This Weekend In Our Area

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Summer is winding down and that means we need to soak up as much of it as we can whether that be spending time outside or just taking part in activities that might go away as the weather cools off. We know just what you need for the last weeks of summer. This weekend has some exciting goings on! For more events in the area check out the calendar.

The Long Beach BBQ Festival (An hour away from Montecito at Dos Lagos)

From August 28-30 at the Rainbow Lagoon in Long Beach you can get the best barbecue on the West Coast. There will be a multitude of concerts and musical acts for you to enjoy while you munch on your delicious dishes. On Friday from 5-11 you can get dance lessons from AJ Gibbs. His take on Zydeco (a form of folk dance) will have you grooving all night long. On Saturday from noon until 11 PM you can see the Texas House Party, Stone Soul and Men In Crisis. Western swing meets cowboy boogie, classic soul and motown and classic rock & blues will have you rocking well into the night. To see more of the musical lineup for the festival check here. This whole event is family friendly: Children 12 and under are admitted to the festival for free! Don’t forget to grab your free e-photo in our dress up booth!


American Idol Live! (20 minutes from Dos Lagos)

One of the most successful music competition shows in television history is coming to the Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside on August 28. Attendees will get an up close and personal show with the top 5 competitors from Season 14. Each top 5 contestant will showcase their individual skills and talents all set to a live band! You won’t want to miss out on this experience.


Chris D’Elia Comedy Show (40 minutes from Dos Lagos)

Comedian Chris D’Elia will be performing his comedy show at the Brea Improv Comedy Show on Saturday the 29th. If you miss is first show at 7, you can catch him again at 9:30. D’Elia has been performing stand up comedy since he was 16 years old and has a unique style of comedy. “It's hard for me to write a joke where I don't end up on the ground for some reason,” D’Elia joked. Expect to see a different brand of comedy than you’re probably used to.

Mini Vacations That Won't Break the Bank

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Summer is coming to a close soon. For some of us that means the end of a long season of vacations and weekend trips and fun! But for the rest of us who didn’t have the chance to go anywhere it means opportunities lost. So for those who didn’t get out of Corona this summer you can still take a last minute day trip somewhere nearby without breaking the bank.

Crystal Cove State Park is a gorgeous expanse of land located off of the Pacific Coast Highway. The collection of beaches, trails and canyons is yours to explore and even camp out at. The waters offshore are considered an underwater park and are open for scuba diving. The beach is great for surfing, swimming and boogie boarding. For camping, they offer primitive campsites as well as sites for RV’s and trailers. To reserve your campsite head here. All of the trails are open not only for hiking and biking but for horseback riding as well. Crystal Cove State Park is located about an hour away from Montecito at Dos Lagos Apartments.

Laguna Beach known for its pristine and sprawling beaches and amazing shopping and dining. The hidden coves and tidepools of the beach are beautiful to explore. Some of the beaches have volleyball and basketball courts open to anyone who wants them and you can usually find a game in progress to join in on. If you’ve brought your furry companion along with you for the trip, they are only allowed on city beaches before 9 AM and after 6 PM during summer months. But if your pup wants to romp around freely, there is a dog park available for them to play in sans leash. You can relax by signing up for a beach yoga class or talk to an expert who is available for beach tours and educating you on the tidepool ecosystem. You might catch a movie out on the beach or if you’re lucky attend a concert! There is so much to do at Laguna Beach that you won’t want to spend only one day here! Laguna Beach is located an hour away from Montecito at Dos Lagos.

Aquarium of the Pacific, located an hour and a half away from Dos Lagos Apartments in Long Beach, is so big that you’ll need a full day to get through the whole building! The two floors of the aquarium are filled with everything from jellyfish and but penguins and sea otters too. Admission packages are available with scouting trips to search for blue whales, a harbor tour of the on of the most active ports in the world and Los Angeles zoo admission! The aquarium is home to a theater showing 3D movies about some of the creatures who call the aquarium and the Pacific home. To learn more about the exciting exhibits and events at the Aquarium of the Pacific, check here.

While summer might be winding down, that doesn’t mean you don’t have time for a trip. You don’t have to spend a week away to have a relaxing time and you definitely don’t have to shell out hundreds of dollars to have fun. These day trips are far enough away to feel like you’re taking a trip but close enough that it’s still inexpensive.

International Homeless Animals Day: Spreading Awareness

Image courtesy of Pixabay

This Saturday, August 15, is International Homeless Animals Day a day to educate and inform people about the overpopulation of animals and the spay and neuter solution. Animals are abandoned by their owners every single day or are left to shelters and rely on their kindness and goodwill. Today, International Homeless Animals Day has been celebrated with events across the entire United States, in 50 countries and on 6 continents.

At the Corona Animal Shelter you can help a homeless animal find their forever home. The adoption fee is only $15 if the dog or cat is already spayed or neutered. The cost of spaying or neutering an animal is anywhere from $40 to $90 depending on the size of the animal. The Corona Animal Shelter is dedicated to the care of animals and people in the community. To check out a list of the animals available for adoption right now head to the Adopt-a-Pet page. You’re only a quick 15 minute drive away from finding your new best friend at the Corona Animal Shelter.

Very soon however, the Corona Animal Shelter will be moving to Magnolia Avenue to a brand new animal shelter! The new shelter will be healthier and safer for the animals housed there. The new shelter will feature sanitary fiberglass panels to protect the dogs from infections. There will be isolation kennels far removed from the rest of the population of dogs in the event of an illness to prevent it from spreading to the rest of the dogs. The cats will be kept in comfortable condos and will have their own ventilation system to prevent respiratory illnesses like the one that swept through the shelter 4 years ago. This new shelter will be a great new temporary home to these animals while they wait to find their new families!

At Animal Friends of the Valleys, you can find a new furry friend in every pen. Right now, with every accepted application, cats are only $5 to adopt! Your new fluffy companion is there waiting for you! Every Saturday you can go to the Temecula Petco and see an adoption show to find a new friend to adopt. The shelter offers spaying/neutering and all the major shots and vaccinations needed to keep your new family member healthy and happy in their new lives with you.

International Homeless Animal Day is meant to raise awareness and spread knowledge about the overpopulation of animals. IHAD also teaches that the easiest solution to overpopulation is spaying and neutering your pets! So if you bring home a new pet with you from one of these shelters make sure to get it fixed to prevent adding to the overpopulation problems we’re already facing. We hope you find your new family member at one of the shelters!



Additional Sources
Press Enterprise.com
International Society for Animals Rights

Tom's Farms

Image courtesy of Wikimedia

Tom’s Farms is a family owned operation located a quick 5 minute drive away from Montecito at Dos Lagos Apartments. What started as a humble produce stand in Lake Elsinore has now expanded to a sprawling spread of stores, restaurants and plenty of family entertainment. There is always something fun going on at Tom’s Farms for you to experience. And don’t forget to pick out some fresh produce to take home!

Every Saturday and Sunday you can catch a different musical act performing at Tom’s Farms from 1-4. This weekend you can see Sounds of Light perform live. The best part: it’s free! You can see some talented local acts rock out and serenade you while you munch on some delicious food. To see the calendar for the rest of the month check here.

Tom’s Farms is really a family place. There are so many family friendly activities that you won’t even know where to start! On Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 2pm, you can see a magic show! Be wowed and amazed by the tricks and sleight of hand performed by these talented magicians. See one of those performances here. For smaller children you can take them to the construction scoops. Let them play in the dirt without getting dirty! The petting zoo, open from 11-5, is a great place for everyone of any age! Get up close and personal with goats, chickens, bunnies and other farm critters. The pony rides will make your child feel like a real cowboy or girl!

Test your aim at the shooting gallery. Each bullseye you make elicits a funny reaction from the characters in the gallery. If you’re interested in fossils and gemstones, you can head over to Tom’s Mining Company to excavate some beautiful stones and fossilized creatures and plant life.

If you’re the crafty type, the Big Craft Fair takes place every weekend from 10-6. Find those craft supplies you’ve been looking for or if you’re not a crafter, you can buy some already made projects to display in your home. You can just pretend that you made them yourself!

When you get to be hungry, there are so many options for you to choose from. For the best burgers around head to Tom’s Hamburgers! Big juicy burgers, fresh french fries, yummy soups, even breakfast! The choices are endless. Señor Tom’s serves up the best Mexican style food this side of the Rio Grande. Pick yourself up a delicious burrito or fajita before you leave.

When your sweet tooth starts calling you need to head to the sweet shop. You can find everything from taffies and fudges to brittes, gummies and gumballs. There is even an array of sugar free candies to browse. Grab yourself a jar of tasty jelly or jam! They go amazingly on toast!

There are so many things to do at Tom’s Farms. Even though it’s a short distance from us at Dos Lagos Apartments, it can turn into a day trip or a whole weekend trip if you’re up to it! To stay true to Tom’s original values, “the produce is still fresh, the people are still genuine, and visitors are always welcome. Tom wouldn't like it any other way.”


Sources consulted:
Tom’s Farms