The Padres are facing off against Atlanta today at 3:35 for their home opener and again on Thursday if you can’t make it today!

Check out the Padres official website for the whole season’s schedule and special events!

Of course the biggest event going on is Miller Light’s ShamROCK. 

This event (sponsored by Jameson’s Irish Whiskey and The Field) features multiple stages with live music, irish dancers, and some of San Diego’s best DJ’s.  Many of the restaurants located within the ShamROCK boundaries are offering awesome food and drink specials as well!  Click HERE to see a list of participating restaurants and their specials. 

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.  21+ only please. 

If you’d like a more family friendly approach to St. Patty’s day, make sure you check out the Irish Congress of Southern California’s 30th Annual St. Patricks Day Parade!

The Parade kicks off on Saturday March 13th at 11:00 am on 5th Ave and Laurel.  After the parade be sure to head over to Balboa Park for the Irish Festival which runs from 10:00- 5:00.  Click HERE for full event details!  No tickets needed and this event is welcoming all ages. 

If you’re looking for some good old fashioned corned beef and cabbage or green beer, here’s a list of our favorite Irish Pub’s located here in downtown San Diego:

Dublin Square Irish Pub

THE FIELD Irish Pub

Hennessey’s Tavern

Maloney’s Tavern

Have a fun and safe St. Patrick’s Day!

-Stay San Diego Team

While I was searching for the best activities for this weekend I realized that I actually had no idea how or why Valentine’s day began… and apparently the act of giving gifts to loved ones didn’t start with St. Valentine, but rather in Ancient Rome to honor Juno.  Juno was known to the Romans as the Queen of Roman Gods and Goddesses as well as Goddess of Women and Marriage.  Interesting huh?  Now you have a little fun-fact to impress your beau this Sunday!

Valentine’s Day Dinner Packages

Bertrand at Mister A’s

Enjoy beautiful views of downtown San Diego and Balboa Park!  Mister A’s is offering a 3-course menu for $85/ person.

Click here to make reservations online!

Hornblower Cruises

For a romantic date aboard a yacht on the Bay, Hornblower is offering brunch or dinner cruise options!  Prices range from $62.95-$129/ person.

Click here to view the options and make reservations!

Mr. Tiki Mai Tai Lounge

If you’re looking for something a little more budget friendly, Mr. Tiki is offering a 3-course Valentine’s dinner for $29.95/ person. 

Click here to make reservations online!

For a more extensive list Valentine’s Day specials all around San Diego County check out the OpenTable website!

San Diego’s best FREE romantic attractions:

1. La Jolla Cove

2. Balboa Park

Unique Date Ideas:

Take a horse drawn carriage ride through downtown San Diego or Balboa Park with Cinderella Carriage Company!

Click here to view their website .

South Bay Drive-In is a quirky and fun alternative to regular theaters.  Tickets are just $7 too!

Click here to view their website

San Diego Ballet is performing the love story classic: Romeo and Juliet for Valentine’s Day weekend!

Click here for show times

February 16th is “Fat Tuesday” and here are a few of Stay San Diego’s favorite events going on in our ‘hood:

The Gaslamp Quarter Association is hosting an outdoor celebration in the streets of the Gaslamp Quarter with parades and block party with live music!  This event is 21+.  Click the link above to check out the entertainment lineup and to purchase tickets!

Hillcrest Mardi Gras Street Party

Click here for a sneak peek of Hillcrest Mardi Gras 2010!

San Diego’s uptown neighborhood is holding a block party of its own on University Ave. between 1st and 4th St.  I would highly recommend VIP tickets for this event as they include: food from local restaurants, beer, a private bathroom and heated tent, the best beads, a viewing area for the stage, and a lounge.  21+.  Click the linked title above for more information!

If celebrating on a Tuesday doesn’t sound appealing to you, here are some great options for Saturday, February 13th!

The Little Italy Association and the Italian Board of Tourism put together this event which mirrors Carnevale in Venice!   From 5-10pm on Saturday come and celebrate with several vignettes of entertainment and shops & restaurants open house.

Click on the link above to check out the website!

4th and B in downtown San Diego is hosting San Diego Brazil Carnival 2010 which features:
Brazilian singer Dandara, Caipirinhas & Capoeira. Dance non-stop to the pulsating rhythms of SAMBA, MARCHA, AXÉ MUSIC & BATUCADA.

Click on the link above to visit the website and purchase tickets!

1. IMAX Movie Theaters – Located in Balboa Park and Mira Mesa.  Check website to see what’s playing and when!
2. Dining Out – Don’t forget we’re in the middle of Restaurant Week!!  Check the website for participating venues!
3. Museums – Click HERE for a list of museums in and around downtown!
4. Theaters – Check out some of the shows going on right now HERE!
5. Live Music – SignOnSanDiego has a great list of venues and upcoming shows!

Now dig out your umbrella, dust off your rain boots, and get out there and enjoy SAN DIEGO!

-Stay San Diego Team

As we all know, the San Diego Chargers will be playing the New York Jets this Sunday (January 17th – 1:40 PST) for a first round playoff game here in San Diego at Qualcomm Stadium.  The Chargers have been on fire during the regular season with a 13-3 record compared to the Jets 9-7 season stats. 

Some say the Jets’ 5′9″ Darrelle Revis is currently the league’s best cornerback, but we’ll see how he holds up against our receiving corps Vincent Jackson (6′5″), Michael Floyd (6′5″), and Antonio Gates (6′4″).  I have a feeling we’re going to crush the Jets this weekend!

If you haven’t gotten tickets to the game you’re still good because there are plenty of sports bars and flatscreen TV’s around downtown for you to find the perfect mix of fans, wings, beer, and of course… CHARGERS!

Here’s a few of our favorite places to catch the game here in downtown San Diego:

Nicky Rotten’s- This 2 level sports bar on 5th and Market offers a laidback atmosphere with some of the best burgers around.  They also have a great happy hour with $3 Drafts, Wells, and House Wines as well as half-priced appetizers! 

Tilted Kilt - Dubbed the “Irish Hooter’s” of sports bars TK is sure to bring the fun!  They’ve got plenty of flatscreen TV’s, beautiful TK waitresses, and tons of finger food including a special “Tailgate Menu.”  Pubstool quarterbacks unite!

East Village Tavern and Bowl - Quickly becoming one of East Village’s most popular hangouts, EVTB offers an exciting mix of sports, food, music… and you guessed it, BOWLING!  This place has great food and is always busy, so if you want your chance to bowl I suggest you get there early.

Gaslamp Tavern - This place is fun because you can sit at the bar from outside!  This is a great place to go if you’re in the mood for breakfast.  They serve brunch ’till 2 on Sundays and have a killer Bloody Mary. 

FOX Sports Grill - The new Hilton Bayfront is home to San Diego’s first Fox Sports Grill.  This place lives and breathes sports so if you want to make sure you can see the game from every possible angle…. this is your place!  Their 20+ Plasma TVs have NFL Sunday Ticket, College Game Day packages, and Big 10 Network. 

Hope everyone has a great weekend! 

-Stay San Diego Team

It’s baaaaack!!  Even with all the exciting events that happen around San Diego; “Restaurant Week” is no doubtably one of my personal favorites.  With over 180 restaurants all over the county offering 3-course menus for $20, $30, or $40 it’s the perfect time to check out a new spot or go to that restaurant you love so much, but don’t particularly love the price of!

If you’re planning on going, don’t expect to walk into the participating restaurants on a Friday night and be able to get a table though… this event is wildly popular with San Diegans which means that at least the most expensive [regularly priced] and most popular places will be booked solid.  Never fear though, if you’re coming in from out of town you can check out the website at www.sandiegorestaurantweek.com for a list of all the participating restaurants as well as links to make reservations online!  Just be careful if you’re planning on going with a large party… I just made a reservation for my friends and I at Nobu via the Restaurant Week website where I discovered that parties of 6 or more require a credit card to hold the reservation and you are charged a “per-person fee” for everyone that doesn’t show up. 

One restaurant is putting an interesting new spin on Restaurant week this time around as well.  Harbor’s Edge at the Waterfront Sheraton Hotel has a $30 menu that showcases sustainable seafood!  They will also be showing a documentary called The End Of the Line during dining hours which explores the effects of overfishing.  What an awesome way to indulge in great food while learning about sustainable living!

Whether you’re a San Diego local, or visiting us from out of town, do yourself a favor and check this event out.  I promise you wont be disappointed! 

-Tara

Stay San Diego Team.

 We found “Cans for Critters” at the San Diego Zoo!  Basically, the whole concept is to put together a team (or you can do it on your own) and collect as many cans as you can before Earth Day on April 22, 2010!  The program is offering great prizes along the way meaning the more cans your team collects, the more cool prizes you win!!  The official explanation of the drive from the San Diego Zoo’s website is:

“Cans for Critters is a recycling drive organized by the San Diego Zoo to help our Institute for Conservation Research save and protect wildlife here in the United States and around the world.  Participants collect recyclables and then donate the proceeds to our endangered species conservation efforts. Families, schools, Scouts, and organizations from every corner of the nation participate in our Cans for Critters program.

The Cans for Critters recycling drive has been an annual event for the San Diego Zoo’s conservation programs since 1980. To date, we have raised more than $500,000 to help save rhinoceroses, cheetahs, giant pandas, California condors and many other amazing animals and their habitats.  Participants who collect 400 or more recyclables will receive a Cans for Critters conservation patch. Other incentives include an invitation to “Jamboree Day” at the San Diego Zoo or Wild Animal Park, which is a special celebration at the end of each annual Cans for Critters recycling drive, or Zoo or Wild Animal Park admission tickets.”

All you have to do is visit the San Diego Zoo’s Cans for Critters website to get started!  Follow the tabs on the right side of the page to join a team, create your own team, or join as an individual.  We’ve also included a link below to the Cans for Critters Pledge Forms in PDF format below:

Cans for Critters Packet

This is a wonderful opportunity to go green and help a great cause here in San Diego no matter where you live!  Please take a few minutes to view the website and pass it along to anyone you know who may be interested!

Hope everyone is enjoying the new year so far!  We sure are here in SD with all this warm weather and sunshine! 

- Stay San Diego Team!

Before we get too caught up in plans for 2010,  let’s take a look at some of the wonderful New Year’s Eve events going on in San Diego for one last opportunity to let loose, dance, and have fun with friends:

Hilton Bayfront right here in downtown is hosting “Big Night San Diego.”  If 12 rooms of dance floors and DJ’s, with some of San Diego’s finest cuisine and free flowing cocktails sounds like your kind of party; we suggest you check this event out!  Leave your wallet at home because tickets to this event are all inclusive, but hurry because prices are going up!!  Follow the link above for more information or to purchase tickets.

If you were thinking you’d like something more elegant and low-key, there are definitely plenty of events around San Diego for you too!   Our favorite is the New Year’s Eve Gala aboard the USS Midway Museum right off of Harbor Drive downtown.  Dress up in your finest evening wear and enjoy the sounds of the Big Daddy Orchestra while sipping premium cocktails and sampling the elegant dinner stations. 

Also competing for the title of “biggest and best” New Year’s Eve party is DiscoverSD and DJHere with their bash at Marriott Hotel and Marina.  This event is hosted by some of San Diego’s biggest event promotions companies so they are sure to bring an amazing party this year.  It boasts superstar DJ’s. beautiful views of the bay, huge dance floors, and plenty of plush seating as well as a Next Day Soiree at the pool to carry the party into 2010!  When purchasing tickets for this event, be sure to use the VIP discount codes provided by DiscoverSD. 

Another great option for those who would like to avoid the large events is the seated dinner aboard a Hornblower Yacht  on the bay.  Tickets for this event include a four-course dinner, champagne, dancing, and festive party favors.  Space is limited so hurry and get your tickets today!

Of course there are many more options for New Year’s Eve all over San Diego… these were just a couple of our favorite events!  If you’re looking to come have fun downtown with us, be sure to enjoy your champagne responsibly and be safe.  Here at Stay San Diego we still have some last minute holiday deals available for a fully furnished condo if you’d like a relaxing and comfortable place to stay this New Year’s Eve!

Cheers!  Here’s to a fabulous new year!

-Stay San Diego Team