$29 Mount Baldy lunch deal returns

In a repeat of a deal offered back in May, one of the current Google Offers for Los Angeles is “$29 for $60 toward a ‘Lookout Lunch for Two’ on Mt. Baldy.”

What do you get for your $29?

Two round-trip chair lift tickets to the 7,800-foot-elevation Top of the Notch restaurant (up to $40 value) and $20 to spend on food and drinks while you’re there.

Lunch entres are $13.95 and under, so it may cost you a couple of bucks more for your food and drinks, but it’s still a decent price for one of the more unique dining experiences here in the Inland Empire, I think.

You’ve got until next Thursday (August 2) to purchase, but can redeem any time during daytime operating hours (from 11 a.m. Fridays and from 7 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays) through October 1.

Click here for more information or to purchase.

Lobster and more in Blue Jay this weekend

61485-JensensLobsterFest-thumb-250x160-61484.png

Jensen’s Finest Foods is once again flying in live Maine lobster to the San Bernardino Mountains as its Blue Jay location celebrates Lobster Fest from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday (July 27), Saturday (July 28) and Sunday (July 29).

In addition to lobster, diners can also choose Bluepoint oysters, a grilled Portobello mushroom, or Angus steak. Garden salad, wine, beer, water, soda and fresh-baked blueberry peach cobbler will also be available.

Prices range from $8.99 for half a dozen oysters to $39.99 for a pair of 1-pound lobsters.

Dinners come with coleslaw, rice and a dinner roll.

Also, on Saturday, there will be a Wine Walk from 1 to 5 p.m.

Plus, there are free concerts at nearby Lake Arrowhead Village beginning at 6:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Friday’s concert features the Fenians, an Irish/Rock group, and on Saturday, Martha Davis and the Motels will play.

The event will end Sunday when supplies run out.

The Blue Jay Jensen’s is at 27264 Highway 189.

For more information, click here.

$29 for lunch with a view on Mount Baldy

One of the current Google Offers for Los Angeles is “$29 for $60 toward a ‘Lookout Lunch for Two’ on Mt. Baldy.”

So, what do you get for your $29?

Two round-trip chair lift tickets to the 7,800-foot-elevation Top of the Notch restaurant (up to $40 value) and $20 to spend on food and drinks while you’re there.

Looking at the menu, all items are under $13, and most of them are below $10, so $20 should cover most of lunch for two.

A decent price for one of the more unique dining experiences here in the Inland Empire, eh?

You’ve got until next Tuesday (June 5) to purchase, but can redeem any time during daytime operating hours through September 24.

Click here for more information or to purchase.

Taste of Lake Arrowhead is Thursday

The annual Taste of Lake Arrowhead returns to the Lake Arrowhead Resort and Spa on Thursday (December 1).

The event will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the resort, 27984 Highway 189, Lake Arrowhead.

It kicks off with the lighting of the resort Christmas tree.

In addition to food samples provided by local restaurants, there will also be desserts, wine and beer tastings and entertainment.

Three awards will be given away at the end of the event: Best of the Taste of Lake Arrowhead, Critic’s Choice and Most Creative Display.

The cost is $25 per person along with either a toy or gift card for Operation Provider.

For reservations or more information, please contact the Lake Arrowhead Communities Chamber of Commerce at 909-337-3715, or purchase tickets online by clicking here.

Second annual Lake Arrowhead Brewfest is Saturday

What a perfect way to spend a sunny fall afternoon: Relaxing lakeside, sampling beer from a variety of brewers.

Sound like fun? You can do just that at the second annual Lake Arrowhead Brewfest this Saturday (October 8).

The festival will take place lakeside from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Arrowhead Lake Association’s Tavern Bay Beach Club, 28399 North Shore Road.

Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 the day of the event. A $10 designated driver ticket is also available. Click here to buy tickets online and avoid the possibility of getting turned away at the door.

Your admission price to the fest, a fundraiser for the Lake Arrowhead Communities Chamber of Commerce, includes a commemorative beer glass.

The event will feature a live how-to beer brewing demonstration, and John Palmer, author of “How to Brew,” will again take part in the event.

Participants include Redlands’ Hangar 24 Craft Brewery, Big Bear Brewing Company, Riverside’s Inland Empire Brewing Company, Carlsbad’s On The Tracks Brewery and Escondido’s Stone Brewing Co.

In addition, Riverside’s Beer, Beer, and More Beer is partnering with the Mountain Brew Club for the event.

Lake Arrowhead mom wins Paula Deen recipe contest

A while back we told you of a local mom, Monica Williams Staniec of Lake Arrowhead, who was one of 16 finalists in the second season of Kraft Foods’ and Paula Deen’s “Real Women of Philadelphia” recipe contest.

Entrants submitted videos showcasing original recipes featuring Philadelphia Cream Cheese or Philadelphia Cooking Creme.

Well, the final event was held on June 30 in Savannah, Ga., and…she won!

Monica won in the side dish category for her Stuffed Eggplant with Savory Garlic Cooking Creme recipe.

The winners in the other three categories are:

Monica and the other three winners each received a talent contract worth $25,000, will star in their own cooking videos, will contribute to a cookbook featuring the community’s favorite cream cheese recipes from the season and host the Real Women of Philadelphia community for the remainder of the year.

Congratulations, Monica!

Her introductory post on the Real Women of Philadelphia site has just gone live. You can read it here.

Follow the jump to see the side dish finalists cook-off and to see Monica’s original recipe video entry.
Continue reading “Lake Arrowhead mom wins Paula Deen recipe contest” »

Local mom a finalist in Paula Deen cooking contest

Apparently, the local mountains are brimming with creative folks!

First, we had a nine-year-old whose hippos were a smash in Ore-Ida’s “Mash Destruction” contest.

Now we have a mom, Monica Williams Staniec of Lake Arrowhead, who is one of 16 finalists in the second season of Kraft Foods’ and Paula Deen’s “Real Women of Philadelphia” recipe contest.

Entrants submitted videos showcasing original recipes featuring Philadelphia Cream Cheese or Philadelphia Cooking Creme.

See what they did there?

Recipes could be entered in one of four categories: appetizer, side dish, entree and dessert.

Monica was recently named a finalist in the side dish category for her Stuffed Eggplant with Savory Garlic Cooking Creme recipe.

She and the other finalists will be flown to Savannah, Ga., to meet Paula and attend the final event on June 30, where four winners will receive $25,000.

Go, Monica!

Click through to the jump to see Monica’s recipe video…and of her reaction upon hearing the news she was a finalist.
Continue reading “Local mom a finalist in Paula Deen cooking contest” »

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.

Presenting Hangar 24’s Alt-Bier: The home game

That’s right.

Redlands’ Hangar 24 Craft Brewery has finally begun bottling its Alt-Bier for purchase in your favorite store.

And if you want the opportunity to purchase the very first Alt-Bier 6-pack off the assembly line, head to the brewery, 1710 Sessums Drive, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday (August 28).

If you sample a pint of Alt-Bier during that time, you’ll receive a raffle ticket which will be entered into a drawing.

At 1 p.m., they’ll pick one raffle ticket to decide who will be able to purchase that inaugural 6-pack, which will be signed by the staff of Hangar 24.

Immediately afterward, sales will be opened up to all.

Click here to see artwork of the Alt-Bier 6-packs.

Here’s video of the very first bottle of Alt-Bier rolling off the assembly line:

In other Hangar 24 news, a limited release of Orange Wheat 24-packs will go on sale September 1.

Also, they are now distributing in the San Bernardino Mountains. Follow the jump to see where you can currently buy Hangar 24 up there.
Continue reading “Presenting Hangar 24’s Alt-Bier: The home game” »