Our friends at Buca have been serving up family-style meals for years, and they specialize in accommodating groups of any size. This year, they are opening up their doors from 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving and putting out family-style portions of Turkey, Stuffing, Gravy and Cranberry Sauce in addition to their entire regular menu of World Class Italian Cuisine. Turkey and Lasagna for Thanksgiving dinner? I say yes, and keep it coming!

Don’t spend valuable family time waiting in the lobby while the table for your large party is occupied with another group. Buca is designed to accommodate groups of 4 to 40 people (and more), and Family Dining is what they are known for.  We invite you to celebrate the Traditional American Feast with an Italian Twist at Buca di Beppo, located in the Westview Parkway Shopping Center, near the Edwards Cinemas Theater, at 10749 Westview Parkway. Make sure you call for reservations at (858) 536-2822.

Are you in charge of booking your Holiday Party from work or school?  Bring the gang in to Buca di Beppo for the best Holiday Party Ever! Contact Rose Chambers at (858) 536-2822 to book your group event in one of their spacious rooms, and let the Buca team do the rest. Be sure to ask about the group packages available, and you will be the superstar at work for booking your next party at Buca di Beppo!

Monster Manor rises from the depths to take its place in San Diego as the Best Haunted Attraction. Voted as Best of San Diego in the 2009 Union-Tribune/SignOnSanDiego.com reader’s poll, each year the ghoulish, cursed home of the Ghastleys rises up in Mira Mesa. Inside the brooding old Victorian mansion, the former tenants return to try and scare away all who enter their abode. Well, not quite ’cause there’s always “Room for One More.”

“Our volunteers are what differentiate us from everyone else in town,” Cast Director Trey Barkley said. “No one here gets paid to do this. We all do this because we love Halloween and scaring people, and I think everyone who goes through our haunted house senses it.”

Each year, Monster Manor is completely rebuilt and redesigned so that the attraction’s experience is different from year to year. With a team of over 200 volunteers, the Haunt’s scares and effects are unique from all the other haunted houses. Monster Manor is also the ONLY haunted house in San Diego County that caters to young children and families. During select days, the Manor transforms into Never, Never Land with Wendy, Tinkerbell, Peter Pan and the rest of the gang.

Lite Frite: Peter Pan and the Search for the Missing Shadow, as the daytime attraction is called, is designed for toddlers to preteens. It is a non-scary alternative to the nighttime attraction. In Peter Pan and the Search for the Missing Shadow, as Peter Pan sets off on his way home, he realizes his Shadow no longer trailed behind him. Parents and children will enjoy themselves as they encounter pixies, Lost Boys and other lovable characters that we all are familiar with. Guests, however, will find themselves face-to-face with those dastardly pirates, always seeking to stop do-gooders in their tracks.

Monster Manor opens now until Halloween. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $12 per person.

Lite Frite is open on Halloween day from Noon until 4 p.m. Tickets are $5 person.

For more information, visit www.monstermanor.org or call (858) 222-4815. Mira Mesa Theatre Guild’s goal for Monster Manor is two-fold: to provide a safe, family-friendly environment for the community to celebrate Halloween and to serve as a fundraiser for local charities and the community.

All the proceeds for the daytime and nighttime haunts go to support the community. During the past eight years, Monster Manor has raised more than $75,000 in support of groups such as Boy Scout Troop 648, Friends of Ericson Elementary School, Mira Mesa Scripps Youth Football, Mira Mesa Youth Baseball, Poway High Ag Partners, Sandburg Elementary School — just to name a few.

The success of Monster Manor can be directly attributed to the involvement of the entire community. Designed, built and operated completely by a small army of 200-plus volunteers, the 4,000-plus-square-foot haunted house is an inter generational experience, with teens working alongside seasoned professionals, gaining valuable work experience. The Manor’s core group has more than 75 years combined experience in motion picture effects, theatre, and haunted-house production.

A true community project, all costs associated with putting up Monster Manor are paid for with the help of more than a dozen local businesses. Corporate sponsors for this year’s haunted house include: AT&T, Frazee Paint and the Target Shopping Center. Stop by before the Monster Manor vanishes for another year.

Dance & Company offers classes to anyone ages 2-adult in the areas of Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, Modern, Hip Hop, Choreography, Yoga, Pilates, Ballroom, ZUMBA, and even Tai Chi. We have an incredibly educated and talented staff and would love for you to become a member.

For more information on appropriate classes for you or your child’s age group, please visit our website at www.danceandcompany.com. Class schedules, descriptions, and teacher biographies can all be found on this site. If you have any further questions, please feel free to email us, or call 858-750-3021. We look forward to seeing you at Dance & Company!

Dance & Company has a special referral policy: As a current member, if you refer somebody to Dance & Company, and they sign up for membership, you will receive a $10.00 gift certificate towards Revolution Dancewear.

Dance & Company
Performing Arts Company
6635 Flanders Drive, Suite D
San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 750-3021

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.

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.

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!

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.

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 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 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!