5th Annual I Love Poke Festival Returns to San Diego's Bali Hai Next Tuesday, May 20 | 2014 Festival Announces Competing Chefs, Participating Restaurants and Impressive Panel of Judges

May 14, 2014

San Diego’s 5th Annual I Love Poke Festival and food competition returns to Shelter Island's Bali Hai to celebrate Hawaiian culture and cuisine on Tuesday, May 20 from 6 -9pm. I Love Poke Festival is proud to announce that this year’s tasting event will feature 30 of San Diego’s top chefs and restaurants. The event will also include a special performance by internationally known Hawaiian musician and ukulele extraordinaire, Troy Fernandez. This annual event is always a sell-out, so get your tickets now!

The Wild Thyme Company Adds Culinary Powerhouse as Head of Operations | Veteran Chef Keith Lord Brings over Two Decades of Experience in Catering and Events

May 13, 2014

The Wild Thyme Company, event planning and catering specialists, welcome Chef Keith Lord to their team in a new position for the company, Director of Operations and Culinary. Creating a formidable partnership with Owner and Executive Chef Dawn Parks, Lord brings twenty-six years of experience working with high profile names like Twentieth Century Fox Studios and Roppongi in both La Jolla and Palm Springs. He has been a leader, strategist and brand creator through growth and expansion for a broad range of concepts. In his new role with The Wild Thyme Company, Lord will fulfill their goal to elevate their offerings of event design, production and service, and increase their ability to participate in community events and fundraisers.

Stone Brewing Co. Taps Waypoint Public Chef Amanda Baumgarten for Special Brew | Top Female Chef Makes Waves in SD's Beer Scene

May 13, 2014

In a beer centric city filled with the nation’s most respected breweries, North Park’s new neighborhood bistro and beer bar, Waypoint Public, is quickly making a name for itself as the city’s go-to for unbeatable craft beer and food pairings, with firecracker Executive Chef/Partner Amanda Baumgarten at the helm. As evidence of the Bravo Network’s Top Chef veteran's quickly growing street cred among San Diego brewmasters, one of the world’s and San Diego's most celebrated breweries, Stone Brewing Co., has approached Amanda to brew her very own homebrew recipe on Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens - Liberty Station's 10-barrel system. For any modest homebrewer the chance to partner with a brewery of Stone’s caliber and reputation is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Stone has never done a chef collaboration of this nature before, and for Amanda, next to co-opening her own restaurant, this partnership is one of the proudest moments of her professional career.

Whole Foods Market and The New Children's Museum Announce Year-Long Partnership

May 13, 2014

The New Children's Museum and Whole Foods Market kicked-off their year-long partnership with the presentation of a $18,695 check to the Museum, which will help fund monthly toddler programming and a new parent/child cooking series, as part of the Museum’s recently launched food-related exhibition Feast: The Art of Playing With Your Food. Whole Foods Market’s San Diego store and it shoppers community raised the funds through its 5% Day held on Feb. 18, donating 5% of its after tax profits from the day’s sales to the Museum.

KidsFest San Diego Returns to Liberty Station May 17-18 | San Diego’s Largest Hands-On Creative Festival for Kids and the Whole Family!

May 12, 2014

KidsFest - San Diego’s wildly popular hands-on, creative festival for children and their families - will return May 17-18! Presented by the Chloe Nichols Foundation, KidsFest 2014 will transform the NTC Ingram Plaza in Point Loma into a 100,000-square-foot wonderland of pure, uncomplicated play for the entire family, with activities designed to stimulate and celebrate the imagination. KidsFest organizers believe in the power of unplugging and playing, in the joy of finding inspiration everywhere and they value recycling, repurposing and reinventing, so that we as a society can leave our children a clean and pure planet.

Leroy’s Kitchen + Lounge to Host 4-Course Sustainable Seafood Dinner | Tuesday, May 20

May 12, 2014

On Tuesday, May 20, Coronado’s culinary gem, Leroy’s Kitchen + Lounge, will present a four-course sustainable seafood dinner highlighting a variety of local and regional catch alongside a dynamic selection of wine pairings. Helmed by Executive Chef Tim Kolanko and Chef de Cuisine Ronnie Schwandt, the duo will be joining forces with Chef Greg Chavez of San Diego’s Wine Vault & Bistro – who formally helped to open Leroy’s in 2011 as Executive Chef.  Kolanko and Chavez’s friendship dates back to time spent serving on the opening culinary team for The Lodge at Torrey Pines. This May, all three gourmands will come together to cook and create in the same kitchen for the first time.

Restaurant Row at The Aventine Invites Locals to Dine Al Fresco in La Jolla

May 11, 2014

The Aventine, the lifestyle complex home to Truluck’s Seafood Steak and Crab House, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, The Melting Pot and Cafe Japengo, is welcoming summer by inviting diners to enjoy their libations and fare al fresco. With four unique restaurants to choose from, visitors can enjoy outdoor dining while taking in the Aventine’s Italian-inspired architecture and beautifully landscaped grounds.

San Diego Jazz Festival Promises a Memorable Memorial Day Weekend | May 23-25

May 10, 2014

A memorable Memorial Day Weekend is on tap for fans flocking to the second annual Payne Pest Management San Diego Jazz Festival at the luxurious Omni Resorts La Costa on May 23-25, featuring performances by a galaxy of contemporary jazz and R&B stars. Tickets have been selling briskly with people traveling from all over the nation to immerse themselves in this musical and lifestyle experience that includes concerts, after-parties with DJs and live music, an all-star jam, a Gospel Sunday Brunch, casual poolside, plaza and lobby performances and a pre-festival kick-off for premier ticketholders that will be held Thursday, May 22.

The 2nd Annual Brew Rendezvous to Take Over the SILO in Maker's Quarter on Sunday, May 18 | Pairing Event to Benefit Community Health Improvement Partners

May 9, 2014

Community Health Improvement Partners (CHIP) will host its 2nd annual Brew Rendezvous on Sunday, May 18 from 1-4pm at SILO in Maker’s Quarter. Brew Rendezvous is a food, farm and craft beer pairing event that celebrates the unique role of craft brewers, local growers, and restaurateurs in cultivating community and health. The event raises awareness on San Diego's food movement and will benefit CHIP’s charitable efforts to tackle obesity through the development of a healthy, sustainable, regional food system. Brew Rendezvous includes live music, delicious menu tastings paired with local craft beers and raffle drawings.

Win 2 GA Passes to the North Park Festival of Arts Craft Beer Block Sponsored by Waypoint Public | Saturday, May 17

May 8, 2014

One lucky person can win 2 General Admission passes to the North Park Festival of Arts Craft Beer Block (a $60 value), sponsored by Waypoint Public and FM 94.9 and taking place on Saturday, May 17 from noon to 6pm! Entering our raffle is easy! All you have to do is input your email below and confirm your email address. The winner will be selected on the morning of May 15 and will be contacted by email.

Each ticket gets you entrance to the consistently sold-out event where you will receive a commemorative taster cup and enjoy thirteen 4oz tasters from a selection of over 30 local craft brewers, several of which are ranked as the best new breweries in San Diego! In addition to craft beer the event will offer DJ music from FM 94/9 and if that doesn’t suit your desire you can sing on the karaoke stage with Ms. Pearl. There will be lite snacks for purchase in the Craft Beer Block along with specially designed parklets for relaxing with a beer and your friends. This event was a sell out last year and no day of tickets will be sold. 21 and over ONLY! Visit northparkfestivalofarts.com/craft-beer-block for a full list of participating breweries and be sure to enter the raffle below for your chance to win!

Enter SanDiegoVille's Contest for a chance at 2 GA passes to the North Park Festival of Arts Craft Beer Block

Get Your Tickets Now for the Coast of Pacific Beach Restaurant Walk | Tuesday, May 20

May 8, 2014

Discover the best eats in Pacific Beach at the upcoming Coast of Pacific Beach Restaurant Walk, taking place on Tuesday, May 20 from 5-9pm. Bring your appetite as this popular annual event continues to grow and will offer a great variety of food, including choices by more than 25 local eateries, several vendors from the Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmers Market, as well as special deals from local retailers - all for only $20!

Horblower's Harbor Cruise "Goes to the Dogs" with Pet Day on the Bay on May 17 | Annual Dog-Friendly Boat Trips to Benefit the Helen Woodward Animal Center

May 7, 2014

On May 17, Hornblower Cruises & Events will host its 14th annual “Pet Day on the Bay” to benefit the Helen Woodward Animal Center (HWAC), a local nonprofit that provides care and comfort to orphaned and injured animals.  On this special day each year, dogs are welcomed aboard to enjoy a fun-filled harbor cruise with their owners.

A Roundup of Mother's Day Specials and Events in San Diego and Beyond

May 6, 2014

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Mother’s Day. Back in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson deemed it an official holiday in the United States. For the last 100 years, we have celebrated Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May due to the dedication and persistence of Anna Jarvis, who campaigned for several years to establish the holiday. Jarvis, a grammar fanatic, is also responsible for that properly placed apostrophe. Notice that “Mother’s Day” is a singular possessive. She meant for each family to honor their mother, compared to “Mothers’ Day,” a plural possessive, which would honor all the mothers in the world.

Downtown's Cafe21 Now Has the Space to Complement the Food | New Location in San Diego's Gaslamp Almost As Lovely As Chef Leyla's Culinary Creations

May 7, 2014

Newcomer on the corner of 5th & E, but no newbie to the Gaslamp, Cafe21 recently took over Croce's former space and made it their own. The beautifully renovated location was already bustling on a Wednesday night visit less than two weeks after opening its new doors. Cafe21 offers a true farm to table experience, with nearly everything made from scratch from the finest local ingredients and each dish plated attractively with an evident mindfulness to the art of food service.