New-art city

Arts San Diego 2012 was held last weekend at Balboa Park’s activity center, a building virtually unknown to many except for volleyball, ping pong and badminton players. It was a fair attended by thousands of collectors, curators, museum directors and art enthusiasts. The layout dedicated spaces for contemporary art, contemporary product and furniture design, mid-century and modern art, and an area designated for experimental works. Each had its own social center with places to sit and talk with artists and dealers, and to experience art in motion. Although we loved the open space and the vicinity of the venue, it was hot inside during the Collector’s First Preview and VIP opening night. There were huge fans inside which took a little bit from the ambiance, especially since we didn’t tie our hair back!

Dancing in the streets

Music, local micro-brews and food trucks took to the streets this Saturday at StreetBeat, KPRi’s Block Party 2. It featured indie-pop and rock sensations, The Wallflowers, Tristan Prettyman and Walk The Moon. We loved that there was plenty of seating both in front of the stage and inside Anthology. On the second level, they had a VIP lounge where there was an appetizer buffet, bar and seating in the balcony area overlooking the festival.

Canyon dig it!

It might not be Yosemite, but Los Penasquitos Canyon Reserve has plenty of beautiful trails to explore. One of the best ways to see this 4,000 acre suburban wilderness is on a moderate 7-mile (round-trip) mountain bike ride. The well-marked, dog-friendly, multi-use hardpacked trail can be taken from the reserve entrance. There aren’t many elevation changes so it’s great for a leisurely walk or for beginner mountain bikers like us. One of the best rewards of the trail is the waterfall cascading through the volcanic rocks about 3 miles out. Well, to be accurate it’s more of a stream than a waterfall. But we loved soaking our feet in the cold water. Things to remember before heading out; bring plenty of water and sunblock, it is hot out there and most of the trail is not shaded. A 20 minute drive from Hillcrest makes it a great choice for a quick getaway from it all.