Events
“Jurassic Quest Dino Drive-Thru”
Jan. 1-10. Travel back in time about 100 million years with this interactive drive-thru exhibit. The Del Mar Fairgrounds has transformed its outdoor parking areas into a prehistoric fantasyland—filled with more than 70 full-size, animatronic dinosaurs. Jurassic Quest collaborated with paleontologists to painstakingly create the moving, life-like replicas. Beware of the 50-foot-long Megalodon and the swinging tail of the 80-foot-long Spinosaurus! Fun photo ops abound. See website for hours and to purchase advance tickets. $49 per vehicle (limit eight people). 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. jurassicquest.com
“Holidays in Your Car”
Through Jan. 2. There’s still time to catch one of SoCal’s larger holiday light spectacles. Close out the holiday season from the comfort of your car, taking in more than one million LED lights, holograms, projection mapping (i.e., computer-generated images cast by high-end projectors), 40-foot-tall installations, lasers, tunnels and more—all set to festive music. Santa and his team of elves will even be on hand to say hello. 5:30-10 p.m. $49 per car ($1 of each ticket sold benefits local nonprofits Shelter to Soldier and the Emilio Nares Foundation). 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. More Info
Puzzling Adventures Scavenger Hunt
Ongoing. It’s an informative self-guided tour, scavenger hunt and adventure race all in one—you simply need a mobile device with an Internet connection—and Balboa Park is your backdrop for all the fun. Explore its landscaped gardens and other outdoor areas such as the landmark Spreckels Organ Pavilion—answering questions or solving puzzles at each stop to receive your next instruction. The family-friendly adventure is open to groups, couples or individuals. Play any day and at your own pace. $50 per team. 2125 Pan American Road East (organ pavilion parking lot), Balboa Park. More Info
Food + Drink
Puesto NYE Takeout Dinner
Dec. 31. End the year with an indulgent, gourmet takeout meal. Puesto has assembled an all-star team—comprising acclaimed chefs Ian Tenzer and Erik Aronow, and cocktail wizard Beau du Bois—to create an unforgettable NYE dinner to enjoy at home. The menu includes duck confit with mole, truffled corn, oyster mushrooms, and a gin martini with Amontillado sherry and pollen. Add-ons include additional cocktails and Champagne. Each meal is designed for two people, and pricing begins at $100. Available for delivery or pickup at Puesto’s new central location. 5010 Mission Center Road, Mission Valley. eatpuesto.com
New Year’s Week with Trust Restaurant Group
Through Jan. 3. In Trust Restaurant Group we trust, especially for a delicious and hassle-free meal to end the year. The outfit is offering its Fan Favorites menu through Sunday—including wood-grilled meats and veggies, seafood, desserts, cocktails and bottles of wine. Or splurge on the NYE surf ‘n’ turf dinner ($250 per couple) from Rare Society—with choices including prime rib-eye or filet mignon, poached Maine lobster tail, truffled-beef-fat-smashed potatoes, shrimp cocktail and more. See website for menus, all of which are available for pickup at Fort Oak restaurant. 1011 Fort Stockton Drive, Mission Hills. Order Online
Surf ‘n’ Turf from Gelson’s
Through Jan. 3. Bid farewell to 2020 with a home-cooked meal … and a little help from Gelson’s. The gourmet grocer boasts locations in Del Mar, Pacific Beach and Carlsbad. Create your own surf ‘n’ turf meal with a grass-fed rib roast from the market’s in-house butcher (cooking tips included); paired with North Atlantic lobsters (available through Sunday while they last). Not up for cooking your own lobster? Just pick one from the live tank, and a Gelson’s chef will steam, crack and clean it for you, free of charge. See website for store addresses and delivery options. gelsons.com
Winter Treats at Kindred
Now Available. There’s always something new and uniquely delicious at this plant-based eatery and cocktail den. To start, the grilled cheese on rustic sourdough with the cashew-truffle brie “upgrade” will have you in disbelief that it’s entirely vegan. Add a bowl of the new tomato bisque (pictured) to warm up on a chilly winter day. Kindred is also serving brunch on New Year’s Day and on Sunday (10 a.m.-2 p.m.); the new Forenoon sandwich with country-fried “sausage” is a game-changer. Order takeout from the new walk-up window or via DoorDash for delivery. 1503 30th St., South Park, 619.546.9653. barkindred.com
Arts + Culture
Atomic Groove Livestream Concert
Jan. 1. “Good Riddance, 2020 / Hello, 2021!” We’d say that’s a fitting title for this New Year’s Day concert and virtual happy hour by Atomic Groove … emphasis on “groove.” The five-member, San Diego-based band will perform via livestream from the famous Belly Up Tavern concert stage in Solana Beach. Put on your dancing shoes for this party; the group specializes in dance hits from the 1960s through the 1990s. And expect some special guests—including the AG Horns, AG Conga Girl Monette Marino and vocalist Mark Jones. 7 p.m. Free. bellyup.com
Spreckels Organ Webcast Concert
Jan. 3. Did you know the Spreckels Organ in Balboa Park—comprising more than 5,000 individual pipes—is the largest, open-air musical instrument in the world? It’s also more than 100 years old, built in 1914. And thanks to the Spreckels Organ Society, you can experience its exhilarating music from home. Enjoy a one-hour concert via webcast by Spanish organist Raul Prieto Ramirez, one of the world’s leading concert artists. As the Organ Society’s artistic director, Prieto Ramirez has performed across the globe and with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, among other prestigious outfits. 2 p.m. Free. balboaparkconcerts.org
North Coast Rep’s An Iliad
Through Jan. 24. Homer’s ancient Greek poem set during the Trojan War is masterfully staged in North Coast Rep’s new streaming adaptation. Written by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare, translated by Robert Fagles and directed by David Allenstein, the one-man production stars acclaimed actor Richard Baird (pictured), who portrays multiple characters across a gripping 100-minute play. Among them: a poet who recalls the Trojan’s War’s savage battles, warriors and the human cost of war over the centuries. Tickets are $35 per device for a 48-hour viewing period. northcoastrep.org
Photo credits: Kindred by Arlene Ibarra. North Coast Rep by Aaron Rumley. Spreckels Organ Pavilion by Robert Lang. All other images are courtesy of the businesses and venues featured.
