East Village Tavern and Bowl + Giveaway!

When was the last time you went bowling?

I must admit, 

it's been a while for me, 

mostly because the bowling alley right by my house is very..... vintage. 

Smelly shoes and greasy food is not exactly my idea of a good time,

but fortunately, East Village Tavern and Bowl is a game changer!

A few weeks ago they invited me over for some bowling, dining and drinks,

and I had SUCH a good time. 

This is not your average bowling alley. 

It's super modern, has good music, yummy drinks, and delicious food! 

No more greasy pizza and flat pitchers of beer for you!

And guess what? 

To help spread the fun, I'm hosting an AMAZING giveaway!

Get the party rollin' at Tavern and Bowl with 5 of your closest friends,

cause you can win 1 lane for 2 hours and bowling shoe rentals,

plus 2 flatbread pizzas & 2 soft drink pitchers.

Approximate value of $180!

Redeem at any of the four locations,

Costa Mesa, East Village, East Lake or North County. 

To enter, simply leave your Name and Email in the comments below. 

Giveaway will run from the time this post goes live, until Friday, May 22nd,

and I'll personally contact the winner as soon as it's over. 

Good luck!

Farmer's Market Burrata - burrata cheese and heirloom tomatoes, topped with basil puree, with roasted garlic and grilled bread.

East Village Tavern and Bowl

930 Market St.

San Diego, CA

VIPink Brunch Giveaway + Shades of Pink Cocktail

Hello!
Any other brunch lovers out there?
It's one of my favorite pastimes, and when I can brunch for a good cause, that's even better!
Won't you join me this weekend?

On Sunday, May 3rd Westfield Mission Valley will host its popular VIPink Brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
It is a charitable culinary and shopping experience that benefits the work of Bright Pink,
the only national nonprofit org focused on prevention and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer in young women.
VIPink will bring together fashionistas, foodies and shoppers for a fabulous afternoon outdoors
where guests will dine, drink and shop for a great cause.
For a $10 donation, guests will enjoy a bevy of activities, including:
• Craft cocktails by master mixologists of Rumbling Tins  (SOO yummy! See below for recipe.)
• Delectable brunch bites by Gordon Biersch
• Pink donut station by Nomad Donuts
• A live, interactive fashion show
• Styling by Fashion Group International
• Pampering mini beauty treatments
• Live music
• Activities, giveaways and more!

Guests will also have the chance to go on the ultimate shopping experience around Westfield Mission Valley,
where they’ll receive samples, swag and exclusive discounts.
Most importantly, 100% of the proceeds benefit Bright Pink.
Tickets and more details are available HERE.

I'm also happy to report that I am hosting a GIVEAWAY for a pair of tickets right here, right meow!
Last week I got together with one of the sponsors, Rumbling Tins,
to taste-test one of their signature cocktails for you - Fifty Shades of Pink!
Check out the featured cocktail recipe below,
and if that sounds delicious,
enter for a chance to taste it yourself this Sunday!

Recipe courtesy of Eric Johnson of Rumbling Tins:

• 1/2 shot of lemon juice
• 1 shot of orange juice
• 3/4 shot house made Grenadine
• 1 shot solerno blood orange
• 1 shot Reyka Vodka
• Top with soda water

___________________________________________________________________
Just leave your name and contact info below to enter the giveaway.
If you can't wait to see if you've won, and just really want to attend, purchase your tickets here.
Hope to see you there!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

GIVEAWAY: Uncasked Neighborhood Brew Fest

Hi friends!

Do you like good food and beer? 

If so, I have some really exciting news to share with you!

I'm giving away TWO tickets to Uncasked Neighborhood Brew Fest, 

a self-guided beer tour celebrating San Diego's exceptional brewing community, 

on Saturday, April 5th from 4PM-7PM. 

 Attendees will have the opportunity to sample offerings from 8 participating local craft breweries including, 

Karl Strauss Brewing Company, Acoustic Ales Brewing Experiment, Rough Draft Brewing Company and Helm’s Brewing Co, 

paired with delicious bites created by chefs from Seasons 52, Tender Greens, Eureka! Gourmet Burgers & Craft Beer and PIRCH. 

Live performances will feature award-winning local musicians Jasmine Commerce, Josh Damigo and Alaina Blair- all within the center’s relaxed, open-air setting. 

 100% of the event proceeds will benefit local non-profit, the San Diego Brewers Guild, 

an organization dedicated to providing support and visibility to San Diego's many local brewers. 

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment on this post for each of the following completed actions: 

Entries (three total) can be earned by 

 1. Becoming a Westfield UTC FB fan 

2. Following Westfield UTC and In Love With San Diego on Twitter 

 3. By tweeting about the contest using the #UncaskedUTC hashtag 

The giveaway is open March 28th - Thursday, April 3rd.

Winner will be randomly selected and notified via email.

By the way... 

if you're interested in attending this awesome event, 

which I'm sure you are after reading all that,

then you should purchase your tickets here. 

Additional details can be found via the Facebook event page. 

Good luck!

Giveaway: San Diego Bath & Body Co.

I am what you would call a “girly girl”.

Hello Kitty makes me giddy, and spa days are my favorite!

I love experimenting with different beauty products, and on any given day,

my husband may walk in on me with a clay mask on my face, coconut oil smeared through my hair,

and my hands in front of a fan as the newest Essie shade dries atop of my fingernails.

One of my favorite summer beauty rituals is to slough off all that dry, reptile skin,

right before I don a short sundress and show off my legs.

All that just to say that I was very excited to be contacted by San Diego Bath & Body Co.

with an offer to try out some of their most popular body soaps and scrubs.

What’s even better?

They offered to give away the same package to three of my lucky readers!

Go ahead, ask me why you need these products in your life.
Well, for starters, who doesn't love free beauty supplies?
And not just any dingy supplies at that.
Just like the foods that you put in your body,
the people behind SD Bath & Body Co. believe that the products you put on your body should be as simple and direct from nature as you can get.
Meaning?
Their products are 100% plant-based and biodegradable.
They never test on animals and they never use any petroleum or mineral oil-based ingredients.
You won't find any icky ingredients like parabens, detergents, phthalates or petrochemicals,
but you will see organic and sustainable ingredients whenever possible.
Lastly, all products are made in small batches to ensure supreme freshness, quality and avoidance of any waste.

Want to win a goody bag for yourself?

Here’s how:

1. Follow InLoveWithSanDiego.com via Bloglovin

2. Like San Diego Bath & Body Company's FB page

3. Leave a comment on this posting with your email address

Giveaway is active July 22nd until July 28th. Limited to US residents.

That's it!

I'll be contacting the winners early next week,

so don't miss out on your chance to score some San Diego beauty supplies!

Xtend Barre Giveaway

News flash ladies,

did you know that bikini season is officially upon us?

Now I know that all of you are already in tip-top shape,

so I have a special treat to help maintain those svelte figures.

I like to think that I live a pretty healthy lifestyle.

Even though I'm a big fan of dining out, I try to stick to a nutricious diet majority of the time.

And although there are times when I need extra motivation to get into the gym, I push myself to be accountable for the amount of times I exercise throughout the week.

When it comes to fitness, I've found that variety is key.

No matter how much I love to hate that stairmaster,

there's just no way that I can keep hopping on it day after day without changing it up.

I'm personally a HUGE fan of classes.

Spin, body pump, yoga, crossfit...

you name it, I've probably done it.

Maybe it's my competitive nature,

or the fact that the hour seems to fly by when I'm trying to keep up with the rest of the class,

but either way, I think it's one of the best ways to streamline your weight-loss.

Like I said, I love trying new things and constantly challenging myself,

so I was delighted to be contacted by Be Social PR with an offer to try out an Xtend Barre class in my area.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect since I've never tried this technique before,

well with the exception of my astute career as a miniature ballerina when I was eight years old and living in Russia, which was tragically cut short by first signs of breast development... life ain't fair, I know.

Let me tell you something friends,

I did NOT expect this class to challenge every single muscle in my body!

 I was amazed that by the time I walked out of the studio,

I was drenched in sweat, and already feeling first signs of soreness.

Sweet success!

And now you can experience it for yourself,

because I have partenered with Xtend Barre to host a very special giveaway!

A two-week, unlimited membership redeemable at both Xtend Barre Carlsbad AND Carmel Valley locations, can be yours if you win.

To enter the giveaway, you probably want to be a So Cal resident, and do the following easy peasy steps:

1. Follow In Love With San Diego on GFC or Bloglovin.

2. Follow @inlovewsandiego on Twitter.

3. Depending on which location is closest to you, follow either @xtendcrmlvalley or @xtendcarlsbad on Twitter.

4. Leave a comment on this post with your email address.

And that's it!

The contest is open until June 29th, 2012, and the winner will be chosen at random.

Good luck!

I'm Baaaaack!

Whoa!

Has anyone noticed anything different about this bloggy blog of mine while I've been away?

Just a... slight.. upgrade. 

You likey?

In other news,

the Bahamas were amaaaazing! 

I'll be sharing some photos with you in the next couple of days,

but first... 

remember that little game we played before I left?

Well, we have a winner!

Congratulations to Nina Josephine for being the first one to guess the location of our latest trip!
You won your own little Bahamian treasure chest, perfect for storing your tiny prized possessions.

Thanks to everyone who responded so quickly.

I guess I need to make the hints a little harder next time, eh? 

Sorry For Party Rockin

I'm not trying to make excuses for not having posted all week or anything, buuuut.... I've been party rockin. Hard. and I've had NO down time. Zero. Zilch.

I also haven't been home for the past three weeks, so I haven't had a chance to upload any photos lately, which is quite a bummer, because I'm dying to show you all the fun stuff I've been busy with (buh.. sounds like an excuse, doesn't it?). I suppose that means that you're just going to have to be patient... and I promise it will be worth it.

In the mean time... I have some great news! Ladies and gentlemen, we have a giveaway winner!! The contest ended on August 8th, and the winner was randomly picked.

Congrats Akane! I'll be contacting you soon.

That's all I really have for today... kinda lame. I apologize.

I'll leave you with a teaser picture so you all can have something to look forward to, once I'm back to regular posting...

{A quick snap of me and my besties, out on the town in Chicago. Love these girls to death.}

Stick around, there's plenty more of this to come!

Hawaii Giveaway!!

Alright. That was cruel.

I WISH I could give each and every single one of my readers a free trip to Hawaii.

Someday. Maybe. Fingers crossed.

Till then, we'll just have to fake it till we make it.

Don't hang up.

Here's the plan guys:

You enter this sweet giveaway, win these awesome tanning products, apply them as soon as you receive the package, and tell everyone you know that you just got back from a weekend in Maui.

No. Big. Deal.

Alright, so if you're still reading this it means that you're interested in winning some free swag.

And in all honesty this is the best self-tanning products I've ever used,

(and I'm a self proclaimed, sunless tanning whore).

I promise. I'm not exaggerating.

The color that I've achieved from just ONE use of the Ultra Dark Tanning Solution is the most natural bronze glow I've had since... well, since the last time I've actually visited Hawaii and spent hours upon hours roasting in the sun.

#skinsafetybad

Not sure if you recall, but a few weeks back I obnoxiously announced that I won two round-trip flights to Hawaii.... I know... you hate me.

Like I said, I WISH I could bring one of you with me, but I'm pretty sure my husband would disown me, and... well... that trip may be just a tad bit awkward for someone who doesn't know me too well.. 

This is what I plan on doing, on repeat, every day that I'm in Hawaii: snorkel, eat spam, snorkel, eat shaved ice, snorkel, eat.... alright, you get the drift.

Getting back to the giveaway -

Along with my flight vouchers I also received a bunch of these awesome tanning products from

Sun Laboratories,

and now, I'd like to pay it forward.

That means that I'd like to give one of you, a whole set of these sunless tanning goodies.

What exactly will you receive?

I'm glad you asked :)

One lucky winner will walk away with:

One Exfoliating Body Scrub

One Ultra Dark Tanning Solution

One Tan Maintaining Lotion

And a few more surprises that I'm planning to throw in.

Interested? I hope so!

Here's how to enter:

-Follow this blog with Google Friend Connect

&

-Leave your name and email in the comments section below

That's it! Giveaway will end on Monday, August 8th, and the winner will be chosen randomly!

GIVEAWAY!!

Geeeet excited because In Love with San Diego is hosting its very first giveaway!! The oh-so-sweet people from CSN Stores are giving me a $15 gift certificate to use at any of their online stores to give to one of you lucky duckies! CSN has over 200 online stores where you can find everything from stylish modern office furniture, to cute cookware, to chic lighting pieces, and much, much more!

To enter:

• Become a follower of inlovewithsandiego either directly through my blog and/or through Bloglovin.
• Leave a comment telling me what you would get if you win on THIS post by midnight on Sunday the 29th, with your email so I can contact you if you win (one entry per person please).
• A winner will be randomly selected and announced early next week.

That's it! Easy right? Please note that because CSN can only ship their products to the US and Canada, the contest is limited to just those people who live in one of those two countries. Now enter, enter, enter! Good luck.