Night Shift in San Diego

A southerner once visited San Diego and remarked, 'Your weather is perfect, even the outside is air conditioned.'  This really is the ideal town for outdoor fun, especially in the summer and the best part is the entertainment doesn't end with the setting sun.  Last week we highlighted where to go to catch a movie outside, this week we've decided to give you the scoop on some other nighttime activities you can only do in our town.    

Balboa Park is taking advantage of the season's weather and extending their hours every Friday until 8:00 PM with their "Balboa Park After Dark" nights.  There are nine museums who are extending their hours (the Museum of Man will stay open until 8:30 PM), and The San Diego Museum of Art is offering a special $5 admission fee for later entries.  While the Museum of Photographic Arts (or MOPA) won't be open later on Friday, they are offering extended hours on Thursday for those who can't make it on Friday.  The appeal doesn't stop there, the Park will also offer some of the city's finest food trucks and free music to liven the mood.  Check out their WEBSITE to find out which trucks and live music will be there each week.  These longer hours will run until September 2nd.  

In honor of its centennial year, the San Diego Zoo is extending their hours to 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM through September 5th.  Their "Nighttime Zoo" is a lively celebration that packs the last few hours of the day with music, dancers, and acrobats.  Albert's Restaurant will also be open later so you can grab a bite before you head out on the open-air deck overlooking the waterfall in the Lost Forest.  The restaurant will also have specialty cocktails created just for the Zoo's 100th birthday.  Music will include everything from traditional mariachis to a brass band to old fashioned rock 'n' roll.  Dr. Zoo will also be there presenting his signature informative and zany shows on zoo creatures.  Around 8:30 a puppetry parade of enormous proportions will close out the night.  

"Flight Night at Draft!" is a creative summertime concept from Draft, Belmont Park's delicious restaurant located on Mission Beach's boardwalk.  As we've mentioned BEFORE, Draft is known for serving over 100 different types of craft beer, and with "Flight Night" they've made a drinking menu where you can sample four different beers on tap.  Every Tuesday the fun begins with their "In-Flight Entertainment" at 6:00 PM with live-music, then "passengers" can select which flight they want to take.  There's "First Class" ($15), "Business" ($12), and "Coach" ($10) where patrons can create their perfect combination of drinks.  Draft even offers "In-Flight Snacks" with specialty pretzels and nuts.  Even if you don't want to test out the beer samples, a meal at Draft is a great way to wind down the day.

Contact Mission Bay Vacation Rentals to start planning a summer vacation where the fun continues into the night.  Take advantage of the season, the climate, and all our city has to offer!  After all, we wouldn't want to take for granted the fascination some visitors have with our "air conditioned" outdoors.

Exploring the Pacific

Summer has officially begun and when you're in San Diego that means planning all activities around the Pacific Ocean.  Right now there are some exciting happenings going on centered around the ocean that will educate, entertain, and fill you with wonder.  Get up close and personal with some underwater behemoths or try to spy the miniature octopuses hidden in tiny shells or set sail on the open water searching for the earth's largest animal.



Situated on the San Diego Bay in the center of the Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge is the Living Coast Discovery Center, a non-profit zoo and aquarium.  The Living Coast that allows visitors to learn about the environment while exploring the aquatic and dry mini-ecosystems they have built.  Running through September 5th is "Passport to the Pacific," which offers a small sampling of of the animals and habitats found in and around the Pacific Ocean.  "Passport to the Pacific's" goal is to bring awareness to the intricate and sometimes delicate world of the largest ocean on earth.  The exhibit includes a look at the newly expanded turtle lagoon and exotic animals such as the scarlet macaw and the blue tongue skink from Southeast Asia.  The Discovery Center is also home to an array of birds, rays, crustaceans, and cephalopod mollusks, also know as the octopus.  Adult admission is $14 and $9 for seniors, students and children (children under 3 are free).  Be sure and ask about the discounts for military and first responders (fire, police, EMT) and their families.  





Another exhibit that celebrate the oceans' creatures is "Whales: Giants of the Deep" at the San Diego Natural History Museum (or theNAT).  Also running until September 5th, this interactive exhibit will feature the latest in whale research and technology and mixes scientific discoveries with ancient storytelling and history.  This is literally a massive event, with two full-size sperm whale skeletons (including a 58-foot male) and a life size replica of a blue whale's heart that children can actually climb in and explore.   Works of art, both old and contemporary, will be on display from the people of the South Pacific, who have always had strong ties to these graceful giants.  There will be video portholes to look in and see recorded footage of the whales underwater.  Check out the area dedicated to the haunting songs of the whales, which also includes scientific data explaining how we can identify individual whales on their migration through the Pacific Ocean.  Entry into the museum is $19 for adults; $17 for seniors, students and military; $14 for youth ages 7 to 17; $11 for children ages 3 to 6 (children under 2 are free).





It's only natural that you will want to get out and explore the real thing after these museum visits, and now is actually the perfect time.  The largest group of blue whales (2,000 to 3,000) feed off the California coast during the summer months and Hornblower Cruises offers a special "Summer Whale Watching" tour until September 4th.  The blue whale is the earth's largest creature that has ever existed and having the chance to see one in person is thrilling and unforgettable.  The four-hour cruise will also take you past notable San Diego landmarks and explain some local environmental efforts that are currently underway to protect the Pacific and its creatures.  There is live narration on marine life from a volunteer naturalist from theNAT and if you don't see a whale, you will receive a return pass for another boat ride.  Tours run on Sunday, Monday, Friday, and Saturday and adult pricing starts at $65.  





It's time to dive right in to all the summer fun in San Diego.  Our town is filled with people who are passionate about not only preserving our natural wonders but educating everyone on simple ways we can contribute.  So start with booking a stay at Mission Bay Vacation Rentals and then set out to explore the fascinating world of the Pacific Ocean.    

Finding Zen in San Diego

Around the 1880's San Diego became home to an influx in Japanese immigrants.  This new wave of citizens brought with them a new culture, exotic food, and a more effective way to fish, which transformed the existing fishing industry.  Today San Diego is home to a large Japanese community, and their influence can be found in our food, the arts, even landscape design.   

Sushi chefs in Japan train for years before they are allowed to prepare and serve this famous Japanese dish.  The Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park is currently running "Tokyo Fish Story," an insightful portrayal of the unique world of Japanese cuisine, where the chef is the artist.  It's the story of one of the most successful, traditional sushi chef's in Tokyo, and how he is slowly losing customers to flashier restaurants.  This modern-day fable about one's legacy and the art of perfection runs until June 26th, and tickets start at $29.  

"Mingei" is a Japanese folk art movement that started in the 1920s, and is what inspired the creation of the Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park.  For the last year and a half the museum has concentrated on folk art from around the Americas, but their latest exhibit, "Mingei of Japan," circles back to the museum's roots.  On display are treasures, both old and new, from the museum's collection, some which have never been seen before.  The exhibit celebrates the art of everyday life in Japan, from exquisitely hand-painted kimonos to one-of-a-kind baskets and pottery.  To follow along the folk art theme, there are also folk paintings depicting the animals, vegetation and people of Japan.  The exhibit closes on October 2nd, and tickets start at $7.  

Balboa Park is also home to a more permanent display of Japanese art, in the Japanese Friendship Garden.  These gardens date back to the 7th century and were found in palaces (meant for aesthetic pleasure) and Buddhist temples (used for mediation).  In Japanese rock gardens, often called "Zen" gardens, the white sand represents water and paths are carefully constructed for visitors to follow composed landscapes.  The Japanese Friendship Garden has been designed to promote serenity, contemplation and meditation.  All plants and trees have been carefully selected to thrive in the San Diego climate, and free tours are available once you enter.  Tickets are $8 for adults, $7 for military, students, and seniors, and children under 6 are free.  There are extended hours for the summer months, but check their website HERE, as the Garden will close early on certain days for events.  

For a taste of Japan, there are plenty of delectable options to chose from.  Here are some of our picks for three very different styles of Japanese food:

Sushi Ota, in Mission Bay, is famous for its authentic and locally sourced sushi and sashimi.  Regular customers can't get enough of the salmon belly and different variations of toro.  Situated in an unassuming strip mall, this small gem of a restaurant is very popular and reservations are highly recommended.  

Those who love the feel of a playful Japanese steakhouse, with entertaining chefs grilling teppanyaki cuisine, will love Fuji Japanese Steahouse & Sushi (911 Camino Del Rio S, San Diego).   Guests will feast on delicious food, enjoy the talented chefs flipping and spinning their cutlery, and rarely have to wait to be seated.  We suggest you visit soon before this local restaurant becomes more well known. 

Ramen is a staple in Japan and almost every region in the country has their own variation of the dish.  In Pacific Beach JINYA Ramen Bar will serve traditional ramen noodles topped with sliced meats, seasoned eggs and a variety of veggies.  The welcoming staff will help you with any questions you might have if you're new to this tasty noodle dish.   

Book a stay with Mission Bay Vacation Rentals and then begin exploring all the Japanese culture in San Diego.  There is plenty to do, see, and of course, eat.         

San Diego's Biggest Fan

Spend Memorial Day Weekend with one of San Diego's founding fathers, John Diedrich Spreckels (known to his friends as J.D.).  Since he was born in 1853, you won't exactly be able to spend time with J.D. himself, but thanks to many of his generous contributions to the city, you can still enjoy his legacy.  There are some terrific activities going on right now in his namesake park, the theater he helped build, and the colossal organ in Balboa Park.

J.D. was responsible for turning San Diego from a sleepy village into the beautiful city it is today.  He brought the Arizona Railway to the coast, making San Diego the hub, and helped transform Coronado Island into a resort town complete with Hollywood movie stars.  After buying the horse powered San Diego street railway system he changed it to electricity, helping the city move into the future.  Needless to say, he was the wealthiest man in San Diego, and one of the city's biggest fans. 

In 1912, he built a beautiful theater (christened Spreckels Theater, of course), to bring vaudeville to San Diego, which later became a movie palace and then transformed into the performing space it is now.  The theater was the first modern commercial playhouse west of the Mississippi and is now home to the San Diego Ballet, lavish musicals and even the occasional rock concert.  Spreckels underwent a massive renovation in honor of its centennial birthday which uncovered marble sculptures and the original box office.  Currently playing is the classic Broadway musical "42nd Street," a tap-dancing extravaganza, that will be running through mid-June. 

Spreckels Park, home to the Coronado Flower Show, hosts weekly summer concerts in the gazebo every Sunday at 6:00 PM.  The series begins this Sundy, the 29th, with a performance by the Coronado Community Band, a multi-generational band made up of all volunteers.  Parking can be a little tough right before the music starts, so we suggest going a few hours early in order to snag a close spot and to enjoy the picturesque park.  There are picnic tables throughout, mature trees that offer the perfect amount of shade, and a massive playground that even grown-ups will want to explore.  The park was donated by J.D. in 1927, as he owned the entire island of Coronado, for locals to enjoy the quaint island.  Judging by how well-maintained the park is, it's safe to say Mr. Spreckels would be proud of his Coronado community today.

One of the most spectacular contributions from J.D. is the Spreckels Organ in Balboa Park.  The outdoor organ is made up of 4,725 pipes, ranging in size from 32 feet to the size of a pencil.  This is one of the largest outdoor pipe organs in the world.  The Spreckels Organ was donated in 1914, and since 1917 has hosted free weekly Sunday concerts.  This Sunday, May 29th, from 2:00 to 3:15 PM is a very special tribute to David Bowie.  Sitting outside, watching the organist play on an organ that is housed in a vaulted, embellished gables, listening to magnificent music, is an unforgettable experience, one we know J.D. would love.

J.D. was a visionary who saw the potential that little San Diego had.  This weekend, there will be plenty to do, thanks to John D. Spreckels.  Move into one of Mission Bay Vacation Rentals for a long weekend and start exploring the sites and sounds that San Diego has thanks to Spreckels. 

San Diego Pride

 Call us partial, but San Diego (especially Mission Bay) is one of the most beautiful and diverse places in the world.  Any chance we get to cheer on our town, and its locals, we dive right in.  This week we’ve compiled a list of incredibly fun ways to show our support to our picturesque community while having fun at the same time.  Trust us, this weekend will be brimming with excitement.   

Start the weekend off by showing your support for Ocean Beach and their 68^th Annual Ocean Beach Kite Festival on Saturday, May 14th.  The Festival is free and sponsored by the Ocean Beach Kiwanis Club.  It will be held at the Dusty Rhodes Park (as it is Every Year), from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  This is the oldest children’s kite festival in the United States and the day will be packed with family-fun activities, such as the kite building and decorating station (where all the materials will be provided).  There will be prizes for the best decorated handmade kite, and this can be one that you make ahead of time.  Like every year, there will be professional kite fliers and demonstrations that will give a new appreciation to the world of kite flying.  To round off the fun there will be food, live music and a beer garden.  

 

Celebrating a 100-year anniversary is a big mile stone and the San 

Diego Zoo is planning quite the party to commemorate their

centennial this Saturday.  That evening the Zoo will close early and 

the party will move to Spreckels Organ Pavilion so the whole town

can help ring in the occasion.  This free event is the Zoo’s way to 

thank San Diego for a great 100 years and we can show our support

by attending and enjoying all the festivities.  It kicks off at 6:00PM

 and ends at 10:00 PM, and will be filled with live music, dancing,

and unforgettable fun.  As a treat for fans, many of the museums in

 Balboa Park will offer free entry, such as the San Diego Museum 

of Art, as a way to show their comradery to the Zoo.  This will be a

 fun evening for the whole family, with crafts, face painting, animal

 ambassadors introducing exotic and adorable animals to everyone. 

There will be many of San Diego’s most famous and delicious food

 trucks parked and ready to serve the masses.  The Centennial

also has some surprises up their sleeve, and you will not want to 

miss the live orchestra performing at 8:00 PM.  As we mentioned 

this party is free but they do ask that attendees RSVP (click 

HERE) so they have an idea of how many people will show up to 

support and celebrate this impressive birthday.   

If you want to root for some talented athletes, then visit Fiesta 

Island is in Mission Bay for the two-day ‘Beach Soccer Jam’ 

(May 14 and 15).  This isn’t your average soccer game, it’s a faster-

paced version of the world’s most popular sport.  The soccer ball

 flies back and forth at such a quick pace that there are usually 

around 60 shots at the goal in a game and scores hover around 10 

and 11, as opposed to 1 or 2.  This Jam has been dubbed the ‘soccer

highlight show,’ and players will usually perform acrobatic kicks

 and jumps, since sand has softer landing than grass.  Spectators 

won’t get bored at this sport!  The Jam will also include a

 ‘Brazilian Jam Festival’ complete with Brazilian Samba dancers 

(including their extravagant, feathered costumes) and Capoeira

dancers.  There will be a DJ providing some jams and a beer

 garden. The games go from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, plenty of time

to drop in over the weekend to show your support for the different 

teams. 

Amgen, the biotech company, has dedicated itself to finding a cure

 for cancer, and one way is through the 8-day bike race, Amgen 

Tour of California.  For the  first time in the race’s history San

 Diego is hosting day 1 of the Tour, which will cover about 800 

miles and end near Sacramento.  This is American’s biggest staged

 race and riders are made up of national and international 

champions, as well as Olympians.  The event will be broadcast to

 millions all over the world, but if you are in Mission Bay this 

Sunday (May 15th), you’ll have a chance to cheer the racers on in

person.  For ‘Stage 1’ of the race, Mission Bay will actually be the 

starting point as the riders traverse all over the city before heading

 east to the desert and then finish back where they started.  If you

 want to show your support for this great race and these

tremendous athletes, we suggest arriving around 11:00 AM

 so you’ll have time to see them start their ride.  For more 

information, check out their WEBSITE. 

From your favorite zoo to amazing athletes this weekend it’s all 

about showing your love for our city.  At Mission Bay Vacation

Rentals we love supporting our gorgeous community and

 residents. Book a stay with us and see how great it feels to live 

like a local.      

Flower Power

San Diego has a storied history with gardens and their green inhabitants.  Last week we highlighted the botanical gardens, and thought we’d continue on the same theme, especially in light of the 91^st Annual Coronado Flower Show happening this weekend.  But, first we need to delve into the history of San Diego’s diverse vegetation and the person responsible for all the beautiful flora in our city.  

Kate Sessions was born in 1857 and went on to earn a degree in natural science from UC Berkeley in 1881, something that was unheard of in her day.  How she came to be known as the “Mother of Balboa Park,” and the only non-fiction historical woman in San Diego to receive her own full sculpture, is an inspiring tale. 

She left business school in San Francisco to accept a job in San Diego in 1883 and soon after purchased a nursery in 1885 and began to grow flower fields in Coronado, Pacific Beach, and Mission Hills.  In 1892 she negotiated with the city to lease 30 acres of land in Balboa Park (then called City Park) to expand her flower fields.  In return, she would plant 100 trees a year in the mostly barren park and 30 trees a year around San Diego.  She traveled to Europe and Mexico to collect different trees to plant in Balboa Park, and became a prominent figure in transforming the desert eco system of San Diego, which was mostly dirt and sagebrush.  She also co-founded the San Diego Floral Association in 1907, the oldest garden club in Southern California.   It’s no wonder she has an elementary school and park named after her in Pacific Beach. 

She started Mission Hills Nursery in 1910, which is still a neighborhood favorite, and the oldest nursery in San Diego.  Even if you are not planning on buying anything, it is still worth visiting.  Chickens meander around the grounds, you might catch a glimpse of a dozing cat, and the staff are not only welcoming and friendly, but incredibly knowledgeable.  Whether you have a question about a single plant or your entire garden, the employees here are so passionate about what they do, they are more than happy to answer your questions.  It’s hard to come away empty handed after perusing their large selection of native Californian plants, mini succulents, and rare varieties of plumeria, jasmine, and magnolias.  the Nursery is open seven days a week from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, but if it’s raining, they suggest Calling Ahead to make sure they’re operating that day. 

Kate Sessions would be thrilled that the Coronado Flower Show is going to have it’s 91^st show this weekend.  Happening in picturesque Spreckels Park in Coronado Village, this event is the largest tented flower show in the nation.  The history of the Flower Show is also an interesting one.  Established in 1922, the Coronado Flower Show was created to help unite a neighborhood using the beauty of flowers that was being torn apart by differing political views.   A few years later, the third weekend of April was designated to be the official weekend of the show, and the Coronado Flower Show became a community favorite.  There will be live music and beer and wine garden for the grown-ups.  A special children’s zone will be set that will include a craft area, floral arrangement classes, and the annual ‘Zoo’s Who,’ where fruits and vegetables are whimsically assembled to resemble animals.  The fun starts this Saturday (April 16^th) from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM and on Sunday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  The entrance fee is $5 and children under 12 are free. 

 Who would have thought that Balboa Park owes its grandiose trees

 to a revolutionary woman from the 1880s, or that an annual flower

show was created to smooth over political discrepancies from over

a 100 years ago?!  San Diego has fascinating stories everywhere

you turn.  To become fully immersed in our captivating history, 

book a few days in Mission Bay at one of our Vacation 

Rentals, and start exploring.  We might suggest starting with

the Kate Sessions statue on the southwest corner of the Plaza near

the Sixth Avenue 

entrance.