Epicentre Celebrates 10 Years of Service to Mira Mesa Youth

SAVE THE DATE! On November 13, 2009, Harmonium, Inc. will proudly celebrate Epicentre’s anniversary – The Epicentre Journey: Celebrating 10 Years of Youth Service.  Click here to view the save the Date flier & Online Auction info.  Check out our Online Auction items – we have an autographed poster of Adam Lambert, American Idol Season 8 runner-up, a Heath Bell autographed San Diego Padres cap package, a one of kind tile art piece, gift baskets, hotel accommodations and more to come.  Sponsorships are being accepted until 10/16/09. If you would like to become a sponsor, you can download the application here.

The festivities will include an open house from 4:00pm – 6:30pm with speaker presentations, live music, break dancing demonstrations and other activities, an art show, a raffle and refreshments.

A concert from 7:00-10:00pm featuring performances by We Shot The Moon, Goodnight Caulfield and a 3rd Band to be announced will conclude the festivities. We hope you will plan to join us for the Open House and Concert – come check us out.

Harmonium will also conduct an online auction from November 2 – 22, 2009 in conjunction with the event.  Proceeds from the Auction will benefit Epicentre  & Youth Programs.

The Latest Flash for Sept. 28-Oct. 4, 2009

Edward Jones is hosting a Social Security & Finance Seminar on September 30, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. at the Paradise Grille. 2690 Via de la Valle, Ste D210 Del Mar, CA 92014. Please RSVP to 858-695-1001 if you would like to attend.

The MCAS Miramar Air Show is back! Earth-shaking explosions, thundering fly-bys, daredevil aerobatics, the Blue Angels and the Canadian Snowbirds, and the best pilots on the planet – experience it all at the award-winning, world-class MCAS Miramar Air Show, open to the public all three days: Oct. 2, 3 and 4. Gates open at 8 a.m. daily. Performance times are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. , and from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday for the Twilight Show. Parking, admission and blanket seating are free for all shows. Preferred seating is available and can be purchased online at www.MiramarAirShow.com, or by calling 1-877-772-5425. Join us in celebrating the MCAS Miramar Air Show “A Salute to Teamwork.” For the latest air show information, go to www.MiramarAirShow.com.

The Knights of Columbus will be holding an E-Waste Drive to help you properly recycle and dispose of your old electronics, at no charge. On October 3rd, 2009 between 9am-3pm the Knights will be accepting: Monitors, CRT Screens, Plasma Screens, Televisions, LCD Screens, Laptops, Printers, Copiers, Faxes, Scanners, Microwaves, Computer Towers, Stereo Systems, Mice/Trackballs, Cell Phones, Speakers, Telephones, Uninterpretable Power Supplies, VCR’s, DVD Players, Servers, Server Racks, Plotters, Batteries (Household), Power Cords/Cables/Strips, or any old appliances (Basically anything that plugs in, runs on batteries, or has a wire!) You can bring these items to the St. Therese of Carmel Church Parking Lot located at 4355 Del Mar Trails, San Diego, CA 92130 which is in Carmel Valley, close to the 56 freeway.

As in past years, the Mira Mesa High School Sapphire Sound and the Mira Mesa Instrumental Music Boosters (MMIMB) are sponsoring a fundraiser which provides the capital for Sapphire Sound (MMHS’s Marching Band) to survive and thrive despite of the limited (non-existent) funds provided by the school district. The all day event starts with school a clean-up at 7:00am and ends with school clean-up at 11:00pm on November 7, 2009 which will be done by band students and their parents. There will be other events happening throughout the day.

There is a great need for adult volunteers to man parking, campus supervision and direction, communications, concessions and a few others.  With a band and color guard numbering in about 120 students, this feat is a little undermanned.  Parents have already signed-up to work as many hours as they can, but there are still many positions open. We are hoping that you can help us find the manpower to fill these positions.  Any one person can work as little as two hours or as much as a whole day. Thank you for any help you can give us at this time.  Sapphire Sound can only survive with your help and that of the community in which they reside.  This group has been invited to and represented Mira Mesa, San Diego, California and the United States in various world wide events including the Washington D.C. 4th of July Parade and the Opening Ceremonies of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

Any questions can be directed to me at 858-271-1572 or at mgpankau@hotmail.com.
Maria Pankau,Tournament Liaison/Event Coordinator.

Mira Mesa Volunteer Appreciation Night October 29, 2009

There will be a Thank You Reception on Thursday, October 29, 2009 at the Mira Mesa High School Auditorium beginning at 6:00 p.m. Please join us as we express our appreciation for all of those who have volunteered to improve our High School and Mira Mesa Community. This Volunteer Appreciation Night is sponsored by the Mira Mesa High School and the Mira Mesa NEC (Nonprofit Executive Council).

There will be appetizers and refreshments, and our Featured Speaker will be Council Member Carl DeMaio. Please RSVP to Jennifer Kvalvik if you plan on attending by October 8, 2009. You can reach Jennifer at (858) 566-2262 ext. 2161 or email jkvalvik@sandi.net.

In continuing with our volunteer efforts, we would like to encourage all attendees to bring a canned good to be donated to the food bank. A collection area will be designated at the entrance to the auditorium.

NEC Organizations include, but are not limited to;
•    Mira Mesa Town Council
•    Mira Mesa High School
•    Mira Mesa Chamber of Commerce
•    Mira Mesa Park &Recreation Council
•    Mira Mesa HEROES
•    Mira Mesa Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)
•    Mira Mesa Women’s Club
•    San Diego Executive Lions Club

We hope you will attend, and show your appreciation to those very dedicated volunteers that give so much throughout the year without asking for anything in return. Volunteers make things happen, and we would like to say Thank You for all you do to make Mira Mesa a better place to live and thrive.

Volunteers make possible: The 4th of July Fireworks and Parade, The Mira Mesa Street Fair, The Taste of Mira Mesa, The Mira Mesa Farmers Market, The Monster Manor,  as well as keeping our parks clean, our streets safe, and the walls graffiti free. Do your part and volunteer today!

Mira Mesa Street Fair Saturday, September 26, 2009

The 11th annual Mira Mesa Street Fair on Saturday, Sept. 26th, 2009, offers family fun from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Camino Ruiz between Mira Mesa Boulevard and New Salem Street. More than 100 crafters, businesses, non-profit groups, and food vendors will have booths at the event.

Hosted by the Mira Mesa Town Council, the Street Fair will feature a carnival with rides for children and teens, and continuous entertainment on two stages. The food court will have an international flair, from Japanese BBQ, noodles and salads to Mediterranean gyros to all-American hot dogs and hamburgers.

Special attractions include large earth-moving equipment and military vehicles from MCAS Miramar. Vulcan Materials will host a rock-painting booth for children to create their own “rock art.” SDG&E will offer a lamp and light bulb exchange, providing compact fluorescent bulbs and floor or table lamps for the less energy efficient incandescent bulbs and halogen torchiere lamps. Friends of the Mira Mesa Library will hold their biggest book sale of the year.

Enjoy stage performances of Filipino, Hawaiian, and belly dance; martial arts demonstrations, and a variety of vocal artists and bands. Community stage entertainment will be hosted by Ray Pinnock of Strictly Rhythms Entertainment. The Street Fair features continuous entertainment on two stages, including the popular band Y3K as our closing act on the Vulcan Materials Music Stage.

There will be a dunking booth featuring several members from the Mira Mesa High School Boy’s Water Polo Team that will be taking one for the team throughout the day. Special celebrity targets will also take their turn in the dunk tank with proceeds to benefit the Water Polo Team. Who wouldn’t want to take a shot at their Coach, or possibly the Principal? You will have to show up and see.

For more information, please visit the Mira Mesa Town Council website. Put on your sunscreen, grab the whole family, and head out to the Heart of Mira Mesa for a fun day with your community, friends and family.

The Latest Flash for September 21-27, 2009

The Non-profit Executive Council (NEC) will be meeting at the Senior Center on Tuesday, September 22 at 6:00 p.m. If you belong to a non-profit group and would like to participate please contact Mike Davis or just show up and join forces with this growing group of community leaders. You can reach Mike Davis at this link.

Barnes & Noble in Mira Mesa is hosting a benefit book fair for San Diego Junior Theatre on Thursday, Sept. 24. Each time a customer at this store presents a special voucher before their purchases are rung up, Barnes & Noble will donate a portion of that sale to the non-profit group. The vouchers are available online at juniortheatre.com/bnvoucher.pdf.  Open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., the store is located one block west of I-15 at the corner of Mira Mesa Boulevard and Westview Parkway.

San Diego Junior Theatre students and representatives will be there from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. to greet supporters and present a mini-performance of their upcoming production of Oliver!  Founded in 1948, San Diego Junior Theatre is the oldest youth theater in the United States. The organization positively affects students of all abilities, ages 4 through 18, and thrives through show ticket sales, workshop enrollments, and the generosity of its alumni and community members. Contributions made to San Diego Junior Theatre are tax-deductible.

Saturday, September 26 is the Mira Mesa Street Fair. Join us for food, games, rides, music, entertainment and fun that the whole family can enjoy. Our local Military will be present, and there will be projects for the kids at the always popular Vulcan Materials area located near the Mira Mesa Library. The Street Fair is held on Camino Ruiz, which is the North/South street next to the Mira Mesa Branch Library, and extends the entire block from New Salem to Mira Mesa Blvd. (Map). Enjoy a fun filled festival atmosphere that is the perfect mix of entertainment, food and exhibitors. Displays include Arts & Crafts vendors, local businesses and civic groups. Visit the Kid’s Zone and 2 community stages.

Mira Mesa HEROES will be sprucing up the HOPE Adult Day Health Care Center on Saturday, October 10th from 8:00 a.m. until Noon. If you would like to volunteer, all you need to do is show up and the wonderful people from HEROES will supply all the materials, snacks, beverages and direction you need. This is a great way to give back to your community, and help some very worthy folks. HOPE is located at 11239 Camino Ruiz-Suite A, San Diego, CA 92126. For more information, contact Mike Davis at HEROES.

The Latest Flash for September 14-20, 2009

The next Mira Mesa Town Council general membership meeting will be held on September 14, 2009 at the Mira Mesa library at 7p.m. Note that this is the second Monday in September since the first Monday fell on Labor Day. State Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher is scheduled to be the guest speaker. Also, our former school board representative Mitz Lee will give a presentation on her nonprofit group Alliance for Quality Education. This should be a highly informative meeting, and all Mira Mesa residents are urged to attend.

The Mira Mesa Community Planning Group will hold a meeting Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at the Woods Mobile Home Park located at 10770 Black Mountain road at 6:00 p.m. This will be a “working” meeting. From the input given by the community over the last 5 months, and the suggestions submitted via e-mail, several proposed mitigation plans were developed. Attendees at this month’s meeting will have the opportunity to view these plans and to vote on the order of preference (1st choice, 2nd choice, etc.).

The Mira Mesa Chamber of Commerce will hold their monthly Meeting/Mixer at Ashoka the Great on Tuesday, September 15 at 6:00 p.m. Sandy Smith from RC Realty (formerly  Red Carpet Realty) will be the featured Member Spotlight Speaker. We will also discuss our participation in the Mira Mesa Street Fair, and sign up members to run the Mira Mesa Farmers Market Booth for September and October.

Make sure to mark your calendars for the Mira Mesa Street Fair that will take place Saturday, September 26 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. There will be carnival rides, games, food, music, entertainment, and lots of community businesses and non-profit organizations participating in this year’s events. Best of all, it is free to the public! Of course there are plenty of opportunities to purchase food, goods, rides and services from the vendors, so bring your wallet with you and have a great day in the sun!

The Rescue House and PETCO host an Adoption Fair the Third Saturday each month from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Mira Mesa PETCO. Adoption Counselors are on hand, and in some cases you may take your adoptive cat home the same day. For more information, and to download the adoption application, visit the Rescue House website. PETCO is located at 8290 Mira Mesa Blvd.

October is just around the corner, and that means  construction has begun on the Monster Manor taking place in the Target Shopping Center Parking Lot. Voted best Haunted House in San Diego by the Union Tribune voters, the success of the Monster Manor can be associated with the Mira Mesa Theatre Guild and their dedicated group of volunteers. Each year  these talented individuals create the unique rooms and mazes that make up the Monster Manor, and they teach and train the volunteer theatrical cast that roam the halls during the month of October to the delight of thousands of patrons.

If you want to volunteer, or purchase tickets for your non-profit group through their Share the Wealth fundraiser, please use this link to the Mira Mesa Theatre Guild’s website. Although the Monster Manor is designed for ages 13 and older due to the scary nature of the event, they also run a child friendly version called Lite Frite on weekend days as a non-scary alternative that is family friendly. The theme this year is a Peter Pan themed “The Search for the Shadow. If you have little ones under 13, this is the only haunted house for them in San Diego, and it is awesome. We’ll see you under the big tent in October.

The Latest Flash For September 8-13, 2009

September is a busy month for Mira Mesa. We all look forward to the Street Fair which will take place on Saturday, September 26, 2009. The event is hosted by the Mira Mesa Town Council, with co-chairmen Mike Davis and Jeff Stevens running the show.

The 11th annual Mira Mesa Street Fair offers family fun from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Camino Ruiz between Mira Mesa Boulevard and New Salem Street. More than 100 crafters, businesses, non-profit groups, and food vendors will have booths at the event. The Street Fair will feature a carnival with rides for children and teens, and continuous entertainment on two stages.

The food court will have an international flair, from Japanese BBQ, noodles and salads to Mediterranean gyros to all-American hot dogs and hamburgers. Special attractions include large earth-moving equipment, military vehicles from MCAS Miramar, and a demonstration of K-9 dogs in action. Vulcan Materials will host a rock-painting booth for children to create their own “rock art.” SDG&E will offer a lamp and light bulb exchange, providing compact fluorescent bulbs and floor or table lamps for the less energy efficient incandescent bulbs and halogen torchiere lamps. Friends of the Mira Mesa Library will hold their biggest book sale of the year.

Enjoy stage performances of Filipino, Hawaiian, and belly dance, martial arts demos, and a variety of vocal artists and bands. Community stage entertainment will be hosted by Ray Pinnock of Strictly Rhythms Entertainment. For more information, please visit the Mira Mesa Town Council website.

We are also looking forward to the grand opening of Kohl’s in what used to be the old Mervyn’s building. They are slated to have the grand opening in the last week of September, and we will keep you posted on the events before they happen. Welcome Kohl’s to Mira Mesa!

Top 10 Favorite Foods

It has been a while since my last Top 10 List, Father’s day to be exact. It isn’t that I don’t like to do the list; it is just hard to create a list that is entertaining, will stimulate responses, and hasn’t been done to death. Sometimes I will hear or see something that will spark the creative juices and the ideas just flow out. Other times, it takes a little more effort to create the perfect list.

My favorite list was the best songs of all time, followed by the best movies, and best T.V. shows. Each of these topics had plenty of resources to choose from, and a lot of great comments from our viewers which either agreed or disagreed with my choices which is the whole point of making a list. Today, I will make my Top 10 List of favorite foods. I will assume that there will be plenty of feedback on my list, and I hope a lot of suggestions of foods that I didn’t include on my list.

Here are my favorite foods, and places to find them:

1.    Lasagna. I love lasagna, and although most people will say their Mom’s is the best, I will have to lean towards Buca di Beppo over my Mom’s homemade. Sorry Mom, I love you but they have this one down pat.

2.    Pizza. This is a tough one to single out only one restaurant, but for consistency, quality, and taste I have to go with Filippi’s Pizza Grotto. They also give your child a dough ball when you first sit down, which keeps them occupied until the food comes.

3.    Hot Corned Beef Sandwich. I love the Corned Beef Sandwiches at Callahan’s. Nice and thick slices, served on fresh rye bread. You don’t have to wait until St. Patrick’s Day for this Irish treat served daily. Added bonus if you have a pint of Guinness with it.

4.    Pita Sandwich. I used to be a sandwich guy every day for lunch, until I discovered Extreme Pita in the Mira Mesa Shopping Center. Now I am hooked. Instead of putting my favorite pita down, I will just tell you to go in everyday for a couple of weeks and try them all one at a time. They are grilled hot, but without oil or grease so they are a nice healthy choice for a great fast lunch. You can even click here for a coupon to save you on your next purchase (thanks Eric and Debbie!)

5.    Chicken Tandoori. I love spicy food, and my friends at Ashoka the Great have the best Authentic Indian Cuisine. During my last visit to Ashoka the Great, I told my friend Pally that I like very spicy food, and he did his best to catch my mouth on fire. It was amazingly hot, but still full of flavor. I am hooked. For beginners, try the lunch buffet for a variety of great foods at a very reasonable price.

6.    Chicken wings. I love chicken wings, the hotter the better. I hear that Hooter’s is known for their wings (among other things) but my wife keeps me on a rather short leash so I am not allowed to try their hot wings. I will give Callahan’s my nod, and recommend their suicide wings for the adventurous fire-eater. Or you can order the Russian roulette plate, which has a few suicide wings randomly tossed in with a huge order of regular ones. The first person to need a drink has to buy the next round!

7.     California Burrito. There are tons of drive through Mexican restaurants that serve California Burritos. They are mainly a variation of the Carne Asada burrito with either French fries or potato cubes mixed in. My favorite is from Cotija Taco Shop, and you need to enjoy it with multiple doses of hot sauce.

8.    Ultimate Ole breakfast from The Eggery. I got hooked on this variation of the chorizo scramble when my son was an infant, and our drive to Pacific Beach would put him out for an hour long nap so my wife and I could enjoy a meal together. It is the only thing I get every time we go for breakfast.

9.    Ice Cream. Ben & Jerry’s Chubby Hubby to be exact. There is nothing like relaxing with a bowl of ice cream after a long day. I happen to love the peanut butter filled, chocolate covered pretzels mixed in a malted vanilla ice cream. Great, now I am hungry and I don’t have a backup pint in the freezer!

10.    Lemon Chicken from Mandarin Garden. The portions are huge, the service is fast and friendly, and their Mai Tai’s are just the thing to make the whole evening a pleasant one.

That is my Top 10 list, now let me know what I missed. I hope you try some of my recommendations, as they are sincere and unbiased. Mira Mesa is full of many excellent restaurants, so please share your favorites with our audience.

Bloodmobile in Mira Mesa at Pat & Oscar’s 9/12, 9/15/2009

The San Diego Blood Bank is looking for donors to give blood and save a life. The bloodmobile will be in Mira Mesa this weekend, starting on Saturday, September 12 at Pat & Oscar’s in the Westview Parkway Shopping Center. The bloodmobile will be available in the parking lot in front Pat & Oscar’s from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and you do not need a reservation to donate. Pat & Oscar’s is located at 10673 Westview Parkway, and they offer a free meal coupon after you donate.

If you can’t make it on Saturday, there is another chance to donate blood on Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at two different Mira Mesa locations. There will be one bloodmobile at Pat & Oscar’s from 1-7 p.m. and another at the Souplantation on Mira Mesa Blvd. also from 1-7 p.m.

If you would like to make a reservation, you may do so by going to the San Diego Blood Bank’s website and following the simple instructions. Giving blood is easy, and you can donate and be back to work in around ½ hour. Your donation could save a life, so please join us and give blood Mira Mesa!

The Latest Flash for September 1-7, 2009

This is the last week of summer for most of the county, and the hot summer weather is hanging around to make this weekend a great time for a picnic. I am sure most Mira Mesa parents are going to be busy purchasing new back packs, and filling them with school supplies. School starts on Tuesday, September 8 for most of the elementary, middle, and high schools and the kids are ready for a new year filled with new challenges.

There is only one first day of school each year, and I like to capture the moment with pictures. It is a great way to see the progress your little ones have made throughout the year by comparing the first day photo to all the field trips, school plays, and events that take place during the school year. Try to get all the kids to line up for a group shot on the first day, and include their teacher in the photo. We like to make a photo book of all the events that happen each year, and this is a great first entry in the book.

The friends my son made last year in Kindergarten have remained close through the summer, and we are even having an end-of-summer get together with the whole class (Teacher included). Hopefully, several kids will share the same classroom this year, but we also hope my son makes new friends as well. The thought behind the party is to get the kids ready for a new school year, and also to show them that although the first day of school can be scary, look at all the friends you can make through going to school.

I hope everyone had a great summer, and I hope for the families with children that this new school year is one filled with many great experiences and memories. Don’t forget to take pictures and videos, as you only get one chance to capture each moment. Also, make sure to share any events that are taking place within your school, church, or group with our readers, as we try to include upcoming events in The Flash column each week. We also will post your event on the community calendar with a brief definition and link to your website for free. Just send your information to mark@miramesa.com. Thanks for your help in keeping Mira Mesa informed.

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