Our goal(-ish) this week: Locate events that don't necessarily revolve around beer. Yes, it's Oktoberfest. Yes, Orange County has some damn good brews. Call us crazy, but we wanted to celebrate other goings on as well. And we're glad we did.
Laguna Canyon Winery October Wine Tasting Party – Laguna Beach
If you are free tomorrow, we suggest snagging a ticket to the winery's monthly tasting. With 10 different pours, plus buffet dinner, First Fridays haven't been better. The bottles start uncorking in Laguna Canyon at 6 p.m. Cheers!
Festa dell'Autunno at Pelican Hill – Newport Coast
Celebrating their sixth annual festival, the Resort at Pelican Hill is making Festa dell'Autunno even more special with the inclusion of a children's carnival during Saturday's Italian street festa. The merriment actually starts Friday with an autumn-inspired, wine pairing dinner. Pelican Hill's own Chef Marco Criscuolo will be joined by Chef Filippo Gozzoli, visiting from Armani Hotel Milano. The weekend winds down with an al fresco jazz brunch on Sunday. Wine, tax and service are included in the price of all events, but make sure there's still availability.
Ongoing: Beach City Food Tours – Long Beach
Prepare to taste the rainbow of flavors in the city across county lines. Tours can be scheduled for weekdays or weekends, and may last upwards of three hours. Visit some LBC staples such as Michael's Pizzeria and George's Greek Cafe. Learn some local trivia as you bounce between places for local eats.
Coming soon: Oozefest – Santa Ana
It's a cheesy/creamy extravaganza headed to DTSA next weekend. Happening over two days, expect some over-the-top bites especially created for this event. For $5, you'll be granted access into a marketplace to shop and purchase food items a la carte. Throw down $50, and receive VIP status for unlimited eats. Oh, and there's lots of beer to wash down all the ooze.
A contributing writer for OC Weekly, Anne Marie freelances for multiple online and print publications, and guest judges for culinary competitions. A Bay Area transplant, she graduated with a degree in Hospitality Management from Cal Poly Pomona. Find her on Instagram as brekkiefan.