Art Around Adams is Back in San Diego!

This Saturday June 2nd will be the 9th Annual Art Around Adams two mile walk. This festival is all about music and art performance, and it will be held at Adams Avenue in San Diego.  The event will take place from 2pm-10pm, and it is free for all ages.

Exodus Studios, an events production company, announced today that the ninth annual "Art Around  Adams 2012," a music and art walk extending 2 miles on Adams Avenue is happening on June 2 from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.

A free and family-friendly event, Art Around Adams 2012 will showcase numerous visual and performance artists, stretching from Oregon street in Normal Heights to Vista street in Kensington. More than 100 businesses will "evolve" into art galleries and/or performance arenas for the day.

The event has new extended hours and will kickoff at 2pm with introductions from Mayor Jerry Sanders, Coucilmember Todd Gloria, and other surprise guests followed by a meet & greets with them. Some of the music acts you'll see are The Burning of Rome, Black Sands, 321Stereo, Christian Taylor and the Hollerin, Wendy Bailey, Ugly Boogie, Colin Clyne and Friends, Neon Cough, Scott Mathiasen & The Shifty Eyed Dogs, amongst many more. 

"This years event has new extended hours, new art installations, and in general a higher caliber of quality," said Adam Rosen, founder of Exodus Studios. "You'll be hard pressed not to see & feel the difference as you enter the world of Art Around Adams 2012." 

According to Rosen, Art Around Adams premiered in 2004 and has grown to generate over 15,000 attendees each year. 

"Not only is Art Around Adams great fun for everyone, it's a terrific way to showcase all the things that make this section of San Diego so unique and vibrant," said Mayor Jerry Sanders. "Every year, this event demonstrates that San Diego is a city whose residents are bursting with creativity, artistic talent and the entrepreneurial spirit." 

"Art Around Adams 2012 is such a valuable event in our neighborhood because it showcases local artists and provides the community with an opportunity to take in their artwork, music and performances," said Congresswoman Susan Davis. 

"Art Around Adams brings together art, comedy, and music in a free and family-friendly atmosphere," said Councilmember Todd Gloria. "I look forward to this event every year, and invite San Diegans to experience all that Normal Heights and Kensington offer." 

A complimentary trolley featuring live stand-up comedy will shuttle guests along Adams Avenue. Thousands of dollars’ worth of prizes will be given away. The prizes range from gift cards to vintage wine, all graciously donated from businesses in the Normal Heights/Kensington Communities. Info booth located at 3441 Adams Ave. 92116 the day of the event. 

For more information check out Art Around Adams.

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Chula Vista listed in the best "Playful City Communities"

Research has shows that kids playing is the best way to keep them active and healthy.  Well some cities are better at accommodating their younger citizens then others, and Chula Vista is one of these communities.

Today’s children spend less time playing outside than any previous generation, but 213 cities and towns, including Chula Vista, earned recognition from national non-profit KaBOOM! as 2012 Playful City USA communities for their efforts to increase play opportunities for children.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, play is critical to healthy brain development. It allows children to use their creativity while simultaneously developing imagination, dexterity and physical, cognitive and emotional strength. Yet today’s children spend less time playing outside than any previous generation in part because only 1-in-5 live within walking distance of a park or playground. The resulting play deficit is having profound consequences for kids physically, socially and academically.

Presented by The Humana Foundation, Playful City USA is a national program advocating for local policies that increase play opportunities for children and is a key platform in combating the play deficit.

KaBOOM!, the national non-profit organization dedicated to saving play, created Playful City USA in 2007 to help local governments address the play deficit and it is through mayors, city council members, parks and recreation departments, school districts and community leaders that the program succeeds in benefitting children.

“It’s important to lend support to the many local networks that provide opportunities for play. Playful City USA leads the way nationally and it is a perfect fit for Chula Vista’s award winning Parks and Recreation program," said Councilmember Pamela Bensoussan who took the lead in bringing this program to our city. “I appreciate the Playful City USA recognition as it fits with the City of Chula Vista Recreation Department’s goal to create more accessibility to recreational resources,” said Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox. “Our city’s San Miguel Ranch Community Park was recently recognized by the California Parks and Recreation Society for its user friendly design and programmable elements. We look forward to creating more opportunities through the Playful City USA program to enhance our park system and recreation programs.”

Hailing from 41 states, the 213 Playful City USA honorees range in size from six-time honorees such as Orlando and Phoenix to first-time recipient Independence, Oregon (population: 9,607). These Playful City USA communities are making a commitment to play and physical activity by developing unique local action plans to increase the quantity and quality of play in their community.

“Some of the most innovative concepts and cost-effective programs are being developed in Playful City USA communities,” says Darell Hammond, Founder and CEO of KaBOOM! and author of The New York Times Best Seller KaBOOM!: How One Man Built a Movement to Save Play. “Cities like Chula Vista are key allies in the fight to combat the play deficit and serve as outstanding role models for government and community leaders across the country.”

Each of the 2012 Playful City USA communities demonstrated creative commitments to addressing the play deficit. Playful City USA celebrates and highlights these unique initiatives developed by communities across the country. A primary goal of Playful City USA is to encourage cities and towns to share ideas, concepts and programs in an effort to increase play opportunities for children.

KaBOOM! selected Chula Vista for its outstanding dedication to play. Chula Vista aims to increase access to additional playspaces through joint use agreements. Additionally, the city will utilize programs such as "Love Your Block" to subsidize projects that help to clean and maintain neighborhoods in Chula Vista.

The 213 Playful City USA communities are now eligible for $15,000, $20,000 and $30,000 grants via Let’s Play, a community partnership led by Dr Pepper Snapple Group, to get kids and families active nationwide. Grant recipients will be announced on June 4, 2012.

For more information on the KaBOOM! Playful City USA program, including Let’s Play grants and applications for 2013, visit www.playfulcityusa.org

For more information go to: City of Chula Vista

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Bayfront Master Plan

The beautiful bayfront at Chula Vista is getting revitalized!  The Chula Vista Bayfront master plan consists of protecting coastal resources, providing visitor serving amenities, and revitalizing the bayfront for the region, the community, residents, coastal visitors, and the environment.  The plan will consist of four stages over a 24 year period.



The Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan will provide for a thriving waterfront destination that has been carefully designed and planned by a broad coalition of stakeholders to protect coastal resources, provide visitor serving amenities, and revitalize the bayfront for the region, the community, residents, coastal visitors, and the environment. It is the result of a decade-long joint planning effort by the Port of San Diego, the City of Chula Vista and Pacifica Companies.
The Chula Vista bayfront is just 15 minutes from San Diego International Airport and only 14 minutes from the United States-Mexico border. The project spans the area west of Interstate 5 in Chula Vista, from E Street to Palomar Street.

At A Glance

• Collaboratively planned through more than 100 community meetings
• Protects sensitive wildlife habitat, species, and other coastal resources
• Permanent protection of habitat and open space from a land exchange between Pacifica Companies and San Diego Unified Port District-providing a net gain of 62 acres of public land
• Provides 230 acres of public parks and open space, and habitat preservation
• Public promenades, bike trails, and other public access areas connecting the entire bayfront
• Bayfront Resort and conference center
• Mixed-use commercial recreation, office, and residential
• Waterfront visitor‐serving retail uses and public gathering spaces
• Reconfigured marina and improved commercial harbor and navigation channel
• Projected to revitalize the waterfront and generate $1.3 billion for the region over 20 years
• Creates more than 2,200 permanent jobs, nearly 7,000 construction jobs and numerous indirect jobs in the regional economy

Public Benefit
When completed, more than 40 percent of the project area (230 acres) will be dedicated to parks, open space and habitat restoration/preservation; with 130 acres identified for parks and open space that provide public access and use. The visitor-serving amenities and mix-uses will be clustered in the Harbor District to reduce impact on environmentally sensitive areas.
Economic Benefits
The Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan is expected to be economically sustainable. The plan is designed to create local and regional jobs and produce new public revenues for the region. The project is projected to generate $1.3 billion during its first 20 years, including more than $11.5 million in annual tax revenues. Implementation of the plan will create more than 2,200 permanent jobs, nearly 7,000 construction jobs and numerous indirect jobs in the regional economy.
From Planning to Implementation
Planning efforts began in 2002 and were guided by the Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan Citizens Advisory Committee. The resulting draft land use plans were shaped through an extensive public participation program, including a comprehensive environmental study, which was certified in 2010. After clearing several regulatory hurdles and reviews by various agencies, the plan is scheduled to go before the California Coastal Commission in 2012.
If approved by the California Coastal Commission, the master plan will be implemented jointly by the Port of San Diego and the City of Chula Vista in four major phases over a 24-year period. Phase one of implementation includes the development of the resort conference center, the creation of 50 acres of public parks and open space, the restoration of 40 acres of habitat areas, and the construction of a new fire station and mixed-use residential development.
Collaborative Process
The following governing bodies unanimously approved the Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan:

• San Diego Unified Port District Board of Port Commissioners
• City of Chula Vista City Council
• City of Chula Vista Planning Commission
• City of Chula Vista Redevelopment Agency
• California State Lands Commission (approved land exchange with Pacifica Companies)                                                                                Read more on the city of Chula Vista's website.                                                                                                                                                                     

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American Idol Finalist Coming Home

Chula Vista is set to welcome home American Idol finalist Jessica Sanchez with much fanfare. We're proud of our hometown heroine and hope you can make it out to receive her in style! The San Francisco Chronicle has the details via PRWeb:
 [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/05/10/prweb9498275.DTL]

The City of Chula Vista will welcome home 16-year-old singing sensation and hometown resident, Jessica Sanchez on Saturday, May 12 with a celebration featuring a procession, rally and mini concert. The homecoming will be filmed by American Idol camera crews and will air next week on the Fox Network.

Festivities will be held at Eastlake High School football stadium. Fans can root for Sanchez as she rides in a short procession with the Eastlake High School Marching Band and Color Guard starting at 10:15 a.m. southbound on Eastlake Parkway from Otay Lakes Road to Clubhouse Drive onto the school campus. Eastlake High School is located at 1120 Eastlake Parkway.

Stadium seating is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Gates open at 9 a.m. Entertainment from Eastlake High and Middle Schools will be provided prior to Sanchez performing at 11:30 a.m.

"Our community is thrilled to welcome home Jessica - she is already Chula Vista's Idol," said Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox. "Her amazing talent and accomplishments are deserving of this grand celebration. We are so proud of her."

Attendees should arrive from the south using Olympic Parkway or from the east using Clubhouse Drive to Eastlake Parkway. Eastlake Parkway will be closed to traffic from Clubhouse Drive to Otay Lakes Road from approximately 8:30 a.m. until noon in order to permit safe viewing of the procession. Because of limited parking, guests are encouraged to carpool. Public transit will be re-routed. Riders might experience delays.

Please show your support for Jessica by bringing your homemade signs and best television smiles.

No coolers, backpacks, umbrellas, pets or lawn chairs are permitted. No food or beverages other than water are allowed on the field.

The City of Chula Vista thanks the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation and SDG&E for their generous support of this event.

Sanchez is one of three finalists vying to win the title of American Idol, a nationally televised music program. She is the youngest contestant and the only West Coast participant. The show is in its 11th season and has over 43 million viewers.

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Mother's Day Gift Ideas

The kind folks over at ApartmentTherapy have put together a list of gift ideas for Mother's Day - which is only a week away! These are handmade items from Austin artisans, but can be ordered and delivered to anywhere:

…it's time to start thinking about a thoughtful present so you're not rushing last minute! If you don't have time or skills to create a lovely handmade gift yourself for mom, Austin's explosion of creative artisans (and their wares) is sure to be inspiring.

Whether your mom's a foodie, loves a beautiful bouquet, is a fashionista or more, Austin craftspeople have got it covered. This is a teeny, tiny sliver of the sorts of wonderful handmade gifts you could get for mom made by a talented Austin artisan. And the best part: you don't have to be in Austin to purchase many of these!

 Be sure to check out the full list of ideas here.

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