Labor Day Weekend Plans

Labor Day weekend starts in a few days, and many families are making plans to have a great last weekend of summer.  Here are just some of the great events happening this weekend in your area.  From sand sculpting to a music festival, there is something for everyone this weekend.

 

1. Festival of Sail

More than twenty tall ships and other fascinating vessels from around the world will transform the North Embarcadero into a nautical theme park. The festival kicks off with a majestic parade of tall ships on San Diego Bay, Thursday, August 30. Parade begins at 11:00 AM and can be seen from the Embarcadero, Harbor Island, Shelter Island and Coronado. Festival visitors can enjoy touring the ships, live entertainment at the Festival of Sail main stage, food and drink from dozens of restaurant booths, a petting zoo and more.

2. US Sand Sculpting Challenge

From August 31 – September 3rd, head downtown to see some astonishing sand sculptures from professional world masters, the California masters team competition to student competitions. Other activities include sand sculpture classes for kids, dancers, musicians, pirates, magicians and more.

3. SoCAL Music Festival

Head over to San Diego’s East Village for the SoCAL Music Festival, Saturday, September 1 from 2:00PM to midnight. Over 25 DJ’s and Bands will be performing on four stages. Tickets available starting at $40 per person, 21 years and up.

4. Julian Grape Stomp

 

Drive over to Julian to take part in the annual olde-world style grape stomp and festa at the Menghini Winery Saturday, September 1 from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM. There will be two barrels for stomping – one for adults and one for children. Admission is $10 for adults 21 and over, $5 ages 6-20 and 5 and under are free.

For more information see San Diego.

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Big Bay Ballroom's Harbor Hop

The Big Bay Ballroom's Harbor Hop is coming to South Bay this August 24th.  The event is free and open to the public.  You can watch the dancing, take lessons, or show everyone your best dance moves.  The event will be at the Chula Vista Bayfront park from 7pm-10pm.  There sill be various bands performing all night.

It’ll be rockin’ and rollin’ in the park under the stars this Friday night, Aug. 24, in the South Bay.

That’s when the boogying begins at the Harbor Hop, the Port of San Diego’s free Big Bay Ballroom fest in Chula Vista Bayfront Park, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Harbor Hop is the fourth and final gala music and dance event the Port will be hosting this month.
 
The Harbor Hop fun starts with dance instructor Catherine Poole, who will help perfect your moves. She’ll be teaching the East Coast Swing, which she said is known for its “bounciness and swing hip action.” The free dance lessons are set to begin at 7:15 p.m. Poole has been dancing and performing since she was 14. When she graduated from Brigham Young University in 2008, the degrees she earned included a minor in ballroom dance. She also is a dance instructor at Mary Murphy's Champion Ballroom.

From 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., you can swing to the Big Band sounds of Swingtown.

Last Saturday night on the Imperial Beach oceanfront, Lenora Porcella was among several hundred people enjoying the Barefoot Boogie.

“What a terrific event,” was her comment to Imperial Beach Patch, which provided a gallery of photos of some of the dancers. “It just doesn't get better than dancing under the stars, at the beach, on a summer evening.”

Other ballrooms have featured salsa dancing and music at Pepper Park in National City and swing dancing and jitterbug at the Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier.

The Port is hosting the Big Bay Ballroom events and numerous other community events, ranging from concerts and dances to festivals, fitness clinics and eco-tourism celebrations, to enliven the San Diego Bay waterfront. The goal is to create a vibrant waterfront and provide residents and visitors opportunities to enjoy year-round activities in the five Port member cities and their parks and open spaces along the bay and the Imperial Beach oceanfront.

For information on the event, please visit Port of San Diego.

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Essential Cleaning Items for Everyone Homeowner

 Moving into a a new place or reorganizing a new one always has to involve cleaning.  There are a few cleaning necessities everyone needs to start have on hand.   These items will make it much easier to start fresh and clean all the essentials in your home.

If you are moving into a new space, hopefully it has been professionally cleaned, and now the trick is to keep it up. Starting off the move with a kit of new cleaning supplies is the best way to kick things off — here are our top 10 essentials.

1. Start off with an open storage container, like this cleaning caddy from Container Store.

2. I can't get enough of the Method cleaning products, and their all-purpose lavender scented surface cleaner is my favorite all-around product for any surface. From Target

3. Every home has glass surfaces, and Windex is a must have.

4. A natural and fresh scented alternative to harsh scrubs is Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Surface Scrub.

5. One of my favorite inventions to combat dust in recent years is Swiffer sweeper wipes. From Swiffer.

6. Throw one of these cheap, cheerful dustpans in your cart while shopping for moving essentials at IKEA.

7. A new toilet brush is a necessity for a new place, as no one wants to move an old grimy one. For a fresh start, give a toilet wand with flushable wipes a try. From Ace Hardware.

8. A daily shower cleaner is one way to keep a shower looking fresh, and the Method Daily Shower cleaner will help make scrubbing less of a chore.

9. One specialty cleaner that often gets forgotten, but will help with sticky touch ups is Goo Gone.

10. Mr. Clean Magic Eraser should be number one on the list, especially after moving, as this tool magically removes scuff marks from walls and furniture.

For more information check out Apartment Therapy.

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Annual Lemon Festival

This weekend get one last taste of summer with the annual Lemon Festival.  The family will love the entertainment, food, and games.  There is even a Kids' Fun Zone that is a favorite every year.   The festival celebrates the heritage of our town, as it used to be the Lemon Capital of the World.  The event will take place this Sunday August 12th from E to G Streets on Third Avenue.

Squeeze a day of fun into your summer by celebrating at the Lemon Festival! The free festival is returning for the sixteenth year to downtown Chula Vista on Sunday, August 12.

The event celebrates Chula Vista’s heritage as the once self-proclaimed "Lemon Capital of the World.” The community is welcome to join the festivities on Third Avenue, from E to G Streets, beginning at 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Every year, the event increases in popularity bringing up to 40,000 visitors to enjoy a full day of family fun and activities.

This year the agenda includes live entertainment on three stages, local and regional hand crafters and dozens of delicious international food options. Haul the largest lemon in your arsenal to the F Street Stage at 4 p.m. for the annual “Largest Lemon Contest.” New this year is the Scripps Health and Fitness Showcase at the E Street Stage where health screenings, fitness demos and contests will take place. Adults can grab a cold one at the beer garden at F Street and for the young ones, the Kids’ Fun Zone will return to G Street.

For more information go to the City of Chula Vista website.

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Olympic Locals to Watch

The Olympics are exciting for everyone.  However, having so many athletes from Chula Vista and the Chula Vista Training Center makes our city come together to cheer for these hometown athletes.  Everything from Rowing to Field Hockey has a basis at the Chula Vista Olympic Training Center.  These athletes have worked for most of their lives for this moment to compete and bring home gold to the USA.  Chula Vista watches and cheers for these athletes in the competition of a lifetime.

Here is a schedule and results for some of the Chula Vista Athletes this week.

MONDAY

Archery: Olympic Training Center residents Brady Ellison, Jake Kaminski, Jacob Wukie, Miranda Leek and Khatuna Lorig are competing. Leek won a morning match, but lost 6-4 to Italy’s Pia Lionetti in the 16.

Rowing: The U.S. men’s team, which is based at the OTC, put oars in the water with heats in the fours, eights and quads. Most notable was the men’s four, which won its heat in 5:54.88 and could be a medal contender.

Water polo: USDHS alum Kelly Rulon had one goal in the U.S. women’s team’s 14-13 victory over Hungary.

TUESDAY

Field hockey: U.S. team, based at Olympic Training Center, plays Argentina.

Rowing: U.S. men’s lightweight four advanced from Monday’s repechage to the semifinals.

Soccer: U.S. women’s team, including Rachel Buehler (Torrey Pines HS), plays North Korea.

Volleyball: U.S. men’s team, with Rich Lambourne (Serra HS), David Lee (Granite Hills HS) and Reid Priddy (grew up in Carlsbad), plays its second match against Germany.

Water polo: U.S. men’s team, including Coronado High alums Layne Beaubein and Jesse Smith, plays Romania.

WEDNESDAY

Archery: Men’s and women’s individual eliminations continues.

Water polo: U.S. women’s team, which includes USDHS alum Kelly Rulon, plays Spain in its second match of the Games.

For more information go to UT San Diego.

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