Sunday, May 27, 2012 – Vista Hosts Annual Strawberry Festival
Looking for something to do this Memorial Day Weekend? Take the family to the Vista Strawberry Festival!
The Vista Strawberry Festival is the only festival in San Diego County that celebrates all the joys and pleasure of the Strawberry. Vista was once the “Strawberry Capital of the World” and still boasts many strawberry fields. This annual Festival & Street Fair draws thousands of visitors each year to delectable events which features vendors selling arts & crafts, jewelry, clothing and business services. Downtown Vista will be filled with over 200 booths offering shopping experiences as well as many strawberry delights, live entertainment, and a kid’s fun zone. This year’s Strawberry Festival will also include athletic competitions, carnival rides, a strawberry pie eating contest, a beauty contest and a “Best Strawberry Dress” costume contest.
Free Ride on the Sprinter, Coaster and Breeze – Buy one ticket and bring a friend for free to any destination served by the Sprinter, Coaster and Breeze on May 26 and May 27, 2012. Why not take transit to the Vista Strawberry Festival and avoid the hassle of parking at the area’s most popular, family-friendly spring events?
The Vista Strawberry Festival 2012 takes place on Sunday, May 27, 2012 from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm in Downtown Vista. This is a free, family friendly event.
May 20, 2012 – Free, Family Friendly Street Festival in North Park
The North Park Festival of the Arts returns on Sunday, May 20, 2012 with another year of family friendly fun! Now in its 16th year, this free outdoor street festival has grown into a local tradition embracing a diverse line-up of bands, dancers and artists into one marathon day of performances spread across five stages.
Being on forefront of the art scene, the North Park Festival of the Arts celebrates all types of art forms in its Juried Arts Area with over 40 artists showcasing everything from elaborate paintings to metal sculptures. Over 35,000 friends and families will come together in North Park to explore the historic and energetic neighborhood and take in the sights and sound of artisans from over 150 specialty booths, who will be showcasing amazing arts from every possible medium. Participants to this free interactive and educational festival will also be able to peruse the local merchants, creative crafters and hundreds of vendors.
In addition, the streets along University Avenue will be filled with the intoxicating aromas of international cuisines and the Craft Beer Block featuring a wide variety of rich and robust local and international brews (tickets must be purchased for Craft Beer Block; must be 21 years of age or older to enter). While festival goers satisfy their visual and taste palates, the exciting sounds coming from one of the five live music stages with San Diego’s hottest live bands, World Music groups, beat-boxers and even exciting and colorful dance troupes will keep their hips shaking all day long! There’s even a Kids Art Beat area where children can engage in numerous free, interactive arts activities designed to stimulate and inspire their imaginations to create their own masterpieces.
Free Parking and Free Bike Valet Service
Free Parking – In addition to street parking in and around North Park, free parking will be available all day on Sunday, May 20, 2012 at the large parking garage located at the intersection of 29th Street and North Park Way (3829 29th St San Diego, CA 92104-3670).
Free Bike Valet – To help decrease parking congestion during the Festival, free bicycle valet will be available to Festival goers. The free Bike Valet will be available from 30th Street & University Avenue, in front of Home Mercantile.
The North Park Festival of the Arts takes place on Sunday, May 20, 2012 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm in the North Park area of San Diego (near University Avenue and 30th Street). The Festival is a free, family friendly event; the Craft Beer Block is offered at an additional fee and is open to guests 21 years of age and older only. Click on the above link for more information about the entertainment line up, to order tickets to the Craft Beer Block and for general information about the North Park Festival of the Arts.
May 4 – 13, 2012: Happy Hour at Starbucks = Cheap Frappuccinos
Happy Hour at Starbucks is back! Enjoy a half price Frappuccino blended beverage at participating Starbucks Coffee Shops during the Starbucks Happy Hour from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm every day starting Friday, May 4 and ending Sunday, May 13, 2012.
Editor’s Note: Why not take Mom out for a coffee shop date on Mother’s Day? Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 13, 2012) falls during this Starbucks half price Frappuccino event. Don’t worry, we won’t tell her you got a great deal!
April 21, 2012 – Free Frozen Yogurt, T-Shirts and More at Menchie’s Carlsbad
The RandomSanDiego.com Deal Finders have found a great freebie for you! Take advantage of this deal for free frozen yogurt and more at Menchie’s Carlsbad while it lasts!
Free Frozen Yogurt at Menchie’s
To celebrate its one year anniversary in Carlsbad, the Carlsbad, CA location of Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt is offering several freebies on Saturday, April 21, 2012.
Here’s a list of the Menchie’s freebies and schedule for the day:
Free Frozen Yogurt (12:00 pm to 1:00 pm)
Free Gift Bags for the first 30 children (11:00 am)
Visit from Menchie
Free Face Painting (1:00 pm to 3:00 pm)
Free Children’s Color-In T-Shirts (3:00 pm to 5:00 pm)
Karaoke (6:00 pm to 8:00 pm)
Raffle with a Chance to Win a Menchie’s Gift Bag Valued at $100 (8:00 pm)
The Fine Print: These offers are valid on Saturday, April 21, 2012 at the Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt Carlsbad location only (5617 Paseo Del Norte, Suite 120, Carlsbad, CA 92008). The free frozen yogurt is for a single serving of up to 8 oz, one per guest. The free gift bags and free color-in t-shirts are one per child, while supplies last. You do not need to be present at the time of the drawing to win the raffle.
April 21, 2012 – Foodie Alert: Taste of Hillcrest 2012 Is Back!
Slip on your walking shoes and stretchy pants, gather some friends and get ready for some of the finest treats the Hillcrest area has to offer…your taste buds will thank you later! Taste of Hillcrest 2012 takes place on Saturday, April 21, 2012!
Spend the afternoon satisfying your appetite as you dine in over 40 restaurants in the urban neighborhood of Hillcrest. From cafés and bistros to five-star dining, this self-guided culinary adventure will tickle your taste buds with flavorful bites. Indulge in tasty treats from many of Hillcrest’s best chefs, offering fresh seafood and sushi, perfect pastas, all-American favorites, tantalizing Thai, and Asian delights. The taste sensations don’t stop there as participants will also sample delectable desserts, specialty coffees and cool drinks.
Taste of Hillcrest 2012 takes place from 12:00 pm (noon) to 4:00 pm on Saturday, April 21, 2011. Tickets to the 12th Annual Taste of Hillcrest are being sold for the discount price of $30.00 in advance and $35.00 on the day of the event. Visit the Taste of Hillcrest 2012 website to purchase your advance discount tickets and to check out a complete list of participating restaurants. Tickets are limited and have sold out in advance for the last eight years, so purchase them soon to secure your ticket to this ultimate Taste.
April 15, 2012 – Tantalizing Treats Await at the College Area Taste
Featuring your old, new and soon-to-be favorite restaurants, this year’s College Area Taste will be held on Sunday, April 15, 2012 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Spend the afternoon indulging your culinary cravings as you discover San Diego’s College Area through this self-guided culinary adventure.
As more trendy eateries open up and established favorites thrive, the College Area is the newest up and coming destination for foodies everywhere. Food connoisseurs can enjoy tantalizing bites from over 25 restaurants on one afternoon in the urban neighborhood of the College Area…all for one amazing price! Spend the afternoon strolling through this diverse neighborhood with its charming storefronts, lively atmosphere and of course its wide array of tasty treats. Indulge your taste buds with flavorful bites from tantalizing appetizers to desirable desserts, hearty dishes to American classics. Come prepared to please your appetite and get your nosh on! With samples created from the area’s renowned chefs, you’ll want to get your fill and even come back for more!
The College Area Taste 2012 will take place on Sunday, April 15, 2012 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Many of the venues are within walking distance of one another. Trolleys will also be available during the Taste to drop guests off in front of every participating restaurant. Tickets to the College Area Taste are available for purchase at the discounted price of $25.00 if purchased in advance (follow the link above for information about buying your tickets in advance) and $30.00 on the day of the event. Tickets are limited so purchase them soon.
January 30, 2012 – Cafe Coyote Dishes Out the Heat During Live Viewing of Heat Seekers
Cafe Coyote Old Town will be featured on Food Network’s Heat Seekers on Monday, January 30, 2012 at 8:00 pm! To celebrate this special occasion, Cafe Coyote is inviting the public to come to the restaurant on Monday and join the gang for a live viewing of the show. Guests who attend the live viewing will be able to enjoy a complimentary salsa bar stocked with the salsas that are featured on the show.
El Diablo Spicy Salsas (counterclockwise starting from bottom left): 1. Verde Espanta features Ghost Chilies, 200,000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units); 2. Hot Habanero this bright orange salsa really packs a punch, 350,000 SHU; 3. Scorpion Salsa the scorpion chilies lend some serious heat to this salsa, 500,000 SHU; 4. Naga Dragon Salsa – try these naga chilies if you dare! 650,000+ SHU
Whether at the restaurant or at home, you are invited to tune into the show to see owner Lehn Goetz cook up her Extra Spicy Salsa Sampler & Famous Old Town Carnitas for the show’s two hosts Chefs Aaron Sanchez and Roger Mooking. These two hosts live dangerously as they see who can handle the heat in this television series that focuses on discovering restaurants from across the country that are dishing up the spiciest foods. Sanchez and Mooking will brave the ultimate challenge to see who can handle the heat as Lehn provides them with not one, not two, but three “hot, hot, hot” dishes to dive into including Carnitas Taco with Naga, Carnitas Taco with Scorpion and Habanera Margarita to wash it all down.
In addition to Cafe Coyote’s fun and festive atmosphere captured on the show, make sure to look out for shots of its Fried Ice Cream, friendly staff and of course the famous Tortilla Lady making her incredible flour and corn tortillas. This is not the first television show that Cafe Coyote has been featured on, as it was also showcased on the Travel Channel’s Fried Paradise 2.
Cafe Coyote will be hosting the live viewing and free salsa bar on Monday, January 30, 2012. Arrive early; the show begins at 8:00 pm. Winner of Best Mexican 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, Cafe Coyote showcases traditional and award winning Mexican Cuisine. The restaurant is located in Old Town at 2461 San Diego Avenue, San Diego, CA 92110.
Award Winning Artisan Chocolatier David Bacco talks about his Hand Crafted Chocolate Creations
David Bacco Chocolatier is a pioneering artisan confection company based out of San Diego, CA. Over 25 types of exotic ganaches, truffles and caramels are handcrafted by Bacco himself using a meticulous approach found in elite artisan circles in France and other parts of the world that take chocolate and pastry-making very seriously.
Bacco’s chocolates are made with high-quality, organic and sustainable ingredients. He uses organic cream and butter from Straus Family Creamery and regionally grown organic fruits and nuts to promote sustainable agriculture. Bacco sources his cacao from a company that buys directly from growers. They purchase from the same crop for two consecutive years for consistency. Because he makes his chocolate by hand in small batches, he has direct control over the quality of the final product.
The outcome is rich, tongue-tingling confections which please the palate with exotic, complex layers of flavors. Some of Bacco’s most popular flavors are: Incantato – passion fruit caramel milk chocolate ganache; Citral – lemongrass infused into 70% bittersweet chocolate; Sirona – fresh lime chocolate in a 65% bittersweet ganache; and, Captivé – mango ganache with balsamic reduction.
Bacco was named Top Artisan Chocolatier of the Year at the 2011 LA International Chocolate Salon and took gold for Best Dark Chocolate and silver for Best Traditional Chocolate. “It was an honor,” said Bacco, who has been crafting small batch chocolates and pastries for over 17 years. “It’s one thing to believe in your craft and another for others in the industry to as well.”
As a pastry chef, Bacco noted how many of his cohorts were intimidated by working with chocolate, a very temperamental medium. He saw this as a challenge and, within the first year, had produced nine exclusive flavors. He opened his business in San Diego because of the area’s overarching artisan food philosophy. “San Diego is an important area for small, creative companies like mine,” said Bacco. “I’m proud to be part of a growing group of artisans in a county where people care about traditional methods of cooking and creating.”
Bacco’s award winning Artisan Chocolates can be purchased at Seaside Market in Cardiff, CA or, in most states, shipped right to your front door. David Bacco Chocolatier personally customizes chocolates for special occasions, including weddings, holidays and corporations. To order your chocolates or for more information, visit the David Bacco Chocolatier website.
The Raj Report Meets David Bacco, Chocolatier
The Raj Report takes viewers to exciting events, places, and happenings in and around San Diego. With his unique perspective and signature style, this budding broadcaster brings a whimsical insight to the pulse of San Diego.
In this segment, The Raj Report sits down with David Bacco, who was named Top Artisan Chocolatier of the Year at the 2011 LA International Chocolate Salon and took gold for Best Dark Chocolate and silver for Best Traditional Chocolate.
December 15, 2011 – Tasty Bites and Tempting Cocktails in Hillcrest
Head on over to Hillcrest on Thursday, December 15, 2011 as one of San Diego’s most beloved neighborhoods serves up a spirited approach to the holiday season. Tasters and toasters alike will indulge in a self-guided walking tour of mouthwatering appetizers and festive beverages at the Hillcrest Taste n’ Tinis!
With over 30 Tastes, 12 Holiday Martinis, fabulous holiday shopping and complimentary gift wrapping, Hillcrest Taste n’ Tinis 2011 will be the social event of the season, so don’t miss out!
Embark on a winter evening of wonderful cuisine from distinguished local chefs, offering an assortment of house specialties from hors d’oeuvres and entrees to delightfully sweet treats. Make your mouth feel merry with a variety of flavors, including spicy Spanish fare, fresh seafood, zesty Italian, classic American and many more delectable dishes. In the midst of the culinary merriment, find warmth indoors by visiting participating retail shops, where you can delight in holiday shopping at Hillcrest’s best boutiques and shops, all the while sipping on exquisite cocktails. Peppermint martinis, creamy eggnog, Candy Cane Cosmopolitans, Scroogedrivers and other tantalizing tastes will be mixed under the mistletoe, since each participating boutique will have its own bartender creating cocktails right in the store.
Enjoy the sampling, the shopping, and finding the perfect gift, and leave the rest to the experts at the Will Call booth, whose complimentary gift-wrapping will finish your gift with flare.
Hillcrest Taste n’ Tinis 2011 takes place on Thursday, December 15, 2011 from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm in San Diego’s Hillcrest neighborhood. Tickets for this savory affair are $20.00 in advance and $25.00 on the day of the event. Participants in the cocktail portion of this event must be 21 years or older and have valid ID to enter.
The Raj Report takes viewers to exciting events, places, and happenings in and around San Diego. With his unique perspective and signature style, this budding broadcaster brings a whimsical insight to the pulse of San Diego.
In this segment, The Raj Report takes you behind the scenes at Coldstone Creamery. Learn how ice cream is made and the tasty perks of being a Coldstone employee.
Being on forefront of the art scene, the North Park Festival of the Arts celebrates all types of art forms in its Juried Arts Area with over 40 artists showcasing everything from elaborate paintings to metal sculptures. Over 35,000 friends and families will come together in North Park to explore the historic and energetic neighborhood and take in the sights and sound of artisans from over 150 specialty booths, who will be showcasing amazing arts from every possible medium. Participants to this free interactive and educational festival will also be able to peruse the local merchants, creative crafters and hundreds of vendors.
Happy Hour at Starbucks is back! Enjoy a half price Frappuccino blended beverage at participating Starbucks Coffee Shops during the 
Slip on your walking shoes and stretchy pants, gather some friends and get ready for some of the finest treats the Hillcrest area has to offer…your taste buds will thank you later! Taste of Hillcrest 2012 takes place on Saturday, April 21, 2012!
Featuring your old, new and soon-to-be favorite restaurants, this year’s College Area Taste will be held on Sunday, April 15, 2012 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Spend the afternoon indulging your culinary cravings as you discover San Diego’s College Area through this self-guided culinary adventure.
Cafe Coyote Old Town will be featured on Food Network’s Heat Seekers on Monday, January 30, 2012 at 8:00 pm! To celebrate this special occasion, Cafe Coyote is inviting the public to come to the restaurant on Monday and join the gang for a live viewing of the show. Guests who attend the live viewing will be able to enjoy a complimentary salsa bar stocked with the salsas that are featured on the show. 
Head on over to Hillcrest on Thursday, December 15, 2011 as one of San Diego’s most beloved neighborhoods serves up a spirited approach to the holiday season. Tasters and toasters alike will indulge in a self-guided walking tour of mouthwatering appetizers and festive beverages at the Hillcrest Taste n’ Tinis!
