Upcoming events and a buzzing new restaurant in Golden Hill have us marking our calendars this spring.
PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDS
HOT WHEELS Join auto enthusiasts from around the world April 22 to 24 for the 16th annual La Jolla Concours d’Elegance, a weekend filled with world-class events and coveted automobiles. Chaired by G. Michael Dorvillier and Robert Kerner, the fete kicks off Friday with a free Ferrari gathering, followed by Saturday’s Tour d’Elegance, where attendees can joy ride along the California coastline and indulge in a gourmet lunch by La Jolla Country Club executive chef Matthew Moyer. As the sun goes down, the party heats up with Le Cabaret du Concours, a festive cocktail party, as car lovers prepare for Sunday’s crown jewel, the La Jolla Concours—a showcase of 150 automobiles teamed with food tastings and a Champagne garden, all set against the backdrop of the Pacific. Bugatti is this year’s honored marque along with the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, while proceeds from the event will benefit the La Jolla Historical Society. lajollaconcours.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDS
ALL ABOARD Take date night to the high seas with the Hausmann Quartet and the Maritime Museum of San Diego. Haydn Voyages: Music at the Maritime invites locals aboard the Berkeley, an 1898 steam ferryboat, to enjoy the works of Austrian composer Joseph Haydn—and other notable names—as performed by San Diego’s Hausmann Quartet in this quarterly concert series. Book a reservation for May 8, Sept. 18 or Nov. 6 to enjoy a two-hour Sunday performance that includes commentary from UC Santa Barbara musicologist Derek Katz. “Staged aboard the National Historic Landmark steam ferry, the Berkeley, and surrounded by 500 years of seafaring history, the Hausmann Quartet concerts are a delight for the eyes and ears,” says Kelli Lewis, director of development for the Maritime Museum of San Diego. For those who prefer to stay on land, mini pop-up concerts will also take place April 3 and Oct. 2 at the museum. Now that’s music to our ears! hausmannquartet.com
PHOTO BY: KIMBERLY MOTOS
PLENTY OF FISH Exquisite Vietnamese cuisine—with both French and California influence—now awaits patrons in Golden Hill at the new Kingfisher Cocktail Bar & Eatery. Step inside the stunning 90-seat space—designed in collaboration with Ocio Design Group and CLTVT—to discover a glittering bar, lotus-patterned walls and sumptuous banquettes. Helmed by co-owners Kim Phan, Ky Phan and Quan Le, the restaurant’s menu is led by executive chef Jonathan Bautista, with an emphasis on local and seasonal ingredients. Favorites from the land and sea include Salt Spring mussels escabeche (shown here), crispy chicken wings coated in a tamarind glaze and Snake River Farms smoked wagyu beef rib. Meanwhile, general manager and bar director David Tye has crafted an extensive cocktail program featuring favorites like the Vietnamese Spritz and the gin-forward Saigon Moped. Come hungry—and thirsty. kingfishersd.com
Designer Beth O’Reilly transformed San Diego Museum of Art’s tundra for Art Alive in 2021. This year’s designer is Britton Neubacher. PHOTO BY: BAUMAN PHOTOGRAPHERS
JUST ADD FLOWER Fundraising and nearly 100 floral installations will be in full bloom April 28 to May 1 as San Diego Museum of Art’s 41st annual Art Alive returns, along with its black-tie Premiere Dinner and beloved Bloom Bash. As the museum’s signature fundraiser, proceeds from the floral fete go toward the institution’s education, outreach programs and special exhibitions. Britton Neubacher, a local San Diego artist who owns Tend Living, will create this year’s 40-foot rotunda installation using only recycled botanical plants and florals. Attendees will also have the opportunity to view SDMA’s two new exhibitions—Terra: Fernando Casasempere, the first comprehensive stateside show by the artist, and Monet to Matisse: Impressionist Masterpieces from the Bremberg Foundation. Adds Roxana Velasquez, SDMA’s Maruja Baldwin executive director and CEO: “We’re elated to host the 41st annual Art Alive event, a collaborative and creative force that brings the San Diego community together.”
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