By Kyla Skinner

Summer — we’re here for ya! I’m usually not a summer-time fan — the heat is not my favorite — but after all the rain, I’m very excited to get outdoors and be active.

First up, we have The 10th Annual Lighthouse 5K Benefit Fun Run and Family Fun Day. It will take place on June 2 at Oyster Ridge Event Center. Runners and walkers are welcome. There will also be events for the kids, a half-mile race anda 100-yard dash for those under 6 years old. And then there’s a pancake breakfast hosted by the Kiwanis, a DJ, face painting, a bounce house, and raffles for great prizes donated by local businesses. Most importantly, this event will support an amazing cause, LIGHTHOUSE is dedicated to strengthen our community by overcoming youth addiction through awareness, prevention and intervention. Lori Bagby is an organizer of the event: A friend and a local rockstar real estate agent, she lost her son to addiction and has used that pain to build up our community. 

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Tickets will be sold up until the day of the race and can be found at lighthouseatascadero.org/fun-run

Another favorite event is the Atascadero Lakeside Winefest. Held at the Lake Park on June 22 from 4 to 8 p.m., the event has local wineries and breweries converging on the grass under the huge oaks to serve up tastings. The event booths continue into the zoo and includes artists, musicians, and food vendors. Tickets can be purchased online at atascaderolakesidewinefestival.com. I’ve volunteered for a few years at this event and it is always a beautiful day.

Since I am the optical lady, I wanted to take a minute to talk about sunglasses and summer. Keep your eyes safe while you are enjoying outdoor activities! The sun’s ultraviolet rays are known to cause cataracts, pterygium, corneal sunburn, macular degeneration, and other not fun things. Quality sunglasses can prevent or slow down these conditions and I always recommend polarized lenses for cutting the bright Central Coast glare. 

Depending on your preference, there are three common colors of polarized lenses. 

  • Grey will block the most light, darkening things the most, and keep colors looking true and natural. Best for bright beach days and full sun. 
  • Brown lenses will increase contrast and make sunsets look stunning. Golfers prefer brown as it increases definition in green turf. Brown is great for days that are overcast or foggy. 
  • Green lenses are similar to grey as far as color definition, and have a more “vintage” vibe. Green is versatile and will provide good contrast, great for sunny and low light conditions. 

Other options can be a mirror treatment, very on-trend right now and it will also block additional glare and light. A back-side antiglare treatment on the lenses will also improve clarity and prevent you from seeing an annoying reflection of your own eye in the lens. 

Many shops downtown carry quality sunglasses. Black Sheep, Rumor, Farron Elizabeth, and of course — me at Specs. For active sports, I recommend checking out 805 Boardshop for wrapped sunglass options. I carry Alba Optics, from Milan, designed for cycling and running. I can do prescription lenses in many of the frames 805 Boardshop offers. We can then customize the lenses for your specific visual needs. Feel free to reach out with questions or for a personalized consultation at specsbykyla.com.

Happy Summer, and enjoy the sunshine!

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