Del Mar Village Association Blog

Congratulations to Del Mar Rendezvous’ Chef Tony Chu Jung Su for his win in the Merry Edwards Winery  recipe contest for the Crabmeat Mango Salad recipe! Recipe below if you’d like to make the dish at home:

Crabmeat Mango Salad
(for a 1 person portion or also good for sharing between 2-3 people as an appetizer)
Ingredients:
6 ounces of fresh ripe mango diced into small cubes
1 tablespoon of chopped white onion
1 tablespoon of chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh cilantro
4 ounces of jumbo lump crabmeat
6 ounces of spring mix salad

Crabmeat Mango Sauce Ingredients:
4 ounces mayonnaise
1 teaspoon horseradish
1 ounce of dijon mustard

Spring Mix Salad Ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon plum sauce

Directions: 

Step 1: Make the sauce for the Spring Mix Salad by mixing all the ingredients together and tossing with the spring mix

Step 2: Put the spring mix into the bottom of the plate. You will want a shallow bowl for the best visual results.

Step 3: In a separate bowl make the sauce for the Crabmeat Mango Salad by mixing all the ingredient.

Step 4: Throw the mango, white onion, red bell pepper, cilantro into the bowl with the sauce for the Crabmeat Mango Salad and mix. Add the Crabmeat last

Step 5: After you mix everything you can either just place it on top of the Spring mix in the center or use a mold to make it into a shape that you like. We use a spherical mold

Del Mar has always drawn in the celebrities. Ever since the ‘50s, stars from Lucille Ball to Bing Crosby have visited Del Mar in lavish celebrity style, and to this day the stars keep coming!

Celebrities love the perfect weather and relaxing vibes that Del Mar has to offer, spending it in their own signature celeb-style ways. So why can’t you have the same experience? You may not have topped the charts with a platinum album or broken box office records with a big-budget major motion picture,

BUT you can still enjoy Del Mar like an A-lister!

Household names such as Barbara Streisand, Tyra Banks, and Ivanka Trump have truly enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere Del Mar has to offer. The L’Auberge hotel’s five star spa is what draws in the celebrities, who enjoy relaxing spa treatments in a serene, tranquil setting. From premium facials to massage therapies, it’s no wonder the celebrities come to the L’Auberge spa for some serious R&R.

Adding to the A-list visits, Johnny Depp has been known to cruise around the streets in Del Mar in his Lamborghini on more than one occasion. The pricey car may be out of your budget, but you can still stroll down the same streets and take in the same Del Mar beauty!

If scouting for the stars is more interesting that actually living like one, has Del Mar got the perfect location for you! The Del Mar Races is notorious for gathering Hollywood’s most talked about celebrities. From famous athletes like Drew Brees to Best Actress winners like Uma Thurman, the spectrum of celebs at the Del Mar Races is never ending! Just last year we spotted reality TV star Audrina Patridge, actor David Arquette, and television personalities Nick Lachay, Jessica Simpson, and Mario Lopez!

Now when I say a celebrity sighting, I don’t mean a three-second glimpse. At the Del Mar Races celebrities compete in the “Celebrity Ride and Drive”, where celebrities are paired up with equestrians for a race of their own! Participants including Melissa Rivers, Billy Ray Cyrus, and even Stephen Spielberg came out to take part in the race and give audiences a fun race to watch!

After the races you can stick around for even more celebrities! Feel like an A-lister yet? Performers such as Kelly Clarkson, Cody Simpson, Joss Stone and Demi Lovato are just a few of today’s hottest artists that you can find in Del Mar.

So get in the summer spirit and enjoy Del Mar like a celebrity—-or with one!

Happy first day of spring equinox! Today marks the first day of spring, and where could be a better place to spend it then in beautiful Del Mar! Equinox an event occurs twice a year (in March and September), when day and night are the same length. It marks the turning point of the seasons, where now instead of the nights being longer, we are gradually gaining more hours of sunlight. Winter is officially over (although did we ever really have winter in southern California?), it is officially spring, and Del Mar has some perfect ways to celebrate!

1. Brighten Up Your Home!
Nothing says spring more than bright, fresh flowers, and Jolie Fleur in Del Mar is just the place to find them! Show that special someone your love with a beautiful bouquet, or surprise your friends and family with one of Jolie Fleur’s other beautiful creations! Spring is a fresh new start, so break out of your winter blues and begin this season off right with some fresh flowers to brighten up your home. Watch the flowers blossom and add brightness to your home!

2. Why Stop at your Home? Take Care of that Boring Wardrobe!
Winter is officially over, so it’s time to put away those neutral colored sweaters, boring black leggings, and jump into color! Embrace spring wholeheartedly with Annmarie D’ercole’s new spring line of fantastic, colorful pieces. Whether you’re looking for that perfect spring dress for a picnic or some bright statement jewelry for a night out, a stop into Annmarie D’ercole is a must!

3. Enjoy the Extra Hours and Get Active!
After what seemed like an eternity of the sun setting before 6pm, it’s finally changing! Take advantage of the extra hours of daylight and enjoy it! Del Mar is full of great trails such as Torrey Pines State Reserve and Seagrove Park, both overlooking the beautiful ocean and great views for endless fun in the sun! Whether you’re working toward that bikini body or enjoying a day out with your family and friends, Del Mar trails are perfect for everyone, and will not fail to get you excited for spring!

4. Not Much of an Outdoors-y Type?
You can still get bikini-bod ready this spring with the help of The Gym Del Mar! Beautifully located, The Gym Del Mar has all the amenities you need to start spring off right from yoga classes to spin class, to personal trainers, with their membership special of just $17.99 a month!

5. Don’t worry; of course Spring is for Relaxing too!
For some people, hiking for hours up hills in dirty sneakers isn’t the ideal springtime activity–no worries! Skip the dirt and rocks and head on over to Powerhouse Park! The vast green provides a perfect place for a picnic with loved ones, tanning with friends, or spending time with your kids on the playground. Whatever activity you like to do, overlooking the Pacific Ocean in the warm sunshine is always a nice bonus!

6. Make Something Fresh!
Try something new! Shimbashi Izakaya is hosting a sushi making experience! Bring your friends and loved ones for a fun night out to learn how to make some of their delicious signature rolls! Spring is a great time to make a fresh new start with new, delicious food, so you can have the restaurant-quality food in your own home!

7. Get Ahead!
Matching the “fresh start” theme of spring, why not take this time to get ahead and get organized? Easter Sunday is coming up on March 31st (how fast is 2013 moving?!) which means there will be a lot of family time coming up! Whether your entire family is flying in from all over the country, or it’s just mom and dad, the Del Mar restaurants are here to help you out! Pacifica Del Mar, The Brigantine, and L’Auberge have their Easter Sunday Specials, featuring their signature entrees and breakfast favorites while overlooking beautiful Del Mar!

8. Have a Pampering Day!
You have to feel good before you take on all of what spring has to offer! Spoil yourself a little at Del Mar Nails and Spa for a much-needed pedicure—it’s time for those flip-flops to come out from behind those boots! Then head over to Place360 Health + Spa to rejuvenate yourself with all the body treatments they have to offer! Spring has arrived and it’s giving way to the fresh, new you!

By Lauren Freund
DMVA Intern

Happy National Pi(e) Day! Any holiday that has to do with food is a holiday to celebrate! After all, what could be better than a whole day dedicated to enjoying a slice of pie? Nothing else comes to mind!

But let’s start with where this holiday actually came from. No, the inventor of these delicious desserts did not decide to make their own holiday. Pi Day is an annual celebration commemorating the mathematical constant π (pi). Pi Day is observed on March 14 since 3, 1 and 4 are the three most significant digits of π in the decimal form. This holiday has been going on longer than you may have thought! The earliest known large-scale celebration of Pi Day was organized by Larry Shaw, a physicist, in 1988 at the San Francisco Exploratorium, where Shaw and his staff would march around one of its circular spaces, then consume fruit pies—now that’s having fun at work.  On March 12, 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a non-binding resolution recognizing March 14, 2009, as National Pi Day. After twenty-two years of pi mayhem, the Exploratorium in San Francisco, California still holds Pie Day celebrations!

While some people take this day to celebrate math, I prefer the non-headache-inducing route of celebrating with yummy, delicious pie! Free of difficult math problems and confusing calculations, pie is fun to bake, give, and most importantly—eat! You can bake a pie with your friends, classmates, or family to celebrate this delicious day! Whether you want to have a fun activity with your kids, a delicious girls-night-in, or fill your home with heavenly aroma of fresh baked goods, this Pi Day is not a holiday to be overlooked!

Not a baker? Don’t sweat it! Some people just don’t have the time (or patience) to slave over the creation of a whole pie on a Thursday afternoon. If pie making is not in your schedule, Del Mar has got some of the most delicious creations for this mouthwatering holiday!

Boasting one of their most popular items, Café Secret’s Key Lime Pie is quite simply to die for! To which many agree is the best key lime pie in all of San Diego, it will have you craving the signature tangy, creamy creation long after your last bite! The sweet and savory flavors are magnified by the beautiful presentation of the pie itself, which is topped with luscious Italian meringue, originating a serious contestant for the perfect pie for this holiday!

But not so fast—Del Mar Rendezvous’s Mile High Mud Pie provides some serious competition to any pie-contenders out there; this mocha almond fudge ice cream is piled four inches—yes, four inches, probably taller than most of your high heels— atop a chocolate cookie crust and topped with powdered sugar, whipped cream, caramel, and chocolate sauce. Shall I give you a minute to reread that glorious description? It’s a dessert lover’s heaven and not to mention another perfect way to celebrate National Pi(e) Day.

As crazy to me as it may sound, I know there are people out there who don’t—*gasp*—like pie. If pie is not really your thing, then have this be your good-deed holiday instead! Come to Café Secret or Rendezvous to pick up one of their signature and mouthwatering pies for your child’s favorite math teacher, your boss at work, your accountant—the pie-sibilities for this Pi Day celebration are endless!

By Lauren Freund
DMVA Intern

Finding yourself with nothing to do on this fine Tuesday afternoon? Well I bet you didn’t know that this isn’t just any Tuesday afternoon, this is a National Plant a Flower Day afternoon! What better way to brighten up your week than freshly planted flowers just in time to bloom for spring? And Del Mar’s very own Jolie Fleur has got the most beautiful, vibrant flowers for this perfect flower holiday!

Many people think flowers are just for special occasions, but the point of flowers are to bring cheer to one’s day through the beautiful colors and floral scents! Jolie Fleur, as many locals know, is not just another florist. As soon as you walk in, you are instantly welcomed with the upbeat and friendly atmosphere which embraces the “Art of Flowers” from multiple perspectives.

More than likely, most of you out there love flowers—but receiving them is more your style than actually planting them. No worries! The owner and designer, Alyta Milana, is eager yet patient in answering all your flower-related questions! From choosing the right kind of flowers, to planting arrangements, to how many times a day they need to be watered, let those anxieties fade away, because at Jolie Fleur you are well taken care of!

For those of you at there who are gardening experts, you will find your niche at Jolie Fleur too! The creative environment gives way to all you floral artists out there, establishing her motto that “Flowers are the star of the show at any event” through creative ideas and arrangements. So no matter what flower experience you have, Jolie Fleur is the perfect place to come for the novice flower planters as well as the flower-planting maestros, to make sure that this Tuesday is the best National Plant a Flower Day ever!

By Lauren Freund
DMVA Intern