la jolla

Spotlight on… Café La Rue! We've been talking about some of our favorite places to get eats as well as drinks lately.  Right now, it's Café La Rue's turn!   Café La Rue is a relatively new place in an old haunt – the bar and bistro reopened last year at La Jolla's historic La Valencia Hotel, which is known as "The Pink Lady," after closing down for a makeover and taking over the space of an iconic bar called The Whaling Bar – traces of which still live on in its décor and some of its drinks. Café La Rue has also updated its menu, favoring simple foods but with a European flair: their dishes include smoked cheddar bratwurst – made with IPA beer cheese – and pork belly confit poutine.  Delicious!  Even their french fries are simple yet superb: they're…

It's almost springtime already! You know how we know? It's not the blue skies or the buds popping out on the trees. No, the real sign that spring is almost here is the annual Farmer's Insurance Open Golf Tournament at the Torrey Pines Golf Course. Even if you don't play, the PGA Tour tournament is sure to be a great time. Golf is only the tip of the iceberg during that week – the crowds will also be treated to delightful food and drink, the opportunity to celebrity-watch, and be surrounded by gleaming, vintage cars. It's also for a good cause, as the tournament works closely with local charities that provide help for schools and childrens' centers!  They're also looking for volunteers, which is a great way to take in all the sights while giving back to the community.  That's…

It was Thursday November 29, 2012, and Paul Anthony and I were very excited about the evening’s plans. We had signed up for Michael David "Zins of Sin" 6-Course Dinner at Proprietor's Reserve. In fact, we were so looking forward to eating and drinking at one of our favorite San Diego places that we arrived a whole half hour early to the event!  That was a very slow half hour as we waited with anticipatory breath and salivatory glands for an evening we predicted would be full of delightful decadence.  Erin and Michael did not disappoint. Erin impressed our refined palates with dishes she had prepared with perfect precision and a brilliant mind for impeccable wine pairing. We even got to purchase these beautiful wines at a great price. (Being a member of Proprietors Reserve Wine Club has some huge…

`Tis the season for giving. While we think that nothing is better than the gift of a winery train tour, chauffeured tour, or a beer tasting tour through beautiful San Diego, we also like to give back. In fact, it's one of the things we're most proud of! Did you know that a portion of all of our money made goes to San Diego's underprivileged children and teens, and another portion goes to people struggling with health or financial challenges? So every time you buy a tour, you're not just having a great time, you're also helping out people who need it.   If you prefer to donate directly, here are some of our favorite charities:   Summit4StemCell, tour guide Marti's organization of choice, is part of the Parkinson's Association of San Diego and supports non-embryonic stem cell research in…

We're now less than a week away from one of the most hotly-anticipated events of the beer world.  San Diego Beer Week is a way for San Diegans to celebrate the amazing beer culture surrounding us, and for people all over the world who are visiting spectacular San Diego.  Celebrate BEER WEEK with us at San Diego Beer and Wine Tours with the Ultimate Beer & Food Walking Tour. Beer Week starts November 2nd, and runs through the 11th. Yeah, we know, that's nearly a week and a half, but who's counting?  Its official kickoff event is the San Diego Brewer's Guild Festival on Saturday, November 3rd, when Mayor Jerry Sanders will help tap the first keg.  The rest of the long week is studded with all kinds of beer-related events, pairing classes, brewery showcases, and Q&A with some of the…

October in San Diego is a magical time. While we don't really have classic autumn weather, the marine layer creeps in and the scorching heat abates just enough for the weather to be as perfect as it ever gets in our lovely city: not too hot, not too cold. This makes late October the perfect time to dress up and go party. Luckily for all of us, all the best Halloween parties are in late October. But perhaps you were busy or just moved here. If you don't you'll do this Halloween and you're looking for a good scare, we can help. In fact, we'd love to have you come along on our Spook-tacular Halloween Wine Tour or Trick or Treat Winery Train Tour or Halloween Beer Train. We'll have a spooky (and very tasty) good time. Costumes aren't just tolerated, they're encouraged….

O'zapft is! Greetings, fellow beer lovers! As you're probably already well aware, Oktoberfest kicked off in Bavaria over the weekend. October is one of the best months for cerevisaphiles and those who love them for many reasons. First, you get all the wonderful fall ales and pumpkin-brewed specials. Second, the cooler weather just makes beer taste better – we don't know why, but it does. Instead of watching the leaves turn around here, we just watch the new brews appear. The most important reason why October is one of the best months for beer lovers is Oktoberfest, and all the good things that come with it! Since we're not in Munich, we can't attend the biggest fair in the world – but we can fake it by drinking our favorite traditional Oktoberfest brew. You probably already know about the Oktoberfests…

One of our favorite days of the year is here – it's National Wine Day in the United States, and we'll definitely be celebrating! How are you going to celebrate? If you need ideas, we've got plenty. You could learn about local wineries on one of our walking tours, you could sit back and enjoy a coastal train tour, or a take a guided tour with us through San Diego's Wine Country.  Don't know your blends from your varietals? If you want to more fully appreciate National Wine Day, why not throw yourself a tasting party? We'll lend our expertise and put together a great dinner to go with your drinks so you can pair like a champion.  Happy Wine Day, with love from everyone at San Diego Beer and Wine Tours! Brooke B., Wine Lover

The La Jolla Half Marathon is this Sunday, and in its honor we're going to tell you a secret. If you're a runner, you probably already know it. If you aren't a runner, this might change your mind. Here it is. After a long run, there are a very few drinks recommended for recovery during training for a marathon. As hardcore runners and Hash House Harriers have known for generations, one of the shining stars of recovery drinks is… beer. Thirsty after the run? La Jolla Brew House has just the ticket to quench your thirst! That's right – after punishing your body after a long run, it turns out that tipping back a beer or two will not only help your body combat inflammation and soreness, it will also pump up your immune system and help your body fight…

It’s a great day to make soup. Here’s a tasty recipe that’s easy and full of delicious minerals! Yellow Lentil Soup Boil lentils in 3x the water. Turn off stove and let sit 2 hrs. Drain and rinse. Make broth by simmering veggies of choice with water, kombu (dried seaweed), dried mushrooms, garlic, onions, bayleaf, dried herbs such as thyme. Cook the lentils with the broth. Add sweet potato chunks last half hour of cooking. When done add salt, pepper and little curry powder and WeOlive olive oil. Cook for another 10 mins. Serve with warm crusty rye bread and butter and an IPA (my current fav is Lagunitas Hop Stoopid). Join us on a beer and food walking tour and taste some great local IPAs. -Shira Bliss, Lentil Lover