Home, garden looky-loos are abundant this time of year

North County Times – Escondido,CA,USA
… Homework Club. Holiday Home Tour: The American Association of
University Women, Del Mar/Leucadia hosts a tour from 10 am-2 pm Dec.
2 …

Winter in Southern California may not bring snow, but it brings a blizzard of home tours offered by various organizations. Here’s a roundup of some of them:

Dec. 1-3

Christmas House Tour: This Sun City tour from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 1 and 2 is sponsored by PEO, a nonprofit organization supporting women’s education since 1869. The tour is at 28653 Carmel, Sun City, hosted by Sherry Durado. See trees overflowing with sparkling lights and decorations lovingly collected over the years. Donation is $5. Homemade baked goods also available for purchase. Adults only please. Call Irene Hampel, (951) 679-5767.

20th Annual Holiday Homes Tour: The Vista Community Clinic hosts this four-home tour that includes a stop at the Rancho Buena Vista Adobe. It’s from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 3 and tickets are $20 in advance or $25 day of tour. The tour benefits the Kare for Kids Fund, which covers the cost of essential medical care for children, regardless of ability to pay. Maps will be provided and docents will be stationed in each home to answer questions. To buy tickets, call (760) 631-5000, Ext. 1139. Tickets on the day of the event will be available at the Rancho Buena Vista Adobe.

Fifth Annual Holiday Home Tour: The National Charity League, Poway Chapter hosts this tour from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 2. Four festively decorated homes, refreshments and entertainment for $25. For ticket information, contact Wendy Gibson at 858-668-0672 or wgibpoway@yahoo.com. Beneficiaries of this year’s tour will be the Gayle Kennedy Memorial Scholarship Fund, Poway Senior Center and the After School Homework Club.

Holiday Home Tour: The American Association of University Women, Del Mar/Leucadia hosts a tour from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 2 featuring four homes in North San Diego County. Tickets with map will be available at the homes for $30 day of the tour. Homes are 1274 Chestnut Ave., Carlsbad; 1330 Ravean Court (Encinitas); 759 Santa Camelia (Solana Beach); and 12808 Via Latina, Del Mar. More info is at www.aauwdelmarleucadia.org or (760) 434-1058.

22nd Annual Holiday Home Tour: The Temecula Valley Woman’s Club hosts this tour from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 2 and 3 at four homes in the Santiago Estates area of Temecula. Each home is decorated to reflect the individual style of the home. Tour includes a Santa Fe-style home with an extensive collection of Native American artifacts; an Italian villa and the talented family’s musical instruments; a Mediterranean Santa Barbara-style home featuring a beautiful tapestry; and a Cape Cod colonial decorated in the traditional holiday manner. The tour benefits high school scholarships and charities such as the Temecula and Murrieta Libraries, Boys and Girls Club, YMCA, Michelle’s Place, SAFE, Animal Friends, Temecula Valley Museum and more. For ticket locations and information call (951) 302-1730 or visit TVWC.com. Sorry, children under 10 or babies are not permitted in the homes.

Dec. 7

Holiday Home Tour in 4S Ranch: See seven festively decorated homes from 5-9 p.m. Dec. 7 in this benefit tour for Oak Valley Middle School. Some of the students will be playing holiday music on the violin or piano at the different homes. Tickets are $20 and include a map of the homes on the tour. Tickets available at Oak Valley Middle School, San Diego (Rancho Bernardo). Contact (858) 243-7781.

Dec. 9-10

Seventh Holiday Home Tour: The Lake Elsinore Historical Society hosts this tour from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 9, with three historical and three elegant locations in and around the city of Lake Elsinore. Refreshments served at Main Street Museum, 106 S. Main St. Tickets are $20 and available at the museum; at Mrs. 144, 201 W. Graham Ave.; and at Remember When, 169 N. Main St. Call (951) 678-1537 or (951) 217-7637.

Holiday Home Tour: Four beachfront homes will be on display in full winter holiday decor from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 10 in this tour to benefit the Friends of the Oceansde Public Library. Tickets $20 in advance or $30 the day of the tour. One house is a beachfront getaway originally owned by legendary film stars Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. Tickets may be purchased at the Civic Center Library, 330 N. Coast Highway, the Mission Branch Library at 3861 Mission Ave. in Oceanside, or from any Friends of the Oceanside Public Library Board member. Call (760) 435-5560.

Through Jan 7

Marston House Holiday Tour: The San Diego Historical Society invites all to this docent-led tour of the Marston House Museum in Balboa Park from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during the holiday season. The rooms will be transformed to evoke Marston family preparations for the holidays with vignettes that reflect meal preparations in the kitchen, an elegant dinner party in the dining room, and tree decorating and gift exchanging in the living room. On the second floor, a small exhibition will look back to the holiday shopping season at the Marston’s Department Store in the early 1900s. Admission is $5. Discounts are available for seniors, students and military. Call (619) 232-6203, Ext. 129. Web site: www.sandiegohistory.org.