Upcoming Events in SD + BC

Spring has almost sprung. What does that mean? Festival season is upon us! Here are a few events on the eatdrinkbaja radar screen. Check back again, as more events will be posted soon!

Saturday, March 19 Sabor Latino, Fashion Valley

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This event, benefiting Media Arts Center San Diego’s youth media scholarships and part of the San Diego Latino Film Festival, boasts some great Baja chefs, including Miguel Angel Guerrero of La Querencia + La Esperanza, Diego Hernandez of Corazon de Tierra, Oso Campos of Tacos Kokopelli + Martin San Roman of La Terrasse San Roman PLUS Border X Brewery, Adobe Guadalupe, Villa Montefiori, Lomita + Vena Cava. $35/advance seems quite reasonable!

Saturday, March 19 + Sunday, March 20, Latin American Art Festival, Liberty Station

LAAF 2016

We were unable to attend last year, but this FREE festival claims to feature Baja chefs + wines in addition to more than 100 artists. We think it’s worth a check-out!

Sunday, April 3, Festival de Las Conchas y El Vino Nuevo, Ensenada

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This grand tasting was our runner-up for fave event of 2015, second only to the Vendimia Paella Fest, the granddaddy of all Baja food fests. At Conchas you’ll find more than 40 chefs serving up clams, mussels, oysters + abalone, raw & cooked to perfection, with about as many wineries pouring. Food station, winery lines were not long; chefs were happy to meet/chat; a great mix of locals + gringos in attendance; entertaining + educational cooking  demos. A fantastic way to spend the first Sunday in April for about $30 US! Highly recommended. Read about our visit last year. 

Winning Wine

We were excited to see one of our favorite wines from one of our favorite wineries – Lomita in Valle de Guadalupe – spotlighted as Wine of the Week by Michele Parente in The San Diego Union-Tribune. To quote Michele, Pagano is “made of 100 percent grenache . . . a crimson-colored pleaser with a youthful brightness in the glass and red berries and smoky caramel undertones on the palate.” Pagano is available on this side of the border for $28 at Whole Foods, 3rd Corner in OB and via OWC wines; frankly, I don’t believe we paid more than $18 when we purchased it after tasting at the beautiful Lomita winery. Definitely a worthy wine, and a recommended stop when you are in the Valle!

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Bonus Baja: Michele also reports that the Baja Wine Club will hold its first anniversary tasting Thursday, September 24 (tomorrow!) at Savoie French Italian Eatery at Otay Ranch Center. Sounds like a deal: five wines (from Vena Cava, Legado Sais, Bodegas San Rafael, Bodegas de Santo Tomas & Emeve) for $25 advance/$30 door. And the tasting benefits Dr. Betty Jones’ wonderful Hospital Infantil de las Californias!

Baja Wine Club 1st Anniv