Exotic Expo Turquoise Animal Hospital (950 Turquoise St.) is hosting their seventh annual Exotic Expo from noon-4 p.m. on March 24. They will have music, face painting, raffles, snacks and vendors like Project Wildlife, Legalize Ferrets and Turtle and Tortoise Society to help give the community info on caring for exotic pets. Admission is free. Spring Egg Hunt The Spring Egg Hunt will take place Saturday, March 24 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pacific Beach Recreation Center, 1405 Diamond St. This free event is open to the public. There will be arts, crafts, games, photo opportunities with the Spring Bunny, and egg hunts. There will be five egg hunts based on the age of the child. At 11:30 a.m. will be the 0-1 year-old hunt, noon for 1-2 year-olds, 12:30 p.m. for 3-4 year-olds, 1 p.m. for 5-6 year-olds, 1:30 p.m. for 7-9 year-olds. Belmont Park’s Easter Bash
Belmont Park will stage their sixth annual Easter Egg Hunt on the beach as well as a hunt within the park itself on Easter Sunday, April 1. The egg hunts on the beach will start at 9 a.m. and cost $5 per child. Children must be registered online prior to the hunt at belmontpark.com/easter/. Because of the popularity of this hunt last year, Belmont Park will separate the kids by age groups to allow more available spots – maximum 50 kids in each time slot. The breakdown is: 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. – ages 0-2, 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.– ages 3-5, 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.– ages 6-8, noon and 12:30 p.m. – ages 9-12.
The park egg hunt will start at 1 p.m. and will go until supplies last. This hunt is free to children. Guests will “hop” from store to store collecting eggs. Also, bring your own basket, as a limited number of bags will be available. Take photos with the Easter Bunny for free from 2 to 4 p.m. in the food court area of the amusement park. For more information, visit belmontpark.com/easter . Crawfish Cookout San Diego is a country away from Louisiana – except on Tuesday, March 27, when Pacific Beach Fish Shop sets geography on its ear. That’s the first day of the venue’s Crawfish Cookout, when the Bayou State invades with a menu the likes of which the Golden West has never seen.
The venue is at 1775 Garnet Ave. The number is 858-483-1008. Beginning at 3 p.m. and lasting until the food’s gone, traditional Louisiana crawfish will be served by the pound, with corn on the cob, red potatoes and andouille sausage and local craft beer in bottles or on draft.
Additional cookout dates are Wednesday, April 11 and Tuesday, April 24; Wednesday, May 8 and Tuesday, May 22; and Wednesday, June 5 and Tuesday, 19.
Established in 2010, Pacific Beach Fish Shop features 50 microbrews and allows customers to tote their own wine inside, with no corkage fee. Dinner and Casino Night
They gambled on Pacific Beach’s future. Now, the payoff is in sight.
DiscoverPB, the neighborhood’s business improvement district, will hold its annual riverboat-style Dinner and Casino Night Thursday, March 29, from 6 to 10 p.m. The event is set aboard the William D. Evans historic sternwheeler, which will launch from the Catamaran Hotel, 3999 Mission Blvd.
The evening is designed to recognize the neighborhood’s commercial and beautification improvements through 2017. A fundraiser and a silent auction are set to benefit DiscoverPB’s betterment programs, along with an awards ceremony featuring a riverboat gambling reception.
DiscoverPB’s 1,500 member businesses create and support programs such as Clean and Safe, which addresses the neighborhood’s general cleanliness and resources for the homeless; the Pacific Beach Community Parking District, which looks at the neighborhood’s parking and traffic issues; Pacific Beach Vision, the small business community’s partnership with other community groups regarding technology, transportation and planning; and the – Pacific Beach EcoDistrict, designed to advance sustainability practices for residents and visitors.
For ticket information, see pacificbeach.org or call 858-273-3303. Dine Out benefit
It’s arguably one of the oldest programs of its kind in Pacific Beach, and the neighborhood’s eateries are keen on its future.
Welcome to Dine Out, a commercial sharing venture that helps support Pacific Beach’s restaurant scene for the foreseeable future. The latest installment takes place at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 27, at Alta Mera, 4286 Cass St., where patrons will not only savor the pleasures of Italian cuisine but also pay it forward in the community interest.
Once a month, Pacific Beach Town Council designates an eatery as a collection point for an evening’s revenues, which are donated to the neighborhood’s member restaurants in the form of a general fund – a practice the council has maintained since the late 1970s. The event takes place the last Tuesday of the month, as Tuesdays are reportedly slow for business.
The chosen eatery prepares a prix fixe menu whose entrees coast anywhere from $20 to $40, including a free nonalcoholic beverage. On the 27th, Alta Mera will feature carbonara pasta, pappardelle with wild boar meat sauce, potato gnocci with gorgonzola cream sauce and cannoli for dessert.
Restaurants normally expect 30 patrons on Dine Out nights. A meet-and-greet will precede dinner at 5:30 p.m. For more, call 858-272-7247 or see altamerasd.com. March for Meals
Meals on Wheels will host a 5K charity walk to help support San Diego’s senior population and proceeds from the event will help provide nutritious meals and a daily wellness checks for seniors. This fitness event begins at 8:30 a.m. on March 31 at Mission Bay Park at Crown Point Drive and Moorland Drive. Prizes will be awarded to the team and individual with the most funds raised. Entry fees are $25 (free for children 12 and under). Neighborhood Block Party Jameson Irish Whiskey plans to celebrate the Pacific Beach community at Jameson’s San Diego Love Thy Neighborhood Block Party from 2 to 6 p.m.on Sunday, April 8 at Mavericks Beach Club, 860 Garnet Ave. As a brand that was born in a local neighborhood in Ireland and grew up in local neighborhoods across the country – Jameson encourages you to love thy neighborhood by coming together to celebrate the things that make Pacific Beach unique.
Join bartenders, native bands and Jameson Music artists, while experiencing beloved local food, vendors and craft beer form local Green Flash Brewery alongside neighborhood tastemakers. As part of the collaboration for the festival, 100 percent of proceeds will support Keep America Beautiful, who like Jameson, is passionate about supporting local communities and will continue to improve and beautify community environments. Del Mar Mud Run
This unique 5K features 15 muddy obstacles, a few mystery surprises and a sudsy post-race foam-fest. All participants will receive an official race tee and their first beer free. The race takes place at the Del Mar Fairgrounds (2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd.) on March 31 and tickets are $62-$82. NFL referee legend puts Mission Beach condos in play
Ed Hochuli, a retired NFL referee known for his muscular arms and lengthy penalty explanations, has put two condominiums in a Mission Beach waterfront complex on the market for a combined $5.1 million. The condos are being sold separately with the potential for a combined purchase, according to listing details in Realtor.com.
The properties are located at the Kingston Court complex, 3373 and 3375 Oceanfront Walk.
The 1,750-square-foot upper unit is listed for $2.7 million and features wall-to-wall windows, an updated kitchen, a dining area and a living room with a fireplace. It has two covered patios and panoramic ocean views. Sliding glass doors in the master suite open to one of two private patios. The condo has three bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms.
The lower unit, listed for $2.4 million, has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and nearly 1,400 square feet of interior. It features ocean views from the kitchen and living room areas and the master bedroom. A ground-level patio faces the beach and boardwalk.
Traci Stevens, of San Diego Realty Consultants, is the listing agent for both properties.
Hochuli, 67, had been officiating NFL games since 1990 before retiring in March. He was the longest-serving referee in the league and worked two Super Bowls during his career. He is also a partner at a Phoenix law firm.
Per his practice of law, he was known for articulating the precise details that led to official calls after plays. He gained national attention accordingly with on-field quips such as “Yes, there are penalties in the Pro Bowl” and “There was no foul on the play. It was not a hold. The defender was just overpowered.”
In a September 2008 game between the San Diego Chargers and the Denver Broncos, Hochuli made an incorrect call that cost the Chargers the game, declaring that he had “failed miserably.” The outcome led to the routine use of instant-replay electronics for 2009 and beyond. CEO awards
The Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine will host a Most Admired CEO awards program on Thursday, June 7 at 4 p.m. an exclusive reception to honor the winners and finalists.
The event, held every year by the San Diego Business Journal, is designed to recognize local business leaders’ achievements within their companies and in the community. The nomination deadline is April 22. Nomination forms and tickets are online at sdbj.com/bizevents. Tickets include admission to a no-host bar and a n evening of hors d’oeuvres.
Judges will select winners in the publicly and privately traded company categories as well as in the nonprofit, government agency, family-owned business and education areas.
The Hyatt Regency is located at 3777 La Jolla Village Drive. Further information is available at 858-277-6695.
