A tour of San Diego alleysJack Whalen hands me a beer. “I’m king of this alley,” Whalen says, then points west. “Down there, the king of that next alley is Tom Sweet. He’s 97.” Whalen …

Where to find an Easter Sunrise in San Diego County Whether or not you hold religious beliefs (Christian or otherwise), or you simply appreciate a fine, early-morning pilgrimage (Easter or otherwise), consider the following treks …

When the Kellys go green in springtime, it’s not for the environment, or even for the season. It’s for Saint Patrick’s Day. Which is often more properly called Saint Patrick’s Week, what with all the …

Mardi Gras, as I’m sure you know, means Fat Tuesday. It was a day to enjoy pleasures that would be forbidden in the season of Lent, which started the next day, Ash Wednesday. But in …

I have a lot of single friends. Most are past the clubbing phase of life. Some are divorced; some were never seriously attached. Most are still interested in companionship, but few want to try dating …

New year, new me. I say that every year. In general, I’ve got the healthy eating down, but the older I get, the more I realize that changes to one’s figure — the positive kind, …

The year is going to be all about refreshing the mind, body and soul. I’m resolving to take in more free art, listen to more free live music, hike more of our climate areas. Our …

Holiday madness is upon me. My biggest challenge is gift wrapping. By the time all the shopping is done, wrapping can feel like a cruel joke. Veteran wrappers offered me advice. “Buy a Wrapmaster!” commanded …

There are certain cultural holiday classics that survive the test of time: Rudolph, The Grinch, Elf, Miracle on 34th Street. The same goes for classic art performances such as Handel’s Messiah, and especially The Nutcracker …

You don’t have to do anything this holiday season. Despite what the song says, you don’t have to deck the halls, join the chorus, or don any sort of gay apparel. You don’t have to …

Nausea is plaguing my newly pregnant friend Sarah. “Now I know how my husband feels when he’s on a boat,” she moaned to me. My friend Maire is a representative for dōTerra oils, and she …

Gobble gobble gobble, hear the turkey say/ When November comes around I think I’ll run away. It’s that time again. The sun sets at five. The liquid amber tree is aflame with reds and yellows. …

My husband Patrick went down to Home Depot for light bulbs and rat traps and came back with a $300 animatronic dragon for our front yard. He’s eager to hear it roar at trick-or-treaters. Halloween …

Mr. Pumpkin didn’t have it so good back in the day. We carved him, smashed him, made pumpkin pie out of him. We watched It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. That was pretty much it. …

German and Japanese knives, sharpened

Drink to your health

Rings of Saturn, belts of Jupiter

‘Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares …

This summer, the Kelly gang is hitting the road up to Northern California — provided it hasn’t burnt down before we depart — and we’re renting an RV to up the togetherness factor. I need …

Love is in the air. Patrick and I will be attending no fewer than six weddings in the family in the next half year. And one of them is my nephew marrying his niece. Get …

We will be having a big Fourth of July party at our house this year. But we’re going to start the day before: Tuesday, July 3rd, at the 130th annual Independence Day celebration with fireworks …

My childhood summers in Connecticut meant a half-acre garden in the backyard and plucking string beans and cherry tomatoes right from the vine and then dashing off for another round of badminton. I remember rambling …

Swimming season is nearing full swing now. Every year, I try to get a new fun float toy. Unfortunately, most only last a few months, if that. So I polled a few pool aficionados to …

We Kellys are constantly running out of certain items, near-essentials of life: coffee, chocolate, toilet paper, and razors. That last item is especially true, as the number of face and leg shavers in the house …

Many a Mother’s Day has found me spending the afternoon running my kids around town so they could get me a gift. Once or twice, I’ve even lent them the money to pay for it. …

My love Patrick, after a few years of working at home, got called back to work in the office a few weeks ago. He immediately started blowing our budget (and his waistline) buying lunches at …

You love your children. You want them to grow up into happy, healthy adults. But you want them to savor their precious childhood. You want to give them opportunities to develop skills and interests. But …

Padres Baseball Camps locations around San Diego Aspiring Babe Ruths take heed, Padres Baseball Camps will be running weekly from June 18 through August 10, (except the week of July 4th) at locations around San …

School of Rock San Diego 2850 Womble Road Liberty Station The School of Rock San Diego offers weeklong day camps throughout the summer to help children bring out their inner Dewey Finn (Jack Black’s character …

SEACAMP Fiesta Island Road Mission Bay Park SEACAMP San Diego is a residential camp for budding marine scientists from 7th through 12th grade. Camp sessions run from Saturdays through Thursdays starting June though August 9. …

YMCA Raintree Ranch 2315 Frisius Drive Julian YMCA Raintree Ranch, located in the mountains of Julian, offers weeklong overnight camps for kids age 9 through 16, filled with horses, swimming, canoeing, archery, hikes, and campfires. …

My high school junior daughter came home from class all in a panic over college admission testing and what kind of prep was needed. I told her I would get right on it. I contacted …

“Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and Hallelujah is our song.” A Polish megastar Pope said this once. It’s speaking to me rather poignantly these days. After one heck of …

My friend Katie paid a visit and brought her beautiful golden retriever Molly — who, confided Katie upon arriving, “leaves mountains of poop. Let me know if you see any in your yard, and I’ll …

Spontaneity is a charism in the Kelly clan. At least that’s how we spin it. Some of our best parties and outings have been planned in a few days, hours sometimes, and they have been …

The gals and I want to stretch Valentine’s out this year. We may even let our husbands come along. Oceanside Parks Department presents a Ferris Wheel at the beach February 10 and 11 from 10 …

“The flu epidemic of 1918 infected something like a third of the world’s population,” I remarked, sitting with my friends over coffee. “From what I’m hearing, seems like we’re almost back to that. Maybe we’re …

“Kombucha is a fermented tea that originated in China about 2000 years ago,” says Danny Weigle, owner of local kombucha brewery Living Tea. (The brewery and first location are in Oceanside, but there’s a San …

“Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one.” — Brad Paisley I’m ready to rock 2018, write a fabulous 365-page book. So ahead of the celebrations ringing in the …

No toys this year. They don’t last. Activities get remembered. I could go for an exotic version of classic little-kid fun…how about camel rides instead of ponies? Oasis Camel Dairy in Ramona (760-787-0983) may be …

“You better watch out You better not cry Better not pout I’m telling you why Santa Claus is coming to town…” I’m ashamed to admit it, but I did pout a little bit for the …

This New England girl has finally adjusted to the warm weather Christmas season. It only took 20 years. During those years, I felt patronized by fake snow painted on windows, manmade snow hills, and ice …

“I say make the whole dinner a pie,” said my friend May when I asked for Thanskgiving pie suggestions. “Patton Oswalt may have been right about KFC’s Famous Bowls being failure piles, but that’s because …

Doesn’t everybody have a scar or two? My mother found me “shaving like Daddy” in the bathroom when I was three years old. I have an inch-long scar on my chin to remind me of …

“Halloween on a Tuesday,” griped my friend Sarah. “That’s a long way from the weekend.” “Call it pre-gaming,” offered friend Kathy. “We’ll do a party at my house with all the kids on the actual …

Eve Kelly comes from a sturdy stock of thrift shoppers and upcyclers. As a child, I had two brand-new items: a dress for my confirmation and a pair of church shoes. Everything else was a …

I used to go to indoor play parks only when it rained. Now I go when it’s over 100 degrees as well. At this time of year, it could be either. “We are an indoor …

Summer 2017, did you even happen? One day the kids were out of school, the next they were back in. None of us is happy about it. “Absolutely no Kelly family vacations happened this summer,” …

Rich Uncle Max is coming for Labor Day. He’s always been one of those old dudes who can hang around young people and somehow not come off as creepy or embarrassing. So we’re a little …

All the kids coveted Steve’s care packages from his mom — homemade walnut–chocolate chip cookies, twice wrapped individually in plastic wrap and shipped by the dozens in freezer bags. Mouths watered as he sliced open …