Go Thee To Baja! Baja Culinary Fest Oct 11-14

October 11-14 is the 2nd annual Baja California Culinary Fest! Thanks to the generosity of Chef Javier Plascencia, I was able to attend the 1st annual festival last year and with more experience, this year's is promising to be even better. There are many different events over the four days, from special dinners, a gastro tour of Tijuana, a visit to the Ramonetti cheese cellar, a festival in Rosarita, and many more.

It all culminates in a festival at the Galerias Hipodromo. Last year's festival had some of the best restaurants in Tijuana, and this year will probably have even more. Instead of paying an all inclusive ticket, last year attendees buy tickets for each item purchased.
From a whole leg carved on-site by Cheripan, Tijuana's premier Argentinean restaurant.

There was a great chocolate clam cocktail from Catavina (it's a type of Mexican clam, there's no chocolate in it!)

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LA Beer Week and Ticket GIVEAWAY!

The 4th Annual LA Beer Week is coming very soon on September 20-30 and there are many great events for you to look forward to, culminating in the LA Beer Week Festival at the Union Station! You can check the complete event listing here, but here are some of the great events they're having (and don't miss the ticket giveaway at the end of the post!):

  Thursday, Sept 20

• Stone Total Town Takeover: Pasadena | Stone Brewing Co. previews its soon-to-open Stone Company Store – Pasadena location. Co-Founders Steve Wagner & Greg Koch will be on hand, sharing special beers and nibbles from Stone Catering, with live music. Tickets are $25; all proceeds will benefit a local charity. (7-9:30p) Other events with the Stone Brewing Co. team will also be taking place in Pasadena throughout the day. (Details)
• Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Invades Little Tokyo | Far Bar will be pouring 12 of this famed Delaware brewery’s beers, including some very rare and hard-to-get selections. In addition, an extra special treat will be running through the “organoleptic hop transducer module”... better known to Dogfish Head fans as Randall the Enamel Animal. (6p)

Friday, Sept 21

• Poutine Paradise | Five courses of gourmet poutines will be paired with five Schneider-Weisse beers, along with a special dessert pairing at P’tit Soleil Westwood. (Two seatings: 6:30p &8:30p)

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Try This New Rosé Flavor from Le Bon Garçon Caramels!

A while back I raved about Le Bon Garçon, the only caramels I ever really LOVED because it's so smooth, melts in your mouth and never sticks to your teeth.

Well, for a limited time they have a new flavor, Rosé, made with raspberry, lychee and rose essence. 
You can easily tell which one is the Rosé from the color, since unlike the others that are caramel colored, the Rosé is reddish!

Nutty and sea salt caramels are pretty common these days (although Le Bon Garcon's handmade versions are still the best), and Le Bon Garcon's seasonal fruit flavors stand out. The Rose is noticeably fruity but not as tart as the mango-passion, a great option for those looking for a little something extra in their caramel treats!