For $1465 per couple per night, or $2290 per couple for two nights, you and your loved ones (or someone you care enough for) can spend time at the Auberge du Soleil hotel in Rutherford, CA. The “Heart & Soul Package” includes: Garden View King Room; bottle of sparkling wine and chocolate covered strawberries on arrival; Valentine’s Dinner for Two, Champagne Greeting (Additional alcoholic beverages not included); romantic turndown (fireplace lit for your evening return, romantic music playing, votive candles); breakfast for two each day; Romantic Napa Valley Book, An Insider’s Guide for Couples. 180 Rutherford Hill Rd., Rutherford, CA 94573. 707-963-1211.
If you’ve ever wanted Sam Adams to make a beer from your palate, here’s your chance. They’ve joined forces with social media enthusiast, Guy Kawasaki (pictured above), to create their first ever crowd-sourced beer. You can give your input through their facebook app on categories like Color, Clarity, Body (mouth feel), Malt (sweetness), Hops (bitterness) and Yeast (finish/complex flavors). After gathering the data, the beer will be debuted at Guy’s Girl + Guy party in Austin, Texas on March 10. Facebook fans will be the first to know when the brew hits new markets.
Fresh from the White House, a press release notes an initiative to promote tourism in America. Of course, there is a hefty figure to back up this initiative. “The number of travelers from emerging economies with growing middle classes such as China, Brazil, and India – is projected to grow by 135%, 274%, and 50% respectively by 2016 when compared to 2010. Nationals from these three countries contributed approximately $15 billion dollars and thousands of jobs to the U.S. economy in 2010.”
That’s a big number. I can’t think of a country that doesn’t value tourism. Even in North Korea, you can see Chinese tourists rollin’ around PyongYang in their Audis. But how exactly is the Obama administration going to pull this off? Read More
Karl Strauss is debuting their 23rd anniversary Old Ale at “Changing of the Barrels” with a limited tasting on February 2, 2012, 6 PM – 9 PM. 100 ticket holders will get the first tasting of the 23rd anniversary brew and will also be able to sample the 24th Anniversary Flanders Red Ale before it goes into barrels for a year. Tickets, only purchasable online, are $50 and include beer for the night, MIHO Gastrotruck food ticket, live music, a commemorative 23rd Anniversary snifter, and a 33 Beers tasting book. 5985 Santa Fe Street, San Diego, CA 92109.
The month of February will be dedicated to bourbon at Little Tokyo’s Far Bar. Expect “top notch bourbons and ryes as well as some rare and decadent barrel-aged beers” to be at the first “Annual Bourbon on 1st Street.” They’ll also be pairing stouts and barleywines along with bourbon and rye. If you haven’t had a beer and whiskey pairing, then you haven’t lived. 347 E 1st St , Los Angeles, 90012. Read More
On Sunday, January 29 from 4 PM to 7 PM, Santa Monica based Farmshop‘s newly opened Artisan Market will be hosting an open house to showcase their curated selection of goods. Fresh produce, cheese, charcuterie, a butcher station and bakery are all featured inside the Artisan Market.
Farmshop’s Artisan Market is open now from 7 AM to 7 PM. In the future, lookout for educational workshops with local purveyors and chefs including dinners, tasting events, cooking demos and book signings. Farmshop is located at The Brentwood Country Mart at 225 26th Street, Suite 25, Santa Monica, CA 90402. 310-566-2400.
With dineLA right around the corner, the beefed up menus are starting to arrive. Catch Restaurant‘s two menus includes a lunch and a dinner which are available from January 22 – 27 and January 29 – February 3, 2012. 1910 Ocean Way, Santa Monica, CA 90405. 310-581-7714. Read More
