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.  

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. 

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, December 8-Wednesday, December 14, 2022: The Sheepdogs | JVN | Hembree | Chelsea Handler | Schizophonics | Tiltwheel | The New Pornographers | The Woggles | Harry Connick, Jr. |

Ugh. It took me all day to do these listings. It's way easier to do in the middle of the night without distractions, but they're done. I'll sprinkle in anything else I see that comes up, but know that San Diego Zoo will now be open until 8 starting on Friday, Safari Park has Wild Holidays on select weekend dates and they're open until 7 on those nights, and Sea World is having their Christmas Celebration with entertainment, too, so they're open later on select dates (and unfortunately doing fireworks for several days). There's some really fun stuff happening this week as far as live music goes. Check Pacific SD for even more holiday stuff that I'm not listing here. 

Flu and Covid are still on the rise. Stay safe out there. 

CoViD-19: Ventilation Is Key | Governor Newsom Launches Vax Incentive Program | Level Up San Diego Offers Free Summer Programs for SDUSD Students | Vaccinated Tourists Are Ruining Everything |

  

I keep putting myself in this position where I am scrambling to get a post out before midnight, but it shouldn't be a shocker that I am still working through my email for the day. In fact, most of today's links are from yesterday's inbox, I'm still trying to catch up. 

Today we ended up going to Fiesta Island for a few hours. It was so nice out and Ficus loves scaring off other dogs who try and come to our beach mat when we're hanging out. It's like a constant pet parade and it's fun watching all the different breeds of dogs interact and fetch and chase each other and swim and play. The Coastal Commission is actually voting on the Fiesta Island Dog Park next week so you should definitely submit a public comment opposing Option A and supporting the City-Council supported Option B. 

It's been fun to enjoy San Diego before we're completely overrun with tourists when we try to dodge crowds entirely. I know that our economy depends on tourism, but the 'ugly American' stereotype we've been known for in other countries has taken an even uglier turn in our own country. We're rude, we're messy, we act entitled, and we can't stop taking photos of ourselves. 

The pandemic really seemed to exacerbate the problems because public bathrooms and interpretive centers were closed, trash pickup seemed to decline in public spaces, and disposable masks can be seen pretty much everywhere. I'm a member of a hiking group on Facebook and it feels like every day there's yet another post with 'this is why we can't have nice things', whether that's people not cleaning up after pets, people trespassing or going into restricted areas, graffiti or rock stacking, or ruining the beautiful sounds of nature blaring their crappy music instead of having the decency to wear earbuds. Then you see these people on planes fighting flight attendants, people in stores still fighting about pandemic mitigations, hearing stories from restaurant servers and bartenders about the general rudeness of their clientele, people raging on our roads as if they themselves are not the traffic. And on top of all that, the swap-meetification of our public spaces with unlicensed vendors making the boardwalk and Balboa Park look like shit. The downsides of living in such a desirable place, I guess. I hope it gets better but I won't hold my breath. I will, however, probably not be leaving my house this weekend. 

Stay safe out there. 

Photos: #PeakBloom at Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden at Balboa Park

I'm having a perfect lazy Sunday. I finished reading Life Will Be the Death of Me: . . . and You Too!, the latest book by Chelsea Handler, Darren is off working, Nova is hanging out with a soccer buddy, and I'm at home trying to stay off social media because I don't want any GoT spoilers or commentary until after we watch it tonight. I've got a ton of photos to post, some LA Daily episodes to catch up on, some posts have had on my brain for a minute, and I want to get a jump on listings because I'll be shooting Johnny Marr on Monday and I don't wanna be under pressure to get them done. So I guess I just filled up my day with a whole lot of time on my laptop, though I might also try to sneak off to the Zoo or something today, too. First, a million pictures of the #PeakBloom at the Inez Grant Memorial Rose Garden at Balboa Park that I shot on Friday.