The De Portola Wine Trail family of 10 wineries welcome you to the fall Harvest Festival from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 3. The event will feature new releases paired with nibbles. Enjoy noshes from 10 wineries with three varietals along with noshes from their local artisan chef.  Food samples will be paired with the wines selected by the various winemakers. Sip and sample while enjoying awe-inspiring views and good company. Logo glass is included.
Participating Wineries:
• Cougar Vineyard & Winery
• Gershon Bachus Vintners
• Danza del Sol Winery
• Fazeli Cellars
• Frangipani Estate Winery
• Leoness Cellars
• Masia de la Vinya Winery
• Oak Mountain Winery
• Robert Renzoni Vineyards & Winery
• Somerset Winery
Tickets
Learn more about the De Portola Wine Trail here

Commemorate Dia de los Muertos, the beloved annual event in Old Town San Diego set for Nov. 1-3, including a candlelight procession on Nov. 2. Activities will be held all around Old Town including at Fiesta de Reyes and at Bazaar del Mundo Shops and will feature live music, food, drinks, face painting, artisan shows and sugar skull workshops. Tour museums and shops featuring dramatic and festive Day of the Dead altars. Dia de los Muertos is considered to be one of the most important holidays of the year by many in Mexico and other Latin American countries. Families traditionally come together to pray and remember loved ones who have passed away. For more information, contact the Old Town Chamber of Commerce at (619) 291-4903 or visit the Chamber online

Old Town San Diego’s beloved Bazaar del Mundo Shops and neighboring Casa Guadalajara are teaming up, Friday through Sunday, Nov. 1-3 to celebrate Día de los Muertos – or “Day of the Dead” – the traditional Mexican holiday that honors friends and family members who have passed on. Bazaar del Mundo will offer Día de los Muertos merchandise for sale, free family friendly activities – including sugar skull decorating, mask making and more. Casa Guadalajara’s iconic fountains will be turned into altars for guests to enjoy throughout the weekend. The restaurant will also host an outdoor Beer & Margarita Garden where guests can purchase and enjoy traditional Mexican beers, house margaritas, delicious street tacos and Mexican street corn known as “esquites.” Learn more about Bazaar del Mundo here

The Port of San Diego proudly presents the Wonderfront Music & Arts Festival, three days of music, arts and discovery Nov. 22-24. Enjoy 10 stages and more than 100 artists plus culinary and arts events along the stunning waterfront of downtown San Diego. See the hottest emerging artists and the stars you already love. This is a party that completely takes over San Diego’s waterfront and downtown. Most festivals pull you out to deserted locations, whereas Wonderfront integrates one of America’s most vibrant downtowns right into the festival. View the lineup and get tickets here

Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. Nov. 7 for the Coaster Holiday Express, a magical experience Dec. 7-8 and Dec. 14-15 on the COASTER train. Ride round-trip from Oceanside on a 45-minute non-stop journey down the coast and back. Passengers will experience a decorated train complete with carolers and a visit from Santa Claus and his friends. Holiday Express trains will run at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Hurry – tickets sell out fast! Visit NCTD online for ticket prices and more information.

Join Seaport Village for family-friendly fun this holiday season! Festive events include:
• Surfin’ Santa, who will break out his board shorts and favorite Hawaiian shirt on Saturday, Nov. 30, cruising in from San Diego Bay for the 14th Annual Surfin’ Santa Celebration at Seaport Village.
• Santa’s Workshop at Seaport Village is the perfect place to celebrate the season with your kids! Photos with Santa run from Nov. 17-Dec. 24, just in time to plan your holiday cards. After the photoshoot, your little elves can unleash their creativity at the Seaport Creation Station, featuring coloring, crafting, and ornament making! 
• Wonderfront Music & Arts Festival - Nov. 22-24. A highly-anticipated 10-stage, 100+ bands, three-day music, culinary and arts festival will descend upon the stunning waterfront of downtown San Diego from Broadway Pier to the Embarcadero Parks. Learn more here
• Breakfast With Santa, at the Harbor House Restaurant Dec. 14. The morning includes a full breakfast, picture with Santa, face painting, balloon artists, and kids show.Santa is checking his list and hoping to see you there! Cost is $25 per person (this includes children). Breakfasts run from 9-10:30 a.m. Tickets

Join the amazing small businesses in Carlsbad Village on Small Business Saturday on Nov. 30! Start your holiday shopping at Village Faire, at the corner of Carlsbad Boulevard and Carlsbad Village Drive. Enjoy New England-style architecture and an enclave of 35+ restaurants, shops and services surrounding a pleasant fountain courtyard with plenty of benches for relaxing. Shop Small, Shop Local! Village Faire

San Diego’s Balboa Park is the largest urban cultural park in the United States – no other place boasts 1,200 acres, 65 miles of hiking trails, more than a dozen museums, fantastic gardens, performing arts venues, and the San Diego Zoo! The Balboa Park Explorer Pass provides admission to multiple venues, and is up to a 58% savings over purchasing admission separately. Pass options include One-Day, Multi-Day (good for 7 consecutive days), or an Annual Pass that provides admission all year long. Add the San Diego Zoo to the Multi-Day Pass for a truly unforgettable Balboa Park experience! Click here to learn more and purchase your Explorer Pass.

Host your holiday party, office meeting or presentation, birth­day, anniver­sary or other special event at Lotus Thai, with two San Diego locations: Downtown and Hillcrest. The restaurant, serving fresh, authentic Thai cuisine, also offers an acclaimed catering menu, ranging from tasty appetizers, to catering party pans and a delicious list of entrées. View the Catering Menu here. *Enjoy a 10 percent catering discount on orders of $200 or more. As always, Military enjoy 15 percent off anytime. Enjoy 20 percent off your order (dine-in only) here

Spend Thanksgiving at the Coronado Ferry Landing Shops & Restaurants, where you can explore charming shops and savor fresh, artfully prepared cuisine while dining at waterfront restaurants. Restaurants open on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, include Peohe’s: (619) 437-4474; or Il Fornaio at (619) 437-4911. Please call for reservations. The Landing also has live concerts on Sunday afternoons. As always, enjoy Sunday afternoon concerts and the Tuesday afternoon Farmers Market! Coronado Ferry Landing 

Spice up your lunch or dinner plans and head to any in this family of Himalayan restaurants, serving fresh and healthy Indian, Nepalese and Tibetan dishes throughout San Diego County. Open daily, all five restaurants impress patrons with their authentic offerings, such as Himalayan Lentil Soup, Biryani (mixed rice) and Momo (steamed dumpling) selections, vegetarian entrées, chicken, lamb, seafood and Tandoori dishes, as well as the fresh Garlic Cilantro Naan Bread. Most of the restaurants feature a lunch special with a choice of two entrées, Basmati rice, lentils, soup and naan. Restaurant locations are in La Mesa, Mira Mesa, Mission Valley, Chula Vista and the Sports Arena area. Get $10 off a purchase of $35 or more here

The Maritime Museum of San Diego presents “Wish You Were Here,” a new exhibit featuring an array of vintage postcards and photography from around the globe. Opening Nov. 16 aboard the national historic landmark, the 1898 steam ferryboat Berkeley, ”Wish You Were Here” invites visitors to become immersed in an amazing array of vintage color-tinted San Diego postcards. Visitors to the exhibit will also receive a commemorative postcard to send to friends and family. Visits to all exhibits found aboard the Museum’s historic fleet are included with one general admission ticket purchase. Also don't miss sailing with a pirate and hunting for the treasure on "BOARDED! A New Pirate Adventure!" at the museum Nov. 30 and Dec. 28. Tickets This world-class venue is open year round from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Enjoy $2 off regular admission here.

Bring family and friends to Kaiserhof Restaurant & Biergarten on Thanksgiving! Feast on a traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner from 11a.m.-10 p.m. Nov. 28. Visit Kaiserhof online for more information or call (619) 224-0606.

For the 36th year, Kansas City Barbeque in downtown San Diego serves up its annual free Thanksgiving dinner for active duty military. Enjoy a delicious smoked turkey dinner buffet served with all the fixings. Regular folks are invited to partake as well for (call for price). The buffet is served from from noon-4 p.m., with the regular menu and hours in effect. Watch some football, learn about the restaurant’s “Top Gun” history and savor some fine food! Kansas City Barbeque

Celebrate Ramona’s local fine art, award-winning wines and culinary delights at the 7th Annual Ramona Art & Wine Festival from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2. This event benefits the H.E.A.R.T Mural Project. Learn more about the Mural Project here. Tickets $35 (entrance only) or $75 (entrance, wine tasting and food). The Ramona Art & Wine Festival will be held at the elegant Begent Ranch, 18528 Highland Valley Road, Ramona. Ramona Art & Wine Festival Tickets

The holiday season is right around the corner — get your items sent early! Ocean Beach Business Center has boxes and packing material for all your gifts. As a FedEx®, UPS® and USPS® center, you can buy boxes, pack, ship and track just about anything, anywhere in the world as well as rent personal mailboxes for your residence or business. The state-of-the-art equipment and staff expertise allow your creative juices to flow when it comes to creating marketing materials, posters, fliers, brochures, bulk mailers, binding, lamination or even custom design orders. Business center hours are Mon. – Fri. 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sat.9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Call (619) 222-4876 to discuss your next project. Learn more about the Ocean Beach Business Center here

"All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914," returns to the Veterans Museum at Balboa Park for the fourth time since its premiere there in 2016. Learn the story of World War I soldiers who laid down weapons to celebrate Christmas Day outside of the trenches. Conducted by Sacra/Profana’s Juan Carlos Acosta, "All is Calm" opens on Friday, Nov. 15, with additional performances Nov. 16-17. Responding to popular demand, this year Bodhi Tree Concerts adds a North County performance on Saturday, Nov. 23, at 7 p.m. at the VIllage Church, 6225 Paseo Delicias in Rancho Santa Fe. All profits will directly benefit the Veterans Museum. Tickets

Join the foodie event of the year for Ocean Beach – the OB Restaurant Walk! Set for 5-9 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12, the event features more than 50 samples from restaurants and breweries! Proceeds support the OB Food and Toy Drive - which provides assistance to over 100 local families and seniors in need during the holidays - the beloved OB Holiday Parade and Tree, and OB Town Council's community grants. Tickets
• Also be sure to support Ocean Beach by shopping locally during Small Business Saturday, Nov. 30. Learn more here

Beachside Fall Fest is BACK for guests of all ages in November at Belmont Park! The magic of the season will transform the seaside park into a festive fall experience with FREE activities like live entertainment, themed rides and attractions like the Giant Dipper, Tiki Town Mini Golf and Laser Tag; plus, the new fall Hay Maze. Also enjoy pie-eating contests and more! Beachside Fall Fest takes place from 5 p.m. to close every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in November. There's no place like Belmont Park for thrilling events! For $5 off an Unlimited Ride Wristband, click here: Belmont Park Coupon

Shop for unique, museum-quality gifts and take advantage of early holiday savings at the Dinosaur Gallery during the month of November. Shop for treasures at 30 percent off during this holiday extravaganza. Find one-of-a-kind carved sculptures, décor crystals that include jaspers, amethyst, citrines; crystal-clear quartz point and spheres, opals, ammonites, fossil woods, collector shark teeth, 13-month-old California sand dollars, dinosaur-sculpted heads, and much more! The Dinosaur Gallery is located in the lovely beachside community of Del Mar. When you walk or drive along Camino Del Mar you can't miss this unique store with its Dinosaur-like skull and other museum quality items in the front store window.  Stop in anytime from 11 a.m - 5:30 p.m. Mon-Sat (closed Wednesdays) and from noon - 5 p.m. Sundays. The shop is located at 1327 Camino Del Mar right next to the Del Mar Library with FREE PARKING next door. Call (858) 794-4855 for more information. Or visit Dinosaur Gallery online.

The Del Mar Racetrack welcomes its Bing Crosby Season Nov. 8-Dec. 1. In addition to fast horses, Del Mar hosts several great events such as Free & Fun Sundays, two free concerts by Russell Dickerson (Nov. 9) and The Wailers (Nov. 16), Uncorked Wine Fest on Nov. 9, a special Thanksgiving Day brunch in the Turf Club, and much more! Racing takes place at 12:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. For more information, call 858-755-1141 or visit Del Mar Racing

Satisfy your South-of-the-Border cravings at Marieta's, a Mexican favorite that customers have loved for generations. The family-owned restaurant is known for its authentic cuisine prepared with quality ingredients, sauces and dressings. Marieta's has three East County locations (La Mesa, El Cajon, Santee), all offering tacos, burritos and tostadas as well as many delicious combination platters (served with rice and beans). Popular menu choices include sizzling fajitas (beef, chicken, shrimp and combination), Enchilada Suizas (with homemade green sauce and sour cream) and Pollo Sonora. Don't miss their lunch specials from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Mon.-Fri., Sunday Champagne Brunch from 9 a.m.-2 p.m including a free glass of champagne or margarita, and Marieta's famous Happy Hour 2-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat. featuring one free appetizer plus specials prices on house margaritas; Happy Hour prices all day Mon.-Tues. Open daily. Be sure to visit their newest location in Alpine. Marieta's

Give the gift of warm and cozy footwear at Birkenstock of San Diego Stores. Birkenstock's San Diego locations include Encinitas, Coronado, Old Town, Lemon Grove and new store, Sole Concepts, in the Gaslmp Quarter. Birkenstock has been introducing new and innovative footwear to San Diego since 1976. Get $10 off your purchase of $75 or more here: Birkenstock Coupon

Choose from over 20 piping-hot pizzas at Leucadia Pizzeria & Italian Restaurants' locations in Encinitas and University Town Center/La Jolla, as well as Leucadia Pizza Kitchen (Delivery and Take-out only) in Carlsbad and Point Loma. Aside from their famous pizzas (with a choice of gluten-free crust), the restaurants are known for delicious pastas, entrées, subs, salads and desserts. Each location has a full selection of cocktails, wine and local beers on draft and Happy Hour runs 4-7 p.m. Monday-Friday. Both La Jolla and Encinitas restaurants include large patios, perfect for casual banquets! For reservations, delivery or catering, call the location nearest to you. Or stay at home and order online! They deliver! Leucadia Pizzeria & Italian Restaurants

Join Anthony’s Fish Grotto for Sunday brunch by the lake! The East County oasis and landmark has a new brunch menu available from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. every Sunday, and includes delicious selections such as Crab Cake or Salmon Benedict, Coconut French Toast and a Bread Bowl Scramble. A La Mesa fixture since 1961, Anthony’s features a bucolic setting on a small private pond with an aquatic décor, a gorgeous patio, a bocce ball court, private cabana, and a dog-friendly dining area. Read more about Anthony's here

The Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park is proud to present an exhibition of Japanese fiber artist Maki Ishiwata from the Chiba prefecture. After receiving her BFA at the San Francisco Art Institute in California, Ishiwata worked as an art instructor at the local elementary and middle school for 14 years. During Ishiwata’s 25 years in America, her potential in various creative fields grew. Since returning to Japan in 2007, and under the influence of her mother who worked with the lore of the traditional Japanese handmade paper (washi), Ishiwata became deeply charmed by its beauty and started to create original “plant figures” using washi. Development of the technique with paper strings and ligature became her characteristic style. "Washi (Japanese Traditional Handmade Paper): Maki Ishiwata" runs through Jan. 26, 2020. Learn more here

Call Catrina Russell, Coldwell Banker’s top real estate agent in San Diego County. A longtime resident of the Ocean Beach/Point Loma area, she has received the Customer Service Business of the Year Award by the Ocean Beach MainStreet Association four years in a row. Dedicated and professional, Catrina consistently exceeds her clients’ expectations. For a free, no-obligation home evaluation, or if you are considering selling or purchasing a home, contact her at Catrina@CatrinaRussell.com, call 619-226-BUYS(2897) or visit Catrina Russell online

Get a Baker’s Dozen Membership and receive a 13-month membership with the San Diego Model Railroad Museum when you become a member, renew your membership, or buy a gift membership for a loved one!
Being a member has its perks. Your SDMRM membership includes: 
• Unlimited exhibit gallery admission 
• 10% Discount at the museum Gift Shop 
• Discounted rates on summer camp enrollment 
• E-Telegraph, the museum's online newsletter 
• Member-only events and offers throughout the year
Offer valid Nov. 1-30. Become a member here

Join Koi Zen Cellars for the fourth bigger and better Holiday Gift Extravaganza for Small Business Saturday starting at 1 p.m. Nov. 30. The winery hosts many high-quality vendors with their products that make great holiday gifts, such as jewelry, candles, clothing, soaps, purses, woodworking and more. Get all your holiday shopping done while supporting local small businesses. Cheers to celebrating local! Learn more here