Little Italy tourney is definitely on the stick LITTLE ITALY — The annual Little Italy Labor Day Stickball Tournament is set to get under way this weekend, marking the 12th year of the downtown sports delight. “Stickball is like baseball in the street, but the difference is you can hit the ball off the buildings, parking meters or anything and it’s in play,” said commissioner Willie Blas. “It’s always a gas.” Five teams will be vying for a championship, but the intrigue of what the game is all about is a good enough reason to catch an old sport making a comeback on the West Coast. The Little Italy Association has been helping put on the tournament since its inception. The San Diego stickball tournament has also gained national notoriety, attracting teams every few years from New York, New Jersey, Florida and Puerto Rico. Games this weekend are scheduled to be played from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 4 on Columbia Street and India Street. On Sunday, Sept. 5, elimination games begin at 10 a.m. and the finals gets under way at 2 p.m. Sunday’s games will be played on State Street and Columbia Street. Admission is free. Fans are welcome and encouraged to bring a chair. For more information, visit westcoaststickball.com. — LEE CORNELL Porto Vista Hotel throws Wooftop event DOWNTOWN — The Porto Vista Hotel, 1835 Columbia St., will host an event for dog lovers on Friday, Sept. 3 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. The First Friday Wooftop event, which takes place on Porto Vista’s Ripassi rooftop terrace, will feature a raffle to raise money for Friends of the Humane Society of Tijuana, complimentary psychic readings for dogs and their owners, massage demonstrations, food samples from the Honest Kitchen and doggie goodie bags. Dog owners will also be treated to signature cocktails and appetizers. Admission is free, but space is limited. Call (619) 564-3998 for more information. Free rock concert set on the bay DOWNTOWN — Sight and Sound along with Art San Diego will offer for the first time a free concert at the Hilton on the Bayfront Hotel’s Promenade Patio, located at 1 Park Place. The performances will take place Sept. 3 from 7 to 10 p.m. In 2008, Jon Block and Adam Rosen originated Sight and Sound as a monthly music and arts event in North Park showcasing local talent. The popular event will now move beyond North Park and be held at different locations throughout San Diego. Sight and Sound Concert on the Bay will be the first of these events. Musical acts for the evening will be Gregory Page, Vinyl Film and Republic of Letters. For the art portion of the evening Rich Walker will display a 12-foot installation piece. Gems and animals exhibit continues Throughout September the San Diego Natural History Museum (SDNHM) will continue to host the ongoing exhibit “All That Glitters: The Splendor and Science of Gems and Minerals.” The exhibit consists of sparkling gems including rubies, sapphires, diamonds and opals. These gems have a history as old as the earth. The exhibit will explain gems as a byproduct of the natural forces that have shaped the planet. It highlights San Diego County as one of the most famous regions for producing gems. From Sept. 4 to Oct. 31, SDNHM will host a traveling exhibit “Art and the Animal — 50th Anniversary Exhibitions of the Society of Animal Artists.” The Society of Animal Artists (SAA) is an artists’ organization well-known for its animals in art themes. Its membership base is international and SAA members compete to have their work included in annual exhibitions such as this. The 120-150 pieces to be shown were selected by a jury of SAA members. The SDNHM is the first stop on the national tour. Tickets prices to the museum range from $11 to $17. Members are free. SDNHM is located at 1788 El Prado in Balboa Park. For more information call (619) 232-3821. — DEBBIE HATCH Labor Day will cruise in Hornblower Cruises will be offering a two-hour cruise on Monday, Sept. 6. Boarding starts at 10:30 a.m. and the cruise is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the special barbecue lunch with a menu including “free flowing champagne and beer.” The captain will give a narrated tour from the sun deck, where guests can view the Coronado Bridge and downtown San Diego. The buffet is a spread with everything from barbecue to dessert. Mini corn dogs, roasted corn chowder, watermelon, baby back ribs and a carving board are just a few of the menu items. Cherry cobbler, cream puffs and cookies will line the dessert table. Tickets are $54.95 plus tax and gratuity. For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.hornblower.com or call (888) 467-6256. — DEBBIE HATCH FRIDAY, SEPT. 3
Point Loma/Ocean Beach • “Up,” 5:30 p.m. at Point Loma Community Park, 1077 Catalina Blvd., outdoor family movie, local vendors, food and a range of kids’ and family activities, and participants are encouraged to bring a picnic and blanket, for more information, call (619) 531-1534, free SATURDAY, SEPT. 4
Pacific Beach/Mission Beach • Wagging Tales, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., Pacific Beach/Taylor Library, 4275 Cass St., (858) 581-9934, free • Clean PB Day, 9 a.m. to noon, Ocean Boulevard at Grand Avenue, www.cleanpb.com Point Loma/Ocean Beach • Celebrity 5K Walk and Fun Run, 8:15 a.m., NTC Park in Liberty Station in Point Loma, hosted by Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers. Adult entries are $45 while entries for children ages 4 to 12 are $25. SUNDAY, SEPT. 5
La Jolla • La Jolla Concerts by the Sea: The Heroes, 2 to 4 p.m., Scripps Park, 1133 Coast Blvd.; an international music experience with a jazz influence, free • Free visitor tour of the University of California, San Diego, 2 p.m.; 90-minute guided tour of architecture and landscaping; walking tour first Sunday of each month, bus tours every other Sunday year-round; call (858) 534-4414 for reservations BEACH AREA MUSIC • Tatanka, 9 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 4, 710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave. 21 and up. Cover TBD. www.myspace.com/tatankalive • Peter Hall, 6 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 4, at Café-Bar Europa, 873 Turqouise St. All ages. www.theturquoise.com/wordpress • Bad Manners, 8 p.m., Monday, Sept. 6, at the Wavehouse, 3125 Oceanfront Walk. $23. 21 and up. www.myspace.com/badmannersska