold out. You get this warning that "GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS HAVE A TWO TICKET LIMIT AND ARE NON-TRANSFERRABLE AND NON-RESALEABLE", yet you continue to the site and there are dozens of tickets for resale, some as much as $2400 each. After re-reading, I realized there is a specific "GA" section in front of the stage, but it didn't stop people from listing resale tickets there "starting at $700". It is fucking outrageous. I'm not trying to go to the show. But have you been to a concert at Pechanga? I had nosebleeds once for Shakira, and by the time the sound hit us in the third echo, she was already singing and dancing to a different song. It's great for an average rock show, or a comedy show or whatever, but ticket prices right now are outrageous. The double-dipping of the corporations that sell the tickets in the first place, to then profit again on the resale is despicable. The monopolies they have on the markets and the influence they have to try to ruin any competition is disgusting. I don't know how we go back in time, but I sure do miss standing in line at May Company customer service, where at least I knew I had a shot at getting affordable tickets to concerts coming to town. Support your small venues because the big guys are certainly doing everything they can to starve them out. Don't bother with Bruce. Head to the Casbah for Swami instead. Bruce, you're welcome to pop by after your early show ends. We'll still be rockin'. 

Stay safe out there. 

Rosey's Diary, Newsy Things & Zoo Goss | 4 Year Pandemic Anniversary | Lots of Americans with Long-COVID | Adobe Falls Restoration | SDG&E Rip-Off Rate Hikes | Loser Navarro Reports To Prison |

 

Funani and Amahle baring their teefs in the new/old pool (3.19.24)

I know I've been really inconsistent with diary posts, but Darren quit his second job with the florist, so last week was his first time with days off in ages. We took advantage by driving out to the desert on Monday, and then I went up to Safari Park with him on Wednesday, all the while trying to keep up with work and the homestead and fighting off a sinusy thing I guess I got from driving to the desert during wildflower season. Not gonna lie, I've also been kinda staying overly busy and doing all the things because this time last year was not good. Today is my brother's birthday, and it was around this time we found out my sister-in-law wasn't doing well, only for her to die about a week later, then this whirlwind of visitors and travel and my parents' anniversary and then my dad died on Easter. Naturally we're all kind of on edge with such monumental anniversaries just around the corner, so I try to keep on keeping on and will try to process all the feels in healthy and productive ways...being at the zoo is one of those ways, so I'm gonna keep on doing it. 
Now, onto listings so I can get to bed at a reasonable hour. 

I love you. Stay safe out there. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, March 14-Wednesday, March 20, 2024: Emo Nite | Karl Denson | Wild Party | Grace Potter | Shane Hall | William Fitzsimmons | Cold War Kids | The Lone Bellow |

I haven't put together a diary/links post this week because I've been out doing life. Darren gave up his second job so he can finally have some days off, and we took advantage on Monday by driving out to Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel for lunch, then doing a hike in Anza-Borrego along The Impossible Railroad. It was quite an adventure and probably one we wouldn't do again because the primitive road was kinda sketchy for our non-4x4 vehicle, but it was fun nonetheless, and the weather out there was perfect - sunny, but not crazy hot, some wind gusts but nothing a windbreaker didn't protect from. My week continued with all day at the zoo on Tuesday, where I learned my wi-fi was strong enough to do a Google Meet conference call. On Wednesday, I decided to go to work with Darren since he only had a five hour shift, and it ended up being pure magic. I spent a couple hours with the tigers before getting an impromptu behind-the-scenes peek where I got to meet some ambassador animals, including petting an echidna and watching a special session with Estrella, the sloth, and I even got to feed it. I didn't even end up doing the tram and after we had a white-Mexican dinner at On The Border. Not gonna lie, that endless enchilada deal was pretty good. 

This week continues to be great as all my usual work emails have slowed while every PR person is in Austin for SXSW and as we approach St. Patrick's Day and spring break. Seaworld (varies), San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park (9am-7pm March 16-April 7) will all have extended hours, so check their schedules if you plan on giving it a go. My favorite Alpaca Ranch has another open house on Sunday, so I'll probably head out there, too. 

As for music, there are a ton of great shows coming up. Humphrey's announced their full summer lineup and tickets go on sale this Saturday at 10am for ones that hadn't already previously been announced. Casbah has two nights with The Lone Bellow which is kind of a big deal considering the sized venues they usually play. Plus, if you love St. Patty's Day, there are events all over the county to get into some shenanigans, even though this year's OB event is canceled.

Have a great week. Stay safe out there. I love you.