Aerosmith Takes the Stage

As much as I love covering the fair for work, I absolutely love going just for fun! Last year, I blogged about seeing Boyz II Men at the Santa Barbara County Fair, and seeing Kelly Clarkson, Journey and KISS at the Mid-State Fair. Both super fun! This year, I continued the tradition and saw Aerosmith rock the stage on Monday. I’m not a die-hard Aerosmith fan, but I’ve always liked their music and thought of how cool it would be to see them in person (my mom has officially decided I should have been born in the 70’s!). When I heard they were coming to the Central Coast, on my day off, I knew it was fate!

Steven Tyler

Now, this is going to sound pretty nerdy, but I definitely made an Aerosmith playlist for the ride to Paso Robles. We got to the fair a couple of hours before the concert so we could browse all the expo exhibits, play a few games and eat some fried food! They took the stage just before 9 p.m. and opened with “Love in an Elevator.” They played for about 1:45 and covered most of my favorites. We’re talking “Sweet Emotion,” “Dream On,” “I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing,” “Walk This Way,” “Cryin’,” etc. I was a bit disappointed they didn’t play “Dude Looks Like a Lady,” but overall it was an absolute blast! The guys can still rock it! Below is a video of them singing “Walk This Way,” please excuse the camera work!

As an English Writing major I studied all sorts of literature in college. I took entire classes dedicated solely to Chaucer and then to Shakespeare. The language is tricky, but I also think there’s something beautiful about it. One of the other perks of studying Shakespeare, was driving to Navy Pier in Chicago to see it acted out on the stage. If you feel the same way, you can catch some Shakespeare right here on the Central Coast!

The Central Coast Shakespeare Festival’s 2010 season runs through August 14th at River Oaks Park in Paso Robles. Ticket prices range from $13 for kids to $20 for adults. I’ve never done it, but it looks like a lot of fun! Below is a video preview, please let me know if you head out there, I’d love to post some reader reviews!

I was browsing the good ol’ internet and came across yet another great resource for finding family activities and summer fun across the Central Coast. It’s called Central Coast Kids, and it offers everything from outdoor recreation sports, to indoor activities and shopping hot spots. Could be worth a look if you’re looking for more ways to get out and enjoy the Central Coast together!

Sophia helped by JHH, courtesy of JHH

Here is a story we were not able to bring you on Saturday, July 10, but I wanted to share it with all of you anyways! Jack’s Helping Hand (JHH) held its annual fundraiser at the Santa Margarita Ranch that day, and it saw the biggest turnout yet! More than 650 people were on hand, and the event raised more than $130,000.

Mariachi Band, Courtesy of JHH

Jim Settle, volunteer auctioneer for live auction

There was a barbecue buffet, live music and a live auction. JHH has been helping special needs children on the Central Coast since 2004, it offers everything from specialized equipment, transportation to out-of-town specialists, innovative treatments and therapies, to toys and other devices to help these children live happier and fuller lives. Congratulations on such a successful event! To learn more about the organization click here.

I was flipping through the free On Demand movie options at home the other day and came across the 2005 documentary Grizzly Man.  I had heard of it before, and knew the basic premise, but had never actually seen it. I’m a huge fan of documentaries so I figured I would give it a chance. It follows bear activists Timothy Treadwell and Amie Huguenard, who were killed in October of 2003 while living among grizzlies in Alaska. It’s something Treadwill did every year for more than a decade, and most of the documentary is footage shot by Treadwell himself. The backdrop for the story is incredible, providing the viewer with breathtaking Alaskan landscapes, and up close encounters with some of mother nature’s largest, and most aggressive, creatures. To imagine someone spending their life, living among these wild creatures for months at a time, all alone, is fascinating in itself. It is probably the ultimate, most extreme outdoor adventure.

However, there is also sadness in the story. It’s obvious that Treadwell has issues with himself, and other people, so he looks to these grizzly bears to be his friends and family.  He lives with them, speaks to them, tries to control them, even touches them. It’s the ultimate tragic irony that one of the animals he loved so much, and worked so hard to protect, would ultimately take his life. But in the end, wild animals are simply that, wild. I found it very interesting, slightly disturbing at some points, but overall well worth the time.  I’ve posted the trailer below so you can have a sneak peek!

If you were watching KSBY News Tuesday and Wednesday, you may have noticed Nancy Chen’s story on a mountain lion that was shot and killed in a backyard on Jeffrey Drive near Foothill Boulevard. It’s rare, but it isn’t the first time a mountain lion has wandered into the city, but it’s definitely something to keep in mind when we go wandering into THEIR territory. I was hiking Madonna Mountain the other day and I found myself thinking about this very possibility.

View from Madonna

As wide and open as the trail is, you just never know what animals are lurking behind the brush. I was running scenarios in my head, trying to remember what I’m supposed to do if I come face to face with a wild cat. Am I supposed to stand still? Do I make myself bigger and make noise or do I slowly walk away? Needless to say I brushed up on my mountain lion defense skills when I returned home. Here’s a nice little tip sheet from the Department of Fish and Game. I also carry my cell phone and a small backpack when I hike, equipped with a first aid kit, just in case I run into any other unforseen emergencies. Until next time, have some happy and SAFE outdoor adventuring!

Kovu, Gizmo and Gizmo's Toy

For those of you who have been following my blog for a while you are already very familiar with Gizmo, one of the dogs from the Santa Maria Valley Humane Society. My roomie and I took him in for the weekend back in January, and we pretty much fell in love with him. I try not to have favorites at the shelter, but every once in a while there is a special dog, or even a cat, that just tugs at your heart strings.

Gizmo, and his brother Kovu, were my special “boys,” and as happy as they were playing with the volunteers and going for walks, it killed me to see them in a cage. I blogged about them constantly and showed them to everyone who would listen at last week’s Wild West BBQ Bash in Santa Maria. Every week I would hope NOT to see them, because that would mean they were home with a family like they deserved. I was tempted to adopt them myself, but I knew I would not be able to spoil them rotten like they deserve.

All those worries disappeared yesterday, when I got an email from the shelter’s director, telling me the wonderful news that both Gizmo and Kovu were adopted TOGETHER! I was browsing in a store and nearly jumped up and down, I was so ecstatic! We’re talking bursting with joy here. From what I hear, their new family is a fantastic bunch, and I hope they know how lucky they are to add these two little guys to their group.

Smiling for the camera

I will definitely miss seeing their smiling faces every week (yes, believe it or not, they smile) but there are still lots more dogs and cats who need some TLC before they too find their forever families.

The Humane Society Volunteers!

So believe it or not, not EVERYONE in the U.S. was watching the World Cup this afternoon Before work I headed out to the Family Care Network’s Wild Wild West BBQ Bash at Preisker Park in Santa Maria. The organization is devoted to helping foster, and high-needs youth in both San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties. There were tons of local vendors, live music, delicious BBQ and lots of family fun!

I was actually there with the Santa Maria Valley Humane Society. It had a booth there as well and we had four of our adoptable dogs out for all to see! Kovu, Gizmo, Grover and Billy Jack spent the day playing in the sun and turning on the charm for potential adopters. It was a lot of fun and all for a great cause!

Watching the Diamondbacks lose to the Yankees!

I just got back from a quick 4-day trip back home to Arizona. My family moved to Scottsdale when I was a freshman in high school, and as fate would have it, they are in the process of moving back to southern California. I returned home to visit, but also to go through dozens of boxes to help them downsize before the big move. They contained everything from my first pair of dance shoes to my graduation gowns. It was quite the trip down memory lane.

Me with my sister, rooting for the Diamondbacks

Aside from the massive downsize operation, I also got the chance to watch the Diamondbacks lose to the Yankees at Chase Field. A disappointing loss but still lots of fun. Oh yeah, and did I mention it was 109 degrees at 9p.m.????

Poolside!

There were several moment during my trip, when we were just driving around town, where I couldn’t help but ask myself, “How on earth did I ever live here??” If you read my previous Weather Wuss post, you probably get where I’m going with this. Needless to say, I spent a lot of time by the pool! It was fun to be home, but I am happy to be back in the milder temperatures of the Central Coast!

Just a quick post on my day off today. I wanted to share another Web site I came across the other day while looking for a new place to hike. It’s called  Trails.com and it’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like. You simply type in your zip code, or city and state, and then you can filter by activity (everything from birding, to kayaking, to horseback riding trails). Now there are some features of the site that require you to register and/or pay, but I was able to get around that. I would simply look up the trails on the Trails.com map, get a quick description, and then Google that location seperately if I needed more information. I’m always looking for new places to see and new things to do, and this is just one more resource for that. Happy outdoor adventuring!