Friday Quickies #67: tequila, beer floats and reads

The Liquid Muse's Jungle Juice made with Pinky Vodka being served at BloggerProm2009, photo by Food Woolf

Phew, now that the fun chaos of Blogger Prom and the Baja Media/Blogger Trip is behind me (believe me, there'll be plenty of blogging about both) -- time to finally tend to my own blog baby!

National Tequila Day couldn't have come at a better time for my fellow prom committee folks and I, and Taste on Melrose is making it even sweeter to down by having 2 for 1 tequila drinks all weekend long! Just go "tequila makes me happy" at your server or bartend to score this deal!

This Sunday, foodblogging/journalist FoodGPS is organizing a Beer Float showdown at Blue Palms in Hollywood -- with Golden State/Scoops butting it out against Bottlerock/MILK. For $23 (or $26 at door) attendees can taste two eight-ounce floats from each contender and vote for their fave. To top it all off, this events benefits 826LA - a worthy writing/tutoring non-profit. To RSVP (though I heard spaces are nearly out) e-mail FoodGPS at joshua@foodgps.com.

Also going on this Sunday is Angeleno magazine's "Chef's Night Out" event coinciding with their annual restaurant issue, where their critic, Brad Johnson, and others will be handing out awards for some of the best eats around town while benefiting the Children's Institute to help kids traumatized by violence; Chefs including Ray Garcia from FIG, Evan Funke from Rustic Canyon and Adrian Vasquez from Providence will be preparing signature dishes paired with award-winning wines and spirits. Tickets are $125 general and $250 for VIP (includes entry into award ceremony and reception.) Click here for additional info and to order tickets.

On Monday, AMMO Restaurant (which has been throwing some pretty kicking libation mixers lately) will be partnering with Austrian winemaker Schloss Gobelsburg for a tasty five-course, seven-wine dinner for $55/person. Enjoy Rieslings, Gruner Veltliners and other Austrian wines while noshing on fresh and elegant courses such as hamachi with radish & celery salad and roasted Niman Ranch pork shoulder with baby veggies and roasted mission figs. To RSVP, give them a ring at 323.871.2666.

On Thursday, Century City Breadbar is holding its monthly Hatchi event, with a guest chef serving eight dishes for $8 apiece. This month's event is especially noteworthy since it's Michael Voltaggio, who was chef de cuisine at the Bazaar, replacing Craig Strong as chef de cuisine at Langham Pasadena's Dining Room AND a contender on Season 6's Top Chef. And the $64 eight-course affair, which includes miso cake with jasmine "rice cream"; wagyu beef with horseradish "styrofoam" and veal sweetbread with coffee-cardamom "soil", is WAY more affordable than either places he's perma-cheffing at (not that they aren't worth a visit anyways, budget allowing.) Unfortunately and unsurprisingly, this event is already sold out -- but another Hatchi, with chef Roberto Cortez, is not too far in the future, with an equally intriguing "Unfamiliar Conflict" themed menu on Aug. 6 -- so book your rezzies fast!

Finally, some great reads:

NY Times' critic Frank Bruni published an excerpt from his upcoming book about his relationship with food since his baby years; including struggles with weight, drugs, diets, fasts and even bulimia. Nice food for thought (pun intended) though the excerpt felt very abrupt.

For something way more light-hearted (and totally PR driven by the Hellmann's and Best Foods mayo folks) check out this Chicago Tribune article on what your sandwich preference says about you. (FYI, I'm a chicken/egg salad person myself)

Last but not least, you can find me out being quoted in LA Times' food truck article!

And salud to National Tequila Day!