The Verne Goodwin Mira Mesa Senior Center will be hosting a Driver Safety Program refresher course, sponsored by AARP.

The course is especially designed for drivers age 50 and over. Auto insurance discounts are available from most companies (consult your insurance agent).

The eight hour course will be presented on two successive Thursdays; August 7 and August 14.

Courses each day will be from 1:00 to 5:00pm. Please arrive a few minutes early.

Attendance at both classes is necessary for credit and certificate. The course fee is $10.00, payable on the first class day. Space is limited to thirty students. Register by calling (858) 578-7325. For complete details click here.

If you want to keep up with what is going on in Mira Mesa make sure to subscribe to our free newsletter. Not only will you get the latest news sent directly to your inbox, you will also get lots of chances to win some great prizes from local merchants.

Popularity: 29% [?]

DeMaio Holds “Open Houses”

To Solicit Input from District 5 Residents

Public Invited to Share Concerns and Provide Ideas for New Councilman

SAN DIEGO – City Councilman-elect Carl DeMaio announced today that he will hold several “open houses” for residents to discuss their concerns and provide ideas as he works to shape his agenda and priorities for his first year in office.

“I am looking forward to hearing concerns and ideas from the residents in each community as we put together our strategic plan to guide our first year in office,” said DeMaio. “These open houses are just one way we are soliciting community input and we will be holding sessions like these on a regular basis.”

Three “open house” sessions are slated across District 5 at the following times and locations:

Monday, July 28 5:30-7:30pm

Rancho Bernardo Home of Carl DeMaio

18295 High Mesa Court, San Diego 92127

Thursday, July 31, 6:00-7:30pm

Mira Mesa Home of Mike Davis

7545 Dancy Road, San Diego 92126

Tuesday, August 5, 5:30-7:00pm

Scripps Ranch Information Center

11885 Cypress Canyon Road, San Diego, 92131

Residents can also email Councilman-elect DeMaio at carl@carldemaio.com with their ideas and concerns.

On June 3, 2008 Carl DeMaio was elected to the San Diego City Council to represent District 5—comprised of the communities of Rancho Bernardo, Mira Mesa, Scripps Ranch, Sabre Springs, Sorrento Mesa, Carmel Mountain Ranch, and San Pasqual Valley. DeMaio made history as a non-incumbent taking a Council seat by the widest margin in a primary—winning 66% of the vote. DeMaio takes office on December 8, 2008.

For more information, visit www.CleanUpCityHall.com. To schedule an interview, contact David Flaherty at 619-503- 0111.

Popularity: 31% [?]

The time is quickly approaching for another Mira Mesa Community Event. The Street Fair is a great way for local businesses and our residents to meet, enjoy great food and entertainment, and do some business in a fun, casual environment. If you plan on participating in this event, don’t wait until the last minute to reserve your spot. Vendor applications should be turned in prior to August 18th to avoid a late fee, and all vendor applications must be received before August 27th in order to participate this year. Originated by the Town Council in 1999, the Mira Mesa Street Fair is a premier event held on the fourth Saturday in September, which is the 27th this year. The Fair is located on Camino Ruiz, and runs from New Salem to Mira Mesa Blvd. Displays include Arts & Crafts vendors, local businesses, civic groups, the Kid’s Zone and 2 community stages. It is fun for the whole family. The most outstanding point of this event is that it is completely organized and hosted by community volunteers. Anyone that would like to volunteer, and volunteers are greatly needed, there are meetings on the fourth Thursday of each month at the Mira Mesa Senior Center. The next meeting is July 24th at 6:30 p.m. for the Mira Mesa Street Fair Committee. Chairperson for the committee is Robin Stutsman. For more information on how you or your business can make this event a success, or to download your vendor application, please go to the Mira Mesa Town Council website, under Street Fair.

If you want to keep up with what is going on in Mira Mesa make sure to subscribe to our free newsletter. Not only will you get the latest news sent directly to your inbox, you will also get lots of chances to win some great prizes from local merchants.

Popularity: 50% [?]

Opening Day at the Del Mar Racetrack 2008. The sun was shining, the wild and stylish hats were everywhere, and over 43,000 people showed up to celebrate the first day of the racing season in style at Old Del Mar. A fantastic day of racing, socializing, eating, drinking, and wagering was had by all. The seats were packed from the infield to the premium box seats, grandstands to the track-side beach chair filled,standing room only area ( where we spent most of the day), and the Coors Light VIP Tent.

This was my first time at the Opening Day at the Races, and now I can see why they break attendance records each year. It was hard not getting whiplash trying to take in all the sights.
Beautiful Ladies everywhere. Handsome Gentlemen trying to keep up with the Ladies. And did I mention the hats? This is the one day where every female gets to dress to impress and they are treated like celebrities. Video cameras, photographers, news media, they were all there to catch you looking your best.

There was some stiff competition during the hat contest. Kids and adults alike participated, and my favorites were original and creative. Batman made a showing, as did a tribute hat for Breast Cancer Research, where guests were asked to write the names of family members affected by Breast Cancer on the strips behind the hat. Great cause and a beautiful hat.

Still, if you didn’t make it this year, make plans on going early next year.

San Diego has some of the most beautiful women on earth, and most of them were here for Opening Day. Enjoy our view of the Day at the Races. Del Mar is Cool as ever.

Popularity: 29% [?]

I was watching TV the other day, when I realized there just aren’t any good sitcoms on anymore. That got me thinking about my new top 10 list. Greatest sitcoms of all time.

1. Cheers - I know Sam was the star, but I think Norm was the unsung hero of the show.
2. Seinfeld - I can’t think of another show that people would talk about more often at work the next day. No soup for you!
3. Everybody Loves Raymond - My wife & I lived next door to my parents when we first got married, and the show was far too accurate !
4. Married With Children - Al Bundy was the epitome of how every husband feels but is afraid to admit in public. Christina Applegate was a bonus.
5. M*A*S*H* - One of the greatest shows of all time. It made you laugh, cry, and showed you how to survive in the worst of situations - during wartime.
6. Two and a Half Men - This is the only modern sitcom that even qualifies. The writing is original, edgy, and you gotta love the cast.
7. All In The Family - I don’t think they could run this show in today’s “politically correct” society. Archie Bunker just called it as he saw it. Gotta respect that.
8. The Cosby Show - I wonder if Archie Bunker and Dr. Cliff Huxtable would have gotten along? Great show, but a polar opposite of the concept of All In The Family. It made you laugh in every episode, until the kids grew up and they ran out of funny plots.
9. Taxi - This show brought us a hilarious cast which included: Danny DeVito, Andy Kaufman, Christopher Lloyd, Tony Danza, Marylou Henner, Judd Hirsch, and Jeff Conaway (currenty under rehab with Dr. Drew, but still on tv!) Who thought it would last more than a season, but I loved it.
10. Friends - I don’t know anyone who has a group of friends like that, but who wouldn’t want to try to hook up with Rachel or Monica? I think I would “take a bullet for the President” and date Phoebe if it meant I had a shot at her best buddies.

There it is, my list of favorites. I know, I left out The Simpsons, Southpark, and several other great animated ones, but I think they should have their own category. Remember that these are my favorites, but I do like to know yours as well. What did I forget? Let me know. Thanks for the feedback.

Popularity: 14% [?]

Are you ready for the 2008 Del Mar Racetrack Season?

The Fair Season is over, and it is time to gear up for another outstanding season where the turf meets the surf. I am talking about betting on the ponies at Del Mar. The 2008 season runs from July 16th through September 3rd. Racing is six days a week, with Tuesday dark. The first four Fridays of the meet see racing begin at 4 p.m. instead of the usual 2 p.m. daily post. The final three Fridays have first post moved up to 3:30 to allow for the earlier sunsets. On all Fridays the musical action begin at the “Plaza de Mexico” shortly after the last race has been run. As usual, Del Mar fans will be the beneficiaries of special promotions during the meet: A beach towel will be given away on Saturday, August 2; a Del Mar logo cap on Saturday, August 16, and a Del Mar resort shirt on Sunday, August 24.

Fans will welcome back an always-competitive jockey colony that will be enhanced this year by the return of 2007 champion rider Garrett Gomez and the addition of Santa Anita and Hollywood Park leading jockey Rafael Bejarano. Rising star Joel Rosario headlines a list of returnees that includes Michael Baze, his cousin Tyler Baze, Corey Nakatani, Alex Solis, Victor Espinoza, David Flores, Mike Smith, Joseph Talamo, Richard Migliore, Jose Valdivia Jr., Martin Pedroza , Martin Garcia and Aaron Gryder. So grab the sports section of the Union Tribune, pick up the racing forms at the track, or mingle by the paddock and randomly pick your winners and head out to Del Mar for a fun day in the sun during this year’s event. It is amazing how excited you get on a $2 bet.

We had a great time during the opening day events this year, picked a couple of long shots, saw some very creative hats and a lot of beautiful ladies. Check out our photos from Opening Day 2008. We are working on a video which will be up soon. Thanks again to the staff at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club for hosting such an outstanding event.

If you want to keep up with what is going on in Mira Mesa make sure to subscribe to our free newsletter. Not only will you get the latest news sent directly to your inbox, you will also get lots of chances to win some great prizes from local merchants.

Popularity: 30% [?]

Top 10 list volume 5. I told my poker night buddies about the 10 best guy movies, and they suggested the best quotes from movies as a topic. That is going to be this week’s list. My favorite Movie Quotes are:

1. “You’re killing me, Smalls !” - The Sandlot (1993)
2. “You’ll shoot your eye out !” - A Christmas Story (1983)
3. “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.” - Dirty Dancing (1987)
4. “I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart.” - The Godfather: Part II (1974)
5. “Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son.” - Animal House (1978)
6. “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father, prepare to die !” - The Princess Bride (1987)
7. “Get busy livin’, or get busy dyin’.” - Shawshank Redemption (1994)
8. “There’s no crying in baseball.” - A League Of Their Own (1992)
9. “I’m an excellent driver.” - Rainman (1988)
10. “Say hello to my little friend! ” - Scarface (1983)

These are just a few of my favorites, and I am sure you can add to this list. I only list 10 to keep it simple. Any ideas for future lists? Let me know in the comments box below.

Popularity: 18% [?]

Happy Hour In Mira Mesa

We are adding a new business spotlight section to the website, where we feature a different local business each week. For starters, we are focusing on Happy Hour In Mira Mesa, where we go visit some local hot spots and try their specialty features and our own personal favorites and report back to you. These are not paid advertisements, but our own impressions of our visit during the average happy hour on any given day. For our first happy hour feature, we decided to visit the On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina. We were greeted with a friendly welcome at the door, and quickly made our way to the bar. The beers are served in frosty 18 oz. goblets, and my Newcastle was ice cold from the first sip until the last. The Margaritas are pre-made, but tasty. Happy hour food ranged from $1.99 tacos to the $10.49 Border Sampler. We tried the sampler, which included smoked chicken flautas, steak nachos, and chicken quesadilla. We are pretty big guys, and there was plenty to eat. Sports events are displayed on 3 flat screen tv’s, and although not too crowded, everyone in the bar was having a good time. We had a bar crew from another On The Border covering shifts, since the Mira Mesa Crew won a contest and were treated to a Padres game by the company. Although they were unfamiliar with this location, they were very friendly, helpful, and showed great company spirit. I would say if you were in the mood for an ice cold beer, tasty margarita or Mexican food, make On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina your first stop.

If you want to keep up with what is going on in Mira Mesa make sure to subscribe to our free newsletter. Not only will you get the latest news sent directly to your inbox, you will also get lots of chances to win some great prizes from local merchants.

Popularity: 30% [?]

We all know there are differences between men and women, as described in the book Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. I had a discussion with some friends the other day about this subject, and we all wondered why men can remember movie lines from the greatest guy movies of all times, such as Animal House, while women just don’t have that ability. The discussion moved onto the best guy movies -vs- the best chick flicks. We had a hard time deciding which would be considered the best chick flicks of all time, since we only had the male perspective. Here is our top 10 List of the best Chick Flicks, otherwise known as the Top 10 Movies No Man Should Ever Be Subjected To Watching… Ever.

1. Beaches – Women love it, men hate it. I don’t know why, but I think it is because the title has nothing to do with our reasons for going to the beach: Surf, Bikinis, and Beer. Strike the last one, you can’t drink beer at the beach anymore (thanks to the newly passed Prop D).

2. Pretty Woman – Usually, this sounds like a plot that every guy would enjoy: rich guy, pretty prostitute, etc. but somewhere in the middle, our hero turns out to have a heart and our girlfriend/wife just has to watch this movie over and over until we just can’t stand it anymore. Add in every other movie with Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, if you have seen one, you have seen them all.

3. The Notebook – I Never saw it. But I was told that it was the worst movie ever, and when I heard my wife, sister-in-law, and niece all loved it, well that was enough for me.

4. Any movie that has the words “Traveling Pants” or “Sisterhood” in it. There must be a reason why all men love Animal House, Caddyshack, and The Godfather. The same must be true for the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood, and others. Women love them, men would rather spend a weekend doing their honey-do list.

5. Gone With The Wind – I know it is one of the greatest movies of all time. It was just way too long. We are men, we have tiny little brains, and we don’t have any kind of attention span that is longer than it takes to complete a football game.

6. Steel Magnolias – Too much drama, too many issues, and too much crying. Yes, I did actually watch this movie, and although I liked Olympia Dukakis and Shirley MacLaine going at each other, I would rather have watched “Honey, I  Shrunk The Kids” which came out at the same time.

7. Grease / Dirty Dancing – Two separate movies, but same affect. We don’t like to dance. We look stupid doing it. If it wasn’t for slow songs, we may never know what a dance floor feels like. That is reason enough, but I will throw in this for good measure: No one puts Baby in a corner. Nice hair Swayze.

8. Breakfast at Tiffany’s – Another exploitation movie to increase sales of jewelry and brainwash men into spending their hard earned money on a “little blue box”.

9. On Golden Pond – Oh Norman, Please spare me this one. Superb actors and actresses, I will give you that but it fails in comparison to Porky’s (I, II or III).

10. Ghost – Enough with your love affair with Patrick Swayze. I liked him too in Road House when he was beating up everyone. I just can’t promote any movie that tries to make you cry with a line like “Ditto”.

That’s my list. I hope it did not offend anyone, that was not the goal of this exercise. I only do this to entertain. To show I am not the chauvinist pig you think I am, I will watch either Rudy or Brians Song this week to get in touch with my sensitive side. Then I will watch Mad Max to even things out again. Have a great week. See you at the movies!

Popularity: 10% [?]

New week, new list. I was talking to a friend the other day about being punished into watching “Beaches” one time by an old girlfriend. This lead me to either write about the ten best guy movies of all time, or the 10 best chick flicks of all time. The fact that I am a dude will sway the vote to list my 10 favorite guy movies. Here they are:

1. Caddyshack
2. Animal House
3. Blazing Saddles
4. Pulp Fiction
5. Godfather (part 1, part 2)
6. Starwars (the first one issued, volume 4 in the series)
7. Fast Times at Ridgemont High
8. Brave Heart
9. The Usual Suspects
10.Shawshank Redemption

Now, I know there are far too many great movies to stuff into a top 10 list, but I used as a guideline movies that I could watch over and over again, or they had such great quotes that I still use them frequently. I can’t think of another movie that used Fresca for an ad placement than Caddyshack. That’s just awesome. “How ’bout a Fresca, hmm, huh?” Ted Knight is my hero. Have fun with your list… I am looking forward to Jennifer’s 10 best chick flicks ( or feel free to list your favorite guy movies!).

If you want to keep up with what is going on in Mira Mesa make sure to subscribe to our free newsletter. Not only will you get the latest news sent directly to your inbox, you will also get lots of chances to win some great prizes from local merchants.

Popularity: 18% [?]