Where to Go, See & Be Seen in San Diego

ON DECK AT BROADWAY SD

Broadway SD celebrates its 35th anniversary during the 2011-12 season. The lineup of shows for the happy occasion guarantees variety in style and subject matter. Theatre enthusiast will find some tantalizing theatrical offering.

Mary Poppins August 10-28 – The production of Mary Poppins is part of a national Broadway tour. This popular musical offers beloved songs and an irresistible story, along with some new entrancing dance numbers.

Blue Man Group September 20-25 – Comedy, music, physical skill, and technology combine to create a powerfully entertaining experience.

Hair will be showing in October 18-23 – This richly realized reincarnation won the Tony Award for Best Musical revival in 2009, and its ground breaking rock score has been discovered by a new generation.

The season is chock full of great entertainment. For more information click here.

LUX BEFORE DARK
On Sunday, August 14th, from 11am – 2pm Lux Art Institute presents its first-ever Lux Before Dark: A Summer Art Auction at Doug Dolezal’s private Rancho Santa Fe estate. Guests will enjoy live music, a stylish brunch, a preview of October’s Lux After Dark delights, and an art auction benefiting Lux’s artist residencies. Attendees can bid on donated artworks by renowned artists including Alison Moritsugu, Astrid Preston, Tomas Rivas, Julie Heffernan, Daniel Wheeler, and Don Morris, to name a few. For ticket information please click here.

HAUTE WITH HEART
On August 20th, St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center, a non-denominational program helping adults with developmental disabilities, presents its 34th annual Haute with Heart fashion show/luncheon at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina. Produced by Leonard Simpson’s Fashion Forward, the event will feature boutique vendors and a live and silent auction, and St. Madeleine’s students and community leaders will strut their stuff on the runway alongside professional models. The show will also feather a meet-and-greet with St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center artist John Agostini. Click here to sign up.

SURFING FOR A CURE
This year’s event is slated for August 21st. Over the last 18 years, the annual Luau and Longboard Invitational has raised awareness and more than $5 million to fund research, patient care, and educational programs at the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, the region’s only Comprehensive Cancer Center as designated by the National Cancer Center Institute. As such, it ranks among the top centers in the nation conducting basic and clinical cancer research, providing advanced patient care and serving the community. For more information about sponsorship opportunities, team entries, and tickets, please call or to go online click here.

ENCINITAS LIFESTYLES FASHION SHOW
On Saturday, August 27th, from 6-9pm, the Downtown Encinitas MainStreet Association is presenting the 4th Annual Encinitas Lifestyles Fashion Show to highlight local fashion designers, boutiques, salons, artisits, and models. this year’s event takes place at Bliss 101, a new 3,500 square foot store offering high-end clothing, beach atire, gifts, one-of-a-kind furniture pieces, and moe. Detour Salon will bedeck the models in trendsetting fashions and will also create a hair and makeup show. enjoy everything from fine children’s clothing courtesy of Magical child to designer resale pieces from Double take. A record number of local boutiques an talnet include Art N Soul, Bebo Originals, Bliss 101, Coast Hwy Traders, Common Threads, Community Resource Center, Divinity Salon and Boutique, Fabrika Monet, Hansen’s Surfboards, ome, Lacy’s Boutique, Lemongrass Aveda Concept Salon and Spa, Recycled Swimwear by Rose, and more. Event proceeds will benefit DEMA high school scholarship foudnation. For ticket information click here.

SYMPHONY AT SALK
August 27th marks the date for the 16th annual Symphony at Salk – A Concert Under the Stars featuring Tony Award-winning Idina Menzel, who will perform with the San Diego Symphony under the direction of returning guest conductor Thomas Wilkins. Menzel has played lead roles in the original casts of Rent and Wicked, and has a recurring role on the Golden Globe-winning series Glee. Tickets ae $250 and include a Champagne reception, concert seating, and a gourmet dinner by Jeffery Strauss. Proceeds will benefit Salk’s scientific research and education programs. For further information click here.

CALIFORNIA UKRAINIANS
The House of Ukraine (a member of the House of Pacific Relations in Balboa Park) presents its 2011 festival, a fun-filled weekend that kicks off on Friday, September 2nd, at a microbrewery downtown. On Saturday, September 3rd, from 11am-3pm, enjoy events for young and old on the beach in front of the Caatamaran Hotel. that evening, at the Joan B. Kroc Theater, enjoy performances by the Ukrainian Dance Ensemble from Los Angleses, Kalenea Ukrainian Dancers from Sacramento; and animated fold songs sung by the Ukrainian National Choir. Sunday at noon, the annual lawn program for the house of Pacfic Relations in Balboa Park takes place directly in front of the House of Ukraine and features dancing by local San Diego youth as well as those from Los Angeles and Sacramento. The Three-day event wraps up with the annual “Zabava”, or dinner dance, at the Catamaran Hotel beginning at 6pm. For more information click here.

MONTE CARLO GOES BURLESQUE
On September 10, Dita Von Teese, the queen of Burlesque, will perform at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego’s 35th annual gala, Monte Carlo Goes Burlesque. Von Teese has been the performer of choice at events for high-profile figures and design houses including Christian Louboutin, Louis Vuitton, and Cartier, and she was the first guest star in history at Paris’ fame Crazy Horse, where she performed several sod-out runs. Von Teese will mesmerize Monte Carlo gusts with a scintillating p;performance with museum’s boudoir-inspired transformation as the backdrop. Attendees will also enjoy a cocktail party, an elegant dinner in the dazzling open-air dining room overlooking the coast, and the After Party event featuring DJs, dancing in the Boom Boom Room, gaming, and another late-night performance by Von Teese. For ticket information please click here.

THE ART OF FASHION RUNWAY SHOW
On September 22nd, at The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe in partnership with South Coast Plaza will host The Country Friends’ 56th Annual Art of Fashion Runway Show. This year’s event honors Priscilla Webb and the late Luna Johnston for their commitment to community. Proceeds will benefit 28 charities including Rady Children’s Heart Institute, Helen Woodward Animal Center, Promise2Kids, and the Burn Institute, to name a few. After the luncheon on the lawn, the runway show will highlight fashions from the 2011 Fall/Winter collections of renowned international designers including CH Carolina Herrera, Donna Karan, Emilio Pucci, MaxMara, Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta, Saks Fifth Avenue, Salvatore Ferragamo, St. John, TOD’S, and Versace. The benefit concludes with teh “Apres Affaire” wine tasting, a time to savor the day’s events and toast the 2011 beneficiaries. To attend the event please click here.

HONORING WOMEN
The foundation for Women (FFW) hosts its 13th annual Honoring the Women in Our Lives Luncheon on Friday, September, 30th, at the San Diego Marriott La Jolla, from 11:30am-1:30pm. This year FFW celebrates women in philanthropy and those who support women an girls. Philanthropist Helen LaKelly Hunt will be the keynote speaker. FFW provides small business loans to need women in Africa and in San Diego, helping them to improve life for themselves and their families by creating and building their own micro-enterprises. Luncheon tickets are $65. For more information please click here.

Is Now The Perfect Time to Become A Homeowner?

While reading a recent news article from The London Group I have come to the conclusion and have summarized that the collective mindset of the real estate market dictates the flow of the market. If the media uses the information that they put out to foster a pessimistic outlook than of course the real estate market will remain in the doldrums.

However, I believe that the market is actually clearing up and doing exactly what we at my office all expected. We hit bottom in April 2009 (42.3 percent below the peak) and then bounced off the bottom of 2009, and more in 2010 due to the government tax breaks in the first part of the year. Yes, the market has slowed in 2011, but it's not at an alarming pace like in 2008 and 2009. Any movement in the housing index of 2% in either direction is not really newsworthy. You have to look at the real estate market with long-term perspective.

While most people are quick to point their fingers at foreclosures, it really all depends on the market. The most important determinate right now is jobs and getting money flowing through the economy. This is why home sales are at a slow pace and home values have seen traction. We are not creating enough income or jobs to compel people to buy homes.

There is a silver lining though: Homes are relatively cheap, but rents have been rising. While home-ownership rates have dropped, as they should have, this is not the time to be walking away from home-ownership. It is actually an increasingly PERFECT time to become a homeowner, if your means, motivations and circumstances line up correctly.

Five Delicious Delights for By the Sea Dining in Del Mar

Del Mar has retained much of its village charm and lure, hosting a varied menu of fine dining establishments, and taking advantage of not only the much lauded locale along the coast -but a climate enjoyed throughout the seasons.

Take a look at five delicious Del Mar Restaurants:

1. SBICCA BISTRO - (Contemporary American) located at: 215 15th Street
The menu at SBICCA is rooted within a simple philosophy, whenever possible, organic produce, sustainable seafood and antibiotic, hormone free meats are utilized: a commitment that is cooked with flavor and taste. Proprietor Dan Sbicca and Chef Bryan Graham offer a summer menu that touts pan roasted Asian Sea Bass, maple jalapeno glazed Grilled Scottish Salmon, brown sugar rubbed Duck Leg Confit and grilled Brandt Beef Filet. The weekend brunch offers a lighter fare, serving everything from omelets and French toast, to fried fish tacos and tossed Cobb salad. Also make sure to check out their Wine Lover's Tuesdays and Thursdays offering selections at 50% off - allowing wine enthusiasts and the novice to sample new vintages and flavors.

2. DEL MAR RENDEZVOUS - (Chinese Fusion Cuisine) 1555-102 Camino Del Mar
Serving tradtional and contemporary flavors form noodles and tapas, to fowl, fish and tofu, including gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan menus. Rendezvous offers patrons a unique experience stemming from Executive Chef Mark Sun's 40-year career. He brings together old world Chinese and Asian recipes, creative a modern spin by using fresh and high quality ingredients. Family owned and operated, it is consistently voted among the best Asian cuisine in the county.

3. FLAVOR DEL MAR - (New American) 1555-322 Camino Del Mar
Flavor Del Mar features a seasonal menu inspired by entrepreneur Jeff Hunter and Executive Chef Jason Maitland, using simplicity of flavor. Matched by its coastal California ambiance near L'Auberge, Flavor's lunch and dinner selections delight the senses, marrying taste and presentation into an unforgettable dining experience; beautiful views of the ocean and cliffs in Del Mar are also part of the ambiance. Make sure to try the Bloody Monday's served all day Monday, featuring a Grilled Cheese Bloody Mary Combo for only $15; it will not disappoint.

4. AMERICANA RESTAURANT - (American-Mediterranean) 1454 Camino Del Mar
The Americana is settled within an historic charming downtown Del Mar venue, resting at the coveted corner of 15th and Camino Del Mar. Serving comfort food within the guise of a cozy cafe, breakfast, lunch and dinner melds international flavors for an exceptional but familiar taste; with mention of their homemade waffles, seafood fare, sandwiches and fries.
You will love the down-home ambiance with the checkered flooring, a rounded counter, bar-stool seating and an umbrella-clad patio. Chef Randy Gerber has created the perfect menu. Drop by for the experience.

5. PAMPLEMOUSSE GRILLE - (Grilled Country French) 514 Via de la Valle
Overlooking the racetracks, Pamplemousse Grille offers the ultimate comfort food experience. The Restaurant draws its inspiration from Owner/Chef Jeffrey Strauss' childhood with memories of his grandparent's New Jersey Farm. The menu showcases Strauss' experience and travels in Europe, proving that taste and talent cannot be separated.
Mark your calendars for August 11th as Pamplemousse will be hosting the "Jockey Dinner" - raising funds for the Don MacBeth Fund, honoring injured and disabled jockeys.

Beyond the accolades and reviews, the attraction of Del Mar...whatever it may offer...Dining in Del Mar by the Sea is simply irresistible.

Private Jet Exclusive Shopping Excursion

Shop til you drop...in luxury!

Shoppers can take on the finest retailers in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Napa, Orange County, and San Francisco with the new SuiteShop Tours offered by private jet company JetSuite and luxury shopping concierge service LalaLuxe. SuiteShop packages begin at $9,760 allowing four people a one-day, round-trip shopping retreat to one aforementioned city aboard the JetSuite Phenom 100. Upon arrival, LalaLuxe takes the group by chauffeur on a customized shopping agenda arrange by the company's concierge curator. Shoppers have access to exclusive in-store discounts and receptions, a celebrity wardrobe stylist, Champagne and appetizers en route, and they receive a complimentary luxury gift bag. (800-261-0429, www.jetsuite.com/lalaluxe)

Where The Turf Meets The Surf Down At Old Del Mar.

Take a plane. Take a train. Take a car. There is a smile on every face, and a winner in every race where the turf meets the surf at Del Mar. Hosting seven weeks of seaside racing each summer, the ambiance and spirit of Del Mar is unlike any other. Since 1937, the track has welcomed more than 39 million visitors, handling more than $13 billion - an impressive milestone.

Opening day at Del Mar Race Track is on July 20th and will bring in record-breaking crowds and is unlike any other. With races scheduled every Wednesday through Sunday, you have five days a week to catch the races. With 40+ stakes and handicaps (Oceanside Stakes, San Clemente Handicap, I'm Smokin Stakes, California Dreamin, Del Mar Oaks, Cougar II Handicap, La Jolla Handicap - to name a few), Del Mar takes its racing very seriously, ranking among the nation's top tracks. The ever-famed Seabiscuit-Ligaroti match race was held August 12, 1938 at the track, drawing a national radio audience and a crowd of 20,000. Seabiscuit won by a nose.

Racing fans can take advantage of the post-race summer concert series with 10 big-name concerts taking place on the new Seaside Stage. This year's lineup of performers will rival big names of years past, which included Ziggy Marley, Billy Idol and Jack Johnson.

The Pacific views and Del Mar backdrop are simply unrivaled along with the hottest eats in Southern California.

Since 1937, when Crosby greeted the first attendees at the gate, Del Mar's racetrack has lured many a celebrity, dignitaries, horsemen and families to its seaside locale to try their 'hand' at handicapping thoroughbreds. Seaside racing in Southern California celebrates 72nd season of sporting ponies, bets and the Del Mar scene.

Some base their bets on numbers and colors, others on the interest of a horse's name or possible genealogy; whatever your fame, all you need is just a little luck where the turf meets the surf in Del Mar.