Mike Ciampa

San Diego is full of good-old-fashion-summer-fun. The 27th ANNUAL U.S. OPEN SANDCASTLE COMPETITION in Imperial Beach, California will be held on Sunday July 13, 2008 with professional and amateur sand carving teams competing in the largest sand castle building contest for more than $22,000 in cash prizes. The competition gets underway on the sand from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm - a street festival, live music and entertainment is available all day along Seacoast Drive. The public can view the sand castles until 4:00 p.m. when the awards are presented.

On Friday, July 11, the Mayor's Community Breakfast will be held at 10:00 a.m. and the Sandcastle Ball will take place at 8:00 p.m. On Saturday July 12, the Imperial Beach Optimist Club will host the Kids' n Kastles competition from 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. - family themed activities will take place along Seacoast Drive daytime only. All events are free to the public, with the exception of the Sandcastle Ball. Event proceeds benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Imperial Beach. Handicap parking is available. For more information visit

Living in the city is a blast. There is never a dull moment between Padre Games, nightlife and the constant movement that an urban life provides. Between work and city play many of us city-dwellers may find it necessary for some R-and-R. Yoga is a great way to slow down, stretch our work-day stagnant muscles and clear the mind. But man, Yoga can become costly, $25 per class for many studios, and that adds up when you want a daily fix. Meditation is also a great way to become focused and clear, often a challenge in busy city life, but where and how? Tucked right on the edge of the Gaslamp Quarter and Marina District is a secret place that won't be secret for long.
The Red Lotus Society is a non-profit organization founded to ‘promote the practice and awareness of meditation for the improvement of mental health and environmental wellbeing.' They are dedicated to ‘facilitating instruction in the variety of ancient and modern meditation techniques to combat the stress and pressure of modern living, and to encourage more mindful approaches to the social and environmental problems facing the world today.'

They just opened in a new location at 540 3rd Avenue in downtown San Diego. Every morning they offer free...yes, free Yoga classes and meditation, as well as many other mindful and mind-clearing activities. Check out their schedule below.

The Red Lotus Society has numerous outreach programs and even family meditation classes.

They promote the practice and awareness of meditation through Outreach Programs, offering Free Meditation/Yoga Classes at San Diego Public and Private Schools (K-12), San Diego State University, Group Homes for victims of Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking, Local Businesses, and Prisons.

This is a great organization, really involved in the growth of our community, I recommend checking them out. Visit their website and read about what their mission is, more about their free classes and how you can help. They are also in the process of completing a tea room and library, a sanctuary in the city, so -to- say.

One of the beautiful things about living in downtown San Diego is that this fine city is still growing it's idenity and the community can help to mold this idenity into one complimenting it's resident's. The city has recently planned to cut a plan with a private developer to destruct and rebuild the 1960s-era Civic Center and create a new Civic Center. Two developer finalists are asking the publics opinion and feedback.
Why care? What is a Civic Center anyway?
A Civic Center is generally is a prominent space within a community that is constructed to be its focal point or center. Usually it contains one or more dominant public buildings, often times a government building and major permormance center. One of the most well known and well developed Civic Centers is the San Francisco's Civic Center. San Francisco's Civic Center is comprised of an area that contains many of the city's largest government and cultural institutions. It has two large plazas; the Civic Center Plaza and United Nations Plaza, and a number of buildings in classical architectural style. Their Civic Center includes City Hall,, Supreme Court of California, San Francisco Public Library, War Memorial Opera House, Davies Symphony Hall, Herbst Theater, Asian Art Museum and much more. It is a cultural hub of the highest form where all of the cities important decisions and events take place.

So what would you like to see developed?

Comment on the San Diego Civic Center project.

• March 13: 6:30 p.m. at Qualcomm Stadium, Club Level, 9449 Friars Road.
• March 15: 10 a.m. at Malcolm X Library, 5148 Market St.

Check out this Union Tribune article for more information....See You There!