Marie Callender’s pie sale this month

How much do you love Marie Callender’s pies?

How much more will you love them if you can save from $3.50 to $8.50 per pie?

That’s right, until October 31, you can get a whole pie to go (excluding cheesecakes and seasonal fresh fruit pies) for only $6.99, plus tin.

Sale pies include apple, banana cream, berry, blueberry, cherry, coconut cream, French apple, lemon merengue, peach and pumpkin.

Perhaps one day someone can explain to me how apple, banana cream, berry, blueberry and cherry pies are not considered seasonal fresh fruit pies.

Until then, you’ll find Marie Callender’s throughout the Inland Empire (but not in San Bernardino).

For more information, click here. Click here for a list of those non-seasonal fresh fruit pies.

Chino Hills Johnny Rockets has gone to the dogs

The Johnny Rockets in The Shoppes at Chino Hills (13865 City Center Drive, #3093) has gone to the dogs, quite literally.

They’ve entered into a partnership with Three Dog Bakery and come up with a new menu for man’s best friend that can be enjoyed on their dog-friendly patio.

While you dine on burgers and fries, your canine companion can eat a doggie burger, ice cream, pupcakes or carob ruffles.

In addition, they’re sponsoring two monthly events:

  • Bark Busters lecture series: On the first Saturday of the month, trainer Wendy Blanch of Bark Busters will offer dog training tips and will lecture on topics such as dog safety, bringing home a new dog and adjusting your dog to new children in the home. Due to limited space, owners only should attend the lectures.
  • Dog adoptions with Priceless Pets: On the first Thursday of the month, Priceless Pets Rescue will hold dog adoptions on the patio.

So, stop by the Chino Hills Johnny Rockets for a…um…dog-gone good time!

For more information, call the restaurant at 909-627-3366.

Pancakes for a buck? Sign me up!

The fifth Old Fashioned Family Pancake Breakfast will be held from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday (October 16) on Foothill Boulevard, east of Haven (across from Terra Vista Town Center) in Rancho Cucamonga. (The exact address may be 10861 Foothill Blvd. — look for the American flag)

It’ll only cost you $1 if you’re over the age of 5, and 50 if you’re under the age of 5.

And if you’re 5 or younger and reading this, congratulations!

Rancho Cucamonga seniors will be served free.

The event is a fundraiser for the Rancho Cucamonga-based GAP Food Bank.

Canned food donations will also be accepted during the breakfast.

Buying groceries? You might want to wait ’til tomorrow night…

That’s because Saint Peter Saint Paul school in Rancho Cucamonga is having a fresh & easy Shopping Night fundraiser from 4 to 8 p.m. tomorrow night (October 7).

Shop at the fresh & easy at 8956 Foothill Blvd. (at Vineyard Avenue) in Rancho Cucamonga during that time and 5% of your purchase will go to the school.

Certainly an easy way to help out.

Jensen’s Oktoberfest fundraiser coming Saturday

Perhaps Jensen’s is onto something, like the first person who ever put peanut butter together with jelly.

In a seemingly odd pairing of events, Saturday marks not only a 5k fun walk, but also an Oktoberfest celebration.

The inaugural Jensen’s Community Breast Cancer Walk and Oktoberfest will kick off at 9 a.m. at Rim of the World High School. After the walk, as part of their registration fee, participants can enjoy a traditional Oktoberfest meal of German sausage, German potato salad and sauerkraut at Jensen’s Blue Jay market, 27264 Highway 189.

Both events are open to all.

Registration for the fun walk is $25 (or $30 the day of the event) for the walk for adults and $10 (or $15 the day of the event) for kids 8 to 13. Registration includes the full Oktoberfest lunch, a commemorative
t-shirt and bracelet, and a “goody bag” which will include lots of free
treats.

Proceeds will go to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation to help fight breast cancer.

In addition, during the month
of October, all Jensen’s mountain locations will be raising money for
the Susan G. Komen Foundation with in-store $1 and $5 donation slips.

Joining Jensen’s in their fundraising efforts are groups such as
the Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Mountains Community Hospital, the
Soroptomist Club, Fischle Instant Printing and Rim High wrestling, cheer
and Interact Club.

The
Oktoberfest celebration, at which beer and a loaded potato soup will also be available, will continue from 11 a.m. to 6
p.m.

According to a press release, the Jensen’s Community Breast Cancer Walk and Oktoberfest is the brain child of Jensen’s buyer Kim Grotewold and former Jensen’s deli manager Chris Navratil, a breast cancer survivor, as a way to promote mountain community involvement, raise awareness and thank Jensen’s customers for their loyalty and trust over the past 70 years.

Wrightwood Chili Fest is this Saturday

The annual Wrightwood Chili Fest will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday (October 9) at the Wrightwood Community Center, 1275 State Route 2.

The event includes chili, cornbread and salsa competitions for trophies and cash prizes. Chili entries are made from scratch and prepared on site. The chili competition will take place in the center’s parking lot, between Park Drive and Pine Street.

Categories include: Best Beanless, Anything Goes, Best Vegetarian, People’s Choice and Best Corn Bread Accompaniment. Submissions will be judged on flavor, consistency, heat and appearance.

Salsa entries are made off-site and brought in on event day.

Public tasting of salsa entries will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tasting tickets are $2. Judging for the salsa contest begins at noon.

Tasting for the chili entries begins at 2 p.m. Tasting tickets are $3. Judging for the chili and cornbread contests begins at 3 p.m.

Results for all contests will be announced at 4 p.m. Prizes for will be awarded to the winner of each category including People’s Choice.

The Chili Fest is open to all competitors. There’s no entry deadline, but on the day of the event, the entry fee goes from $10 to $15 for the chili competition and from $5 to $10 for the salsa competition.

Proceeds go to the Wrightwood Chamber of Commerce.

Also that day will be the Eighth Annual Willys and Jeep event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Park Street.

Click here for more information, including entry forms.

Boy Scouts’ “good turn” food drive this Saturday

The Boy Scouts of America, who are celebrating their centennial this year, are encouraging their scouts to do a “Good Turn for America”.

The members of the Boy Scouts of America, Grayback District, have chosen to collect food donations for distribution to local assistance agencies within their district.

They will be staffing collection barrels for non-perishable food and other items from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday (October 9) at Stater Bros., Vons, Gerrards, and Albertsons markets in the East Valley.

The donations collected will be distributed to the Family Service Association of Redlands, Yucaipa Family Assistance in the Yucaipa and Calimesa area, the Redlands Salvation Army, and H.E.L.P., Inc., in the San Gorgonio Pass area.

The scouts are undertaking this project due to the negative impact the
current economy has had on the ability for these United Way agencies to
serve the needy. The scouts are asking local shoppers to help them make
up the shortfall as we move into the holiday season.

So if you
see the scouts at your local market, please spend a couple of extra
bucks in the store and get some non-perishable goods to drop in their
containers.

Dine 909 thanks you in advance.

Follow the jump to find the donation locations.
Continue reading “Boy Scouts’ “good turn” food drive this Saturday” »

Moonshine meetup in Fontana, Temecula

46301-midnightmoon.png

NASCAR Hall of Famer Junior Johnson will be making a pair of appearances in the Inland Empire this week.

So what does this have to do with Dine 909?

Johnson is also part owner of Piedmont Distillers, a North Carolina-based craft spirits distillery.

In other words, he’s a moonshiner.

He’s meeting with fans in celebration of both the introduction of his legal moonshine here in California and this weekend’s final Pepsi Max 400 at the Auto Club Speedway.

He’ll be autographing bottles of Junior Johnson’s Midnight Moon and the limited-edition Midnight Moon Hall of Fame Collector’s Series at Stater Bros. markets in Fontana and Temecula.

From 4 to 6 p.m. tomorrow (October 5), Johnson will be at the Stater Bros. in the Sierra Crossroads, 11225 Sierra Ave. in Fontana. From 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday (October 6), he’ll be at the Stater Bros. at 31813 Temecula Parkway in Temecula.

For those of you unfamiliar with moonshine, “Midnight Moon is made from American corn, 80 proof and triple-distilled to deliver an ultra-smooth, clean tasting spirit that is often preferred
over the world’s best vodkas,” according to a press release.

The Midnight Moon Hall of Fame Collector’s Series was created to commemorate Johnson’s induction into the inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame earlier this year. Each of the six unique bottle designs features a collage of historic photos that document his racing career.

Drinking and driving don’t mix, but Johnson is proof you can have a successful career in both.

In a cheesy mood?

The Cheese Cave, which opened this summer in the Claremont Village, is featured in the October issue of Los Angeles Magazine. But you’ll find a longer article here, which is in today’s Daily Bulletin.

This cheese shop features 125 varieties of cheese and other food items that go with cheese (Dale Bros. beer, nicoise olives, fig crackers, etc.) Their sandwich menu changes everyday and can be viewed on their Facebook page. Want some caffeine with that cheese? They serve cold brew, which is Mexican coca-cola with coffee ice cubes.

Hit them up for some samples at 325 Yale Ave. They’re across from Walter’s. 

San Manuel scares up bewitching beverage

46107-blackmagic-thumb-250x350-46106.png

San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino’s food and beverage team has created a new signature drink to be served at the casino, at your Halloween gathering or while watching the Mad Monster Party DVD.

It’s been dubbed the San Manuel Black Magic, and what gives the drink its spooky vibe is the addition of Blavod black vodka.

Here’s the recipe:

San Manuel Black Magic

  • 2 ounces Blavod black vodka
  • ounce grenadine
  • Sierra Mist (or any lemon-lime soda)
  • Maraschino cherry for garnish
Pour the vodka and grenadine into an ice-filled collins glass. Fill with soda. Garnish with the cherry.

How far is fun? Within arm’s reach, apparently.

Cheers!