HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US!

Can you believe that on August 4th it was 15 years ago that we opened the first California Tortilla? I can’t even tell you how much fun it’s been. And while we’ve been unbelievably happy with how it’s turned out, we often ask ourselves what we’d do differently if we had to do it over again. So after much thought and consideration, here are just a few of the things we might have done differently:

• We would have opened a puppy store. People rarely return their puppy because it has sour cream in it.
• Instead of California Tortilla, we would have called ourselves California Tortoise; slow service would be prized and we’d get to wear turtle costumes.
• We would have greatly increased our cupcake offerings. Who knew?
• We would have opened a business without employees. They’re expensive. And sassy. (“Yes, I am the boss of you.”)
• We would have worked much harder on our dance moves.
• Alan (the guy on the cup with me) and I would have gotten married. You have no idea how disappointed people are when they find out we’re just friends. (My grandmother still doesn’t know. Partly because she’s been dead 20 years.)
• We would have put less emphasis on making burritos and more emphasis on giving pony rides. Who doesn’t like a pony ride?

So there you have it, folks. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making it a fabulous 15 years

THE GREAT AMERICAN DINE OUT

All across the country restaurants are partnering with Share Our Strength to help end childhood hunger by 2015 and we’re absolutely thrilled to do anything we can to help achieve this goal.

With that said, if you go to California Tortilla between Monday, September 20th and Saturday, September 25th and purchase a swanky Cal Tort tshirt with the design below (chosen overwhelmingly by you—good job!) for only $5*, we’ll give you a FREE taco coupon that’s good on your next visit

But even better than that, all of the profits from your tshirt purchase will go to Share Our Strength, which will then distribute them to local hunger based organizations. Just think—the profits from your tshirt purchase will buy 3 meals a day for a child for 5 days. How great is that?

We hope to see you September 20th-25th! And as always, thanks so much in advance for your continued generosity—we can’t tell you how much we appreciate it. (If you’d like to know more about the Great American Dine Out, click here.)

*While supplies last.

WHO WON??

As someone who loves the word “monkey,” I’m very excited to tell you that the FunkMnkyz are the winners of the California Tortilla Battle To Break Out contest. (I haven’t met them, but I’m so hoping they’re spunky funk monkeys.) As their prize, FunkMnkyz will be opening on the main stage at the WHFstival on Saturday, September 18th at Merriweather Post. (Click here to check them out.)

So congratulations FunkMnkyz—we’re very happy for you! (Look—I got to say some variation of monkey 5 times in two minutes. How happy am I?)

FROM THE “It only happens to me” FILES…

Last Friday, a perfectly beautiful day, my sons and I were in the house and my son Jack asks me to go out to the car to get his stick (note to self: buy children toys). I run out to the car, get his stick, and run back in. As soon as I sit down, the house starts shaking out of control. I run back outside (do you get the sense I do a lot of running?) and find that the world’s biggest tree has fallen on my car and completely demolished it. I’m not kidding. I was this close to be squashed. (The more times I tell this story, the closer I am to being squashed. I’m sure in a couple of months I’ll be telling people I was in the car and the tree grazed my head.) Anyway, it was really pretty scary. But do you want to know what the most upsetting thing about it was? I had JUST filled up the gas tank. Do you have any idea how annoyed I am by that?

On that misplaced priorities note, I hope you have a great (and safe!) Labor Day weekend…

Like good music? Looking for something fun to do this Sunday? Head on over to the California Tortilla Battle to Break Out Finals. Watch bands compete to open the Main Stage at the WHFStival 2010 this September.

The Final 6 bands are:

16 LARGE

CYRENIC

EYE OF ALL

FUNKMNKYZ

SONS OF THE RADIO

VESSEL

While you’re there stop by the California Tortilla Booth. Make a $5 donation and spin the special wheel. You can win free tickets to the HFStival, coupons for free food or other fun Caltort stuff. Everyone is a winner! All donations go to Share Our Strength – working to end Childhood Hunger by 2015.

Here is the full scoop -

WHAT?

California Tortilla Battle to Break Out

WHEN?

Sunday August 15th Doors Open at 11AM

WHERE?

9:30 Club – 815 V St, NW Washington, D.C. 20001

(202) 265-0930

HOW?

Tickets are $10 - http://ticketf.ly/B2Btix

POP TART DAY IS BACK

Believe it or not, on Wednesday, August 18th, we’re celebrating our 16th annual Pop Tart Day. It’s my absolute favorite promotion that we do and if all goes as planned we’ll be giving away close to 20,000 Pop Tarts that day. (If all doesn’t go as planned we’ll be giving away 20,000 sausages.)

And as you all know, because you hang on my every word, there’s only one rule: You have to eat, and enjoy, the Pop Tart flavor you’re given—no licking it and then giving it back.

But that’s not all! Like last year, we’ve upped the Pop Tart Day ante. One very lucky customer from each California Tortilla will find a golden ticket in his or her Pop Tart pouch. The golden ticket will entitle the aforementioned lucky customer to a FREE BURRITO EVERY WEEK FOR A YEAR! Seriously, how much fun is that? And I swear, if you find it and you’re not really excited about it, we’re going to take it back. We have the technology.

See you on the 18th.

Unaware of their imminent demise, the Pop Tart family enjoys their last vacation.

WHO KNEW?

It’s recently come to our attention that many of you think that California Tortilla is a national chain that started in California (where you got that idea I have no idea). But it’s not true! We’re a small chain that’s based in Rockville, MD. So to set the record straight, I’ve come up with a helpful list that outlines how you know that California Tortilla is your friendly neighborhood Mexican restaurant pal and not some big corporate conglomerate. Ready?

HOW YOU KNOW CAL TORT’S NOT A BIG CORPORATE CONGLOMERATE

• Up until about a year ago all of our signs were printed on butcher paper.
• The Cal Tort World HQ takes breaks to go outside and do the Hokey Pokey. I’m not kidding. (I find that some of us are much more enthusiastic hokey pokiers than others.)
• Every Cal Tort owner lives in the community and works in his or her restaurant.
• Every Cal Tort employee wishes this weren’t the case.
• We have no motto. Big corporate conglomerates have a motto. (One of our competitor’s mottos is “Food with integrity.” I’m not even sure what that means–is there food out there that lies a lot?)
• Big corporate conglomerates do not have a Good Bob Bad Bob sign on their soda machine.*
• I make all our tortillas myself. (Cal Tort President Bob, or “fighter of fun” as we like to call him, wants me to make it clear that this is a joke. Because otherwise you would think that I made 4.8 million tortillas by myself last year.)

See–you learn something new every day.

*Good Bob Bad Bob is actually my college housemate. I once introduced him to Paula Poundstone and she asked where we met. When I told her in college she said, “Really? You don’t seem that smart.” How funny is that?

IT PAYS TO BE OUR FRIEND

It’s true! The Barenaked Ladies (4 guys, all clothed, with such hits as One Week, Brian Wilson, Pinch Me, and It’s All Been Done) is playing at Merriweather Post on Sunday, August 8th and if you’re a friend of Cal Tort (your friendly neighborhood Mexican restaurant), you’ll get 1 free pavilion ticket with every ticket you purchase. Plus, you’ll be entered to win passes to an exclusive sound check party. (If you win, please let me know what happens at a sound check party. I’m very curious.)

To purchase tickets, click here and input the promo code “caltort.” Have fun…

AND FINALLY…

We need your help! Please tell us which of the t-shirt designs below you like. I won’t go into any detail, but if I were you I’d take this assignment very seriously–you may be wearing one of them sometime in the very near future. She says cryptically.

Just click here and tell us which design you like. It will take 2 seconds. I promise(All designs will be on the back of the shirt. Except for #5 which will be have the Caltort logo on the front and the black and white design on the back.)