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 …
December 5, 2018
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Stories by Eve Kelly
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San Diego Reader 2018 Holiday issue
Morning sickness protocol
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 …
November 21, 2018
Cook less, enjoy more
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. …
November 14, 2018
Hallo-wine & Spirits
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 …
October 24, 2018
King Pumpkin
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. …
October 10, 2018
Road trip and cabin essentials
‘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 …
August 15, 2018
It’s RV season
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 …
August 1, 2018
Summer of love
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 …
July 25, 2018
A slightly complicated Fourth
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 …
June 27, 2018
Monster box of produce
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 …
June 20, 2018
Pool Party!
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 …
May 30, 2018
The quest for silky smooth legs
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 …
May 23, 2018
Mother's Day mud
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. …
May 2, 2018
Work lunches without waistband expansion
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 …
April 18, 2018
A guide to San Diego summer camps
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 …
April 4, 2018
Baseball, basketball, golf, fencing, surfing
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 …
April 4, 2018
Rock music, theater, studio art, ballet, cooking
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 …
April 4, 2018
Debate, French, coding, leadership, science, and the marine word
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. …
April 4, 2018
YMCA, Outpost, Camp Kroc, Camp Stevens, Camp Kesem
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. …
April 4, 2018
When teens (and tiger moms) panic over the SAT
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 …
April 4, 2018
Easter cakes
“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 …
March 21, 2018
Clean up after your dog!
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 …
March 7, 2018
Olympics closing-ceremony specialty drinks and socks
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 …
February 21, 2018
The menfolk’s idea of romance
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 …
February 7, 2018
Whatever it takes to not get the flu
“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 …
January 24, 2018
Kombucha all over San Diego
“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 …
January 10, 2018
Be your best self in 2018
“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 …
December 27, 2017
No toys this year. They don't last.
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 …
December 13, 2017
Santa sightings in San Diego
“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 …
December 6, 2017
Certain activities that mean Christmas
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 …
December 6, 2017
Where to get your pie in San Diego
“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 …
November 15, 2017
Operation Scar-Be-Gone
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 …
November 1, 2017
Halloween, for the kids and not-so-kids
“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 …
October 18, 2017
Favorite thrift-shop spots
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 …
October 4, 2017
Ultimate irony: indoor playgrounds in San Diego
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 …
September 20, 2017
Best SoCal day trips to make up for summer
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,” …
September 13, 2017
What to do on Labor Day
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 …
August 23, 2017
Ideas for college care-packages
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 …
August 16, 2017