Category Archives: California Events

Farmers, Chefs, and Fishermen Party to Kick Off San Diego Farm to Fork Week

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When a party celebrates local farmers, ranchers and fishermen, as well as the chefs who make it a point to use locally harvested produce and proteins in their restaurants, well then, you know it’s going to be one heck of a gathering!

On September 8, one such party, dubbed Farmers, Chefs, and Fishermen, will kick off San Diego Farm to Fork Week, and if you’re a lover of authentic farm-to-table cuisine, this is a fête you don’t want to miss. Held at the historic Mission Hills Nursery, the event will run from 4 to 7 pm and guests will enjoy bites and beverages from more than 20 chefs, vintners and other beverage makers. Ticket sales will benefit Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center. Click here for party and ticket info. Continue reading →

Climb Aboard The Time Machine at The Pageant of the Masters

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Laguna Beach’s Annual Pageant of the Masters Takes You On a Trip Through Time and Place in “The Time Machine”

The Pgeant of the Masters and Festival of the Arts Entrance on Laguna Canyon Rd.

The Pageant of the Masters and Festival of the Arts Entrance on Laguna Canyon Rd.

It’s a starlit summer night in beautiful Laguna Beach as I join 2600 guests seated in the outdoor amphitheater on opening night at the 86th annual Pageant of the Masters. The lights dim, the live orchestra begins to play and the baritone-voiced narrator introduces The Time Machine. As the stage curtain rises we join a steampunk-styled young man of the late 1800s, his female companion and her little dachshund, as they board a Time Machine with which the man has been tinkering, ala H.G Wells. Together, we begin a journey to navigate the past, present and future around the globe, as depicted through life-size works of art. But wait, did Napoleon surreptitiously scratch his nose in Jean-Léon Gérôme’s 1860 painting Napoleon and his General Staff? Did the 1933 bronze sculpture by Malvina Hoffman of the Hawaiian Surf-Rider seem to move a little on his wave? Continue reading →

7th Annual BAJA BASH Coming Up!

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Attendees to enjoy Baja-inspired cuisine from top regional chefs, local craft beer, and live music while raising funds for coastal habitat and marine wildlife conservation

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On Saturday, June 22, WILDCOAST, an international conservation organization protecting some of the most beautiful and biologically significant coastal areas in the Californias and Latin America, will hold its 7th annual Baja Bash to support the organization’s important conservation programs. Held at the Coronado Cays Yacht Club from 5pm-9pm, the event always puts the “fun” in “fundraiser”, and will be a celebration of Baja California’s natural beauty and the opportunity for adventure it holds. The organization’s work preserving the peninsula’s most beautiful and wild beaches, islands, and lagoons will be spotlighted and the festivities will feature Baja-inspired sustainable cuisine, a silent auction, and music. Proceeds from the event will benefit WILDCOAST’s continued efforts to conserve the most threatened coastal habitats and wildlife in the California’s and Southern Mexico, and Latin America.

These days, everyone loves Baja, especially her beaches and coastal areas. In fact, people love Baja so much, that much of her once mostly-deserted 1900 miles of coastlines have fallen under targeted assault from increased development and industrial growth. Coral reefs and mangrove forests teeming with sea life, pristine beaches where endangered sea turtles nest, and bays that are the birthing areas for gentle California grey whales—all are in danger of disappearing, and the marine species and other fauna that depend on these fragile ecosystems are also in peril.

Luckily, 19 years ago WILDCOAST (aka COSTASALVAJE in Spanish) began working to watchdog and protect the marine ecosystems and wildlife on Baja’s coasts, as well as coastal areas in San Diego and other Mexican and Latin American regions.

Founded in 2000 by Serge Dedina, currently mayor of Imperial Beach, CA,. WILDCOAST has boasted many successes over the year. Some of these include helping to conserve:

  • more than 9.2 million acres of globally significant bays, beaches, lagoons, coral reefs and islands

  • 17,536 acres of Marine Protected Areas in Southern California

  • 1,125 acres of coral reefs in Mexico

  • 74,689 acres of mangrove forests undergoing protection

  • 5,720 acres of carbon-sequestering mangroves protected in Bhaia Magdelana and the Gulf of California

WILDCOAST’s programs benefit such species as sea turtles, grey whales, sharks and other sea life, as well as California condors and coastal birds, pronghorn antelope, and desert big horn sheep .

The pre-gala festivities for Baja Bash will kick off earlier in the afternoon, with an Electric Boat Fundraising Challenge, in which 6 teams will compete for trophies, and in the process raise a projected $45,000 to conserve coastal and marine ecosystems and wildlife.

The Gala itself begins at 5pm, during which guests will enjoy delicious bites from several of Baja and San Diego’s most celebrated chefs:

Live music will be provided by Buena Vista SoCal Club (dancing is encouraged!!), and brews by Baja Brewing Company will help put everyone in the party spirit.

Tickets are on sale now! $95 per person or $700 for a table of 8. Purchase Tickets Here! or at the door.

If you love our coastlines, no matter which side of the border you favor, and the creatures that are trying to survive in and nearby them, please consider donating to WILDCOAST, even if you aren’t able to attend Baja Bash.

Colorado Cays Yacht Club is located at 30 Caribe Cay Boulevard, Coronado, CA 92118.

Mexico Gourmet Fest: All the Best of Mexico at in One Night

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Question: Where will you find the most ooutstanding variety of regional Mexican food?

Answer: San Diego

What? You say San Diego is in California, not Mexico? Well, yes, but on June 1, the best of Mexican cuisine comes to San Diego for the Mexico Gourmet Festival, a one-night tribute to Mexican gastronomy, traditions and art, held on the Embarcadero Marina Park South from 5pm-9pm.

More than 30 chefs and traditional cooks from 13 different regions of Mexico, each with their own cooking style, favorite ingredients, and signature flavors will be presenting their cuisines at the Mexico Gourmet Festival. Ciudad de Mexico, Baja California, Oaxaca, Sinaloa, Hidalgo, Coahuila, Veracruz, Yucatán, Tlaxcala, Sonora, Chiapas, and yes, even San Diego and Los Angeles will be represented. Mexico Gourmet Festival goers will have the chance to sample the cuisine and products from some of the most prominent chefs, restaurants, artists and vendors on both sides of the border, while experiencing the sights and sounds of Mexico. Of course, you’ll want to pair all that gastronomic bliss with equally outstanding beverages, so the Festival will also showcase craft beers, Baja wines, and authentic tequila and mezcal from at least 18 producers. Now, I call that a fiesta! Continue reading →

San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival is Heading for Awesomeness

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I love the opening intro on the About page of San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival’s website. “The most valuable things these days are not things at all, they are experiences that move us from our normal, everyday state-of-being to a place that’s completely unique. As wanderers, our need to find awe-inspired moments that please our taste buds as much as our sense of discovery drives us forward. It’s the high road to delicious. It’s the scenic route to wow.” These sentiments totally line up with my purpose in founding Borderlines Food & Travel, which is probably why SDBWFF has always been one of my favorite annual foodie events..

With the 2018 theme “Arrive at Awesome”, San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, our area’s largest, most diverse gastronomic celebration returns for its 15th year November 11-18 with 40 separate events and experiences, many of which are already sold out. There is something for everyone, from elegant multi-course dinners to fun and casual samplings, and from educational talks to hands-on classes.

An impressive lineup of both local and guest chefs, sommeliers, vintners, distillers, brewers, and craft food artisans will be cooking, pouring, judging, and teaching throughout the week-long festival. The complete list of about 90 talented experts can be found here.

A few of the returning favorite events include

  • Ocean to Table Provence Rosé Wine Lunch, hosted by Chef Bernard Guillas and held at The Marine Room in La Jolla. The five course seafood-centric meal with wine pairings will feature the culinary creations of Guillas and Chefs Andrew Spurgin, Claudia Sandoval, Jason McLeod Flor Franco, Evan Cruz, Patrick Ponsaty, Javier Plascencia, Dean James Max, Amy DiBiase, and Michele Coulon. The seven different rosés represents Provence’s fines,t and the theme of sustainability of our seafood and conservation of the ocean’s bounty is a key tenet of all the participating chefs’ culinary philosophy.

  • Expedition Baja, a day trip to Baja’s Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico’s burgeoning wine-producing area, about 100 miles south of San Diego.

  • Louis Latour at Mister A’s where the King of Burgundy’s Grand Cru showcases their best 2010 and 2015 wines paired with a 5 course luncheon

  • Taco TKO, a competition showdown between 11 restaurants to determine whose tacos take the tortilla as best in town.

  • Grand Decant, a tasting from 200 domestic and international wineries led by leading sommeliers and winemakers.

  • The Grand Tasting, the most popular event of the festival with tastings from over 60 restaurants and celebrity chefs, hundreds of wine, beer and spirits purveyers, and gourmet food artisans, as well as the “crowning” of the Chef of the Fest.

    Grand Tasting

    Grand Tasting

Exciting new events this year include:

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Hungry foodies can also sate their appetites at special, multi-course, multi-chef dinners presented at some of San Diego’s favorite restaurants, including Coasterra, Cucina Enoteca, The Prado, and Marriott Marquis San Diego.

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Wine, beer and spirits will be celebrated at

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The above is just a partial list of events! Click here for all event ticket info, dates, and locations.

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So, whether you plan to attend just one or two events, or the complete schedule, I suggest you wear your elastic waist, loosest fitting clothes, and just get comfortable with the fact that the scale is not going to be your friend this week, so don’t even look. There will be too many fantastic dishes to savor and beverages to imbibe not to enjoy every mouthful completely, without guilt!

Celebrate the Craft of Cuisine

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by Wendy Lemlin

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I am fortunate to be able to partake of many gastronomic events over the course of the year, but there is one that always is at the top of my “must do” list. The 16th annual Celebrate the Craft t, held October 28 on the expansive lawns of The Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, ranks not only for the beautiful ambiance and exquisite quality of the food presented, but also because of the spotlight it has always shown on the symbiosis between the participating chefs and the farms, ranchers, fishmongers, vintners, and brewers whose products help to make the chefs’ creations so outstanding. Since it’s inception, Celebrate the Craft has been one of Southern California’s premier showcases for locally grown ingredients, innovative cooking and winemaking.

On what is forecasted to be an absolutely gorgeous day, guests will meander among food stations where each chef is matched with a local farm, ranch, or fishmonger whose products are highlighted in the chef’s dish. Also at each station, a wine, beer or other artisanal beverage pairing from a local producer will be offered to complement the gourmet bites. Continue reading →

Jazz So Smooth!

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2nd Annual San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival Happening This Weekend

by Wendy Lemlin

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Last year, a new music-based festival rolled into town and immediately became a success. Filling the downtown waterfront Embarcadero Marina Park North, the three day San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival drew a capacity crowd of not only local smooth jazz enthusiasts, but also participants from all over California and beyond. Not a mean accomplishment for a first-time event during a busy time of year!!

Eric Darius

Eric Darius

Drawing on that success, the 2nd annual San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival is back again this weekend, June 29-July 1, with a stellar lineup of some of the best known names of the genre. Hosted by saxophonist, composer, producer, and vocalist Eric Darius, the festival opens with an intimate evening featuring performances by Continue reading →

Art Alive: A Rite of Spring in San Diego

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By Wendy Lemlin

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A 2017 floral arrangement interpreting the painting seen in the background

In my long list of “things I love about spring”, Art Alive is always among the top entries. During this annual four day event at the San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA), artworks in the museum’s collection are interpreted in wonderfully creative floral arrangements by over 100 designers. That, in itself, is fascinating to anyone who loves art, flowers and design. For me, however, this “rite of spring” is more than a just fragrant, colorful exhibit; it evokes in my psyche a healthy dose of nostalgia triggered by the floral scents wafting through the museum’s galleries.

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Another arrangement in the 2017 exhibit interpreting the painting in the top right.

My birthday is in the first week of April, and as a child growing up in Massachusetts where winter and spring often played hide and seek in early April, my dad would always present me with a bouquet of spring flowers for my birthday. Tulips, crocuses, irises, sweet peas—I loved their fresh, not-too-sweet scents and the splashes of color they brought to a world just starting to green from winter’s dull, monotonous gray. In my mind, the flowers engendered hope for the longer, sunny days to come and the promise of new beginnings.

And so, I find Art Alive to be an ideal amalgamation of things that I love—art, creativity, flowers, and springtime. The floral arrangements in the show that I personally find most successful are those that, rather than striving for a literal interpretation of the painting or sculpture with which they are paired, are more abstract in suggesting a dominant shape, or color scheme, and use mostly un-dyed plant and floral materials without a lot of other props.

a portion of the rotunda display in 2017

a portion of the rotunda display in 2017

The entry rotunda is where all the magic begins, with a (usually) magnificent, grand-scale installation that wows attendees with thousands of blossoms as soon as they enter the museum. This year, Natasha Lisitsa and Daniel Schultz, the wife-and-husband team behind Waterlily Pond Studio in San Francisco, have been selected as the Rotunda Designers. The duo will transform the Museum’s famed Rotunda into a blaze of color, bright blossoms, and lush foliage in honor of Nancy Lorenz: Moon Gold, the Museum’s spring exhibition opening on Friday, April 27. Lisitsa and Schultz are known for their larger-than-life floral installations, architectural design style and innovative use of materials.

 

 

A 2017 floral interpretation of a sculpture of an acient Indian deity

A 2017 floral interpretation of a sculpture of an acient Indian deity

In its 37th year, and taking place April 26-29, Art Alive is SDMA’s primary fundraiser to support the Museum’s education and outreach programs as well as special exhibitions. In addition to the exhibit itself, the celebration will also include a number of separately-ticketed auxiliary events, such as the black tie Premier Dinner exclusively for Honorary Committee Premiere Patrons on April 26, the very popular (despite its $200-$250 pp ticket price) Bloom Bash kick-off event, and a floral crown making workshop.

Tickets for Art Alive are free for SDMA members, $25 for nonmembers, $5 for youth (ages 7 to 17), and free for children age 6 and under.

For more information or to make a donation in support of this San Diego tradition, call the Art Alive Hotline at (619) 696-1999, or contact the Museum at artalive@sdmart.org. Tickets are also available online at sdmart.org/artalive

Cannabis Pairing Dinner by Lego Optimo

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Gives new meaning to “Haute Cuisine”

by Wendy Lemlin

   As anyone who has ever enjoyed partaking in cannabis knows, effects include not only increased appetite, but also a heightened sensory experience of taste. Subtleties of flavor come alive and food becomes deliciously, even sensually, satisfying.

Like fine wine, every cannabis strain has its own terroir, flavor, aroma, and characteristics. And like wine, cannabis can enhance the appreciation of the foods with which it is paired. Now that adult use, i.e. recreational, marijuana consumption is legal in California, the pairing of different strains with particular foods is destined to become a culinary trend in our foodie-obsessed culture.

With this in mind, Lego Optimo, a cannabis-centric fine dining and entertainment event company, will present the first-of-its-kind, fully legal, four course cannabis pairing dinner on January 25, from 6-9 pm. Created in collaboration with renowned chefs Benito Molina and Flor Franco, and Urbn Leaf Golden Hill—a state licensed cannabis retail dispensary— the event is envisioned as an intimate, sophisticated fine dining experience for the cannabis connoisseur and epicurean food lover.

The evening’s schedule is as follows:

  • After arriving at Urbn Leaf Golden Hill (Lego Optimo is providing a 50% discount on Uber rides to Urbn Leaf and then home from the dinner), guests will begin the evening with a private tour of one of San Diego’s most premier recreational cannabis retail shops.
  • At Urbn Leaf, each guest will receive a cannabis goody bag, valued at $75, containing generous samples of the four strains to be paired at the dinner, as well as various other products and accoutrements.
  • Guests will then be transported by limo to an undisclosed location for a four course, locally sourced gourmet dinner created by Flor Franco of Franco on Fifth, and Benito Molina, Mexican celebrity chef and one of the three judges for MasterChef Latino on the Telemundo network.
  • The 4 courses will be paired with 4 strains of cannabis, chosen by a cannabis sommelier in collaboration with the chefs. This is NOT an infused dinner and cannabis consumption is optional.
  • The unforgettable evening will also include cannabis education from local cannabis growers and vendors, and music and entertainment from local artists.

Tickets for the prix fixe 4 Course/4 Cannabis Strain dinner are $125 for the vegetarian/vegan menu and $150 for a menu featuring meat and seafood. This INCLUDES the cannabis goody bag valued at $75 and the 50% Uber discount, and so, it is a great value!

Notes Carolyn Kates, Lego Optimo co-creator, “We’re doing everything by the book. Everything is completely legal. It is an upscale, refined—yet fun, of course—event, NOT a “stoner” party— with an educational learning experience, as well. Think of it as ‘Everything You Want to Know About Cannabis, But Were Afraid To Ask’. It will also be a great introduction in an intimate, friendly setting for someone who has not previously used cannabis, but is curious. Guests can opt-out of the cannabis for any course, and just enjoy the sublime food that will be served.”

This will be the first of a series of six monthly dinners, with each providing a completely unique experience with cuisine created by Flor Franco and six different well-known chefs. They include Javier Plascencia, Hanis Cavin, Steve Brown and others TBD. The cannabis strains paired with each dinner will reflect a broad range of growing styles, locales, flavors and effects. All dinners will include a private dispensary tour, local music and education on a wide range of cannabis topics.

   With a mission to educate San Diegans about cannabis and how to responsibly incorporate it into their lives, Lego Optima offers spirited cannabis culinary experiences and access to educational information.

   Urbn Leaf, Golden Hill is California’s must-see retail cannabis boutique featuring a high-end, comfortable atmosphere and professional attitude that invites inquiry, discovery and conversation.

   Culinary director Flor Franco is known for her passion in connecting farmers, chefs and artisans from both sides of the border. Her intimate familiarity with her local products and her vast knowledge of international cuisine will take your palate on a multi-level journey of discovery.

   Benito Molina’s world famous Ensenada restaurant, Manzanilla, was named one of Latin America’s 50 Best. The celebrity chef is currently a judge on Master Chef Latino. His collaboration with Flor Franco will be a culinary event to remember and one you will not want to miss.

To purchase tickets or for more information, please visit the event website at https://legooptimacannbisdinners.bpt.me or contact the organizers at 619-846-9886. Tickets are extremely limited—no more than 20 will be sold!

*Lego Optima does not sell or distribute cannabis during any of their events. A licensed distributor sells all cannabis consumed during each dinner.

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How To Be Fit AND A Foodie

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fit foodie

Newsflash! Loving food and being physically fit are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Sure, you might have to work a little harder in the gym, or add an extra mile or two to your regular run to enjoy your culinary obsessions guilt-free, but it can be done, especially if you participate in events like the Cooking Light and Health Fit Foodie Festival & 5k. Happening at Liberty Station on Saturday, October 7, this  family and dog friendly event features local restaurants, meet-and-greets with elite athletes and other personalities, a beer and wine garden, and an impressive lineup of culinary and fitness demonstrations. And, oh yes, a 5k run (or, if you are like me, a 5k walk) prior to the festival. Calories burned, calories earned!

Part of a nationwide tour hosted by John Hancock Vitality Life Insurance, the Fit Foodie 5K has partnered with No Kid Hungry, a national nonprofit working to end child hunger in America. Runners can celebrate the balance of delicious, healthy food and fun, active lifestyle while contributing to the fight against child hunger. Nearly one in six children in America lives in households that struggle to put food on the table. The No Kid Hungry campaign connects kids in need with nutritious food and teaches their families how to cook healthy, affordable meals. The campaign also engages the public to make ending child hunger a national priority.

For all the info on this Saturday’s run and festival, click here! I’ll be walking the 5K with my dog Skipper—come join us or cheer us on!