Ponte Winery Celebrates California Wine Month at 12th Annual Grape Stomp on Sunday, September 28

September 21, 2014

California Wine Month is in full swing and the Vineyard Pavillion at Ponte Family Estate in Temecula is celebrating with its annual Grape Stomp from 4-9pm on Sunday, September 28. Now in its 12th year, the event takes a fun, competitive approach at teaching attendees about the art of winemaking. Teams of two will stomp, eat, drink and dance the night away as they compete for special prizes. A separate competition is held for children, making the 12th Annual Grape Stomp the perfect harvest event for families.

Mission Beach Celebrates 100 Years with Centennial Festival | Saturday, Sept. 27

September 20, 2014

After one hundred great years, Mission Beach's one year of celebrations will culminate with the  Centennial Festival & BBQ Competition on Saturday, September 27, from 11am-7pm. This free festival will take place between Belmont Park and Ventura Boulevard - spanning the seven-acre park and beyond onto the streets of Mission Beach. Over 15,000 are expected to attend the Mission Beach Centennial Festival. The event will include a fashion show, live music, a walking museum, a sanctioned barbecue competition, a craft beer garden from Draft and more.

14 Spots to Indulge for San Diego Restaurant Week | September 21 - 26

September 19, 2014

San Diego Restaurant Week is back for its 10th year, starting this Sunday, September 21, and lasting through the week until Friday, September 26. Foodies have the option to dine on multi-course, price fixed lunch and dinner option all over town - from some of the hottest new restaurants in the city, to some of its most exclusive dining destinations, with many eateries creating their prix fixe menus to highlight their most popular items. We've rounded up some of the best Restaurant Week participating eateries from all over San Diego County, so keep reading and make your reservations today!

Thrillist Throws Epic Weekend of Events at the Hard Rock Hotel

Brian Malarkey and Thrillist CEO Ben Lerer

September 23, 2014

This past weekend, Thrillist took over the Hard Rock Hotel in downtown San Diego to host their biggest event of the year - Hotel Thrillist.  The popular online publication flew in about 100 people, including clients, influencers, press and friends of the brand as well as invited local readers to partake in the festivities. Featuring an elegant tasting event, a poolside pig roast and a wild dance finale, Thrillist showed San Diego that they definitely know how to party!

13th Annual San Diego Film Festival Returns with Exciting Line Up of Events and Feature Films | Win 2 Festival Film Passes

September 18, 2014

The San Diego Film Festival, produced by the San Diego Film Foundation, returns for its 13th edition, taking place September 24-28, all over San Diego with an exciting line up of events, panels and special screenings of over 100 films. We have all the information on this year's festival and even a pair of passes (a $500 value!) for one of our readers - keep reading for all the details and be sure to enter our raffle.

Karl Strauss Celebrates 25 Years By Throwing San Diego-Style Oktoberfest | Saturday, September 27

September 18, 2014

To celebrate 25 years of pioneering craft beer, Karl Strauss Brewing Company is throwing a San Diego-style Oktoberfest on Saturday, September 27, from 5-8pm at its Tasting Room and Beer Garden in Pacific Beach. For the cost of admission, the event includes a Karl Strauss beer stein with first fill free from a choice of 25 beers, including this year's Oktoberfest brew, live music and brewery tours.

San Diego Restaurant Week Celebrates 10 Years of Multi Course Meals from September 21-26 | Win Dinner for 2 from SanDiegoVille!

September 17, 2014

What better time to spoil yourself than during the 10th anniversary of San Diego Restaurant Week, taking place from Sunday, September 21 through Friday, September 26. Foodies can satisfy their palates by visiting over 200 participating restaurants featuring delectable appetizers, scrumptious entrees and delightful desserts, giving San Diegans the opportunity to try some of San Diego’s finest and freshest ingredients at the most well-known restaurants during this twice yearly event. Choosing will be no easy task because every participating restaurant will be offering a three-course prix-fixe dinner menu for just $25, $35 or $45 per person and/or two-course prix-fixe lunch menus for only $10, $15 or $20 per person depending on the dining destination selected. We're raffling off dinner for two at Croce's Park West, as well as another pair of dinner certificates for Monello (1 winner for each restaurant) - enter our contest and start making your reservations!

Hotel Del Coronado Names Meredith Manee as Chef de Cuisine of 1500 Ocean

September 17, 2014

Hotel del Coronado today appointed Meredith Manee as its new Chef de Cuisine of 1500 OCEAN. Manee will oversee food and beverage operations for the signature restaurant and its adjacent Sunset Bar, leading a veteran staff of culinary professionals. With a classically trained background in fine dining and with Santa Barbara roots, Manee will utilize over 13 years of experience in the industry to provide the hotel’s global guests with fine California Coastal dining.

Tin Roof to Celebrate Oktoberfest with Samuel Adams Stein Hoisting Competition | Saturday, Sept. 20

September 16, 2014

Germany’s Oktoberfest kicks off on Saturday, September 20 and for those San Diegans who can’t make the 6,000 mile trip to Munich, Germany, Tin Roof has you covered! Join in on the Oktoberfest celebration with the Samuel Adams Stein Hoisting Competition, a tradition known as masskrugstemmen. Beginning at 7pm on September 20th, participants will fill their 1-Liter Stein with Samuel Adams seasonal Octoberfest brew and then the countdown begins!

Second Underbelly Debuts in North Park

September 16, 2014

CH Projects (Ironside, Craft & Commerce, Fairweather, etc.) showcased its second Underbelly location yesterday at 30th and Upas in North Park, located on the ground floor of the North Parker Lofts project. The 2,800 square foot, wood-heavy space is far larger than the hub at the original in Little Italy, and includes an open kitchen with bar seating and a sprawling outdoor patio that includes concrete fire-lit tables. In addition to its popular Japanese ramen, the North Park spot will offer a rotating menu of yakitori.

11th Annual Spirits of Mexico Festival Announces New San Diego Location for September 28 Event | Win Tickets and Save!

September 16, 2014

Mexican spirit connoisseurs, tequila lovers and San Diego foodies will gather in Del Mar on September 28 for the 11th Annual Spirits of Mexico Festival. Formerly held over a five-day period in Old Town San Diego, this year’s event will take place at the Del Mar Fairgrounds for a giant one-night celebration of tequila, spirits and the fine art of Mexican distilling. Attendees will sample and drink a variety of spirits including tequila, mezcal, bacanora and Mexican wine, as well as taste Latin-inspired dishes that pair perfectly. In addition to offering our readers a promo code to save 15% on passes, we're giving away 2 VIP tickets to the event - keep reading and be sure to enter!

In Partnership with Liberty Station, Blue Bridge Hospitality Announces Liberty Public Market | A 22,000 Sq. Ft. Locally Focused, Specialty Venue - Opening Summer 2015

September 15, 2014

San Diego is poised to get it’s first-ever food hall with the announcement of Liberty Public Market, a 22,000 square-foot artisans mecca to be filled with a carefully curated lineup of 30+ specialty purveyors. The $3 million project lies in the hands of Coronado native David Spatafore, Principal of Blue Bridge Hospitality, who is partnering with Liberty Station’s developer, The McMillin Companies, to transform the 1920s-era warehouse-syle building into an indoor-outdoor public market by June of 2015. Spatafore's marketplace concept is reminiscent of similar public markets sweeping the nation, such as Napa’s Oxbow Public Market, Philadelphia’s Reading Terminal Market and Vancouver's Granville Island, and will operate as a co-op, giving small business owners a brick & mortar platform to showcase their products on a larger scale without the commitment or contracts of a formal lease at Liberty Station.

Cheers To Seven Years | Mission Hills' Starlite Shines Bright with 7 Days of Charity Celebrations for its 7th Anniversary

September 15, 2014

Starlite in Mission Hills is celebrate its 7 year anniversary with a 7-day charity initiative from September 29 to October 5. The owners and local indie music legends, Tim Mays (Casbah, Krakatoa) and Matt Hoyt (music video director and three-time winner at the San Diego Film Awards), have supported small farmers and purveyors the same way they've supported small bands and relatively unknown artists over the years - just part of the reason that the Starlite concept has found success since it opened doors in 2007. In addition to partnering with organizations such as The San Diego Music Foundation, Slow Food Urban San Diego, Olivewood Gardens, Wild Willow Farm and more for the week, their high-design, midcentury-modern inspired haunt will also break out a stash of Pappy Van Winkle for their anniversary celebrations, the extremely rare family reserve whisky, which has developed a cult-like following.

Gaslamp Quarter Association to Launch Largest Urban Pop-Up Park in Downtown San Diego for PARK(ing) Day | Friday, September 19, 2014

September 15, 2014

Leave your car in the garage and “park” your office outside for the day on Friday, September 19. In celebration of PARK(ing) Day, the Gaslamp Quarter Association, in partnership with participating Gaslamp Quarter businesses and the Downtown San Diego Partnership, invite you to enjoy a temporarily-installed public park on Fourth Avenue between Market Street and Island Avenue for your enjoyment from 7am-5pm. The Gaslamp Quarter Association’s PARK(ing) Day event will feature a block-long pop-up park with benches, tables, chairs, temporary landscaping and lawns, games, and free Wi-Fi for up to two hours. All are welcome to take advantage of San Diego’s trademark perfect weather, enjoy lunch or breakfast al fresco, lounge outdoors, or partake in the day’s schedule of free programming.