, you should visit the San Diego Art Institute (8) (619-236-0011) in the House of Charm. Every four to six weeks a new exhibition is presented showcasing the contemporary works of local talented artists.

Also located in this same building is the Mingei International Museum (8) (619-239-0003). Mingei is a word used transculturally for “art of the people.” This museum features dynamic changing exhibits of traditional and contemporary folk art, craft and design from cultures throughout the world. The museum’s permanent collection consists of 14,000 objects from over 100 countries.

At the Spreckels Organ Pavilion (18) (619-702-8138) you can hear a variety of music played on the world’s largest outdoor pipe organ. This organ has 4,518 individual pipes, ranging in length from less than one quarter of an inch to over 32 feet! Free organ concerts are held every Sunday at 2 p.m. During the summer, they also have special free evening performances on Mondays at 7:30 p.m.

In the interest of park safety, mounted police patrol the park throughout the year. Patrons of the arts, as well as visitors attending evening theater performances are encouraged to park in lighted parking areas and to use the well-traveled sidewalks.

Balboa Park is the culture center of San Diego with spectacular museums and attractions, highly acclaimed theaters, and the San Diego Zoo. It epitomizes the beauty, history and heart of America’s Finest City. It’s no wonder that San Diegans never tire of visiting and revisiting this major attraction.

About the Author

Barry Berndes celebrates 35 years as San Diego's Dean of Restaurant Reviewers. He visited over 100 restaurants, went unnanounced, inspected their kitchens, paid for his own meals and wrote about his findings in the SAN DIEGAN. The SAN DIEGAN is your travel & liesure review resource for attractions, hotels and dining in America's Finest City, San Diego.

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Create inexpensive beauty products using the main ingredient, sugar.
In the self-care and beauty industry, the latest craze is to include sugar in skin care products. If you search the internet you will find everything from sugar body scrubs to sugar hair removers. The prices can range from $8.00 to $35.00 for each product. How’s that for a product in which the main ingredient can cost you a no more that $3.00 for a 5 pound bag!

To enjoy all of the benefits of a sugar based product without shelling out the big bucks, trys these recipes:

Orange Cream Sugar Body Scrub

This recipe is great to remove dead skin and give your skin a healthy glow. The sugar contains glycolic acid and the cream is a source for lactic acid. Avoid irritated or broken skin areas.

Ingredients: ½ cup sugar, 2 TBSP cream or whole milk, 5 drops orange oil, and 1 cup olive, jojoba, or almond oil

Mix sugar, oil and cream together. Add orange oil after main ingredients are completely mixed.

Apply to your body by starting at the feet and working your way up. Massage in a circular motion and leave it on for 10-15 minutes, then shower it off. This recipe is enough to make one full body treatment.

Lemon Head Sugar Body Scrub

This recipe is both cleansing and detoxifying. Lemon is very detoxifying to the body and will also help brighten the skin.

Ingredients: ½ cup sugar, 10 drops lemon oil, or ½ a lemon freshly squeezed, and 1 cup olive, jojoba, or almond oil

Mix all ingredients together. Apply to your body by starting at the feet and working your way up. Massage in a circular motion, then shower it off. This recipe is enough to make one full body treatment.

Facial Cleanser

Ingredients:

white or brown sugar, your favorite facial cleanser, witch hazel, and water

Using your favorite daily facial soap, an easy, inexpensive facial scrub can be made by adding sugar. Simply add a teaspoon of either white sugar or brown sugar and massage it gently on your facial skin. Rinse with cool water and spritz your face with a ½ witch hazel and ½ water mixture.

Sugar is a natural and inexpensive way to include alpha-hydroxy acids in your skincare program. It produces glycolic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid, which is included in many skincare product lines. Today’s pricey beauty products that include sugar or alpha hydroxy acid, can be created inexpensively right at your kitchen table. You can experience all of the benefits without the inflated price.

About the Author

Danielle Sims explored her library of alternative health, herbal books, and aromatherapy books and created a blueprint for making her own body wrap formulas at home. Now she offers this information in an e-book entitled Wrap Yourself Slim: Body Wrap Exposed. Monthly newsletter is also available at her web site. For more information go to http://www.wrapyourselfslim.com