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.      

Flowers, Chocolates, Brunch:It's Time for Mother's Day Weekend

Mother's Day is this weekend, and if you happen to be celebrating with a long weekend in or around Mission Bay, then we have some tips to make it even more memorable.  True, it doesn't get better than celebrating on the beach, but just in case, we have some more suggestions from gifts to activities to food.   Even if you're not with mom this weekend, you'll enjoy exploring some of our favorite spots for flowers, chocolate and fun.

First thing's first, if you need to find the perfect gift, then the San Diego Bay Flower Company is going to be your best bet.  This local shop not only offers inventive and lovely bouquets, but also has a charming boutique filled with cards, candles, beauty products, and jewelry.  In fact, this small shop is a great place to pick up a gift not just for mom, but also for a hostess, birthday girl or friend.  Their bouquets are well known for being jam packed with beautiful blooms and not just full of leaves and fillers.  Anything you take away from here is bound to put a smile on someone's face.

If mom has a sweet tooth, then look no further than The Elegant Truffle.  In fact, this spot is a must-visit for anyone who's a fan of chocolate, baked goods and coffee.  The Elegant Truffle was opened by a former finance executive who wanted a different pace of life, and she found it with creating traditional Belgium truffles, as well as other sweets.   There is a rotating menu, but you'll always be able to find "candy bar cookies" (giant, freshly made cookies dipped in chocolate) and the "diet cakes" (fat free angel food cakes made with little sugar and flour).  Samples are given out freely so each customer can decide on exactly the perfect treat.  

For an enjoyable, free activity that's heavy on the fun (and one that mom doesn't have to plan) check out the 67th Annual OB Kite Festival.  Located in Ocean Beach at Dusty Rhodes Park, from 10am to 4pm, this is the perfect spot to spend some quality family time.  There will be amazing kite demonstrations from professionals, carnival rides and a craft fair.  The festival will also provide free materials for the littles ones to make their own kites, and there will even be a contest for the best decorated one.  Food trucks will be parked there for breakfast and lunch breaks.  

When it comes to Mother's Day activities, how can you go wrong with one entitled the "Garden Party of the Century?"   Leave it to historic Balboa Park to create a perfect Saturday (May 9th to be exact).  The Garden Party commemorates the city's centennial celebration of the Panama- California exhibition of 1915, which at the time celebrated the newly opened Panama Canal.  Not only is the event free, but they have a full day's schedule with master gardener demonstrations, flower show, guided garden tours and horticulture lectures.  For those who want to soak it in with less structure, there will also be a wide variety of music to enjoy, art to take in and kid-friendly activities.  Check out their Website for more details.  

With a name like World Famous, you better delivery, and fortunately, this beach-side restaurant does!  Situated on the boardwalk in Pacific Beach, you can gaze at the Pacific Ocean and people watch at the same time.   World Famous has a casual beach-vibe, which makes it great for large groups and kids.  They also have a killer brunch menu, and this Mother's Day they have crafted a very special menu.  Their Maine Lobster Benedict and Epic Berry French Toast are not to be missed.  They are also known for their signature Bloody Mary, for those who need an extra little kick during brunch.  

For a second Mother's Day brunch option, The Patio on Lamont Street is also a favorite.  They are known for being super dog friendly, and pooches make themselves right at home in their spacious outdoor eating area.  The restaurant has a modern feel with super friendly service.  But the true star of the Patio is their menu.  Massive gooey cinnamon rolls are a must order to start.  Their greek yogurt parfait is lovely to look at and the perfect option for a light eater.  For those with a voracious appetite,  try the smoked pork belly burrito or Bourbon Dutch pancake.  Ideally, you'll go with a group and share different plates, because it's hard to decide on just one option here.

 Looks like we've got mom, and everyone else in the family covered this weekend.  San Diego actually makes it really easy to celebrate anytime of the year.  And, like most things in the city, all the action is just a hop, skip and a jump from Mission Bay.