Delightful Del Mar-Summer's Alive

"They're off"- the thrill of hooves pounding, the sunny excitement of a gorgeous racetrack nestled right next to the Pacific Ocean-the Del Mar Races fill July to mid-September days.
Beauty and color at the Flower & Garden Show of the Del Mar Fair now named the San Diego County Fair- by whatever name, this show at the fair draws competitive flower growers & arrangers from far & wide and the results are vivid & inspiring.
Lazing over lunch at Jakes' or at the Poseidon watching the waves go by.
Strolling along the beach just in time to catch a stunning sunset.
Enjoying an evening concert in the clear air with ocean backdrop upstaging the performers.
Soaring into the sky in a hot air balloon cruising near the coast.

Quick Tips:

If attending the fair or racetrack,you need to slather on lots of sun lotion;ocean breezes make it difficult to tell when you're burning. Pace yourself at the Fair; plan to see favorites early or late in the day. Check websites & pre-book tickets & accommodations, as Del Mar is crowded during the summers. See www.delmarfair.com; and www.delmarracing.com for details on prices, times,dates of concerts, and, for the track, post times,restaurants, special events.

Best Way To Get Around:

Take public transport to the Del mar Fairgrounds & racetrack; better yet, book lodging near & walk or bike;the nearby I5 Freeway & Coastal Highway 101 are usually clogged with traffic most of the time during the summer when the Fair or Races are open.

Jake's, an established fixture, is now a TS restaurant, but its reputation as a reliable source of excellently prepared , reasonably priced seafood, continues to draw young & old, especially in the summer when you should reserve. Floor-to-ceiling windows look out upon the vista of the ocean before you, and seats at this spot go to those who reserve. Atmosphere is lively; service is usually quick; waiters know what they're doing and are used to crowds.

Portions are American, i.e., large, so I usually forego an appetizer & opt for a good Caesar Salad. But, if I indulge, my favorite appetizer is the grilled basil prawns, which is a "wrap" with prosciutto , dressed with garlic dijon vinaigrete. My husband goes for the Crispy Calamari with Macadamia nuts roasted and glazed with a sweet-sour sauce.

Invariably, my husband choses the Pan roasted Atlantic Salmon as an entree, but I prefer the seafood fettucine which features sea scallops, prawns,3 colors of tomatoes and lots of basil & garlic. Often, we skip dessert, which is difficult as they offer Kimo's Original Hula Pie, as well as a terrific chocolate sampler that will satisfy any chocolaholic, and a very good creme brulee. Jake's bar is well-stocked & a popular meeting spot for friends throughout the year.Often, at the drinks hour, Jake's does get a bit loud as people talk & unwind. But, we've never had a disappointing meal in all the years we've dined there.

Right next door to Jake's on the beach is the also-long-established Poseidon. Their outdoor dining terrace is right over the beach;in pleasant weather you can have lunch or dinner there. Of course, even inside, you have THAT VIEW and the Poseidon capitalizes on it by having sunset specials from 5-7 p.m. at only $12.95. Normally an a la carte dinner will run you considerably more, so this is a prime-time bargain. Even more so than Jake's, which also serves meats, the Poseidon's menu emphasizes a variety of seafood , often combined with pastas, and offers cioppino as a main dish as well. Cajun-style dishes are also featured on this menu, and a variety of soups & salads is offered.

A typical nautical decor (nets, anchors,etc.) accompanies the ocean view & the service is sure and well-practised. At lunch, the Pojo burger is the star- a concoction with onions, chopped bacon and melted cheddar & jack served over an onion bun with a side of 2 potato skins with a horseradish-bacon dressing on them.At $10.95, the Pojo is a whopper designed to fill up even the most depleted surfer.

For dinner, we like the prawn & scallop brochette, steamed salmon with caper and cream sauce, or the seafood combo. Most entrees are in the $20 plus range, except for the calamari steak ($15.95). We rarely have room for dessert which keeps the cost and the calories down & the Poseidon's desserts aren't particularly special. What we do like is the fish is fresh, well-cooked, and not too pricey, and often ,when Jake's is too crowded, you can still get a table at the Poseidon. Also, this restaurant is more family-oriented than Jake's which often draws a drinks-only crowd around the bar at night.

Located in the chief shopping mall in Del Mar, this Southwestern restaurant offers hand-shaken margaritas and live jazz on Wednesday nights and many of their lunch and dinner entrees are vegetarian friendly. We had lunch on the terrace, which has a terrific view of the ocean. The menu items at this very trendy spot basically combine Mexican, native Indian and Asian cuisines. Normally you don't have to reserve except for the weekends and Wednesday evenings. This was a convenient stop for us after shopping in the Del Mar Plaza.

At lunch, many families chose this spot because they have a children's menu. I chose the flame-grilled carne asada that is one of my favorites; my husband liked the sesame-honey seared ahi with plantains and ginger-chile sauce. At night, this is one of the spots for the younger,dating crowd, as their bar features the Epazote Margarita, an expensive($8.95) tall shaker for 2 or 3 people.; on Tuesdays, they feature Happy Hour margaritas at reduced prices. Their dinner entrees include a shrimp and scallop relleno, pecan-crusted rack of lamb, and pumpkinseed pesto marinated salmon- entrees designed to please seafood and Mexican food lovers alike .

On their extensive menu are so many interesting combinations that this is a food explorer's hot spot. For example, they offer enchiladas suizas for $9.95 at lunch; this is embellished with tomatillo sauce, lime cream, anejo cheese, beans and vegetables. Watercress salad - one of my husband's favorites- accompanies many of their entrees. He also likes their Del Mar Plaza Cobb Salad, also $9.95 at lunch. This hearty Cobb has avocado, romaine hearts, ranchero cheese, bacon, chicken, hard-boiled egg and salsa with herb-buttermilk dressing, is gigantic, and very filling.

For what you get, this restaurant's prices are very reasonable,especially at lunch. You're not on the beach, but close to it and in the heart of the charming downtown shopping district that's fun to explore as the city fathers have determined to keep it as it was, except for refurbishments, and avoid neon and Macs, in favor of antique shops and rather quaint, old-fashioned,and often pricey,venues. Epazote's reflects Del Mar's emphasis on preserving historic spots, keeping beaches family-friendly, and, of course, catering to summer visitors. This catering extends to the service which is quick to accommodate those going to the track or fair, but allows for those who want to linger and take in the view.

People come out in droves, with many families considering the Fair to be the highlight of their summer. As American as rhe proverbial apple pie, this fair not only emphasizes agricultural & livestock exhibits, but also features nightly outdoor concerts with top-notch performers; this year, headliners will include REO Speedwagon, Billy Ray Cyrus,The Temptations, and Barry Manilow. For most concerts, general admission includes the concert; for some, an additional charge (usually $12.00) is levied & reserved seats are sold prior to the event.

During the day kids can enjoy many carnival rides and food stands dot the grounds. For many like me,the Flower & Garden Show is a must-see;the judged exhibits range from landscaped masterpieces with waterfalls, fountains and statuary, to exhibits featuring newly developed varieties of plants & flowers. We always garner ideas for our own landscaping & the show updates us on what's newly available.

Also of interest are the Home & Hobby exhibits,the gems,minerals &jewelry exhibits,the home brew contest,the international flower design contest and the excellent and sometimes surprising international Photography exhibit. There's something for everyone, even cotton candy! The Fairgrounds contain many large, permanent buildings-Pat O'Brien Pavilion, Bing Crosby Hall- that reflect the Hollywood celebs who were associated with the development of the grounds & especially the racetrack during the 1930's. In the off-season, the halls are used for various shows so all is kept maintained & ready to shift into high gear in the summertime.Admission :$4.50-$9.50; children under 5 free. 858-793-5555 for reserved seating tickets, or check www.delmarfair.com.

A day at the Fair with kids can be costly, but many savings coupons on admission and rides are available. A local grocery chain, Albertson's has discount tickets in a family pack for $28.00 which you can purchase when you buy a minimum of $10.00 's worth of goods exclusive of liquor and fluid dairy products at any Albertson's. The pack includes 2 adult and 2 children's (ages 6-12) admission tickets and a 20 ride coupon, and is available through June 14th. This year the Fair runs from June 15 through July 7.(closed Monday, June 17 & Monday, June 24.)For savings on carnival rides, The Pennysaver(a local ad paper available at many grocery chains in their free paper racks) has a $5.50 saver on coupons (25) for rides-pay $12.00 rather than $17.50 . Since each ride takes 3-6 coupons, ride expense for families can add up pronto. One can use the $5.50 saver to purchase a coupon book at the Del Mar Fairgrounds Box Office until June 18th.

Even if you don't bet, you'll be thrilled by a day at the races in Del Mar because this oval's location overlooking the Pacific is dazzling,and the more than six million in prizes offered during the meet,lures some of the most beautiful,winning race horses of the world. For forty-three days this year(July 24-Sept.11)with Tuesdays dark,the racing will attract enthusiasts from near & far.

Opening Day is always special,and,in time-honored tradition,local socialites vie to wear a hat that will be dubbed the "best" in one of several different categories. Pacific Classic Day, with its cool 1 million stake,occurs on August 25 with an early 12:30 p.m. post. WARNING: these days will be very popular and traffic will be the heaviest of the season. Usually posts are at 3:30 p.m.,with exceptions on Fridays at the beginning & end of the meet. One can enjoy the meet on all levels of luxury to economy, ranging from clubhouse to grandstand admission,and,of course,how much it costs will be determined by bets & non-bets. One can simply enjoy the lovely setting,the excitement generated by the shouting crowds, and by the sheer elegance of the horses running.Grandstand $5.00; Clubhouse $8.00, but parking $6.00 -major expense & hassle. See www.delmarracing.com for exact details.

Also for this 63rd annual session, you can purchase Grandstand and Clubhouse tickets,as well as restaurant tables,on line, and sign up for their e-news. Getting into and out of the huge parking lot is always somewhat difficult to unbearably tedious,so plan to use other modes of transport.

Amtrak runs a California Pacific Surfliner train between L.A. and San Diego that stops at the Solana Beach Station that is quite near the track. Fare includes train transport and a bus (double decker) that meets the train and transports passengers to the track. The Surfliner schedule is now available for downloading at the Amtrak website. Though time-consuming, it's still a better option than individual car transport.

If you MUST attend on a weekend, make it Saturday,August 17 when,in the Infield,you can sample the "products,"of over 20 microbreweries,vote for "Peoples'Choice" best in a Chili and Salsa Cook-Off, and then be entertained by the Violent Femmes in free concert there. And if you're a California resident,on Sat.,Sept.7, and Sun.,Sept 8,you show proof for free admission. WOW! But, go Very EARLY these days.If you"re a Calif.AAA member,show membership at the Grandstand Ticket Sales Window & get 40% off 2 admission tickets per day a racing program for $3.00,not $5.00.

During the rest of the year,Del Mar is quiet and its village-like atmosphere can be appreciated without the hustle and bustle that characterizes the town during the summer fair and race times. Its main street, Camino Del Mar, has many small shops-non-chain bookstores like Earthsong and Esmeralda's Books and Coffee, the latter of which, unfortunately, just moved to the one mall, the parking garage of which is inadequate to handle summer crowds,small gift shops,and small businesses like Skysurfer Balloon Company at 1221 Camino Del Mar (858-481-6800) where you can arrange a hot air balloon flight an average of about 310 days a year. From our kitchen we can see these balloons wafting towards ritzy Fairbanks Ranch and Rancho Santa Fe in greater numbers during the summer, but this is a popular activity at other times when the weather is not windy or rainy, or at holiday times throughout the year. Many of the companies only fly out of Temecula rather than Del Mar; as the North County continues to grow, land from which to launch the balloons becomes more expensive. Soon, I suspect, these companies will all move to Temecula and beyond.

The Del Mar Plaza at Camino Del Mar and 15th Street is the main shopping center in coastal Del Mar. This very upscale, low-key center fits the town fathers' idea of what is appropriate commerce for this affluent, ecologically concerned and conservative community. In my opinion, based upon my recent visit, during the lull between the fair's closing and the opening of the race track session, parking space for this mall is inadequate even to handle the "lull" crowd. Several pricey galleries and women's and men's apparel shops,as well as several restaurants like Epazote's, are on site,as well as a newly opened Harvest Ranch Market, a small,independent gourmet chain grocery with other stores in La Jolla and Olivenhain.

The week day I visited, around 11 a.m.,the parking spaces were about 3/4s full and it appeared most of this traffic was at the restaurants, not the pricey shops. However, all on-street parking for blocks around this plaza had been taken also. Del Mar is in danger of becoming an enclave that very few people will be able to access in the summer. Unfortunately, for all practical purposes, public transport in Del Mar does not exist.I overheard a mall employee telling another that, once the race track opened, she would have to arise at 4 a.m. each morn so she'd get to the mall before 8 a.m. Recently, the powers-that-be agreed to ban alcohol on Del Mar beaches and there are very strict local ordinances relating to fires, dogs (only designated beaches), where activities like volleyball may be played(specially designated areas on the beach)- all of which reflect a conservative-preservative communal attitude.

So strong is this resolve to keep Del Mar village-like that Del Mar, after being a rail terminus for many years, turned down Amtrak's proposal to continue to use the Del Mar station, and a new station was built and opened in adjacent Solana Beach instead, much to very sleepy Solana Beach's economic benefit. Del Mar's decision is understandable and recognized the growing problems of congestion during its eventful summers,but its economic survival seems to have suffered from that decision. Or, perhaps, it prefers to become more and more an "exclusive" destination. To use the Camino Del Mar Plaza parking lot costs $2.00 an hour,or you can purchase goods or services and have your parking stub validated by the establishment.

In the Sunday, June 8, 2003 edition of the San Diego Union-Tribune, there's a 58 page official program for the fair; the theme this year is "Commotion by the Ocean"; Opening hours will be 10 am daily;closed Mondays. Closings throughout the week are at midnight. This useful program contains a day-by-day-schedule for planning ease, gives specifics regarding special values, senior interests, one day contests, and a complete slate of Grandstand performers.

Most useful is the "Frugal Fairgoer Tips" advice to park free at the Del Mar Horsepark and take a free shuttle into the Fairgrounds (saving $6 and a lot of hassle, believe me.) Show a Coaster or North County Transit bus ticket and get $1 off Fair admission and admission to the Elvis exhibit. AND, save your Fair ticket and get 2-for-1 admission to the Del Mar Track meet any day except opening day.

Thursdays are special senior days and will highlight music of the 60's, with a special appearance of Bo Diddley with the movie star Dennis Quaid and the Sharks at 7:30pm, on Thursday, July 3rd.

This is a must-have booklet if you go to the Fair. Each year, this program is available, usually in the Sunday edition of the San Diego Tribune the week before the fair's opening; it is an INDISPENSIBLE, must-have guide, for extensive planning is needed to assure a pleasant attendance at the Fair. Check out www.sdfair.com for an extensive coverage of events from June 13-July 6, 2003.