The Music Man Opens in Time for Thanksgiving at Star Theater in Oceanside CA

Coast Kid’s Theatre presents the heartwarming musical "The Music Man."

When: November 13-22 Friday & Saturday Evenings 7:30 pm
Saturday & Sunday Matinees 2:00pm
How Much: Adults: $15, Seniors/ Students/ Military: $12, Children under 12 only $7
Tickets: at the door or call 760-721-9983
Where: Star Theatre, 402 N. Coast Hwy, Oceanside, CA 92054
Stay Overnight: just $100/nt: BETTER Vacation Rentals at North Coast Village, 999 N. Pacific St., Oceanside, CA 92054. Make it a weekend and create some memories this holiday season.

An affectionate tribute to Smalltown, U.S.A. of a bygone era, Meredith Willson's The Music Man follows fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill as he cons the people of River City, Iowa into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys’ band he vows to organize – this despite the fact he
doesn't know a trombone from a treble clef and his name isn’t even Harold, it’s Greg. Chaos ensues as Hill's credentials are questioned and he is called upon to prove himself to the citizens of River City. Unfortunately or fortunately, his feelings for Marian Paroo, the local librarian and piano teacher, throw a wrench in his plan. And before the stubborn Iowans realize  they've been had, Harold Hill has wonderfully transformed the quaint town and himself .

This beloved, critically acclaimed Broadway classic is an all-American institution, thanks to its quirky characters, charmingly predictable dramatic situations, and one-of-a-kind, nostalgic score of rousing marches, barbershop quartets and sentimental ballads, including: Seventy-Six Trombones, Ya Got Trouble, Goodnight My Someone, Till There Was You and many, many more!

It’s a story with an unusual protagonist but it is also full of heartwarming themes, entertaining music and winning production numbers. The Music Man is an American standard that still delivers after 52 years.

Oceanside's Huge Surf Festival to Celebrate 50 Years of Surfer Magazine

Oceanside CA and the California Surf Museum Present the 2nd Annual California Surf Festival next weekend.

Oceanside's Huge Surf Festival to Celebrate 50 Years of Surfer Magazine

BETTER Vacation Rentals is proud to offer a stay 2 nights get one free for the week surrounding the surf festival in Oceanside. Call 800-277-2734 or inquire online (this special is not available for online bookings) at BETTER Vacation Rentals. Our condos are on the beach right by Breakwater surf break and withing walking distance to all of the surf festival venues.

Tall ships arrive for weeklong nautical celebration

Part of what makes Oceanside unique among the miles of coastline in California is the quaint harbor. This week we are hosts to some tall ships and are sending off the Lynx for a 5 year stint to the east coast. November 7 & 8 are the official Tall Ship Festival Days in Oceanside this year. Admission is free and there will be both pirates and mermaids.

For more details read the excellent article from the North County Times:
Tall ships arrive for weeklong nautical celebration

or visit The Oceanside Tall Ships Festival Home Page.

OCEANSIDE: Local pair garnering acclaim for film

Sunshine Brooks theater is this weekend's home to the Oceanside International Film FestivalOCEANSIDE: Local pair garnering acclaim for film

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760 AREA Code Must Dial 1+AC+7 digits Beginning 10/24/09

ATTENTION all 760 area code customers - This includes our guests in Oceanside, Carlsbad, and Palm Desert!!!

On October 24, 2009 our area code is getting an area code "overlay." That means there will be another area code in use in the same zone: 442....So EVERY CALL will require you to dial 1+area code + 7 digit number,including calls within the 760 area.

The telephone numbers for our current rentals will not change, but the dialing procedures will.

If you have any questions we recommend visiting the following web sites for information:
http://www.cox.necom/sandiego/newsroom/sercice/ (for our Cox customers at North Coast Village except D103) or Call Cox: 760-599-6060
OR
http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/760areacode

Zenbu Cardiff by the Sea's Sushi Place

We've just begun to explore Cardiff by the Sea, California which is the southern-most coastal part of Encinitas in North San Diego county-just 20 miles north of downtown San Diego. Cardiff is known for it's State Beach, endless sunshine, and good surf. With Zenbu in the neighborhood in addition to the other restaurants in this little piece of heaven, and good food with good service becomes another trademark of Cardiff.

Zenbu is located in the same plaza as well known and loved Seaside Market at 2003 San Elijo Ave in Cardiff by the Sea, CA 92007. Open the dark and mysterious door and you enter the world of chic, small, and intimate sushi culture, but fear not! My husband and I visited Zenbu for our 19th wedding anniversary this year because we were too tired to go far and it was a week night. That said, Zenbu was worthy of our anniversary even if we needed to travel a distance. We sat at the sushi bar and enjoyed the show from the 3 sushi chefs and the service of our waitress (for drinks, edamame, and anything cooked). The chefs are truly artists and fun to watch. We met another local couple who was out on a date night.

Now I must be honest...I love sushi bars...but I don't really do sushi. I'm a California & Philadelphia roll kind of girl, and I love miso soup, and most cooked Japanese foods. My husband on the other hand, loves all seafood including sushi and sashimi. Our sushi chef treated us to a roll that was beautiful as a starter, even if I pushed the raw fish over to my husband and ate what was inside. We also had the Zenbu Roll which may become my new favorite. Honestly sushi lover and land lubber can't go wrong.

Since the kids were home, we felt obliged to take them some food and the California Roll is now someone's favorite. We've picked it up twice now for a dinner on these hot nights when I just couldn't bear to cook and it was just one of the kids and me.

For the younger crowd (meaning not middle aged like us)...this is really a good date place and friend spot. Wet Wednesdays seem especially fun and affordable.

Call for reservations: 760-633-2223 or takeout. Enjoy.

Duke Boyd to Be Honored at California Surf Museum's

October 4, 2009
Enjoy a Luau, music & dancers in Oceanside next week.

Duke Boyd to Be Honored at California Surf Museum's Annual "Legends Day" | SURFLINE.COM

President Hoover Lives! at La Jolla Playhouse San Diego

What: "Hoover Comes Alive! Not a play. Not a musical. A presidential rock concert."
Where: La Jolla Playhouse
When: September 8-13, 2009
How Much: $25
Purchase Tickets by calling 858-550-1010 or www.lajollaplayhouse.org

This production is part of the Edge Series at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego. The Edge series is designed to bring the freshest, most adventurous work to the stages of La Jolla playhouse.

Dancing Trolleys? or Trolley Dances? San Diego

What: 11th Annual Trolley Dances
When: September 26, 27 and October 3, 4
Site Specific Dances with 6 Guided Tours Daily:
10 am (bilingual), 11 am, 12noon, 12:45pm and 2:15pm.
Where: Begin at BayFront/E Street Trolley Stop in Chula Vista
Performances at unique locations along trolley line at E street, Palomar Street, San Ysidro Transit Center on US side of border. Take Blue Line from Old Town - plenty of Free Parking.
How much: $15-$30 including FREE Trolley Pass, Under 5 and wheelchair patrons Free.
To Purchase Tickets: Call 619-225-1803 or www.sandiegodancetheater.org

Features and international slate of choreographers and dancers.

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Update for San Diego Trolley Dances:
My teenage daughter and I went to the September 27 Trolley Dances in south San Diego to fulfill a live performance requirement for her high school dance class. Since the Coaster doesn't run on Sundays, we drove to the Old Town transit center, parked for free on the street (the lot was full with San Diego Chargers fans), and took the trolley to the first stop: E Street Chula Vista. Note that had we driven to Chula Vista we wouldn't have had to pay the small trolley fare...but we preferred to relax. We enjoyed six different dances at several different locations along the trolley stops, but our favorite by far was the one we call "The Bus" and the choreographer called "Chico"-this was a joyous and innovative piece of dance with a current sound. Besides, when a yellow VW Bus is a prop, how could it not be fun. Tips: Bring water, wear comfortable shoes & sunscreen. Enjoy some innovative, outdoor dance in San Diego...but now you'll have to wait until 2010 for the 12th annual Trolley Dances.
---VacationMamma

Concerts, Theater, Racing, Shopping: Fun Things to Do in San Diego Found in CITYBEAT Magazine

While at Jitters Coffee Pub(a great indie coffee house with free wifi) and Kindred Journeys (a metaphysical bookstore with cool jewelry) in Oceanside CA today, just south of Surfrider on Coast Highway my teenager picked up the San Diego Citybeat free magazine and "Summer Guide." I stopped picking these up a while ago because I never seemed to find the time to leaf through the eclectic mix of cool things to do and the ads for things I'd rather my 13 year old didn't think were so funny (you'll have to stop by Jitters and look at it to see for yourself).

Here's Some Fun Links and Items I found - picked just because they appeal to me:

1. Did you know there are 5 American Apparel retail locations in the San Diego area including Gaslamp, Fashion Valley, and La Jolla? Why does this matter...well we first discovered American Apparel 3 years ago while shopping in LA. Everything there seems to be stretchy and we were up there to celebrate a 13 year old's birthday. The girls had the best time trying on metallic lamé bikinis. Not everything in the store is as tacky as those bikinis, but everything in the stores are made right in downtown Los Angeles, and more importantly are SWEAT SHOP FREE. We recently picked up some great basic long sleeve cotton tees and a light weight rain coat in Seattle for a mountain climbing trip. Learn more about this company here: American Apparel.

2. While I'm on birthday parties, one of the best ones my older daughter ever went to was at an indoor go kart facility. There's one in Carlsbad that I'd like to take the kids to: K1 Speed - the ad is buy one get one free and it's great for teen birthdays and they say for corporate events & bachelor parties too.

3. I love music. San Diego has a thriving music scene. I'm a child of the 70's for the most part raised with older siblings with their revolutionary 60's music, and parents with a passion for classical and opera. I'm raising two kids who are music crazy, and not just pop...so I've been to more concerts as a chaperone in the last 3 years than in the last 15 before that: Warped Tour, KROQ concerts, sat outside some scary place in Riverside and waited for Atmosphere to end, and I've been the chauffeur to Street Scene, and banned from Coachella because I'm just not cool to a 16 year old. Anyway I'd love to go to: Endless Reggae Summer Jams at The World Beat Center (looks like it might even be all ages - even middle age like me) with three dates in June, July, and August. Then there's a ticket that's already sold out and a band I like and a city I love...Metric and Oceanside: Independence Jam at the Pier June 7. Here's a secret: don't worry about not having a ticket. The Oceanside amphitheater is on the beach, and you can hear the sounds for free on the beach. Starts at 4 pm.

I also suggest any of the San Diego Symphony's Summer Pops events. I was lucky enough to go in 2007 and even the venue is worth the price: right at the Embarcadero Marine Park near the old Navy Yard and Petco Park (hint if you are at a Padres game, you can see the fireworks from the concert series from some of the seats). I want tickets to Music of the Beatles: Classical Mystery Tour on 8/14 & 8/15. I was never a huge Beatles fan, but thanks to the film "Across the Universe" my young teen has made me re-examine their music. Paul is my favorite Beatle.

4. A Wine Cheese and Chocolate Festival to benefit the Women's History Museum in Balboa Park on May 29. YUM! Need I say more? Yup: just $30/1 or $25 when you buy two or more tickets to the event.

5. Don't miss: the races at Del Mar (and free Friday concerts after the races Friday nights in the summer). July 22-September 9 just $6! Kids free. Saw local band Pinback here last year. The track facility is just stunning. If you want to stay a week and enjoy all of San Diego, I recommend our two newest vacation rentals in South Carlsbad just across from Carlsbad State Beach.

6. My younger daughter recommends The Old Globe Theatre's Summer Shakespeare Festival. She wants to see Cyrano de Bergerac. Balboa Park: June 13 - September 27.

Now, why on earth do I ever leave this paradise of surf, sun, sail, and sand? Feel free to add your own events!

Love is...On Your Bed!

Who needs the Four Seasons anyway?

We've had the great fortune to work with Sue Strandberg of The Final Touch in Oceanside CA. She came to us this fall just when we were in search of a sort of quality control and detail person for our vacation rentals at the beach in Oceanside. Sue's attention to detail was just the missing piece we were looking for to help make the promise of a "BETTER" Vacation Rental come to life. What do you think? Has she done it? Here are some photo of Sue'stowel origami (she taught herself from a YouTube Video) that she leaves for our guests.

Won't get that at the local hotel or an ordinary vacation rental!

Reserve a private condo for your next memory making holiday at 1-800-277-2734 or at BETTER Vacation Rentals where you can reserve online or talk to a real (cheerful) person. Let us know if you want some towel origami, and we'll make sure you are treated to Sue's Final Touch!

On Your Mark-RAAM and RAW Start in Oceanside, CA June 17, 2009

On you mark, get set, go! Race Across America and Race Across the West are set to start in Oceanside CA between the Oceanside Harbor and Pier on June 17, 2009. Come to Oceanside as a spectator, cyclist, or support team and see what all the buzz is about.

Need a place to stay? Why cram into a hotel, when you can stay within walking distance of the race start at resort-like North Coast Village, in your own private one or two bedroom condo on the beach for the same or less? Inquire or reserve now with BETTER Vacation Rentals. Bike storage is available on site!

For the complete press release see:The Ultimate American Bicycle Racing Event - The Race Across America (RAAM) Here is an excerpt: "Unlike the Tour de France, RAAM cyclists are not allowed to draft or ride in a peloton. Also, RAAM is not broken down into stages. The official race clock starts on the shores of the Pacific Ocean and runs until the racers reach Chesapeake Bay, MD. These are some of the reasons why the Race Across America is considered the World's Toughest Bicycle Race and one of the toughest challenges on Earth. In the 2006 Mt. Everest spring climbing season, 470 people summited the fabled peak, but in 27 years of RAAM less than 200 soloists have finished the race. Austrian adventurer, Wolfgang Fasching, who summited Mt. Everest and won solo RAAM three times is often quoted as saying that he found RAAM much harder."