Friday Quickies #61: Prom, Strength and Alchy-Paired Dinner

Kiss My Bundt to Share Our Strength, this bakery is partaking in both Taste of the Nation and No Cookies Left Behind events benefiting SOS this Sunday.

Sorry if my posting frequency is waning as of late, I got BloggerProm on my mind (on the planning committee with a bunch of other wicked bloggers.) I tried making sure the bloggers I know are on the invite list, but if I accidentally miss you, drop a word here.

Anyways, lots of eatings going on for me this weekend, including Taste of the Nation on Sunday, but there are plenty o worthwhile events for the next seven days to keep any food and beverage enthusiast happy.

For those who couldn't pay or work their way into Taste of the Nation, take heart with some delicious baked treat at No Cookie Left Behind taking place at Scoops this Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m. With baked treats from sweet masters CakeMonkey, Kiss My Bundt, Lark Cake Shop and even the vegan Spork Foods. A little more deets via Eating L.A. here.

And on the Westside, there's the Riva wine-paired dinner event at 5 p.m. with "five" courses each paired with an Italian wine (I put five in quotes since the third course a trio of pizzas, and the final one is a dessert assortment.) The blissful and belly-pleasing menu includes a burrata and roasted pepper salad, the spring onion and mushroom pizzas, and flat iron steak with brandy sauce, caramelized onions, mustard green and polenta fries. Not bad foor $40/person. (SinoSoul's Tony got the full menu here.)

For those who want to learn a few new tricks while they eat and drink, LA Magazine is starting up a monthly "Culinary College" where some top chefs, mixologists and sommeliers around town will share their secrets to making great dishes and drinks, with a focus on seasonal-sustainable-local ingredients. The first event will start this Wednesday 7 to 9 p.m. with Patrick Healy of the Buffalo Club, Ian Blackburn of LearnAboutWine and Bridget Bueche from Sub-Zero/WolfWest. $50/person.

Finally, for everyone who wants to celebrate with their dad but want to dodge the barrage of crowds on Sunday, take him out a bit early to "A Summer Tequila Tasting" going on at San Antonio Winery from 7 to 9 p.m., with a five course dinner paired with tequilas and wines for $80/person. Courses include Red Snapper Ceviche paired with Don Julio Reposado and 7 Lengua Anejo, Fried Avocado and Cabbage Salad paired with Baja Californian Zinfandel, and Churros with Bitter chocolate sauce and swanky 1921 Crema de Tequila. Your daddy may not even remember the rest of the going ons that weekend!