Mission Hills – No Need to go Elsewhere

By J. Daniel Geddis, President, Mission Hills BID and Owner Team D&B at One Mission Realty

On the first day of summer the Mission Hills BID kicked off the sunny season by welcoming business owners and residents to its Summer Business Mixer hosted by Luciano Cibelli, chef and owner of The Red Door.  It was a fun evening with attendees mixing and mingling and enjoying refreshments served at Bar by Red Door. The mixer concluded with a robust raffle, thanks to the generosity of Mission Hills’ business owners who provided gifts and gift cards valued at more than five hundred dollars.  Thank you Chef Luciano, raffle donors, ticket buyers, winners, and attendees.  

This year’s celebration of our nation’s independence means different things to different people – from simple pride in being an American to far more complex feelings that have many rethinking our values and ideals. As you make plans for the 4th of July weekend, however you celebrate, enjoying annual parades, picnics and fireworks, or a small or large backyard get- together, please keep in mind everything you need for a festive event can be found in Mission Hills. Need an idea or three?  1. Take-Out.  2. Cook-Out.  3. Dine-Out.  Mission Hills has it all – no need to go elsewhere. 

Beginning in early-July several architectural elements from Mission Hills buildings will be “flying atop lamp posts” throughout our community as a part of the Mission Hills BID’s Architecture Series banners.  Look up when you are walking, pedaling and driving around, take a photo of your favorite Architecture Series banner, post it on your social media, and remember to tag the BID. We love re-sharing content on our platforms.

Looking beyond the first days of July, San Diego Prideis slated to attract more than 300,000 celebrants to the Pride Parade and the Pride Festival. Highlights will include “the best in LGBTQ entertainment,” interactive exhibits, cultural presentations, and community resources at this two-day event taking place from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday, July 15, 2023, and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday, July 16, 2023.

Remember Mission Hills in your San Diego PRIDE festivities as our businesses celebrate San Diego’s LGBTQ+ communities and its diverse cultural identities and experiences. Living in California, especially in San Diego, it is easy to feel complacent in the safety of our individual liberties. Yet, one need only look elsewhere in the world, even in our own state and country, to see the fragility of our liberties and evidence as to why Pride is celebrated each year. My partner and I are grateful for the freedom to enjoy and include local Mission Hills businesses in our celebrations.

The Mission Hills BID is “dark” during the month of August, with time off from meetings, though our executive director is in the neighborhood on behalf of our businesses.   We tend to take vacation during the summer months, so this can be a slow time for our business community.  In some cases, a business is a “mom and pop” operation, solely dependent on its monthly intake. Many of us love that online company that delivers packages to our doors with a “smile” on their boxes (you know the one), but you might be surprised at how you can put a smile on the face of a local business owner when you choose to support them.    Please consider this as you are making decisions about where to purchase your goods and services or join someone for a meal.  Mission Hills’ businesses offer a variety of quality products and services which allow us to really “stay local” as well as invite friends and family from throughout the region to spend summer time in our neighborhood.

It is never too early to save-the-date for Taste of Mission Hills from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday, October 11.  Beginning in September, tickets will be available online at EventBrite, and at a few locations throughout the neighborhood.  Last year’s Taste sold-out.  This year we will limit sales to 600 tickets.  The advance price for a ticket will be $35, with day-of- tickets for sale at $40 per ticket.  All tickets include free Old Town Trolley service from area parking spaces to all participating restaurants and businesses.  Remember Mission Hills BID includes venues on India Street, West Lewis Street, Goldfinch, Ft. Stockton and West Washington, plus a number of side streets.  I encourage you to visit www.MissionHillsBID.com for informational  updates.

Thanks for reading this monthly column.  Please share it with a friend.  For questions, comments, and suggestions please contact Susan McNeil Schreyer, executive director, at MissionHillsBID@gmail.com.

Category: Business, Donations, Events, Local News, Restaurants, Volunteers