Offshore Submission: (sounds like I should be wearing leather…)

So school’s started again, many of us have gone back to work after our summer vacations, we’re gearing up for autumn but Carlsbad is still rolling. The water is warm with a southwest swell coming in, the days are bright and still last a while.

The Boost Mobile Pro Trestles surf contest is running from September 8 (it was postponed Sunday), just 20 minutes away at Lower Trestles in San Clemente. With the swell and the competitors, it’s definitely worth watching. Prepare for a trek, parking is tricky – but the break is definitely worth the hike. Option One: Take the 5 to Cristianitos and park in the public lot by Carl’s Jr. or on the street and walk down the trail. Option Two: Get off the 5 at Basilone and park at San Onofre State Beach like you’re going to Old Man’s and head north – no hills, but it’s a distance getting there. However you play it, it’s going to rock.

It’s easy to slip back into routine once Labor Day’s gone, but this is our extended summer. We still have a lot to do before we pull on the 20-year-old Uggs and hibernate. For locals and visitors alike, this is the best time of year for southern California.

In the course of just a week, the battle for parking has abated a bit and we can get on the beach that feeds our souls. The Village continues to come into its own and is ours to enjoy – The restaurants are packed with friends enjoying the diverse menus the city has to offer, live music and a Scene that lacks Scene. Boutiques, galleries, museums and specialty shops thrive and beckon. There is a growing theatrical presence with the historic Carlsbad Village Theater and the New Village Arts Theater (in the old Bauer Lumber building). In and around our little (but not as little as it used to be) city, there is a wealth of things to do. Get out and enjoy!