Lots going on this weekend. And no I’m not talking football. I’m talking good-hearted bloggers, speed dating with derby girls and oh, football.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Maker’s Mark $4 Happy Hour at Checkers Downtown
I’m so bummed I have to miss this. Of course this would be on the same day as my boozy tweetup. In any case, enjoy this awesome-sounding happy hour with $4 Maker’s Mark drinks like the Maker’s Peach Cobbler with Dubonnet Red, peach puree and cinnamon and the Ginger Rogers (not the gin one) with mango nectar, lime juice and ginger beer. OMG and my fave: a Maker’s Manhattan. All for only $4 each from 4 to 8pm! There will also be $4 plates, i.e. grilled Monte Cristo sandwich and yellowtail and mango sashimi.

• 4-8pm. Checkers Downtown, Checkers Downtown, 535 S. Grand Avenue, Downtown (map). (213) 624-0000.

Friday, February 5

Bid and Eat for Haiti: Online Foodie Auction
Food blogger Fiona aka Gourmet Pigs is launching a fab online auction where peeps can bid on foodie faves like an autographed copy of Chef Ludo’s Crave, a home brewing kit from Intelligentsia and a slew of gift cards from popular restaurants around town. The best part is that all proceeds will go to benefit CHF International and Operation USA for their Haiti relief efforts. Happy bidding!

Date a Derby Dame
Are you the bravest man alive? Well, then you should have no trouble trying your best pickup lines during this speed dating event with…wait for it…OC Roller Girls. Yup, you only have 5 minutes so better make it good. At the end of the night, they’ll put together all the mutual matches. Good luck. You’ll need it.

• 8pm. $5 (event is free to spectators). Suds Sports Grill, 5932 Warner Avenue, Huntington Beach (map). RSVP/info DateDerbyDame@gmail.com.

Saturday, February 6

Belmont Shore’s 6th Annual Chocolate Festival
Enjoy chocolate in all its glorious forms at this festival. Belmont Shore participants include Frosted Cupcakery, La Creperie and BJ’s Pizza (?) to name but a few. If you’re still cuckoo for cocoa, participate in the chocolate cream pie eating contest 3-4pm.

• 1-4pm. 2nd Street (between Claremont and Park Avenue), Long Beach (map).

Haitians Libations at Vertical Wine Bistro
Aww, more bloggers doing good for Haitian relief. It’s Fiona again but this time with bloggers RumDood and Mattatouille. They’ve created an exclusive cocktail menu and will be serving up the libations at Vertical Wine Bistro from 10pm to close. They’ve got impeccable taste so the drinks are sure to be awesome. 50% of all profits will benefit Artists for Peace and Justice, a non-profit that delivers supplies to Haiti.

• 10pm-2am. Vertical Wine Bistro, 70 N Raymond Avenue, Pasadena (map). (626) 795-3999.

Sunday, February 7

For Super Bowl Happenings, I defer to estarLA for her extensive roundup.