Greg Vaughn invited me to his birthday party in North Park. He was the guitarist in a band that played at a party I wrote about last year. I remember hearing just a few songs …

I got a call from Susie in P.B. who was turning 28 and planning a holiday party. She requested toys be brought for the Toys for Tots program. I went out and bought a toy …

Echo and the Bunnymen played the last show of their tour at House of Blues on December 9. The band started later than expected. A group of five Latino guys who left at 1:15 a.m. …

My day got off to a bad start. As a volunteer for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, I was asked to help set up a play set for a child in Santee. I'm useless at things like …

When I was invited to an "S & M" party in Clairemont, I didn't know what to expect. I imagined people snapping leather whips and wearing ball gags in their mouths. Approaching the party, I …

Along with many vidiots my age, television was the teat that nurtured us all, and I was less weaned than most. I recall "discovering" the Beatles on a Smothers Brothers show from October 1968 (which …

I started my weekend off at a midday party. Jenn was having a garage-sale party. (I'd never heard of one either.) She had a garage sale and invited her friends over to drink beer and …

I was invited to a tailgate party a few weeks ago in the parking lot of Qualcomm Stadium. Although the choice of tailgate food wouldn't have been mine -- sushi -- they had everything else …

Pimp 'n' Ho parties have been popular for years. Someone asked me if I thought it was because Julia Roberts's character in the movie Pretty Woman glamorized prostitution. I think it's because of the hip-hop …

This past summer I went to a party at San Elijo State Beach campground in Cardiff. I was told you have to reserve sites six months in advance there. The parking lot was full, so …

I was invited to several Halloween parties this year, among them a "goblin gathering" in Spring Valley, a haunted house in Chula Vista, and the Halloween Ball at the Prado in Balboa Park, which I …

When local photographer Eric Rife was a clerk at Off the Record, he saw his share of valuable records. He now works at the San Diego Central Library. In late October, the library had a …

I attended a party that Jamison, a hairstylist, hosted at the Abbey Cafe in Hillcrest. I asked Jamison about his name, and he joked about his mother being drunk on Jameson Irish Whiskey when he …

I went to a CD release party this summer for a group called Four Eyes. I had seen them play at Humphrey's, and they reminded me of the Beatles, Squeeze, and Elvis Costello. The party …

I went to two parties in one day that tested my crashing ability. The first was a luncheon at Balboa Park. The ticket was $40, but I weaseled in without paying. I did feel guilty, …

A friend of mine took me to a party in La Mesa with the understanding that I wouldn't write about it. When I grabbed a pen from the car, she said, "What are you doing? …

I got invited to a biker party and imagined characters from the Clint Eastwood movies that I grew up watching -- fat bellies, black widow tattoos, facial hair.As I approached the party in Imperial Beach, …

I was invited to a midweek luncheon for realtors in Chula Vista. The woman who invited me, Lu Pizarro, insisted I wear cowboy attire, as it was a Western-themed party. I threw on a Western-style …

I went to a house concert in Rancho Peñasquitos where Steve Poltz, the Rugburns singer/guitarist, was performing. Though he plays at the Casbah and Belly-Up often, those shows are nothing like sitting on a driveway …

Haley threw a Dukes of Hazzard theme party at her new Pacific Beach apartment. She wore Daisy Duke cut-offs and a Western shirt. On the small lawn in front of her apartment there were about …

I enjoy Evite party invitations for the on-line responses from people who are showing up or declining. A woman named Bonnie (an editor at WORD San Diego) sent me an Evite: "Bring a dish to …

I found out about a retirement home having a party on the beach in Oceanside. The idea of old guys on the beach didn't sound appealing, but the party was for the employees, not the …

I met Sarah at a party last year. She sings with the Small Opera of San Diego. The voice that comes out of her petite frame sounds as if it should come from a 400-pound …

Last month, Norma and Joe of Rancho Bernardo had a luau-themed party for their dog's first birthday. I'm not sure if that meant dog years. I'm not sure the dog realized that this event was …

The movie Wedding Crashers became number one at the box office after playing in theaters for several weeks. The word-of-mouth on this movie has made it a hit. Vince Vaughn is hysterical. (Swingers, a 1996 …

In June I got a call about Patrick Henry High's grad-night event at Party Pals in Sorrento Valley, not far from where I live. I had three other parties to go to that night (tough …

Bruce Hornsby played Humphrey's on July 21. I caught up with him that afternoon and asked if there is anything he can do to keep his hit ("The Way It Is") from being played on …

I bought tickets to see Frankie Valli at Humphrey's on July 11 and was told for $250 more I could get tickets to a reception with Valli -- a fund-raiser for the La Jolla Playhouse. …

I have no interest in Comic Con, but I can score a free press pass, so I go. Last year I tried to get a look at Angelina Jolie's lips up close, but so many …

I was invited to a pig roast that has a website devoted to the event. Bruce Dahl's website has stories posted from past parties, which he has been hosting each year for the past 14 …

I was invited to a July 3rd party at Baleen, a restaurant at Paradise Point. There was a fireworks display over the bay as we dined on the patio.Chris, a movie producer, came down from …

The Donnas played at SDSU's Back Door on June 26. Tickets cost $1395 a person (and included a week-long camp for kids 12--17). Bryan Joseph, founder and executive director of Power Chord Academy, said, "I …

I mentioned that songwriters make big bucks if a song of theirs is covered, I asked if that made him a millionaire. He laughed and said, "I'm not a millionaire. Not even close. I still have a day job."

When Bo Diddley played the Belly Up Tavern on June 23, everyone was allowed backstage after the show (two at a time). One guy wouldn't stop talking to Diddley; we all waited 30 minutes for …

Screaming middle-aged women showed up to see Donny Osmond at the Barnes & Noble in Mira Mesa on June 22. He emerged from the bathroom and began signing his new CD. Females grabbed at him …

I was at a party once with local author and radio personality Richard Lederer. He told us that his son Howard (nicknamed "the Professor") is a professional poker player, as is his daughter, Annie Duke …

When my brother and I were in high school, he was in some boring Shakespeare play that I got dragged to see. It was fun hearing him talk about the cast party, though. Larry Zeiger, …

Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh, on a book tour to promote his autobiography Searching for the Sound, was at the Mira Mesa Barnes & Noble on June 9. Over 300 people were in line when …

Whenever I try to write about high school parties that involve the schools, the schools freak out and don't let me anywhere near the campus or party site. When I tried to write about a …

On Saturday, May 28, I went to see Link Wray at the Casbah. He's known mostly by older folks for his 1958 instrumental hit "Rumble." Younger people know him for the same song, included on …

When I got an invitation to attend the grand opening of the House of Blues, I was jazzed. Those parties have great food, lots of booze, and interesting people. The entertainment for the evening was …

Two people have talked to me about record producer Phil Spector's affiliation with guns. A photographer who once took photos of John Lennon (and sold me an autographed Lennon album) told me a story 13 …

I missed a couple of Cinco de Mayo parties because of a migraine headache. A few weeks before that, I missed some parties I didn't know were going on until after the fact. On April …

When I have to fit three parties in on one day, it helps to start in the afternoon. At Mimi's Cafe one night for dinner, I overheard a waitress named Melissa talking about a CD …

M-Theory Music on Juniper in South Park gets interesting musicians to perform. In the past year, I've seen locals Louis XIV, Steve Poltz, and Gregory Page. National acts make it there, too. And You Will …

I went to a party on 21st and B Street one afternoon. I asked a few guys if this area was considered downtown, and the guys living there weren't sure. It was a good location …

My friend went to a "Battle of the Bands" at Dream Street in Ocean Beach and was blown away by Taz Taylor. He's a guitarist from England who now lives in San Diego. Was he …

I had a busy day one weekend. It started by going to the KUSI studio. They wanted to talk to me on their morning news program about parties. I felt awkward on a day when …

I went to two events downtown. The first was trying to fight traffic after a Padres game. The second was me getting lost. The Hyatt Hotel near the convention center had a festival showcasing American …

I went to two parties one weekend that were for good causes. The first was a luncheon for the volunteers of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, an organization I volunteer with. It was at the Officers' Club …