Author: Sara

Derby on TV, Not Exactly

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This past weekend I sat in front of my computer screaming at the monitor, not cause my computer crashed but because my teammates in the San Diego Derby Dolls were kicking ass at the Battle of the Banked: Capital Punishment Tournament in Austin Texas. They came home with the 1st place trophy, rightfully claiming their place as the best team in California on any surface and the best in the nation on banked.

But I realized as I was watching these intense games, we are just about there. Who really needs a TV to watch derby. As it stands now, I don’t have cable anyway. I have to go to the bar or over to my friend’s or family’s houses to watch the Chargers play or the Lakers game. Nearly everyone I know has a computer with the Internet. Streaming videos is common place now with sites like YouTube and UStream.

About a year ago, Derby News Network started broadcasting bouts as text-casts; enlisting the help of local derby fanatics to text the updates from a game. Slow and lacking the same intensity, the text-casts offered the derby community an outlet to see how your team was doing in a game that you could not be at. They got the points, penalties, lead jammer status and maybe when a key player took a spill. Viewers could give their two cents or shout outs like a standard moderated chatroom.

For nearly every tournament since August 2008, Derby News Network has broadcasted video boutcasts showing the true excitement and intensity of the sport. Text-casts still continue to this day as an entertaining communication tool to the eyes on the track.

This weekend is the East Coast Extravaganza in Philly, a large-scale flat track derby event featuring teams from across the US and Canada. And guess what that means? A weekend of watching roller derby streaming live straight to you. Derby News Network will be broadcasting (video and text) HERE both Saturday and Sunday, all games starting at 10:30am EDT.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the country, the LA Derby Dolls are streaming live the their double header for the first time in five years (or is it six). The Rookie skaters will duke it out in the Baby Doll Brawl. In between bouts, the Junior Derby Dolls will take the track showing off their moves. Kids in derby, priceless. The second match up will be the LA Derby Dolls B Bracket Team, the Aftershockers who will take on a combination of skaters from local Flat track leagues called the Prom Queens. HERE is the link that will take you to this west coast action. Bout starts at 3:30pm PDT, don’t be late!

I think this signifies a new era. We may not be on TV but the Internet reaches a wider audience and is much more portable. So if you haven’t got a chance to go see your local derby league play, check out the action online. Who knows, you may find you actually like it.

2009 North Park Festival of the Arts

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After going to the North Park Festival of the Arts in 2006 and seeing its poor state of affairs, I called up the North Park Main Street office and spoke to Liz Studebaker, who had only been Executive Director for about two months at the time. I decided that instead of just complaining about all of the festival’s many issues, that I should get involved and use all of my event planning knowledge to help this community event live up to its full potential. So after being poorly utilized as a volunteer at a water tent in 2007, Liz sat down and listened to what I had to say. My voice was being heard and I was also invited to be on the committee for the festival.

During my first few committee meetings, I really wasn’t given a job because they weren’t really sure of where to place me due to my experience in event planning, fundraising, San Diego music, volunteerism and more. By the third meeting, I decided with Liz’s approval that I would love to help out on the music/staging aspect of the festival and as luck would have it, the Main Street Stage producer was an open slot.

For the last two years I have been booking, producing and managing the Main Street Stage. The North Park Festival of the Arts has also blossomed in the last two years with the following improvements: the addition of the City Beat Festival of Beers since 2008, collaboration with North Park Craft Mafia, Mudfest in 2008, retiring of many festival committee members (sad, but necessary for growth), and more connections with local businesses and artists. Better music and beer has brought more people to the festival, which has also brought more artists. I didn’t make all of these things happen, but I was on the supporting end of them.

This year the festival was held on Sunday May 17, 2009 and here was the line up for the Main Street Stage:
Trophy Wife
School of Rock
The Tighten Ups
The Shambles
Anna Troy Band
Transfer

There was a dog fashion show in between The Tighten Ups and The Shambles that was ridiculously popular (second to the baby fashion show that never occurred). Each of the bands came back to me and told me how much fun they had at this event. Bart Mendoza said that his parents even came out to see him play, which I guess isn’t that often.

This year’s festival was awesome, but next year’s will be even better. Why? I was recently asked to chair the festival committee and I accepted the challenge. Feel free to send me any ideas on how you think the North Park Festival of the Arts can improve. Also, if you have never been, you really need to go. It is always on the third Sunday in May. Mark your calendars now.

Backblogged

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I really am not one of those moms who disappears off the face of the earth after having a kid. We do make a point of getting out of the house at least once a week. But I have been quite lazy in the last couple months when it comes to blogging, making me a bit backblogged. Here is a list of events that I hope to catch up on in the next week or so.

May 17: North Park Festival of the Arts
May 29: Transfer @ Belly Up
May 21: Ben Folds @ HOB
Jun 7: FM 94/9’s Indie Jam
Jun 11: Rhett Miller KPRI cruise

San Diego Backroads

Sara 1 Comment

I have always been a city streets driver rather than a highway driver (unless the highway really does get me there faster). I like to take the path of least resistance. his means fewer stopsigns and stoplights (or at least stoplights that run in your favor). I actually prefer stopsigns to a majority of stop lights as with stopsigns I have more control of the length of time I will be sitting there. Anyhow, I probably will get called out on this one but I thought it would be a fun one to write about. Plus I don’t really think my readership is that high to really impact the number of cars on these roads (that would be cool though).

The following are all of my favorite “shortcuts” or “roads less travelled” to get around this lovely city of ours:

Pershing Street (North Park to Downtown… and more)
This is a daily route for me to get downtown, on to the 5, 94, the airport and more. Even if you don’t need to always get downtown from North Park or visa versa, this is a great road to know about should you ever find yourself needing to. This two lane road (each side) hardly ever has traffic, there is only one light as it crosses Florida/26th Ave… oh and the speed limit is 50 mph. As another bonus, I have never seen a cop hanging around this stretch of road… I’m just saying, I might be driving a bit faster than 50mph.

A Street and B Street (Downtown)
If you are ever trying to negotiate downtown with all of the one way streets, you will often find yourself waiting at light after light. For some reason all of the direction websites like Yahoo and Mapquest send you down Broadway. Never take Broadway unless it is absolutely necessary. Both A Street (leaving downtown) and B Street (going into downtown) the lights are actually set in your favor to help with the flow of traffic. You may in up sitting at one light, but not for long.

Meade Ave (Park Blvd, University Heights to Fairmount Ave, Rolondo)
I heard about this one from a friend that frequently drove drunk. Not smart in that aspect but I now use this road all the time instead of Adams Ave or El Cajon Boulevard. The road has only a few lights that are quick and very few stop signs. Few if any cops hang out on this road, per my friend. The road cross the 805 and 15, sneaking through University Heights, North Park, Normal Heights, Kensington, into Rolondo/City Heights.

Beryl Street (Pacific Beach)
Many people who live in Pacific Beach swear by this road. I love it too. It gives you great access to both North PB and PB proper (proper really seems like the wrong word for PB). To access this stretch of road you want to turn right onto Soledad Mountain Road off of Garnet Avenue, then you will make a left onto Beryl Street. The road has two stop lights (as I recall). The first is nearly always in your favor at Lamont Street, the second is Ingraham Street/Foothill Boulevard. Here is were you decide where to go. Go straight through a few stop signs to make it to central PB (near the bars and pier), OR make a right for Northern PB (Turquoise and Tourmaline Streets). Quick in and out route to PB… cause who really wants to stay in PB?

Texas Street (Mission Valley to North Park)
Texas Street is a great quick way of getting in and out of Mission Valley into North Park. I guess this road is only good for those who live in this area, but a very necessary route when it comes to heavy shopping days and when there is a stadium event. The road is very steep, giving those with stick shift butterflies in heir stomachs that they might roll back into the car behind them. Well at least it did for me when I was taking driver’s ed and they made me go on this hill.

Kearny Villa Road (Miramar to Mesa College)
This road is a great frontage road for the 15 and 163. It will take you from the Marine Corps base in Miramar ending at Mesa College in Kearny Mesa. I never find very mush traffic on this road except over by Sharp Hospital at the end of the day (4-6pm). I don’t often travel up this way but I find myself using the road frequently none-the-less.

Here are some not-so-short, shortcuts that others swear by:

Pomarado Road (15 to Poway)
This used to be a great way to get from the 15 to Scripps Poway Parkway. Now it seems that many people know about this route and more development has occurred along the way. Some people still continue to swear by this route, claiming it’s quickness. All I find is slow traffic accompanied by lots of lights.

905 (out of Cricket Amphitheatre)
I am still arguing with friends on this one. The problem with getting out is not the roads as much as it is getting out of the parking lot in the first place. Turning south (right) out of the parking lot instead of going along Main Street by turning left seems like it would be quicker. But the actual drive is about the same. What they really need is professional traffic controller (not kids) and more than two exits out of the place.

Derby Party All Around

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The Derby Dolls are trying some new things for this upcoming bout. 1) It is on a Friday night. I guess Del Mar was booked on the Saturday. 2) It is a theme night. 70’s flair is highly encouraged, but not required. 3) A double-decker party bus from the Arizona Bar in OB was added to the mix.

I hear something about drunken fun… well, that has always been my experience when it comes to double-decker buses. I usually don’t remember the whole experience. Penny McSquish will be your party wrangler for the night making sure you get on the bus in both directions because we realize it would really suck to sleep in the horse stalls at Del Mar Fairgrounds.

Well if you want to have a great time and remember the game, drive to Del Mar sober, pay $9 to park and buy a $12-$20 ticket to the bout. OR take the party bus for $25 and don’t worry about a thing… parking, ticket, and beer & soft drinks are included. So even if you are not drinking this is a great deal. Don’t pass this up. If we don’t sell out, we may not be doing this again. Yes, that is a very real threat.

Go to the Derby Dolls website to purchase tickets.