By Marisa Kezirian

Editor’s Note: In our quest to bring you the best of everything east of I-15, we sent ECM intern Marisa Kezirian on a fledgling flight to review San Diego Wild Animal Park’s new zip-line ride, which benefits the Park’s program to preserve endangered California condors. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it!

June 1, 2009 (Escondido)—Looking for adventure? Flightline, at the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park, provides visitors with a great new zip-line experience, as you soar over the park like a bird.

By Miriam Raftery

House finch

May 1, 2009 (Lakeside)—Towering wild lilacs line trails at Silverwood Wildlife Sanctuary in Lakeside, where signs of new life abound five and a half years after the Cedar Fire. New trunks sprout forth from charred oaks. Wildflowers abound—including monkey flowers and golden eardrops—species never seen here before the fire. Bluebirds, gold finches, juncos, house wrens and nuthatches are among the many species of birds at feeders and bird houses in the preserve owned by the Audobon Society, which is also home to woodpeckers, hawks, owls, coyotes, foxes and bobcats.

Wild horse sculptures

By Miriam Raftery

April 1, 2009 (Borrego)—Visitors to Anza-Borrego may be startled by the vision of life-sized metal sculptures of dinosaurs, mastodons and other prehistoric creatures rising from the desert floor like sentinels of a forgotten era.  Other sculptures portray wild horses, birds of prey, tortoises, a saber-tooth tiger and Native American themes.  The creations by sculptor Ricardo Breceda are just some of the many surprises in store for those who visit the Anza-Borrego Desert, a treasure trove of hidden gems.

By Miriam Raftery

February 1, 2009 (San Diego's East County) — Winter's chill is past--time to
step out in the sunshine and savor some of the many fun-filled events this
month in San Diego's eastern regions. Find details on all of these events and
more. Just click the calendar
link at the top of our homepage!

This is the prime season to visit Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, where a
wealth of activities are slated in February--from a desert night sky lecture
on Feb. 6th to Archeology Weekend on the 21st-22nd and a hike through slots,
vistas and side canyons on the 28th.

Story
and photo by Miriam Raftery
San
Diego (January 12, 2009) — Malcolm X Library will host an all day Community
Inaugural Celebration to mark the momentous occasion of the Inaugural
of President-Elect Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States on
Tuesday, January 20th. The Library envisions San Diego residents from all
walks of life attending the many events, fostering fellowship and sharing dialogue. The
day begins with viewing the swearing-in ceremony on live TV at 9 a.m., followed
by hour-by-hour community celebrations and reflections from noon to 7 p.m.

January 8, 2008 (La Mesa) — The City of La Mesa's 13th
annual Multicultural Festival on January 18th aspires to be an afternoon of
civic pride and festivities for the family in a celebration honoring our community's
rich diversity of cultures and international traditions. The ceremony, held
on Martin Luther King Day weekend, also honors the slain civil rights leader's
vision.

Snow blanketed westbound Interstate 8 near the Tecate divide	A tree limb collapsed onto a CAL FIRE vehicle at White Star Station off Tierra Del Sol in Boulevard. The engine company had just returned from battling a structure fire on the Campo Indian reservation.

December 17, 2008 (San Diego’s East County) — Cal Fire
Captain Nick Schuler forwarded these photos taken 12-16-08 in one of the heaviest
snowstorms to hit East County in recent memory.

Photos by Thea Skinner

December 2008 (Poway) — The Poway Farmers’ Market and Boardwalk Craft Market features fresh product and other products from local farms, as well as regional crafts including pottery, weaving, jewelry and much more. Located in Old Poway Park at 14134 Midland Road, the craft market and farmer’s market will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. December 13 and 20. Closed during January, the market will reopen in February.

Necklaces created by Chris Stell Creative Arts

December 6, 2008 (San Diego) — A series of events commemorating Kwanzaa have
been announced, including several in San Diego's eastern region. 

The 18th annual Pan-African Associations of America Umoja Day program will
take place December 26th at the Malcolm X Library located at 5148 Market Street
in San Diego.  This a day long event and includes an adult workshop
explaining how to observe Kwanzaa in the home and a children's arts and craft
workshop on Kwanzaa: 10am to noon.  A Youth/Hip Hop discussion on Kwanzaa
will take place from 1pm to 3 p.m. The traditional lighting of the  first
Kwanzaa candle will take place at 4:30 p.m. and includes a program of  words
of inspiration, spoken word, music, drumming and dance, African martial arts,
silent auction and vendors.  The program ends at 8pm.  All
events are free to the public.

Our holiday guide to gifts unique to East County

By Miriam Raftery

Buckskin baby booties are available at Mountain Oaks Trading Post, Julian

December 1, 2008 (San Diego's East
County) — This holiday season, why not choose gifts that benefit our community and provide
recipients with gifts that are unique to East County and San Diego's eastern
region?

In today's tough economic times, local merchants need support from community
members--especially during the holiday shopping season.   Buying products
made overseas or from companies that outsource jobs to foreign markets does
not help the U.S. economy or American workers.   Too many people
don't realize that ordering from big box discount stores or from Internet vendors
in distant places takes business away from our local economy.

Roses for Bayer float

December 1, 2008 (Pasadena) — For a unique adventure just up the road, you can
help behind the scenes in the days before the Jan. 1st Tournament of Roses Parade
in Pasadena. The parade will be seen by 40 million people on Jan. 1 on TV networks
including HGTV. Each float is decorated with more flowers than the average florist
will use in five years!

By Miriam Raftery

Credit: Leon Thompson

Whether your holiday spirit hearkens for a traditional feast or offbeat alternative
activities, you’ll find plenty of tempting choices in and around East
County this Thanksgiving weekend.  Here are a few of my favorite discoveries
for ECM readers to savor:

For
a frightfully good time this week (not to mention satisfying your sweet tooth
cravings), you’ll find plenty of Halloween haunts in East County.

Start with Wednesday night’s “Trunk or Treat” in El Cajon,
where classic car club members will be doling out goodies.  On Thursday,
dig into a pumpkin pie-eating contest and costume party in Valley Center, or
chill out at the Otay Haunted House.