ArtWalk Carlsbad 2025~ September 20 and 21 ~ No doubt artists and art lovers alike are looking forward to the popular ArtWalk Carlsbad…the 6th annual. This art fair takes place on September 20th and 21st. What a fun way to celebrate the end of Summer 2025 with the 1st day of Fall on Monday the 22nd. The first ArtWalk Carlsbad was in 2018. The 2020 and 2021 ArtWalks were canceled due to the pandemic. ArtWalk San Diego, the organization that produces the Mission Federal ArtWalk in Little Italy and the ArtWalk @ Liberty Square, is the organizer of ArtWalk Carlsbad. There are multiple sponsors that help make this art event affordable for people to attend as well as for artists to participate.  ArtWalk Carlsbad is free, and will feature more than 150 local, regional and international artists... 08/28/2025

Chalk Art in the Village~ Saturday August 30 ~ The courtyard at the Village Faire Shopping Center in the heart of Carlsbad Village will come alive with color this Saturday August 30 from 9 am until 5 pm, thanks to 5 talented chalk artists. For those not familiar with Carlsbad Village, the Village Faire is located at 300 Carlsbad Village Drive just west of the train tracks. The Courtyard is a popular gathering spot for shoppers, and local events are often held there especially at holiday time. The 5 participating artists are (names link to their websites):Katie BushCecelia LinayaoMeg Beverly CanilangPhyllis SwansonRon Juncal The public will be able to watch these talented artists create their chalk art right before their eyes on 4’ x 4’ prepared boards. The chalk art creations will remai... 08/27/2025

Heart of the Village Blood Drive ~  September 27, 2025  ~ Carlsbad residents will once again have an opportunity to help the San Diego Blood Bank with their ongoing need for blood donations. The Annual Heart of the Village Blood Drive will be held in Carlsbad Village on Saturday, September 27th from 9:30 am until 3:00 pm.  Once again the blood drive is being hosted at Barrio Glassworks at 3060 Roosevelt Street. This is something they’ve done a number of times. Blood donations will be taken at the San Diego Blood Bank Bloodmobile in the parking lot. Hundreds of pints have been donated through previous Heart of the Village Blood Drive events! The Carlsbad Village Association is once again a sponsor. All donations are Appointment Only, preferably in advance, but there might be last minute ... 08/25/2025

The Real Estate Journey That Touched My Heart This real estate journey actually started about 17 years ago, but the transaction that truly touched my heart was more recent, in the spring of 2021. More on that shortly. We have good friends we met through a mutual friendship back around 2008. The friendship blossomed quickly and we got together often for brunch, lunch or dinner. Discussions around the table varied but knowing I was a Realtor the talk often veered off into real estate land. This became a more  focused topic when they asked that I help them sell their home since they were moving to the Bay Area for his new job in 2013. The home sale went well, selling to first time buyers, and I referred our friends to an agent I know in the East Bay Area for their home search. We stayed in... 08/23/2025

Taste of Carlsbad Village 2025~ October 9th ~NOTE: THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT AS OF FRIDAY MORNING 8/29 The Annual Taste of Carlsbad Village returns in 2025 to the Village on October 9th. So why announce this in mid-August? First, the Taste of Carlsbad Village is traditionally very popular, typically selling out quickly each year. And second, tickets go on sale August 29th at 9 am so you’ll want to put that on your calendar with an alert so you don’t miss your opportunity. Carlsbad food lovers will spend 3 hours on Thursday October 9th from 5 to 8 pm on a self-guided tour with map and Passport (the ticket), tasting their way around our charming Carlsbad Village. So what is the appeal of the Taste of Carlsbad Village? Simply, it’s the opportunity to enjoy bite-sized samples from dozens of lo... 08/13/2025

What’s the Value of My Carlsbad Home? Carlsbad Market Report for July 2025 The Carlsbad real estate market continues to evolve, with changes from June and from 1 year ago. Private sales, mobile homes and multi-family housing are not included (the numbers are taken from the MLS and believed to be accurate as reported but are not guaranteed). Media market reports typically speak in general terms. Thus, they do not reflect the local Carlsbad housing market conditions (read more - How Local IS Local?). Current information, and analysis, about local market conditions will benefit you when you need to make educated buying and/or selling decisions about Carlsbad homes for sale. READ MORE ABOUT CARLSBADCarlsbad Village by the Sea 92 homes sold in Carlsbad in July (92008, 92009, 92010 and 92011)... 08/03/2025

2381 Avenida Helecho in Carlsbad~ New Price! ~ This La Costa Valley opportunity at 2381 Avenida Helecho in Carlsbad just got even better with a new price. The sought-after La Costa Valley community offers easy access to upscale shopping at The Forum, the famed Omni La Costa Resort and Spa with 2 golf courses, major commuting routes, and multiple dining and shopping options. El Camino Creek Elementary School is adjacent to the community, and the Carlsbad beaches are just minutes away.  This well-maintained single owner home has 5 bedrooms, 1 on the main level with an adjacent full bath...perfect for guests...and 4 more upstairs. Need a home office? 1 upstairs bedroom is fitted with built-ins and has been used as work space. The primary bedroom suite offers a spacious bath with dual vanit... 07/29/2025

Leo Carrillo Film Festival Leo Carrillo Historic Ranch Park in Carlsbad Pleasant summer evenings are a great opportunity to enjoy being outdoors in Carlsbad. If you are a fan of historic movies, the annual Leo Carrillo Film Festival at the former ranch of this popular Hollywood actor may be right up your alley. The 19th Annual Leo Carrillo Film Festival will take place on 3 consecutive Friday nights - August 22, August 29 and September 5. The Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park is a beautiful preservation of the land, hacienda, and other buildings owned by popular Hollywood film and TV star Leo Carrillo. Carrillo is probably best known for playing Pancho in the 1950s TV series “The Cisco Kid”. A visit to this historic park in the heart of the Rancho Carrillo master planned community, with ... 07/23/2025

July 4th CelebrationOmni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad Last night was a fun way to celebrate Independence Day with our older daughter, our son-in-law and the 2 older grandkids. We haven't been to the Resort for a number of years since we used to live right down the street, and there was a lively crowd and lots of festive decorations as one would expect.  Our daughter arranged for us to make firepit s'mores at the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in South Carlsbad. We had a private firepit and seating area with great views of the resort and the golf course, and of course plenty of marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate bars for s'mores making. And some additional cookies, colorful lollipops, and hot chocolate.  We had a great time indulging in a sugar overdose before the start of ... 07/05/2025

What’s the Value of My Carlsbad Home? Carlsbad Market Report for June 2025 The Carlsbad real estate market continues to change, with shifts from May and from 1 year ago. Private sales, mobile homes and multi-family housing are not included (the numbers are taken from the MLS and believed to be accurate as reported but are not guaranteed). Media market reports typically speak in generalities. As a result they do not reflect the local Carlsbad housing market conditions (read more - How Local IS Local?). Up-to-date information, and analysis, about local market conditions will benefit you when you want to make informed buying and/or selling decisions about Carlsbad homes for sale. READ MORE ABOUT CARLSBADCarlsbad Village by the Sea 112 homes sold in Carlsbad in June (92008, 92009, 92010 and... 07/04/2025

Summer Fun~ 2025 Aloha Plunge in Carlsbad ~ Don’t miss your opportunity to celebrate the 2025 summer season with the Aloha Plunge on Saturday July 19th, from 5 to 8 PM. It’s a fun event for kids and parents! The Aloha Plunge will be held as always at the Alga Norte Community Park Aquatics Center. Alga Norte Community Park is at 6565 Alicante Road, at the corner of Poinsettia Lane, in the La Costa area of South Carlsbad.  The Aloha Plunge is limited to 500 attendees and registrations usually fill up quickly. The cost is $15 per person, with children ages 3 and under FREE (but must be identified at check-out online). Register online, and get your wrist bands now so you don't miss out. Tickets are on sale now with over 200 already registered. Ticket sales end July 18 at 5 pm. You can pick ... 06/30/2025

Red, White and BOOM 4th of July Fireworks and More in Carlsbad in 2025 The July 4th holiday is less than a week away. Of course there will be celebrations and fireworks in and around Carlsbad, along with private festivities, cookouts, and picnics. And there’s beach time too! Let’s hope our warm, sunny weather continues! The summer crowds have picked up, restaurants are busy, and public parking at the beaches, and in the Village, has been harder to find. This will be true all week and especially for the holiday weekend starting next Friday. Red, White and BOOM at Legoland This popular annual celebration with fireworks takes place at Legoland California in Carlsbad on Friday, July 4th.  There is fun for all ages, with rides, live DJ performances, lawn activities, a scavenger hunt and so m... 06/28/2025

I wrote a few weeks ago about all the Monarch caterpillars we had in our back yard on our milkweed plants. Here is one photo. We were away at my wife's siblings' family reunion in New York for 3 days about 2 weeks ago, and upon our return all the caterpillars had disappeared. We did find 5 chrysalises and have been watching and waiting for the next, and most exciting phase - the hatching of new butterflies. Well, it happened today, with 2 new Monarchs emerging - one still hanging on the chrysalis (see feature photo) and the other had moved to a flower while waiting for its wings to fully dry. We expect to see the other 3 butterflies emerge from their chrysalises in the next day or two. It's been such a treat to see these transformations up close and to see the new butterflies.  06/27/2025

2025 Flicks at the Fountain~ Carlsbad Village ~ Summer is now here, and that means several popular events in Carlsbad are coming soon. One long-time annual favorite is the annual Flicks at the Fountain series. This popular outdoor movie series is hosted by the Carlsbad Village Association.  The Flicks at the Fountain take place on 5 consecutive Thursday nights. The series starts July 10th and ends August 7th. Movies (rated G and PG) were decided by popular vote from residents. Here’s the 2025 list of movies and the dates: July 10 – Moana 2 (PG)July 17 – Little Giants (PG)July 24 – Enchanted (PG)July 31 - Ratatouille (PG)August 7 – Captain America: Brave New World (PG-13) Flicks at the Fountain are held on a big screen in the parking lot by the Fountain. The parking lot is at the corner ... 06/23/2025

New in Carlsbad's La Costa Valley ~ 2381 Avenida Helecho ~ 2381 Avenida Helecho is new to the Carlsbad housing market in the highly-sought after community of La Costa Valley. La Costa Valley offers easy access to upscale shopping at The Forum, the famed Omni La Costa Resort and Spa with 2 golf courses, major commuting routes, and multiple dining options. Plus the Carlsbad beaches are just minutes away.  This well-maintained home features 5 bedrooms, with 4 upstairs and 1 on the main level with an adjacent full bath. Do you need a home office? 1 of the upstairs bedrooms is fitted with built-ins and has been used as home work space. The primary bedroom suite offers a spacious bath with dual vanities, soaking tub, shower, walk-in closet, and views of the trees, neighborhood and the Valley ... 06/21/2025

Lilies in Honor of Our Cat Lily We lost Lily about 2 years ago, our female Maine Coon Cat that we had had since her kittenhood, about 19 years. She was a delightful, playful and friendly lap cat and we were devastated when she became quite ill. It was such a sad time and our home became cat-less, something we had not experienced for many years.  My wife planted a bunch of lily bulbs after Lily died in her memory, and we have been waiting for them to bloom...it's taken quite a while but they are beautiful and greet us from the front patio when we come home. It took a few months but we acquired another rescue cat, also part Maine Coon Cat, about 6 months later. Fiona is a delight but different from Lily...and that's purrfectly OK. It was hard to not have a fur friend in the house for thos... 06/13/2025

The Monarch butterflies are late in our area this year. In 2024 we had butterflies hatching in early May but something was different this year.  Have no fear...our Monarch butterflies came back this year just recently and we now have 20 caterpillars as of today on our 2 milkweed plants. Clearly we need to get a couple more plants to have enough leaves for the caterpillars to eat and grow. They are voracious!  06/07/2025

What’s the Value of My Carlsbad Home? Carlsbad Market Report for May 2025 The Carlsbad real estate market continues to evolve, with changes from April and from 1 year ago. Private sales, mobile homes and multi-family housing are not included (the numbers are taken from the MLS and believed to be accurate as reported but are not guaranteed). Media market reports typically speak in general terms. Thus they do not reflect the local Carlsbad housing market conditions (read more - How Local IS Local?). Up-to-date information, and analysis, about local market conditions will benefit you when you want to make informed buying and/or selling decisions about Carlsbad homes for sale. READ MORE ABOUT CARLSBADCarlsbad Village by the Sea 105 homes sold in Carlsbad in May (92008, 92009, 92010 and 9201... 06/05/2025

The DM Gallery - A Vision My vision for the ActiveRain Points Store is to establish The DM Gallery, named for the initials of our last names – mine (Dowler) and my wife’s (Meckes), alphabetical of course! The feature photo, part of our collection, is a large oil on canvas (using a palette knife) by Antonio Di Vacarro, a view of Positano on the Amalfi coast of Italy. I believe the painting is from the 1990s. We are both art lovers and have been collectors for many years, plus have past experience of running a successful art gallery (yes, we made money which can be a challenge in the art business!) in Cambridge MA from January 2002 through December 2004 before relocating to California. The vision for this particular art gallery is a bit unique. In order to offer opportunities to new and e... 06/02/2025

Make Music Day is June 21, 2025 All are welcome to come celebrate Make Music Day on June 21st at the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad from 10 am until 5 pm. Fête de la Musique originated in France in 1982 and now is celebrated on June 21 in more than 1000 cities in over 120 countries. The original vision of the founders was a day of music for everyone to enjoy, whether they made the music themselves or just listened, all over each city. That dream became a reality and Make Music Day has spread throughout the world, arriving in New York around 15 years ago. On June 21, 2023 there were 4791 free concerts in 117 US cities (per Wikipedia). Who knows what music you’ll find in parks, on sidewalks, and other public spaces in your area. Or be creative and make your own! Make Music Day is also... 05/29/2025