By Miriam Raftery

November 12, 2019 (Lemon Grove) – Giardino Neighborhood Cucina celebrated its second anniversary last night, treating all guests to a delicious array of complimentary appetizers as well as toasts with champagne and lavender-vodka lemonade.

The appetizers include savory meatballs, cheese platter, olives, strawberries and more.  Guests also enjoyed live music and a festive ambience with red and gold balloons.

By Miriam Raftery

October 27, 2019 (Alpine) – The holidays are coming. What to serve?  It’s easy as pie! Alpine Ranch is offering a homemade pie-making class on Saturday, November 9 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

From pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving to mince pie at Christmastime, home-made pies are a holiday tradition that’s as American as apple pie.

Cost is $40. To register and get directions, contact Nancy Teas-Crain at ntcrain@me.com or call/text 619-733-5016.

By Olivia Li

October 23, 2019 (San Diego) - San Diego State University’s annual Aztecs Rock Hunger campaign is underway and runs through Nov. 10. This year, the goal is to raise 619,000 pounds of food for the 6-1-9, a play on San Diego County’s primary area code.

By Miriam Raftery 

October 22, 2019 (Spring Valley ) – California’s Largest Annual Amateur Tailgate & BBQ Contest is the perfect way to learn how to take your backyard BBQ skills and test them out in a contest that helps raise money for local youth.The 10th annual Spring Valley Tailgate & BBQ Festival will be held on Sunday, October 27 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

East County News Service

October 21, 2019 (San Diego) – This fabulous fall favorite recipe for Pumpkin Bisque comes to us from Andy Williamson, farmer/owner of Grow Eco, a community supported agriculture farm in San Diego.  You can order boxes of fresh, seasonal local produce delivered to your doorstep on a weekly or every-other-week basis and get more delicious recipes on their website. 

Barons Market to serve up bites paired with Modern Times brews for the final Backroom Beer Pairing of the year.  In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, all proceeds to benefit Michelle’s Place and Susan G. Komen® San Diego

East County News Service

October 10, 2019 (Alpine) -- Barons Market and Modern Times will turn up the heat in the kitchen and crack open their best brews for Southern Californians to enjoy at all eight market locations, including Alpine in East County This will mark the last Backroom Beer Pairing of the year and, as always, guests will support their community as they socialize at Barons’ patios and stockrooms. Barons Market will donate 100 percent of the proceeds from tickets sold for its eight store locations directly to breast cancer awareness organizations Michelle’s Place and Susan G. Komen® San Diego.

Earlybird ticket rates extended to Oct. 2 for our Oct. 5 fiesta

East County Magazine and our East County Dining Club invite you to party hearty at our 

FALL FIESTA!

When: Saturday, October 5 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Where:  D&S Farms, home of Granite Lion Cellars Winery

                                                                     (in their shaded oak grove at 2801 Jamul Highlands, Jamul)

• Catered dinner from La Loteria de Jamul (choice of entrees: chicken poblano or fish in jalapeño/pineapple sauce, plus apple salad, ceviche, chips and salsa, potatoes, roasted vegetables, avocado aioli, and churro)
• Music by Sergio D. Tala (Spanish, Caribbean, rhumba and flamenco. Ole!)
• Wine tasting, wine by the glass available
• Prizes galore, festive fun and more! Prizes include:  $300 gift basket from E-Med spa (facial and skincare products), $200 gift basket from Ava Hair Salon, gift certificates from La Loteria del Jamul,  Round Table Pizza, Home Depot and others, original wine-themed art by Annette Cirillo, purse with fringe and rhinestones, wine lovers' gifts, jewelry and more.

Cost: $33 with RSVP by Oct. 2,  $38 after Oct. 2 (if not sold out); designated driver/no alcohol $28

Tickets:  Click arrow below for menu of ticket options to pay via credit card or Paypal:

East County News Service

September 25, 2019 (El Cajon) – Sycuan Casino Resort has opened three new restaurants:  the Bull and Bourbon steak house, the Elicit Lounge, and Retreat, a poolside venue complete with cabanas and swim-up bar.  View/download menus and learn more at Sycuan.com. 

Below are delicious details on the new Clique Hospitality offerings provided by Sycuan:

By Miriam Raftery

September 20, 2019 (Campo) – Guests kicked up their heels in more ways than one at the Campo Creek Vineyards first-ever Grape Picking and Stomping Party on September 7^th. 

Wine club members and other visitors first got a taste of what it’s like to pick grapes, getting tips on harvesting ripe Pinot Noir grapes on the vines. 

Located on a cattle ranch that dates back to 1888,  the vineyard now has 10,000 vines and the winery produces hand-crafted wines, many with labels featuring cattle, cowboys and ranching themes.

By Miriam Raftery

September 3, 2019 (El Cajon) -- What could be more heavenly than wine made from wildflower honey, orange zest, cane sugar and vanilla?  How about this news: the creators of honey-wines known as “Saccharo” have moved their Pearson Brothers Winery back to its roots, returning to East County.

They now have a new tasting patio in a wildlife sanctuary open as of Sept. 21, as well as a wine club, and recipes for cocktails featuring their sustainably-produced Saccharo honey wines in several new varieties.

East County News Service

September 6, 2019 (Chino, Calif.) -- American Beef Packers, Inc., a Chino, Calif. establishment, is recalling approximately 24,428 pounds of raw beef products that are deemed unfit for human consumption, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Aug. 31.

East County News Service

Photo: Vegan burger, courtesy of Grossmont Center

September 6, 2019 (La Mesa) – You’re invited to taste how delicious a vegan lifestyle can be at the First Friday Night Market at Grossmont Center on Friday, October 4 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sponsored by Vegan San Diego, this free event gathers the most exceptional vegan vendors all in one spot so that you can savor and sip delectable plant-based food and beverages.

By Miriam Raftery

August 9, 2019 (Jamul) -- Over 200 guests turned out at the Jamul Winetasting Festival July 27th at D&S Farms in Jamul, home to Granite Lion Cellars Winery.  A golf cart ferried guests to the festivities in a shady oak grove complete with waterfall, twinkle lights and a stage area carved into a rocky mountainside—all to benefit the St. Pius X Catholic Church building fund.

By Tom Christensen, County of San Diego Communications Office

Image credit:  Shutterstock

August 6, 2019 (San Diego) - You’re rushing off to work in the morning and still have to find time to make a doctor’s appointment, sign permission slips for a field trip and drop the children off at school.

Oh, and find time to pack the kids’ lunches?