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Tag Archive: wine

April 28, 2011

This Weekend: Drunken Singles Mixer, Hatchi Truck Stop, Street Beer Art

On this weekend’s itinerary: Drinking, and lots of it.

Thursday, April 28

Fred Segal Santa Monica + Daily Candy Party
This is a party that no fashionista on a budget will want to miss. We’re talking mini makeovers by Stila, an OPI manicure bar and blowouts by Fred Segal Salon, including styling tips from Fred Segal Originals and Citizens of Humanity. After getting dolled up, indulge in desserts and cocktails while trying your luck at winning a $500 gift certificate for Fred Segal Santa Monica. Right now via Daily Candy you can get a $100 Fred Segal gift card and gift bag worth $150 for only $75 if you hit the above link.

5-9pm. Fred Segal Santa Monica, 420 and 500 Broadway, Santa Monica (map).

BreadBar’s Hatchi Truck Stop Series: Great Balls of Tires
One of the few great food trucks out on the road, Great Balls of Tires will be the featured truck at this monthly series where eight dishes ($8 each; $32 minimum purchase) a la meatballs inspired by food from around the world will be paired with North Coast Brewing Company microbrews.

6-10pm. BreadBar Century City, 10250 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles (map). (310) 277-3770.

Friday, April 29

Street Brewed: Street Art and Beer at Angel City Brewing
Enjoy $5 pints of handcrafted Angel City Brewing beer while pondering the various street art works of 25 internationally known artists, some of whom are included in MOCA’s current Art in the Streets show. At this opening reception party, there will also be live painting, a DJ and, naturally, food trucks. Special guests include Shepard Fairey, becca and Ron English. The exhibit itself will run through July 10.

5-11pm. Angel City Brewing, 216 S. Alameda, Downtown (map).

Unlimited Wine Tasting Singles Mixer at Wine Expo
Sounds like the perfect situation for some spectacularly bad pickup lines! At this singles event, for $44 you have 10 wines to pick from and can taste as many as you like. Could be fun for both spectator and participant. Attendees are encouraged to be 22-45-year-old professionals and asked to dress for the event as they “would on a first date.” So grab your wingmen and mingle. But word of caution, if you want to make a good impression, don’t abuse the liquid courage.

7:30-10:30pm. $44. Wine Expo, 2933 Santa Monica Boulevard, Santa Monica (map).

Monday, May 2

Discounted Austria Uncorked Admission From Silverlake Wine
The regular price for this Austrian wine expo is $75 but Silverlake Wine customers get $30 off by going here and entering “slw” for the discount code. At the event you can partake of Austrian wines paired with food by Jose Andres and dessert by Wolfgang Puck. If you want VIP treatment, that’ll be $100 for early entry and a special take-home wine package.

5:30-9pm. SLS Hotel, 465 S La Cienega Boulevard, Los Angeles (map).

Categories: Art, Beer, Lists, Los Angeles, Nightlife, Shopping & Sales

The Mutha of LA Food Fests: 28th Annual American Wine & Food Festival

BusyBethF with Sam Choy by Caroline on Crack

My friend/blogger BusyBethF with Chef Sam Choy at AWFF.

Now usually I shy away from posting events with high-priced tickets on my blog because first and foremost, I’m a cheapskate. But next week’s Wolfgang Puck’s 28th Annual American Wine & Food Festival is really THE food festival you (and I) should have been saving up your (my) money for. It’s the mutha of LA food festivals.

Every year this foodie/wino’s paradise takes place at the Universal Studios Backlot where you can stroll “New York” streets, enjoying the live bands sprinkled throughout and peruse and partake of all the different wineries and restaurants.

And this year’s event will include renowned chefs like Thomas Keller of Bouchon, David Myers of Comme Ca, Nancy Silverton of Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza and Charles Phan of the Slanted Door in San Francisco to name but a mere few. While wineries in attendance will include Laetitia Winery, Malibu Family Wines, Qupe and more. And for after-hours, there will be Sherry Yard�s Sweet Sanctuary Champagne and Port Lounge for sipping and dancing.

Tickets for this event, which takes place Saturday, September 25, are $300 (plus processing fee) and proceeds go to benefit Meals on Wheels Programs of LA, which AWFF has been raising money for since 1982.

If you’d really like to splurge on VIP tickets, moneybags, I’d recommend going for the $1,000 Festival Friends package which gets you and your guest early admission at 4:30pm to see Wolfgang Puck’s cooking demonstration and festival table reservations. So that would be about $500 a person.

I’ve been to many food festivals and I have yet to experience anything like this one. Maybe it’s because it’s mostly at night instead of the daytime so everyone is in their evening finery and the event lighting makes you feel like you’re on stage. Or maybe it’s the setting of being in another city. Whatever the case, it really shouldn’t be missed, and that’s why I had included it in my LA Bucket List (#99).

EVENT: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 from 6 to 11pm

Venue: Universal Studios Backlot
3900 Lankersheim Boulevard, Gate 3
Universal City, California (map)
Facebook: American Wine & Food Festival

Categories: Dining, Featured, Los Angeles, Nightlife

1 Comment

September 9, 2010

Giveaway: Bored to Death Wine Detective Challenge Blind Tasting at Pourtal

Yes, yet another giveaway. Well, what better way to show that I love you crackheads than by giving you the chance to win stuff? This giveaway will win you entry to an exclusive event at Pourtal Wine Tasting Bar in Santa Monica. It’s so exclusive that only 70 lucky people get to go. Ten of which will be selected from my blog.

So here are the deets: To help celebrate HBO series Bored to Death, Pourtal and HBO are hosting this wine party this coming Monday, September 13 where attendees will get a limited-edition Bored to Death bottle of wine and compete in a bunch of blind tasting challenges to win even more prizes.

What the hell does wine tasting have to do with an HBO comedy series that stars Jason Schwartzman, Ted Danson and Zach Galifianakis? Well, the main character is addicted to, of all things, white wine and marijuana. So since HBO couldn’t very well have an mj party, a wine tasting party was the way to go.

Now, I’m going to do this contest a bit differently. To win a spot for you and a guest,�as well as that bottle of Bored to Death wine, email your answers to the questions below with your full name and email address to BoredToDeath@pourtal.com with “Caroline on Crack” in the Subject line of the email. Then 10 randomly selected individuals who answer both questions correctly will get a pair of tickets to the Wine Detective Challenge event.� The winners will receive an email with a confirmation and all the event details.

What is the name of the character that Jason Schwartzman plays on the series “Bored to Death”? Hint: It is the same name as the creator of the series.
What are the 3 main white varietals grown in Bordeaux, France?

Good luck!

Categories: Los Angeles, Nightlife

1 Comment

April 22, 2010

This Weekend: $1 Cocktails, Beer Class, Poketo Party

SO many fun things to do this weekend. I hope it doesn’t rain!

Friday, April 23

$1 Cocktails at Bigfoot Lodge West
One of my fave Westside bars is debuting two new cocktails on its happy hour menu and we all benefit. From 8 to 10pm, the new drinks — Moscow Mule and the Honeycomb — will be specially priced at only $1 each! Only thing that makes me go “Wuuut?” is that their Moscow Mule is made with rum but it’s only a buck so why complain?

8-10pm. Bigfoot Lodge West, 10939 Venice Boulevard, Los Angeles (map). (310) 287-2200.

Thirsty Crow Bar’s Grand Opening
Last night I had a chance to check out this wonderful, new bar which happens to be owned by the same cool folks who own Bigfoot West, Bigfoot Lodge and Saints & Sinners. And if you consider yourself a serious bourbon fan, you’ve gotta check it out. And yes, the skunk butts are thankfully gone, now replaced by some antique-y lights. Order up a Sazerac or a Manhattan. Or even a Pappy Van Winkle with an ice ball. And then grab a cozy table in the back room.

Thirsty Crow, 2939 W. Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles (map). (323) 661-6007.

Saturday, April 24

Los Angeles Times Festival of Books
Before Kindle and the iPad, there were books. Remember them? Well, now’s your chance to stroll down Memory Lane and peruse novels, short stories collections, cookbooks. Smell them, get a paper cut and perhaps converse with actual booksellers. You can also check out author panels and seminars while there.

Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 10am-5pm. UCLA, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles (map).

2nd Annual Unique LA Spring Show
Shop 300 hand-selected designers and artists and their wares. You’ll find unique clothing, housewares, artwork, gourmet edibles, etc. at this huuge two-day shopping event. It’s only $10 to get in and then it’s unlimited re-entry for the weekend. Admission also includes free drinks, hosted bar with Unique cocktails and a tote bag.

Saturday and Sunday, 11am-6pm. $10. California Market Center’s Penthouse, 110 E. 9th Street, Los Angeles (map).

1st 8th Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational
Yes, Mom’s comfort food has got its own event in L.A. that’s the favorite of every Angeleno foodie. Tillamook Cheese is the official cheese sponsor of this much anticipated cooking contest and will be handing out tons of sample of its cheese as well as grilled cheese sandwiches. And even the cute Loaf Love Tour mini bus will be on hand. Attendees will get to witness the amateur and pro grilling competitions, partake of a beer garden as well as feast on the food sold by the multiple food vendors.

12-6pm. $10 online, $15 at event. Los Angeles Center Studios, 1201 W. 5th Street, Los Angeles (map).

Beer Class With the Beer Chicks at Rustic Canyon
Before I make you fall in love with this event, know that I’m not sure if tickets are still available. Yesterday Beer Chick Christina Perozzi said there were only 4 tickets left. Anyhoo, at this very informative, tasty school, you’ll get to go on a Beer Journey exploring the styles and flavors of craft beer. You can only buy tickets for this event online; they won’t be sold at the event.

12-2pm. Tickets online: $40. Rustic Canyon Wine Bar & Seasonal Kitchen, 1119 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica (map).

2nd Annual Santa Barbara Wine Fest
Taste over 150 wines from 48 Central Coast wineries, all handpicked by the Wine House buyers. Small production lots, single vineyard labels and more. That will be over $5,000 worth of Santa Barbara Wine you’re tasting for just $55 a ticket. And if you purchase any of the wines the day of the event you get $10 off!

2-4pm. $55 general, $68 VIP with early admission and parking. The Olympic Collection Banquet and Conference Center, 11301 Olympic Blvd. #204, Los Angeles (map).

Opening Reception Party for Poketo x Kitsune Noir presents �Los Angeles, I�m Yours�
Browse the living art market at the Space 15Twenty Gallery while enjoying Scoops ice cream and a DJ set by Aquarium Drunkard at this opening reception. Participating artists will include actor/musician Jason Schwartzman, film director Neil LaBute and over 30 L.A. artists. The market will run til May 15.

7-10pm. Space 15Twenty Gallery, 1520 N. Cahuenga Avenue, Los Angeles (map).

Categories: Beauty & Fashion, Dining, Lists, Los Angeles, Shopping & Sales

Plonk Wine Merchants: Primo Vino for Under $30

Delicious vino

Wanna take your value wine-buying to the next level? I’m talking beyond Two Buck Chuck and Fresh & Easy wines. Maybe even more than $10 but still affordable, everyday vino. Fortunately for you a new online wine store just launched where you can score fabulous quality wines for under $30. Unlike most online wine stores Plonk Wine Merchants has that shopping-in-the-wine-aisle feel where not only do you get tasting notes with each wine but food pairing ideas, suggestions for similar wines you might like and even a little video telling you why this particular wine is so good.

Native Angeleno Etty Lewensztain — founder of Plonk and herself a fan of off-beat value wines — wanted to create a virtual wine store where the consumer would not only feel secure with the knowledge they were getting the best value for their money but get a chance to learn about the wines as well. “The goal of the videos on each wine detail page is to allow people to interact with an actual person who can help them make good purchasing decisions and give them a preview as to what’s in the bottle,” Etty said.

“I also wanted to tap into the young generation of wine consumers that is intrigued by new varieties, lesser known regions, excited by a secret discovery, and really cares about value,” she said. Cool! Right up my alley.

From Thrillist Washington DC:

Just launched by an American Sommelier Association-accredited grape slinger, Plonk provides everything lovable about your neighborhood shop (from pairing recs to tastings), all from the comfort of your home office/laundry room…

I was introduced to the adorable, curly-haired Etty by the Imbiber himself, Dan Dunn. You remember Dan. He’s the larger-than-life character whom I met at his special Playmate wine tour at Pourtal in Santa Monica. Anyway, Dan convinced us gals to meet him at the raucous one-year anniversary party of West Hollywood BBQ restaurant, Baby Blues BBQ. Over piles of delicious barbecue platters, comfort food sides and indulgent desserts, Etty conducted a wine tasting of quality wines she features on her site.

Dan was looking to add to Baby Blues’ 11-bottle wine list as well as interview Etty for his Imbiber column and I just happened to tag along. And mind you, this was when I was still in the throes of my booze fast. Dan convinced me that I could still do a wine tasting without drinking. “Just spit it in a cup,” he said, making it sound so easy. In any case, that’s exactly what I did. And nope, I didn’t cheat.

Anyway, here are the eight wines we tasted including my scribblings:

2008 Talai Berri, Spain, Getariako Txakolina ($21): Grapes grew near the ocean making for mineral and briny taste; vibrant, high acidity; natural pairing for seafood.
2008 Alta Sauvignon Blanc, Australia, Adelaide Hills ($12): People don’t usually look to Australia for a Sauvignon Blanc but this is a good one. 90-point wine for $12. It’s balanced, has high acidity and pairs well with salad and seafood.
2008 Szoke (Matyas & Zoltan) Pinot Gris, Hungary, Matra ($13): This one was my favorite white. Has peach and honey on the nose, smells really sweet. Pairs with goat cheese, ricotta, fried calamari.
2008 Daniel Bouland Cuvee Melanie, France, Beaujolais, Cotes de Brouilly ($20): Everyday wine, smells jammy. Pure, fresh, indulgent, smells of raspberries. We found out here, however, that it doesn’t go well with barbecue.
2007 Palama Albarossa, Italy, Puglia, Salice Salentino ($13): This was a Baby Blues favorite. It’s meaty, dense, perfect with ribs. Smells of cardamom and sandalwood.
2006 Vina Falernia Syrah Reserva, Chile, Elqui Valley ($11): This one is perfect with barbecue. Smokey and has a roasted, charred flavor but in a good way.
2007 Thimiopoulos Uranos, Greece, Macedonia ($29): Lots of tannins and leaves a drying vacuum feel in the mouth. Fruity.
2007 Charles Smith Wines Chateau Smith, Washington, Columbia Valley ($20): Cassis, cedar, earthy, balanced and nice acidity.

So if you like what you see here, join the club. Etty will be kicking off a wine club for her site next month. Its intention, said Etty, is to dispel “the snobbery that often surrounds wine, and give people access to the very winemakers who crafted the wines they drink.” Apparently club members will get invites to winemaker tasting parties as well as 10% off their purchases.

Facebook: Plonk Wine Merchants
Twitter: @PlonkOnline

Categories: Los Angeles, Shopping & Sales

2 Comments

March 4, 2010

This Weekend: Wonderland High Tea, Bourbon Night, Young Directors

I’m outtie again this weekend. Yet another 24 Hours of Lemons race I gotta go to. This one up in Sonoma. Sucks considering there are all these fun things going on in L.A. Anyway, have fun.

Friday, March 5

CorkBar 1-Year Anniversary
Downtown wine bar celebrates its one-year anniversary with a special Founder’s Flight ($18) — a selection of five wines that helped inspire the owner to create Corkbar. Includes Brander Sauvignon Blanc, Keenan Chardonnay, Melville Syrah, Terra Valentine Cabernet Sauvignon & Frank Family Zinfandel. They’ll also be pouring some by-the-bottle-only wines by the glass!

Corkbar, 403 West 12th Street, Los Angeles (map).

Royal/T’s Alice in Wonderland High Tea
Seems L.A. is going mad as a hatter for Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland as evidence by all the high tea events. But Royal/T’s is sure to stand out, not only for its Japanese cosplay servers but the $25 high tea of playing cards tea sandwiches, a vanilla “Eat Me” cupcake, kobe beef slider, a cup of “Drink Me” Royal/T Green Milk Tea blend, blue mushroom-shaped meringues and Cheshire Cat macaroons with Earl Grey tea filling (both by BakeLab). Be sure to swing by on Saturday for the Wonderland-themed fashion show and to check out the newest exhibit, �The Never Ending Story: Fairytale, Fantasy and Obsession.”

Royal/T, 8910 Washington Boulevard, Culver City (map). (310) 559-6300

Provence Wine Council Tasting Event
Explore the wines from the Provence Region of France at this delicious wine event which is held in conjunction with the Provence Wine Council, a gathering of the largest selection of winemakers from Provence ever assembled on the West Coast. Oenophiles can enjoy 35 not-yet-available labels, winemaker discussions and Provincial French food.

6pm-1am. $55 (plus $4.02 transaction fee). Vinoteque on Melrose, 7469 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles (map).

Friday Night Spirits — Bourbon
What better way to kick off the weekend than with a series of bourbons? The Wine House in West L.A. hosts a bourbon tasting where guests will get to sample all types and styles of my fave booze at a variety of price ranges. Find out which bourbon is your new favorite.

7:30pm. $50. The Wine House, 2311 Cotner Avenue, Los Angeles (map). Reservations: 310-479-3731, Ext. 0.

Saturday, March 6

LACMA’s Young Directors’ Night
Celebrate L.A.’s new talent at LACMA’s Young Directors Night. Six short films will be screened and there will be a panel discussion with the directors afterward. But, definitely stay for the after-party across the street at A+D Museum where you can peruse the galleries and video installations and partake of the open bar featuring Maker’s Mark and Malibu Family Wines as well as Sprinkles Cupcakes! If you want to go to the OK Go release party on Friday, you can purchase tickets to that event plus this one for only $40 and save $10.

8pm-12am. $30. LACMA�s Bing Theater and A+D Museum, 5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles (map).

Sunday, March 7

Beefsteak Sundays at Bacaro LA
Apparently these Beefsteak Sundays are uber popular and there are only 32 seats so chances are it’s already booked up but give it a shot. Sorry! I just found out about this yesterday. If you are SOL, just make your ressies for next month’s event where it’s all-you-can-consume-beer/wine-and steak for only $25! There are two seatings, 5:30pm and 8pm, every first Sunday of the month.

5:30pm and 8pm. $25. Bacaro LA, 2308 S Union Avenue, Los Angeles (map). RSVP: Call (213) 748-7205 or email bacaro_la [at] yahoo.com.

Rustic Canyon’s Spring Beer Bash Dinner with the Beer Chick
But I will give you the heads-up to this tasty event on March 23 at the Santa Monica restaurant where, for $75, you get to enjoy five courses of fresh spring fare paired with five beers provided by Beer Chick, Christina Perozzi and featuring local breweries, The Bruery, Craftsman and Skyscraper Brewing Co.

Event date: Tuesday, March 23. $75 (includes beer). Rustic Canyon, 1119 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica (map). Reservations: (310) 393-7050.

Categories: Art, Dining, Lists, Los Angeles, Movies, Nightlife

Boozing Writers’ Parties: The Imbiber and the Bubbly Girl

Photo by Bert Stern

The Imbiber’s Ultimate Playmate Fantasy Wine Tour at Pourtal
Playboy‘s bad boy boozing columnist and author of the must-read adventures-in-drinking memoir Nobody Likes a Quitter, Dan Dunn is kicking off what is most definitely the sexiest wine tasting tour in the history of the world. Pourtal Wine Tasting Bar in Santa Monica will feature wines inspired by some of the magazine’s most famous centerfolds, from Marilyn Monroe to Anna Nicole Smith.

Dunn, who selected each of the Playmates and their respective wines, says:

This wine tour is a celebration of beauty and timelessness, a chance to raise our glasses to the women who have captured our hearts and our senses.

For the month of October, the wine bar’s Enomatic machines will offer one-ounce pours of the voluptuous vino which range in price from $2.30 to $8.80 per taste. But it’s the launch party on October 6 that will have actual Playmates in attendance, like Lisa Semler (nee Welch), Miss September 1980 and now of Semler Wines, and Andrea Lowell, host of Playboy Morning Show on XM/Sirius Radio. Join Dan and the girls for sips and mingling. And you’ll also be able to buy signed copies of his Quitter book ($15). I haven’t read it yet, but my bf highly recommends it.

Featured Wines:

Marilyn Monroe: Plumpjack Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Bettie Page: Paraduxx 2006
Jayne Mansfield: Luciano Sandrone Dolcetto d’Alba 2007
Lisa Semler: Semler Cabernet 2001
Pamela Anderson: Rocca Family Vineyards “Bad Boy Red” 2006
Jenny McCarthy: Four Vines “The Maverick” 2006
Anna Nicole Smith: Tenuta di Ghizzano Il Ghizzano 2007
Kelly Monaco: Big Basin Mandala Syrah 2006

Tuesday, October 6 from 6:30-8:30pm. Pourtal Wine Tasting Bar, 104 Santa Monica Boulevard, Santa Monica (map). (310) 393-7693.

The Bubbly Girl’s Champagne Cocktails and Book Party at the Edison

edison oct 7 flyer jpeg.jpg

Consider this book party a happy hour with a lotta class. We’re talking Moet & Chandon champagne cocktails at the Edison downtown after all. It’s to celebrate author Maria Hunt’s book, The Bubbly Bar: Champagne and Sparkling Wine Cocktails for Every Occasion. For $20 guests will not only get delicious cocktails but appetizers and a copy of the book signed by the author herself! (Or the price is $10 if you just want to taste the bubbly.) The shindig will be in the bar’s intimate Tesla Lounge so RSVP/prepay on The Bubbly Girl site by tomorrow, October 3 to get a spot as no tickets will be sold at the door. And you can stick around til 8pm to catch the Edison’s sexy cabaret show, Incandescence.

Wednesday, October 7 from 5:30-7:30pm. The Edison, 108 W. 2nd Street, Downtown (map). (213) 613-0000.

Categories: Cocktails, Los Angeles, Nightlife

1 Comment