tWineUp New Year Kickoff Party at @BarAtLaStrada
Happy New Year!
We’d like to ring in 2011 with you – and share complimentary tastings of three great Italian wines, appetizer platters, and offering half-off all bottles of wine, from our friends @BarAtLaStrada!
Hope to see you there – I haven’t seen you since last year! 
RSVP: http://bit.ly/eQZcWq
The Big List of Downtown Holiday Events
A great list of Downtown San Diego’s Holiday events, performances, or celebrations. Get out there and enjoy these Downtown Holiday Happenings:
11/26/2010: Coffee and Cocoa with Santa and Mrs. Claus
Westfield Horton Plaza
Location: Downtown
Description: Coffee and cocoa with Santa and Mrs. Claus at Westfield Horton Plaza
11/28/2010: Surfin’ Santa at Seaport Village
Seaport Village
Location: Embarcadero
Description: Do you have a holiday wish list? Santa likes to visit the Big Bay too. Deliver it to Santa in person at Seaport Village on Saturday, November 28.
11/30/2010: “Holidays on Horton Square” and Tree Lighting
Location: Gaslamp Quarter
Description: “Holidays on Horton Square” and Tree Lighting, presented by NBC 7/39 in partnership with Rady Children’s Hospital Auxiliary.
12/03/2010 – 12/04/2010: Balboa Park December Nights
Balboa Park December Nights
Location: Balboa Park
Price: Free
Description: In the spirit of the holidays, participating Balboa Park museums open their doors free of charge from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. both evenings.
12/10/2010: Dave Koz and Friends: A Smooth Jazz Christmas
Balboa Theatre
Description: Back by popular demand, Dave Koz and Special Guests Jonathan Butler, Brian Culbertson and Candy Dulfer return to perform this annual festive collection of holiday standards, this time live on stage at the historic Balboa Theatre.
12/11/2010: Jingle Bell 5K Run
Location: Balboa Park
Price: $25-$45 per person
Description: Jingle Bell Run/Walk® is a fun and festive way to kick off your holidays by helping others!
12/12/20: Gaslamp Holiday Pet Parade
Gaslamp Quarter Association
Description: Join us for the Third Annual Gaslamp Holiday Pet Parade on Sunday, December 12th, 2010!
12/17/2010 – 12/23/2010: Traditions of Christmas
Balboa Theatre
Price: $30-$40
Description: One of San Diego’s favorite holiday shows, now at the historic Balboa Theatre downtown, for its 18th year! Come experience the sights, sounds and magic of the holiday season.
12/18/2010 – 12/19/2010: Breakfast With Santa
Location: Embarcadero
Price: $25
Description: Santa makes an appearance, in his traditional garb for Breakfast with Santa at the Harbor House Restaurant on Dec 18th & 19th, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
12/21/2010: Poinsettia Bowl Battle of the Bands in the Gaslamp Quarter
Gaslamp Quarter Association
Location: Downtown
Description: Scheduled for Tuesday, December 21st at 6:00 p.m
12/23/2010: San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl
Location: Old Town
Price: $28-50
Description: A team from the Mountain West Conference vs Navy at the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl on Thursday, December 23rd at Qualcomm Stadium.
12/29/2010: Port of San Diego Big Bay Balloon Parade
Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl
Location: Embarcadero
Price: Free streetside viewing, $15 grandstand tickets
Description: The scenic, bayside streets of downtown San Diego will come alive with the 2010 Port of San Diego Big Bay Balloon Parade, presented by San Diego County Credit Union, a Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl Production.
12/30/2010: TIG VIP Tailgate Party
Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl
Location: Linda Vista/USD
Price: $55
Description: Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl members, dignitaries and sponsors kick-off their evening of football and fun at the TIG VIP Tailgate.
(From the fine folks at SanDiego.org – http://www.sandiego.org/holidayhappenings?page=2)
Thread Show’s Pop-Up Holiday Shop Nov 28
Thread Show’s holiday tour is heading to San Diego (Horton Plaza!) this weekend for the first ever Black Sunday holiday pop-up shop featuring 100 indie local designers + tons of free stuff, cocktails, DJs, photo booths, style lounges, fashion shows and more.
I have 5 pairs of tickets to give away to the first 5 people that share this post via Twitter and/or Facebook, and leave a comment below about why they love the holidays, shopping, or both.
My @KUSI_GMSD segment of Top 5 Downtown Spots w/ @AlexisDelChiaro [Video]
My @KUSI_GMSD segment with @AlexisDelChiaro (please forgive their lame 15 second commercial):
@DowntownRob‘s Top 5 Spots:
@AnalogBar – Good food, strong drinks is their slogan, throw in retro karaoke for a fun night. Come to my Analog Karaoke TwineUp Nov 19th!
@ProhibitionSD – Great speak-easy spot with live jazz and superb cocktails.
@QualitySocial – An upscale-ish dive bar, famous for their pickle-back shots and lack of shiny shirts.
@SyrahWineParlor – An underground “Alice In Wonderland”-inspired wine parlor you must see to believe.
@FluxxSD – A very popular venue offering outstanding go-go dancers, DJs, & changing decor.
Follow them on Twitter, and when you visit tell them I sent you!
My awesome Twitter lists to follow with one click:
SD Places to Eat & Drink:
http://twitter.com/#!/DowntownRob/sd-places-to-eat-drink
My List of 500 Super Cool Peeps:
http://twitter.com/#!/DowntownRob/supercoolpeeps
Follow me on Twitter: @DowntownRob
Pumpkin Spice Cocktail Recipe
(A great recipe I received from the fine folks at Harney Sushi… thanks!)
Pumpkin Spice Cocktail (Photo by TaliaStudio.com)
Pumpkin Spice Cocktail Recipe
PART 1: Pumpkin Puree
- 1 cup diced pumpkin
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cloves
- 3 juniper berries
- 3 ea allspice berries
- 1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
Instructions: In a sauce pan combine all ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes, or until very soft, and blend on high until smooth. Set aside and cool.
PART 2: Vanilla Soju
- 3 ea vanilla beans
- 1 bottle soju
Instructions: Split the vanilla beans and put the entire beans into the soju bottle. Leave for four days.
PART 3: Creating the Pumpkin Spice Cocktail
- 3 oz vanilla soju
- 1 1/2 oz pumpkin puree
- 1 ea cinnamon stick for garnish
- Add cool whip to garnish
- 4 ea micro edible flowers
Instructions: In a shaker combine soju and pumpkin puree and shake with ice, strain into chilled martini glass and float cool whip over the top. Garnish with cinnamon and flowers.
Enjoy!
Harney Sushi
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For additional recipes, join last year’s Chef of the Fest, Anthony Sinsay and celebrity Chef Katsuya Fukushima at “Gourmet From a Can? Absolutely!,” a hands-on cooking class, showcasing canned products with a gourmet twist. Classes will be held at San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival on November 19 from 3:30 to 5 p.m
