January 17, 2012 (El Cajon)--World-renowned speaker Azim Khamisa on January 29, 2012 will kick off the 15th annual "Season for Nonviolence" at Christ Church Unity in El Cajon. Khamisa, who has been praised by dignitaries including the Dalai Llama and former President Bill Clinton, delivers his inspirational message following the senseless-gang-related death of his son, Tariq in 1995.

January 15, 2012 (San Diego) – Southern Gospel singers Ernie Haas & Signature Sound will be performing at the College Avenue Baptist Church, 4747 College Avenue in San Diego on January 26 at 7:00 p.m.

The vocal group, founded in 2002 and winner of three GMA Dove awards, recently finished a nine country European tour and is soon to release its first new studio album in three years.

January 13, 2012 (El Cajon) – Ring in the year of the dragon at Sycuan Casino in El Cajon on January 21, where a  Lunar New Year Concert will be held at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.  The two shows will include performances by  Thien Kim, Manh Quynh, Nguyen Hong Nhung, Tien Dung, Tam Doan, Hoai Tam, Viet Huong, Trina Bao Tran, and Pham Thai Tha.

By Miriam Raftery

January 12, 2012 (Jamul) – Looking for some tasty ways to cook up winter vegetables from your garden? Alpine Ranch Creative Health and Ecological Solutions, Inc., a nonprofit organization, is sponsoring a garden-to-kitchen winter harvest cooking class on Saturday, January 21 in Jamul.

January 12, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – View the planet Jupiter, star constellations, and the Andromeda Galaxy at a stargazing party this Saturday, January 14 at Mission Trails Regional Park from 5-8 p.m. Join trail guide and resident stargazer George Varga for this star-studded free event.

December 3, 2011 (Jamul) – At Jamul Haven, a five-star Victorian bed and breakfast inn in Jamul, a cherished holiday tradition is the annual “Children’s Candy Train Party.” Held on December 17, this free and festive occasion includes making candy trains and gingerbread houses.

December 1, 2011 (La Mesa) -- Executive Chef Bernard Guillas and Chef de Cuisine Ron Oliver from The Marine Room team up with Registered Dietician Candy Cumming for a healthy cooking demonstration--and tastes. The free event will be held Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 5:30 at Sharp Grossmont Hospital’s main auditorium.

Attendees can enter for a chance to win a copy of the chefs’ cookbook: Flying Pans: Two Chefs, One World.

December 1, 2011 (San Diego)—Leaping cossacks and flurries of snowflakes--See them all leap across the stage in the 22nd annual production of the Nutcracker by the San Diego Ballet Company Ballet.

Productions of the cherished holiday favorite by Peter Tchaikovsy will be presented Dec. 3-4 at the Birch North Park Theater in a co-production with the Grossmont College Symphony Orchestra and Master Chorale. Additional shows will be presented December 17-18 at the UCSD Mandeville Auditorium, directed and choreographed by Robin Sheretz-Morgan and Javier Velasco.

November 18, 2011 (La Mesa)--Youth at United Church of Christ of La Mesa (UCCLM)  will host a Fair Trade Holiday Sale on November 19 and 20 featuring gifts made by artisans paid fair wages and clean, safe work conditions in communities across the globe.

November 16, 2011 (San Diego) – Talented musicians from 41 schools in the East County Youth Symphony will perform a concert of classical music at 7 p.m. tonight in the Joan B. Kroc Theater, 6611 University Avenue in San Diego (one block east of La Mesa).

Tree-lighting and ice show extravaganza  light up the night tonight

November 11, 2011 (Alpine) -- Skate into the holidays on Southern California’s largest outdoor ice rink, now open at Viejas Outlet Center in Alpine. The  nearly 10,000-square-foot rink, one of our region’s most popular winter playgrounds, will remain open through Jan. 8, 2012.

November 8, 2011 (San Diego)--UnitedGREEN’s Forging a Sustainable Future event series begins on November 12 and 13 at Irwin M. Jacobs Hall at Qualcomm Corporate Headquarters in Sorrento Valley. This two-part event covers a wide array of topics including green building, green job training, building sustainable communities, community redevelopment, renewable energy sources, community- centered architecture, and green transportation. The goal of the conference is to plan for economic, environmental, and cultural sustainability in the San Diego/Tijuana region. View video of ECM publisher Mark Hanson of Lakeside discussing this global event (click screen above).

November 5, 2011 (Escondido)--Huzzah! The Escondido Renaissance Faire returns November 5-6 at Felicita Park in Escondido, 742 ClarencE Lane. Faire runs 10 a.m. to dusk.

Watch mock battles, stroll through Falconridge Village, take the kids on a treasure hunt, take an archery lesson, savor hearty fare and shop for Renaissance souvenirs.