East County Magazine
Our guide to coffee shops in San Diego’s inland region
By Branda Gorgies, Miriam Raftery and Karen Pearlman Whether you’re looking for a quick cup of coffee or a jumping java joint complete with live music, poetry readings and delicious dishes, San Diego’s inland region has an array coffee houses brimming with both character and freshly-brewed coffee choices. Whether you’re seeking espressos, mixed coffee beverages, cold brews, or just
35TH ANNUAL VINTAGE ALPINE MAY 4 OFFERS TASTES OF LOCAL WINES, BEERS, AND FOOD
By Miriam Raftery April 8, 2025 (Alpine) –You’re invited to the 35th annual Vintage Alpine on May 4 at the beautiful Summers Past Farms in Flinn Springs. The event features tastes of over 40 wines as well as beers, samples from fine local restaurants and live music—all for a good cause. Proceeds benefit the Kiwanis Club of Alpine Foundation,
Our guide to movie viewing options in San Diego’s inland region
By Miriam Raftery San Diego’s inland region has a variety of cinema options, including several movie theaters (some with upscale options), outdoor movies in the park for six months each year, summer “dive-in” movies at a pool, and a desert film festival. Beyond popcorn, many local theaters also offer a wide array of foods and even alcoholic beverages. Scroll down
HIMALAYAN RESTAURANT CELEBRATES 18TH ANNIVERSARY
By Miriam Raftery April 10, 2025 (La Mesa) – Khem Kharel, owner of Himalayan Cuisine in La Mesa, pulled out all the stops to celebrate the popular restaurant’s 18th anniversary with a lavish party on March 26. The restaurant that first opened in 2007 and expanded in 2012 specializes in Nepalese, Indian and Tibetan dishes.
MANZANITA SPRING RENDEZVOUS: MOUNTAIN MEN, PIONEERS AND MORE
By Miriam Raftery (Click image above to view flyer with sign-up details) April 10, 2025 (Campo) – You’re invited to join mountain men, fur trappers and pioneer families from the Laguna Mountain Rendezvous for “Shinin’ Times” that rewind back to the 1820s. The organization’s spring camp will be held May 2-10 at Northcote Ranch,2402 Lake Morena Drive in Campo. Spread
Our guide to annual festivals in San Diego’s inland region
Each year, San Diego County’s inland communities host many special events and festivals that reflect our region’s colorful history, arts and music, cultural heritage, diversity, beautiful environment, and holiday celebrations. Parades, outdoor concerts and movies, country fairs, classic car shows, powwows, rodeos, Oktoberfests, ethnic events, wine and food tastings, seasonal and holiday festivities are just some of the many annual
LEMON GROVE HOSTS EGGSTRAVAGANZA APRIL 19
East County News Service April 8, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – Lemon Grove invites you to hop on over to the Lemon Grove Recreation Center at 3131 School Lane, Lemon Grove for the city’s ninth annual Eggstravanza from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Saturday, April 19. Egg hunts with 10,000 eggs are scheduled by age group at the following times (age
BUTTERFLY JUNGLE AT SAFARI PARK OPEN NOW THROUGH APRIL 20
East County News Service Photo: Blue Morpho butterfly, by Amanda Martinez, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance April 6, 2025 (Escondido) – The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is offered a “butterfly safari” at its Butterfly Jungle open now through April 20. Become immersed in the vibrant world of pollinators as you explore the Safari Park’s Butterfly Jungle. Once a year,
STATE DECLARES CITRUS QUARANTINE EXPANSION IN VALLEY CENTER
By County News Center, County of San Diego Communications Office April 4, 2025 (San Diego) – The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) declared a citrus quarantine expansion in Valley Center on March 26, after detecting the fatal citrus tree disease known as Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, in two citrus trees in residential neighborhoods in the Valley Center
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: PLAYING POSSUM
East County News Service April 4, 2025 (La Mesa) – Cailin Acosta spotted these playful opossums on the fence in her La Mesa yard. “I was super excited, but my 12 year old twins were not impressed, ha,” she writes. “I did reach out and touch its fur. It was crispy, like a Bristol scrub, so interesting!” Printer-friendly
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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting — not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine’s local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
Our Guide to Live Entertainment venues
BE A FLOWER HELPER (OR JUST AN ADMIRER) AT THE WORLD’S BIGGEST FLOWER PARADE
Roses for Bayer float December 1, 2008 (Pasadena) — For a unique adventure just up the road, you can help behind the scenes in the days before the Jan. 1st Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena. The parade will be seen by 40 million people on Jan. 1 on TV networks including HGTV. Each float is decorated with more flowers
HOLIDAY SEASON ARRIVES IN EAST COUNTY
By Miriam Raftery It’s official! The holiday season has begun, heralded in by special events across East County. Over 100,000 people turned out to watch the 2008 Mother Goose Parade on Sunday, which had a “Heroes of Might and Magic” theme. Dazzling floats, giant balloons, equestrians, marching bands, 50 celebrities plus heroes ranging from fictional Star Wars characters to real-life
HOTEL CASSIOPEIA
Reviewed by Kathy Carpenter Now showing at the Don Powell Theatre at the San Diego State University campus, through December 7, 2008. Sundays 2:00 p.m. all other days 8:00 p.m. For ticket information call 619-594-6884 or check online at www.theatre.sdsu.edu. Charles L Mee’s Hotel Cassiopeia follows the American collage artist Joseph Cornell. Cornell’s dreamlike abstract art is the theme of
COOL! OUTDOOR ICE RINK OPENS AT VIEJAS OUTLET CENTER: ICE SHOW, TREE-LIGHTING CEREMONY NOV. 22
By Miriam Raftery November 17, 2008 (Alpine) — Looking for the coolest place in East County? The largest outdoor ice rink in Southern California is now open for the holiday season at Viejas Outlet Center in Alpine. Skating costs $12 for 90 minutes, including skates. (Watch skating live via the Viejas webcam) An ice show extravaganza will be held Saturday,
TALKING TURKEY: BEST THANKSGIVING OPTIONS FOR EAST COUNTY RESIDENTS
By Miriam Raftery Credit: Leon Thompson Whether your holiday spirit hearkens for a traditional feast or offbeat alternative activities, you’ll find plenty of tempting choices in and around East County this Thanksgiving weekend. Here are a few of my favorite discoveries for ECM readers to savor: Wild turkeys outside Pine Hills Lodge, Julian. Credit: Miriam Raftery Feast in the Woods:
WATER FOR CHILDREN AFRICA PRESENTS THE 12TH AFRICAN TRADE AND BUSINESS CONFERENCE NOV. 22
By Miriam Raftery November 17, 2008 (San Diego) — The twelfth Annual Africa Trade and Business Conference sponsored by Water For Children Africa will be held November 21-23, 2008. Inspired after a visit to Africa with her mother, El Cajon resident Vickie Butcher founded the nonprofit organization to create infrastructure for bringing clean, safe water and medical supplies to help
MOTHER OF ALL FESTIVALS – A STAR-STUDDED MOTHER GOOSE PARADE!
By Miriam Raftery November 17, 2008 (El Cajon) — The mother of all East County festivals takes place this Sunday, November 23rd. The Mother Goose Parade in downtown El Cajon is the largest parade in San Diego County and the biggest parade of its kind west of the Mississippi. This year, parade organizers have assembled a dazzling array of 50
VINES AND STEINS – ORFILA VINEYARD & WINERY
By Richard Noel Orfila employee Dolores Castaneda pours a generous taste for Shari Zollo (right) of Vista, who enjoyed the festivities with Barbara Deuel and Drea Zollo Bush (both of Oceanside). “Oh yes, it’s Eighties night!” For all those who still wear their sunglasses at night, you could have worn them to Orfila Vineyards’ tasting room as the crew kept
GREEN HOUSES: DEL CERRO DESIGNER COOKS UP A GREEN KITCHEN
By Miriam Raftery November 1, 2008 (Del Cerro) — “Clients will ask, `How can we go green and still make it beautiful? That’s really the trick,” observes designer Rick Fahmie of Kitchen Expo. Fahmie designed a green kitchen in his own Del Cerro home, using utilizing natural and eco-friendly materials as well as maximizing energy efficiency. “Granite is as green
HUNGRY IN EAST COUNTY
Story and photos by Gayle Early November 1, 2008 (La Mesa/Spring Valley) – It’s 7:00 a.m., third Saturday of the month. The line behind Crosspointe Life Church in La Mesa snakes through the parking lot and all the way down the alley. Feeding America, a nonprofit agency formerly known as Second Harvest, has dropped off its monthly food distribution here
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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting — not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine’s local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
Our Guide to Live Entertainment venues