Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Local Halloween Day Happenings

Hi neighbors -

Halloween is just around the corner. My costume is prepared, candy bowl is ready and jack-o-lantern is frightening little kids as we speak. But for those that aren't staying home for the trick or treating crowd here is a list of local Halloween events you can check out. If you end up going out to any of the events we'd love to hear about it. Give us a shout on our FB or tweet us.

Have a happy and safe Halloween!

1. The Sycamore Inn presents Halloween Murder Mystery Dinner (Rancho Cucamonga)

2. Nightmare at the Fairplex (Pomona)

3. Field of Screams (Lake Elsinore)

4. Scandia's 18th Annual Haunted House (Ontario)

5. Human Roast House (Riverside)

6. Big Horse Corn Maze (Temecula)

7. Live Oak Pumpkin Patch (Yucaipa)

8. Scary-A-Faire Celebration (Upland)

9. Halloween Trick or Treating & Haunted Yards (Riverside)

10. Coffin Creek (Corona)

Boo!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Our first IEShineOn "Local Stars"

Hi neighbors -

My site is once again delayed from my previous ideal launch date, which is frustrating. And in these moments of frustration and doubt I have to remind myself of why I'm creating this site and its original inspiration. A big reason why I decided to create a destination site for the Inland Empire is that this area is my roots. I was raised here and my parents still reside and do business here.

They have owned their business for over 27 years and it's these type of long time  family run businesses that exist in the IE that give our community character. So for our next blog series I would like to focus on local businesses that have been family run or owned for over 20 years and we're going to call these folks our "Local Stars." These are the places that make this area unique, and like I've been saying, one of a kind.

I'm not going to reveal the location of my parents' business but let's just say they have been standing over this grill and greeting generations of customers off Rte. 66 for over 27 years. They have seen young families grow up and bring their kids to the same place of business where they ate as a child. It is their continued drive and their support of all my dreams that I dedicate my first Local Stars blog post to them.

Here's a picture of the proud couple on their first days of starting out their new life and business.  The picture is from a distance but you can tell they're smiling and feel the optimism through the photo. I hope through whatever Life throws at me that I tackle it head on with as much gusto!

Local Stars 1

I feel I have a legitimate stake in the continued growth of this community and it's my responsibility to do what I can to give back to the area that gave me the foundation to go for my dreams. If you can understand how I feel and would like to nominate a business to be spotlighted in our "Local Stars" blog series we'd love to hear from you. Give us a shout on FB or tweet us!

Till next time...

Monday, October 17, 2011

Hap-Hap-Happy Hour - 10 Local Watering Holes


Packing House Wine Merchants

Hi neighbors -

Do you ever just feel the need to kick back with a cold brew or a nice glass of something room temperatured or chilled after work? We've been tightening our belts lately so we're always excited about affordable happy hour specials so we hope we found us some good options. Let us know what you think by giving us a shout on FB or tweet us. If we missed one of your favs please don't hesitate to let us know :)


1. CAFE SEVILLA (Riverside) - Daily HH 4:30-6:30 p.m. Tapas starting at $4 or get a $20 pitcher of sangria, mojito, margarita. Whoa - $20 pitcher of margarita? May not make it to work the next day...

2. JOE’S BAR & GRILL (Riverside) - Joe's is a local hang out where you can play pool, watch the game, karaoke and imbibe daily drinks specials starting at $3 draft beers and $3.75 well drinks. Did w mention 95 cent taco Tuesday?!

3. GYU-KAKU (Rancho Cucamonga) - HH specials all day on Mondays, Tue-Thu 12-6:30 p.m. and 8:30-last call, Fri-Sat 12-6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.-last call. All appetizers are up to 50% off and bbq items start at $2.95. Sushi rolls at $4.95...whoa.

4. THE SALTED PIG (Riverside) - $3 well drinks and half off snacks at this downtown gastropub. Filthy Fries...try it...enough said ;)

5. ESPIAUS'S RESTAURANTE Y CANTINA (Claremont) - 99 cent Taco Tuesday with ALL NIGHT HAPPY HOUR? Happy Hour also Mon-Thu 3-6 p.m.

6. COPLEY'S ON PALM CANYON (Palm Springs) - Discover a little bit of old Hollywood at Cary Grant's former estate now turned award winning restaurant. Sun-Thu 5:30-7 pm with $5 well drinks.

7. THE LOUNGE CORONA (Corona) - They have HH and a great list of all day specials. Check 'em out! 4-7 p.m. $2.50 domestic beers!

8. THE PRESS (Claremont) - HH daily 3-6 p.m. except Thursday 3 p.m. - 12 a.m. If you've never been, this is a great locals hangout - always packed to the rim full of people.

9. OMAKASE (Rancho Cucamonga & Fontana) - HH Mon-Fri 3-6 pm, Sat 8-close (drinks only). Whoa...$1 Budlight, $11 pitchers, $4 sake bombs, 50% off some apps and $1 off some sushi rolls.

10. MI RANCHITO - HH Mon-Fri 2-6pm They also have a lot of affordable daily specials. Here are a couple examples: Tuesday - 99 cent Taco Tuesday and $1.95 draft beers. Also $2 Bloody Mary's and mimosas on Sunday along with half off apps. Oh, and $1.99 margaritas all day on Monday.

That's our list, friends. And not to put a damper on the party but always remember to drive responsibly. If you need one, please call a local cab company like AA Inland Empire Taxicab 1-888-333-TAXI, k?

Till next time...

p.s. It was National Boss's Day yesterday. Cheers to the bosses who make work tolerable. =D

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Tools of the Trade: The 8 Habits of Highly Productive People

Hi friends -

So, I'm on this big kick about productivity lately, especially when it comes to tools of my trade. Time is of the essence and I'm on the look out for anything that increases my productivity and keeps my brain sharp. I stumbled upon this blog post from Celestine Chua called The Personal Excellence Blog. She's a productivity guru and her blog is super insightful. I've made a summary of the eight habits she describes in her article, but I highly recommend that you read the post to get the full effect.

The 8 Habits of Highly Productive People
1. Focus on the high value tasks
2. Allocate breaks strategically
3. Remove productivity pitstops (i.e. distractions)
4. Tap into your inspiration
5. Unplug! (Create barriers to entry)
6. Optimize time pockets
7. Set timelines
8. Automate everything possible

Do you follow any of these habits or have any additional recommendations? We'd love to hear! Give us give us a shout on FB or tweet us!

Till next time....

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

7 Local Spots for Halloween Costume Shopping

Hi neighbors -

Does everyone have their Halloween costume ready? I'm headed out this weekend to put the finishing touches on mine. I've decided to be Sue Sylvester from the show "Glee." I'm a fan of her can-do attitude (can-do or "I will crush you" attitude more like haha). What are you going to be? Are you still looking to put something together?

Check out our list of local costume shops and antique stores below. Maybe you'll find the last embellishment to top off the costume or find inspiration for the perfect costume this year. We'd love to see what you get. Snap a pix and post on our wall or give us a shout on FB or tweet us and let us know if you head to any of the shops below.

Enjoy!

1. Koyal Wholesale - largest Halloween costume shop in the Inland Empire! Locations all around the IE.

2. Wizard's Party House (Moreno Valley) - over 20,000 sq ft. of party supplies

3. Halloween Hub (Riverside)

4. Geraldine's Costume & Props (Cathedral City)

5. Hobo Vintage (Redlands) - Voted 2011 Best Vintage Store by IE Hotlist & 2010's Best Thrift Store by the IEWeekly

6. Treasures and Junk Antique Mart (Ontario) - 17,000-square foot antique mall featuring 80 individual spaces with multiple dealers

7. Pomona's Antique Row - check out the directory of for a list of spots (then stop by Joey's BBQ...mmmm...bbq...)

Monday, October 10, 2011

Tools of the Trade: On-the-go Tools

Hi again neighbors -

In a previous article I briefly talked about apps I use as an entrepreneur but didn't really go into that much detail about the hardware. One significant tool that unquestionably increases my productivity is my Verizon Motorola Droid X2.

I joke that my smart phone is my BFF but I told myself when I was thinking about purchasing a smart phone that I would only make the investment if it increased my productivity by 10%. I made the leap a couple years ago and totally worth it! My IT friend loves everything Google and I've been drinking the Kool-Aid ever since. Sure I miss out on some apps like Instagram for the iPhone but my phone syncs with all the Google applications I already use without skipping a beat: Gmail, Calendar, Documents, Picasa, and Reader, all while helping me with a load of other functions that keep me moving forward. Check out the list below for just a few reasons why I think my smart phone rocks!

- I can tweet and Twitpic while roaming around the IE.
- I jot down my brainstorming ideas with Evernote. Evernote is an app on your phone and all notes are uploaded to the web where I can access at a later time.
- Also, this may sound nerdy, but I also use the Google record app to record random ideas. I then review the saved recording to determine my next action items.
- I can also access Basecamp Mobile, the project management software that syncs with my online account.
- The Hootsuite app lets me make on the fly updates to any scheduled posts.
- Google's Blogger app allows me to start drafting my blog posts so that I can finish them up later.
- Audible.com mobile app allows me to add business books to my library so that I can listen to books while on the go. Very useful especially when you don't have a lot of time to read.

Do you have a gadget you can't live without? Share it with us on FB or tweet us.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

More Awesome Autumn IE Happenings

Hi neighbors -

Can you believe it's Fall and it's already October? Whew...this year seems to be zipping by so quickly. Let's soak it all in while the weather's cooling down and hit up some more fun Autumn happenings in our area. Did you check out our previous list of fun Fall events? Hopefully, we found a few more good ones you can enjoy...

1. RIVERSIDE CITRUS CLASSIC BIKE RIDE on 10/9 - Cycle for a good cause!

2. LAKE ARROWHEAD BREWFEST lakeside on October 8 at the Arrowhead Lake Association's Tavern Bay Beach Club from 1-5 p.m. - Local brews will definitely be there

3. CLASSIC FILM SERIES @ VICTORIA GARDENS Every Thursday at Chaffey Town Square (Rancho Cucamonga)

4. THE PUMPKIN PATCH at Live Oak Canyon - 25 acre pumpkin patch with kids activities, corn maze, gift tent, events…whew…that’s a lot for a pumpkin patch!

5.IE FOOD TRUCK FEST AND BREW FEST (Ontario) on 10/8 - Food trucks, local breweries, live music and giveaways!

6. 6TH ANNUAL JOSHUA TREE ROOTS MUSIC FESTIVAL 10/8-10/9. Check out the line up!

7. PACKINGHOUSE BREWING CO. ROCK THE HOUSE ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION on 10/22

8. SPOTLIGHT 29 CASINO FREE FRIDAY CONCERTS (Coachella) from 10/7-12/9 - Lookin' forward to the Journey tribute band on 11/4. Oh yeah!

9. UNDERLAND - contemporary dance performance choreographed by New York-based choreographer Stephen Petronio at UCR University Theatre on 11/16

Are we missing any events you feel should definitely be on our list? Holler, shout, protest or politely suggest something on our FB wall or tweet us.

Till next time...

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

IE Halloween Haunts and Frightening Finds

Hi neighbors -

Are you getting ready for that spooky time of year? There's a lot of great lists online of local Halloween events that you can attend with your friends and family. Here are a few we found that we wanted to share with everyone.

If we've missed anything and you feel should be added to our list please give us a shout on FB and Twitter.

Enjoy!

1. NIGHTMARE AT SCAREVIEW FARMS at the Pomona Fairplex - $15

2. HAUNTED STADIUM in Lake Elsinore - $15

3. HUMAN ROAST HOUSE in Downtown Riverside - $10.

4. CASTLE DARK at Castle Park in Riverside - $22.99

5. CHAMBERS OF MAUSOLIUM at Crossroads Riverview Park in Corona - $13

6. COFFIN CREEK also at Crossroads Riverview Park in Corona - tickets starting at $13

7. JEKYLL & HYDE THE MUSICAL playing at the Sturges Center for the Fine Arts (San Bernardino) from Oct 14-16th

8. RIVERSIDE ZOMBIE CRAWL in Downtown Riverside on 10/22 2-7:30 p.m. – Get zombified!

9. THE ZOMBIE BAND playing at The Press (Claremont) on 10/29

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Cookie Fix

Hi neighbors!

If you haven't heard it's Homemade Cookie Day today! Nothing beats the smell of warm fresh cookies wafting from the oven. Thinking about it makes me drool. haha But unfortunately I won't have the time to make these delicious treats so I'll just have to get the next best thing from some of these great IE bakeries. ;P Check out our list and let us what you think or if we're missing one of your favorite spots.

1. SOME CRUST BAKERY – Claremont – Been coming here for over 25 years. Never disappointed once!
2. CRUMBLES COOKIES – Riverside – #4 2011 IE Hotlist’s Best Bakery
3. SHERMAN’S DELI AND BAKERY – Palm Springs – Lookin' for some kosher options - check it!
4.DOLCE – Montclair
5. DOLCISSIMO – Chino Hills
6. JJ Sweet Bakery – Chino - Fan of Chinese egg custard pastries? Check it out!
7. LE CROISSANT BAKERY – Murrieta – #2 2011 IE Hotlist’s Best Bakery – Cafe is great too.
8. SIMPLE SIMON’S BAKERY AND BISTRO – Riverside

Missing anything? Let us know by giving us a shout on our FB and Twitter.

AddThis

Bookmark and Share
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...