Month Long Celebration Highlighted by Free Community Event on Saturday, January 23

SAN DIEGO—Each year, California Gray Whales pass close to the San Diego coastline during their annual migration. Celebrate this incredible phenomenon in January during the second annual Big Bay Whale Days on the embarcadero. This month long event will feature discounted whale watching and bay cruises, admission specials at waterfront museums, money-saving specials at embarcadero restaurants and retailers and a free Whale Festival on January 23rd. Whale watching season has become one of San Diego’s favorite times of the year. Whale Days provide the community with the best place to learn more about California Gray whale ecology and conservation and find information about opportunities to interact with the whales safely and affordably.

Big Bay Whale Days will be highlighted by the Whale Festival on Saturday, January 23rd. This free community event will feature music and entertainment, fun stuff for the kids including a walk-through whale and other fascinating displays, chances to win free whale watching trips and more. Best of all, kids 12 and under will cruise free on Hornblower and San Diego Harbor Excursion whale watching cruises all day long. The Whale Festival on Saturday, January 23, 2010 will take place 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. along the embarcadero near the corner of Harbor Drive and Broadway. More information about the Whale Festival can be found atwww.thebigbay.com/whales or by calling 619-725-8879.

Discounted “Whale Days” cruises will be featured all month long at Hornblower Cruises and San Diego Harbor Excursion; The Midway Museum and the Maritime Museum of San Diego will have “Whale Days” admission specials and money saving coupons will be available for selected embarcadero merchants including Anthony’s Sea Food Grotto and Seaport Village. Information about specials and where to find coupons is available atwww.thebigbay.com/whales and on participating embarcadero merchant’s websites or by calling 619-725-8879

2010 Whale Days and the Whale Fest are sponsored by the Port of San Diego. Participating embarcadero merchants and organizations include:

·  Hornblower Cruises & Events, www.hornblower.com, 800-ON THE BAY

·  Midway Museum, www.midway.org, 619-544-9600

·  Maritime Museum of San Diego, www.sdmaritime.org, 619-234-9153

·  San Diego Harbor Excursion, www.sdhe.com, 619-234-4111

·  Seaport Village, www.seaportvillage.com, 619-235-4014

·  Anthony’s Fish Grotto, www.gofishanthonys.com, 619-651-2345

·  Port of San Diego, www.thebigbay.com, 619-686-6200

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@TheBigBay

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From secret picnic spots and dinner cruises to snorkeling and skydiving, America’s Finest City has it all!

101 Things magazines originated in Hawaii and have become one of the most popular magazines in the U.S. The hard-working staff of 101 Things To Do San Diego are diligently working on the launch of 101 Things To Do Orange County!

Check out the dining guide and 2 full pages of coupons in the center of the magazine! The magazine is free and can be viewed and downloaded on 101sandiego.com as well as picked up for free almost anywhere in San Diego!  

Whether you live in San Diego or are just visiting, it IS possible to do all 101 things! Put down your cell phones, get off Facebook and get out and enjoy America’s Finest City! 

January 2010 marks 101 San Diego's five year anniversary! Congratulations! 

Facebook Fan Page: Search 101 Things To Do San Diego Magazine 

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November 11, 2009 is Veterans Day. San Diego is a proud military community and a large one, at that. Local businesses show their support for our military by treating us to their specialties on this day.

 Local Events for Veterans:

 Free Harbor Tour

In honor of Veterans Day, San Diego Harbor Excursion is offering free Harbor Tours when you show your valid Military ID. Good for any 1 or 2 hour narrated harbor tour on 11/11/09.

Tour Departures:
10:00 AM
11:15 AM
12:30 PM
1:45 PM
3:00 PM
4:15 PM

No reservations required. Call 619-234-4111 for more information. www.sdhe.com

San Diego Veterans Day Parade

“Welcome Home
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Veterans” 

GRAND MARSHAL
Marine Gunny Sgt. Nick Popaditch

HONORARY GRAND MARSHALS
OEF/OIF VETERANS

Wednesday, November 11th

Starting at 11:00 am from Cedar Street & Pacific Highway

Active Duty Military eat free at Applebee’s on Wednesday- must have valid military ID

Midway Museum ceremony: Various activities to honor veterans, who will be given free daytime admission. A dollar from each paid admission on this day, which ranges from $9 to $17, will go to Veterans Village of San Diego. A 3 p.m. ceremony will include the arrival of a restored World War II Corsair fighter plane, a preview of the History Channel series “World War II in HD” and a sky-diving demonstration. Midway Museum, 910 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego. (619) 544-9600 or midway.org.

Movie night on the Midway: “The Hurt Locker.” Admission is $20, including popcorn and soda. Children must be with an adult. 6 p.m. at the Midway Museum, 910 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego. (619) 544-9600 or midway.org.

Memorial next to the Midway: Veterans for Peace of San Diego will present “Arlington West” from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Broadway in front of the aircraft carrier Midway. Crosses will be displayed to symbolize military personnel who have died in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. (760) 419-8650.

Group reading in downtown San Diego: Various writers will read prose and poetry with a military theme. 7 p.m. at The Ink Spot, 710 13th St. Free. (619) 284-1343 or sandiegowriters.org.

Tribute in Carlsbad: The Rotary Club of Carlsbad and the Army and Navy Academy will hold a ceremony to honor veterans and service members. Guests will include Carlsbad Mayor Claude “Bud” Lewis, retired Army Brig. Gen. Steve Bliss and retired Marine Brig. Gen. David Brahms. 11 a.m. to noon on the academy’s parade field, 2605 Carlsbad Blvd. (760) 918-9018.

Ceremony in Oceanside: The Elks Lodge will host a program to honor veterans. The event will include a posting of the colors by veterans and fraternal organizations. Open to the public. 10 a.m. at the lodge, 444 Country Club Lane. (760) 433-1561.

Observance in Poway: Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7907, American Legion Post 479 and Fleet Reserve Association Branch 70 will hold a flag ceremony and observance at 11 a.m. at Creekside Plaza, 13495 Poway Road. Free barbecue lunch will follow at the VFW Hall, 12342 Old Pomerado Road. (858) 748-7907.

Tribute in Escondido: American Legion Post 149 will hold a ceremony at 11 a.m. in Grape Day Park, 130 Woodward Ave. (760) 745-1159.

Parade in Fallbrook: Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1924 will hold a 10 a.m. parade near the downtown square. Followed by a potluck luncheon at the post, 1175 Old Stage Road. (760) 728-8784.

Program in Rancho Bernardo: The Rancho Bernardo Veterans Memorial Association will hold a ceremony at 10:35 a.m. The main speaker will be retired Navy Vice Adm. John Nyquist. Webb Park, 11666 Avena Place, off Bernardo Center Drive. (858) 485-5243.

Celebration in Chula Vista: Fleet Reserve Association Branch 61, American Legion Post 434 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2111 will sponsor a celebration from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Chula Vista Memorial Bowl, 385 Park Way. Followed by luncheon at the FRA branch, 288 Third Ave., Chula Vista. (619) 425-5300.

Observance in El Cajon: Memorial service will begin at 11 a.m. at Veterans Civic Memorial Hall, 136 N. Chambers St., El Cajon. A potluck will follow. (619) 447-0356.

Thank a Veteran, today. Semper Fi.

From the moment you step into the wedding hall you become a part of the show. Maria’s father, Joey’s brother and all of the bridesmaids and groomsmen greet you as you check in. You thought you were going to a wedding reception, but little did you know, you are family!

This interactive dinner theater will have you laughing thought the night. This may the most dysfunctional, hilarious and fun-filled wedding and reception you have ever been or will ever go to!

This stereotypical Italian wedding will have you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next, who will crash the wedding and if there will ever be a silent moment.

Ladies, watch out for Auntie Rita, she’s a hairstylist on the move! Put on your dancing shoes and head to www.comedywedding.com and enjoy a night of laughter, entertainment, dinner, drinks and non-stop fun!

I had the pleasure of attending the wedding in San Diego and had one of the best times I’ve ever had. We were seated at Table 1, right in the front and were a part of the show from start to finish. Joey’s ex-girlfriend crashed the wedding and ended up sitting on my husband’s lap all night and Maria’s father had a crush on our friend, Chris, all night. There are so many surprises and unexpected turns of events in the show, you won’t want it to end! I might have danced more at this wedding than I did my own! If you are near a wedding hall that is holding their wedding, this is a must-attend wedding!

 Finding a pumpkin in San Diego is not like finding a pumpkin in Michigan. There are not tents on every street corner selling pumpkins and there are not pumpkin patches every 10 miles. If you want the pumpkin picking and apple cider experience in San Diego, be prepared to drive a little while.

 Pumpkins:

 Pumpkin Station has 7 locations: Del Mar, Rancho Bernardo, El Cajon, National City, Bonita, Chula Vista, Mission Valley and Del Mar.

 Pumpkin Station has pumpkins from baby pams to their famous Bodacious Pumpkins. Activities include; kiddie rides, giant slides, pumpkin jumps, inflatable play centers, petting zoos, game zones, free entertainment and group tours. Get lost in the corn maze and have fun with the farm animals! www.pumpkinstation.com.

 Carlsbad Village Farmers Market’s annual festival includes a pumpkin patch, apple bobbing, pumpkin decorating contest and a scavenger hunt.

 Bates Nut Farm pumpkin patch is complete with picnic spots, hayrides, pony rides, games, balloons, petting corral and more. More than just pumpkins, Bate’s country store has nuts, fudge and candy!

 Apples:

 Calico Ranch U-Pick in Julian is open Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. the ranch is open until all of the apples are gone. A variety of antique apples and pears await your picking! www.spencervalley.com.

 At Julian Mining Company you can discover gold and minerals, take a hayride, make your own cider, visit the gift shop and pick pumpkins and raspberries. www.julianminingcompany.com.

 Raven Hill Orchard U-Pick in Julian is open until the apples are gone! Open every day of the week from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Raven Hill has over 8,000 dwarf trees. www.ravenhillsculpture.com.

 Wynola Valley Orchard in Julian is open Friday through Monday from 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Wynola grows over 30 varieties of apples and pears and can be found in local supermarkets.

 The Julian Pie Company is a well known company in Southern California. Featuring over 22 pie creations some of the most popular are: Original apple pie, dutch, natural, boysenberry, pecan and strawberry. Open from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

 Whether apple and pumpkin picking is a family tradition or a new tradition you want to start, it is a fun thing to do with family, kids, friends and it’s a great date idea! Grab a sweater, put on some comfy shoes and hop in the car for a great fall day!

Street Scene has become famous for having over 40 internationally known artists and entertainers from around the world performing in two nights on five stages.

This year’s artists have been hand selected by Rob Hagey, founder of STREET SCENE and Tim Mays of the Casbah. So get ready to shake your “humps” to headliner the Black Eyed Peas, currently ranked number one on iTunes, or enjoy the creative lyrics of bands such as Modest Mouse, Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band and Devendra Barnart! (Via Street Scene Press Release)

The following is the line up to date, with more bands added daily at http://www.Street-Scene.com:

s Black Eyed Peas s M.I.A. s Thievery Corporation s Modest Mouse s The Dead Weather s Silversun Pickups s  Cake s Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band s Band of Horses

s Girl Talk s Bassnectar s Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings s Chromeo s Donald Glaude s Mastodon s Ozomatli s Devendra Banhart s Shooter Jennings s Calexico s West Indian Girl s No Age s Ra Ra Riot s Grande Ole Party s Deerhunter s Matt and Kim s Los Campesinos! s LA Riots s Blue Scholars s Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears s Crocodiles s Wavves

s Holy F**k s Anya Marina s Zee Avi s Extra Golden s Carney

Tickets are going fast. Listen to our local radio stations and follow @StreetScene on Twitter for your chance to win free tickets.

My husband and I will be in England during Street Scene, please comment if you have been to previous Street Scene Celebrations or if you plan to go this year! Rock on!

The Travelocity Roaming Gnome ends his Summer of Possibilities in Mission Beach, San Diego.

Roaming Gnome arrived late last night after a long swim from Hawaii.

On June 26, the Roaming Gnome started a six week adventure and shares his travels on Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. According to Travelocity, each week the Roaming Gnome’s fans and followers on Facebook and Twitter voted between rival summer destinations to decide on where he would travel next.

His final tour was between Mission Beach, South Beach and Venice Beach. America’s Finest City voted, and won! Welcome to San Diego, Roaming Gnome!

What will he do while he is here? We aren’t sure yet, but he has posted pictures on Facebook of his morning at Mission Beach Boardwalk!

Chicago vs. New York City (Winner: Chicago) 

Atlantic City vs. Las Vegas (Winner: Las Vegas) 

Grand Canyon vs. Yellowstone (Winner: Grand Canyon)

Boston vs. Philadelphia vs. Washington, D.C. (Winner: Philadelphia)

Cancun vs. Hawaii vs. Jamaica (Winner: Hawaii)

Mission Beach (San Diego) vs. South Beach (Miami) vs. Venice Beach (Los Angeles) (Voting started July 29 / ended August 5 at 12 p.m. EDT)

Travelocity® is committed to being the traveler's champion -- before, during and after the trip – and provides the most comprehensive and proactive guarantee in the industry (http://www.travelocity.com/guarantee). This customer-driven focus, backed by 24/7 live phone support, competitive prices and powerful shopping technology has made Travelocity one of the largest travel companies in the world with annual gross bookings of more than U.S. $10 billion. Travelocity also owns and operates: Travelocity Business® for corporate travel; igougo.com, a leading online travel community; lastminute.com, a leader in European online travel; and ZUJI, a leader in Asia-Pacific online travel. Travelocity is owned by Sabre Holdings Corporation, a world leader in travel marketing and distribution.

San Diego locals voted for the best restaurants, movie theaters, annual events and services in San Diego.

If you’re new to San Diego or have lived here forever, the results give perspective to some and the curiosity of others to try new places.

With over 60 results, I have highlighted a few from each category. Complete results can be found here.

Places

Best Museum- San Diego Natural History Museum

Services

Best Cosmetic Surgery- La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre

Schools

Best College or University- San Diego State University

Entertainment

Best Family Attraction- Ultrazone Laser Tag

Shopping

Best Jeweler- Tiffany & Co.

Automotive

Best Luxury Automotive Maker- Lexus

Home Improvement

Best Green Products/Services- Easy Turf

Eating & Drinking

Best Breakfast- Broken Yolk Café

Enjoy!

If you’re anything like me, then you can spend hours at a Target store, wandering around aimlessly and filling your cart with unnecessary items, that you find necessary at the time!

I frequently find myself going in for something such as a light bulb and coming out with $200 worth of items. My husband often questions why I spend at least $75 at Target almost every other day. My justification? I don’t have one...it’s just Target!

North County residents of San Diego must check out the new Target in Vista, which opened on Tuesday.

This store is brand new, smells great, very organized and full of a lot of things I have not seen at other local Targets. The women’s clothing selection is bigger, and much different from the Target just down the road, on Sycamore!

Along with their large selection of food and frozen foods there is a section I have not seen in any Target before—fresh produce. Complete with bananas, apples and fruits of that sort and baked goods. There is no bakery, but there is the fresh bread, cookies and pastries that you would find at your local supermarket.

Additional services include a photo center, pharmacy, Starbucks, Pizza Hut Express and Target Café.

Target is located at 1751 University Dr, Vista, CA 92083, near business park, just off of Palomar Airport Road/San Marcos Boulevard.

No matter where you live in San Diego, this Target is worth checking out!

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