THINGS TO DO IN SAN DIEGO THIS WEEKEND: Caffeine Crawl San Diego Coming Jan. 22 - 24, 2015

January 16, 2016Local Wally2 Comments

GET TICKETS NOW FOR CAFFEINE CRAWL SAN DIEGO! EVENT IS JAN 22 - 24, 2015

Beer lovers have pub crawls and wine lovers have wine tours. Coffee lovers have...Caffeine Crawl! January 23rd and 24th will kick off a year of caffeinated connections with San Diego’s second Crawl and the first of 2015. Caffeine Crawl is a product of the innovative team at The LAB, a beverage marketing and creative firm based in Kansas City, Fort Collins and Portland. From the first Caffeine Crawl in 2011 to the current 15-city line up this year, response has been phenomenal. Grab your travel mug - the buzz is already building!

We’ll start with a stroll along the North Coast on Friday afternoon, stopping at Cafe Ipe, Ironsmith Coffee Roasters, Lofty Coffee, and Pannikin. On Saturday, Crawlers will gather at kickoff locations throughout the city - InterAmerican Coffee, Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, or The WestBean Coffee Roasters - for event bags full of swag, presentations, and plenty of caffeination before heading out by car or bike to experience the magic at Cafe Moto, Bay Park Coffee, Bean Bar, Broke Girls Coffee Bar, Cafe Virtuoso, Caffe Calabria, Dark Horse Coffee Roasters, and Ladies and Gentlemen Coffee Roasters, with treats along the way from David Bacco Chocolates and Biscuit Gourmet Biscotti.

Each shop will present on a topic unique to their style and passion, and crawlers will receive samples to sip while they soak up the info. The Crawl after party, hosted by James Coffee Co on Saturday afternoon, will conclude a weekend of caffeination and local craft fun with more great drinks and some surprises!

Tickets for the Caffeine Crawl cost $23-$30 (biking or driving routes available) and early bird discounts apply through December 12th. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.caffeinecrawl.com/san-diego-tickets.html

For a unique interactive experience that is educational, delicious and fun, Caffeine Crawl can’t be beat. See you there!

GUEST POST BY SADIE COLWELL (sadie@LAB5702.com)

Hanging Around Encinitas with my Vintage Camera

December 11, 2015Local WallyComment

My Encinitas Life in Black and White

Last weekend I found myself with a few hours and nothing to do so I had this crazy idea to load up the old 35mm camera and see what shooting with film again would be like. So I got some Tri-X and jumped on the scooter and searched Encinitas for some black and white images to capture.

I sort of miss the old concession stand at Moonlight Beach but the new one makes a cool photo.

First stop, Moonlight Beach. For you photographer nuts out there (or people nuts enough to still shoot film) most of these photos were shot at 500 sec at f16. I was pretty much locked into that setting since I was using Tri-X in bright sunlight.

With digital I can easily shoot a hundred photos just while eating lunch. With film you get 36 chances to get a shot. I used to shoot a ton of film but after so many years shooting digital this felt really different, slower, perhaps me being a bit more thoughtful about shadows and light and how the image would translate in black and white.

Super cool dude who lives in his car.  If you see him tell him hello. — Super cool dude who lives in his car. If you see him tell him hello.

I met this guy in the Moonlight Beach overlook. He sleeps in his car and told me his story of having to sell just about everything. I didn't want to insult him by asking if he needed a few bucks but wish I did. He was a cool dude for sure.

I love living by the ocean and appreciate it every day. And I love how that Encinitas still has that small town feel, even with all the growth and changes. These shots were taken around Swami's Beach.

Back on the 101 I headed up towards Leucadia to snap a few shots of the local businesses. Please Leucadia, please stay funky.

I think that black thing in the sky is a banner being pulled by an airplane.  Or it's a giant speck of dust inside the lens. — I think that black thing in the sky is a banner being pulled by an airplane. Or it's a giant speck of dust inside the lens.

Wonderful tacos and soups at La Especial Norte

A bit spooky at this antique store in Leucadia

Someday all the flower fields will be gone.

So 3 hours later I had snapped a roll of 36 and had to patiently wait a week for the negatives to come back. No LCD on the back of the camera and one shot per subject. You either get the shot or you don't. And it was kind of nice. So tell me, did I get the shot?

Wally

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN SAN DIEGO: Yoga on the USS Midway

November 18, 2015Local WallyComment

Things to Do in San Diego this Weekend: “Stretch 4 Vets” on the Flight Deck of the USS Midway in Support of Veterans

When: Saturday, Nov. 21, 8 to 10 AM, at the USS Midway, 910 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego

What is it?: In recognition of Veteran’s Day month and Thanksgiving,the nation’s leading yoga studio CorePower Yoga – America’s leading yoga studio – is partnering with Embrace, a non-profit benefitting homeless veterans to host a 75 minute class on the flight deck of the USS Midway. Participants will raise funds by collecting pledge money for their practice. The class will feature live music by Buddha Music Group. Amy Opielowski, CorePower Yoga’s San Diego Program Manager will teach the class with the help of 20 local instructors.

How: Students, Veterans, Active Military and CorePower Yoga Members: $25; Civilians: $35

Registration and more information here: http://www.stretch4vets.org/

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN SAN DIEGO: Del Mar Beer and Cider Fest Nov. 28, 2015

November 13, 2015Local WallyComment

THINGS TO DO IN SAN DIEGO: DEL MAR BEER AND CIDER FEST

Get hoppy at Del Mar’s Fall Beer and Cider Fest that will be held at The Racetrack Saturday, November 28 starting at noon in the Seaside Concert area. This month, cheers to Bing Crosby Season by sampling a variety of 100 local and international craft brews including seasonal ales and ciders.

GET TICKETS NOW! $22 GETS YOU ADMISSION AND 5 DELICIOUS 7 OZ TASTINGS!

San Diego brewers will set up camp and serve tastes of their signature craft brews – five seven-ounce frosty samples for $20. Come out, grab a beer or cider and catch some world-class Thoroughbred racing. The races begin at 12:30 p.m., gates open at 11:00 a.m. Entrance to Beer and Cider Fest area is free with admission.

Confirmed seasonal brews include:

-       Anderson Valley Wild Turkey Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout
-       Tieton Cider Cherry Cider
-       Mission Brewing Hard Root Beer
-       Uinta Brewing Company Oak Jacked Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Pumpkin Ale
-       Delirium Noel
-       St. Bernardus Christmas Ale
-       101 Cider House So Cal Scrumpy
-       County Cider Company- Waupoos Cider
-       Ballast Point Grapefruit Sculpin
-       Ballast Point Pumpkin Down
-       Dogfish Head Punkin
-       Port Brewing Santas Little Helper
-       Alpine Duet IPA
-       Nickel Beer Co. Pearfect Apple Pie Ale
-       Angry Orchard Crisp Apple
-       Magners Pear Cider
-       Washington Gold Hard Cider

Pair your beer or cider with gourmet food truck offerings. The event is free with racetrack admission of $6. Stay after the festival and races to catch a free concert by Sublime with Rome.

San Diego Wine and Food Fest's Grand Tasting Event Nov 21, 2015

November 2, 2015Local Wally2 Comments

WHAT IS IT: The San Diego Wine and Food Festival is one of the largest celebrations of food and wine in the country.

WHEN IS IT? November 16th through the 22nd, though most people focus on the Lexus Grand Tasting Event held on Saturday. From 12 to 300 you wander the booths of high end foodie food and taste the very best of our best restaurants and chefs along with wines and spirits. Earlier in the week are lots of activities, from chef dinners to seminars.

HOW DO I GET TICKETS? Go to San Diego Wine and Food Fest to get them before they sell out! Grab a bunch of friends and go!

Are you a foodie?

Come clean, do you take photos of your food before you eat? Would you rather watch a Food TV competition than the Chargers? Does the sight of pork belly make you excited? Then this food festival is designed for you.

So what makes the San Diego Food & Wine Fest so great? Unlike a lot of "Taste of ____________" events where the food is second rate and the portions smaller than a Costco sample, at the San Diego Wine and Food Festival (also known as the San Diego Bay Classic) you get big bites of gourmet food made by some of the best chefs in San Diego. There's not a marinara sauce with pasta in sight. Instead you'll find scallops, steak, sashimi, just about everything you dream about.

Listen to me, if you have ever been to a fancy restaurant and restaurant and wished you could try everything on the menu then this is your chance to try EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING!

Look at this from last year. Yes, that is a giant shrimp and shrimp head that was super delicious. Go ahead, try it. Oh you want another one? OK, get another one. Eat them all!

Or how about this one?

I have no idea what this one was but it was delicious. In fact, just about everything is so darn good that you won't believe how much food you'll eat by the end. You can do your own Man V. Food episode, starring you!

Of course, those of you who are more refined will love the elegant plating and the finesse of the chefs. The plates are prepared with precision as if this were a Top Chef competition. Chefs with tweezers, micro greens, caviar... ahhh, caviar! And let's not forget the wonderful wines you can sample along with beers and spirits. And for you wine lovers out there, it's not just San Diego wines being poured but wines from everywhere.

Is it worth it? Absolutely. If you have never been you need to get your tickets and get down to the Embarcadero behind Seaport Village on November 21, 2015. Come hungry and be prepared to be blown away by the great food and wines at the San Diego Wine and Food Fest, 2015!

Local Wally

THINGS TO DO IN SAN DIEGO: The Art of Music, Museum of Art, Balboa Park

October 21, 2015eventsLocal Wally1 Comment

WHAT IS IT?: The Art of Music Exhibit, Museum of Art in Balboa Park, now through Feb 7th, 2016. Official exhibition website with special events here.

HOW MUCH? Included in your ticket price - $12 for adults, $9 for seniors, $4.50 for youths

OFFICIAL DESCRIPTION: The Art of Music presents a multifacted and culturally diverse exploration of the intersection of music and art.

UNOFFICIAL DESCRIPTION: Lots of paintings with people playing instruments by famous artists along with other musically focused artifacts.

I like to go to Balboa Park when I have nothing to do because there's always something. OK, yes, I do love that Panama 66 near the Sculpture Gardens has beer, really good beer, but even I know it's time to branch out a bit. Next to Panama 66 is the Museum of Art and a new exhibit called the Art of Music. I admittedly know next to nothing about art but what the heck, let's dive in. I can get a beer later.

OK. Here we are. Yes, I am scratching my head but there is something here that makes me stop and comtemplate. Can you imagine if this family moved in next door to you? Yes, that's what I was thinking. Look, I told you I don't know much about art!

Wait, I know this guy. This is Matisse, right? Right??? And what's that over there, some manuscript by Beethoven? Hey, did I ever tell you the joke about Beethoven when asked why he was erasing all of his music? He said he was decomposing. Ba-da- Boom! I'm here all week.

Now here is something I understand! It's stunning how this artist captured the playfulness of youth, a mirror into our own souls with a bit of surrealism mixed with modern imagery and realism. I wonder who the artist is?

Oh shoot. Well, I like it anyway. Good job, kids! What's next? And make that kid stop staring at me!

OK, now we are back in my comfort zone, a bit of 60's rock art. I know you have probably seen the psychedelic posters like these before but stop and look more carefully. It's amazing how the artists wove the names of the bands in and out of the art. It's even more amazing that the stoned kids of the 60's could read it. I mean, I was really trying to read the names of the bands and could only figure out half of them. But then again, I wasn't stoned. I hadn't even had a beer - yet.

THE VERDICT: Actually a very enjoyable exhibit even for those of you who never typically step inside an art museum. Next time you have an afternoon looking for something different to do, head over to Balboa Park and check out Art of Music exhibit. It's quite interesting and you can even explore the rest of the museum on the same ticket. Then afterwards go to Panama 66 and have a beer. That's the plan.

Local Wally

THINGS TO DO IN SAN DIEGO: San Diego Homebrew Festival, Nov 15th, 2015

October 16, 2015eventsLocal WallyComment

Sample some of San Diego's best home brews and support a good cause at the same time at the San Diego Homebrew Festival and Competition. All proceeds will go to Friends of Jefferson to engage in efforts to support children attending their neighborhood school, Thomas Jefferson Elementary, and to raise funds needed to create and sustain educational enrichment programs and purchase unfunded capital & non-capital improvements. Hey, I like kids, I like beer, sounds like a winner to me.

Tickets are on sale now and just $35 - check out San Diego Homebrew Festival's official website here. Tell your friends, mark your calendars, and make sure you head over to the 1st annual Homebrew Festival on Nov. 15th, 2015, in North Park. See you there!

SMASHBURGER GIVEAWAY

October 14, 2015restaurantsLocal Wally1 Comment

WIN THIS BURGER!

Smashburger and Local Wally are giving away burgers! In fact, you can win 2 entrees of your choosing just by posting your favorite photo of San Diego in Local Wally's instagram (just hashtag #localwally when you post) or on my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/localwally).

Stop Drooling on my Sin City Burger!

So what's cool about Smashburger is that there are local burgers in every town. The San Diego burger has a definite SoCal vibe with fresh avocado, cilantro, pepper jack, lettuce, tomato, onion, sour cream & chipotle mayo on a telera roll served with a wedge of lime.

The Sin City burger was a local Las Vegas creation, a certified Angus beef patty placed on an egg bun, then topped with a fried egg, applewood smoked bacon, melted American cheese, grilled and haystack onions, and the signature smash sauce (ALWAYS ask for extra sauce!) and was so good that it's now available for a limited time in the San Diego locations. Should you get it? What do you think? Look at it!

Screen Shot 2015-10-14 at 8.22.35 AM.png

AND WIN A TRIP TO VEGAS ON TOP OF THAT!

As if it wasn't enough to win a couple of burgers on Local Wally, you can also win a trip to Vegas for two through Smashburger! Check out the rules here and enter. See, you knew that your love for burgers would pay off someday!

So remember, post those photos on instagram (just add hashtag #localwally) and you might be the big winner of 2 Sin City burgers!

Local Wally

San Diego Modern Home Tour is on Saturday, October 10th, 2015

September 30, 2015Local WallyComment

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Does your home have wheels on it? Do you live in a "Tiny House" not because you're a hipster but because it's all you can afford? Do you stand in front of beautiful homes around San Diego and drool on the sidewalk? Then you need to go on the San Diego Modern Home Tour, October 10th, 2015, where you can visit some of the coolest and most modern homes in America's Finest City.

This self guided tour gets you INSIDE the homes you've dreamed about. Do a road trip around San Diego and visit the coolest homes of the year, located from La Mesa to La Jolla to Del Mar.

THE LOWDOWN: San Diego Modern Home Tour is October 10, 2015. You can actually tour 6 of San Diego's most amazing modern homes.

HOW TO GET TICKETS: http://modernhometours.com/event/2015-san-diego-modern-home-tour/

PRICE: $30 before event, $40 day of event

Look, if you love homes you have to check this out. It's San Diego's architectural event of the year and anyone who loves houses, design, and just checking out how the "rich and famous" lives will love spending a leisurely day cruising the homes and pulling into the driveway in your Dodge Caravan like you own the joint. Wait, doesn't your car leak oil? Maybe park in front of the neighbor's house.

So get off the couch, forget about mowing your patch of drought dirt lawn and go visit the San Diego Modern Home Tour on Saturday, October 10th, 2015.

Local Wally

Good Eats San Diego: El Agave Mexican Restaurant & Tequileria in Old Town

September 8, 2015restaurantsLocal WallyComment

El Agave in San Diego Old Town is possibly unlike any Mexican restaurant you have ever been to.

This is baffling to me. I thought I knew Mexican food. After all, I've lived in San Diego nearly my entire life and have eaten so many tacos and burritos that there should be a sign over my house ("One Billion Eaten So Far"). I also know that San Diego's Old Town borders on tourist trap territory and have been known to cringe when out of town guests insist we dine there the way a San Franciscan must cringe when you force them to eat at Red Lobster or Joe's Crab Shack. I mean, come on, San Diego Old Town is to Mexican food what Donny Osmond is to rock and roll.

And then I went to El Agave Restaurant and Tequileria and got my mind blown.

EL AGAVE RESTAURANT & TEQUILERIA (SAN DIEGO OLD TOWN)
2304 San Diego Ave, San Diego, 92110
(619) 220-0692
MAP

This is Old Town?

So let me put this out there for anyone, whether you are a local or tourist, looking for tacos and burritos and mariachi bands. This is not the place. In fact, though it is officially "in" Old Town it has nothing to do with the the festivities down the street. It could be - and probably should be - in a different part of town, maybe even a different country, so that you could avoid comparisons to places like Fred's Mexican Cafe or Casa de Reyes, two of the most popular tourist spots known more for their atmosphere than their food.

But here at El Agave, food matters. In fact, food is all that matters here. So let's dive into the chips and salsa. Yes, they still have chips and salsa. This IS a Mexican restaurant, right?

Super delicious chips and salsa (El Agave Old Town San Diego).

Chips and salsa tell you a lot about the food to come and these chips were light, crispy, without any hint of the heaviness that happens when their cooked in old, used oil. The trio of salsas, which included a nice bean dip, were deep in flavors, rich and complex. So they passed the first test. Excellent chips and salsa. But how about a margarita? Down the street the margaritas are the size of a bird bath and filled with brightly colored frozen ice slushy concoctions.

The El Agave house margarita - on the rocks with salt, of course.

I always like to try the house margarita. A lot of restaurants in town use a margarita mix, a corn syrupy artificially flavored formula, but El Agave uses fresh ingredients. Tourists beware, it can be a bit more sour than what you might be expecting but to me this margarita was perfect. But wait, how does it compare to a perfect Cadillac margarita?

For a few bucks more, upgrade the margarita to a perfect one!

Adding a bit of orange and Grand Marnier made the El Agave margarita even better! Without crossing the line to sweetness, the Cadillac margarita might get my vote for best margarita in town, certainly the best in Old Town. I mean, really the BEST in Old Town. If you like margaritas, if you can taste the difference between a fresh margarita and one made with artificially enhanced green goo, then you need to try one of these.

So I never do this!  But after one of their margaritas this seemed reasonable, even logical and somewhat mandatory. — So I never do this! But after one of their margaritas this seemed reasonable, even logical and somewhat mandatory.

El Agave has a couple billion tequila bottles decorating the walls, a real tequila museum, and plenty of the good stuff to sample. I admittedly know virtually nothing about tequila that Costco doesn't carry so I put my trust into their sampler of their own house tequila and it sure beats out the stuff I've been drinking. Tequila is the type of drink that can lead to serious trouble so in a way I was glad when the food started to arrive because I was nearly ready do something really stupid and ask for another round. Oh Waiter.....

Bring on the Food!

Is this the most beautiful Mexican food you have ever seen?  (El Agave, Old Town San Diego) — Is this the most beautiful Mexican food you have ever seen? (El Agave, Old Town San Diego)

Some of you might not realize this but I am the first guy to take photos of his food starting way back in 1998 when I first launched Local Wally. I tell you this because I have taken a lot of food pics in a lot of great restaurants but this calamari stuffed with shrimp and chorizo is possible one of the most beautiful dishes I have ever seen. I just wanted to stare at it, marvel at the artistry of it, but then I could not resist and I - yes - I ate it!

And wow, what a great starter, the calamari cooked perfectly tender, the filling so very flavorful, I felt a little guilty eating something so beautiful but like they say in the Doritos ad, don't worry, they'll make more. And I will come back, just for this along.

I have a buddy from North Carolina who went to a Mexican restaurant and wanted to know what a mole tasted like. A mole. Like a blind rodent Mole. Well El Agave specializes in mole (as in "mol-lay") but it's not a creature but a sauce, and a very complex sauce at that. I got mine with pork though you could also go with chicken.

Look, don't trust me. I don't know nothing about mole sauce. But trust the people behind me, grown men making yummy sounds like Rachael Ray and saying things like how this is better than momma used to make and how they haven't had anything this authentic in years. Of course they were also ordering shots of tequila so maybe trust me as the rookie who tells you that this trio of mole sauces was, well, yummo. I'm going to hate myself later for saying that.

Another beautiful and flavorful dish, this time sea bass from El Agave.

Before I was asked one more time by my wife to put the camera away, here is a shot of her sea bass with a garlic chipotle chilli sauce. Let me remind you that this is a Mexican restaurant, this is Old Town, so what the heck is this plate looking like it came from a high end foodie restaurant doing in front of me? And once again, the flavors were spot on, fish deliciously cooked, just amazing.

Dessert at El Agave in Old Town San Diego.

We ended with a bit of dessert, a creme brulee sort of thing with chocolate flavoring and it was decent, though not quite in the same caliber as the rest of the meal. Next time I would skip the dessert and just walk down the street to get a churro. Look, I like churros! In fact, I'm going to get me one right now!

El Agave Mexican Restaurant and Tequileria surprised me. It's not your typical Mexican restaurant, it really falls into the gourmet category, a foodie sort of experience that you don't expect to find in Old Town. Tourists looking for carnitas tacos and carne asada burritos should probably dine elsewhere but if you're looking for a different take on Mexican food, or heck, if you just love food in general, then El Agave doesn't disappoint.

Local Wally