You know, San Diego has an awful lot of local band talent itself

The Hard Rock Hotel San Diego launched it's "Battle of the Bands" contest today. One lucky band will win the chance to perform at the Grand Opening Party on December 12. The headliner for this opening will be The Black Eyed Peas. The Hard Rock has partnered with AudioStreet.net which is hosting the battle of the bands. For more information click here.

The Hard Rock is looking for an independent artist and apparently AudioStreet.net is a forum for just such an artist or group. The opening will celebrate the property in downtown San Diego that also boasts Nobu restaurant, Maryjane's Coffee Shop, Sweetwater Saloon and Moonstone Lounge from nightlife impresario Rande Gerber, Rock Spa and Folsom music venue.

FYI Hard Rock (if you're listening) San Diego has a lot of local music, many of which are independent and on top of that REALLY GOOD. I don't mean to be a stickler, but what if we made it a SAN DIEGO BAND contest? (You won't be hurting for talent) Just saying...

FFFFriday! And San Diego is in The New York Times

The part of The New York Times that thinks it's so easy to just go out and get a second home in San Diego. (Oh Honey, I feel like a condo that over looks the harbor, can we get one of those today? Sure, whatever, take the check book.)

Escape. Many, many people have discovered our little city by the sea and are now calling it their "home away from home." In fact many of them are flocking to downtown and Coronado, where they buy 1.1 million dollar condos and walk around on weekends looking for the best place to get brunch. Why do they come here?

Weather, in fact, is almost everyone’s first reason for buying a second home in San Diego. Midwesterners and Easterners have bought homes to escape the brunt of winter, while Arizonans — dubbed Zonies here — and some desert-dwelling Californians have purchased homes to escape the triple-digit temperatures of summer and bask in the cool ocean breezes.

You see downtown San Diego has changed. According to the NY times:

“Not long ago, downtown San Diego was a Navy town, full of brothels,” he said. “Now it’s a modern city on the water.”

We were a brothel city but now we are a condominium city. A condominium city that, apparently, needed a few time shares as well.

Also downtown is a new Hard Rock Hotel, a condominium “lifestyle hotel” with 420 rooms.
The owners have access to their rooms up to 28 days a year. The rest of the time the room is rented, and owners get a portion of the proceeds.

But be careful what you wish for San Diego because with the brand new revitalized downtown AND the crazy time share hotels you're also going to get this girl.

“And it has Nobu,” she said, referring to a high-end Japanese restaurant that will be in the hotel. “Everyone’s looking forward to that.”

I know we'll never BE L.A. but I sure hope we're going to be able to keep out the SUPER LA-ins (except Britney, cause that's a train wreck I'd love to stare at while she gets lost in Horton Plaza. How come there are so many levels y'all?)

Yes that's Brit Brit leaving NOBU in LA. I am... shameless.