Had such a wonderful time at Burgers and Beer; thanks to Brittany B. and Yelp! Wish I could've been…read moreas lucky as Darlene F. and had attended all the events, but this was a great one! Parking was easy, weather was perfect, and there was tons of food and drink! Jim G. and I sampled burgers (both mini and 1/3 portions of larger burgers) from fabulous restaurants all over town. There was also a decent amount of wine to be had, although for my tastes, Justin Winery was the only one I was interested in. There were tons of breweries/beers represented as well. Both Singha and Peroni were giving out full beers! That was much appreciated! Yummy cupcakes, cake, and chocolate to round out the evening. I was excited to meet Kathy Griffin and to do some painting on the Blue Moon mural. having never painted before, I found it very fun. Overall, it was an excellent Friday. Although the tickets are expensive, I would consider purchasing them next year (although more free ones would definitely be better!)

Los Angeles Times / Food & Wine: THE TASTE: 2 Blissful Days in Beverly Hills…read more I spent 2 blissful days in Beverly Hills enjoying this event (courtesy of Melissa S. of Essential Chocolate Desserts ;). Day 1, Saturday, Sept 3rd Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar: Food and wine from some of the best restaurants and wine purveyors in Beverly Hills. There were 2 main pavilions, with over 40 restaurants/exhibitors; so it was not humanly possible to sample EVERYthing...but I gave it my best shot! ;) Several of my favorite spots were there: Café Rodeo/Luxe Hotel Café, Chaya Brasserie, Locanda del Lago, McCormick & Schmick's, Mr. Chow, Napa Valley Grille, Palomino, and Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. Favorite drinks: Mionetto Prosecco, 4 Copas Organic Tequilla margaritas, Cutie's Juice (100% tangerine), and Chopin's Vodka Rye Martini Bloody Marys served in their V.I.P. lounge. Dessert: No room for much of that, but did savor a bit of Green & Black's Organic chocolate (cherry; hazelnut), and a lime sorbetto in the Peroni Lounge. Day 2, Sunday, Sept 4th Fashion Bites Brunch: Ohhh...a banquet lined both sides of Rodeo Drive between S. Santa Monica and Wilshire Blvds. Café tables were also there for our dining comfort. Some like it less hot, and sought refuge in the Ciroc Vodka Lounge. Tres decadent! The food trend(s): Pork belly and Quail eggs; they were EVERYwhere! The Napa Valley Grille's pork belly was my favorite, flavorwise; but, for texture, would pick the PB from The London. But EVERYthing from Lobster/Brie sliders on brioche, frittatas, mushroom w/truffle oil bisque, Kobe beef, gazpacho, to Jamaican curries -- All luscious! Favorite beverages: Mionetto Prosecco w/Elixir Floral Infusion 'shots' (English Lavendar and Damascan Rose tied, but also enjoyed Antillean Hibiscus and Andean Fire Orchid); Adult Chocolate Milk was good; and was intrigued by the Chocolate Shop's Chocolate Red Wine. This time, saved room for dessert from Pure Cheesecakes and Sprinkle's Cupcakes. Plus enjoyed mini currant scones w/fresh lemon curd, chocolate brioche French toast, Waffles de Liege, and strawberry-stuffed French toast (though, technically, these are NOT desserts), and candy courtesy of Mickey Fine (plus, got a coupon for a free milk shake at their soda fountain). Can't WAIT for The Taste/LA 2012!

LA Loves Alex's Lemonade took place at Royce Quad (UCLA campus) on Saturday, September 9, 2017 from…read more12pm-4pm. The weather was sunny and a perfect day for chefs, foodies and culinary food fans to come together to support childhood cancer research. This was the 8th annual LA Loves Alex's Lemonade Stand, which raised over $1.3 million for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. With enthusiastic support from the entertainment industry, this year broke last year's record for the event. We have been to many food events throughout the year and this event was by far our favorite. The afternoon featured fantastic food samples and a back-yard party atmosphere that didn't feel pretentious. Delicious cocktails, activities, silent and live auctions and merchandise. LA food enthusiasts and supporters responded with a huge turnout of more than 2,200 attendees. Attendees could purchase branded Alex's Lemonade Stand merchandise to be bought at a silent auction throughout the entire course of the event, all proceeds going to fund child cancer research. Half way into the event there was a hosted live auction. Some of the items auctioned included dinner for 25 to Melisse Restaurant in Santa Monica that auctioned for $25,000. A flight on Singapore Airlines business class to the Maldives to stay in the Four Seasons Resort for a week auctioned for $37,500. Dinner for 25 people (Men's Dinner) featuring top chefs coming to your house for an Italian feast that sold twice and raised $42,000 ($84,000). A (Women's Dinner) including top chefs Suzanne Goin and April Bloomfield that sold three times for $75,000 each for a total of $225,000. To end the live auction, was an impromptu auction dinner for 25 by Jimmy Kimmel and top chefs such as Chris Bianco, Evan Funky, Jon and Vinny. The dinners are to take placea at Jimmy Kimmel's barn next to his house and raised $100,000 twice for a total of $200,000. The pricing for General Admission tickets were $195, VIP tickets were for sponsors and special guests, talent and it included shaded tents and tables to sit at. LA Loves Alex's Lemonade offered a $1,200 premier ticket which included early access to the event, a tour of the venue and VIP seating. Also, an exclusive invite to the private and intimate Dinner the evening before, on Friday September 8. This is one event not to be missed and the proceeds go to support childhood cancer research.

This was our 2nd time to the Los Angeles event. Top-notch in all areas. The variety of food,…read morewine and liquor was outstanding. The food booths each have a large printed sign on the overhang where you can see the name of the restaurant, chef and dish being served. Having the event outside allows the chefs more flexibility to prepare food onsite. And the charity aspect is great. The live auction is something to see!

We had a blast at the 2011 event! It's the one night when you don't feel weird for going into De…read moreBeers, D&G and such. It was free and open to all. Hooray! And double hooray for not being judged as you enter the fancy stores on Rodeo Dr!! Guess had an excellent party atmosphere. The free HD photobooth, cotton candy, cheesecake bites/lollipops, manicures, friendly photographer and live models made the night memorable. Whomever organized the event did a great job. Everyone in the store had a smile on their face and were extremely welcoming. I was reminded that I like quite a few of their shoes and they carry a size 5! Yay! I laughed upon walking into Juicy Couture because they had handsome models/men/man-candy with champagne on trays. The free chocolate tasting was a plus. They knew their audience. YSL had excellent macaroons on the second level of their store. The champagne was alright, but hey it was free! Unfortunately the shoes had uncomfortable arches and were...$1000 a pair. Porsche had free tequila shots which was a nice change from the champagne. Some jewelry store, I can't remember which, was letting regular people (like you and me - ooh la la) wear their fancy jewels and get photos taken. I thought this was a fun idea, but the line was too long. Their little creamy, fruity dessert was delicious though. Another jewelry store had actual food. Well, they had bruschetta and champagne. It was a nice change from all the sugar of the night. Lush had free lemonade, cupcakes and other goodies. It was my first visit and it was neat to learn about their products. The food trucks were a great idea. We sampled many of them and enjoyed three donuts, a free t-shirt, and a free fiji water from the the "food truck for a cause." Five dollars was all it cost. The donuts were surprisingly good. The KO Taco Truck had an excellent tuna taco in a fried flour tortilla shell. The plain waffle from the Waffles de Liege was interesting and yummy. Overall, I hope more of the stores on Rodeo spend a couple hundred bucks on tasty (and hopefully savory) hors d'oeuvres at next year's FNO. While they may not make a bunch of sales that night, it would help with their brand recognition and give a little something back to their loyal customers.

"GRATEFUL HEARTS" SEVENTH ANNUAL LAFD &…read moreLAPD FOOD FAIRE & FUNDRAISER Check Website Early part of October 11:30 - 2:00 On Oxnard Street between Owensmouth and AMC Place LIVE MUSIC AND A SAMPLE FABULOUS FOOD FROM LOCAL RESTAURANTS Dunk Tank Fire Trucks Police Command Vehicles Mother of all Barbecues Funds raised directly benefit LAFD Battalion 17 and LAPD Topanga Police Station For more information call 818-704-1358 This is a great event that raises money and I have been going to this for the past 9yrs. Good food, music and fun. Great way to get out of the office. Located in front of Warner Center Towers.

Snowfest is FREE and is held in the neighborhood of Woodranch in Simi Valley; I believe this was…read morethe first year (2013). The snow is really for the kiddies because the sections were small. There are 3 snow play areas: one area was for toddlers, another for kids 10 yo or younger and off to the side there were 3 sledding slopes, to slide freely or for saucers (BYOS-bring your own saucer). Wristbands are avaible for purchase for unlimited use of the jumping area where there were bounce houses and bungee games for the kids. Live music and plenty of food is also available. Parking is free.

Pretty sweet festival... Good food, 3 small kiddie snow play areas, free snow slides, you don't…read morehave to bring your own sled, and fun for the whole family. A lot off people who attended had children, so everyone was very nice. I hope they do this again next year!

This is one of those awesome hidden opportunities LA has to offer! This is a FREE tiny museum that…read moreis in a single room in the UCLA campus. It's very small, but it's pretty amazing! You get a chance to see some meteorites up close and personal, touch them and even use a provided magnet to prove their magnetism! You probably won't spend too long here, but the campus is beautiful. I'd recommend seeing the (also free) Fowler Museum which is a short 8 minute walk away also on campus. There are other things to see here too like the botanical gardens and a sculpture garden. We also did the (again FREE) Hammer museum a short drive away.

Horrible management, especially for the University. They invite you to park, pay a parking fee,…read morethen wander around the campus looking for information. Turns out despite the website indicating otherwise, the gallery is closed. If they manage their specimens like they manage their gallery, I question their qualification to do either. It literally takes thirty seconds to go on to Google and onto your company website and update information. Pure incompetence..

A big turnout this year! With lots of performances and Thai vendors for everyone to try out…read more Located at the Santa Monica pier. It was really crowded and I wish they didn't put the tables right in between all the vendors, which made lining up to order long and confusing

So lively and a lot of people! I ate food from Emporium Thai, my hubby got chicken satay and a…read moredrink. The tall models were fun to watch and the live band was great too

This was my first time at Taste of Old Pasadena, and I must say I had an amazing time! Online…read moreticket sales closed a couple days prior to the event, but I had no problem getting tickets the day of - even though I got there at 6:30 and the event started at 5:30 pm! The map on the event's website was very helpful (http://www.pfarcf.org/images/taste/Taste2014Map.pdf). It lists the restaurants that have ticket sales ($30 per person), and they take plastics! They provided wristbands, a ticket, and a map. This year there were 29 participating locations. However, 2 were connected (Bar Celona and Sorisso), and one I could not locate at all (iPic). I got pretty full after the first 5 stops already, so I think the $30 was worth it. I loved Himalayan Cafe's chicken tikka marsala and Sugar Fix's smores bar. Cafe Santorini was my last stop, and the waiter was extremely friendly and amazing. The bartender at IX Tapa was funny, but the food was just average. (Since we went during happy hour, the martinis were $5. Then we found out later that on Tuesdays, Equator has $1 martinis!). The lady at Umami Burger was super helpful as well. I'll definitely be coming back to those locations. The only non-food place was the Dog Bakery, which was a great place for pet owners! The 2 places I would not return: 1) At Vertical Wine Bistro, the hostesses told us we could choose anything on the happy hour menu. But the waitresses told us we were limited to fries and margherita pizza. After we sat for 5 minutes waiting for a waitress, the group before us told us they ordered fries and pizzas but they waited too long and were leaving. After another 5 minutes, we got the fries. After another 5 minutes, we left and let the next group get our pizza. 2) The worst place was Meat District Co. The guy seated us and never came back with menus or waters. In fact, nobody came around until I flagged someone down to get water for us. We left after 10 minutes of waiting.

25 restaurants, good food. A lot of ice cream samples. Some…read morerestaurants give a lot food and some give you a bite size samples. Best restaurants: Cafe Santorini,White Horse Lounge and The Pie Hole. Best ice cream: Cool Haus Worst restaurant: Barcelona and Sorriso; they were out of food by the time we get there (8:20 p.m.)