Music To Our Ears

San Diego has its fair share of outdoor concerts thanks to our ideal weather, beautiful scenery, and diverse cultural make-up.  What better way to enjoy the summer, than packing up snacks, a cozy blanket, and sitting under the sky, enjoying some great music from all over the world?   Here we’ve highlighted our three top picks for a melodic outing.

A San Diego tradition since 1984, La Jolla Concerts By the Sea, is a free event, every Sunday in the Summer until September 6th.  The lush, Ellen Browning Scripps Park at La Jolla Cove, is a beautiful patch of grass overlooking the sea.  From 2 to 4p.m., you can enjoy a wide variety of free concerts, from Rock and Roll to Latin Jazz to Cajun Rock.  You can also help support this event and keep it free by purchasing food onsite.  Bullseye Kettle Corn and Hot Dogs, will be selling their tasty fare (with a portion of proceeds going to the Concerts By the Sea), and the non-profit running the concert series will also be selling Haagen Dazs ice cream bars, chips, and candy.   You can also support these concerts by purchasing a raffle ticket for great donated prizes like gift certificates to local restaurants.  This Sunday, Bill Magee Blues Band, will be getting everyone moving with their classic Rhythm and Blues sound.

Celebrating their 13th season, Pacific Beach Concerts on the Green, boasts the prettiest views in San Diego as well as lively music.  From swing to the blues, this concert series is seriously toe-tapping paired with stunning, panoramic vistas of the city.  Located in Kate Sessions Park, above Pacific Beach, you can see Fiesta Island, Mission Bay, and the Pacific Ocean.   The concerts run for the next 3 Sundays in a row.  Supported by the Pacific Beach Community, this organization’s goal was to bring music to the community, and inspire a love and appreciation of music in younger generations.  Please note, this park does not allow alcohol or glass containers.  Other than that, feel free to pack a smorgasbord of delicious treats and something to sit or lounge on, as you listen to the tunes from 4 to 6:30p.m.  

We briefly highlighted the San Diego Symphony in our Comic Con post, but any chance you have to attend one of the The Ashford University Summer Pops concerts (running until Labor Day), you should go!  This week, especially, will be very exciting.  This Friday and Saturday, The Divas of Disco Starring Radiance will be singing dance-worthy songs by Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, The Pointer Sisters and more.   On Sunday, Warner Bros. Presents Bugs Bunny at the Symphony II, which will be a big hit for the kids and the kids-at-heart.   The classic cartoon will be projected on a giant screen, while the orchestra performs the original Carl Stalling scores which highlight bits of Wagner, Rossini, and Strauss, to name a few.  Classical music has never been more fun!  

The outdoor concert series, offers different seating arrangements, from cabaret tables, fold down chairs and lawn seating.  We like bringing a few picnic quilts, and laying under the stars while taking in the talents of this world-famous orchestra.  Gates open at 6p.m. and the concerts begin at 7:30p.m.

We love that there are so many great options for outdoor fun in and around Mission Bay.  Plan your next few Sundays around packing a picnic, gathering up friends and family, and heading to one of these al fresco venues.  It’s no wonder we count down the days until summer starts!

KAPOW! BAM! It's time for a Comic Con Takeover!

In March of 1970 the first Comic Con, originally called the Golden State Comic Book Convention, debuted in San Diego with 145 people in attendance.  Last July, over 130,000 people showed up for the now, world famous, four-day event.  Tomorrow starts Comic Con 2015 and we hear its going to be even bigger than the previous years.  This year’s show is already sold out, but there are still some exciting Comic Con themed events to attend.  

“People watching” during Comic Con is truly an experience all on its own, filled with avid comic book readers, film buffs, and countless celebrities.  Head over to the Gaslamp Quarter in the center of Downtown to take in the crowds; and when you feel peckish, pop into a restaurant for a bite.  

What better place to sit down to some delicious grub and take in the sights, than a restaurant / bar called Werewolf?  During Comic-Con some of the ultra-friendly staff will dress up like their favorite comic book characters, making you feel like you’ve walked into another dimension.  The menu is just as bold as the restaurant’s personality — scrumptious and creative sandwiches, burgers, tacos, and appetizers rule the menu.  They do offer some pretty amazing and still inventive salads for those who want something lighter.  

Known for their tasty desserts like gelatos, cheesecakes, and crepes, Chocolat Cremerie also has a menu with mouth-watering savory items.  Located in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter, this charming and quiet eatery, with an European flair, is the perfect place to take in some delicious fare while you take a break from people watching.  We recommend one of their savory crepes finished with a generous helping of gelato (and, no, we can’t pick one favorite flavor - they are all so good!).  

This summer the San Diego Symphony’s Summer Pop series is having fun with Comic Con too.  At the outdoor venue, Embarcadero Marina Park South, located on the bay side of the San Diego Convention Center, you can set up a picnic and listen to a beautiful . . . video game soundtrack?  Yup!  Tomorrow, at 8pm, the San Diego Symphony Orchestra will perform Pokemon: Symphonic Evolutions, a symphonic take on the popular video game’s melodies.  The symphony will perform with a giant screen behind them projecting action packed Pokemon images and $1 of each ticket goes towards supporting arts education programs.

Saturday, July 11th’s performance is going to be out of this world, as the orchestra performs the film score to the smash-hit Star Trek Into Darkness.  Come early to participate in the Star Trek Costume Contest.  Sign up as you enter, and the judging will begin at 7pm.  What better way to enjoy heart-pounding film score of Star Trek than by literally relaxing under the stars?

For 18 years The Legend of Zelda has been one of Nintendo’s most popular games, and did you know it’s also led to its own Symphony and Chorus?  It’s true, and on Saturday at 7:30pm,  the Zelda Symphony and Chorus is going to perform downtown in the Copley Symphony Hall.  Even if you didn’t grow up playing the action-packed adventure game, you’ll be captivated by the “The Legend of Zelda:Symphony of the Goddesses - Master Quest,” a four-movement symphonic work.  The piece is performed with a larger than life video presentation that has been coordinated to the music.  

Get ready for the largest pop culture event in the United States, happening, right here in San Diego.  Comic Con is all about the die-hard fans who think nothing of donning comic book hero garb and having fun with it.  ‘Fun’ being the operative word here.  Yes, it’s going to be crowded and maybe a little bit crazy, but it’s also going to be a blast!  And, when you’ve had your fill of superheroes and villains, head back to your place at Mission Bay Vacation Rentals, for a picturesque end to an absolutely amazing weekend.