Every dollar raised from the Amazing High Heel Race helps to fund the Hillcrest Pride Flag. (ABOVE: Projected view of the Hillcrest Pride Flag from University Avenue -- Courtesy of Michael Brennan)

Girl, break in those heels! The Amazing High Heel Race is coming back into town for it’s 2nd annual appearance on Saturday June 16 from 3 -6 PM. Kick off summer with this wild and colorful event. Teams will race through Hillcrest based on clues located at participating businesses. Each team will be required to complete (mostly PG-13 rated) “tasks” that will take them through the neighborhood. After racing through Hillcrest in heels, teams are invited to Gossip Grill for a huge Heel Race awards celebration. Teams and individuals will compete for prizes in:

• Best Time
• Highest Heel
• Fiercest Heal
• Most Creative Team Attire
• Best Team Spirit
• Biggest Blister

Participation for everyone is simple! Teams of six sign up race in a scavenger hunt through Hillcrest in heels at least 3 inches high. Each dollar given by teams and sponsors goes directly into the Hillcrest Pride Flag fund, so you’re giving — while earning the blisters to show for it — to a fabulous cause!

Visit our registration web site to sign up!

• I’ve got a team and I want to participate
• I’m a local Hillcrest business and I want to support the race and be in the route
• I want to support the event and the Pride Flag but can not participate on the day of the event

The evening of Friday, July 20th, 2012

Hillcrest is paving the way for pride in San Diego. In July 2012 Hillcrest is joining the coveted ranks of just a few cities in the United States that fl y the LGBT Pride flag on public land. With a brand new 65 foot tall flag overlooking the Normal Street and University Avenue intersection, the summer of 2012 will be more colorful than ever.

In honor of even more color, Hillcrest is hosting a premier event, the Pride of Hillcrest Block Party to kick off San Diego Pride with urban style and flare. We’re shutting down the streets, bringing in the dance stages, calling YOU in (the beautiful people), and throwing a gigantic Friday night block party.

Whole Foods Hillcrest is Celebrating 15 Years

WHOLE FOODS CELEBRATES 15 YEARS!

10AM TO 4PM: EV’s the Way to Be! Have you seen the blue and white Smart cars all over town? Stop by and learn about San Diego’s leading edge fleet of car2go electric vehicles from Daimler. Kick the tires, get a free lifetime registration, and spin the wheel for fun prizes!

Also check out our brand new EV charging stations on the roof & enter our Win a Spree & Ride for Free* raffle drawing.

12 TO 2PM: Party Kickoff! A few words from City Councilmember Todd Gloria and other community members. Raffle prizes every 15 minutes!

12 NOON: MIHO gastrotruck Let’s party! Killer food at great prices from our mobile culinary buddies Juan & Kevin

12 TO 3PM: Local Vendor Treats The best sliders and shellfish you’ll find anywhere compliments of Homegrown Meats and Carlsbad Aquafarm, plus our own deli chefs’ 15th Anniversary Salad Challenge!

2 PM: Cake Cutting and Win a Spree & Ride for Free* Raffle Drawing

Thank you for shopping Whole Foods Market Hillcrest since 1997!

*Win a $100 Whole Foods Market gift card and $100 in driving minutes from car2go!

Thanks for making this year’s Taste of Hillcrest the best yet! Did you miss out on a recipe book? No problem, click through and download a PDF version of the book…

Click here to download a PDF of the 2012 Taste of Hillcrest recipe book.

Become a part of this fabulous tradition on Saturday, April 21, 2012 from Noon to 4:00 PM where the best chefs and cuisine come together to create the tastiest event of the season! Spend the afternoon satisfying your appetite as you dine in over 40 restaurants in the urban neighborhood of Hillcrest. From cafés and bistros to Five-Star dining, this self-guided culinary adventure will indulge your taste buds with flavorful bites from fresh seafood & sushi, perfect pastas, all-American favorites, tantalizing Thai, and Asian delights. The taste sensations don’t stop there as participants will also sample delectable desserts, specialty coffees and cool drinks. Tickets to the 11th Annual Taste of Hillcrest are just $30.00 in advance and $35.00 on the day of the event and proceeds benefit the Hillcrest Business Association. Tickets are limited and have sold out in advance for the last eight years, so purchase them soon to secure your ticket to this ultimate “taste”. Slip on your walking shoes, gather some friends and get ready for some of the finest treats the Hillcrest area has to offer. Your taste buds will thank you later!

**Please note that this year we’ve opened up a second will call location at The Range Kitchen and Cocktails located at 1263 University Avenue — we suggest parking at the DMV lot on Lincoln Ave and Normal St and walking over to The Range to start the Taste on the eastern end. Remember there will be a shuttle service east to west should you need it, details on the map below.**

Download the walking map for the Taste of Hillcrest

Here’s a list of restaurants:

Aladdin Hillcrest
Amarin Thai Cuisine
Au Revoir French Bistro
Babycakes
Baja Betty’s*
Bamboo Lounge & T-Deli
Bayu’s Authentic Ethiopian Cuisine*

Bayu’s will be giving you the authentic Ethiopian experience at The Taste of Hillcrest, so stop by and try their Sega Wot a Spicy Beef Stew

Big City Bagels & Deli
Bombay

Come to Bombay and experience the exotic cuisine of India during The Taste of Hillcrest and sample their mouthwatering Chicken Tikka Masala

Bo’s Seafood Market and Grill
Brazen BBQ SmokeHouse & Bar
Bread & Cie
Burger Lounge
Busalacchi’s A Modo Mio
Celadon
Chipotle Mexican Grill
City Delicatessen

Got a sweet tooth? Come to The Taste of Hillcrest and visit City Delicatessen their Fudge Brownies and Lemon squares are to die for!

Daddy’s Hot Dogs
Daphne’s California Greek
Eden San Diego
Edible Arrangements

Edible Arrangements will be serving Gourmet Chocolate Granny Smith Apples and Double Dipped Bananas!

EmpireHouse Urban Palate

Don’t Miss out on EmpireHouse’s pulled braised pork tacos with cilantro slaw, diced tomato, pickled carrot and daikon, cotija cheese. YUM!

Fiesta Cantina
Fig Tree Cafe
Freebirds World Burrito*
Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt
Gossip Grill
Huapangos Mexican Cuisine
India Palace Cuisine of India
Lalos Taco etc. Mexican Grill
Lotus Cafe and Juice Bar

Calling all veggie lovers! Lotus Café & Juice Bar will be sampling fresh organic grilled veggies brushed with homemade balsamic vinaigrette, blackened mock chicken and tofu sautéed in homemade ginger-soy sauce

Luna Grill

Luna Grill has got it all at the Taste of Hillcrest stop by and sample their Hummus, Gyros and Mediterranean Salad!

Mama Testa Taqueria

Mama Testa Tequeria will be heating this up at The Taste of Hillcrest with their Marinated Pork or Chicken Mole Mini-tacos

Nami Sushi Bar & Fusin Japanese
Ono Sushi
Ortega’s, A Mexican Bistro

Visit Ortega’s, A Mexican Bistro at the Taste of Hillcrest and sample their awesome Carnitas with Verde Sauce & Flour Tortillas

Osteria Origano

Take your taste buds on a trip to Italy during The Taste of Hillcrest at Osteria Origano and sample their scrumptious chicken penne with vodka sauce

Pizzeria Arrivederci
Pinkberry
Pink Noodle

Pink Noodle will be featuring their Pad Thai and Tomyum Soup at Taste of Hillcrest

Raku Japanese Fusion Cuisine
Saigon On Fifth
Tandoori Hut
Taste of Thai
Taste of Italy Hillcrest
The Range Kitchen & Cocktails* (plus will call location)
The Tractor Room

Unleash your wild side and stop by The Tractor Room and try their Pheasant and Cognac Sausage and Crispy Polenta Skewer

The Wine Lover*

The Wine Lover will be preparing their House made Bruschetta with goat cheese, balsamic vinaigrette, tomatoes and walnuts topped with basil

Urban Mo’s Bar & Grill*

Whole Foods Market
Wine Steals

Many thanks to Marie at Meandering Eats for lending us her culinary photos, read her full article “Have Fork Will Travel: Taste of Hillcrest 2011“.

Grab your family and friends and make plans to dine out for breakfast, lunch and dinner on April 26 and 25-100% of sales will benefit The Center’s HIV/AIDS services and prevention programs. Hillcrest has tons of options!

Hillcrest Restaurants, Bars, Retailers, Etc.
R Gang Eatery // Donating 100%
Burger Lounge // Donating 50%
Smashburger // Donating 50%
Snooze, an A.M. Eatery // Donating 50%
Asian Bistro // Donating 25%
Babycakes // Donating 25%
Baja Betty’s // Donating 25%
Bamboo Lounge // Donating 25%
Bangkok Thai Bistro // Donating 25%
Bombay Exotic Cuisine of India // Donating 25%
Brazen BBQ // Donating 25%
Bread & Cie Bakery & Cafe // Donating 25%
Brian’s American Eatery // Donating 25%
Busalacchis A Modo Mio // Donating 25%
City Deli and Bakery // Donating 25%
Crest Cafe // Donating 25%
Eden // Donating 25%
EmpireHouse // Donating 25%
Filter Coffee House- Hillcrest // Donating 25%
Gossip Grill // Donating 25%
Hash House A Go Go // Donating 25%
House Boi // Donating 25%
Jakes on 6th Wine Bar // Donating 25%
Kous Kous Moroccan Bistro // Donating 25%
Local Habit // Donating 25%
Lotus Thai // Donating 25%
Martinis Above Fourth // Donating 25%
Numbers Nightclub // Donating 25%
Ortega’s, A Mexican Bistro // Donating 25%
Osteria Origano // Donating 25%
Pinkberry // Donating 25%
The Range Kitchen & Cocktails // Donating 25%
RICH’S Nightclub // Donating 25%
The Tractor Room // Donating 25%
Tre Porcellini // Donating 25%
Urban Mo’s // Donating 25%
Which Wich // Donating 25%
Wine Steals // Donating 25%

For a complete list of participating locations, visit Dine Out For Life’s restaurant page.

This debate is being sponsored by the Center to shed light on each candidates voice — and be sure that the conversation around mayoral issues is represented in Hillcrest.

What the KPBS Round Table from March 8:

Be sure to visit the City of San Diego’s web site to download candidate info and important dates for elections occurring in 2012.

For more information on the event contact sarrendondo@thecentersd.org or call (619) 692-2077 x212.

Happy pairs from Hillcrest's Clean T.E.A.M. Photo courtesy of HillQuest.com.

Willing to pitch in to collect a little Hillcrest trash? Meet up on Park Boulevard just south of University Avenue for the Hillcrest Town Council’s next clean-up. Saturday, February 11 – 9am til noon. We’ll split up into small groups and create a HUGE difference. Wear gloves (if you have them). Tools will be provided.

All volunteers will receive a free orange t-shirt (as pictured to the left, while supplies last) and a huge feeling of community pride. Become a part of the Hillcrest Clean T.E.A.M.

A large dumpster (provided by Council member Todd Gloria’s office) will be located in the parking lot at Third and University (301 University) for anyone wishing to dispose of larger items. Bring your yard waste, old furniture (better there than in the alleys) and other items that won’t fit in your trash. Please do not drop off flamables, paint, oil or electronics.

Call (619) 260-1929 for more information.

Hillcrest Mardi Gras is on Fat Tuesday, February 21, 2012 from 6 PM – 11 p.m on University Ave. at Fourth Ave.

Hillcrest Mardi Gras is featuring live entertainment, special guest performers, and an exclusive V.I.P. area. Food and drink will be available for purchase from participating vendors and venues. Cocktails will be served along with an array of other surprises, plenty of beads, actually… MORE THAN PLENTY and outrageous party favors. Hillcrest Mardi Gras is a 21 and up age event.

In addition to taking home your signature 2012 beads, you can take home that warm Hillcrest feeling knowing that All proceeds from the event benefit LGBT youth scholarships and neighborhood improvements.

This event is run by the Hillcrest Business Association and the GSDBA Charitable Foundation. The festival will take place rain or shine.

For more information on the event visit HillcrestMardiGras.com

Like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/HillcrestMardiGras

Just twenty bucks, twenty minutes and as little as twenty people will make a tremendous impact on a Hillcrest store this Sunday, January 8 at 4:30 p.m.

How does it work? A collective group of people commit to spending at least $20 on a set day and time at one pre-determined small business. San Diego’s organizer, Lauren Way of San Diego Cash Mob explains:

“We’re all there with the same goal, and we’re all on the same adventure. There is buzz, there is energy. Where are we going? What’s this mob going to be? Will I be adding to my library? Record collection? Wardrobe?”

“By getting a bunch of people together at once and all going to one place, the impact is tangible. We all need a little instant gratification now and again, and seeing the line of people in the little store that’s never before had a line and hearing the grand total of the night makes the difference feel more significant.”

Cash Mob’s have been gaining momentum nationally, and recently in San Diego, where South Park’s Make Good hosted the first mob.

View more videos at: http://nbcsandiego.com.

This month Hillcrest welcomes the second Cash Mob in San Diego and in true Hillcrest style, this mob boasts a post-mob happy hour which will also be announced at the mob. If you’re still wondering where the mob itself will be, remember that the Cash Mob rules state the small business itself will remain top secret. It will be announced at the meeting spot just prior to the mob (Fifth and Robinson Avenue, Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 4:30 p.m.).

To find out more on San Diego Cash Mobs visit: Facebook.com/cmsandiego