Good Morning Tri-Valley! Let’s Start Exploring!

• Shake Things Up: The Best Milkshakes in the Tri-Valley. 🥤

• Alameda County Fair is in Full Swing! 🎡

• Local Small Business Spotlight Opportunity

• Something New & Sparkling Coming out of Livermore Valley Wine Country

• Trivia Night TONIGHT - Support Local Journalism

Shake Things Up Across the Tri-Valley

June 20th is National Vanilla Milkshake Day, and we're celebrating the perfect summertime treat all month long. Not sure what to pair with the sweet sip? This Collection of Tri-Valley Milkshakes has you covered. Happy sipping!

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• CaliKid Burgers N Shakes (Livermore): You can't leave Livermore without trying a shake from this hotspot! The Strawberry Shortie Cake, their most popular milkshake topped with a donut hole, goes hand-in-hand with The Classic CaliKid burger and onion rings.

• John’s Char Burger (Livermore): What goes better with a milkshake than a char burger at this old-school Livermore burger joint? Get the classic burger and milkshake combo here by pairing the Bacon Char Burger with a Chocolate Milkshake.

• Athens Burgers Restaurant (Dublin): Athens Burgers Restaurant is a local lunch and dinner spot in Dublin with hot sandwiches, yummy gyros, and classic burgers. The creamy vanilla milkshake goes unexpectedly well with a fresh chicken gyro!

• Meadowlark Dairy (Pleasanton): Meadowlark Dairy is a Tri Valley favorite for frozen treats year-round. Come by to get the drive through experience and a creamy vanilla milkshake on a hot day.

• Kwality Ice Cream (Dublin): With over 50 fun flavors of ice cream, Kwality Ice Cream in Dublin serves frozen Indian specialties including a creamy ice cream shake. Jazz up your typical milkshake order by asking for the Badshahi Falooda, a rose petal ice cream milkshake mixed with falooda (rice noodles) and basil seeds!

• Sidetrack Bar + Grill (Pleasanton): Who said milkshakes are only meant for kids to enjoy? Sidetrack Bar + Grill serves an Adult Milkshake for dessert, so add your choice of alcohol from their menu to spice up your shake. It’s a perfect sweet treat after sharing their Loaded Tater Tots!

• La Michoacana (Pleasanton): Face the summer heat head-on by ordering a frozen treat. La Michoacana in Pleasanton is the spot for homemade ice cream and other Mexican delights. Opt for an Oreo Malteada (milkshake) to take on the go!

• Ben’s Burgers (Livermore): Ben’s Burger is a classic patty topped with bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and onion on a toasted French roll – And it tastes delicious with a fresh strawberry milkshake!

• Blossom Bee (Dublin): An Avocado Milkshake is the perfect cure for your mouth after eating some spicy Thai dishes here at Blossom Bee. Pair any of their fruity blended drinks with a signature dessert crepe to ultimately satisfy your sweet tooth!

• Paleteria y Neveria Mi Lindo Michoacan (Livermore): My girls and I love a good Mangoneada, and if you’re not sure what that is, you should head over and try one, or the newest addition, the Dubai Chocolate Strawberries 😋.

ONLY 5 Spots Left For Hustle & Heart!

Only Five Spots Remaining! This one is for all my fellow Small Business Owners!

I’m a small business owner too—I know the hustle, the heart, and the hustle after the hustle. Big advertising budgets aren’t built for businesses like ours, so I’m launching Hustle & Heart to spotlight the makers, doers, and dreamers of the Tri-Valley. This is your space to shine.

Here’s how it works:

• On Thursday, June 26th, I’m featuring 10 local small businesses in my Tri-Valley Explorer newsletter. Each spotlight includes an image (logo, product, headshot—your choice), a ~125-word description of your business and any special offers, plus a link to your website or Instagram.

•  Why only 10 businesses? To keep the newsletter engaging and easy to read—and to make the most of Instagram! I’ll run two boosted Instagram posts (featuring 5 businesses each, the max allowed per collab post). When you accept the Instagram collab, you’ll get extra exposure—and help promote other local businesses, creating a rising-tide effect.

• I’m putting $200 in Instagram ads behind these posts to maximize reach.

• For this first edition of Hustle & Heart, the cost is only $175—and you’ll reach at least 20,000 local people. That’s less than one cent per person learning about your business! Here’s the breakdown:
  📬 Tri-Valley Explorer newsletter reaches 20,000+ locals each week, with a 49% open rate (9,800+ readers).
  📱 Instagram boosted posts + collabs reach at least 11,000 locals

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP!

There are a few rules before deciding if you want to sign up. You’re eligible if:

• You’re a solo entrepreneur or have a team of 3 or fewer (including yourself).

• It can be your primary source of income, a side hustle, farmers market pop-up, communal kitchen business, online shop, or brick & mortar.

• All types of businesses are welcome - products, food, services, coaching, real estate, etc.

• Real Estate agents who own their own business are welcome, you just can’t be under a large national brokerage or an independent contractor affiliated with a larger firm like Compass, Edward Jones, etc. We have other advertising options for Real Estate firms. Send me an email! [email protected]

• No multi-level marketing businesses.

• No adult-only content or services.

I review all submissions before publishing to ensure they align with our values and our readers’ interests. If you’re not sure you qualify, feel free to reach out—we’re happy to chat! [email protected]

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP!

Something New & Sparkling Coming out of Livermore Valley Wine Country

There’s something new (and sparkling!) in a can in Livermore Valley… and YOU are going to love it. 🥂✨

I kept spotting these bright, artsy cans around town, so I reached out to Mario Rubio, the local entrepreneur behind Drink New Vintage, to get the scoop—and yes, to try them all myself.

Wine in a can isn’t new, but Mario wanted to do things differently: fun, refreshing, and totally unpretentious. He teamed up with award-winning winemaker Alexandra Henkelman (Omega Road Winery) to bring this lineup to life—and they’re onto something special.

Here’s what I tasted:
🍋 Sparkling West Coast Sauvignon Blanc
Classic citrus and herbaceous notes with a crisp, bubbly twist. Mario suggested trying a “Spicy Sauvi B” with frozen jalapeños — surprisingly good, like a nice cocktail! But honestly, it’s bright, zippy, and delicious all on its own.

🫐 BLURRBERRY
White wine base with real raspberry and blueberry juice—and yes, you can taste both. Refreshing on ice or mixed into a simple cocktail. I added lemon and sparkling water and loved it.

🍍 Paraíso
Tropical and vibrant with pineapple, orange, and guava—this one screams summer. I sipped it over ice while sitting by the pool, or while cooking dinner and it paired perfectly with Mediterranean chicken. Super refreshing!

As Mario put it: “Livermore is a special place for entrepreneurs and the energy is contagious - the local support is amazing from the half-marathon to Street Fest. I'm just happy to be a part of the movement.”

So what’s next? Sangria and more seasonal drops are on the horizon. Can’t wait to see (and sip!) what comes next.

_{In Partnership with Alameda County Fair}
The Fair is in Full Swing!

🎡 Alameda County Fair is HERE through July 6! Dive into the excitement with Action Sports, $3 Fair Food Bites and concerts from Colbie Caillat and Air Supply. 

June 18, donate at the Food Drive and receive one free admission ticket!

Snag Wine Fest tickets for June 28 and enjoy unlimited pours from 2-5pm in the Professional Gardens.  

Enter to Win 2 free Fair admission PLUS 2 free reserved seats to Tower of Power!  

Trivia, Wine, & Local Support!