RecipeMuncher

Welcome to the weekend. Enjoy some live music at the Viper room and The Loving Day Concert, or get your kinky on at Erotica LA. Get a true Italian experience at the Italian Festival and Bocce Tournament, watch a movie under the stars at Hollywood Forever, grab a glass or three or four of wine in Bel-Air. Then chow down at the No Cookie Left Behind Bake Sale, Riva Wine Dinner or Taste of the Nation.

Friday, June 12

Fight From Above
Hollywood (9pm)
Local LA darlings and recent featured artists on KROQs Locals Only, Fight From Above’s power rock pop ballads will have you dancing in no time. They put together great melodic riffs in songs like Between The Curves, featuring one of the best cities ever, Los Angeles. The are playing another KROQ Locals Only show at the Viper Room with Saint Motel for their video release party on Friday June 12. Tickets are only $10.

When Love Happens
Canoga Park (8pm)
New Orleans native and fêted jazz vocalist, arranger and composer Sandra Booker is making her eagerly anticipated return to the stage for the When Love Happens: The Loving Day Concert. The concert will take place at the Madrid Theatre, 21622 Sherman Way in Canoga Park. Tickets are $30. More info on the website.

Erotica LA
Los Angeles Convention Center (11am-11pm)
At Erotica LA meet porn stars, check out the latest sex toys, pick up some DVDs, peek in at the Lingerie and Burlesque shows, plus a lot of horny middle aged men. Free seminars like Pole Dancing or Uncovering the O: Female Orgasms. Admission starts at $35 for a one day pass, or $75 for the whole weekend. But is one day really enough?

Saturday, June 13

The 3rd Annual Italian Festival and Bocce Tournament
Hawthorne (8am-7pm)
The 3rd Annual Italian Festival and Bocce Tournament in erbium doped fiberHawthorne features Bocce ball, Italian food and music at Memorial Park, 3901 W. El Segundo Blvd.

Vintage Hollywood Wine Event
Bel-Air (6:30-9pm)
Vintage Hollywood hosts a food and wine tasting event at an exclusive Bel-Air estate, which will help benefit the Children’s Action Network. The evening will feature fine wines from across California as well as wines from Oregon, New Zealand and Argentina. Restaurants including XIV by Michael Mina, Campanile, A.O.C. and Cicada will provide culinary refreshments. In addition, a live and silent auction will take place featuring celebrity auctioneer Jay Leno. Tickets are $200 a person, ouch.

Funny Face at Cinespia
(7:30pm)
Check out an outdoor screening of the Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire classic “Funny Face” at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Get their early, these tend to fill up fast. Bring a blanket and a picnic basket. Admission is $10 and is first come first serve. DJ Rob Sevier is spinning before and after the screening.

Sunday, June 14

Riva Wine Dinner
(5pm)
Featuring wines from Bedford and a 5 course tailored tasting menu including a wine pairing from renowned Chef Jason Travi. Menu items include Burrata Peperonata, Funghi pizza, Angus Flat Iron Steak with polenta fries, and an assortment of fresh desserts. Call Riva Restaurant at 310.451.7482 for reservations.

Taste of the Nation
Culver City (1-4pm)
At Taste of the Nation, Los Angeles’ top chefs, restaurants and winemakers came together to donate their time, talent and their passion to end childhood hunger at Media Park in Culver City. This charity event helps raise money to ensure no kid in Los Angeles grows up hungry. Chances are, neither will you at this event. Admission is $125 per person. Tickets can be purchased here.

No Cookie Left Behind Bake Sale
East Hollywood (2-6pm)
The No Cookie Left Behind Bake Sale is a community event that brings together cupcakes, quiches, and cookies, and the people who love them, to enjoy a summer day at Scoops and raise money towards eradicating childhood hunger in the US. Scoops Gelato is at 712 N Heliotrope Dr. 90029.

Upcoming:

June 18 – Opening June 18 and running through July 5th, the twisted cabaret that is Cirque Berzerk returns to Los Angeles. Cirque Berzerk’s unique flavor of adult psychedelic vaudevillian tomfoolery takes place at the Los Angeles State Historic Park. It’s been called everything from “a circus on acid” to “French burlesque meets Sweeney Todd.” Their big top is bigger and better than ever, specially commissioned and imported from Italy, the new tent is four times larger than before and offers stadium-style seating. This event sold out last time it was in town. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased online.

June 20 – Join Chef Pace Webb for the Taste of Pace Underground Supperclub in Hollywood on Saturday, June 20th at 6:30pm featuring seasonal produce sourced only from SoCal’s best farms. Menu items include Chilled Cucumber Mint Soup, Lamb Lollipops with Cherry Red Wine Reduction, and Spring Squash Cake for dessert. Price is $38 and this event is BYOB. Reservations can be made here.

June 20 – Enjoy 60+ microbrew beers, food samples, chili cookoff, comedy, and a live concert at Pechanga Microbrew Festival in Temecula. Sponsored by Habitat for Humanity, they will also be a silent auction at the event.

June 20 – For centuries artists have painted beautiful images on the boulevards and squares of great cities, using chalk as their medium and the street pavement as their canvas. The Pasadena Chalk Festival continue the legacy of the street painting art form by offering festival visitors an opportunity to shop, dine or see a movie as the artworks come to life. The chalk festival returns to Paseo Colorado Father’s Day Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, June 20 and 21, 2009 from 10am – 7pm. The festival is open to the public and free of charge.

June 27 – In the Test Kitchen at Surfas from 1-2pm. Chef Andy Matsuda, Executive Chef and CEO of the Sushi Chef Institute demonstrates the basics of cutting fish for sushi and preparing Nigiri-sushi at home. Meet Chef Andy Matsuda and learn the basics of slicing the fish and assembling this Japanese favorite. Then from 3-4pm Sake Sommelier Yoshi Murakami de-mystifies sake with a side-by-side tasting and non-traditional pairings.

July 17-18 – Lots of wine, food, blues, sea and sun at the California Wine Festival in Santa Barbara. A unique wine tasting experience with hundreds of California’s best red and white wines, live blues music, dozens of top chefs and specialty food purveyors, gourmet appetizers, fresh cut fruits, grilled meats, artisan breads and cheeses and much more.

Join the Ozzy Foundation on June 10th at 9pm for a fabulous night of Legendary Bingo at Hamburger Mary’s in West Hollywood to help raise funds for the furry friends of the Ozzy Foundation. Actress/comedienne Debra Wilson Skelton and a drag queen extraordinaire will be the esteemed ballcallers for the evening. Fantastic prizes and rowdy fun! Hamburger Mary’s full bar and menu will be available. Suggested donation at the door is $20. Bingo starts at 9pm but arrive early to get a good table! If you get on the Legendary Bingo email list at www.legendarybingo.com, you can get twice the bingo cards for the price of one!

Welcome to the weekend. Start it off with some great dining deals on Friday and then on Saturday check out Carnevale in Venice Beach and get free entry into museums with your B of A card. There are two great wine events this weekend, the Santa Barbara County Wine Futures Tastings and the LA Wine Fest. A few other festivals this weekend include the Armenian Food Fair & Festival, the Palos Verdes Street Fair, and the The Taste of Alhambra.

Friday, June 5

Enoteca Drago’s Affordable June Special Menus
Beverly Hills (12-10pm)
Enoteca Drago is offering a Three Course June Lunch Menu for $20 and Three Course June Dinner Menu for $32 all weekend long. Enjoy some of LA’s finest authentic Italian cuisine right in the heart of Beverly Hills. First course items like Caprese Salad or Swordfish Carpaccio. Main course items include Wild Sole Filet or Mozzarella Cheese, Prosciutto di Parma and Porcini Mushroom Pizza. Then choose any one of their house desserts to finish off the meal.

Yelp Restaurant Week
Miracle Mile
Its the last night for Yelp Restaurant Week, taking place mostly along the Miracle Mile corridor. Yelp has teamed together with some great restaurants to put together 3-course Prix Fixe menus specially priced from $25 to $30. Tasca, Sofi, Little Next Door, Luna Park, Cube, Messob, Susina, and others join in the fun. Menus and a full list of participating restaurants can be found here.

Saturday, June 6

Carnevale! Venice Beach
Venice (12-9pm)
Inspired by the famed Italian Carnevale, Carnevale! Venice Beach is an incredible flamboyant festival that has been celebrated for the past 7 years. It is a perfect match for such an artistic community. It brings together the colors and colors of Venice Beach and is now attracting Californians from all over who want to come join the party. Addmission is free and is located between Windward Ave. and Speedway in Venice.

Museums on Us
Los Angeles
The Bank of America free musuem program is back this weekend. For the first full weekend of every month use your bank card for free entry into museums like LACMA, Autry National Center, Discovery Science Center, Riverside Art Museum, and more. Check their web site for a full listing of museums in So Cal.

The Santa Barbara County Wine Futures Tastings
Century City (2-5pm)
The Winehound and The Wine House are delighted to announce their Santa Barbara County 2009 futures tastings at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel, featuring a dazzling roster of the central coast’s famous (and soon-to-be-famous) labels. There are two different ticket options available: General Admission (2-5 pm) will be $65.00, which includes discounted self-parking. VIP tickets are limited and cost $85.00, offering one hour early admission (1-5 pm) along with paid valet parking. Tickets can be purchased by calling (800) 626-9463.

LA Wine Fest
Hollywood (2-6pm)
The LA Wine Fest returns to Raleigh Studios on Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy 500 plus wines, spirits and craft beers. Special seminars by Georg Riedel, Knob Creek Bourbon Tastings, Sake tastings and more. $55 a day or $100 for the entire weekend.

Armenian Food Fair & Festival
Montebello (12-10pm)
The Armenian Food Fair & Festival is a fun annual event featuring delicious Armenian food and pasteries, live Armenian music and dancing all day long, plus free authentic Armenian cooking demonstrations, craft booths, kids fun zone, raffles and great prizes. Entry for this event is free.

Palos Verdes Street Fair and Music Festival
Rolling Hills Estates (10am-10pm)
On Saturday and Sunday check out the Palos Verdes Street Fair and enjoy carnival rides, 200 vendor booths, carnival rides, international food court, petting zoo, and an auto exhibit. Continuous live entertainment is showcased on the Main Stage and under the Big Tent. “Tribute bands” will again bring back the sounds of the Beatles, Steely Dan, pop, country, Latin, jazz and rock groups. Sunday Jazz Festival performers feature legendary jazz pianist, Paul Smith, Mark Fitchett and Friends and other exciting jazzgroups.

Sunday, June 7

The Taste of Alhambra
Alhambra (5-9pm)
Enjoy the unlimited flavors of Alhambra’s diverse restaurants, great wines, brews, & spirits, in a fun outdoor environment! Enjoy the cigar & martini bar and dance to the sounds of MVP. Admission is $45 ($55 day of the event.) Tickets can be purchased online.

Upcoming:

June 12 - New Orleans native and fêted jazz vocalist, arranger and composer Sandra Booker is making her eagerly anticipated return to the stage for the When Love Happens: The Loving Day Concert. The concert will take place at the Madrid Theatre, 21622 Sherman Way in Canoga Park. Tickets are $30. More info on the website.

June 13 - The 3rd Annual Italian Festival and Bocce Tournament in Hawthorne features Bocce ball, Italian food and music. 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Memorial Park, 3901 W. El Segundo Blvd.

June 14 - At Taste of the Nation, Los Angeles’ top chefs, restaurants and winemakers came together to donate their time, talent and their passion to end childhood hunger at Media Park in Culver City. This charity event helps raise money to ensure no kid in Los Angeles grows up hungry. Admission to the LA event is $125 per person.

On Friday June 19th, take Dad something to something he’ll really like at the San Antonio Winery located just North of Downtown LA. For $80 a person, sample tequila, wines from South of the border, and some excellent food pairings from the restaurant located inside the winery. Among the tequilas to be sampled are 7 Lenguas, Patron, Don Julio, Jose Cuervo Reserva, and 1921 Crema de Tequila. Sample wine from L.A. Cetto winery located in Baja California.

Food pairings for the evening include a fresh corn and passilla custard with corn shoots and grilled cactus; Mazatlan red snapper, ceviche with micro cilantro, cucumber, tomato and scallions; smoked panella cheese and farmers market Heirloom tomatoes with lime infused olive oil; fried avocado and cilantro with cabbage salad; grilled marinated tenderloin of beef and Weisser farm potatoes with blue cheese tarragon sauce; and for dessert, cinnamon churros with bitter chocolate sauce.

A historical landmark since 1965, San Antonio Winery is Los Angeles’ only working winery. Founded in 1917 by Santo Cambianica, the winery continues to be family-owned and operated. Several other events are planned for the Summer and include Wines From Down Under, Boutique Beer Tasting and Food Pairing, Taste of the America’s, and Taste of Italy.

There is limited seating for this event. To make reservations call call (323) 330- 8771.

Enjoy a tailored tasting menu and wine pairing from chef Jason Travi at Riva this Sunday, May 31 at 6:30 PM. They will be pouring Italian wines awarded the Tre Bicchieri by Gambero Rosso magazine. For each wine served they will review the wine you are tasting along with tasting notes. Tempting items on the menu include Crudo of Hamachi and Tuna, Crawfish with Potato Gnocchi, Duck Two Ways, Seared Lamb T-bone, and a dessert. The price is $100 a person. Full menu can be downloaded here. Riva is at 312 Wilshire Blvd. Reservations are recommended as seating is limited. Call 310.451.7482 to make a reservation.

OK, so I don’t usually post about contests, but this is something here at Dig Lounge we are really excited about. And for the life of me I can’t figure out why I am telling everyone about it, as my odds decrease with each additional entry, but what can I say, I’m a giver. The boutique world travel specialists Mr & Mrs Smith and purveyor of fine gift baskets Dean & Deluca are celebrating the launch of The Global Gourmet series. To celebrate they are giving away a trip to Napa for two. Prize includes three nights accommodations at Milliken Creek Inn & Spa, two comped spa treatments, a tasting and wine education seminar at Dean & DeLuca St. Helena Wine Centre, an exclusive tour at Rudd Oakville Estate winery, including a Dean & DeLuca picnic hamper, dinner and wine for two people at PRESS restaurant. Exicted yet? We were.

Enter here until 5/31. Winners will be selected then. And if you win, don’t forget to thank Dig Lounge and send us a bottle of wine.

Celebrate Cinco De Mayo at Surfas with “Five on the Fifth” Cinco de Mayo Beer and Cheese Tasting. On Wednesday, May 5th from 5 pm until 6 pm, taste five distinctive small production craft beers, each paired with a perfect cheese. Featuring a selection of beers from around the world and finishing with a Gold Medal winning selection from Mexico.

“Five on the Fifth” is the first in their Summer 2009 Beer Tasting Series. These events are held monthly throughout the summer. Admission is $25 per event, and you must be 21 and over to participate. For more information on “Five on the Fifth” or the 2009 Beer Tasting Series, call Surfas @ 310-559-4770.

Celebrate Cinco De Mayo at Surfas with “Five on the Fifth” Cinco de Mayo Beer and Cheese Tasting. On Wednesday, May 5th from 5 pm until 6 pm, taste five distinctive small production craft beers, each paired with a perfect cheese. Featuring a selection of beers from around the world and finishing with a Gold Medal winning selection from Mexico.

“Five on the Fifth” is the first in their Summer 2009 Beer Tasting Series. These events are held monthly throughout the summer. Admission is $25 per event, and you must be 21 and over to participate. For more information on “Five on the Fifth” or the 2009 Beer Tasting Series, call Surfas @ 310-559-4770.