| Downtown San Diego E-News June 2010 | |
In This Issue Calendar of Events May Event’s Details
June Event’s Details
July Event's Details
Downtown News of the Day
Free Downtown Tours
Masthead
Calendar of Events * Indicates that this event is not covered in more detail in this publication. May 14 Fri Kettner Nights, Kettner Blvd, Little Italy, www.littleitalysd.com/events.asp / 358-9512, 6-9pm * 15 Sat Bike to Work Day pre-event, Balboa Park, 8am-noon 15 Sat Friends of San Diego Architecture Lecture, Getting it Done: Can We Move Beyond the Quagmire? New School of Architecture and Design, 1249 F St, www.friendsofsdarch.com, 9:30am 18 Tue SDG&E Energy Showcase, Convention Ctr, (800)644-6133 / (858)654-3589, 7am-2pm 18 Tue Central Courthouse plans, DIC, 450-5700, 4pm-5:30pm 18 Tue Parks Presentation, SD Concourse, Silver Rm, www.ccdc.com, 6pm-8pm 18 Tue Horizons Downtown Book Club, 510 First Avenue, 7:30pm 20 Thu Museum of Contemporary Art free period 1100 Kettner Blvd, (858)454-3541 / www.mcasd.org, 5pm-7pm, * 20 Thu East Village Community Action Network, East Village Community Church, 1374 Island Avenue, evcan.net, 5:30pm-7pm * 21 Fri Bike to Work Day, SD County, www.icommutesd.com 22 Sat & 23 Sun Interior Design & Outdoor Living Expo, Convention Ctr, www.seascapeproductions.com / (888)970-3976, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 10am-5pm 23 Sun Sicilian Festival, India Street, www.sicilianfesta.com / 469-2206, 10am-6pm 25 Tue Police Captain's Outreach Meeting, Central Division HQ, 2501 Imperial Ave, www.sandiego.gov/police/neighborhood/ccm.shtml, 5:30pm 25 Tue Staged Reading, Tenth Ave Theatre, 930 Tenth Avenue, tickets@moolelo.net / 342-7395, 6pm 28 Fri Critical Mass Bicycle Ride, Large fountain Balboa Park, www.sdcriticalmass.com, 7pm 29 Sat Jazz Festival, Gaslamp Quarter, www.kifm.com/festival, noon 31 Mon Deadline 40 under 40 nominations, sandiegometro.com/40under40 31 Mon Kitchen & Bath contest deadline, ReVisions Resources, www.sdhomerevisions.org / 641-7020
June 01 Tue Little Italy Association BoD, Our Lady of the Rosary Parish Hall, 1654 State St, www.littleitalysd.com/events.asp, 8:30am-10am 01 Tue Lunch & Learn, monthly speaker and Q&A, DIC, Horton Plaza, www.ccdc.com, noon-1pm 02 Wed Subs for Subs, Balboa Park Club, www.ccdc.com, 9am-3:45pm 02 Wed-05 Sat Spirits Festival, Hilton Bayfront, www.sandiegospiritsfestival.com 03 Thu Coffee w/CCDC, DIC, www.ccdc.com, 6pm 06 Sun Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, Balboa Park, san-diego.competitor.com/course/road-closures, 6:15am 12 Sat & 13 Sun Potter's Guild open house, Balboa Park, sandiegopottersguild.org / 239-0507, 10am-4pm 15 Tue Reading & discussion, Tenth Ave Theatre, tickets@moolelo.net / 342-7395, 6pm 17 Thu Museum of Contemporary Art free period 1100 Kettner Blvd, (858)454-3541 / www.mcasd.org, 5-7pm * 17 Thu East Village Community Action Network, East Village Community Church, 1374 Island Avenue, evcan.net, 5:30pm-7pm * 25 Fri Critical Mass Bicycle Ride, Large fountain Balboa Park, www.sdcriticalmass.com, 7pm 26 Sat & 27 Sun Taste of Gaslamp, Gaslamp Quarter, gaslamp.org/taste-of-gaslamp
July 11 Sun Blood Bank Walk / Run, Embarcadero Marina Park North, www.sandiegobloodbank.org, 8am
May Event’s Details Bike to Work Day (BTWD) Pre-Event This pre-event for BTWD will be held at Redwood Circle in Balboa Park, just off of 6th Ave & Laurel St, from 8am to Noon on Saturday 15 May. BTWD will be on Friday 21 May throughout San Diego County. If you are not sure if you’re ready for BTWD then this pre-event should help. You will be able to register for BTWD, receive a free mini bike inspection, try out an electric bike, and more. Registering for BTWD will allow you to pick up a free t-shirt on your BTWD commute. For further information www.icommutesd.com/promotions/biketoworkday.aspx.
Friends of San Diego Architecture (FSDA) Monthly Lecture The FSDA ends its 2009-2010 lecture series on Saturday 15 May with Getting it Done: Can We Move Beyond the Quagmire? The lecturer will be Architect Michael Stepner, FAIA. There will also be a panel to aid Michael in the presentation. The panelists will be:
It will be a continuing discussion of San Diego’s plans for the future and making visions become a reality. The FSDA monthly lectures all take place at the New School of Architecture and Design, 1249 F Street at 9:30am on the third Saturday of the month eight times a year and are open to the public. The 2010-2011 series will begin on Saturday 18 September. They are not held in June, July, August and December. For further information 224-8584 / www.friendsofsdarch.com.
Annual SDG&E Energy Event SDG&E's Energy Showcase will be held on Tuesday 18 May from 7am to 2pm at the San Diego Convention Center. This annual free event features seminars and information about how your business can save money through energy efficiency and demand response. The latest energy-saving technologies are the focus in the exhibit hall. At the awards luncheon SDG&E will honor members of the San Diego business community who have achieved excellence in energy management. For further information (800)644-6133 / (858)654-3589.
Central Courthouse Plans to be Presented The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) will give a Tuesday 18 May presentation on the new $634million San Diego Central Courthouse project, a development that will replace the County Courthouse, the Family Courthouse and the Madge Bradley Courthouse in Downtown. The public will be given the opportunity to comment on the project and its potential environmental effects. The presentation will be from 4 to 5:30pm at the Sheila Hardin Downtown Information Center, 193 Horton Plaza, above the CVS Pharmacy between Victoria's Secret and Sam Goody. The AOC has started preparing an environmental impact report (EIR) that is to be offered for public review this summer. The buildings that would be supplanted by the project have been found to be unsafe, overcrowded, and inadequate for modern court operations. Construction costs will be funded by Senate Bill 1407, which finances critically needed courthouse construction, renovation, and repair through a portion of judicial branch fees, fines and penalties. For more information 450-5700.
Parks Presentation On Tuesday 18 May from 6pm to 8pm at the San Diego Concourse, 202 C Street in the Silver Room there will be a presentation on proposed revisioning of Children's Park and Gaslamp Square Park. Two local landscape architecture firms, one for each park, are going to present three concepts for each park followed by a discussion period. For further information www.ccdc.com.
Horizons Downtown Book Club The Horizons Downtown Book Club will meet on Tuesday 18 May. This Tuesday meeting day is a one time change from the normal third Monday monthly meeting day. The book to be discussed is The Help which is a 2009 novel by US author Kathryn Stockett. It is about African American maids working in white households in Jackson, Mississippi during the early 1960s. A USA Today article calls it one of 2009's "summer sleeper hits" and notes the book's climbing of best seller lists. An early review in The New York Times notes Stockett's "affection and intimacy buried beneath even the most seemingly impersonal household connections" and says it is a "button-pushing, soon to be wildly popular novel". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said of the book, "This heartbreaking story is a stunning debut from a gifted talent". The novel is Stockett's debut and it took her five years to complete. In December 2009, Variety reported that there will be a film adaptation of The Help. Everyone is welcome to the book club for a lively discussion. It meets in the Horizons South Tower Lounge, 510 First Avenue, at 7:30pm. It usually meets the third Monday of each month. For additional information Heather Forward, hhumblef@aol.com.
Bike to Work Day (BTWD) On Friday 21 May thousands of San Diegans will use their bicycles to commute on the annual BTWD. This is a national event although it is not held on the same day in all parts of the country. In 2009 about 5,000 people used their bicycles to commute on BTWD in San Diego County. On BTWD there will be pit stops operating throughout the county for the bikers. For additional information www.icommutesd.com.
Interior Design & Outdoor Living Expo This inaugural expo will take place at the San Diego Convention Center in Hall A on Saturday & Sunday 22 & 23 May. Hours are 10am-6pm on Saturday and 10am-5pm on Sunday. There is a $7 admission fee for adults. For additional information www.seascapeproductions.com / (888)970-3976.
Sicilian Festival Again Downtown The 17th annual Sicilian Festival will be conducted in downtown on Sunday 23 May from 10am-6pm. It will be centered on India Street from Beech to Date Street. There will be a close tie-in with the World Cup with a Soccer Fan Zone at the corner of Beech and India Streets. The festival will feature Italian-themed entertainment, Sicilian food specialties, a beer and wine tent and a Sicilian cultural pavilion. For more information www.sicilianfesta.com / 469-2206.
Police Captain's Outreach Meeting The Commander of the San Diego Police Department's Central Division, Captain Mark Jones, holds a bi-monthly meeting with the public to address problems and provide information on what they are doing to keep us safe. The meeting is usually well attended and lasts about one and half hours. The next meeting will be on Tuesday 25 May at 5:30pm at the Central Division Headquarters, 2501 Imperial Avenue. For additional information www.sandiego.gov/police/neighborhood/ccm.shtml.
Staged Reading of Stick Fly by Lydia Diamond An affluent Black African American family gathers in their vacation home on Martha's Vineyard for the weekend joined by their housekeeper's daughter. The sons--one the golden boy physician, the other a struggling novelist--each bring their girlfriends--one White, one Black--to meet the family. As the drinks and conversation flow, the barbs begin to fly and an old family secret is revealed. A play about family, trust and class. This staged reading will take place at the Tenth Avenue Theatre, 930 Tenth Avenue (Between E & Broadway) at 6pm on Tuesday 25 May. It is free but a donation of $5 is suggested. Space is limited so reservations are suggested at tickets@moolelo.net or 342-7395.
Critical Mass Monthly Bicycle Ride San Diego Critical Mass is a loosely affiliated group of over 700 bicycle riders that take over San Diego streets and public rights of way to conduct a group bike ride on the last Friday of every month. The group meets at the large fountain in Balboa Park in front of the Ruben H. Fleet Theatre / Science Center and the National History Museum at 7pm and participants should be prepared for up to 20 miles of riding. The ride may go in any direction from the fountain but usually goes through downtown. The next ride will be on Friday 28 May followed by Friday 25 June. Additional information at www.sdcriticalmass.com.
Smooth Jazz Festival Returns to the Gaslamp On Saturday 29 May the KIFM Smooth Jazz Festival returns to the Gaslamp Quarter starting at noon. This annual event sells tickets in advance only. It is only open to those 21 and older. More information can be found at www.kifm.com/festival.
Deadline For Annual Forty Over Forty Nominations are now open for San Diego Metropolitan Magazine’s 11th annual 40 Under 40 awards. The nomination period ends Monday 31 May. The honorees will be feted at a luncheon on Thursday 9 September at the San Diego Convention Center and all will be profiled in the September issue of the magazine. To obtain a nomination form or for further information see sandiegometro.com/40under40.
Kitchen & Bath Contest San Diego County homeowners age 45+ are eligible to enter Designed for Life–Kitchen & Bath. The contest is sponsored by ReVisions Resources in collaboration with AARP and the San Diego Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). More than $100,000 worth of remodeling labor and merchandise will be awarded to the winners. To enter, contestants will select either their kitchen or bath for redesign and write a brief explanation of the problems they are currently experiencing with the safety and comfort of those rooms. Local ASID members will work closely with the semi-finalists to produce custom design solutions. A panel of judges will then select a winner for a new kitchen and a winner for a new bathroom from among the semi-finalists. Contest entries will be accepted until Monday 31 May. Semi-finalists will be notified during the summer and winners will be announced by Wednesday 1 September. Complete information about the contest, including a gallery of kitchen and bath design ideas are available at www.sdhomerevisions.org / 641-7020.
June Event’s Details
Little Italy Association Meeting The Little Italy Association Board of Directors’ Meetings are open to the public. They discuss the Little Italy Association's general business, upcoming events and downtown issues. This monthly meeting is usually held on the first Tuesday at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish Hall, 1654 State Street, from 8:30am-10am. The next meeting will be on Tuesday 1 June. For more information www.littleitalysd.com/events.asp.
Lunch & Learn Series Continues The Downtown Sound Bites Speaker Series is held on the first Tuesday of every month from noon-1pm at the Sheila Hardin Downtown Information Center (DIC) in Horton Plaza. The DIC is located just above the CVS drug store between Victoria's Secret and Sam Goody's. You are asked to bring your own lunch to this free event and then listen and learn from a variety of interesting speakers all of whom will approach issues that are important to downtown's future. A question and answer period will follow each presentation. The event sponsor is CCDC and further information can be found at www.ccdc.com. The next scheduled event in the series is on Tuesday 1 June and the featured speaker is to be determined.
Subs for Subs This annual free CCDC event will be held from 9am to 3:45pm on Wednesday 2 June at the Balboa Park Club in the ballroom, 2150 Pan American Road West, Balboa Park. This unique event will bring small and prime businesses together under one roof. The focus as always will be on construction and construction related industries, consultant as well as vendor services. For further information www.ccdc.com.
Second Annual Spirits Festival After a successful Spirits Festival last year the second year of this annual event will take place from Wednesday 2 June to Saturday 5 June at the Hilton Bayfront Hotel. The Grand Tasting event will be on Saturday 5 June at the host hotel's waterfront park. For additional information www.sandiegospiritsfestival.com.
Coffee with CCDC Continues The bi-monthly event that toggles between Thursday evenings and Friday morning will resume on Thursday 3 June at 6pm at the Sheila Hardin Downtown Information Center at Horton Plaza. It is a good chance to learn what is happening with the redevelopment agency arm of the City of San Diego. For more information www.ccdc.com.
Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Adds .5 Event The annual Rock 'n' Roll Marathon will be on Sunday 6 June. It will start at 6:15am at Balboa Park and then head downtown. In addition this year a .5 Marathon has been added. This major event will cause many road closures on that morning. For information on the event and a list of the impacted roads see san-diego.competitor.com/course/road-closures. The event is conducted to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Potter's Guild Open House and Sale This twice annual event will be on Saturday and Sunday 12 & 13 June at Studio 29 Spanish Village, Balboa Park, 1770 Village Place (just west of Park Blvd, north of the Natural History Museum and south of the zoo). It will be from 10am to 4pm each day. Most guild members will be present to answer questions and there will also be demonstrations. For further information sandiegopottersguild.org / 239-0507.
Reading and Discussion of New Play This will be a staged reading of Sila by Chantal Bilodeau. The Arctic is melting and everyone wants a piece of it. In the race to shape the future of the region, four characters--an ice scientist, an Inuit activist, an officer for the Marine Communications and Traffic Services and a polar bear--see their values challenged as their lives become intricately intertwined. Incorporating English, French & Inuktitut, Sila is a plea for increased collaboration in dealing with the big challenges of our time. There will be a discussion of this first draft after the reading. This staged reading will take place at the Tenth Avenue Theatre, 930 Tenth Avenue (Between E & Broadway) at 6pm on Tuesday 15 June. It is free but a donation of $5 is suggested. Space is limited so reservations are suggested at tickets@moolelo.net or 342-7395.
Taste of Gaslamp This always-popular event usually sells out so early purchase of tickets is a good idea. This year it will be held on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 June. You have a chance to sample the specialties of thirty to forty locations on each day of this two-day event. The mix of locations is somewhat different each day of the event. You can purchase tickets for either day or both days. For information or to purchase tickets gaslamp.org/taste-of-gaslamp.
July Event’s Details Annual Blood Bank Walk / Run The annual San Diego Blood Bank 5K walk / run will take place on Sunday 11 July. It will begin at the Embarcadero Marina Park North next to the Harbor House restaurant in Seaport Village at 8am. It will follow a scenic course along the bay past the cruse ships, classic sailing craft, Naval ships and the Star of India. It is billed as a family event with a fun zone featuring games for all ages. For additional information www.sandiegobloodbank.org.
Downtown News of the Day Earthquake Information Since the earthquake hit San Diego on Easter Sunday 4 April there has been much conversation in downtown San Diego about it. The question becomes what to do to prepare for the next earthquake, what to do during the quake and how to react after the shaking stops. Maybe the best place to find this information is from the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). They have an Internet site with all this information and more at www.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake.
Centre City Green
Monthly Downtown Discussion Group Forming A new discussion group is being organized in downtown. The monthly discussions will cover politics and current events. It will be similar to a group that currently exists at UCSD. The group will meet monthly with the meeting date yet to be determined. Pete Rodman will serve as the permanent moderator and put out an agenda, via email, for each monthly meeting. The meetings will be on the same day (first Thursday, second Tuesday, or any other selected day) each month. Men and women would be welcome in the group. For additional information please contact Pete Rodman, pierrerod@yahoo.com.
Downtown Information Center (DIC) to be Renamed This public face of Center City Development Corporation (CCDC) will be renamed the Sheila Hardin Downtown Information Center. Ms Hardin, who died on 20 April 2010 at the age of 60, was the current Community Outreach Manager for CCDC. She helped to establish and then became the founding manager of the DIC. The original location was on F Street and it is now located in Horton Plaza. Additional information on Ms Hardin can be found in her obituary at www.legacy.com/obituaries/signonsandiego/obituary.aspx?n=sheila-r-hardin&pid=142656253.
Nature Center Offers Internet Views of Rare Coastal Birds The Chula Vista Nature Center has unveiled new Internet cameras offering up-close views of some of California’s rarest coastal birds, including the highly endangered Light-Footed Clapper Rail as well the center’s Bald and Golden Eagle exhibits. The cameras at the Nature Center were funded through a grant from the AT&T Foundation and the support of the San Diego Port District. The cameras can be accessed through the multi-media page of the Nature Center’s Internet site. A new Internet site, also partially funded by the AT&T Foundation grant, will soon be launched and will include additional capabilities for the Nature Center, including e-commerce. The animal camera footage can be viewed at www.chulavistaca.gov/City_Services/Community_Services/Nature_Center/multimedia.
Free Downtown Tours North Embarcadero Walking Tours The Maritime Museum of San Diego is offering guided Historic Walking Tours along the North Embarcadero. . The free tours last a little under an hour and are offered twice a day on Saturdays and Sundays starting at 11am and 1pm. They will be held through Sunday 27 June 2010. The Historic Walking Tours, which are sponsored by the Port of San Diego, cover about one mile along the waterfront. The tour begins in front of the USS San Diego Memorial at the foot of G Street at Harbor Drive, just south of the USS Midway Museum. Those wishing to take the tour can spot the tour guide by looking for a blue and white Maritime Museum flag. On the tour you will see and learn about:
The tours are first come, first served. Please note that the tours have been temporarily suspended because of a problem but are expected to resume shortly. Please call the Maritime Museum, Robyn Gallant at 234-9153 x123 for further information.
Monthly Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Free Period & Tours On the third Thursday each month the MCA, 1100 Kettner Blvd, will open its doors from 5-7pm to the public to allow free admission. Visitors can browse anywhere in the museum on their own or join an organized tour that will begin at 5pm and 6pm. For additional information (858)454-3541 / www.mcasd.org.
Sofia Hotel Downtown Walking Tours Each Saturday and Sunday the Sofia Hotel offers complimentary guided two mile walking tours of downtown that include the Gaslamp Quarter and the bay front area. The tours are open to all and not just guests of the hotel. No reservations are needed and the tours leave from the lobby of the hotel at 9am. The Sofia Hotel is at 150 West Broadway at the corner of Front Street. For additional information 234-9200.
CCDC Downtown Bus Tours Free Downtown bus tours offer close-up views of downtown's unique neighborhoods and highlight recently completed and upcoming new projects. All tours begin at the Sheila Hardin Downtown Information Center, 193 Horton Plaza, just above the CVS drug store between Victoria's Secret and Sam Goody's. Reservations are required, please call 235-2222 for reservations or further information. Masthead & Disclaimer All items in this publication are the opinion of the writer of the piece. Any item without a named author is the responsibility of the editor. Any submissions for inclusion in this publication should be submitted to the editor via email within the body of a message (not as an attachment). All telephone numbers are in the 619 area code unless otherwise noted. To subscribe or unsubscribe to this publication please email the editor Stan Marder stan@gaslampquarter.org.
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