Tune in on Valentine's Day as pianist Robert Parker performs some of your favorite love songs including “Misty,” “My One and Only,” “Evergreen,” “Always and Forever,” and “Your Song.” This show is absolutely free as a valentine from SRT and OTC to you! Audiences can tune in at http://scrippsranchtheatre.org/robertparkerlovesongs/ or http://oceansidetheatre.org/robertparkerlovesongs/.
Award winning pianist and graduate of the Drake University Instrumental Music Department, Robert Parker has been performing professionally for four decades on records as well as in concert, including as an entertainer at Oceanside Theatre Company.
His work reflects a fondness for memorable melodies, dynamics, chord textures and driving rhythms derived from classical and jazz experiences from within the string section of orchestras, Big Bands, country and concert bands.
Known for a solid left hand and classically fueled cadenzas or a gentle touch when coaxing the heart into ballads, his style is dynamic and memorable. Having performed, produced and scored countless recordings in the field of country music, the Iowa native is also known for his groundbreaking weekly appearances in the early 1980s on the country variety TV show “Ozark Opry.”
The Noman Rockwell Award is given to the home with "truly elegant displays that accentuate and coordinate with the beauty and elegance of the home."
This is the judges' statement for the Billitti home lighting display: "What is more elegant than syncing a light show programmed to their own radio channel and amazing, beautiful display! This is an ongoing historic SR delight!"
The theme for this year's contest was "Home for the Holidays." Anyone with a home in Scripps Ranch who decorated the outside of their home with holiday lights that are visible to the public from the street was eligible to enter the contest. There was no charge to enter. Judging and prizes were provided by 24/7 Realty, the sponsor of the entire event. Signs for the entrants were created and placed by 24/7 Realty.
By all accounts, the public has enjoyed this new, popular Scripps Ranch tradition, and the festive holiday light displays have lifted spirits. Plan a family holiday lights viewing tour by using this map: Home for the Holidays Lighting Contest Map.
The Clark Griswold Award, presented for "The most over the top lights with lighting displays and motion," was presented to entrant Jeremy Sturch. The Sturch home is at 9940 Dichondra Court. The prize for the Clark Griswold Award was a $100 gift card to Amazon.
The Byrnes home was awarded "The Nostalgia Award – Reminds me of my childhood." The display, submitted by Kim Byrnes, is at 9710 Caminito Joven, and features good old Charlie Brown and characters from the Peanuts cartoon. Prize for the Nostalgia Award was a $50 gift card to Public House.
The "Misfit Toy Award" for best use of inflatables went to the Granum home,11626 Timberlake Drive, submitted by Mathew K. Granum. The prize was a $25 gift card to the French Oven Bakery.
The "Grandma Got Run Over Award" for the funniest display was awarded to the Schnee home, 10810 Ashlar Place, entered by Gerard Schnee. This display features several fun inflatables including huge penguins and dinosaurs. The prize was a $25 gift card to Nutmeg Café.
"The Sparkle Award" for the twinkliest lights went to the Barger home, 11358 Merritage Court, submitted by Jered Barger. The prize was a $25 gift card to Board & Brew.
Judges' comments: "The whole street twinkles – but this one is the winner."
The 2020 Scripps Ranch News-24/7 Realty Home for the Holidays Lighting Contest was an exclusive production of Scripps Ranch News and sponsored wholly by 24/7 Realty.
Photos by Justin Fine. Visit justinfine.com.
Santa will land his sleigh on each roof, drop into each home and leave Christmas presents overnight. NORAD, buried deep within a shelter in Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs, is the only organization in the world with the tracking capability to keep an eye on Santa’s incredible trek throughout the world.
NORAD’s mission tracking Santa Claus on Christmas Eve is in its 65th year. It started when a local Sears ad in a Colorado Springs newspaper had a big image of Santa and encouraged children to call a printed phone number to speak with Santa. Unfortunately, there was a typo and the phone number was that of NORAD. That number led directly to the top-secret red phone that was only used for global emergencies. More phone calls rang and, once the men at NORAD realized what was happening, they began answering the phone to let the callers know the progress of Santa’s sleigh.
Today, NORAD will continue its Santa Claus mission.
Children may call NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center at 1 877-HI-NORAD (1 877-446-6723) or send. Visit noradsanta.org.
Join these two theater companies from the studios of "WOTC Radio" for an encore presentation of this adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic tale of miserly curmudgeon Ebenezer Scrooge and his visit from the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. An OTC original adaptation, this is great fun for the whole family.
Watch this encore presentation free of charge as a holiday present from Oceanside Theatre Company and Scripps Ranch Theatre.
Originally, these two theatre companies planned to livestream the performance of "A Christmas Carol: A Radio Play" from the stage of the Brooks Theatre in Oceanside this year. Due to the current COVID-19 situation, the two companies have adjusted. Instead, they will provide a filmed version of the 2018 version of "A Christmas Carol: A Radio Play" for free to the community. This encore version was filmed Dec. 23, 2018. The production is available to watch Dec. 19 to Jan. 3 this year. This is the link: http://scrippsranchtheatre.org/christmascarol2020.
"Theatre looks so different this year and the San Diego theatre community has adjusted. We are looking forward to sharing some holiday tradition with our audiences of all ages in a safe way," said Ted Leib, OTC artistic director and director of "A Christmas Carol: A Radio Play." "We are happy to join forces with Scripps Ranch Theatre once again to share this holiday classic."
Scripps Ranch Theatre is a professional theatre company located on the campus of Alliant International University and is celebrating its 41st season. Helmed by Artistic Director Jill Drexler, Scripps Ranch Theatre produces a five-show mainstage season in their intimate 128 seat space. SRT is a leader in the Southern California arts community in developing and producing new plays with its annual Out on a Limb Festival of New Plays. SRT has a thriving Educational Program that tours across San Diego Schools and also provides an annual summer camp in partnership with the YMCA. Visit scrippsranchtheatre.org.
Jam the Wire, an independent music broadcasting website started by local musician Steve Wolff, is small but certainly progressive. The site depends on crowdsourcing to cover the financials, giving independent musicians a place to publish videos of their work while bringing in some cash. Money earned through the site will also be distributed to charities.
While the music industry today is ruled by powerhouses such as Spotify and YouTube, Wolff said these outlets have never served the needs of smaller indie artists.
"I think I've made a total of $30 bucks in four years of having my stuff on Spotify," Wolff said, noting these platforms are overwhelmed with big-name artists. "So, you realize this isn't really a good business model for small, independent musicians who just want to record and write and release songs."
Wolff said allowing these artists to post content on Jam the Wire puts the power back in their hands.
This is a contrast from big-name streaming services, where "you're leaving your own destiny up to these companies and their algorithms," he said.
The website has hosted about 10 musicians since it launched in September, and Wolff said bringing on new talent is his top priority.
Among the artists currently on the site is Scripps Ranch resident Gregory Haddow, a local musician who described his vocals-free style as "soft guitar music."
"The whole process of creating a song … it's a lot of work and it's very time consuming," Haddow said. "And when you have completed it, it's nice to just have one other avenue where you can publish your material and get feedback on the quality."
Before coronavirus struck, Haddow's weekends often included playing backyard gigs and performances for private parties. He said having the opportunity to post on Jam the Wire means more time to grow and develop his musical abilities.
"Right now, during the pandemic, this is a great opportunity for musicians to keep developing their core skills and publishing their material," Haddow said.
Wolff said he hopes the site can continue to expand in the following months, providing a niche outlet for smaller artists with original content.
"Obviously, for all of us, it's been a super weird year, but not without its opportunities as well as its challenges so far," Wolff said.
To listen to music on Jam the Wire or learn more about the website, visit JamTheWire.com.
Thanksgiving is definitely going to look very different this year: Zoom and virtual visits with extended family and friends. Fewer people around our tables – ideally, just our immediate households.
But adjusting the holidays to fight COVID-19 doesn’t mean you can’t cook a Thanksgiving meal!
If you’re the chef, remember – use safe-cooking rules like, “keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold, keep meats and veggies separated during food prep, and practice good hygiene.”
Because the last thing you want to do, after fighting COVID and staying safe, is to accidentally serve up helpings of bacteria like E. coli, listeria and salmonella that can turn your meals into heaping plates of food-borne illness.
With that in mind, the County’s Department of Environmental Health is offering its annual safe-Thanksgiving cooking quiz to help you prepare.
Here you go:
What’s the best way to thaw frozen meat? (this year’s smaller turkey, Cornish game hen, whatever …)
Answer: D. Using the refrigerator to thaw slowly and evenly is the best, safest way to defrost any meat. Bacteria can grow exponentially at room temperatures. Note: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says that you can also thaw meats in cold water. But – and this is important – the water must be cold, under 40 degrees, and should be changed every 30 minutes to keep it cold. The refrigerator’s easier!
How often should you wash your hands and cutting boards when preparing food?
Answer: Definitely E. (Get out of the kitchen if you answered A.) You should wash your hands and cutting boards before and after everything in B, C and D. Handwashing is always a key part of safe cooking. And this year, with COVID? It’s important even if you’re not cooking! So, wash your hands. Harmful bacteria, from E. coli to salmonella and staphylococcus aureus, as well as viruses, can be removed from people’s hands through proper handwashing.
Here are just a few other things you should wash your hands after doing: coughing, blowing your nose, using the restroom, handling money, eating, drinking, smoking and handling or preparing raw food.
Should you rinse off fruits and vegetables?
Answer: Absolutely D. Rinsing with cold water cleans off dirt and other contaminants. But don’t wash them with detergents or soap, even dishwashing soap. You could end up eating residues from those cleaners if they’re absorbed by fruits and vegetables.
Why should you keep raw meats and meat products separated from fruits and vegetables when cutting them up or preparing them?
Answer: The correct answer is C. (If you said D, again – get out of the kitchen.) Cross-contamination is one of the most common causes of food-borne illness, according to the USDA. That is, the transfer of harmful bacteria from one food, particularly raw meats, poultry and shellfish, to other foods. When preparing food, you need to keep raw meats and their juices away from fruits and vegetables and all ready-to-eat foods. Not socially-distant away (you don’t need 6 feet), but still, apart.
If you can, use separate cutting boards for meats and produce. If you can’t, wash cutting boards with hot, soapy water after using them on raw meats and before using them to cut fruits and vegetables.
What is the Danger Zone? And what does it have to do with Thanksgiving dinner?
Answer: The correct answer is C. We love a good adventure-thriller movie as much as you do. But the Danger Zone is the range of temperature between 40 degrees and 140 degrees Fahrenheit that allows bacteria to breed exponentially – not a good thing. If hot foods cool or cold foods heat up enough to enter that zone, your food can become a bacteria-fest. And you can end up getting sick. Keep hot foods safely heated with chafing dishes, preheated steam tables, warming trays, slow cookers and ovens. Place cold foods in containers on ice, or in the fridge. And refrigerate leftovers as soon as you can, but definitely within two hours. Here’s more about the Danger Zone: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/shared/PDF/Danger_Zone.pdf
And finally:
Is the “five-second rule” real? Can you eat something you’ve dropped on the floor if you pick it up in less than five seconds?
Answer: B. It’s OK for the dog to eat food that’s fallen to the ground but it’s not safe for people. Truth is, almost any contact is long enough for food to be contaminated by bacteria that can be found on the ground or in your house. According to research conducted this year by Rutgers University, bacteria can transfer from a surface to food in less than a second.
So, there you have it. We hope you’re an expert. But if you’re still interested, you can get more information about food safety tips at FoodSafety.gov’s “Food Safety by Types of Food” webpage, or by calling the USDA’s Meat and Poultry hotline at 1-888-674-6854.
Be safe. And have a good Thanksgiving!
(StatePoint) This holiday season may look a bit different due to social distancing, but just because everyone is not physically together, doesn't mean your family can't share its favorite traditions.
The Olesen family of O&H Danish Bakery knows how important holiday traditions are to feeling connected to loved ones. Now in its fourth generation, the family-owned and operated bakery is sharing its best tips for creating holiday cheer from anywhere:
• Celebrate virtually: In asurvey commissioned by O&H Danish Bakery and conducted by SWNS Media Group and OnePoll, nearly 80 percent of respondents say time with family is their favorite part of the holiday season. Whether your tradition is a Christmas movie marathon, a caroling session around the piano or eating certain foods and baked treats, you can enjoy these activities together over video chat this year.
• Plan ahead: When it comes to ordering gifts and specially baked treats, make sure to account for busy schedules and congested delivery services to ensure all your goodies arrive on time. Take note of shipping times and policies, as well as ordering deadlines for each company.
• Create hygge: Evoking the sights, sounds and aromas of a typical holiday season will help make this year feel more cheerful. Take a cue from Danish culture and embrace hygge. Pronounced "hoo-ga," it means creating a cozy atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life, such as the warm glow of candlelight or a steaming cup of cocoa – and there is no better time of year to do it than the holiday season.
• Share traditional foods: The sensory memories that good food creates are powerful. In fact, 44 percent of people say the holiday spirit wouldn't be the same if they didn't have their traditional holiday dessert.
That favorite dessert might be Kringle, a traditional Danish treat made of 36 layers of butter and pastry. Among O&H's special holiday offerings are Thanksgiving Stuffed Kringle, A Very Danish Christmas Kringle and the classic Pecan Kringle. Over the past 70 years, the award-winning bakery has shipped to more than 100 countries, making landfall in all seven continents, including Antarctica. This year, doorstep delivery makes it easy to order a traditional favorite for your own household or send a gift to family members near and far. Visit ohdanishbakery.com.
(StatePoint) Give your home a warm and cozy vibe this fall with a few DIY projects that are sure to add seasonal cheer to any space. Whether you're looking for a rainy-day activity to keep kids busy or searching for affordable décor options, these fall craft ideas are a great place to start. All you need is your creativity and a few supplies.
Celebrate fall foliage
Add fall flavor to a tabletop or mantel by filling mason jars with wheat and dried baby's breath flowers. Give the mason jar an elevated look by wrapping it with jute ribbon and lace. Or, you can simply roll coordinating scrapbooking paper into decorative cuffs that slip inside.
Give thanks
Banners are an easy way to make your own décor without spending a lot of money. DIY banners look great on a front porch to welcome guests or they can be used on a mantel. Easily create a banner with paper and duct tape. Write your own message or cut out shapes like leaves and pumpkins and attach them to twine or string.
Get cocoa cozy
Nothing is better on a crisp fall day than a cup of hot cider or cocoa. Make sure everyone in the family has their own customizable mug by using chalkboard paint. Use a quality painter's tape, such as Duck Clean Release painter's tape, to create a crisp border. Then paint on a writable area. Remove the tape and bake the mug for a custom creation that can be personalized with names or festive phrases.
Craft a welcoming wreath
Wreaths are the ultimate seasonal décor item. They are perfect on the front door to welcome guests into your home or can be used to line interior windows for a festive feel. However, store-bought versions can be expensive. Test your crafting skills with a duct tape leaf masterpiece. All you have to do is create a variety of leaves in fall hues out of colored Duck Tape: make two of each leaf, then add wire to the sticky side of one of the leaves so it can easily be shaped, place the two leaves together and repeat the steps until you have your desired amount of leaves.
For more fall craft projects and DIY inspiration, visit duckbrand.com.
Something is not quite right with Donna: She’s a loving mother, a devoted wife, and a minor celebrity to all the bake sale planners in town, but something is making her spacey, and she’s not sure what it is. Therapy is out of the question and church isn’t the place to share one’s distress. Donna will need to pass through space and through time – all the while listening to an unlikely voice – and try to break free from her gravitational pull to learn just how she can land.
“Donna Orbits the Moon” was written by Ian August. The filmed reading was directed by Kandace Crystal; and filmed and edited by Ted Leib. The Cast includes Susan Clausen as Donna, and Eric Poppick as The Voice.
How to join in:
It’s the summer of coronavirus – and to keep it from spreading we’re staying home more, foregoing big vacations and looking for new ways to entertain and educate kids who have been home for months.
Well, here’s some good news. There are still some great, fun, free or inexpensive things that kids, families and adults can do in July.
For example, you can swap out those big vacations for some shorter, nearby, get-outside, socially distanced adventures at County parks and trails! Virtually tour cool museums, watch science experiments, or learn how to grow stuff, or make stuff.
Here’s just some of the cool things you can still do in July:
County Parks and Recreation Department
Become a Track Trail-er at seven County Parks: Track trails lets kids and their families take self-guided tours on trails at seven County parks and earn rewards for “tracking” their progress in a brochure, then reporting them online by smartphone, laptop or computer. Reach certain milestones and win nature-related prizes, including magnifying glasses, backpacks and bandanas.
Track Trails can be found at Felicita County Park, Guajome Regional Park, Lake Morena County Park, Lindo Lake County Park, San Dieguito County Park, San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve, and Stelzer County Park.
Hit the splash pads or fountains: You don’t have to go to the beach to enjoy the water. You can cool off at the splash pads at Hilton Head County Park in El Cajon and Sweetwater Summit Regional Park in Bonita. Or visit our fantastic fountains at the Waterfront Park in downtown San Diego.
See the birds and butterflies: You can meander through our bird and butterfly gardens at Lindo Lake County Park in Lakeside, San Dieguito County Park in Solana Beach and Tijuana River Valley.
Hike the Loop Trail at the Santa Ysabel Nature Center: While the nature center is closed, you can still hike the loop trail at the new, LEED-certified nature center.
Go fish: Cast your fishing pole from shore or by boat at Lake Morena County Park in Campo. You’ll be hooked! (Note: Check the webpage for fishing and boating fees: http://www.sdparks.org/content/sdparks/en/park-pages/LakeMorena.html)
Bike: the 22.5-mile Bayshore Bikeway that travels on roads, trails and paths from the Waterfront Park in downtown San Diego to Coronado and back. Check out the video to see the ride: https://bit.ly/2Oe0d2b.
Wander: among the trees and grassy meadows of Oakoasis County Park in Lakeside.
Picnic and climb (if you’re hardy): to the top of Volcan Mountain in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve in Julian – a scenic and somewhat tough 5.5-mile roundtrip hike.
SD Nights Returns – Virtually! SD Nights (Safe Destination Nights) has been giving teens safe places to play and interact after school and during hours they may be unsupervised. Starting Friday, July 17, SD Nights will give them a safe place on the Internet with a series of Facetime live and Zoom events. Check the website for details: (http://www.sdparks.org/content/sdparks/en/news-events/news-stories/CreatingASafeDigitalSpaceWithSDNights.html.html)
Summer Movies in the Park — comes to your home! The County’s popular Summer Movies in the Park is turning into Summer Movies at Home, starting Saturday, July 11, with the “Trolls World Tour” movie. You can stream the movie (available on Amazon Prime, On-Demand and Redbox) and download our interactive activity kit for Trolls-themed activities, including a DIY rubber band guitar, a musical scavenger hunt and a rainbow popcorn recipe. To see the rest of the Summer Movies series, check out the Parks website (https://bit.ly/38Lf0L3), or its Facebook page (https://bit.ly/3fm90Lw).
From Live Well San Diego Partners
Check out the Live Well Virtual Events Calendar: There’s tons of events listed here (https://www.livewellsd.org/content/livewell/home/live-well-every-day/VirtualEvents.html).
Run (or walk) the Live Well 5K – virtually – and/or take part in the Live Well 5K Fitness Challenge: Register to walk or run a 5K on Sunday, Aug. 16, submit your time to be added to the virtual race and pick up a free, limited edition Live Well 10th Anniversary cap (https://runsignup.com/Race/CA/SanDiego/LWSDVirtual5K). The 5k Fitness Challenge (https://www.livewellsd.org/content/livewell/home/livewellsd5k.html) starts July 13 and finishes Aug. 16 with the virtual run/walk. Exercise can boost your immune system, so join in and maintain a good defense against the coronavirus with Live Well!
Scripps Theatre Arts, a local youth theater organization that is only about two years old, has been put on pause due to the COVID-19 crisis.
"We were in the middle of our biggest production yet, 'Beauty and the Beast.' It was going to have the largest cast, set and audience. There were over 70 kids ranging from ages 4 to 16. The production was supposed to be in May," Scripps Theatre Arts founder Alicia Gonzalez said.
From April to May, the organization held virtual rehearsals and master classes.
The theater group was supposed to hold three camps over the summer. However, due to the Scripps Ranch Recreation Center not being open for use yet, it had to cancel all three of them.
Alongside the now cancelled summer camps, the third production of the year in September, which was supposed to be held at Marshall Middle School, is now cancelled as well.
Due to the ever-changing virus situation, they have decided to go on pause for the whole summer.
"At this point we are waiting on the Poway Center for the Performing Arts to start booking dates. Once we receive a date from the theater, we are planning to come back at 100 percent or more. The actors need a lot of support. I'm hoping the community comes out in full force to support and fills the theaters," Gonzalez said.
The organization is mainly funded by ticket sales as well as donations from companies such as Dixieline and people who want to support those in the productions.
The theater group has only had one production this year in February: "Once Upon a Mattress."
"With the production in February, we introduced a relatively unknown story with great success. Also, it was the most prepared that our youth had been," Gonzalez said.
Scripps Theatre Arts focuses on equity, diversity and inclusion.
"We want to really include everyone and give children in under-served communities an opportunity and a way for some to get scholarships," Gonzalez said.
Visit their scrippstheatrearts.com or the Facebook page @facebook.com/scrippstheatrearts.
LifeMap was born after collaborating with a software development team to create an online application based upon the best-selling career exploration book “What Color Is Your Parachute?” During this time, I was able to develop and facilitate group and individual workshops with high school and college students as well as late-in-life career changers.
Choosing a College Major or Career Path
Young adults experience tremendous stress when trying to make what feels like a monumental life decision without any direct experience to ensure it will be a well-aligned choice. Adding to this stress is simply being an adolescent desiring autonomy in their life, so when parents offer suggestions it can fall on deaf ears. Having an impartial person to explore ideas, answer questions and simply offer as many facts as possible takes much of the anxiety out of this process.
For late-in-life career changers, the obstacles can feel insurmountable due to all the responsibilities they have.Time and time again an intersection between what is realistic and what the heart desires has been found simply by being open to explore new ideas and possibilities.
LifeMap will help you to:
• Plot Your Course
There are so many ways to get to where you want to go in life! The well-worn path is not right for everyone. Thinking outside the box and identifying the best path for you will make your journey meaningful and satisfying.
• Get Unstuck and Get Moving
Sometimes we know what we want to do, but taking action feels so overwhelming that it renders us stuck. Having an impartial person who is able to help you recognize the true issues by asking the right questions will enable you to formulate a plan that is right for your specific situation.
• Consider All the Details
Whether choosing a college major, a new job, making a geographical move, or even taking the next step in a personal relationship – it is important to explore how well aligned each option is with who YOU are. When making a major life decision, considering mind/body/spirit components will help you to achieve the outcome you are seeking.
• Navigating Life’s Challenges
Life isn’t always smooth sailing. When you’re at a crossroad in life urgently needing to make a plan for the future, it is so important to have clear-headed support and feedback to enable you to make the best decisions for your unique situation.
For more information about LifeMap, visit our website at www.LifeMap4u.com.