Summer Concerts on a Budget!

The Central Coast Summer's are filled with FREE Concerts.  You just need to know where to look for them.  On occasion you can find them in New Times or on http://www.sanluisobispocounty.com/visitors/calendar-of-events/.  If you don't want to waste your time on research, then keep reading as I have gone to all of these and can help you decided which ones are worth venturing out to.

Go prepared!!  You will need to gather up a few items to ensure your day is relaxing and FREE....of course!


-  Picnic Basket or Picnic bag with freezer pouches
-  Wine (but of course) Sauvignon Blanc, Rose, Champagne.  Something crisp
   and cold on a hot summer's day.
-  Plastic Wine Glasses
-  Backpack Beach Chairs
-  Snacks
-  Water.  Tons of Water

Sundays in the Sand - Quite possibly my favorite of the Summer Concert Series here on the Coast.  This FREE concert is held at the Avila Beach Golf Resort every Sunday from July to August.  It's on the big grassy area over looking the coast.  It's a stunning view and TONS of fun!  Concerts usually start around 1pm, so get there early to ensure you have a nice spot of your own. Food and drinks are available for purchase, but they are totally cool if you want to bring your own. Check out their Facebook page for upcoming shows. http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=137256709625504


Concerts in the Plaza - This concert series stars 6/10/11 - 9/2/11.  Its in the Mission Plaza in Downtown SLO.  Concerts go from 5:30 - 7:30pm.  Food and beverages are available for sale, or you can bring your own.  Here's the lineup:

June 10  -  NADA RASTA sponsored by Creeky Tiki
June 17-- TRUTH ABOUT SEAFOOD sponsored by Adamski, Moroski, Madden, Cumberland & Green LLP
June 24  - TROPO sponsored by Cal Poly Downtown
July 1  -  CUESTA RIDGE sponsored by Mission Community Bank
July 8  -  ZONGO ALL STARS sponsored by Bladerunner Salon and Spa & Stephen Patrick Design
July 15 - DAMON CASTILLO BAND sponsored by Ravatt, Albrechet & Associates Inc.
July 22 - RESINATION sponsored by San Luis Obispo Transit
July 29 - CRITICNUE
August 5 - GUY BUDD BAND and the GYPSY SOULS sponsored by Rancho Grande Motors
August 12 - MONTE MILLS and the LUCKY HORSESHOE BAND sponsored by Tartaglia Realty
August 19 - BURNING JAMES and the FUNKY FLAMES
August 26 - THE JD PROJECT sponsored by Takken's Shoes of SLO
Sept 2  -  BIG DADDY'S BLUES BAND sponsored by WestPac

Concerts in the Park - This concert series happens all over the county.

Tuesdays -      Atascadero Lake Park – “Tuesdays in the Park”
                      June 15 - August 31, 2010
                      BBQ 5-7, Music 7-8 PM
                      Food & wine available for purchase. May bring own beer & wine

Wednesdays - Templeton City Park “Concerts in the Park – 2010” 
                     May 26 - September 1, 2010 
                     6:30 - 8:30 PM   (9/1 concert @ 6 - 8 PM)
                     Food available for purchase. May bring own beer & wine.

Fridays -        Paso Robles – Downtown “Concerts in the Park – 2010”
                    June 18 - August 27, 2010   5:30 – 7:30 PM
                    Food & wine available for purchase. May bring own beer & wine.

Saturdays -   Los Osos - SeaPines Golf Resort "Concerts on the Green"
                    June 5 - July 3, 2010
                    2 - 6 PM
                    No outside alcohol or food. May buy food and wine on-site.

Sundays -     Arroyo Grande – Downtown Bandstand – Summer Concerts 2010 –
                   selected afternoons: 6/6, 6/20, 7/4, 7/18, 8/1, 8/15, 8/29, 9/12    
                   1-3pm  May not consume alcohol.  (super lame)
                           Food available on site or from nearby delis.

                   Grover Beach – Ramona Garden Park- “Sizzlin Summer Concerts”
                   June 6 - September 26, 2010  (None on July 4)
                   3 - 6 PM 
                   May bring own food and wine. May also buy food and wine                              on-site
                   Part of their weekly Famers Market at same time and place.


Cambria Summer Concert Events  - Cambria has found a great way to participate while including a very lovely hotel and an amazing restaurant:

Saturdays -  El Colibri Hotel and Spa
                   6ish - ??
                   Wine bar is open and features live music. Very romantic


Sundays -    Robin's Restaurant (Gardens) Summer Nights Concerts
                  June 6 - August 29
                  5 - 9 PM
                  No cover, but charge for wine and food.
                  Special winery tastings at each one.

Summer should be all about enjoying the sun, live music, friends and having as much fun as you possibly can.  Don't be a hermit.  Get out there and check out at least one of these concerts!!  

 

Rainy Day Blues. What to do, What to do!

The clouds are rolling in, wind is blowing and the rain is a constant drizzle that is just annoying to walk around in.  Both of my kids say how they want to do something fun but they can't because it's raining.  I start to sink into their pity party and realize that my bluff hike is definitely not going to happen today.  It's time to snap out of it!!  We all decide to brainstorm over breakfast at the Creekside Cafe, all the fun stuff we can do inside.  I have to say my kids have a great imagination and I pride myself on helping them cultivate their artistic creative minds.  So here is a list of all the fun FREE things you can do on a rainy day!

3d puzzles and Board Games - We dug up at least 3 puzzles that we have never even opened and discovered a really cool 3d Eiffel Tower!  Nice pick Owen!  Apples to Apples, Whoonu and My first chemistry kit rank among the top picks with my kids and they are definitely entertaining for adults.  

Arts & Crafts Projects - I always keep a couple of plain wooden projects from Michaels lying around for rainy days.  These go on sale off and on from $1.00 - $5.00.  I found a couple of bird houses and some wooden animals.  The kids and I have a blast painting and decorating these with googly eyes and pom pom balls.  We decided on homemade Ugly dolls today!!  We are using scrap fabric that you can find at thrift stores or fabric shops, old buttons and some colored thread.   

Wii or Xbox Kinect Challenge - We love setting up a family game challenge, where the winner goes up against a different person until they are knocked out of their winning spot.  You could also play for fun, but that really wouldn't work for my competitive video gamers.  Just Dance & Wii Resort are great games for 5yrs old and up.  

Jewelry Making - I've been making jewelry since I was 14yrs old.  I think just about every friend I have owns a crazy piece of jewelry that I have gifted to them proudly.  It's very relaxing and a lot of fun to create original pieces.  I checked out several books on beading and jewelry making from my local library.  You will find the best prices on beads at Michaels.  Local bead shops tend to be double the price.  To put together a basic kit, all you need is wire, wire cutters, needle nose pliers, flat nose pliers, crimp beads, multi colored beads and focal pieces and your choice of clasps.  Beadaholic has good quality products for a reasonable price.  

http://www.beadaholique.com

Wire wrapping is a great way to use local resources such as found objects like beach glass, rocks or wooden pieces.  It requires a lot more patience and some special tools but you can you do several different variations.  Seaglass Journal has a nice step by step on wire wrapping.  

http://www.seaglassjournal.com/crafts/simplependant/simplependant.htm

80's movie marathon - This is my idea of a great rainy day activity.  Unfortunately this only keeps my kids attention through 1.5 movies. We could watch ET, Never Ending Story and The Stars Wars movies over and over and over again.  Actually I think I might just go and find one on demand now.