SOUTH BEACH BAR & GRILL, A SEAFOOD HIDEAWAY IN OCEAN BEACH, CA!

I love love love love this place. The seafood at Ocean Beach Bar & Grill is always fresh and their happy hour always has the appetizer menu at 1/2 price....which by the way is filled with amazing tasty treats!!

1/2 lb Peel & Eat Shrimp AppetizerGrilled Wahoo Tacos w/Guacamole

Besides their amazing seafood dishes, great happy hour special they have the BEST Taco Tuesday in town and great drink special from their full bar

If that isn't enough to run to this awesome restaurant like I do every time I get a chance.....then perhaps their incredible location in front of the OB Pier will! The views are unbeatable, especially from their newly built upstairs dinning ares!!

Beach View

Upstairs view of the OB Pier

LIKE I SAID BEFORE.... ....I LOVE THIS PLACE!!

MARDI GRAS IN THE GASLAMP

“Mardi Gras” means “Fat Tuesday” in French.  It refers to the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday and follows the Christian calendar of Lent.  Traditionally, Fat Tuesday is the final day of indulgence before the 40 days and 40 nights of Lent.  It is a day that is celebrated worldwide - Each Mardi Gras celebration has its own unique character, whether it's in Rio, New Orleans or here in San Diego. As the largest Mardi Gras celebration on the West Coast, Mardi Gras in the Gaslamp has become a signature San Diego event (celebrating it's 17th year!), with a distinct Southern California flavor. San Diego embraces the tradition of Fat Tuesday with it's own spin as a night of decadent indulgence in the heart of Downtown San Diego. 

Mardi Gras In The Gaslamp is a fabulous block party that hosts a variety of stages & lounges with DJ's & Musical Performances, a Gaslamp-wide outdoor celebration featuring dancing in the streets! With an Incredible Masquerade Parade on 5th Ave at 9:30 pm. 

For more info go to: www.gaslamp.org

WHERE: 

Gaslamp Quarter,
901 5th Avenue

San Diego, CA  92101

TWO ENTRY GATES: 

a) 5th Ave & Broadway  

b) 6th Ave & K Street

WHEN:

Tuesday, March 8, 2011 6:00 PM - 11:55 PM 

Advance Tickets @ http://bit.ly/dP8xHK

FOOD NETWORK SOUTH BEACH WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL 2011

The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Food & Wine is a national, star-studded, four-day destination event showcasing the talents of the world’s most renowned wine and spirits producers, chefs and culinary personalities. Hosted by Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida and Florida International University (FIU), the festival benefits FIU’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management Teaching Restaurant and the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center. To date, the Festival has raised more than $12 million for the School.

Now going into its 10th year, the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Food & Wine began as a one-day festival known as the Florida Extravaganza held at FIU’s Biscayne Bay Campus. For five years, from 1997-2001, the Florida Extravaganza showcased wines from national and international wineries paired with food from local restaurants and chefs working with students of FIU’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. In 2002, Lee Brian Schrager, director of Special Events and Media Relations at Southern Wine & Spirits of America, took the reigns of the one-day festival and brought his vision for the festival to life by relocating it to South Beach. The renamed South Beach Wine & Food Festival attracted close to 7,000 guests to a series of dinners, seminars, a Grand Tasting Village and live Auction in its first year. The following year, the festival grew, attracting close to 10,000 people and garnered extensive national media coverage. In 2004, with the addition of a number of events and a revamping of the program, the festival doubled in size and attracted more than 20,000 guests to the three-day event.

In 2006, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival celebrated its fifth anniversary and became one of the largest and most well-known festivals of its kind in the country. During the planning of the 2007 festival, Food Network entered into a partnership with the South Beach Wine & Food Festival to become its title sponsor. The resulting Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Food & Wine combined the international appeal of top-quality libations from around the world, the national appeal of the Food Network and its celebrity chefs and hosts, and the appeal of Latin and Caribbean-inspired regional cuisine.

The 2008 and 2009 Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festivals each attracted close to 50,000 guests over four days and garnered an unprecedented amount of media coverage. The Festival earned more than 1 billion media impressions in both years through its integrated marketing and public relations plan.

The 2010 Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Food & Wine welcomed over 50,000 wine and food lovers and paid respects to Daniel Boulud at its annual Tribute Dinner. 2010 was another banner year as the Festival raised more than $2.2 million for beneficiary, FIU’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management and garnered more than two billion media impressions.

Thursday, February 24 – Sunday, February 27, 2011 will mark the 10th year of the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Food & Wine. The 2011 Festival will also celebrate the release of the official Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival cookbook. 

Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival 2011

NYC RESTAURANT WEEK 2011

JANUARY 24 ~ FEBRUARY 6

NYC Restaurant Week® is New York City’s original dining celebration. As the country’s first-ever restaurant week, NYC Restaurant Week debuted in 1992 when it was developed as a one-time culinary event to welcome the Democratic National Convention (DNC) to the City. Though created to appeal to delegates and other DNC attendees, the program also found a strong following among residents excited to dine at some of the City’s top restaurants for a fraction of the usual cost—$19.92 for three courses—and who wanted NYC Restaurant Week to be a recurring event.

Over the past 19 years, NYC Restaurant Week has grown tremendously. It has expanded to include both lunch and dinner offerings—three-course, prix-fixe meals for $24.07 and $35, respectively—and extended to two weeks (including Sundays for some restaurants) in both the summer and winter.

Summer 2010 marked an all-time high of more than 275 participating restaurants—representing a cross section of the NYC culinary scene that encompasses a diverse range of cuisines and includes some of its most time-honored restaurants and buzz-worthy newcomers.

With more than 300 restaurants participating this winter, NYC Restaurant Week continues to be one of the City’s most exciting and anticipated events, and a pioneer in the dining community.

Get ready to celebrate even more in the summer of 2011, when NYC Restaurant Week marks its 20th year. Stay tuned for more information about special events, offers and more.

Through its evolution, NYC Restaurant Week has been guided by an unchanging commitment to give visitors and residents the opportunity to experience the quality, variety and hospitality that embody the NYC dining experience.

CALIFORNIA RESTAURANT MONTH

As we are all partaking and enjoying San Diego Restaurant week, I thought I'd share with you something that everyone may not know about....not only can you enjoy great special menus at the best restaurants in San Diego, but throughout California as San Diego Restaurant Week is part of California Restaurant Month. 

California Restaurant Month: 

Splurge, Savor, Save in JANUARY

Sexy outdoor cafes in Southern California, ultra-fresh ingredients in Northern California, amazing seafood along the coast, and all the bounty of California's Central Valley. Virtually every corner of the state has extraordinary restaurants, bistros, and cafes. And now is your chance to try them. 

Caprese, California Style!

California Cuisine

California Comfort Food

California Seafood 

Introducing California Restaurant Month, a statewide celebration of special savings traditionally offered this time of year. Treat yourself to that urban hotspot you’ve always wanted to try, or plan a quick getaway to gorgeous wine country, the dramatic coast, or a cozy mountain retreat. Click on the regions below, and see where you’ll be making dinner reservations. (Note: offers and dates may vary.)

More tasty news: Check our events section for more restaurant and wine & dine events throughout the year.

Can’t make it to California during California Restaurant Month this January? Check out these Restaurant Weeks going on in California throughout 2011.

To learn more about California Restaurant Month and other participating cities please visit California Restaurant Month.

SAN DIEGO RESTAURANT WEEK ~ JANUARY 16-21, 2011

I'm so excited, Restaurant Week starts Sunday. I love Restaurant Week!! 

San Diego Restaurant Week 2011

Extraordinary 3 course menus from San Diego's best restaurants. Experience cuisine that delights your palate and defines the art of dining in San Diego. Choose from over 180 of San Diego's best restaurants and enjoy a 3 course meal for $20, $30 or $40 per person, depending on the restaurant. Now is your chance to discover new restaurants and enjoy all your favorites at a discounted price!

What is San Diego Restaurant Week?

In its seventh year as San Diego County's largest and most successful dining event, San Diego Restaurant Week was launched with the intention of spotlighting the city as a premier dining destination. Held twice annually, this beloved culinary tradition features more than 180 of San Diego's best restaurants offering fixed price, three-course meals for $20, $30 or $40. There are no tickets or passes required. Food lovers may simply dine out at as many participating restaurants as they like during San Diego Restaurant Week, explore new dining opportunities or enjoy old favorites. Advance reservations are strongly recommended and can be made by calling restaurants directly or visiting their profile online.

Restaurant Week is organized by the California Restaurant Association's San Diego County Chapter. For a complete list of CRA member restaurants, click here.

San Diego Restaurant Week is part of California Restaurant Month. To learn more about California Restaurant Month and other participating cities please visit California Restaurant Month.

Not finding what you need? Contact Jenna Thompson at jenna[at]mcfarlanepromotions[dot]com or 619-233-5008.

When is it?

Restaurant Week occurs twice a year. The upcoming dates are September 19-24, 2010 & January 16-21, 2011

How do I take part in San Diego Restaurant Week?

No passes, tickets or coupons are required. Instead, diners may simply visit their favorite participating restaurants throughout the week to enjoy the special prix fixe dinner menus. It is strongly recommended that diners make reservations in advance. To make a reservation, diners may contact restaurants directly.

Which restaurants are involved?

More than 180 restaurants throughout San Diego County are participating. A complete list of participating restaurants is available here for dining ideas or you may call your favorite restaurants to see if they are participating.

Are reservations required?

No. Reservations are strongly encouraged, but walk-ins are appreciated. There is no guarantee that walk-in guests will be accommodated.

Go to the official site of San Diego Restaurant Week for more information on San Diego Restaurant Week 2011 by clicking on the image below.

Restaurant week is a great way to enjoy more of your favorite spots, but equally if not greater for trying out new restaurants or indulging in some of those fine dinning venues you may have been undecided about trying. It makes going out to dinner with friends & family a different kind of exciting to taste and review varied cuisines and new places. I'm definitely excited!

Restaurant Week is available in cities throughout the united states. Make sure to check for the Restaurant Week dates in your city.

HAPPY HOUR @ TOWER 23

I love a little posh in my life every now and then....

And for me that involves prosecco, oysters and a delightful ambiance sometimes!

I love JRDN Restaurant @ Tower23, with it's splendid sunset views and it's fantastic bar menu that contains classic bar faves as well as elaborate gourmet bites.....plus they have raw bar happy hour!!

Ummmm, yes, I love oysters!!

But, if raw-bar fare is not your thing, I absolutely recommend that you indulge in the many other small bites the bar menu has to offer....

Like the baked goat cheese plate.

Or perhaps a light and tasty tuna tartar.

And if bubbling wine doesn't float your boat either, they have a very impressive wine selection and specials on their bottles of wine on Tuesdays (don't worry guys, they have plenty of beer to offer as well!!)

But the point is, that no matter what you decide to drink or eat, you should decide to go, grab a seat on their outside lounge and enjoy the beautiful sun setting on the beach period!!

CHEERS!!

ENJOY!