san diego

7/14/2022 Kung Fu Panda Day at the San Diego Zoo!

Abby H.

To Celebrate the new Kung Fu Panda Series coming to Netflix, head on down to check out the fun at the San Diego Zoo on July 14, 2022.

Celebrate with:

  • face painting
  • photo booth
  • giveaways and more!

And once you get home from the fun, check out the new series on Netflix, launching the same day!

Kung Fu Panda: Dragon Knight

SYNOPSIS: Jack Black returns to KUNG FU PANDA in the new series KUNG FU PANDA: THE DRAGON KNIGHT. When a mysterious pair of weasels set their sights on a collection of four powerful weapons, Po must leave his home to embark on a globe-trotting quest for redemption and justice that finds him partnered up with a no-nonsense English knight named Wandering Blade. Together, these two mismatched warriors set out on an epic adventure to find the magical weapons first and save the world from destruction — and they may even learn a thing or two from each other along the way.

Notable Voice Cast:  Jack Black as Po, Rita Ora as Wandering Blade, James Hong as Mr. Ping, Chris Geere as Klaus Dumont, Della Saba as Veruca Dumont, Rahnuma Panthaky as Rukhmini, Ed Weeks as Colin and Amy Hill as Pei Pei

Executive Producer: Peter Hastings (Captain Underpants TV; Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness) and Shaunt Nigoghossian (Blood of Zeus)

Co-Executive Producers: Chris Amick and Ben Mekler (Kipo)

Animation Studio: DreamWorks Animation

Based on: The popular Kung Fu Panda Film Series

Frugal Fun at the Zoo!

Abby H.

We are big zoo go-er’s and have been for decades! We’re always looking to live on the frugal side, and for us having zoo memberships is a great way to support our local zoological society, their conservation efforts, and see the cool animals whenever we want.

Here are a few ways to save money and get the most out of your visit when you visit the San Diego Zoo:

  • If you plan on visiting more than twice in 12 months, consider getting a membership. Memberships for aduts start at just $95/year, whereas a 1 day ticket is $69.00. Membership has it’s perks including discounts on concessions and merch.
  • Don’t forget your snacks and water bottles! There are tons of water fountains to refill your bottles throughout the day. And if you have a refillable Zoo cup, you can get unlimited refills of fountain beverages each day for $5 per day. We have a zoo cup, but usually we just stick to our water bottles. We also bring our Snack backpack with us, stocked and ready to go!
  • Take advantage of all of the perks of buying a ticket or pass. Animal Encounters, Skyfari, free shows, the bus tour, the Kangaroo bus, all of these and so many other cool things come free with your ticket/pass.
  • Seasonal Events. There are a lot of cool events that happen throughout the year- Night time zoo happens all summer, there are fall/halloween/harvest events, and Junglebells in the winter. And these are all included with your ticket/pass.

And with the new Children’s Zoo area, there is a fun water feature for kids to play in- so if you anticipate your kiddos wanting to play, bring extra clothes and/or a towel.

The San Diego Zoo is an awesome zoo full of animals and plants of all kinds! It is definately a must visit for Southern California.

Talk Back- How do you and your family enjoy your favorite places on a budget?

2022 Free Parenting Classes (Online)

Abby H.

I got information about this class in my inbox from our local school district. This class is free and is all online.

Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) Classes.

 

I’ve never taken this class, but it looks like a great opportunity. After Finishing this 7-session course, you will:

  • Receive a Completion Certificate
  • Fulfill court and other requirements under the Welfare and Institution Code
  • Have a Better understanding of your child’s behavior and make steps toward building a happy home.

To sign up or if you have questions, contact Luz Alarcon at 619-203-2108. Pre-registration for this class is required.

San Diego International Children’s Film Festival: Aug. 13

Abby H.

The San Diego International Children’s Film Festival is coming up on August 13, 2022. There will be short films from around the world in several categories: animation, narrative, & documentary.

  • 10 am to 5 pm Saturday, 8/13/22
  • Neil Morgan Auditorium at the San Diego Central Library downtown, 330 Park Blvd.
  • Free admission
  • Filmmaker and animator appearances!
  • Film schedule at www.childrensfilmsd.org
  • Register here

A San Diego Summer Favorite- Resident Free Days at Balboa Park

Abby H.1 Comment

One of the best ways to pass a Tuesday afternoon in the summer is to hit up Balboa Park. Each week there are several museums that offer free admission to residents of the City and County of San Diego, and to active military personnel and their dependents. Please be prepared to present a photo ID with your address.

Here is the schedule:

First Tuesday

Second Tuesday

Third Tuesday

Fourth Tuesday

Fifth Tuesdays

  • Regular admission prices are in effect

The Following Tuesdays: July 26th, 23rd, September 27th, October 25th,  November 22nd, and  December 27th:

  • The Comic-Con Museum (Not valid for “Beyond Amazing: Spider-Man – The Exhibition.” This special exhibit is an extra charge)

As a lifelong San Diego County resident, I’d pass on the automotive museum, it’s kinda meh (I’m not a gear head). And unless your kids are super into airplanes or outer space/NASA, I’d skip the Air and Space Museum. We paid full price a few years ago, and the kids hated it (ok, mostly Bitty hated it). The Mingei Museum is full of all kinds of stuff (folk arts, useful goods like pottery, clothing, quilts- it’s not super kid-friendly), but it’s pretty interesting.

Take a picnic, and enjoy eating in any one of the gardens/open spaces.  Another free activity in Balboa Park is the Botanical Garden and Lily Pond. Right next door is the Spanish Art Village, which is fun to explore as well.

Talk Back: What is your favorite part of Balboa Park?

 

Faith Chapel: Food Distribution Monday June 6th and More Upcoming Dates!

Abby H.

Late last year I posted about the Faith Chapel neighborhood food distributions. Here is an update on more upcoming dates, and date changes due to upcoming holidays.

There is a June 6, 2022 food distribution. Sign-up for the event can be found here.

The 7/4/2022 Distribution has been moved to 7/11/2022 due to the holiday. Later in the summer, the 9/5/2022 Distribution has been moved to 9/12/2022 due to the holiday.
As a reminder, these are drive-thru-style events, so you don’t have to leave your vehicles. The events start at 10:00am, but I suggest that you arrive about 20 minutes early to get in line.
The types of food vary each month, but it’s usually a selection of shelf-stable, frozen, and fresh foods. It is a great variety and plenty of food to help with your family’s food budget.

The Address:

Faith Chapel
9400 Campo Rd.
Spring Valley, CA 91977

 

Free Food Resources for June 2022(San Diego County)

Abby H.

Woo! A new month means a reminder about all of the free food options there is here in San Diego County.

Keep in mind there are still supply chain issues, so there may not be a lot of food at some distributions, especially those that serve a large portion of the community.

I recommend showing up a little early with a bottle of water and a book and waiting in line. Time passes quickly in these lines, and it’s a great time to learn from others about community food options. Remember to socially distance and follow local masking regulations.

You can find resources here for Central and East County, and Here for North County.

Our friends at Faith Chapel are super ahead of the game and sent out information regarding their 2022 food distributions early on in the year.

If you are located outside San Diego County, call 211. If you are not familiar with 211, here is their website and it can point you in the right direction.

San Diego Food Bank Distributions for June 2022 can be found here. Enter your address (or just your zip code) and the map will show you all of the distributions in your area or closest to you. You can filter by the days of the week to find food when you are available. If there is an income requirement/limit to participate, each location/listing will say such. You can learn more here about the Feeding San Diego Together Tour.

Neighbor distributions are intermixed with the San Diego Food Bank Distributions, however, they have no income requirements, and you come as you are. These Distributions are primarily fruits & veg, however, some locations may also distribute canned goods, dairy, and bread.

Super Pantry Locations can be found here (this listing is countywide). The San Diego Foodbank website also has resources for Diaper banks, free food resources for seniors, and more.

All kids in public school K-12 in the State of California are eligible for free breakfasts and lunches at school. More information can be found here. I’ll have more information on 2022 summer feeding programs as soon as they are available. 

If you know of other resources, please leave a comment! And feel free to share this post with anyone you may know in need.

Dream Dinners Flash Sale! May Dinner Bundle!

Abby H.

Y’all know I love Dream Dinners. Check out this amazing deal- It’s only good through tomorrow, and it’s the perfect way to start the year off with easy, healthy meals.

Get nine delicious, healthy medium meals for just $175!
Order in the next 72 hours (Friday, May 20th at 9 am) to get eight medium-size family-friendly meals from our May menu for just $175. Fill your freezer and check grocery shopping and meal prep off your to-do list, so you have more time to savor spring.
The Bundle Includes:

A Medium Meal feeds 2-3 adults (honestly, it’s usually 3+ in our house), so you’ll be getting 18-27 restaurant-quality meals for $175!

Our local store here in East County is La Mesa, run by Marsi and her friendly staff! Store Email: lamesaca@dreamdinners.com  Store Phone Number: 619-460-6800.

Free Music Classes from Staump Music School

Abby H.

It’s Back!

We received this email from the school district yesterday, and I wanted to share this free deal with y’all.

If you are looking for something fun for the kids to try this summer, Staump Music School is offering a free month of voice, guitar, piano, or ukelele.

Have you been thinking about enrolling your child in music lessons? Now’s your chance to try it 100% risk-free!

What is a 30-Day Lesson Pass?

Their 30-day lesson pass is good for four 45-minute class sessions throughout one month! In other words, you will have one 45-minute group class each week for four consecutive weeks.

How do you sign up for a lesson pass?

Visit Staump Music School’s website here and complete the form.

Your child will get to experience the joys of music for an entire month, completely risk-free! We want to make sure your child truly enjoys their class & has so much fun they want to keep coming back!

This is a really fun opportunity, and if your kiddo has expressed interest in learning an instrument or singing, this is a great way to see if this is something they can get into and enjoy without committing to a lot of lessons (or money).

Feeding San Diego Together Tour: More Free Food In Your Neighborhood!

Abby H.1 Comment

Y’all know I post a list of free food resources monthly, but this one just came to my attention courtesy of Brooke from Saving in the 619.

Feeding San Diego has a Together Tour, where they work with local venues to host drive through food giveaways throughout the month all over San Diego County. No proof of need required!

Every registered attendee will receive about 50 lbs worth of dry goods, fresh produce, and frozen meat protein.

During the event, you will receive valuable resources on how to access other Feeding San Diego distributions close to your home. In addition, our team can provide information about CalFresh, and how to apply.

Visit the website here and find your next local event! From Chula Vista to San Marcos, there are events all over the county all month long, all year long!