PUBLIC INPUT SOUGHT ON BIKE SHARING

The City Council unanimously approved a bike sharing initiative on July 9, 2013, entering into a corporate partnership with DecoBike LLC of Miami, Fla., to provide the services. The program, which is expected to launch in early 2014, will consist of approximately 2,000 bikes, 200 stations and 3,500 bike docks. A website, decobike.com/sandiego, was recently launched and both the City of San Diego and DecoBike are seeking input from the citizens of San Diego regarding the placement of the large, impending network of bike stations. Community feedback is requested regarding bike station placement, which will then be matched with logistical criteria for final selection. Aside from the website, the City will be using other methods to gather feedback, including community meetings and targeted emails. Several other major cities have bike-sharing programs, including Denver, Miami and Washington. D.C. Bike sharing provides an eco-friendly alternative to motorized transportation and can be mixed with public transportation. For more information about DecoBike, visit decobike.com. If you have questions, email [email protected].

“DOLPHINS” RETURNS TO FLEET’S GIANT DOME THEATER

From Sept. 6 – 30, the film documenting the research of Dr. Kathleen Dudzinski, Dr. Bernd Würsig and Dr. Alejandro Acevedo-Gutierrez returns to The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center’s Giant Dome IMAX Theater for a limited engagement. “Dolphins” is not the usual dolphin movie about captivity, all the research in the film was conducted in the wild. Seeing the film in the giant dome theater makes viewers feel as if they are in the water. The soundtrack features Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Sting and the film not only explores the habits of spotted, dusky and bottlenose dolphins in their native environments around the world, but offers the viewer a greater respect for the ocean. The film was partly funded by the National Science Foundation and the Museum Film Network and produced by MacGillivray Freeman Films in association with the National Wildlife Federation. For more information and showtimes, visit rhfleet.org/shows.

FIG FEST COMES TO SAN DIEGO PUBLIC MARKET

The first local festival highlighting the wonders of the fig is coming to San Diego on Sept. 8 from 4 – 7 p.m. at the San Diego Public Market, located minutes from Downtown at 1735 National Ave., in Barrio Logan. According to the California Fig Advisory Board, figs are an excellent source of dietary fiber and California produces 100 percent of the nation’s dried figs and 98 percent of its fresh figs. The first figs planted in California were in 1769 by priests at Mission San Diego de Alcala, and that is the reason dark purple figs are called “Mission” figs. This is also why San Diego was chosen as the location of the festival’s debut. Sponsored by San Diego-based Specialty Produce, attendees will celebrate figs while they enjoy entertainment, recipes, fresh and dried California figs, gourmet food samples, wine and craft brew tastings and much more. Tickets are $55 adults, $20 for children and proceeds will benefit the culinary scholarships and grants of Olivewood Gardens & Learning Center and the San Diego Public Market Kitchen Project. For more information visit figfestsd.com.

DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP TO SHARE FINAL DRAFT PLAN FOR “OUR DOWNTOWN”

The Downtown San Diego Partnership (DSDP) spent several months last spring reaching out to each Downtown neighborhood as well as 24 communities all over San Diego region. In these town hall meetings, the DSDP requested feedback from the community to “identify challenges, opportunities, improvements and priorities” regarding the future growth of Downtown, which is expected to expand by 1.3 million people over the next 40 years. As a result of all those meetings, the data have been complied and DSDP is ready to present the draft plan to the same communities and neighborhoods for feedback once again. All meeting times, with the exception of Gaslamp which is TBD, will be held from 6 – 7:30 pm.: Marina District: Sept. 9; Little Italy: Sept. 10; Columbia: Sept. 11; Cortez Hill: Sept. 23; East Village: Sept. 24; Gaslamp: Sept. 25. Residents and business owners are asked to attend the workshop in your neighborhood and to RSVP by email at [email protected] or calling 619-234-0201. For more information and specific meeting locations, visit downtownsandiego/our-downtown-vision.

“SLEEPLESS SAN DIEGO” EVENT RETURNS

In order to increase awareness for San Diego’s homeless and those across the nation, the San Diego Rescue Mission will hold their “Sleepless San Diego” event again this September to bring attention to the challenges the homeless face sleeping outdoors. Beginning at 3 p.m. Sept. 21 and ending at 7 a.m. Sept. 22, the event will offer activities to help the homeless, games, and conduct educational discussions. “Our goal is to generate increased awareness of and solutions for a truly tragic situation that affects far too many people in our community,” said Herb Johnson, President and CEO of the San Diego Rescue Mission in a press release. The event is open to the public and up to 1,000 participants will be offered a cot, cardboard or plastic sheet to sleep on in order to gain a greater appreciation for the homeless. Live music will be provided, educational conversations will take place and light snacks and beverages will also be available for purchase on site. It is expected that between 25 and 30 other “Sleepless” events around the nation will also take place. “Ours is a message of hope, and as Sleepless campaigns expand across America, we pray that our voices join together to help bring powerful coalition and solutions to the plight of homelessness,” Johnson also said in the release. For more information, visit sleeplesssandiego.org.

CULINARY GRANT APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN

Applications are now being accepted for culinary and enology arts scholarships offered through the San Diego Chapter of The American Institute of Wine & Food (AIWF) and Chaine des Rotisseurs. The San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival raises money for the scholarships every year through live and silent auctions held during the weeklong event. This year’s festival is scheduled Nov. 18 – 24. To be eligible, applicants must be enrolled full- or part-time in an accredited continuing education program for the culinary arts, enology/viticulture, or hospitality. They must also be currently affiliated with the San Diego culinary arts scene, either through work, school or other involvements with food and/or wine. Online applications will be accepted until Sept. 27 and winners will be recognized on Nov. 21 during the festival’s Celebrity dinner, sponsored by Wine Spectator. The scholarships are grants ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 and are sent directly to the winner’s school. Since their second year in operation, the local Festival has raised over $228,000 for the scholarship program to date. “We’ve been long-time advocates of San Diego’s budding culinary scene,” said Michelle Metter, co-producer of the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival. “After nearly 10 years, our continued investment in culinary arts and enology/viticulture students and professionals has helped San Diego gain recognition as one of the nation’s emerging culinary destinations.” Those interested should download the application at sandiegowineclassic.com/about.html.

RESTAURANT WEEK IS BACK

The California Restaurant Association’s annual Restaurant Week returns to San Diego County Sept. 15 – Sept. 20, and dozens of Downtown restaurants will be getting in on the action. You don’t need to buy any tickets you just show up to your favorite participating restaurant and purchase a prix-fixe lunch or one of the three-course prix-fixe dinner selections. Reservations are strongly suggested. Following are many of the participating restaurants in the Downtown neighborhoods:

$20 Dinner: Buster’s Beach House Seaport Village; Gaijin Noodle + Sake House; Mint Downtown Thai; and Po Pazzo Bar & Grill. $30 Dinner: Anthony’s Fish Grotto – San Diego Bay; Azuki Sushi Lounge; Bandar Restaurant; Blue Point Coastal Cuisine; Café Chloe; Chaplos Restaurant and Bar; Cucina Urbana; Gaslamp Strip Club; Greystone Steakhouse; Indigo Grill; Isola Pizza Bar; Jsix Restaurant; Kelvin; Osteria Fish House; Leroy’s Kitchen & Lounge (Coronado); Peohe’s Coronado Waterfront; PrepKitchen Little Italy; Soleil @K; Spike Africa’s fresh Fish Grill & Bar; The Fish Market; The Melting Pot; The Prado; Pinzimini; Toast Enoteca & Cucina; and The Marble Room.  $40 Dinner: Acqua Al 2; Bertrand at Mister A’s; Cowboy Star Restaurant & Butcher Shop; Croce’s Restaurant + Jazz Bar; Currant American Bistro; Donovan’s Prime Seafood; Donovan’s Steak & Chop House; Edgewater Grill; Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar; Fogo de Chao Churrascaria; Grant Grill; Hexagone; Marina Kitchen; Morton’s Steakhouse; Nobu San Diego; Palm Restaurant; Rei do Gado Brazillian Steakhouse; Ruth’s Chris; Saltbox; Sally’s Seafood on the Water; Oceanaire; Top of the Market; The Westgate Room. Lunch selections are offered at $10, $15, and $20 at many of the same restaurants and many more. The list above may not be fully inclusive, check the website at sandiegorestaurantweek.com or call 619-233-5008 for a complete list.