HipMamaB San Diego: Fun Things in San Diego this weekend!

If you live in San Diego, you know our big secret. Summer doesn't really start here until September. That's when the tourists go home, the amusement parks and beaches empty out, and our weather finally gets hot.

But that doesn't mean we don't entertain BIG during the "official" summer months. This weekend is shaping up to be a HUGE weekend for America's Finest City. And while I'll be "feeling 22" at the TSwizzle concert in LA, the rest of you all will be partying hard. 

San Diego Magazine Best of Party:

This Friday, August 23rd join San Diego Magazine as they celebrate the best of our town with the 2013 Best of party. Food, wine, music... this party is a blast. Back in Liberty Station, the 6th annual party is sure to be an amazing time. But HURRY, tickets are almost sold out!!

But if you use promo code HIPMAMAB you can get $10 off each ticket!

 Check out all the fun from last year's event here:

 Last Weekend to see In The Heights starring Jai Rodriguez

If you are looking to add a little music and culture to your weekend, head down to the Lyceum Theatre in Horton Plaza for the final weekend The San Diego Repertory Theatre's production of the Tony Award®-winning musical In The Heights. Set on the streets of the New York neighborhood of Washington Heights, this play is fun musical that follows the lives of the people that work, and live, in this one area of the big city. 

And yes - that is Jai from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy rapping and dancing! I saw the play a few weeks ago and loved the music and the dancing. 

World's Largest "InstaMeet" at the Del Mar Races on Sunday

If you are on Instagram, then be prepared to have your stream flooded with pictures of pin-up girls, Delmargaritas and Ponies this Sunday as Del Mar attempts to go for the title of "World's Largest InstaMeet."

Every year the "Haute as Ever" team puts together an amazing event for techies in San Diego and this year is no different. 

Music Art Life and Instagramers San Diego are hosting this FREE event to celebrate the history of the Del Mar Racetrack. The event's theme derives from the 1940's Pinup Era, complete with a hair styling station available for patrons who would like to get their hair styled for the event, as well as fun Pin-up girls for photo opportunities!

Yes - all you need to do to get FREE admission is to RSVP. While I won't be there this year, I'm looking forward to following all the craziness on the #hauteasever13 tag. 

So. What are YOU doing this weekend? 

I'll Try That Week! #1: The "Monday Reset" Cleanse from bBar in Del Mar

Mondays drag. Most of us ate too much, drank too much. No matter what, you always just feel like you did too much of nothing (or not the right thing) and an over abundance of something. 

Last week, I told you about my experiment in eliminating meat and limiting dairy... a decision that was challenged this weekend with a 6 hour rugby tournament (where I worked the burger/hot dog food stand) and our traditional "Avant Family St. Patty's Day Corned Beef Extravaganza." If there was ever a week to start off with a cleanse, it would have been this one. 

Here in San Diego, we have a new bar in town. But it's a good one - a place where the only thing that may hurt if you frequent it is your wallet. bBar is the official "Ultimate Juice, Superfood, and Vitality Bar" located off Via de la Valle in Del Mar (across from the Flower Hill Mall, by Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf). It's a place to pick up a yummy smoothie, a variety of the Beaming juices, a fabulous salad or a raw protein bite. I feel healthier just walking in the door. 

While I've never been one to even attempt a cleanse, last month I did the bBar's new Monday Reset - a one day juice and salad cleanse that aims to start your week off on the right track. I know what you are thinking - how can one day do any good? Well, according to Lisa Odenweller, CEO of Beaming, it can actually do a lot of good. 

One of the best ways to reduce inflammation and alkalize your body is to take one day a week where you give your digestion a break and get off the foods (and drinks) that wreak havoc on your body (dairy, wheat/gluten, sugar, alcohol), allowing your body to reset and thrive.  Just one day of drinking mostly juice and a salad or other plant based foods/drinks will give your body what it needs to start the week right while setting good habits for the week.   Our Monday Reset Cleanse is designed with this goal in mind and is a great sampler of 4 of our favorite juices that gives great variety while also including our delicious freshly made sprouted almond milk, our beaming plant protein blend, a Beaming Superfood Bite (which tastes almost too good to be good for you!!) and one of our signature salads or raw dishes.  We make it as simple as possible by making it delicious and healthy so that you don't feel deprived but are instead rejuvenated and inspired.  

And she was right about the bite and almond milk - they were like candy! So, of course I had to ask about the nutritional breakdown of what I was consuming that day. I mean, aren't almonds fattening? 

We believe in keeping things low glycemic which is especially important when drinking juice all day and when cleansing.  We offer cleansing programs that are extremely balanced by making sure that the juices & smoothies on our cleanses are low in fruit sugar and high in vegetables -- this helps to prevent insulin crashes and optimize your metabolism.  Most of our diets are already filled with too much sugar (even too much fruit sugar isn't good for us) so we believe the more green the better.  Even our most popular green juices (Beaming Zing and Fennel Love) have less than 1/4 apple in them which is considerably less than most juices on the market.  While it will almost always taste better with more fruit, we believe in limiting the fruit because we know its better for you.

Coming from the girl that "does not do cleanses" - I really enjoyed this one. First, it was only 24 hours. Second, you got a super yummy salad for dinner that helped me to push through the end. I will admit, I got a little light-headed around 4:00ish, but I also think I ate my protein bite too early. Most of the juices were delicious, there were two of them that were not ones I would routinely drink. I was going to work out in the morning, but didn't, and I'm glad I was unable to in the end - it may have pushed me too far that day. 

In the end I was happy that I powered through. And funny enough, I woke up on Tuesday morning and considered driving down and getting all the same juices and trying for a second day. I'm still not sure I could do a 4-day, but after my positive experience with the Monday Reset, I won't rule it out. 

*disclosure: bBar provided me with the "Monday Reset" for review purposes. Opinions are my own. 

It's PUMPKIN TIME! *Pumpkin Station Pumpkin Patch Giveaway*

I will admit it. I have Halloween decorations up already. Not too many...but a few. I usually try to wait until October 1st, but this year after a quick trip to Home Goods that netted me a beautiful little headless horseman and a gorgeous black "Halloween Tree," I buckled and started putting a few things up here and there. 

But now Fall is officially here so LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED.

Pumpkin Station is now open! If you haven't been in the past, Pumpkin Station is a kid's Halloween dream. Rides, pumpkins, a petting zoo and a corn maze - it's fun Halloween craziness. It's the perfect fall outing - and right now BuyWithMe has fantastic offer to save on the fun - 12 rides for $15! That's up to a $30 value. 

$15 gets you 12 rides at four Pumpkin Station locations (up to $30 value).

Loaded with kiddie rides, Jack-O-Lanterns-to-be, petting zoos, and more, Pumpkin Station is the perfect choice for Halloween-themed fun the whole family can enjoy. Little ones will love the giant slides, pumpkin jumps, and inflatable play centers, not to mention the colorful main attraction – the pumpkins, of course. From the smallest baby pumpkin to their famously enormous Bodacious Pumpkins, there’s one to fit every stoop and satisfy even the most intense Halloween fanatic. Pumpkin Station hours and attractions vary by location (Del Mar, Mission Valley, El Cajon, and Chula Vista), but parking and admission are always free. So get in on the All Hallows’ Eve fun while you can – they’re only open ‘til October 31!

I know my kids already saw the Del Mar location off the side of the freeway and are already asking when we can go.

While this deal is a great one - I have a BuyWithMe deal package to giveaway! 

To enter, leave a comment below telling me what your favorite costume (yours or someone elses) of all time was. That's it!

The contest will run through Friday Sept 30th at 5:00 PM.

What a great way to kick off the Halloween season!

CONGRATS NICOLE! Enjoy your time at Pumpkin Station!

Where the surf meets the turf...blogging mama edition

If you ever get the chance to watch a race at Del Mar from the winner's circle - take it. The energy that flows as the horses race by at top speed is unmatchable.

If you ever get the chance to bet on a horse named "MO Cheese".. take it. Even a $2 bet. I mean WHO doesn't want MO CHEESE to win?

And even when MO CHEESE fails you (like it always does my thighs) it's still a great story.

 If you ever get the chance to dine at the Stretch Run Grill on a glorious day in San Diego with a group of great women - take it.

Oh, and have the Del Mar Sweet Tea.

Trust me.

<-- that's me with Theresa, Christina and La Jolla Mom Katie 

Left to right - me, MamaMary, RockonMommy Theresa, Mamarazzi Suzette, CoffeeMommyof3 Christina, Sugar Jones, HipMom Sondra and Jen_eration_X Jennifer

BIG THANKS to The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club for hosting us, and to Jennifer for taking such great pics!

Where the surf meets the turf...

Every year I declare "NEXT YEAR I will be at Opening Day..." and while that promise didn't come through this year for me, it did for over 43,000 of my fellow San Diegans. While work and parental obligations kept many of us away Wednesday, at least we have this Sunday's Family Fun Day. 

Thanks to the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, a bunch of us parenting bloggy types are headed to the track this Sunday to see the Ponies, and place a few bets while the kids are entertained by magicians, bounce houses, face painters and more. 

Each child that walks through the gate will also get a free "Pony Boy" webkinz and the chance to meet the "real" Pony Boy (Del Mar's Mascot) during the infield activities. 

The fun begins at 1:00; remember that you can also bring a small cooler with a picnic lunch and snacks... just no booze. That, you have to buy there. 

If you end up going on Sunday and want to meet up with some of the coolest parents that the San Diego Blogosphere has to offer - use the hashtag #delmarfamilyfun to find us.

Tickets are $10 for adults and kids 17 and under are free. Parking is $8. First post time is 2:00 so be sure to get there with enough time to place your first bet. 

You can visit www.DMTC.com for any additional information.