Taste of Spring with David LeFevre, Ben Ford and Neal Fraser
In support of GrowingGreat.org
Teaming up with GrowingGreat.org, Chef David LeFevre of M.B. Post, Chef Ben Ford of Ford’s Filling Station, and Chef Neal Fraser of The Strand House are hosting the first Taste of Spring on Saturday, May 19th in a private home in Manhattan Beach. Guests will experience live cooking demonstrations, wine and beer tastings, and local, health dishes as well as an online auction, raffle, live music and receive swag bags filled with food samples, seeds, and Chef’s detailed recipes. The evening’s menu features Duck confit salad with lentils, pomegranate, apricot, and frisee with cava maple mustard vinaigrette, Seared tuna mini tacos with jicama, mango and a smoked chile vinaigrette, and Gluten-free cakes (donated by Eat Cake Cafe) with coffee service to name a few. Tickets are $200 per person and very limited. All proceeds will go to GrowingGreat and its students.
Photo Credits: gourmetpigs.com, Dole, and Antoinette Bruno
Join Tender Greens in Hollywood on Sunday, May 20th at 5pm, and every 4th Sunday of each month until September 23rd, for the celebration of summer! Read More
El Segundo Brewing Co. celebrates 1st anniversary!
Introducing Double IPA, Two 5 Left
After completing their first year, El Segundo Brewing Co.is celebrating with a VIP party and the release of their first Double IPA – Two 5 Left! Join El Segundo Brewing Co. on Sunday May 20th from noon – 2PM for a special VIP party Read More
Join Tony’s Darts Away, L.A.’s resident vegan blogger, Quarry Girl, and The Roxy Theater on Sunset on Saturday, May 12th from 1PM-5PM for the 3rd annual L.A. Vegan Beer Festival. This event boasts of vegan food options such as Seabirds and Mondoline Grill food trucks, a variety of craft beers such as Golden Road Brewing and Anchor Brewing, and live music. Proceeds go to the California Wildlife Center. Advance General Admission tickets are $45/$50 day-of, Limited VIP tickets which includes early admittance at noon, access to VIP area, and specialty kegs are $55/$60 day-of, and Non Drinkers/Designated Driver tickets are $20/$25 day-of. 9009 West Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90069
Photo credit: Quarry Girl
2nd annual Taste of the Eastside
Benefitting the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Barnsdall Art Park, Rose Scharlin Nursery School and SEE Los Angeles
Join the Taste of the Eastside on Sunday, May 6th from 12PM – 5PM returning to Los Feliz for a 2nd year to honor the diverse culinary scene of eastside neighborhoods Silver Lake, Echo Park, Atwater, Los Feliz, Eagle Rock, and Highland Park. The festival features a variety of activities such asfood tastings, VIP cooking and cocktail demonstrations, a wine and beer garden, and entertainment courtesy of DJ Garth Trinidad. Participating restuarants include Auntie Em’s, Canele, Cliff’s Edge, Cookbook, Elf Cafe, Four Cafe, Good Girl Dinette, Guisados, Hugo’s Tacos, Intelligentsia Coffee, L&E Oyster Bar, Large Marge Sustainables, Little Dom’s, Madame Matisse, Malo, Pazzo Gelato, Proof Bakery, Reservior, Square One Dining, The Farmer’s Kitchen, The Park, Whole Foods “Local Love,” Xoia Vietnamese Eats and Yucas. The Wine and Beer Garden includes Eagle Rock Brewery, Golden Road Brewery and Silver Lake Wine.
For general admission, doors open at 1:00 p.m. and tickets are $35 in advance (online until May 5th at midnight)/$45 at the door. For early entry, unlimited food tastings, unlimited wine and beer flights, seminars and demostrations from Evan Kleiman of KCRW’s “Good Food,” Pastry Chef Ann Kirk of Little Dom’s, Jen Smith of Full Moon Pickles, Marcos Tello of Neat, Talmadge Lowe of Pharmacie, Jessica Koslow of Sqirl Jams, Naoko Moore of Toiro Kitchen and a guest Barista from Intelligentsia Coffee, guest must purchase the VIP ticket for $65 in advance/$75 at the door. Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90027.
New Belgium Brewing announces 2012 Tour de Fat schedule
A bicycle celebration at 15 loacations across the States
New Belgium Brewing has announced the 2012 Tour de Fat schedule hitting 15 cities across the country including new to this year’s line up, Atlanta and DC. In its 13th season, Tour de Fat is a celebration of bicycles and the people who use them, making Eco-friendly decisions. Festivities include a costumed bicycle parade, local food, an unusual bike contest, and of course, New Belgium beer. The free event is expected to exceed the $2 million mark for money raised in 2012. Stages are alternatively powered and created with recycled materials, trucks and transport use bio-fuel sourced from recycled waste oils, all vendors operate ‘off the grid’, and proceeds directly benefit trail maintenance, safety education, and lobbying for better bicycle communities. Read More
Shade Hotel announces its first annual beer-fest
Along with Rock & Brews and BREWCO
Shade Hotel in Manhattan Beach is co-hosting its first annual “Waves of Grain Beerfest” on April 22 from 3 – 6 PM, along with Gene Simmons’ Rock & Brews of El Segundo and BREWCO of Manhattan Beach. The event includes 25 local and regional breweries providing samples as well as a chance to chat with brew masters and senior representatives. Food will be available at an additional cost provided by Mucho Ultima Mexicana offering guests hand-crafted tacos while Shade’s restaurant and lounge is preparing barbeque tri-tip sandwiches, turkey and beef burgers, and pretzel bites. Read More
Pebble Beach Resorts presents the fifth annual Pebble Beach Food & Wine at the Inn at Spanish Bay on April 12 – 15. The event will provide cooking demonstrations and vertical tastings by more than 75 chefs and 250 wineries from around the globe.
The Food & Wine schedule includes Farewell to Foie Gras: A celebration of foie gras (fatty duck liver) presented by Michael Ginor of Hudson Valley Foie Gras along with chefs Andre Bienvenu and Chris Cosentino. Anne Burrell from “Iron Chef” and “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” will share cooking secrets in the one-hour event Cook like a Rockstar! A team of Northern California chefs will celebrate the achievements of wine-pioneer Jess Jackson on the one-year anniversary of his passing by pairing Bay Area cuisine with wines from Kendall Jackson, Hartford Court, Verite, and Stonestreet. Lastly, the Grand Finale pairs Moët & Chandon’s Dom Pérignon with courses from select chefs designed to complement the Champagne’s best vintages.
Tickets range from $100 for a single event pass to $4,750 for a VIP four-day pass, per person. VIP passes provide access to all events and after-hours parties with chefs and winemakers. For tickets call 866-907-3663 or purchase online. The Inn at Spanish Bay: 2700 17 Mile Dr, Pebble Beach, CA 93953.
Photography provided by Barnaby Draper Studios
This year more than 5,000 guests will be sampling the food and wine of the Bay Area’s Dry Creek Valley during Passport on April 28 – 29. Unless you purchased tickets by early April, there is a good chance you won’t be able attend at all. All 50 participating wineries are offering food and wine pairings – Dry Creek Valley wineries is drawing on Mediterranean, Tuscan, Provencian, and Mexican themes while others focus on disco, rock ‘n roll, and the Wild West. Read More
On Friday, April 13 starting at 6:00 PM until 9:30 PM, Bootlegger’s Brewery celebrates turning 4 years old with a music and beer festival at The Muck in Fullerton, CA. Tickets are $25 during pre-sale and includes: 10 taster tickets (additional tickets will be available for purchase), commemorative tasting glass, live music, 30 house beers on tap including specialty and rare beers, and access to The Muckenthaler Gallery exhibit showrooms. Three food trucks will also be onsite with food for purchase. 1201 West Malvern Ave., Fullerton, California 92833.
The LAWineFest returns on June 9 from 2 – 6 PM and June 10 from 12 – 6 PM in Hollywood featuring more than 350 wines, spirits, and beers along with dozens of LA food trucks. ($75 a day; $139 for couples or weekend pass). Hosted at Raleigh Studios, the two-day event in its seventh year will highlight a variety of tasting classes, live entertainment, and international cuisine. 5300 Melrose Ave, Hollywood, CA 90038. 818-429-6770.
Since the last Great Vegas Festival of Beer in April of 2011, the perception of craft brew in Las Vegas has changed greatly. Once completely dominated by billion dollar conglomerates, more and more establishments on and off the Strip are selling beers brewed and sold by smaller local companies. Events like last weekend’s Brew’s Best Beer Festival held at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson and the upcoming Great Vegas Festival of Beer are bringing microbrewery-awareness to local and non-local beer drinkers alike. On April 21 from 5 PM – 9 PM, over 150 beers will be poured at Tivoli Village in Las Vegas, about 14 miles away from the tourists. Read More
Eagle Rock Brewery celebrates 1-year anniversary of ‘Women’s Forum’ with special chef guest Jessica Christensen
Ladies only event
Eagle Rock Brewery’s “Women’s Forum,” started by co-owner Ting Su, is a monthly class each with a different theme that features specialty beers and guests with the purpose of educating women about craft brews. On March 21, 2012 from 6:30 – 9 PM, Ting will host a 1-year anniversary party at the Eagle Rock, CA based brewery with guest chef Jessica Christensen of City Tavern. Read More
After a successful year for the “Blue Sky Fest” in Mammoth Lakes, CA, the organizers have renamed it to the “Mammoth Food & Wine Experience” to better fit the direction of the event. On July 6 to 7, the experience is expecting to draw 500 people, five culinary teams (to compete for the best dish) and 30 wineries pouring over 120 local wines including: Eberle Winery, Consilience Winery, Ancient Peaks, Tolosa Winery, Mirassou and Jaffurs Wine Cellars.
The two day event costs anywhere from $25 to $175. Event includes wine appreciation to gourmet cooking with a “Grand Tasting” on Saturday at 7PM hosted at the Cerro Coso Community College featuring food, wine, auctions, awards, and live entertainment. Ticket sales go to benefit The Mammoth Lakes Foundation and Mammoth Schools NOW Education Foundation. Visit mammothfoodandwine.org for more updates. 101 College Parkway, Mammoth Lakes, CA. 760-934-3781.
Photography provided by Bluebird Imaging
With many various food events taking place over the city, it’s sometimes hard to find the ones that are worth attending. With a cooking demonstration by Julia Child many years ago, Planned Parenthood continues its annual food fare in Santa Monica Civic Auditorium today, March 8. Some of the notable restaurants and food establishments in the city take the lineup, including A.O.C, Waterloo & City, Angelini Osteria, Drago Centro, Salt’s Cure, Public Bar + Kitchen, Lucques, Clementine, Church and State, Ammo, and Craft.
Popular food trucks such as the Border Grill Truck and Grilled Cheese Truck will also serve up their popular dishes. The event is a great opportunity for foodies and supporters of Planned Parenthood to sample great food and drinks all in one place. There will also be an online and live auction of prizes, such as dream vacations. 
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Join Pacific Edge Hotel’s The Deck restaurant in Laguna Beach, CA for the Snack, Sip, and Surf event on Sunday, March 11 from 2 PM – 5 PM as part of the four-day Laguna Beach a la Carte – A Food & Wine Experience. Providing an afternoon of fun, this event will host three competitions and proceeds go to Mauli Ola benefiting children with Cystic Fibrosis. Competitions include the contest for best taco – participating are Olamendi’s, Basement Table and La Sirena Grill, the signature cocktail competition – five local mixologists serve their signature cocktails to compete for the title and spot of Pacific Edge Hotel’s cocktail of the summer, and lastly is the paddleboard relay race. Winners for the taco and cocktail contests will be decided by guest votes. Tickets are $45 per person. Call 949-281-5709 to purchase. 647 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651.
Burning man reinvented in Las Vegas at ‘First Friday’ tonight
It's getting hot in here ...
No, it’s not Disco Inferno and it has absolutely nothing to do with this – “Burn Vegas Burn” is a new twist on an old concept inspired by the annual Burning Festival. The First Friday Arts Festival in downtown Las Vegas, the Lucky Lady Lucy team, and the city of Las Vegas have planned to present the city’s first public burn tonight. ‘Burn Vegas Burn’ will feature “Lucky Lady Lucy,” a 20-foot tall wooden showgirl sculpture, to be ceremoniously incinerated at 8 PM during this communal event. Read More
