Who Said What: Del Mar News in Review

 

The infamous North County community of Del Mar boasts everything from fine dining and sensual hotel spas to luxurious real estate and the Fairgrounds - home to the Del Mar Racetrack, the San Diego County Fair and a plethora of concerts and events. Let’s check out who said what about recent Del Mar happenings.
 

Derby Digs: Enjoy a little bit of the racing Vegas style. The Stratosphere hotel has put together a special Kentucky Derby party package specifically for Del Mar fans. For the $129 package guests will receive a two night stay in the hotel, a pair of tickets to the Derby party in their show room with open bar, food, drawings and welcome gifts.

Summertime: It’s almost time to gear up for Del Mar’s upcoming Summer Solstice on Thursday, June 18th at Powerhouse Park. Enjoy culinary creations from many of Del Mar’s restaurants, selections from California’s best wineries and breweries and live music by Randy Fontaine and the Swingers. Get your tickets early – this event sells out every year.

Grrreen Team: Two Del Mar residents are tackling the issue of global warming with an inventive approach. The Del Mar Times stated that Deputy Mayor Richard Ernest and engineer John Wong are setting out to convert millions of gas guzzling SUVs into plug-in hybrids through the Grrreen vision. So eco-friendly.

Refurb: The Del Mar Arena at the Fairgrounds officially reopened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday following a $15 million renovation that included the installation of a 76,267-square-foot roof. The renovation project has allowed for the arena to be used for year-round concerts, trade and consumer shows and sporting events. Rock on. (pictured)

Do Good, Eat Good: A San Diego blogger, Cathy Tran, says that the 13th annual “Meet the Chefs of Del Mar” event on Sunday, April 26 promises to be an afternoon filled with exquisite food and wine from 15 of the finest restaurants in Del Mar. Tickets start at $100 and all proceeds go to Casa de Amparo’s programs to prevent and treat child abuse in San Diego. Get ‘em quick.

Sad Scene: The carcass of the 25-foot-long gray whale that was discovered last Friday in Del Mar was removed from the sand permanently on this Tuesday, April 14. The California State Parks personnel used a heavy skip loader to hoist the whale into a hauler truck to be transported to Miramar Landfill. Poor guy.

Legal Rights: Albertsons supermarket has won the right to “present” the San Diego County Fair for the next three years after the Del Mar Fairgrounds put its naming rights up for sale earlier this year. The fair will now be known as the “San Diego County Fair, Presented by Albertsons.” Big change.

Whoa!: Many Del Mar pedestrians are lucky to be alive. A 30-year-old driver of a Land Rover suffered a seizure on Sunday, April 5 while traveling eastbound on 15th street approaching Camino Del Mar. Luckily, back-seat passenger, Thomas Hildebrandt, was able to gain control of the vehicle in time to steer them out of the way. And they always talk bad about back seat drivers...

Duh-Dum-De-Dum: Calling all brides! On Sunday, April 26, the Del Mar Fairgrounds will be hosting the Bridal Bazaar, featuring aisle after aisle of displays, demonstrations and fresh ideas to make any wedding spectacular. Meet with 200 of the area’s finest wedding professionals and comparison shop to find the right vendors for your style and budget.

Activists Acting Out: On April 7, Kitchen 1540 at L’Auberge Del Mar become the latest upscale restaurant to remove foie gras from its menu. What is that stuff anyways? Activists from the Animal Protection and Rescue League claim that foie gras is a form of animal cruelty because it is made by force-feeding ducks or geese. A 2012 statewide ban is in line to make selling or producing foie gras illegal. Support the winged ones!

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