Top Chef All Star Winner, Chef Richard Blais, and Concentrics Restaurants to Open New Concept in San Diego's Little Italy

May 11, 2013

Top Chef Season 4 runner up and winner of Top Chef All Stars (Season 8) Chef Richard Blais is opening a restaurant in San Diego!!  Partnering with Concentrics Restaurants, the Atlanta based duo's newest concept will be located on the outskirts of San Diego's Little Italy in an early century warehouse space and is anticipated to open in late 2013.

Aged to Perfection in Just One Year | barleymash Celebrate First Anniversary with DJ Jazzy Jeff!

May 10, 2013

What do you get when you add four million ounces of beer to four thousand bottles of whiskey? The answer to that math problem isn’t a problem at all. In fact, it’s cause for celebration. The folks at popular Gaslamp District establishment, barleymash, are thrilled to report that it equals one heck of a year, and to celebrate, they're throwing a party with DJ Jazzy Jeff!

Inspired by a Love for the Sea, Rubio’s Brings Community Together to Celebrate Ocean Preservation | Saturday, May 11th

May 9, 2013

The ocean is the top provider of protein to more than one billion people, covers 71 percent of the planet, and generates most of the Earth’s oxygen.  For these reasons and so many more, Rubio’s has counted the ocean as a source of inspiration since the restaurant’s founding more than 30 years ago. On May 11th, the restaurant known for fish tacos and unique and sustainable seafood dishes will host a beach cleanup and party in Oceanside, Calif., for the San Diego community to come together and celebrate the ocean. The cleanup and party will also launch Rubio’s “Be a Friend to the Ocean” campaign for 2013. This initiative will find the iconic San Diego brand hosting beach cleanups, activities to celebrate the ocean and more, all aimed at engaging and inspiring community members to be a friend of the ocean year-round.

San Diego Knows How to Treat Moms Right! | Specials Galore for Mother's Day This Sunday, May 12th

May 8, 2013

With Mother’s Day coming this Sunday, May 12th, it’s high time to search for the perfect place to treat Mom this year. Whatever culinary treat Mom wants on her special day, San Diego restaurants, hotels and even breweries and wineries have all of the bases covered.  Check out our round up of Mother's Day specials from all over San Diego County, and be sure to treat your momma right everyday!

Always a Sell-Out, The Taste of Little Italy Returns June 19th!

May 7, 2013

The Little Italy Association’s popular Taste of Little Italy event, showcasing traditional and eclectic eateries in the neighborhood, is back again this June 19th. Held in the hip and historic downtown district, attendees get to stroll the streets while enjoying live music and tastes from over 28 favorite local hotspots. With many new restaurants to the Little Italy dining scene, this year’s annual event is anticipated to be another sell-out, so interested attendees are encouraged to purchase their tickets early.

2nd Annual Front Burner Fund Food Fest Fundraiser To Take Place at Carnitas' Snack Shack | Tuesday, May 14th

May 6, 2013

Front Burner Fund is proud to be hosting its 2nd annual fundraiser at San Diego's favorite pork palace, Carnitas’ Snack Shack, on Tuesday, May 14th from 6-9pm. Come join some of San Diego's top chefs for a swinging fun party with delicious food for a great cause.  As in years past, tickets for the event are $25 in advance and $35 at the door, a small price to pay to grub on tasty bites and to support a wonderful charity.

Tickets Now Available to Del Mar's Summer Solstice Event | Thursday, June 20th

May 2, 2013

Del Mar Village Association is celebrating the arrival of summer with their annual Summer Solstice event, a festive affair featuring live music, a silent auction, wine and beer tasting, and culinary creations from Del Mar’s finest restaurants. The event takes place just steps from the beach at Powerhouse Park, giving guests front-row seats to sunset views.  Early bird tickets can be purchased for $55 to ensure entrance to this exciting event, which has sold out the past two years. After May 1, ticket prices become $65. For the ultimate Summer Solstice experience, VIP tables are available for $800 for parties of ten.

SpotOn Announces Launch of San Diego Contest to Reach 150,000th Check-in

May 1, 2013

SpotOn, a digital platform for customer loyalty and engagement, is launching a countywide contest in San Diego to reach its 150,000th check-in, starting Wednesday, May 1st, 2013. Anyone in San Diego can enter the contest with a simple SpotOn check-in at one or more of the 300+ SpotOn merchants in San Diego for a chance to win up to $1,000 in prizes.

Las Vegas Kicks Off Summer Travel Season with Ultimate Cinco De Mayo Bash in San Diego | Friday, May 3rd

Mr. Las Vegasdotcom

April 30, 2013 

Las Vegas, one of the world’s premier travel destinations, launches the summer travel season by encouraging participants to take a swing at an oversized piñata in San Diego's Gaslamp District on Friday, May 3rd. Shaped in the likeness of the destination’s popular ad campaign character, Mr. Las Vegasdotcom, participants will “hit up Las” as they vie for a $5,000 grand prize trip to be booked on LasVegas.com. All other participants will get a $50 voucher redeemable on the website.

Gator By The Bay Returns for 12th Annual Celebration of Louisiana's Cajun Culture May 10-12, 2013

April 29, 2013

Celebrate Louisiana's Cajun culture from the shores of San Diego!  Gator By The Bay is the biggest Zydeco and Cajun festival on the West Coast and will return to Spanish Landing Park on May 10, 11 and 12, for its 12th year of bringing the rich and unique culture of Louisiana to San Diego. Presented in part by the City of San Diego, the Port of San Diego, San Diego County and the Louisiana Office of Tourism, this spirited three-day music and food festival features an impressive variety of music, entertainment and nourishment for both body and soul. For the first time this year, Latina bands have been added to the lineup, expanding the cultural and musical repertoire of the festival even further.

Stone Brewing Co. Keeps Growing After Being Declared 10th Largest Producer Of Craft Beer in U.S.

April 28, 2013

By Megan Gallagher | SanDiegoVille Contributor

Stone Brewing Co. has long been considered by San Diegans a craft beer mecca, the one that started it all, if you will, and helped solidify San Diego as the craft beer capital of the U.S.  It appears the folks at The Brewers Association are paying tribute, as they’ve recognized the Escondido-based brewery as the 10th largest producer of craft beer in the United States. This acknowledgment comes at a prime time for Stone, as they are slated to open their newest location at Liberty Station in Point Loma later this month and another pair of World Bistros in Terminal 2 of San Diego Airport this summer.

LoungeSix to Host Best of the West IPA Fest | Local Hops Go Head to Head in a West Coast Beer Challenge on May 5th

April 27, 2013

Beer lovers unite this Cinco de Mayo! The time is approaching when IPA aficionados come together to toast one of craft beer’s most iconic styles. If you think you’ve got what it takes to judge heavy hop varietals, join LOUNGEsix on May 5th for Best of the West IPA Fest. The IPA challenge calls for local breweries to compete for the coveted titles of Critics’ Choice Award and People’s Choice Award. Vote on your favorite brewery, mingle with brew masters, and snack on pint-sized sandwiches as you sample some of Southern California’s finest ales. Pure hoppiness for only $20!

A Music Festival With A Touch of Class & Sophistication | BottleRock Napa Valley Features Ultimate Music, Comedy & Culinary Experience May 9-12

April 26, 2013

Coachella is in our rear-view mirror, along with the blistering weather of Indio and the mediocre lineup of musical performances that came with it. With music festivals propagating around the country (and the world) in a state of rapid revival, most are following the basic, formulaic festival format.  In its inaugural year, BottleRock Napa Valley is distinguishing itself by offering festival goers a bit of civility and class along with an incredible lineup of music performances and comedic entertainment in a temperate and majestic setting.

The 30th Annual Corona & Pacifico Fiesta Old Town Cinco De Mayo Celebration Presented by Cafe Coyote | Friday, May 3rd, 2013 - Sunday, May 5th, 2013

April 25, 2013

The spiciest weekend of the year is returning and will be “hot, hot, hot” as Fiesta Old Town Cinco de Mayo celebrates 30 years! Continuing the success of the 2012 celebration, this FREE festival extravaganza will once again extend from two to three days of dynamic “fiesta-ing”. The 30th Annual Fiesta Old Town Cinco de Mayo will kick off on Friday, May 3rd, 2013 at 5:00 PM with All Night Happy Hour and Taco Tuesday specials and continue through the weekend on Saturday, May 4th, 2013 from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM and Sunday, May 5th, 2013 from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM. This FREE Fiesta will feature three stages with live entertainment, over 10 bands, traditional ballet folklorico dancers, equestrian shows, a mercado with over 100 retail and food booths, beer garden, and Lowrider Lane, which will all transform the streets into the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration north of the border!

Welcome Home: A San Diego Timelapse Journey by Michael Shainblum

April 24, 2013

Talk about TRIPPY!  A new timelapse video by photographer and videographer, Michael Shainblum, features incredible, mesmerizing, high definition images that capture scenes of exquisite beauty from around San Diego.  Entitled Welcome Home: A San Diego Timelapse Journey, the video takes the viewer on a melodic journey around America's Finest City.

Taste of Asia at the San Diego Public Market | Just Call Us Volunteers Hosts A Fantastic Event for A Charitable Cause

April 24, 2013

Just Call Us Volunteers President Julie Darling with the dragon dancers
Photo by Jennifer Dery of buttersage.com

After hosting two outrageously successful events (A Taste of the Market & Street Food Market) in its main area in the Market Hall, this past Saturday the San Diego Public Market exhibited yet another portion of its enormous space housed on the National Plaza side of the building for Just Call Us Volunteers' 2nd annual fundraiser - Taste of Asia at the Market.  As completely different as the last two events were from one another, this new portion of the warehouse showcased yet another very appealing side of San Diego's own public market.  With a vast, open-air central atrium, the sprawling grounds were filled with sun throughout the late afternoon hours, offering the perfect setting for dragon dancing and sumo wrestling demonstrations.  On the southern end, a sprawling indoor corridor was outfitted with quintessential Asian decorations and makeshift stands where chefs and restaurants were dishing out their take on Asian influenced drinks and eats.

Bar West Turns Lemons Into Locally Sourced Lemonade Craft Cocktails and Fresh Seafood Tacos

April 23, 2013

On today's saunter to the PB Tuesday Farmer's Market, we noticed that neighboring Bar West had an Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) notice on its door informing passersby that the lounge would be closed until May 3rd.  Speculating commenced via social media, and we soon got the whole story.  Glory be the Internet.