Today, a friend and I checked out the SDMA Sculpture Court Café by Giuseppe, a new European-style café that recently opened adjacent to the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park. The café is open for breakfast and lunch and features a delicious menu of omelets, pancakes, pizzas, salads, sandwiches, soups and sweets all made using organic produce and local ingredients.  Click here to preview the menu.

Come by for breakfast or lunch

Enjoy the setting

If I had to describe the food in one word it would be, “YUUMMMMM!” I had the ½ Sandwich and Soup of the Day, which turned out to be so delicious and surprisingly filling. 

Chicken Sandwich and Cream of Asparagus Soup

Ultimate Grilled Cheese with Fries

So, if you’re in Balboa Park checking out the museums or the Darwin exhibit and you start to feel hungry, I highly recommend that you stop by Giuseppe’s Sculpture Court Café for lunch. (Oh, and Giuseppe’s also has a café in La Jolla at the Museum of Contemporary Art-La Jolla. I’m sure it’s just as good.)

The end : )

Tags: balboa park, dining, la jolla, san diego museum of art

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Forget zombies.  Craft beer is about to take over San Diego. 

Friday, Nov. 6 through Nov. 15, breweries, bars, restaurants and hotels will celebrate the first-ever San Diego Beer Week with tons of awesome events all around town.

From beer dinners, cask nights and barrel-aged tastings, to learn-to-brew classes and beer education seminars local brewers plan to show off the goods that recently earned San Diego the honor of being named the top beer city in the country by Men’s Journal.

The kickoff event is the San Diego Brewers Guild Festival on Friday at the World Beat Center in Balboa Park.  The festival will feature 80 beers brewed in San Diego – admission includes 10 samples, complimentary food, live music and a souvenir tasting glass.  

Festivities wrap up on Nov. 15 with a Chef Celebration of San Diego Beers in La Jolla.  The event will feature 16 local chefs and eight San Diego breweries. Admission includes a souvenir tasting glass, live music, all you can eat pairings and beer seminars presented by local brewers and chefs. 

During the 10 days in between, there are more than 200 fun San Diego Beer Week events. 

You heard me right, that’s two full weekends of pints, pours and parties. 

Plus, if you’re considering a last-minute trip, hotel packages and special rates are still available.  Come and raise a glass with us!

Tags: craft beer, dining, drinks, festival, food

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shopping in OB

One of my favorite things about San Diego is all the diverse neighborhoods located within the county.  All in all, there are more than 100 neighborhoods and one each offers its own unique experience, personality and charm.  While I could go on and on about each, my hands-down favorite is Ocean Beach…well “OB” as us locals like to call it.

With each visit, this town’s laid-back, hippie beach vibe is contagious.  I find myself truly relaxed as I sip mimosas in the sun, in awe with my latest fashion finds and entertained by the diversity of people and personalities that flock to this area. 

To sum it all up, here are my OB highlights, hot spots and favs:

Food

• Whenever friends or family come to visit, I make sure to take them to Tower Two Café.  While the food is just average, it’s the casual beach setting that draws me here…. Ok, and the mimosa beach buckets. (True story: the bottle of champagne comes in a colorful beach pale filled with ice, and it even has a cute little shovel attached!) Here, you can sit in the sun on the outdoor deck and look out into the ocean.  It’s dog- friendly too, so your pup can enjoy the sun, socializing and table scraps.

burgerlicious

Runner ups:

• Hodad’s has been around for over 40 years and serves some of the best burgers in San Diego, even CNN thinks so.  The catch, it’s so popular that there is almost always a line out the door but the burgers are definitely worth the wait. 
• If you like fish tacos you must go to South Beach Bar & Grill.  This little beach bar has won numerous awards and recognition and in my opinion, serves the best fish tacos I’ve ever tasted…try the Mahi taco, you won’t be disappointed, I promise!!

Shopping

• My go-to for cute shoes or accessories is Lola Luna on OB’s main drag, Newport Avenue.  They always have the best shoes that you don’t see in department stores, which means most people won’t have them.  Also, they always have a sale table outside with $10 shoes… what could be better than that??

Runner ups:

• Dream Girls is one of my newer discoveries and also one of the more expensive places in OB.  It’s located on Newport Ave and they have an amazing selection of
  

  heaven on earth

  good-quality clothes, shoes and accessories so you defiantly get what you pay for.  So far, it’s proven impossible for me to leave this place empty handed.

• Also on Newport Ave. is the Closet.  I like this place for cheap clothes and shoes for nights out or special events.  Since the clothes are always changing to keep up with the latest trends I find that most visits here are either hit or miss.

Activities

• Of course a visit to OB would not be complete without stopping at the beach.  True beach lovers can surf, swim and tan, while those who just  want to take in the view can perch themselves on the boardwalk or walk across the OB Pier for amazing ocean views.  There’s also Dog Beach, a leash free beach area where dogs and their owners can splash through the waves and play fetch on the beach.

these antiques are very shabby chic

Runner ups:

• Every Wednesday from 4-8 pm, (and 4-7pm in winter) OB hosts a fantastic farmer’s market along Newport Ave. Here you can find fresh, locally grown produce and flowers, but there are also delicious food stands with all types of ethnic cuisine (mmm…sambusa) and live music, handmade jewelry and, drum roll please…… llama rides!
• Antiquing… not really my thing but if I was going to take up the hobby, I’d definitely shop in OB where they have the largest concentration of antiques and collectable in all of San Diego. In OB’s Antique District, on Newport Ave. you will find an eclectic array of one-of-a-kind antiques, mid-century modern furniture, fine estate sale items, vintage jewelry and so much more.

Tags: antique, beach, dining, dog, food, ocean beach, Shopping

(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Listen Up!

A couple weeks back, Peter Haigh of the internet radio show On The Menu was in town scoping out the San Diego restaurant scene.  Peter and his co-host (and lovely wife) Ann have been doing this show for years and have interviewed some of the culinary world’s biggest stars.  So, I was really excited to get an opportunity to chat with him on-air. 

We got to talk about San Diego in the fall, all our amazing farmer’s markets including the Little Italy Mercado (a personal favorite) and our incredible fall culinary events like San Diego Restaurant Week on Sept. 13-18, Celebrate the Craft  on Nov.1 and the first-ever San Diego Beer Week coming up Nov. 6-15. 

Peter also got a chance to interview a great local chef, Adam Bussell from the Vela at the new downtown Hilton San Diego Bayfront. 

Adam’s a native San Diegan (they are hard to find here!) who spent the last several years in the kitchens at the Five Diamond Award-winning Mary Elaine’s at the Phoenician in Scottsdale, Michael Mina’s Aqua at the St. Regis Hotel Monarch Beach and Montage Studio Restaurant at the Montage Laguna Beach.  Now, he’s back and cooking at Vela.

Listen to us online in the On The Menu archives (look for the Sept. 6 show) or click here.

Tags: dining, food, in the news, san diego bay, san diego restaurant week

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Sam the Cooking Guy, San Diego’s own Emmy Award-winning, foodie TV star is excited about the upcoming San Diego Restaurant Week. 

So much so that he’s offering up a series of video tips on how to make the most of your  experience Sept. 13-18.  Watch and learn!

Tags: dining, food, san diego restaurant week

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Hungry?  Just a little?

Here’s five new eateries to whet your appetite:

• Claire’s on Cedros, an eco-friendly bakery and café, opened in Solana Beach earlier this month as the first freestanding restaurant in the U.S. to receive Platinum LEED certification. The laid back, dog-friendly restaurant offers organic eats (natch) for breakfast and lunch. 
• Also in August, The Red Door opened in Mission Hills with affordable New American comfort food for dinner daily, lunch on weekdays and brunch on weekends. Priced below $20, dinner entrees include cornmeal-crusted Cajun catfish with sweet potato-crab hash and a surf & “cheeky” turf with sea scallops, braised pork cheek, roasted garlic jus and crispy polenta.  Um, hello?  Yum. 
• Here’s a double – Barona Resort & Casinoin San Diego’s East County opened two restaurants in July and both are great values (and good for those of us playing the penny slots).  Italian Cucina serves classic Italian dishes, pizzas, calzone and pasta all priced under $20 while Seafood Plaza offers grilled items, priced from $6.95 to $12.95, oysters at the raw bar and signature rolls at the sushi bar. 
• In June, Cucina Urbana opened in Banker’s Hill adjacent to Balboa Park serving affordable Italian regional cuisine with a local farm-to-table ethos (no menu item tops $20). Crazy good starters include seasonal pickled vegetables, pate and other spreads served in mini mason jars and antipasti like amazing fried squash blossoms with ricotta, purple basil pesto and lemon aioli.  Innovative pastas and modern spins on classic Italian entrees round out the menu.  The restaurant is open daily for dinner. 
• Also in June, a long-time San Diego favorite returned with the opening of Casa de Bandini in Carlsbad.  For more than 25 years, the restaurant was a fixture in Old Town and, once again, diners can enjoy the ambiance of Old Mexico with strolling mariachis, brightly colored umbrellas on a sunny outdoor patio, authentic regional cuisine and giant, frosty margaritas. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Okay, I can’t stop at just five.  Just one more because, in San Diego you can never have too many great new restaurants.  Especially when they’re serving up frosty margaritas.

• Casa de Reyes in Old Town State Historic Park reopened in May with a new chef, menu and bright cheerful design. The restaurant has always been popular for outdoor dining so they doubled the size of the patio and added a new shade arbor and dramatic fire pits.  Salsas are made fresh daily; each burrito is served with a specially prepared sauce, and chili rellenos are made the old fashioned way with a creamy, homemade cheese sauce. The restaurant is open daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner and – yes! – margaritas. 

Tags: 5 to try, bankers hill, Carlsbad, casino, dining, dog, food, green, mission hills, old town, solana beach

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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can't wait to hang out with my dad!

My dad is coming to visit me this weekend and I couldn’t be more excited! I decided to turn our weekend plans into a special “5 to try,” which includes some of our favorite things to do and some new places we’re going to check out. 

I think we’re going to have a great time this weekend and maybe I’ll see you around?

1. Our first stop will be the Fish Market for oysters and cheesy garlic bread, a little tradition of ours. It’s located right next to the airport and since he arrives in the afternoon, the outdoor patio will be a perfect spot for lunch. The restaurant is located right along San Diego Bay and has awesome views of military ships, sailboats and pelicans. I think this will be a great start to the weekend.
2. The Del Mar Races are in full swing every Wednesday – Sunday until September 9, we’ve never been but we’re going to try our luck this Saturday. Gates open at 11:30 a.m. and tickets cost $6 for stretch run seating and $10 for clubhouse seats. Wish us luck! In addition to the races, this Saturday at the racetrack is the Craft Microbrew Festival from noon to 6 p.m. The festival will have live music from local bands and tasty taps form over 25 of San Diego’s finest breweries; admission to the festival is free with racetrack tickets. Can’t wait!
3. Of course no trip to San Diego would be complete without a visit the beach. We’ll probably head over to my favorite, Ocean Beach, on Sunday morning to hang out and walk around. It’s a great location for people watching, something my dad and I both enjoy, as well as grabbing a quick bite and shopping…Hmm, I wonder if I can talk my dad into getting me a new pair of shoes??
4. The first time my dad came to visit me in San Diego, we went to Busters Beach House & Longboard Bar in Seaport Village. We had such a great time, that we’ve gone back every time he’s visited and this weekend is no exception. We’ll be there sometime between 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. for the daily happy hour specials, $1 fish taco and $3 Pale Ale, yum! Before we leave, we’ll probably walk around Seaport Village and stay for some of the live music and entertainment.
5. This weekend is the Latin American Festival and Mata Ortiz Pottery Market in Old Town. This free festival takes place Friday through Sunday at Bazaar del Mundo and will showcase really neat, authentic Mata Ortiz pottery, art, music and live art demonstrations. Since my dad has never been to Old Town, this will be a great stop before dinner on Sunday evening. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Tags: 5 to try, craft beer, del mar, dining, free, ocean beach, old town, san diego bay, seaport village, summer

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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The other weekend, the guys and I took a little trip to a destination famous for its gambling opportunities and had a great time.  But in truth, I spent very little time at the tables and slots.  Why did I forgo this intregal part of the trip, you ask?  ‘Cause I’ve got plenty of opportunities to gamble here in San Diego when the mood strikes!

Barona Casino

San Diego has numerous Indian Casinos in our East and North county regions. In all honesty, I’m not a huge gambler but do enjoy it for the entertainment value every once in a while. After a few months of playing poker online, I work up the courage to head over to one of the Indian Casinos and try my luck with some real money.  San Diego casinos that I’ve visited and enjoyed are:  Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino, Sycuan Resort & Casino and Viejas Casino & Outlet Center.

My last casino visit was to the Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino a couple of months ago. Barona recently won like 25 awards for their casino, so I figured I should roll someplace recognized as a leader in their field.  Unfortunately, my online Texas Hold ‘Em skills weren’t quite honed to perfection that night, and the fine ladies and gentlemen at my table quickly added my $40 to their stacks of chips.  Vowing to return one day and sweep the table, I cheered myself up with an amazing steak dinner at Barona’s Oaks Steakhouse - absolutely fantastic!  Definitely one of the better steakhouses that I’ve eaten at.

Ranch House Buffet at Barona Ranch Resort & Casino

If you’re a casino regular, you’re also well familiar with the concept of the casino buffet.  I’ve had the pleasure of eating at Barona’s Ranch House Buffet, and I gotta say that my mouth still waters thinking about it.  Now, I’m not a huge buffet guy, but when I do a buffet, I do it big!  The Ranch House Buffet has multiple islands of different types of foods (I think my first plate had sushi, macaroni & cheese, salad and carne asada on it). I definitely ate my fill that day!  In fact, I’ve even been tempted to drive out to Barona just to do Sunday brunch there!

 

Tags: casino, dining, east county, food, north county

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While it is a good bet that on any given night of the week you’ll find me in one of San Diego’s numerous 24 hour Taco Shops, that doesn’t mean that I don’t like to “suit up” and head someplace nice for dinner every once in a while. There are so many options in town that I almost don’t like going to the same place too often, because I want to try them all!

With the economy the way it is these days, everyone is watching their pennies. A lot of times that is reflected in the places we eat and the activities that we do. Fine dining restaurants have definitely seen this reflected in their dining rooms over the last year.

So..I was super excited to hear about a new website promoting prix-fixe, 3-course meals at fine dining restaurants throughout San Diego county. To my knowledge, there isn’t anything else like this around the country! Ingrid’s List has begun working with a number of fantastic restaurants in the region to bring $30 and $40 prix-fixe meals to those of us who might be a little short on the cash, but still wanting to dine with The Joneses.

Dessert at Bertrand at Mister A's

It’s truly simple. Log on to the Ingrid’s List website and see which restaurants fall under what pricing. Pay online and print out a certificate at home. Then just call the restaurant to make your reservation (this is fine dining after all!) and tell them that you’ll be using an Ingrid’s List gift certificate. Upon arrival you’ll have your choice of a few different options for each course. In a sense, this is like a year-round Restaurant Week for fine dining!

My stomach is growling just thinking about it!

Tags: deals, dining, drinks, food

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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• One of San Diego’s most classic restaurants has moved to a new location and you’re invited to the grand opening
  

  how many Bumpits do you think she used to get that hair?

  party! Corvette Diner, now located in Liberty Station in Point Loma celebrates its grand opening  this Saturday and Sunday with more than 100 Corvettes on display, family-friendly activities and live music from a number of bands, including a Beatles tribute band.  This free event will shake, rattle and roll from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days.

• This Sunday, at 5:30 p.m. Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park takes you to infinity and beyond with an out of this world symphony under the stars.  Conductor Mat Garbutt and the San Diego Symphony will play a series of outer space music, including popular scores from Star Trek and Star Wars.  This concert event is free; however, spaceship parking is limited.
• If you love creepies and crawlies, check out the Annual Insect Festival at Quail Botanical Gardens this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bring your hand sanitizer and head on over for bug collecting, insect arts and crafts and even cooked mealworm larva tastings in flavors like mesquite, teriyaki and barbeque… uh… I think I’ll stick to chicken.  Entomologists and other bug experts will be available for questions and answers.  Children 12 and under will be admitted free, everyone else gets in for just $12.
• Ever dreamed of cozying up to watch a movie with Brad Pitt, Catherine Zeta-Jones or Michelle Pfeiffer?  Well you can this Saturday because the Maritime Museum presents Movies Before the Mast.  Come aboard the Star of India and watch Sinbad:Legend of the Seven Seas (featuring the animated voices of Brad Pitt, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michelle Pfeiffer) projected onto the ships massive sail.  Bring blankets, family and friends and prepared to be entertained.  Boarding begins at 6:30 p.m. and admission is $8 for kids, $13 for adults. 
• There’s no crying in baseball, but there is drinking in softball!  The 56th Annual World Championship Over-the-Line Tournament takes place this Saturday and Sunday on Mission Bay’s Fiesta Island from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. each day.  This boisterous, fast-paced beach softball event is free to the public and features 1,200 teams competing to be the ultimate Over-the-Line Champions. 

Tags: 5 to try, balboa park, dining, encinitas, festival, free, live music, maritime museum, mission bay, Point Loma, things to do

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