Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery is giving back to those who risk their lives to keep our local communities safe with the debut of its Fire Chief Ale.

From Feb. 11 through March 22, Rock Bottom will offer its Fire Chief Ale – a crimson-colored beer crafted exclusively by each location’s brewer. Rock Bottom will donate 25 cents from each Fire Chief Ale sold to FireFighter Aid.

For a limited time, guests can devour any of these delectable spiced-up items, hand-crafted to pair deliciously with Fire Chief Ale:

• Firecracker Shrimp – Crispy shrimp tossed in an explosive house-made Firecracker sauce.
• Fire Chief Chili – House-made chili made with Fire Chief Ale, steak, ground beef, tomatoes, onions, poblano and chipotle peppers. Topped with cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, Mexican cream, red onions, tortilla strips and jalapeno rings.
• Rockin’ Red Hummus – Roasted red peppers and sunflower seeds. Served with chile de arbol sauce, house-made bread and veggies.
• Fireman’s Double Stack Burger – Double patty burger topped with pepper Jack cheese, guacamole, pickled jalapenos, pickled red onion, lettuce, chile de arbol sauce and chipotle mayo. Served with choice of side.
• Fire Chief Chili Cheeseburger – Chipotle mayo, jalapenos, cheddar cheese, Fire Chief chili and fried onion strings. Served with choice of side.
• Honey Sriracha Shrimp Salad – Crispy shrimp tossed in a honey sriracha glaze, mixed greens, bacon, cucumbers, blue cheese crumbles, sunflower seeds and cilantro lime ranch.
• Texas Fire Ribeye – Sizzlin’ 12-ounce ribeye seasoned with crazy pepper and topped with smokin’ jalapeno butter. Served with choice of two sides.
• Lemon Salmon – Blackened Atlantic salmon topped with chimichurri sauce, green onions, cilantro lime rice and fresh shaved lemon. Served with garlic green beans.
• Kolsch-Battered Fish & Chips – Kolsch-battered cod, fries, apple coleslaw and house-made Cajun remoulade.
• Jambalaya – Blackened shrimp and chicken, andouille sausage, house-made jambalaya sauce, rockin’ red rice and green onions.
• Cookie Dough Cookie Sandwich – Giant chocolate chip cookie dough sandwich topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and chocolate shavings. 

“We are always eager and proud to support our local communities by giving back,” said Rock Bottom Director of Marketing Ashley Montgomery. “Firefighters put their lives on the line to keep us safe, and Fire Chief Ale is a delicious way to commemorate their bravery. We are proud to have been partnering with local fire departments since 1991. To date, we’ve donated more than $2.2 million to local fire departments and their charities, and we look forward to contributing again this year. We hope everyone will come out and join us in celebrating those who work so diligently to take care of our communities.” 

Fire Chief Ale will only be available through March 22, so head to Rock Bottom and drink up. Pricing varies by location. For the location nearest you, visit rockbottom.com/locations.

WHISKNLADLE CELEBRATES 12 YEARS

La Jolla staple Whisknladle, known as an early pioneer in the farm-to-table culinary trend, is celebrating its 12th anniversary this year at 1044 Wall St.

Whisknladle started with the serendipitous meeting of talented chef Ryan Johnston and young entrepreneur Arturo Kassel in 2006.

Convinced what San Diego needed was a farm-fresh restaurant that served from-scratch cooking, the pair opened Whisknladle in the heart of the Village of La Jolla in 2008.

Ever since, the restaurant has been following the mantra that “good food should be made simply.”

Whisknladle continues to dedicate itself to that back-to-basics approach to dining, allowing the ingredients to speak for themselves.

Whisknladle’s team prepares as much food as possible from scratch. Chef Johnston crafted the original menu to reflect the fresh bounty of Southern California seasons. Through collaborations with local farms including Suzie’s Farm, Chino Farms, and Milagro Farm, Whisknladle dishes up elevated comfort food. With a commitment to seasonal ingredients, guests enjoy an ever-changing menu of handmade pastas, delicious salads, fresh seafood and more.

COLDWELL BANKER AFFILIATE TO SPONSOR ANNUAL MASQUERADE

The La Jolla office of Coldwell Banker Realty recently announced that affiliate agent Andrea Hunsinger is the main sponsor for The Stella Maris Academy Parent Teacher Organization’s 73rd annual Masquerade Gala Fundraiser and Auction, which will be hosted Saturday, Feb. 22. The funds raised at this year’s gala will go toward purchasing safety and security features across the junior and senior yards as well as the transitional kindergarten and administrative building.

“The Stella Maris Academy is a great institution, and I am happy to help them raise funds for the safety and security of their students, teachers and administration,” said Hunsinger. “Please join me and help keep our children and educators safe. You may contribute by purchasing sponsorship or tickets to the event, participating in the live auction or raising paddles in support of their funding projects.”

Stella Maris Academy, the parish school of Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church, is a transitional kindergarten through eighth-grade coeducational school and a nonprofit organization. Last year’s gala helped Stella Maris Academy raise more than $25,000.

Tickets to the event are $125 per person, $250 per couple, $1,000 for a table for eight and $125 to sponsor a teacher. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 858-454-2461 or visit stellamarisacademy.org/annual-gala.

COLDWELL BANKER COLLECTS 300 PAIRS OF SHOES

The La Jolla office of Coldwell Banker Realty recently collected more than 300 new and gently used shoes for Soles4Souls, a non-profit that creates sustainable jobs and provides relief through the distribution of shoes and clothing around the world. 

“I am so proud of our affiliate agents here in La Jolla for their commitment to the Sole4Souls campaign and collecting more than 300 pairs of shoes!” said Jeff Nunn, branch manager of the La Jolla office of Coldwell Banker Realty. “One of our affiliate agent, Juan Pablo Samayoa, went door to door and called many of his past clients who either donated shoes or gave him money to buy new shoes as they were truly touched by this whole initiative! He was able to collect and buy almost 100 pairs of shoes himself! I will say this was one of the best events we have had so far in our campaign to help others!”

From Jan. 14 to Jan. 31, donations of new and gently used shoes were collected at 13 Coldwell Banker Realty offices in San Diego County. To learn more, visit coldwellbankerhomes.com.

SDCCU DONATES 2,000 TOYS FOR LOCAL HOSPITALS

For the 10th consecutive year, children who are patients at Southern California pediatric hospitals will receive toys throughout the year thanks to San Diego County Credit Union. SDCCU’s customers and employees donated more than 2,000 toys this year for the annual Holiday Toy Drive benefiting Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego and CHOC Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

New, unwrapped toys were collected from November 2019 through early January 2020 at all of SDCCU’s 44 convenient branch locations in San Diego, Riverside and in Orange County to be delivered this month to Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego and CHOC Children’s. Donated items may be used throughout the year as gifts to individual patients in various age groups. In addition, donated items may be utilized in playrooms and support groups as in-room activities for patients and in conjunction with therapies.

For more information, visit sdccu.com.

CITYWIDE ARCHITECTURE TOUR 

The San Diego Architectural Foundation recently announced its OH! San Diego (Open House San Diego) architecture and urban design event to be held March 6-8. This festival offers free tours of nearly 100 locations citywide for a rare, behind-the-scenes look at some of San Diego’s most iconic buildings and places. 

Visitors will have the chance to discover some of the city’s newest, never-before-seen buildings, in addition to historic landmarks throughout Downtown, Bankers Hill, Barrio Logan, Balboa Park, Point Loma, La Jolla and, new this year, Coronado. Many sites in this year’s event will feature designer-led tours and talks. A juried architectural photography competition will award prizes in a variety of categories.

Opportunities for kids and parents include collaborating with architects to sketch their own versions of architecture at Coronado Clubroom & Boathouse and Wisteria Cottage in La Jolla – recommended for third-grade kids to high schoolers. 

Attendees may pre-register for the event to be entered into a drawing to win custom-designed OH! San Diego exclusive T-shirts. On the weekend of March 6-8, attendees should start at one of the neighborhood hubs where they will receive a free map to navigate the weekend events. Souvenir event guides are available for a $5 donation.

Most sites will be open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. with open access. Sites at Balboa Park will only be open on Friday, March 6, and all other sites will be open Saturday and Sunday, March 7 and 8. Some sites will offer scheduled talks and guided tours on a first-come, first-served basis, while others will require reservations. Most sites are family-friendly and easily accessible by public transit, bike or trolley.

For a full list of participating sites and public reservations, visit sdarchitecture.org/openhouse.

FORWARD OPENS FIRST SAN DIEGO OFFICE IN LA JOLLA 

Forward, the largest concierge health care provider in each city it operates in, recently opened its first location in San Diego at Westfield UTC, 4305 La Jolla Village Drive #2518. Touted as the “doctor’s office of the future,” Forward combines best-in-class doctors with advanced medical technology. Offices include proven technology, like a 360-degree body scanner and in-room collaborative display screens, as well as 24/7 access to a dedicated care team. Membership also includes unlimited visits, genetic analysis and real-time blood testing. For more information, visit goforward.com.

ACUITY EYE GROUP ACQUIRES LJ OPHTHALMOLOGY PRACTICE  

Acuity Eye Group is pleased to announce the addition of La Jolla Laser Vision & Eye Center run by Dr. Daniel Coden, Dr. Arthur Perry, and Dr. Steven Pratt to its growing number of providers and clinics. Drs. Perry, Pratt, and Coden have served patients in the La Jolla and San Diego community for over 40 years and will continue to provide comprehensive ophthalmology services at their practice post-acquisition.

“We are thrilled to join Acuity Eye Group” said Dr. Coden. “Acuity Eye Group has positioned itself as a leader in ophthalmology and retina and provides incredible services and support to both its doctors and its patients.”

“Acquiring a practice in La Jolla, and one as well-respected as that of Perry, Pratt, and Coden, is an exciting next step for us. Additionally, this location will allow us to expand our offerings to help patients access the care they need in San Diego,” said Dr. Tom S. Chang, Chief Executive Officer of Acuity Eye Group.

Acuity Eye Group and Dr. Perry, Dr. Pratt, and Dr. Coden are committed to providing patients access to industry-leading research and state-of-the-art technology, as well as access to effective business support services that streamline and improve the patient experience. As a member of Acuity Eye Group, Drs. Perry, Pratt, and Coden and the other members of this organization cooperate in clinician and staff development opportunities designed to enhance the patient experience and best support the doctor/patient relationship.

For more information, visit acuityeyegroup.com.