Archive for August, 2008

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How Many Millionaires Live in San Diego?

Wednesday, August 27th, 2008 by The Best Places in San Diego

According to the annual TNS Market Survey, the ANSWER IS: 100,727!

If you are wondering who qualifies as a millionaire, they looked at net worth, not including a primary residence.

That’s quite a few millionaires. In most parts of the country, there is only one, if not two, rich parts of town. Here, the number of ‘rich parts of town’ are too many to count.

Whether you are in Coronado, Borrego Springs, Carlsbad, or any points in between, there is a millionaire community within a stones throw away, if you are not a millionaire yourself. (Remember, they didn’t count primary residences. The number of San Diegans worth a million dollars is a small fraction of the people that live in million dollar homes.)

So, how does this rank against other counties in the country?

San Diego has more millionaires than any other county except five, two of which include Los Angeles and Orange Counties to our north. We even have 25,000 more millionaires than the Seattle area with its Microsoft and Starbucks millionaires, and 30,000 more than San Jose, with its tech company and venture capital millionaires.

You might argue that San Diego is a huge county and is able to throw a wider net to capture a large share of millionaires. So, I rearranged the list to account for the population of the Top 10 Counties. San Diego only slips one spot when you compare the number of millionaire households against the total population of the county. (I couldn’t find the number of households in each county so I figured using the total population would be the next best thing.)

If you are curious as to the percentage, for San Diego it’s 3.4%. The highest percentages went to the Long Island counties of Nassau (5.5%) and Suffolk (4.7%).

Posted in San Diego Ranking | No Comments »

Fastest Chihuahuas in the Country Coming to San Diego

Monday, August 25th, 2008 by The Best Places in San Diego

Are you amazed when you see little dogs zipping around a park with boundless energy?  Their little legs move so fast that it is hard to fathom how they can muster so much energy and speed.  You might even wonder if any human can beat them in the 100 yard dash.

When they finally stop, you smile with a little chuckle as they prance around like they are on top of the world.

Well, be sure to head over to Petco Park on Sunday.  You’ll get to see the 15 fastest Chihuahuas in the country compete in the Chihuahua National Finals.  Over 2,900 Chihuahuas competed to represent their respective regions of the country.

Puka, a Chihuahua from La Mesa, will be representing San Diego. You can see the full list of finalists at the Petco web site.

The races will take place between innings during the Padres game against the Colorado Rockies.  Tickets are available for the game, which starts at 1:05PM.    If you want cheap seats, be sure to read my blog post from this past Sunday.

Have fun at the Chihuahua races!

Posted in Enjoy the Outdoors, Things To Do | 1 Comment »

Greenest City Contest Winner to Receive Financial Grant

Sunday, August 24th, 2008 by The Best Places in San Diego

Here we go San Diego.  Let’s show the rest of the world we are a leader in the environmental movement. By doing so, we can win a $10,000 grant for a local environmental organization.

First, if you know a non-profit environmental group, have them submit a proposed project by September 8th. One environmental project will be selected to represent our city and receive the grant should San Diego be the winner.

The contest is being sponsored by Coinstar.  You’ll see their machines in grocery stores and other retail outlets. These machines count your coins and turn them into dollars or gift cards. To win, San Diego must show the highest year-over-year increase in total volume per Coinstar machine.

At first this sounded a little self-serving to me since Coinstar take a cut of coins converted into dollars.  Then, I read there is no coin counting charge if you turn your coins into a gift card or eCertificate, instead of cash.

You may also wonder, like me, how converting coins improves our environment. Surprisingly, it is estimated we are holding over $10 billion in our coin jars and piggy banks. If we turned in just a fraction of these coins, we can significantly reduce the amount of new coins that need to be made by our government.  New coins require copper mining.  So, rather than digging for raw materials to make new coins, let’s recirculate the coins we already have.

The contest runs from September 15th to October 15th.  I’d love nothing more than to report San Diego is the winner, when it is announced on October 21st.

Find the Closest Coinstar Machine and convert your coins!

Posted in San Diego Ranking, Things To Do | No Comments »

Petco Park Sandbox Rated in Top 10 for Best Seats in All of Baseball

Saturday, August 23rd, 2008 by The Best Places in San Diego

This week, USA Today announced selections 6 – 10 in their list of the Top 10 Seats in All of Baseball.  (The top 5 will be announced each day in the upcoming week.)

Petco Park’s beach, just beyond the outfield fence made the list at #10.  It was noted as a great family attraction with very cheap tickets, a sand box to keep the kids occupied, and nearby grill to keep you happy while you enjoy a game. Read the USA Today article for all of the details.

Posted in Enjoy the Outdoors, San Diego Ranking | No Comments »

San Diego High School Baseball Players in Major League Baseball

Thursday, August 21st, 2008 by The Best Places in San Diego

A whopping 33 baseball players from San Diego High Schools played in Major League Baseball this year. That is an impressive statistic, which I doubt any other metro area can match. To put it in perspective, I came from a state, albeit a small one – Delaware – where it was big news when one player finally made it to the majors – Delino DeShields. Maybe Los Angeles can give us a run for our money but I couldn’t find a list of baseball players from L.A.

Some of the more recognizable major league players who got their start in San Diego include Barry Zito, Cole Hamels, and our own Padre, Adrian Gonzalez. See the full list of Major League Baseball Players from San Diego, which is maintained by the San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum. (By the way, the San Diego Sports Museum is the largest sports museum in the country.)

The Sports Museum also maintains lists of NBA and NFL players from San Diego high schools. The number of NFL players from San Diego is quite impressive as well and is likely one of the best in the country. To boot, we had two local football players from the same high school nominated as finalists for the 2004 Heisman Trophy, which was a first in Heisman Trophy history.

So, if you were every curious as to who from San Diego is current playing in professional sports, you now know you can keep track of them with the San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum web site.

Go San Diego!!!

Posted in Health / Fitness / Nutrition, San Diego Ranking | No Comments »

Ferrari Rally Coming to San Diego

Wednesday, August 20th, 2008 by The Best Places in San Diego

Listen to the roar of powerful engines and admire the sharp lines of Italian built Ferrari’s as they whiz around San Diego County in October.

The San Diego Automotive Museum is celebrating its 20th Anniversary with a Ferrari Rally and Exhibition.

If you own a Ferrari, take it out of the garage on October 10th for a scenic back roads drive from the Orange County Coast to beautiful downtown San Diego. Enjoy an evening of camaraderie with fellow Ferrari owners at the hip W Hotel in San Diego before heading out the next morning to hit the hills and curves of San Diego County. You will work your way through the mountains, out to the desert and back before settling in for the 20th Anniversary Gala at the Automotive Museum in Balboa Park.

The 20th Anniversary Gala will feature ‘Ferrari – Cavallino Rampante’, a one-of-a-kind exhibition celebrating the history of Ferrari.

For Ferrari enthusiasts, you will want to make two visits to the Automotive Museum. From October 1st to November 15th, the exhibition will feature fifteen Ferrari racing cars along with an accompaniment of memorabilia celebrating the most admired car brand in the world. When you return from November 16th to December 31st, you will be treated to fifteen Ferrari touring cars.

For all of the details on the Ferrari Rally and Exhibition, view the Automotive Museum invitation for Ferrari Lovers.

To brush up on your knowledge of Ferraris and show off to your friends, visit Wikipedia and be sure to select the various models to learn even more.

Posted in Enjoy the Outdoors, Things To Do | No Comments »

Horse Racing in San Diego is for the Young and Hip

Monday, August 18th, 2008 by The Best Places in San Diego

Are you someone who has never made it over to the Del Mar racetrack?  Do you think horse racing is for old guys who have nothing more to do other than gamble? If so, you have an exciting new adventure ahead.

Before I moved to San Diego ten years ago, horse racing was barely on my radar.  The only people I ever heard who went to the horse races were high rollers and old guys who had nothing else to do.  And frankly, I think for most of the country, that’s correct.

Chances are, if you haven’t been to the horse races yet, you probably didn’t grow up in Southern California.  You may have paid attention to the Kentucky Derby and whether or not its winner went on to win the Triple Crown.  Otherwise, horse racing was not on your radar either.

Well, it’s time you take a moment to see horse racing for what it is in Southern California.  More specifically, horse racing at the Del Mar Racetrack is nothing like you would expect. It is hip, it’s cool, and it’s cheap.

Did you ever notice bumper stickers around town that say: Del Mar – Where the Turf Meets the Surf?  You probably thought, sure, the town of Del Mar must be located on the beach because it is where their turf meets the ocean.

Even though Del Mar is nestled against the Pacific Ocean, you are missing the point.  Where the Turf Meets the Surf is the title of a jingle coined by Bing Crosby, which he created for his Del Mar Racetrack.

Bing Crosby, along with actors Pat O’Brien, Jimmy Durante, and businessman Charles Howard, opened the Del Mar Racetrack in 1937.  Their racetrack became the place for Hollywood Stars to come see and be seen. Just a year after opening, the racetrack held the famous Seabiscuit vs. Ligaroti race, which was broadcast nationwide.

Today, the Del Mar Racetrack is still the place to see and be seen.  On any given day, you have the opportunity to see a famous face.  On Opening Day in mid-July, you have the opportunity to see the most beautiful people in the country descend on the racetrack as the women show off their fanciest hats.

Oh yes, there is horse racing too.  The racetrack offers one of the highest average payouts in the country for winning horses. This brings in the top horses from around the world.  (I have to admit I was unpatriotic on my last bet at a recent meet when I picked horses from England to finish #1 and #2.  I lost.)

It is only $6 to get in (+ $8 bucks for parking unless you take transit). Once you are in, you can take a close look at the horses in the paddock when they prepare for their race and then spend as little as $2 on a bet for your favorite horse. If you don’t know what to do once you are at the races, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club has put together a beginner’s guide for you.

So, if I’ve piqued your interest, don’t wait. Go! If you like listening to live bands, go this Friday.  Every Friday, there is a free post-race concert.  You can check out the concert line-up and listen to samples online.

If you are excited about seeing world class horse racing, go this Sunday for the Pacific Classic.  This is the biggest race of the season with a million dollar purse.  The winner of the Pacific Classic gets an automatic entry in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.  The Breeders’ Cup Classic is the end of season championship for thoroughbred horse racing! You can call your friends back home when they are watching the Breeders’ Cup and say, ‘hey, I saw that horse in Del Mar!’

Try something new and have fun!!!

Posted in Enjoy the Outdoors, San Diego Ranking, Things To Do | No Comments »

Solana Beach Company Serves Up Healthy Snacks to Kids Nationwide

Sunday, August 17th, 2008 by The Best Places in San Diego

Do you remember the days in school when you would hit up the Coke machine for a cool, refreshing drink (or to keep yourself awake in class) and then the snack machine for a Twinkie or a box of mini-chocolate donuts (especially when the cafeteria options that day stunk)?  Snacking on junk food and sugary drinks didn’t seem to matter all that much to our health or physical looks.  We were lucky not to have the internet or 200 channels of TV.  Instead, we were outside running around until we could barely see the end of our nose and our parents were yelling for the umpteenth time that it was time to get inside and wash up.  All of that excercise kept us in great shape.

Boy how times have changed.  Kids nowawdays sit inside a lot more than we did.  They flip through hundreds of TV channels, chat online, play video games, and even watch the gardener take care of the yard, and the maid clean up the bathroom.  (Whatever happened to chores; another activity that always kept us active?)

Our new sedate lifestyles can no longer cover up the effects of sugary drinks, Twinkies, and donuts.  The government and other organizations have been encouraging kids to become more active like we were in our school days but it just isn’t happening.  There are just too many distractions that keep kids from playing outside until mom or dad pulled them by the collar into the house.

The lastest effort to combat poor health and obesity is through a better diet.  Out go the Coke machines and the junk food vending options and in come the flavored waters and vegetable chips.

If you been reading this blog, it’s no surprise that a San Diego company is once again leading the way on creating a healthier America.

YoNaturals, a Solana Beach company, has taken the lead to bring healthy food vending machines to schools across America.  The company has been in business for two years and the accolades from school administrators are already pouring in.

YoNaturals has now launched a new program with its web site called schoolhealthyvending.com.  The new program makes it easy for schools to use the healthy vending machines as fundraisers. I can tell you from personal experience that this is a great idea.  I was in charge of running the Coke machines in school as a class president.  It was such an awesome money maker that I started peddling Otis Spunkmeyer Cookies for the school business club. Yes, I’m guilty of pushing junk food but you’ll have to admit, it was during a time when it didn’t seem to matter since we were so active as kids and burned off all the calories.

If you take a look at the YoNaturals snack and drink choices for their vending machines, I think you’ll agree with me that healthier snacking will become attractive to kids.  If I were still in school, I would certainly push these healthier options. I’m confident they would bring in just as much money and with what we know now, I wouldn’t feel as guilty pushing them.

Will these healthy snack options finally tackle the problem of childhood obesity?  I think they are something that will put us in the right direction but there’s nothing better than running around and staying active like in the good-ole-days.

Posted in Health / Fitness / Nutrition, Started in San Diego | 1 Comment »

Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin To Perform in San Diego

Saturday, August 16th, 2008 by The Best Places in San Diego

Congratulations to Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson for winning the Women’s Gymnastics All-Around Gold and Silver Medals!

If you missed it, you can watch the full NBC coverage online as it follows the USA, China, and Russia through the four floor rotations. Even though you know the outcome, watching it is still intense as you can feel the gymnasts’ emotions when the TV cameras follow their every move – Nastia Liukin frequently closing her eyes to gather her focus while Shawn Johnson is off to the side going through the motions of her next routine as she waits for her turn. Early on, your competitive juices kick in as it appears the Chinese gymnasts are given scores higher than their performances seem to have warranted while the U.S. gymnasts were receiving deductions for what appeared to be flawless execution.

As the Americans eke out their one-two victory on the final rotation, the floor exercise, NBC TV cameras caught the famous Olympic Coach to Mary Lou Retton and Nadia Comaneci react wildly to their inspiration-lifting performances. (See Bela Karolyi’s Olympic reaction to the U.S. Gold Medal Victory.)

Now, you can be inspired by Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson in person! They are coming to San Diego on Sunday, September 14th. They will be performing at the Sports Arena with other famous gymnasts to help raise awareness for cancers that affect women. The event is being set-up by Frosted Pink with a Twist and will be aired on ABC October 12th.

So, hurry and get your tickets. They are just now going on sale through Ticketmaster. Here are all the details to relive the excitement of the 2008 Olympics, right here in San Diego.

Ticketmaster web page for Frosted Pink with a Twist at the San Diego Sports Arena.

Ticketmaster Phone Number: 1-619-220-8497

San Diego Sports Arena information for this Gymnastics Event. The site includes an interactive seat viewer to help you find the right seat at the right price.

Ticket prices range from $33 – $83. Buyers are limited to 8 tickets on Ticketmaster. Group sales for 10 or more can contact the Sports Arena at 1-619-308-4311

By the way, if you are looking for gift ideas, consider getting a framed Olympic Gold Medal Photograph of Shawn Johnson or Nastia Liukin.

Have Fun!

Posted in Brains / Talent, Things To Do, Unique Gems | 1 Comment »

Nationally Recognized Privacy Rights Group based in San Diego

Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 by The Best Places in San Diego

The explosion of information available online has resulted in a struggle to protect privacy rights of individuals.  New technology is introduced each day that allows government, business, organizations, and even other individuals to explore a person’s history and track personal habits.

Generally, the intentions are good.  For example, companies want to learn the demographics of their customers so they can better identify what type of person is attracted to their product.  This knowledge allows them to adjust their marketing campaign to reach only the types of people who will be most interested in their product.  In another example, web sites want to learn which pages people are visiting on their site so they can figure out which article topics are popular and which are not. This knowledge allows them to provide more relevant articles to their readers.

With anything ‘good’, there is always a ‘bad side’ that comes with it.  Those without good intentions could use technology to pry too much into people’s lives.  In addition, there is the argument of where the line should be drawn on what personal information being collected is reasonable and what is not.

The people who create the new technologies are most interested in pushing their skills to create the next cool capability.  Many who use the technology are most interested in improving the marketing of their product or service.  Neither of these groups is focused on determining the appropriate line for what’s a reasonable gathering of personal information.  Each company, government agency, or organization using the technology will have a different definition on what is appropriate.

This is where the nonprofit, consumer information and advocacy organization Privacy Rights Clearinghouse steps in.  They focus on individual privacy.  They are the ones who will push back when a new technology or the use of a technology appears to have gone too far.  They are the ones who help balance the line of what is reasonable and what is not.

The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse based near Balboa Park has developed a national reputation for representing consumer privacy rights.  They testify before legislators and government agencies.  You will see the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse quoted on nearly a daily basis both online, in print, and on TV across the country.

The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse provides great resources for consumers, including fact sheets on such topics as dealing with credit scores, junk mail, medical records, and identity theft.

You can read more about the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse and its San Diego founder Beth Givens.

Posted in Started in San Diego | No Comments »

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