Local Fruits Stolen from South Park

A South Park resident reported that a beautiful and beloved tree in his yard was robbed last week. The thief escaped with most of the low hanging loquats, but fortunately his lack of ambition protected the higher fruits. Eye witnesses to the crime described the suspect to a police sketch artist who created this composite drawing.
The loquats were described as very juicy and delicious, showing the famed South Park terroir beautifully.
If you see the suspect, especially around your own fruit trees, contact the appropriate authorities immediately. No fruit is safe!

Ray at Nite

This Saturday is Ray at Nite, a festival of local galleries and businesses centered on Ray Street, near 30th and University. OBR Architecture is hotsting artist Martha Martin and her Hearts and Stuff series; Cirello Gallery features Mark Smith whose paintings are inspired by local architecture.

Come check it out, it's fun and gets better all the time!

Spring "Hunting" in South Park

Something new at this Saturday's Spring Walkabout in South Park (3/27 - 6-10pm):

"Scavenger Hunt" with quizzes and prizes ... for adults and for kids.
Here's a preview --

HAMILTON'S TAVERN: How many beers do we have on tap? Prize is 25% off your beer or wine purchase.

ALCHEMY: Where is the exercise bike at Alchemy and who put it there? Give the correct answer to the person at the door and it gets you a free snack coupon on your next visit for dinner.

MYTHOLOGY: Tell us 2 facts about the holiday OSTARA - i.e. origins, meaning, symbols, etc, and we will grant an additional 20% discount on your total purchase (sale merchandise included)!

ABSOLUTE SKIN: get Facemapped (a short consultation regarding their skin), then get a sample package of products and a coupon for 20% off any service at Absolute Skin.

ENERGY GARDEN MASSAGE: Name three of the massage treatments, Energy Garden Massage offers and receive a 1 hour massage for $40. Visit www.energygardenmasssage.com for details, you can access wireless internet at Rebecca's Coffeehouse where I will be offering complimentary 10 minute massages, Find me for the coupon and stay for a coffee.

POSH WASH: How many tables are in the back patio and how many "8-load" washers do we have? The correct answers will get a coupon worth a credit toward 1 free use of a "2-load" washing machine valid anytime.

STUDIO MAUREEN: What animal is covered with mosaic tile and who is the artist who made it? The prize is a pack of notecards.


KIDS HUNT:

DAILY SCOOP: How many flavors of ice cream do we serve? Receive a free scoop of ice cream.

SO CHILDISH: Tell us who is coming to visit the store on Saturday, April 3rd!! receive a prize.

STUDIO MAUREEN: For the kids: Count the red eggs in the gallery's two front windows. Prize: Pick something from the gift jar (beaded bracelet, animal pin, rubber insect).



March yourself to down to 30th St.

Spring is in the air!

In the past few weeks the days have gotten longer, the weather has
gotten warmer and 30th street is even cooler!

This week alone you can enjoy -
Drink-About tonight! Wednesday March 24th, - and the Victory Garden Fundraiser at the Linkery tonight too
South Park Walkabout on Saturday March 27th and then next Tuesday's
30th on 30th!

Cask & Oyster Thursday too!

Each Thursday you can count on fresh shucked oysters from Carlsbad Aqua Farms, served on the half-shell with fresh mignonettes created by Nick. Two oyster varieties, one small and sweet, one larger and briny: paired with hand pumped ale, these oysters are sure to please.

This week we'll be pouring North Coast Brewing Red Seal on the beer engine.

Tonight, Wednesday, March 24th! Two "Brewery Tours of SD" Busses loop for 4 hours, stopping at 8 craft-beer bars.
Hop on and off FOR FREE!
download bus schedules here

We hope to catch you at one or all of these events this week.

Cheers!

From all of us, at your local Ritual :-)

p.s.

Thank you for shopping locally! Our local organic farmers, craft
brewers, artisanal sausage makers and bread bakers and 30th street craft beer purveyors all thank you!

Ritual Tavern
4095 30th St @ Polk
San Diego, CA 92116
619.283.1618

Heaven Sent Desserts' "30 on 30 Parfait"


Heaven Sent Desserts on 30th and University are offering their special “30 on 30 Parfait” – a luscious heavenly chocolate mousse layered with icy mint mousse, interspersed with our famous triple chocolate brownie bites, topped with whipped cream sprinkled liberally with delectable curlicues! All for the extra special price of $3.25 just for the 30th on 30th!

Don't miss out - Make the 30th a celebration!

Ritual Drink About Wednesday March 24th


Drink About is a great way to explore San Diego's great craft brew culture. One Wednesday a month* you can get from South Park to North Park to Normal Heights to University Heights for free. without having to worry about driving or parking yourself. (*usually the 3rd Wed., but St Paddy's Day got in the way this month)

2 “Brewery Tours of SD” Busses loop for 4 hours, stopping at 8 craft-beer bars.
Hop on and off FOR FREE at Blind Lady, Small Bar, Live Wire, Toronado, Ritual Tavern, Sea Rocket, The Station & Hamilton’s.

The first buses will be leaving Blind Lady at 7pm and Hamilton’s at 7:10pm. They will run in a circular pattern until 11pm, stopping only at stops on the right side of the street. This means they will only stop at Ritual on an express route from Hamilton’s to Blind Lady.

Important Tip: The buses will do their best to always stop at Toronado and Ritual Tavern at the same time so that you can transfer at this point.

To get more info and to download a bus schedule go to the official Drink About site.

South Park Walkabout next Sat. 3/27


Make plans now for the Spring South Park Walkabout, featuring scavenger "hunts" for adults and kids, with specials and giveaways galore!

More info on participating South Park businesses, and a free South Park newsletter are available at www.southparkscene.com.

Ritual Tavern (not so weekly) Update

We've been hearing from a few people that we should post more updates.
It has been a while since we've chatted, so here's whats doing this
weekend. . .

Appetizer specials this weekend include a golden and red beet salad
with goat cheese, roasted yellow squash and yogurt mustard dressing.
Or try a bowl of sweet potato leek soup. The entrée special this
weekend is a Niman Ranch boneless pork loin with red wine jus served
with a sweet potato and parsnip puree and Suzie’s Farm organic broccoli and
chard. It’s a little early in the season, but we do have some organic
strawberries from JR Organics served with out famous shortbread
cookies and fresh whipped cream. Come by early: these berries are sure
to sell out!

This weekend’s cask is sublime, in a self righteous kind of way.
Brewed by Stone Brewing, Sublimely Self Righteous Ale is a Black IPA with
8.7%ABV!! Mighty tasty, you won’t even notice the alcohol.

This month’s Drink About has been postponed a week because of St.
Patrick’s Day Usually held on the 3rd Wednesday of the month, Drink
About provides a free shuttle bus from Hamilton’s in South Park to
Blind Lady in Normal Heights with stops in at Ritual every 30 minutes
until 11:20pm. (first stop 7:20pm) Join us for Drink About on March
24th.

We’re gearing up for St Patrick’s Day best we can. In addition to our
signature Shepherd’s Pie and casked stout, we’ll have the Ritual
corned beef and cabbage. We’re corning/brining Niman Ranch beef briskets
without using that pesky salt peter* (In addition to avoiding high
fructose corn sweetener we like to avoid manufactured chemicals in our
food preparation.) Please join us for a plate and a pint this coming Wednesday March
17th.

Cheers!
from all of us at your Ritual :-)




*”Salt peter typically refers to the chemical compound potassium
nitrate, though it may also refer to sodium nitrate. Salt peter was
once collected from decomposing material, but today, it is generally
manufactured by treating sodium nitrate, mostly mined in Chile, with
potassium chloride and collecting the precipitate. Salt peter was one
of the ingredients of the first gunpowder, black powder. Today, it has
many uses in both the laboratory and the larger world.. . . . Sodium
nitrate, also called salt peter, shares many applications with
potassium nitrate. Both can be used to manufacture nitric acid, to
propel model rockets, and to increase the shelf life of meats and
other foods. Sodium nitrate is also used to manufacture glass and
enamel. Like potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate may increase one's
likelihood of developing cancer, but it also occurs naturally in leafy
green vegetables and may have some health benefits. A small study
conducted in Sweden suggested that the nitrates found in vegetables
may help lower blood pressure.”
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-salt-peter.htm

Heaven Sent Desserts is offering our fabulous Valentine's Day dessert for 30th on 28th!

The incredible Chocolate Lava Lust is no ordinary chocolate dessert - the light, fresh and heavenly individual chocolate cake is filled with liquid cacao chocolate, served with a raspberry coulis sauce that "bites" the chocolate and make the tastebuds work overtime - it is truly to die for. Make sure to stop by and make your day a celebration on the 28th!


Don't foget that we offer "Afternoon Delight" every day between 3pm and 6pm: Choose one of 3 desserts and a housedrink for $6 or bring a friend and have 2 desserts and 2 housedrinks for $10!

30th Street Drinkabout Ritual Wednesday February 17th


The folks over at Draft Magazine have a thing for 30th Street and nearby Adams Ave. Ritual Tavern and Hamilton's were honored in the 'Best Beer Bars' issue January 2009. The current 2010 issue repeats the love for Hamilton's and adds Blind Lady Alehouse into the fold.

This Wednesday, February 17th you can enjoy some of the best craft beer bars and restaurants in San Diego, California and the USA (according to Draft) The beginning, middle and end of this craft beer tour are sure to please your palate and your pocketbook. For more info check out sdDrinkabout.com


Your Linkery Valentine

Here’s how the Linkery rolls on V-Day: full menu (not fixed), no reservations, everything’s the same price it always is, it’s casual, we try to make sure everyone has a good time. Neighborhood restaurant style.

This year it falls on a Sunday, which means we open at 10am and stay open 13.5 hours for your Valentining pleasure. (That’s till 11:30pm).

It’s Smokehouse Sunday, and Max told me he’s going to add some grass-fed Prime Rib to the smokehouse in celebration of it being a luxurious holiday. Also, you can figure we’ll have some oysters on hand. Beyond that, it’ll be another Sunday at the Link.

As for the first-come, first-served factor: we’ve got lots of tables. if I recall correctly, last year we were busy but accommodated everyone with minimal waiting.

Anyway, we like Valentine’s Day, everyone’s out and having fun.

Ritual Tavern is for Lovers (and great food too!)

It's a three day Valentine’s Day weekend extravaganza!
(Monday is a Federal Holiday after all)

2 special beers to commemorate the occasion one from the Bruery and one from San Diego’s own AleSmith:

Patrick Rue at the Bruery has created Mélange No. Sechs (Six in German, sounds like sex) - a Valentine’s Day beer brewed with beets (to give it a very red color), rose petals and cocoa nibs. $6 tulip no discount

AleSmith “My Bloody Valentine”* on cask for our Valentine’s Day Dinner and Beer Pairing. A few reservation are available for 5:00pm and 8:00pm on Sunday February 14th. Enjoy 4 courses paired with AleSmith beers, while enjoying the company of your true love (the brewery staff of AleSmith) for $50 per person (+ tax & tip) What's not to love? Enjoy local fish Ceviche paired with Lil' Devil, Lobster Bisque paired with Alesmith X Pale Ale and Jidori Chicken Cordon Bleu with Niman Ranch ham and AleSmith's Horney Devil. Saving the best for last, we'll finish Chocolate Decadence Flourless cake served with cask conditioned 'My Bloody Valentine' for dessert! Unfortunately we won't be able to accommodate walk-ins for this event so please RSVP ASAP!

We've recently added some of our most popular specials to the dinner menu. We've now got a 'Catch of the Day'. Sourced through Catalina Offshore Products, we're currently plating the fish with sundried tomato cous cous, Crows Pass sugar snap peas and beurre blanc. If you're a meat eater, you'll be happy to know that the Niman Ranch Skirt Steak with potatoes au gratin and organic spinach is now available nightly.

Next Wednesday February 17th is the return of the DrinkAbout. Click the link below to get more info and download schedules for the free shuttle service running up and 30th Street!
DrinkAbout info

Cheers!

Old House Fair - June 19 - exhibitors?

South Park will host the 12th Annual Old House Fair on Saturday, June 19th, 2010. Applications for exhibitors, sponsors and vendors are now available on the website at www.TheOldHouseFair.com.


Drinkabout! Drinkabout!

Wednesday, January 20, from 7 until 11 PM, you can ride the beer bus to eight bars and restaurants, including five on 30th Street, for free! See the bus schedule and route at http://www.blindlady.blogspot.com/
Drinkabout is a great chance to enjoy local craft beers in several awesome neighborhoods without your car.
Sea Rocket Bistro will be pouring some fantastic local beers including Ballast Point Sculpin on cask!
So put on your drinking shoes, grab your coat and hat, leave your car keys at home, and get on the bus!

Weekly Ritual Update Friday January 15th

Tonight's special appetizer is Fresh Diver Scallop over Risotto for in a Bechamel Sauce for $7.00

We're also introducing two Entrée Specials. Black Bass is plating up with Organic Spinach and Basmati for $18.50. Niman Ranch Skirt Steak comes with Guacamole made with Organic Tomato and Avocado from Rancho Gordonises in Fallbrook for $16.50.

New on tap is Belhaven Twisted Thistle IPA from Scotland. This weeks Cask Conditioned Ale is Stone’s Arrogant Bastard with Oak.

Looking forward to next week, the monthly Drinkabout returns, this time on Wednesday, Jan 20th.

What's a Drinkabout, you ask?

Drink⋅a⋅bout [ drink-uh-bout ] -noun 1. an informal bus ride taken by members of the communities of Normal Heights, North Park, South Park and beyond, for the purpose of drinking without driving, sampling the wares at multiple local establishments, and being seen by the public.

So here is how it will go down. Each month, 2 lovely buses (Brewery Tours of San Diego) will cruise a loop, stopping repeatedly at EIGHT craft-beer bars and restaurants. You are free to hop on and hop off wherever and whenever you desire starting at about 7pm, at NO COST TO YOU!
The wonderful beer establishments included in this junket? Blind Lady Alehouse, Small Bar, Livewire, Toronado, Sea Rocket, The Station, Hamilton's, & Ritual Tavern. So if you live in Normal Heights you may want to start at Blind Lady, and then hop on and cruise to another part of town to drink, hopping back when you're done and avoiding driving altogether. And likewise, if you live in South Park, check out other parts of town without pesky parking. It's also a great time to check out any places you haven't tried yet, but have been meaning to. All in all, a fun time and the rides are free! The NEXT one is WEDNESDAY, JAN 20th. Check out Drinkabout on facebook for details and bus schedules! (Lee Chase, Blind Lady)

Make your Valentine’s Day reservations now. It’s our Valentine’s Day Ritual to pair AleSmith beers with lovely courses to celebrate this romantic occasion. This year four courses paired with four AleSmith Ales is a steal at $50. Contact the Ritual via email at info@ritualtavern.com or phone 619 283 1618 to reserve your seat for this February 14th event.

Green Drinks Mixer at Home Brews and Gardens

OK, so Home Brews and Gardens isn't actually on 30th Street, but if you stand in just the right spot on the corner of 30th and Thorn, and look just the right way, you can see it from 30th Street, and that's good enough for me. I'll be at the Green Drinks event grilling up Sea Rocket's fish tacos and maybe a couple other treats. If you are interested in the connections between local businesses and protecting our environment, this is a great place to meet others who share your interests, and it also happens to be a lot of fun with great local beer and food.
GREEN
DRINKS
San Diego Green Drinks

SD Greendrinks @ Home Brews and Gardens

Date:
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Time:
6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location:
3176 Thorn St. San Diego, CA 92104


Now that the wreckage of 2009 is past us, here's wishing Greendrinkers a Happy New Year. May 2010 be filled with health, happiness and progress for all. For January, GreenDrinks returns to our old stomping grounds of North Park, where the craft beer flows like wine.

As the name suggests, Home Brews and Gardens is a neighborhood shop for the home brewer and gardener. Whether you’re making wine, brewing beer or growing heirloom tomatoes; Brett, Dennis and Marty have what you need: great top-quality supplies, expert brewing and growing lessons and tips and tricks to make your brews and plants come out great.

They promise fine local beer for us, and maybe even food from special guests to be named later, and a good time is assured. They're looking forward to seeing us, and I think this will be a great one. Who knows - you might learn to grow the food for the next event, or be inspired to be the next great brewmaster to provide us beer!

New Year's at the Link

Here at the Linkery we’ve been getting a lot of calls from folks wanting to come in for New Year’s, which is great. Many folks asked about our no-reservations, walk-in style, wondering if they won’t get a table. In the past, we’ve had a lot of fun on New Year’s, but we’ve never been overflowing or been on a long wait. We expect the same this year, and were looking forward to it.

So come on in, don’t sweat it. 30th Street should be a blast — all the restaurants are staying open late, and we expect a great community celebration.

Oh, and Max told me he’s doing a special chile verde with the absolute last of Curtis’ pastured chicken for the season. No more pastured chicken till late Spring!

Enjoy this New Year's Eve With No Reservations

Here at the Ritual, we know that you shouldn't have to go broke ringing in the new year. We'll honor the end of 2009 by tapping into a cask of one the best ales in San Diego: Alpine Beer Company's Nelson Rye-P.A. We'll also be serving fresh shucked oysters and mussels form Carlsbad Aqua Farms, and serving organic Prosecco by the glass (if you want bubbly). Our full dinner menu will be available for your enjoyment.

Reservations not required or accepted.
no cover charge, no dress code, no stress

Happy Hour 5:30 to 7:30pm Tues - Sat
3:30-9:30pm Sun
$3.50 most taps & $1 off select glasses of wine

Holiday Cheer at Sea Rocket

Just wanted to let everyone know that we have some great craft beers to celebrate the holidays, including a cask of Stone Smoked Porter withVanilla Beans that I just tapped; Lost Abbey Gift of the Magi, a seasonal release, a Gold Ale brewed with Frankincense and Myrh; and AleSmith YuleSmith Holiday Ale, an amber hued winter warmer with generous amounts of both hops and malt. I also accidentally broke our local beer only rule by bringing in the second annual batch of the Stone/ Jolly Pumpkin/ Nogne-O Collaborative Holiday Ale, brewed with chestnuts, white sage, caraway and juniper berries. Turns out that this batch was not brewed at Stone like last year's, but at Nogne-O in Norway. In the spirit of Christmas, I'm going to forgive myself and enjoy this delicious beer anyway. Happy holidays to all!
Chris