Local Wally's Guide to San Diego

Local Wally's Guide to San Diego

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Del Mar Prepares For Fall Season of Thoroughbred Racing November 11 – December 4

events, press releasesLocal Wally1 Comment

‘Bing Crosby Season’ returns to the seaside oval for 15 days of sport along with free concerts and events November 11 – December 4

DEL MAR, Calif. – The iconic racetrack is gearing up for its fall meet, the ‘Bing Crosby Season’, set to kick-off Friday, November 11. The fall season, now heading into its third year, is all about bringing back the old-school cool, journeying back to the era and style of the track’s founder who started it all, Hollywood legend Bing Crosby.

Over the course of the four-week meet, Del Mar will come alive once more with signature seasonal events and a pair of free concerts, first with Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals on Saturday, November 12 and then another popular Reggae Fest featuring Iration on Saturday, November 19.

Opening Day of Bing Crosby Season is also Veterans Day and is a day to celebrate and also one to remember. In collaboration with the American Legion, the afternoon’s Veterans Day Salute will feature patriotic activities including the unfurling of one of the largest U.S. flags in the country – the famous Holiday Bowl flag; parachute jumpers; a Stars and Stripes fashion contest; a ride-in by several veteran motorcycle clubs, and award winning Cali Comfort Bar-B-Q. There will also be a special post-race concert by rising country star Coffey Anderson, along with other military bands and musical guests.

Then on Saturday, November 19 the track welcomes college students to its annual College Day where all students get in free with valid college I.D. and can enjoy live music by DJs, activities, football and more on the third floor of the Clubhouse. On tap the following Saturday, November 26 is Del Mar’s Craft Fall Beer and Cider Festival offering more than 100 local seasonal brews and ciders to taste. Also on that Saturday, Del Mar will host a Fall Food Truck Festival with more than 30 food trucks from San Diego, Los Angeles and Orange County bringing their best mobile delights.

Additionally, Del Mar will be open on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 24 with a special racing card and an early 11 a.m. post time. Catching a few races while the turkey cooks is the perfect way to create a new holiday tradition with friends and family. Or, leave the cooking up to Del Mar and reserve a Thanksgiving package that comes with admission, Turf Club table, and a mouth-watering brunch menu or turkey dinner with all the trimmings to chose from. Also on Thanksgiving morning, bring the entire family out to stretch their legs around the track before the big meal during Del Mar’s One Mile Family Fun Run at 8 a.m. Runners will complete a one-mile loop on the dirt track and may even find themselves running alongside a jockey or two. A host of family-friendly activities will be available after the race, along with a puppy run and puppy adoption event put on by the Helen Woodward Animal Center.

Saturday, December 3 is Fleece Blanket Giveaway Day. Guests that afternoon will receive a soft, fleece blanket to cozy up with.

Every Saturday throughout the fall season early morning risers can take in amazing track views and enjoy a fresh breakfast during the morning workouts at Daybreak at Del Mar, from 8 -10 a.m.  Former jockey-turned-owner Jeff Bloom will host an interactive Q&A session during the workouts providing insight and fun facts about everything horseracing.

Then every Sunday brunch lovers have something to celebrate with Taste of the Turf Club. Guests’ can purchase a brunch package that includes bottomless mimosas, a rotating menu by popular San Diego chef Brian Malarkey and a Turf Club table for the race day.

Racing during the ‘Bing Crosby Season’ will take place Thursday through Sunday. Post time will be 12:30 p.m. The one exception will be Thanksgiving Day, with first post shifted to 11 a.m. Admission at ALL gates will be $6 ($3 for Diamond Club members). All concerts are 18 and up.

For more information, call 858-755-1141 or visit www.delmarracing.com. You can follow Del Mar on Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat @DelMarRacing or like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/DelMarRaces.

Bing Crosby Season is Back at Del Mar
Del Mar Thoroughbred Club kicks off its fall season on Veterans Day, Friday, November 11


DEL MAR, Calif. — The iconic racetrack is gearing up for its fall meet, the ‘Bing Crosby
Season,’ now heading into its third year. It’s all about bringing back the old-school cool,
journeying back to the era and style of the track’s founder who started it all, Hollywood
legend Bing Crosby. The 15-day session will bring world-class racing the seaside track
is historically known for, along with signature seasonal events including a pair of free
concerts, festivals, Thanksgiving day events and eclectic outdoor dining options.

• Opening Day & Veterans Salute – Friday, November 11, Opening Day of Bing
Crosby Season is also Veterans Day, and guests are invited to celebrate the
holiday by joining the seaside track as they team up with a nearby American
Legion Post, Encinitas’ American Legion San Dieguito Post 416, for a
special Veterans Day Salute and fundraising event that will have stars and
stripes written all over it to hail those who have served in U.S. military branches.
The day’s patriotic activities will include the unfurling of one of the largest U.S.
flags in the country – the famous Holiday Bowl flag; parachute jumpers; a ride-in
by several veteran motorcycle clubs, and an award winning Cali Comfort Bar-BQ.
There will also be a special post-race concert by rising country star Coffey
Anderson, along with other military bands and musical guests.


A Stars & Stripes Fashion Contest with more than $3,000 in prizes, including a
fabulous stay at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar, will take place as part of the
Opening Day festivities. Everyone is invited to dress up in their most festive and
fashionable attire by donning red, white and blue or going for best pin-up or
celebrity look. The fashion contest will take place between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
in the Plaza de Mexico.


• Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals – Saturday, November 12, Ben Harper &
The Innocent Criminals will kick off Del Mar’s fall concert series by taking the
stage after the last race, scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Sit back, relax and enjoy the
eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae and rock music. Longtime fans are
ecstatic to see live hits from their newest album, Call It What It Is, which was
released earlier this year after an eight-year gap from their previous record. Mimi
Zulu will open.


• Taste of the Turf Club – Sunday, November 13, and every Sunday throughout
the fall season, one of San Diego's most celebrated chefs, Brian Malarkey will
bring his talents trackside for Taste of the Turf Club, which includes a rotating
three-course menu, Turf Club table and bottomless Chandon mimosas.
Reservations and dress code required.


• Free & Fun Sundays – Sunday, November 13, and every Sunday at Del Mar, is
Free and Fun. Receive FREE Stretch Run admission, FREE program and FREE
seat along with HALF PRICE Beer (domestic drafts), Bloody Marys, mimosas
and Champagne splits. Reserve a table with your own personal TV at First Turn
restaurant to watch your favorite Sunday Pro Football games or check them out
at 17 Hands Pub or the Paddock Tavern.


The Bing Crosby Season runs November 11 – December 4, racing Thursday – Sunday
with post time for the first race at 12:30 p.m. On Thanksgiving Day the first post is
shifted to 11 a.m. For more information, call 858-755-1141 or visit
www.delmarracing.com. You can follow the Del Mar on Twitter and Instagram
@DelMarRacing or become a fan on Facebook/DelMarRaces.

Estancia Resort: Photos from 4th Annual Wine & Whiskey BBQ

eventsLocal WallyComment

Estancia La Jolla Hotel and Spa is a gem of a resort, looking a bit like an upscale California ranch. Tucked away in La Jolla near UCSD, Estancia has a lot to offer for both tourists and locals such as the 4th Annual Wine and Whiskey BBQ, one of the best food and drink events in San Diego. But we'll get to that in a moment after I show you around the resort a bit.

Yes, Estancia La Jolla Hotel and Spa is a great place, a wonderful stay-cation for locals and excellent pick for visitors. It's elegant but not stuffy, upscale without being pretentious, it's California casual.

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Annual Wine & Whiskey BBQ photos

The problem with a lot of food festivals are the massive crowds but I love that Estancia La Jolla didn't over sell the tickets and pack them in. You want another drink, you get one. You want more food, no problem. And both food and drink were plentiful and delicious, from the lovely wines from Trintas Cellars, a Napa winery they own that has its own tasting room onsite, to the creative cocktails done up in craft cocktail style with big block ice cubes to the excellent BBQ shrimp, brisket, chicken, pulled pork, and enough beans and cornbread to make a cowboy happy. Dessert bar equally impressive - so full!

But I promised you photos so here you go. But before I go just remember this event for next year, it's really one of the best in San Diego!

DON'T MISS! 4th Annual Wine & Whiskey BBQ at La Jolla's Estancia Hotel and Spa Oct. 7th, 2016

eventsLocal Wally1 Comment

4th Annual Wine & Whisky BBQ at Estancia La Jolla

WHEN:  Friday, Oct 7th, from 6 to 9PM

GET TICKETS HERE - EVENT WILL SELL OUT!

WHERE:  Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa
9700 North Torrey Pines Road
San Diego, CA 92037

WHAT:  The flavors of the deep South and northern California converge for the ultimate West coast BBQ bash at Estancia La Jolla. A nod to the property’s horse ranch heritage, this southern-style feast under the stars features a menu of barbecued brisket, pulled pork mac & cheese, warm cobblers and other comfort food favorites washed down with unlimited whiskey, bourbon and Napa Valley wine tastings.

Let Trinitas Cellars’ proprietor Garret Busch personally lead you through a flight of his winery’s best blends, then taste a trio of both single barrel whiskeys and Woodford bourbon with Jack Daniel’s brand ambassador Eric Tecosky as live blues music and bonfire sparks float on the night air.

WALLY SAYS: A cool local event that should be great fun for locals and visitors alike. Estancia Hotel has a SoCal "rancho" feel but with an upscale twist.  I suspect an event with whiskey, bourbon, wine and BBQ will be a bit hit with those who know the scene so put on your party clothes and get out there for a fun evening with great food and drink!

BUY TICKETS!  CLICK HERE TO GET PRICES AND AVAILABILITY.

Del Mar Racetrack to Host BBQ State Championships Sunday, July 17th, 2016

eventsLocal WallyComment

Let's get Smoking!

BBQ Competition at the Del Mar Racetrack!

I am addicted to BBQ. I love the smell of the smoke in the air, I love the artistry behind great BBQ, and I love to try it all, from perfectly tender spare ribs to juicy brisket. I've been to BBQ joints in Kansas City that look like something in a Blues Brothers movie, I've done Texas BBQ, and love the tang of Carolina.  Wherever there is BBQ is where I am at. So you know where I will be on July 17th - at the Del Mar Racetrack where the 2016 BBQ Championships are taking place.

More than 40 of the nation's top professional BBQ pitmasters, local restaurants and chefs will be competing in the State Championship for more than $15,000 in cash prizes. Best yet, those attending can purchase BBQ samples to see for themselves how good BBQ can be. Four 2 oz competition ready samples of brisket, pork, ribs, chicken and steak are only $10 and include a People's Choice ballot so you can vote for your favorite. 

Del Mar San Diego Fair BBQ Championship coming July 17th

Come for the races, stay for the BBQ - or the other way around!

The competition, sanctioned by the Kansas City BBQ Society, also features local craft beer options and live music and is held at the Seaside Concert Area west of the Grandstand, tickets included with track admission of $6. Oh yeah, the Del Mar horse races will be going on at the same time so dang this is going to be a great day!

You want a bite?  I know you do.  And you can, at the Del Mar Racetrack BBQ Competition

Here are some BBQ rating tips from your favorite local expert, Local Wally.

1.  Fall off the bone = fail.  Ribs should be tender but still have some bite to them. If you take a bite and all the meat falls to the plate and you're left holding the bone then you overcooked them.

2.  Sauce should never be the star.  It's the meat that needs to shine. Bad BBQ is over-sauced to hide mediocre BBQ. 

3.  Too much smoke is as bad as crockpot BBQ.  Smoke should be there but not overpowering. If it sort of tastes like an ashtray smells it was oversmoked. And don't get me started on cooking BBQ in a crockpot!

THE DETAILS

Where:  Del Mar Racetrack

When:  July 17th, 12 to 5

Cost:  Included with $6 track admission, get four samples for $10

VIP Pre-Sale Package
Gain early entrance to sample the mouthwatering BBQ from noon - 1 p.m. Includes four BBQ samples, racetrack admission and Peoples' Choice ballot, for $25 now through July 10th. 

Pre-Sale Package
Includes four BBQ samples, racetrack admission and Peoples' Choice ballot, for $14 now through July 10th.

LINK TO BUY TICKETS

What to Do in San Diego: Bacon and Barrels Festival, May 21st, 2016

eventsLocal WallyComment

Bacon, Bacon, Bacon, AND BEER!

The Bacon & Barrels Festival is back, and this time it’s better than ever.  On Saturday May 21st, the hottest chefs from the finest local restaurants will prepare and serve small plates starring bacon in its most inventive forms. The best mixologists, brewers and wine makers will quench your thirst with refreshing bacon-based and bacon-inspired cocktails and brews. The event will feature equally impressive views, as it will be held on the waterfront at Embarcadero Marina Park South.

bacon_and_barrels.jpg

This hog heaven will include artisan and local vendors, live music by The Spazmatics, demos by celebrity chefs and a whole lot of fun!  To celebrate special achievement in the bacon arts, one chef and one mixologist will be named the 2016 Jefe del Porko by well-known food enthusiasts. It's pretty much the Bacon Oscars, and not one to be missed!

Tickets are now available for those 21 years and older and can be purchased here. Not to mention, all food and drink tastings are unlimited and included in the ticket prices. Go hog wild!

Madama Butterfly: Local Wally Goes to the San Diego Opera (and doesn't die)

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OK, I will admit that the idea of going to the opera, the opera, was not initially my idea of a good time.  I mean, I don't know nothing about the opera other than they sing in a foreign language and ain't nobody's got time for that.  Well wait, hang on, I am here to tell you that I went to the San Diego Opera and saw Madama Butterfly and not only did I not die but I actually enjoyed it.  You should go.  Seriously.

GET TICKETS HERE!  IT WILL SELL OUT SO GET THEM NOW!

Now some people out there (i.e. my wife) are thinking that I am just showing how uncouth I am, akin to stating that one's a Trump supporter while waiting in line for tacos in Tijuana, but I think there are a lot of people out there like me who have either never been to an actual opera or who went so long ago that memories of being spanked come to mind.  But Madama Butterfly wasn't hard to understand, the plot simpler than a Will Ferrel movie but with perhaps a bit more emotion.  Look, I'm saying you won't be cocking your head like a confused dog, it's not that hard to figure out the story!

And then there's the music, live music played by real people!  Oh my goodness, we have been listening to preprogrammed and synthetic music for so long that there is something so sweet and organic, human, about a real orchestra. And when the singers step up to the mic's - wait, there are no mics so they actually have to belt these songs out and the power of their voices is simply amazing. Just. Beautiful.

So go.  Get tickets.  It's way cool!  

LOCAL WALLY

sandiegoOpera.jpg

The Official Press Release:

San Diego, CA – San Diego Opera is proud to present Puccini’s Madama Butterfly as the second mainstage offering of its 2015-2016 season when it opens on Saturday, April 16, 2016 at 7 PM for four performances at the San Diego Civic Theatre. Returning to San Diego Opera in the title role, is American soprano Latonia Moore, who dazzled audiences in 2013 as Aida, and audiences at the Metropolitan Opera earlier this month when she sang her first American Butterfly. The Company is excited to welcome Romanian tenor Teodor Ilincăi as Pinkerton, a role he has sung the role to critical and popular acclaim in Vienna, Paris, Budapest, Toulouse, and Hamburg, in his American debut. Also making an important Company debuts are American mezzo soprano J’nai Bridges as Suzuki and American baritone Anthony Clark Evans as Sharpless. Taiwanese-American tenor Joseph Hu returns as Goro and American bass-baritone Scott Sikon returns as the Bonze. Franco-Canadian conductor Yves Abel, last heard leading the orchestra in 2014’s Pagliacci, returns to lead the San Diego Symphony for these performances. American stage director Garnett Bruce will stage the production. 

In Puccini’s tragic opera Madama Butterfly, the American naval officer Pinkerton marries a Japanese geisha named Cio-Cio-San (who is also known as Butterfly). Pinkerton takes the relationship lightly despite the warnings of the American consul, Sharpless. Pinkerton returns to America, and Butterfly gives birth to their child whom she names Trouble while she waits for her husband to return. When Pinkerton does return he brings with him his American wife and Cio-Cio-San must choose to live in disgrace or die with her honor intact. With the famous aria “Un bel dì” and the haunting “Humming Chorus” Madama Butterfly is full of beautiful music that will stay with the audience long after they have left the theatre.  

 

THINGS TO DO IN SAN DIEGO: The Art of Music, Museum of Art, Balboa Park

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WHAT IS IT?:  The Art of Music Exhibit, Museum of Art in Balboa Park, now through Feb 7th, 2016.  Official exhibition website with special events here.

HOW MUCH?  Included in your ticket price - $12 for adults, $9 for seniors, $4.50 for youths

OFFICIAL DESCRIPTION:  The Art of Music presents a multifacted and culturally diverse exploration of the intersection of music and art.  

UNOFFICIAL DESCRIPTION:  Lots of paintings with people playing instruments by famous artists along with other musically focused artifacts.

I like to go to Balboa Park when I have nothing to do because there's always something. OK, yes, I do love that Panama 66 near the Sculpture Gardens has beer, really good beer, but even I know it's time to branch out a bit. Next to Panama 66 is the Museum of Art and a new exhibit called the Art of Music.  I admittedly know next to nothing about art but what the heck, let's dive in.  I can get a beer later.

OK.  Here we are.  Yes, I am scratching my head but there is something here that makes me stop and comtemplate.  Can you imagine if this family moved in next door to you?  Yes, that's what I was thinking.  Look, I told you I don't know much about art!

Wait, I know this guy.  This is Matisse, right?  Right???  And what's that over there, some manuscript by Beethoven? Hey, did I ever tell you the joke about Beethoven when asked why he was erasing all of his music? He said he was decomposing.  Ba-da- Boom! I'm here all week.

Now here is something I understand!  It's stunning how this artist captured the playfulness of youth, a mirror into our own souls with a bit of surrealism mixed with modern imagery and realism.  I wonder who the artist is?

Oh shoot.  Well, I like it anyway.  Good job, kids!  What's next?  And make that kid stop staring at me!

OK, now we are back in my comfort zone, a bit of 60's rock art.  I know you have probably seen the psychedelic posters like these before but stop and look more carefully. It's amazing how the artists wove the names of the bands in and out of the art. It's even more amazing that the stoned kids of the 60's could read it. I mean, I was really trying to read the names of the bands and could only figure out half of them. But then again, I wasn't stoned. I hadn't even had a beer - yet.

THE VERDICT:  Actually a very enjoyable exhibit even for those of you who never typically step inside an art museum. Next time you have an afternoon looking for something different to do, head over to Balboa Park and check out Art of Music exhibit. It's quite interesting and you can even explore the rest of the museum on the same ticket. Then afterwards go to Panama 66 and have a beer. That's the plan. 

Local Wally 

THINGS TO DO IN SAN DIEGO: San Diego Homebrew Festival, Nov 15th, 2015

eventsLocal WallyComment

Sample some of San Diego's best home brews and support a good cause at the same time at the San Diego Homebrew Festival and Competition.  All proceeds will go to Friends of Jefferson to engage in efforts to support children attending their neighborhood school, Thomas Jefferson Elementary, and to raise funds needed to create and sustain educational enrichment programs and purchase unfunded capital & non-capital improvements.  Hey, I like kids, I like beer, sounds like a winner to me.

Tickets are on sale now and just $35 - check out San Diego Homebrew Festival's official website here.  Tell your friends, mark your calendars, and make sure you head over to the 1st annual Homebrew Festival on Nov. 15th, 2015, in North Park.  See you there!