The San Diego theater and arts community is a strong and innovative element within San Diego society. From the small, up-and-coming playhouses in El Cajon, North Park, and North County to the large, established theaters in La Jolla and Downtown, and the creative niche theaters and opera houses in Balboa Park – the entertainment offering of theater and arts in San Diego is abundant.

Prominent theaters in San Diego, such as La Jolla Playhouse and Civic Theater, have sent several new plays straight to Broadway. Although San Diego may seems worlds away from the snow-filled parks and raw, bold culture of New York – these two cities are forever connected through the magic of the stage.

The La Jolla Playhouse has brought the following plays to Broadway fame: Jersey Boys, Dracula, The Musical, I Am My Own Wife, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Dangerous Games, and more. It is a thrill to see a performance open on a San Diego stage, and then see the same production live onstage at Broadway months later. I always make sure to plan a trip to New York and buy Broadway tickets to these native San Diego shows.

San Diego is also well known for its array of opera houses. From the large San Diego Opera organization to the quaint San Diego Small Opera, locals that love dynamic opera performances are in luck in San Diego. From large to small, San Diego operas are full of excitement and intrigue.

The San Diego entertainment community finds great success in all areas of San Diego County. No matter where you live, you’re bound to be close to one of the fantastic playhouses or grand theaters in San Diego.

I don’t know about my fellow San Diegans, but Labor Day in my world consists of labor-less luxuries and extravagant entertainment. This Labor Day in San Diego I plan to truly live it up. Give me the sunny beaches and clear skies. Pamper me with parties and barbeques. Get out of that house—it’s time to do San Diego Labor Day, 2007 right.

Cruise

Head out to Mission Bay for the San Diego Labor Day Champagne Brunch Cruise. Horn Blower cruisers are always a blast, but this special Labor Day event is destined to be a hit. More info: hornblower.com

Party

Who says the pure can’t party? White is the new black this Labor Day at Bar West in Pacific Beach. The White Party features performer Jalil and the hottest kids on the coast clad in all-white couture. More info: barwestsd.com

Gamble

Take your chances this Labor Day in San Diego at the Del Mar Racetracks. The races are coming to a close—so make sure you win big. The Family Fun Weekend event also offers fun for kids and free pint sets for Mom and Dad. More info: dmtc.com

Work it Out

So, maybe you think Labor Day demands a work out. Compete against the top swimmers in San Diego at this Labor Day beach event. Head to Oceanside Pier, one of the most famous piers in all of California, and see what you can do. More info: oceansideswimclub.com

Have you heard about the latest hit in the world of reality TV entertainment? Tontine is famed to be a mix of Survivor and The Amazing Race, with a lovable MTV Real World flair. Tontine also offers the biggest grand price in reality TV history: 10 million dollars. 17 diverse contestants will battle by brain and body across all 7 continents for the ultimate prize. Underwhelmed? Seen this reality TV entertainment scam before?

Don’t change the channel yet, there’s a catch. In order to participate on Tontine, contestants must give up their life savings for a chance at the 10 million dollars. And what’s even worse—there is no minimum contribution and confidentiality is preserved. Although the honest businessman may give up his wealth in entirety, the eager college student next door may only give up $200. There’s no one to trust, everything to lose and everything to gain on Tontine.

San Diego Tontine auditions were held this past Saturday, August 11^th 2007 at the Otay Ranch Town Center in Chula Vista from 10am to 6pm. And yes, I was there. Actually, I was one of the only ones there. Tontine auditions in San Diego were less than crowded—with only 20 competitors by 1pm that day. And based on the less-than-charming turn out, I’m thinkin’ my chances are pretty high.

Curious how you would have done? Answer the interview questions below!

1. What is the most interesting job you’ve ever had?

2. What would you do for $10,000,000–speak in extremes.

3. What would you do if you woke up tomorrow morning with $10,000,000 in your bank account?

4. What’s the first thing you would do if you woke up one morning without a penny to your name?

5. How would you feel about winning someone else’s most cherished possession?

First American Idol and now Tontine—watch out Reality TV, here we come. Anybody else in San Diego head to Chula Vista to try out for Tontine?

Watch out Kelly Clarkson—San Diego’s about to produce the next American Idol star!

I know at least 3 people in San Diego that down-right deserve to let their vocals loose on stage in Hollywood. But actually trying out and facing the judges seems a bit too daunting for the typical karaoke-trapped local star.

I dare San Diego singers to face the fear and try out for the 7^th season of American Idol. And guess what—there’s no need to camp out in LA to grab your spot, the Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego is host to the American Idol talent search this July— camping-out unfortunately is still a necessity.

Pop, country, rock, and jazz singers unite on July 30^th for the American Idol tryouts at Qualcomm Stadium. Why watch the seventh season when you can be in the seventh season?

The rest of the tour for the out-of-towners:

Dallas: Aug. 6

Omaha: Aug. 10

Atlanta: Aug. 14

Charleston, SC: Aug. 18

Miami: Aug. 22

Philadelphia: Aug. 27

Anyone know any awesome San Diego performers sure to blow the judges away?

Summertime evokes a certain small town feel in many San Diego neighborhoods. Hillcrest, in particular, hosts a fun summertime event called Cinema Under the Stars. All summer long, this quaint Hillcrest outdoor theater entertains locals (and visitors) with old and really-old classic movies showing under the stars. Invite old friends or a new date to reminisce over a good movie on a warm summer night.

Although admission is $12.50, you get to relax in a “gravity recliner” with heat lamps and enjoy an intimate outdoor experience. Besides—in-theater movies will probably be up to $13 by the end of the summer, at the rate they’re rising. All shows start 8:30pm.

Must-see Shows:

June 30- July 1

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

July 21-22

Breakfast at Tiffany’s

August 4-5

Sunset Boulevard

August 16-17

Garden State

August 30-31, September 1-2

Princess Bride

Check out Cinema Under the Stars for the full movie-list. Anyone know of any other outdoor-move screenings this summer in San Diego?

San Diego, it’s time to welcome New York inspired music and cuisine to Little Italy. Anthology, the three story supper club located on India St. is an unassuming Mecca of jazz, blues, classic rock, latin, world, and r&b. This San Diego music and entertainment venue is one of its kind with minimalist décor and an inviting, spacious setting.

Although the new American cuisine’s gourmet flair and pricey nature draws in an older crowd for duet of dinner and a show (read: over 30 in bedazzled belts), Anthology does showcase many young, vibrant bands with upstairs bar-n-tunes-only access prices for a hip twenty-something crowd.

Music is in the air:

June stars:

Jessie Colin Young, 6/23

Ignacio Berroa, 6/24

Tierney Sutton, 6/26 and 6/27

July stars:

The Steely Damned, 7/3

Royal Crown Revue, 7/11

Larry Coryell, 7/13 and 7/14

Jazz Fusion Superstars, 7/27

Anthology is not just another LA-wannabe San Diego restaurant and lounge, this supper club radiates with style, class, and charisma. Check it out.

Did you just wake up and realize it’s mid-June and Father’s Day is right around the corner? (Me too…) But not to worry, skip the lame ties and “#1 Dad” shirts this year and give your dad the gift of experience. As kids grow up, gifts do too.

Check out this Father’s Day roundup for the perfect event and entertainment gift. No matter how sporty or crafty your dad is, there is a San Diego event and/or entertainment option for you.

Food

Taste of Gaslamp is a weekend-long San Diego event featuring tastes from Gaslamp’s finest restaurants.

Music

Bring your dad to Little Italy’s new three-story supper club, Anthology, for great live music, a chic vibrant atmosphere, and gourmet food.

Art

Between SDMA and Maritime S.D., there is an art exhibit for every art fan. Bring dad to the Pre-Raphaelite exhibit “Waking Dreams” at SDMA, the unique display of trash-turned-treasure “Mi Corazón Escondido” at SDMA, or the high seas fine art show at Maritime S.D.

Pads

The Padres may be away, but you and your padre can still enjoy the three-day sports game series, beginning June 15, from the comfort of your own home or at any of San Diego’s sports bars.

Give the gift of experience this Father’s Day in San Diego. There are endless event and entertainment options… resist ties & mugs at all costs.

Added: Check out these links for Del Mar attractions and to discover the best in Del Mar restaurants, Del Mar hotels and more.

The 2007 “Salute to Heroes” San Diego County Fair opens this weekend in Del Mar. The 2007 Fair is a tribute to international, national, and local heroes—both human and animal. As usual, the fair will run for 22 days, from this Friday, June 8 through Wednesday July 4.

So, why go to the San Diego County Fair? For starters, this fair is a nationally acclaimed entertainment event that attracts locals and visitors of all age and interest.

What heroes? Be inspired by The Lost Boys of Sudan, Zandra Rhodes- fashion designer, Gussie Saks- Holocaust survivor, and Taz- a 4-year-old dog who helped a search and rescue team find his owner after a nearly-fatal fall in Utah.

What new entertainment? If you think the fair is only for animal lovers and 7 year olds, guess again—the 2007 fair features a Nintendo Wii test studio, an action sports expo, a cell phone photo shoot, a craft brewers festival, and a cooking-with-beer contest.

Who’s playing? Gym Class Heroes, Stranger, The Fab Four Ultimate Beatles Tribute, The Wailers, Kenny Loggins, Hangface, Lattie Dottie and the Diamonds, LeeAnn Rimes, The All American Rejects, Earth, Wind & Fire, Switchfoot, and Cash’d Out Johnny Cash Tribute.

Start your summer right at the San Diego County Fair.

The Downtown San Diego dining scene and entertainment scene meet this June for a great San Diego event: the Taste of Gaslamp. There are so many restaurants in the Gaslamp, it’s nearly impossible to try them all. But this event solves that dilemma by giving the public a taste of everything, well everything worth tasting that is.

This delicious event is spread over two days. June 16^th from 1pm to 4:30pm, you get to try tid bits from Bondi Bar, Jsix, Soleil @ K, Stingaree, Acqua Al 2, Mister Tiki Mai Tai Lounge, and many more. June 17^th also from 1pm to 4:30 pm guests will taste offerings from Blue Ginger, RA Sushi, The Lime Tequila Bar, Dussini Mediterranean Bistro, Dakota Grill, and many more.

Full? Head over to the Samuel Adams beer garden or the Cane Rum Mojitio Bar to escape your food coma. And guess what—drinks are included in the one-time event entrance fee.

A Taste of Gaslamp is by far the best annual summertime event in San Diego. At the end of each event, the top restaurants are awarded at the Lamplighter Awards. Last year in 06, Lou & Mickey’s won “Best Cuisine” and Stingaree won “Best Ambiance.” With so many new restaurants and bars opening Downtown—I wonder who will win this year?

WHAT? Nightlife: Stories in the Dark

WHEN? Wednesday May 30, 2007, 9 pm. (no cover)

WHERE? The Whistle Stop. 2236 Fern St.(between 30th and Juniper). San Diego CA

WHO? old fashioned kite flying puppetry collective

eileen myles. ryan griffith. esteban ortega

not sure if this is the myspace page for the kite flying collective– this gig is not listed there — no other online references that I can find.  eileen myles’ website does not include this gig
The whistle Stop website lists a “SPOKEN PERFORMANCE AND WORD PLAY” for May 30.
I received info via email. that’s all I know.  if you don’t remember who eileen myles is, check out the last post about here on San Diego blog.

Wine connoisseurs in San Diego— prepare to indulge. Wine Australia is bringing a week-long celebratory Australian wine festival to San Diego, called A Great Blend, June 6 through June 12. This is no mere wine tasting event; Wine Australia is embracing the San Diego dining and nightlife scene to feature an innovative, multi-tiered wine tasting and entertainment series.

Together with some of San Diego’s best restaurants, bars, and wine bars such as Bondi Bar and Kitchen, San Diego Wine and Culinary Center, and The Wine Encounter—Wine Australia serves a titillating taste for every palate.

Care for a sip?

Wine Australia events range from Aussie barbeques, a blind wine tasting “shoot out” contest, live jazz happy hour, intimate wine dinners, and a canine & wine happy hour. Whether you love to enjoy vino with a best friend, a loved one, or your pup—the week-long Wine Australia series has something for you.

In addition to the fun-factor, the guest Australian winemakers are among the top up-and-coming makers in Australia, including the Yarra Valley in Victoria and Margaret River in Western Australia.

If you love to wine and dine in San Diego, you must attend this one-of-a-kind wine tasting event series.

Did you miss out on the last Culture and Cocktails event at the San Diego Museum of Art? Your chance to see what all the fuss is about happens this Thursday, May 24th from 6-8pm. A new exhibition, “Waking Dreams - The Art of the Pre-Raphaelites” is now on display. This exhibition comes to San Diego from the Delaware Art Museum and features the work of a group of avante-garde painters from Britain’s Royal Academy. More info here. (I highly recommend getting your tickets beforehand so you don’t have to wait in line. )

There’s a Carnival of Cities going on, and all San Diego writers are invited to participate. A blog carnival is a round-up of posts around the blog-o-sphere, all relating to a certain topic.

This time, the topic is: cities. Blog authors send in a permalink to a recent article or blog-post about a city—specifically San Diego! Then, the host site collates them and publishes the links. This is a fun way to read great posts and learn about all sorts of blogs about places that may be new to you. When you participate as an author, it helps to bring traffic to your blog too.

This is a great San Diego writing opportunity to promote the San Diego blog community, get the inside scoop on San Diego bloggers, and brag about San Diego’s infinite perks, like shopping, events, and entertainment.

If you’re interested, please go to HomeTurfMedia’s blog carnival site to see previous carnivals and access the submission form. City articles/blog submissions are due by this Sunday morning PST (5/13/07).

Tastes just like chicken!

WHAT? Gator By The Bay  festival ($15). The ultimate San Diego Blues and Zydeco and Crawfish celebration
WHEN? This weekend. (That’s May 12-13, 2007)

WHERE? Spanish Landing Park (across from the airport)

25 Bands and 6000 pounds of crawfish.  What more could you ask for?

Many San Diegans celebrate Memorial Day, aka the unofficial start of summer, with beach barbeques, day drinking, and camping trips. The sand in Pacific Beach and Del Mar is always packed with partiers, picnicking families, and carefree children. Ok, so San Diego knows how to have fun. But what about San Diego’s sense of history?

The Memorial Day holiday weekend does represent a noble historical cause: the last Monday of May commemorates American men and women who died during military service. Many San Diego veteran and community groups offer events, presentations, programs, and blood drives to observe Memorial Day in San Diego. Take a break from summer festivities to pay a tribute this Memorial day.

A great event I always attend:

Memorial Day Ceremony at the Mt. Soledad Veteran’s Memorial, 6905 La Jolla Scenic Drive South. The event will be held on Memorial Day at 2:00pm.

Can anyone recommend other ceremonies, a good place to volunteer, or blood drives to attend this Memorial Day in San Diego?

San Diego is home to many Hilton Hotels across the county. But San Diego is most familiar with the ups and downs of one main Hilton, Paris Hilton. From reality TV to headline news, San Diego observes Paris Hilton’s unsimple life.

News Flash: the celebrity hotel heiress, Paris Hilton, has been sentenced to 45 days in jail for violating her drunk-driving related probation. Hilton’s legal offenses began September 2006, when she was arrested for drunk driving. Since then, she has repeatedly broken the law by driving, drinking and driving, and neglecting to attend court dates.

I can’t help but say—finally Miss Socialite gets what she deserves: a glimpse at the real world. Celebrity, heiress, or average Joe; when you commit a crime, you must do the time.

Despite the current spotlight hype, Paris Hilton is by no means alone. The official DUI website reveals the total number of celebrity DUIs in 2006. A few star-studded arrests include: Nicole Richie, Mel Gibson, Tracy Morgan, Rip Torn, and Hayley Joel Osment. Although they say no publicity is bad publicity—I bet 2006 wasn’t the best year for these entertainers.

NFL players racked up more DUIs than points in 2006. DUI arrests tackled Cletis Gordon of the San Diego Chargers, Antonio Bryant of the San Francisco 49ers, and B.J. Sams of the Baltimore Ravens.

What is the San Diego consensus on the Paris Hilton trial? Hilton’s lawyer is appealing the case for a modified sentence. Should Hilton’s heiress status enable her to avoid doin’ time? What do San Diego people think?

From the San Diego Zoo to Quail Botanical Gardens, San Diego’s diverse entertainment scene boasts many great Mother’s Day celebrations. From the traditional to the completely atypical, San Diego offers ideas for moms on every angle of the spectrum.

Bring Mom to an elegant brunch at the Hotel Del Coronado.

Treat Mom to what she really wants—a Chocolate Festival at Quail Botanical Gardens.

Take Mom for a walk on the wild side at the San Diego Zoo Mother’s Day Sleepover.

Twirl Mom around for a great cause at the Mama Loves Mambo Mother’s Day charity event benefiting Mama’s Kitchen.

Surprise Mom for a day of beauty and pampering at one of San Diego’s famed spas and salons.

Shock Mom with an afternoon of shopping at one of San Diego’s new boutiques.

Toast to Mom on the Hornblower Mother’s Day Sunday Brunch Cruise.

There are so many entertainment options this Mother’s Day in San Diego—you have no excuse not to plan something. Be creative and cater your plan to something Mom will really enjoy.

There was a mysterious hype about a possible Britney Spears show in San Diego last night. My curiosity wouldn’t let me not go. I’m really not a big fan—never was, probably never will be; but out of all the concerts in San Diego, this was not a “comeback” performance to miss. Lucky enough for me and hundreds of San Diego Spears fans, the hype was right.

House of Blues hosted a snapshot concert for Britney Spears last night. It was short, it was awkward, it was funny; it was definitely not a comeback. For about 15 minutes a wigg’d out Spears sang all her old hits while crazy fans shrieked and sang along. Surprisingly, true fans never lost faith in Spears.

Some things I still do not understand are: why Spears used a fake band name and why she chose the name: The M&Ms. Perhaps it’s an inside joke at rehab? I think it’s an interesting tactic to attempt a comeback under a fake name. Good thinking Brit. Oops she did it again.

Rumor has it: The M&Ms tour continues up the coast to all the House of Blues locales in California. I wonder if she’ll perform or cancel.

Any San Diego fans know the scoop on Spears?

Monday, April 30, 7 - 9 pm at the Semi Permanent Ink Spot, 710 13th St., San Diego CA 92101.  (between ‘F’ and ‘G’ Streets) hosted by San Diego Writers, Ink (SDWink)

A salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring hostess or host, partly to amuse one another and partly to refine their taste and increase their knowledge through conversation and readings…commonly associated with French literary and philosophical gatherings of the 17th century and 18th century, though the practice continues today in many cities worldwide….continue reading the wikipedia entry…

April’s almost over, but SDWink is not letting National Poetry Month end without one final, rousing celebration…. 
 
The April Writer’s Salon will be hosted by poet and writer Geoff Bouvier who will lead fellow writeres in a festive evening of playing writing games, discussing poetry and reading famous poems out loud.
 
Geoff’s first book, Living Room, was the winner of the 2005 APR/Honickman Prize. His writings have appeared a number of other literary journals and he also publishes journalistic prose for the San Diego Reader. Geoff served as poetry judge for SDW, Ink’s Valentine contest and will lead a three-session class,”Descriptive Language: Words and Word Order” beginning May 31.
 
Join Geoff and a lively group of writers - poets and otherwise-at our Writer’s Salon…. 

There’s never any charge for the Salon, but we do invite participants to bring a finger-food refreshment to share. We’ll provide the drinks. We’ll have a raffle, too.
 
PS. There’s a Padres’ home game that night, so traffic might be a bit snarly, but Salon parking won’t be a problem. Check our website for tips on how to get around the traffic and the location of the Art Center Lofts parking lot.  Or come early and have a coffee or a drink at a nearby eatery / drinkery.

Although this Cinco de Mayo won’t be the traditional sombrero and margarita filled extravaganza, I have a feeling this year’s celebration is going to be the best one yet. I’m going to the Jeans for Justice charity event in Rancho Santa Fe. A few good friends of mine are modeling the jeans, and another friend of mine donated his time to make a few pairs of jeans, or should I say—wearable art.

If you guys haven’t heard of this charity event, you should definitely check out their website. Basically, a lot of locals donated their used designer jeans to the organization Consciously Social—and from there, national and local San Diego artists volunteered to rip ‘em up and transform them into wearable art. There is going to be a huge fashion show with local models, and a live auction for the jeans.

With respect to Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the proceeds generated by the jeans and ticket sales benefit the San Diego Center for Community Solutions. The event is at a beautiful estate out in Rancho Santa Fe. It’s not only a great cause, and great event—but it’s going to be a great way to spend Cinco de Mayo. I hope to see a lot of benevolent San Diego shoppers there!

Maybe I should break out my sombrero and tequila a week early to break even. What do you think?