Jack asks: Dear Cosmos, If I have to chew on another Barbie doll, mp3 player, or sheepskin slipper this holiday season, I think I’m going to hurl all over the new Berber carpet. Where should my family go to find truly unique gifts this year?

Cosmos: Well, Jack, while I can’t encourage chewing on your family’s nice holiday presents, I can help you direct them to the many stores in Balboa Park that offer the widest selection of one-of-a-kind gift items.

For starters, mom will love the original work of the many featured jewelry designers in some of Balboa Park’s stores. The Mingei International Museum right now is displaying fine jewelry by Arline Fisch, whose sculpture is currently on display in that museum’s galleries, and the San Diego Museum of Art is offering a rare collection of resin-inlay jewelry by the Los Angeles-based designer Sean Hill (pictured).

Many stores, including the Spanish Village Art Center and San Diego Art Institute, not only sell handcrafted jewelry, but paintings, prints, pottery, glassware, and other types of home décor by local artisans. For a more international selection, they can try the World Beat Center or United Nations Association Gift Store.

For dads, hobbyists and the younger set, the stores at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, Natural History Museum, Air & Space Museum, and Automotive Museum have an incredible selection distinctive games, toys, books, models, and inexpensive stocking stuffers that will suit anyone’s tastes—except apparently yours, Jack.

Leroy writes: Dear Cosmos, now that all the kids are spending their weekdays in school, can you suggest some ways my family can share quality time together on the weekend in Balboa Park so I can get some quality naptime at home.

Cosmos: I’m so glad you asked as I would like to put to bed the common misconception that summertime offers the most opportunities for families in Balboa Park. Thanks to the many cultural institutions that present family-oriented programming year round, the park-wide Family Day, and other special programs, there is an endless supply of family fun throughout the Park.

To start, I suggest your family picks up some Balboa Park Passports at the Visitors Center. They are discounted for children ages 3–12, and one option includes a visit to the Zoo. Then, for example, if someone in the pack wants to see planes, they can all head over to the Air & Space Museum. Trains? The Model Railroad Museum, of course. Dinosaurs? The Natural History Museum. Playful folk arts? The Mingei Museum. You get the picture. And be sure to check the Balboa Park Web site’s calendar page for special activities just for kids.

But wait there’s more! The San Diego Junior Theatre and the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater are always presenting quality entertainment for kids of all ages. And if it’s too cold to go to the beach, everyone can still enjoy the great outdoors at any number of scenic picnic areas in Balboa Park, which feature green lawns for throwing and chasing a ball and even safe play equipment to climb, swing, and crawl around on.

So I see no reason that you should have to go off your regular catnap schedule this fall.

Buddy Writes: Dear Cosmos, I’m sure I speak for many in our pack when I say you do a wonderful job of presenting a dog’s-eye view of Balboa Park, but I wonder if there is a good resource available that gives more of a child’s-eye view?

Cosmos: I’m so glad you asked as I just happen to be pawing through a new book hot off the presses titled Balboa Park A to Z. It features 26 colorful illustrations of places to go and things to do in Balboa Park, beginning with “A is for Alcazar Garden” and ending with “Z is for Zoo.”

Each illustration is accompanied by a preschooler-friendly verse about the pictured attraction while a couple of brief paragraphs below provide more in-depth info that older pups and parents will appreciate. In the back, a useful map locates each place referenced in the book by its letter designation.

Like my blog, this book serves as a wonderful guide to all the nooks and crannies in the Park that tykes of all ages will enjoy exploring, from the Puppet Theater and Fountains to the Rose Garden and Museums. I must admit, however, I am a bit partial to the entry for letter N, which is, of course, for Nate’s Point Dog Park.

So be sure to tell your family to fetch a copy in the Balboa Park Visitors Center next time they visit the Park or to simply order one online in advance of their visit.

Grace writes: Dear Cosmos, My family is making no bones about the fact that they don’t have enough money to go on a big trip this summer. What can I suggest they do here in San Diego that won’t break the bank?

Cosmos: You’ve definitely come to the right place. Here at Balboa Park Central, we’ve just posted our list of 25 Fun and Affordable Things to Do This Summer. Many of these inexpensive and free activities will get more extensive coverage in future blogs, but for now I’ll hit the highlights.

Since summertime is “entertainment under the stars” time in Balboa Park, there are a number of free outdoor activities that are very dog, and people, friendly, including the Twilight in the Park Concert Series, which presents howling-good music acts three nights per week; Screen on the Green, a great community movie-going experience; and the weekly International Summer Organ Festival. Your human companions might also find this summer an ideal opportunity to take you on one of the various park tours or to explore the new marked trail system.

For activities that cost a little dough, there are great discounts available, such as the Balboa Park Passport, that gives two-leggers entry to 13 different museums for one low price. And don’t forget the money-saving offers on the Balboa Park coupon page, which will free up even more coin for ice cream and other canine treats.

Millie writes: With summer just around the corner, can you please help me mark out territory for the best out-of-the-way picnic spots in Balboa Park?

Cosmos: While there are ample spaces throughout Balboa Park’s vast 1,200 acre campus to stake out a private picnic, I highly recommend these four lesser-known areas of the Park if you want to get off the beaten path.

Bird Park: This park’s open grassy field is ideal for kite flying or touch football. Views of the downtown skyline form a majestic backdrop to the free summer concerts that take place here. Located near the Morley Field Sports Complex at 28^th and Thorn, there is also play equipment for the little ones.

Pine Grove: The shadiest spot on this list, the Pine Grove picnic area is accessed via the one-way loop at the corner of Balboa Drive and Juniper Street. Numerous picnic tables are widely scattered among the many trees, presenting a tempting rest stop for joggers, rollerbladers, and dog walkers.

Activity Center Garden Court: Tucked behind the Activity Center on Park Boulevard this quaint spot combines the historic beauty of the Balboa Park Administration Building with formally landscaped gardens, benches, and tinkling fountains. Your kinsfolk would have to send out the dogs to find you here.

Golden Hill Park: A great place for viewing fireworks from Petco Park, this neighborhood park is actually one of the oldest developed areas in Balboa Park. Just off 26^th Street, the park’s large open grass fields are surrounded by unusual botanical treats, including two large Moreton Bay Figs.