Urban Plates—the chef-driven, fast casual restaurant brand offering healthy, made-from-scratch meals at affordable prices—is turning 10 years old. To celebrate the occasion, they are giving away free one-month memberships to Plate Pass, their subscription program that makes every individual entrée$10 (or less) for a fee that is regularly $10 a month. The offer will apply to all Urban Plates locations for dine-in or takeout only. It does not apply to delivery or catering orders.

To get in on the anniversary deal, guests may sign up exclusively on the Urban Plates app (download for iPhone and Android) beginning September 20 through October 31. Once signed up, the offer will make all individual entréeson the Urban Plates menu for dine-in or takeout $10 for one month, and items on the $10 Everyday Menu will be $9.

The first of its kind in the fast casual industry, Plate Pass offers the entire breadth of the Urban Plates menu, which includes over 30 individual entrées (average cost $13.50) across four sections (plates, salads, sandwiches, and bowls) for $10 or less. Guests who sign up with Plate Pass save an average of $40 per month using the program. All of this is part of the brand’s mission to make craveable, wholesome and healthy food accessible to all.

“We want everyone to experience Plate Pass,” says Urban Plates Co-Founder and CEO Saad Nadhir. “What could be more fitting than offering all individual entréeson the menu for $10 or less for our 10^th anniversary? We want to share the savings with all of our guests, making the quality, variety, and craveable taste of Urban Plates even more accessible to all.”

For more information about the Plate Pass program, how it works, and how to sign up for the offer, visit https://urbanplates.com/plate-pass/.

Stay tuned! Next week read my review of Urban Plates in Torrance! I was quite impressed!

About Urban Plates

Urban Plates began in 2011 with a single restaurant in Del Mar, California; there are currently 18 locations, with more to come in 2022. Headquartered in Solana Beach, CA, the brand has locations throughout San Diego, Orange County, and the greater Los Angeles area, with additional restaurants in Northern California and Washington D.C. Urban Plates’ expansive menu items are made fresh in-house, from scratch, every day and feature clean (organic whenever and as much as possible) ingredients. Recipes feature GMO-, antibiotic-, and hormone-free, grass-fed, and grass-finished steak; line-caught tuna; sustainably sourced seafood; and humanely raised and sourced, cage-free, hormone-free chicken. The group works exclusively with farmers and ranchers that meet its ethical and environmental standards. With menus that include gluten-free, plant-based, dairy-free, pescatarian, low-carb, or any combination of the above, Urban Plates is committed to bringing craveable variety and honest value to its guests. Visit the brand online at www.urbanplates.com, or follow on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter

Credit: Urban Plates.

In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, the Aquarium of the Pacific will host its annual Baja Splash Cultural Festival on Saturday and Sunday, October 2 and 3, 2021, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Last year this celebration was a virtual event, but this year plans are underway for an in-person event for the 20th anniversary of the Aquarium’s first cultural festival. These plans include having bilingual (English/Spanish) environmental educational programs, traditional dance, live music, and booths as part of the celebration.

Folk dancers and musicians representing cultures in Mexico and countries in Central and South America, including Aztec drummers and dancers, will share songs and dances in two locations this year—the Aquarium’s Honda Pacific Visions Theater and in front of the Aquarium’s tallest exhibit, the Honda Blue Cavern. The Aquarium will feature Mexican and Central and South American music programs for all ages. Some of the groups have been involved with this festival since it began two decades ago, including Danza Azteca Cultural Ketzaliztli, Folklorico del Mar, and Martin Espino.

The festival will include an award ceremony in its Honda Pacific Visions Theater on Saturday, October 2. This year the Aquarium will present its Heritage Award to longtime festival participant Martin Espino. Espino is a musician and teaching artist who for more than fifty years has been engaging community members of all ages, including those with disabilities, to explore music, languages, musical instruments, and cultures from ancient Mexico and beyond. To further cultural preservation, he has also worked with directors in incorporating his ancestral instruments in movies. He has led interactive performances at the Baja Splash Festival since it started twenty years ago. Last year for the Aquarium’s first virtual Baja Splash festival, Espino presented a free online workshop to engage children and adults at home during the pandemic by teaching them to create a musical instrument using recycled materials and other household items.

The Aquarium of the Pacific gives special thanks to the Bernadett Family for supporting the Little Ocean Explorers programming for its youngest learners during the festival. This special program will be offered in the Aquarium’s Ocean Theater. Also, as part of the festival, everyone can participate in a bilingual (English/Spanish) seaweed-themed loteria game with prizes in connection with the Aquarium’s Seafood for the Future program in the Ocean Theater on Saturday, October 2, at 3:40 p.m. You can also experience a seaweed touch tank from the California Seaweed Festival and learn more about the importance of sustainable seaweed as a source of food that can also combat climate change. Attendees can stop by the booth to take home recipes when they visit the front plaza of the Aquarium that weekend. Visitors can also explore booths from organizations like Caracol Museo de Ciencias (Science museum in Ensenada), Mujeres de la Tierra (environmental nonprofit), the Museum of Latin American Art, and Girasoles en Marcha (cultural organization for youth).

The name Baja Splash was inspired by Baja California, Mexico’s Gulf of California, which is one of the most important wildlife havens in the world. Visitors can learn more about this important ecosystem and how people can help protect it by exploring the Aquarium’s Gulf of California exhibition created with World Wildlife Fund Mexico. The festival is included with Aquarium admission. General admission is $36.95 per adult (ages 12+), $26.95 per child (ages 3-11), $33.95 per senior (ages 62+), and free for Aquarium members and children under age three. All festival elements are subject to change. Capacity is limited. Advance reservations are required for everyone. No walk-ups. Safety is the Aquarium’s top priority. Masks are required for everyone ages two and older. For the most current safety information, please visit aquariumofpacific.org/visit/aquarium_safety . For more information on the festival and for reservations, please visit aquariumofpacific.org/events/info/baja_splash_cultural_festival/.  

VIRTUAL PROGRAM:

On Saturday, October 2, at 2:30 p.m. Pacific time, the Aquarium will broadcast a 20-minute presentation by Danza Azteca Cultural Ketzaliztli (Aztec drumming and dance) live on its Facebook page. This Baja Splash Cultural Festival program will be transmitted live from the Aquarium’s Honda Pacific Visions Theater. To view this free virtual program online, please visit this Aquarium webpage: pacific.to/bajasplash

Credit: The Aquarium of the Pacific.

September is National Potato Month and what better way to celebrate than with the New Truffle Fries and Ghost Pepper Fries at Islands! I had the opportunity to try them both and I absolutely loved them! I think the Truffle Fries are my favorite! I had a wonderful opportunity to visit Islands and they have the most delicious food and drinks!

Islands is one of my favorites (as many of you know) but I actually tried something new this time! The Huli Huli Crisp which is hand-breaded fried chicken breast with fresh pineapple, swiss cheese, lettuce, mayo, and island Huli Huli sauce! Absolutely delicious!

I will definitely order this one again! A friend of mine tried the Moa Crisp and she really liked it too!

Also, you can’t forget the drinks! I love the Mangorita and they have a Watermelon Margarita for a limited time!

The fun doesn’t end there–starting September 1^st through September 30^th, Islands will also be hosting a Lucky Potato Contest at all locations where each day one lucky take-out customer will receive a lucky potato with their order which will contain a coupon valid for a free basket of Islands Hand-cut Fries. Lucky Potato winners are also encouraged to post their lucky potato on Instagram through an IG story or in-feed post for a chance to win free fries for a year! The winner will be announced on 10/1. Rules to enter include:

• Follow @IslandsBurgers
• Include #IslandsLuckyPotato

Self Disclosure: I received a fun media kit and had the opportunity to visit Islands. Photo Credit: SoCal City Kids.

500 Jobs to be Filled Across CA, AZ & NV & All Interviewees Receive a Free Meal Card!

Greet the team, meet the team and join the team. Rubio’s Coastal Grill, home of the Original Fish Taco, is planning a company-wide hiring event across California, Arizona, and Nevada. On Wednesday, September 29, applicants are invited to any Rubio’s location from 2–4 pm. No appointments or sign-ups are needed, just the goal of leaving with a job…and a free meal card for any Rubio’s entrée!

Rubio’s is looking to fill approximately 500 job openings, including:

·      Line Cooks
·      Cashiers
·      Shift Leaders
·      Assistant Managers

Applicants should apply at https://www.rubios.com/amazing-people, either at the event using a mobile device, or in advance to expedite the process. Friendly and enthusiastic applicants should be prepared to answer questions during a short interview, and to follow all COVID-19 safety procedures, such as wearing a mask and social distancing.

Managers at all Rubio’s locations across California, Arizona and Nevada will be on hand to share details about each position, including:

·      Competitive wages (including tips averaging $3 per hour)
·      Flexible work schedules
·      50% off shift meals
·      Opportunities for advancement
·      Employee benefit packages – medical, dental and vision plans
·      401K plan with company match

Plus, everyone who interviews will receive a complimentary Rubio’s meal card, good for any entrée on the menu. Rubio’s is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. Rubio’s participates in E-Verify.

Credit: Rubio’s.

The Los Angeles Zoo is excited to announce its Sustainable Wine+Dinner series, presented by City National Bank, will return on Sept. 23 with Landmark Vineyards. This intimate evening will feature a conversation on the critically endangered berrendo, commonly known as the peninsular pronghorn, and the Los Angeles Zoo’s cross-collaborative work with Peninsular Pronghorn Recovery Project in Baja California Sur, Mexico. After a visit to the Zoo’s berrendo habitat for a discussion led by Director of Animal Programs Beth Schaefer, guests will enjoy a sumptuous five-course dinner prepared by L.A. Zoo’s Executive Chef Eileen Aguilera and expertly paired with Landmark Vineyard wines. Landmark Vineyards produces handcrafted, ultra-premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from some of the State’s finest vineyards. A representative of Landmark Vineyards will be on hand to introduce each wine and discuss the importance of sustainable practices in California agriculture. These informative, yet fun, evenings are hosted to help foster a real-world connection between the attendees and the Zoo’s vital conservation work. The second dinner in this series will be held on Oct. 21 with Honig Vineyard and Winery.  This is a 21+ event. Space is limited and reservations are required. For entry, guests must present proof of vaccination or negative COVID test result within 72 hours of event date. Face coverings will be required during some portions of the evening’s program. All ticket sales are final. WHEN: Sept. 23 and Oct. 21, 2021 WHERE: 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, Calif. 90027 COST: $175 per person; Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association members save $10 TO LEARN MORE: https://www.lazoo.org/plan-your-visit/special-experiences/sustainable-wine-dinner/  Credit: The Los Angeles Zoo.

You can create an engaging lesson about the ocean by exploring the Aquarium of the Pacific on Tuesday, September 7, and Wednesday, September 8, during Homeschool Days. Touch sharks, rays, and sea jellies on your self-guided exploration of the exhibits in the Aquarium that take you all around the Pacific Ocean, the largest ocean on planet Earth.

You can get excited for your Homeschool Days visit or continue exploring ocean science after your visit by exploring the Aquarium’s Online Academy. The Online Academy provides free weekly virtual education classes for kids from grades Pre-K to twelve. The Aquarium also has teacher resources available on the information page for this event, such as lesson plans, and ways to learn about careers related to marine science. Advance reservations and tickets are required for anyone interested in attending.

WHEN: Tuesday, September 7, 2021, discounted tickets available from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. / Wednesday, September 8, 2021, discounted tickets available from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

WHERE: Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802

COST: $9 per ticket; Advance tickets are required and can be purchased at aquariumofpacific.org/events/info/homeschool_days

INFO: (562) 590-3100 oraquariumofpacific.org/events/info/homeschool_days

Credit: The Aquarium of the Pacific.