10 Things to do Outside of San Diego Comic Con

Hey everyone! My name is Colin K. Bass and I am proud to be a guest blogger on Cynthia Dial's blog. As much as I love travel, my expertise is in the comic book industry. For those of you who don't know, San Diego Comic Con is just around the corner. Tickets have been sold out for months, but that doesn't mean you can't get in on some of the fun.

There are hundreds of options of exciting things to do outside of the convention. But I am going to limit this list to ten so that you guys know where to get started, then you can explore from there. Click the titles for more information!

1. Petco Park Interactive Zone


"Petco Park Events was kind enough to provide us with a map and hours for the annual Petco Park Interactive Zone, held just across the street from the San Diego Convention Center.

This year the Interactive Zone brings us booths from upcoming movies like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Sin City 2, TV series including the Sleepy Hollow Headless-Horseman bridge, and a number of other activations, including the return of the Adult Swim Fun House. And good news for foodies- the local food trucks will be on hand to help curve those convention-going appetites as well."

2. Comedy Central-Con

"Comedy Central is returning to San Diego Comic-Con, in a bigger way than ever before. Not only will the network have panels for three of their series — Key & Peele, Brickleberry, and new animated series Moonbeam City — but on Friday and Saturday, Comedy Central is offering a special offsite event, #ComedyCentralCon. The event is free and open to the public, and doesn’t require a badge, so head on down to The San Diego Wine & Culinary Center (200 Harbor Dr. #120) from 11AM-8PM on Friday and Saturday."

3. Geek & Sundry Returning to Jolt’n Joes


"Geek & Sundry, the YouTube channel created by Felicia Day and home of popular internet shows such as Spooked, the Day’s Co-Optitude, and  Wil Wheaton’sTableTop, will be returning as an offsite during San Diego Comic-Con.The popular Comic-Con offsite will be returning to its 2013 location, Jolt’n Joes in the Gaslamp (4th Avenue and J Street), where it will be hosting two packed days of programming, giveaways, and parties on Thursday, July 24, and Friday, July 25."

4. Hard Rock Cafe turns into Hard Rock Cafe turns into 'Ascension Cafe'


"For the last several years, Syfy has taken over Mary Jane’s restaurant at the Hard Rock Hotel to rebrand it as something related to their series. In years past, the restaurant has been everything from CafeDiem from Eureka to the Defiance Cafe, but so far, there’s been no word on if the cafe what the cafe might be transformed into for this year.

Thanks to our very own Shawn “The Con Fluence” Marshall, though, who is currently on the ground in San Diego, we know what 2014′s theme will be: The Ascension Cafe.Ascension follows a 1960′s government-ordered covert space mission, sending hundreds of men, women and children on a century-long voyage aboard the starship “Ascension” to populate a new world, assuring the survival of the human race. The six hour event series will air in November on Syfy.

Attendees can also catch a panel for the series, with stars Tricia Helfer, Brian Van Holt, and Andrea Roth on Saturday at 3:15PM in Room 6DE.Here are some photos of the Syfy restaurant makeover:"


5. Nintendo’s Gaming Lounge at SDCC 2014


"...the Nintendo Gaming Lounge will be at the Marriott Marquis and Marina, in the San Diego Ballroom on the main floor off the lobby. This is the same location at which it’s been for the previous two years, so attendees who were there before will be familiar. The hours of the event are 10 am to 7 pm PT, Thursday July 24 to SaturdayJuly 26, and 10 am to 5 pm PT Sunday July 27. It is open to the public, meaning you do not need a badge for entry.

There will be tons of playable games for both the Wii U and 3DS available for attendees of the lounge."

6. Adult Swim Dives into Comic-Con


"In addition to the Fun House and Meatwad Full Dome in the Petco Interactive Zone, Adult Swim has joined forces with Intel, Lexus, and State Farm to create the “ultimate fan experience” at San Diego Comic-Con with offsite installations and offers throughout the convention.

State Farm will sponsor an Adult Swim branded “Cool Treats” ice cream truck that can be found at both the Petco Interactive Zone with the other events, as well as at various locations within the Gaslamp District over the week. There will also be State Farm branded lockers at the Fun House, where attendees can drop their bags and swag off for free while the participate in all the Fun House has to offer."

7. HBO Pop Up Shop Headed to Gaslamp


"HBO is heading to San Diego Comic-Con not only with panels for two of its series (Game of Thrones and True Blood), but for the first time, it will be bringing the HBO Pop Up Shop to Comic-Con attendees.

The Pop Up Shop will be located at Market St. and 8th Ave in the Gaslamp, and will be made up of two shipping containers, one of which will be devoted entirely to Game of Thrones products. The other shipping container will highlight products from other HBO series, such as True Blood and Eastbound & Down. Attendees can stop by during the shop’s open hours, which are:

Thursday: 10AM-6PM

Friday: 10AM-6PM

Saturday: 11AM-7PM

Sunday: 9AM-3PM"

8. X-Box Lounge


"At Xbox’s Booth (#100) and at thepreviously-announced Xbox Lounge at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, attendees can swing by for a chance to try out upcoming titles that won’t be heading to Xbox One consoles until later this year, includingSunset Overdrive, Madden NFL 15, Skylanders Trap Team, Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, Evolve, and many more." 


9. MTV Fan Fest And mtvU Fandom Awards


"MTV has just added a few more reasons to attend the MTV Fan Fest and mtvU Fandom Awardscelebration at San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday, July 24. In addition to a performance from Linkin Park, the free offsite event has just added another musical guest, taped appearances from celebrities, and more.

In a press release, MTV announced that Oakland-based hip hop artist G-Eazy will be joining Linkin Park in treating attendees to free musical performances, as he will take the stage to sing songs and to promote his new album, These Things Happen."

10. Under The Tents 


"We have news about lots of things happening on the show floor, from a Bates Motel-themed booth,Peanuts sneak peeks, exclusives, artists, and more. Plus, we’ve got word that one of attendees’ favorite offsite events from last year is returning, and with a level up, all the way to Disney Infinity 2.0.

Don’t forget to check our Offsite Event calendar, presented by Eventbrite. New events addeddaily. Like news of our VIP tickets for Enchantment Under The SDCC 2014.

If you’re interested in getting a few autographs while in San Diego, check out our Announced Autograph & Signing Schedules page, compiling all the announced autographs at the booths and tables."

That's just ten of the hundreds of options for offsite activities during SDCC! A special thank you to SDCC Blog for all of the listings and quotes. Have a great time at the con!

Semper Fi, Torrey Pines

As I've mentioned before, I walk daily at Torrey Pines in La Jolla. And in the course of my morning ritual, I've seen a whale that's been beached, bikers, joggers, schools of dolphins, fitness enthusiasts standing on their heads next to trees, commercials being filmed, many things. But today I will most remember. As I desended the hill, I heard a group of runners approaching (not unusual); but as they passed I noticed they were Marines (noted by their closely cropped hair and a couple of Semper Fi tees; again I've seen the military here before). However, as they ran past, I noticed several of the 12 or so in the group were running on prosthesis. How can we adequately thank these men and women who selflessly serve our country, many times at great peril? Semper Fi!
Photo: Cynthia Dial

Good Morning, Torrey Pines!

Good morning from San Diego. You know, in quest of travel articles I’ve hiked in some exceptional spots . . . from Maui’s Seven Sacred Pools to British Columbia’s Canadian Rockies to Wilder Kaiser in the Austrian Alps. But once home I always head to the coast for my daily fix – a morning walk at Torrey Pines State Reserve, which I do religiously Monday through Friday, hot or cold (usually perfect temp), rain or shine (albeit mostly shine). So, here's my plan. I'm going to share with you a bit of my beloved Torrey Pines and from time to time, take you there on this blog. The most recent highlight of these walks is that my daughter Erin has been able to join me on some of the mornings, like today. This morning's hike began in the fog, reflective of the photo taken at 7:45 a.m.

To learn more about Torrey Pines, keep reading. Here's an excerpt from an article I wrote for TheCarmelValleyLife.com.

Torrey Pines - Here I’ve been in the company of hikers, bikers, rollerbladers and practitioners of tai chi, and I’ve observed flocks of sea gulls, schools of dolphins and a sole beached sea lion. Every day is different, every day is special.

The reserve is named for its indigenous five-needle pine, the Torrey Pine – America’s rarest native pine tree found only in the State Reserve area and on the island of Santa Rosa off the Santa Barbara coast.

But regardless of where I’ve traveled, I return with the same evaluation: Our nearby reserve is a local treasure, one that offers eight miles of hiking trails. Among my favorites:

Razor Point Trail (2/3 mile to the point) – Sprinkled with wildflowers in spring and dramatic views of the gorge, there are several overlooks into Canyon of the Swifts and a not-to-be-missed overlook at the tip of Razor Point.

Beach Trail (3/4 mile to Flat Rock and the beach) – It may be the least scenic but the trail’s beach access is popular, with final beach entry along steep, narrow steps. Tip: If you plan to hike down and walk north along the beach, remember to check the tides.

Guy Fleming Trail (2/3 mile loop) – It’s not a difficult trail – relatively level and not lengthy, but its beauty is unparalleled. With ocean vistas, sandstone formations, twisted, wind-shapen trees, seasonal flowers and two primetime overlooks – it’s my favorite.

The view of the coast from Del Mar to Carlsbad and beyond can be enjoyed from a wooden bench at the North Lookout. It also provides a birds-eye view of the Peñasquitos Lagoon, one of Southern California’s few remaining brackish water wetlands, which is home to three rare birds: the Light-footed Clapper Rail, Belding's Savanna Sparrow and the California Least Tern.

The South Overlook is a popular romantic spot and sometimes host to small weddings. Its view: La Jolla (to the south), San Clemente and Santa Catalina Islands (on a clear day), dolphins (almost any day) and gray whales (in season).

Photo: Cynthia Dial