Get the freshest fruits and veggies your kids will want more of
San Diego is known for its year-round growing season and the best way to access the very plentiful seasonal truckloads of produce is to scope out the nearest farmers market. Farmers markets provide access to fresh, locally grown foods but are also a great way to teach your kids about where their food comes from and the importance of supporting local farms and businesses. You may also learn some new recipes and preservation techniques, and even hacks for growing your own veggies, but most importantly, they are fun for the whole family! Many feature activities for kids and live music, and most markets are open, rain or shine.
This is San Diego County's largest market filling six city blocks! Shop from California farmers and score fresh fruits and veggies, flowers, pastured eggs, meat, poultry, nuts, honey, and more. Shop for olive oil and bread from local food makers, and don't forget to pick up some gifts from the resident artisans.
Open Saturdays 8am-2pm and Wednesdays 9:30am-1:30pm 600 West Date St. San Diego, CA Online:littleitalysd.com
Locals love this charming two-block market filled with activities for kids, live music, and farm-fresh produce! Shop for fresh-baked bread, bao buns, eggs, avocados, and other goodies and meet some of the artists who also sell their wares under the tents. Come out this Thursday and find everything you need to stock your healthy home.
This is San Diego's original farmers market and one of the largest, with over 175 vendors. Find fresh veggies, clothing, artwork, salty lemonade, and get your green smoothie fix! You’ll find plenty to eat and drink at this market, so head out this week and load up on your seasonal favorites!
Open Sundays 9am-2pm 3960 Normal St. (Hillcrest DMV Parking Lot) San Diego, CA Online:hillcrestfarmersmarket.com
This eclectic and lively market offers gluten-free baked goodies, fresh fruits and veggies, kombucha, flowers, and spreads. In addition, artisan vendors offer American, Filipino, Japanese, Mexican, and Mediterranean prepared food items. Enjoy the market and then walk a few blocks to the beach for a picnic!
The Carlsbad Farmers Market considers itself an open-air grocery store where you can find unique items. With limited packaged food, you will be sure to find the highest quality ingredients and freshest food possible. Whether it’s artisan goat cheese, organic cheese, or cheesecake in a cup – we’re in! You’ll also find nut butter, fruit jams, organic herbs, farm-fresh produce, Indian cuisine, honey, and more. Hot food vendors vary by week. Join the fun on Wednesdays!
Open Wednesdays 2:30-7pm State St. between Grand Ave. & Carlsbad Village Dr. Carlsbad, CA Online:carlsbad-village.com
This market is different than others in that 100% of the proceeds benefit the La Jolla Elementary School and help fund art, music, library, and technology programs. In addition to farm-fresh produce, eggs, and local honey, you’ll find prepackaged items like organic bone broth and soups, kombucha, yogurt, raw organic smoothies, tamales, freshly-made bread, superfoods, quiche and cookies, cold-pressed juice, hummus and pita, Indian food-to-go, a Mexican food truck, and a coffee cart. So shop till you drop, knowing that you are supporting a good cause!
Open Sundays 9am-1pm 7335 Girard Ave. La Jolla, CA Online:lajollamarket.com
Vista Farmers Market
With over 600 free parking spaces, the Vista Farmers Market is arguably the easiest to access and it's one of the oldest in San Diego county, in operation since 1981. The event consists of five marketplaces featuring food makers, farmers, gardeners, world cuisine, and artists. The hot food vendors represent 14 different countries' food cuisines and sell breakfast and lunch to keep you fueled up while shopping.
Valentine’s Day just got sweeter—at Costco! The warehouse club has Le Chic Patissier’s heart-shaped macarons back in stock, just in time for the holiday.
The fab French-inspired foodie find was already spotted by Instagram user @costcosisters as early as Jan. 8 and we’re about ready to head to the warehouse ourselves to grab a box or two.
photo: Red Tricycle
Fans of the petite treats may remember Le Chic Patissier’s strawberry-vanilla and raspberry macarons from year’s past. These Valentine’s Day goodies feature vanilla and raspberry flavors. Le Chic Patissier’s website describes the delish delights as, “Using 100% natural ingredients, we source high-quality vanilla from Madagascar and fresh seasonal fruits for the puree.”
Nab a box of 25 for $12.99 at select Costco retailers while these limited-time sweets are still on store shelves.
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Sweeten up your Valentine’s Day by ordering fresh roses on Amazon Prime for pronto delivery. Whether you’re looking to make a statement with a bodacious bouquet or a single stem, Amazon has once again found a way to make our lives simpler.
Snowstorm? Pandemic? Toddlers? Not this year. Thanks to Amazon Prime’s rose delivery, absolutely nothing should stand between you and the floral expression of love you crave (or that you crave to give, but that you’ve possibly forgotten to order weeks in advance).
With 2021 closing out and more pandemic babies on the way, it’s the perfect time to start the search for the most popular baby names! There have been plenty of projections for popular trends for 2022 like Dune, Bali and Rupert but what about the most popular names of the last century?
The Social Security Administration is the leading authority on the top names, and while 2021’s information hasn’t been compiled yet, the agency does the last 100 years through 2020. So who reigns as the most popular?
photo: iStock
Mary and James are the top names given from 1921 to 2020, followed by John, Patricia, Robert and Jennifer. The data reflects that classic names, while not consistently popular every year, continue to grace the hearts of parents.
To see the full list of the most popular baby names from the last century, visit the Social Security Administration’s website.
The U.S. Postal Service is in on the best Secret Santa action ever! Through USPS Operation Santa, you can gift a child in need with something off their holiday wish list.
Every year children from across the country put pen to paper and write out a hopeful list of possible presents. While many of these would-be gifts end up under the Christmas tree, many go unanswered.
Low-income families who need money for necessities, such as rent or food, can’t always fill their kiddo’s Santa lists themselves. Here’s where the USPS and you can help. Through Operation Santa you can make a difference in a child’s life, giving them the Christmas of their dreams.
So how can you help a child this holiday season through the USPS? Visit the USPS Operation Santa website and browse letters from hopeful children. Choose a letter to adopt (or a few), fill the wishlist, wrap the gifts and bring them (plus the necessary postage) to a participating post office by December 18, so kids can receive them by Christmas.
Here’s a bit more info on how the program works: the USPS receives thousands of letters to Santa every year and scans them, with personal information hidden. Once they’re live on the website, people like you can adopt the letters and help Santa fulfill their wishes! The gifts are shipped on behalf of the North Pole so you can deliver holiday magic together.
You might not think there’s a holiday in between Labor Day and Halloween, but National Coffee Day is a thing—and its falls this year on Wed., Sep. 29. If you’re wondering where to get free coffee on this very special day, we’ve got a few places you can hit up to keep the caffeine flowing.
Here’s your official National Coffee Day celebration guide.
Starbucks
Bring in a clean, reusable cup and walk away with a free cup of Pike Place Roast up to 20oz.
Krispy Kreme
Reward Members can snag a free brewed coffee and doughnut of their choice and non-rewards members can receive a free brewed coffee. No purchase necessary!
It’s a big day for Peet’s! Customers can get a free coffee with the purchase of a 1/2 or 1 pound bag of coffee. You also a chance to win a $2,000 Peet’s Black Card in the Peet’s Coffee National Coffee Day Giveaway, plus 25% off freshly hand-roasted coffee beans, K-Cup Pods and espresso capsules at shops and on peets.com Sept. 25-Sept. 29.
Circle K
Text “FREE” to “31310” to receive a digital coupon for a free cup of coffee to use on Sept. 29.
You’ll get a free regular size brewed coffee with any bakery purchase over $2 at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.
Where else can you get free coffee on National Coffee Day? That depends. Your local coffee shops or cafes may offer free coffee or discounts to celebrate the occasion; you can always check local Facebook pages or Instagram accounts for your favorite local roasters.
It’s a big week for Starbucks. Not only is the coffee brand celebrating its 50th anniversary, but National Coffee Day is Wed., Sept. 29!
To show gratitude for customers and communities alike, customers can bring in a clean, empty, reusable cup (up to 20 fl. oz.) into participating locations in the U.S. on this Wednesday and get a free cup of Pike Place Roast brewed coffee.
photo: Starbucks
In addition to the freebie at cafe locations, select Starbucks Reserve locations like the Starbucks Reserve Roasteries in Seattle, Chicago and New York City, will also be giving away a free Starbucks Reserve coffee or cold brew.
Want to enjoy your coffee at home? Head to Starbucks’ At Home website and sign up for a free Pike Place Roast packaged coffee! The deal is available on Sept. 29 while supplies last and is limited to one per customer.
Chocolate and the holidays are nearly synonymous, and Hershey’s is already gearing up for a sweet season. The company is bringing 13 NEW treats to fans everywhere, and we think we’ll need to try them all.
In addition to creative creations like Reese’s Peanut Brittle Flavored Cups (the first holiday flavor for the brand) and KIT KAT Gingerbread Cookie Flavored Miniatures, Hershey’s is also pairing up with Dr. Suess’s The Grinch to bring special kisses!
Ok, but are you really here for the magic that is the new Reese’s Ugly Sweater? The seasonal chocolate made with peanut butter creme can be likened to the regular Christmas tree PB candy, but in a much cooler packaging.
You can head to the Hershey’s website to see all the new offerings hitting the shelves this season from your fave brands like Whoppers, York and KitKat.
Gotta eat them all! OREO has a new collab with Pokémon and it’s extra sweet for gaming fans. The limited edition cookies feature 16 unique Pokémon designs and the familiar classic taste of the chocolate and creme.
Perfect for parties or elevating an after school snack, each pack gives you a chance to find all 16, including a super rare Pokémon (like Mew). But just like in the game, some of the Pokémon are a lot harder to find than others. With a random assortment in each package, you might have to buy more than one to find your favorites!
You can pre-order to cookies now on Oreo’s official website, or look for them in nationwide retailers starting September 13, while supplies last. The real question: how will you document your catches before you consume them?
If you live in the LA area, you’ll definitely want to visit the Venice Beach Boardwalk in the next couple weeks. The brands have installed an art installation that features a Pikachu made of more than 8,000 3D replicas of the limited-edition cookies!
It’s official: the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is back! After a hiatus, one of the world’s most iconic celebrations is returning to the streets of NYC.
The 95th edition of the parade will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Nov. 25. It will also air on NBC in all time zones for optimal viewing pleasure for those of us not brave enough to weather the, well weather.
photo: Mimi O’Conners for Red Tricycle
More details are expected to come, but it can be assumed guests may be limited as the world still navigates the pandemic. As of now, Macy’s has also stated its volunteers and staff will be vaccinated,
To stay tuned on the event that’s only 77 days away, be sure to check the Macy’s Parade website.