Well known for its Chardonnay, Grgich Hills also produces several other wines all of which are made from estate grown, certified organic grapes.

Take a peek at the menu that Whole Foods has prepared to compliment the wine!

MENU:
First course
Seared sea scallops with fresh peaches, lemon fillets, Live Gourmet butter lettuce and champagne vinaigrette. Paired with Grgich Hills Fume Blanc

Second course
Smoked salmon pizza with Whole Catch smoked salmon, Cypress Grove “Purple Haze” goat cheese, Bellwether Farms crème fraiche and chives. Paired with Grgich Hills Chardonnay

Third course
Smoked and glazed babyback ribs, fresh shucked and buttered corn and sweet potato fries. Paired with Grgich Hills Zinfandel

Main Course
Filet of beef stuffed with Borough Market Stilton, wrapped with 365 center cut bacon, cabernet sauvignon reduction and sautéed spinach. Paired with Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon

Dessert Course
Cow Girl Creamery Organic Triple Cream, with cherry merlot reduction, fresh cherries and raisin-walnut toast. Paired with Grgich Hills Merlot

To reserve a spot for this event, send your RSVP to kylethornton@wholefoods.com or call 310-333-1900. The five-course meal — including wine — is $70 per person.

Wine Dinner with Grgich Hills Estate
Whole Foods Market at Plaza El Segundo

Saturday, July 24th at 6pm

760 South Sepulveda Blvd.
El Segundo, CA 90245

Chef Makoto doing work in the kitchen! (Courtesy of Sashi MB).

On hand to share in the party will be renowned Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto along with Michael Voltaggio, winner of Top Chef Season Six.

In a previous review of Sashi, I mentioned that Iron Chef competitions were nothing new for Chef Makoto.  He’s worked side by side with Morimoto on more than a dozen challenges in Kitchen Stadium.  This episode will be Makoto’s debut as the challenging chef.  Food Network listings reveal the challenge will be against Iron Chef Michael Symon.  No word on the secret ingredient though!

Of course, Sashi is pulling out all the stops for this event with a six course tasting menu ($120) and private viewing of the show.  The party starts with cocktails at 5 PM.  Space is limited but you might still be able to get a seat!  Call for reservations at 310-545-0400 or check out their website at www.sashimb.com.

I’ll be rooting for the home team.  Show ‘em what you got, Chef Makoto.  “Allez Cuisine!”

Iron Chef America: Synmon vs. Okuwa

Chef Makoto Okuwa, a former sous chef to Iron Chef Morimoto enters Kitchen Stadium for the first time as a challenger to Iron Chef Michael Symon. Will Okuwa break under the pressure of leading his own team, or impress the judges with his treatment of the secret ingredient? Tune in to see whose cuisine reigns supreme!

Now, I’m a total omnivore but I was bummed to miss this dinner.  I was looking forward to what the minds at Whole Foods would come up with as they paired wines with each dish in this meal.  I’m thinking red wine goes with beef, right?

Thankfully, the dinner was attended by Shoshana from the vegetarian focused food blog Veggie 101.  She did a great review of each course, complete with pictures.  I’m referring you to her to get the details!  Follow the link below for the complete review.

Restaurant Review: Whole Foods El Segundo Vegetarian (Vegan) Wine Dinner, June 29, 2010

Summer Berry Salad from Whole Food's Vegetarian Wine Dinner (Courtesy of Veggie 101)

Thankfully, many of the communities feature their own events so you can stay close to home, avoiding crowds, road rage, and parking frustration.  Here’s a list of events from north to south!

Marina Del Rey
http://www.visitmarinadelrey.com/sg/july_4/index.html
July 4th, 9 PM

• Just on the other side of LAX, the Marina Del Rey fireworks display — sponsored by Los Angeles County Department of Beaches & Harbors — runs for 20 minutes. If you’re driving, get there early…parking and traffic can be miserable.  If you are able to get out of your parking spot and time it just right, you might be able to make it to El Segundo for the tail end of their show too!

El Segundo
http://www.elsegundo.org/depts/recreation/special_events/default.asp
July 4, 9 PM

• I love El Segundo for its small town charm!  Their massive fireworks show is launched from Recreation Park and can be seen and heard from just about all over town.  Of course, the best locations are in the park and Main street.  There are plenty of bars and restaurants along Main street where you can enjoy dinner before the show.

Lawndale
http://www.lawndalecity.org/PDFs/LESD.pdf (Requires PDF Reader)
July 3, 5:30 – 9 PM

• Thank goodness the folks in Lawndale decided to do their party on Saturday instead of Sunday!  You can check this show out and not have to worry about crowds and traffic on the fourth.  Or you can do both!  This pre-fourth party includes food and entertainment for the whole family, followed by a blazing fireworks show.

Redondo Beach
http://www.redondofireworks.com
July 4, 9 PM

• Redondo does it really big when it comes to the fourth with celebrations on the pier and in Seaside Lagoon, the official location for their fireworks show.  The Lagoon opens at 2 PM. You have a buy a ticket — some tickets include parking — but you’ll be sure to have a great seat for the show along with the fun of splashing in the lagoon.
• If you’d rather have a patio or roof-top view of the show in Redondo, check in at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.  If you’re a guest, you can watch the fireworks from their roof-top pool deck.  If getting a room is too rich for your blood, just have dinner at Splash, the hotel’s restaurant.  Diners get three hours of free parking in the hotel’s parking deck and can stay and watch the show from the restaurants patio. Sweet!

Torrance
http://www.ci.torrance.ca.us/Parks/7652.htm
July 4, 11 AM – 9 PM

• Torrance’s celebration in Wilson Park is another big Independence Day celebration starting early in the day and going on into the night.  More like a street fair, the celebration features food vendors, bands, and rides of the kids.  The event is free but parking is $10.  Shuttles are offered from Del Amo Mall and the Civic Center.  Best bets for catching the fireworks show without (too) much traffic hassles: approach Wilson Park the east on Carson St and Arlington Ave.  You should be able to catch the show from the surrounding neighborhood or the lawns around Torrance High School.

San Pedro
http://www.cabrillobeachbathhouse.org/
July 4, 9 PM

• For 59 years running, the folks in San Pedro have been celebrating the Fourth with fireworks on Cabrillo Beach.  Although its not a part of the fireworks show, you can find a really cool experience when they ring the Korean Bell at Angels Gate Park on Sunday morning at 10:30 AM.  Its one of the few times each year that they actually ring the bell!

Long Beach
http://www.longbeachseafestival.com
July 4, 9 PM

• Not to be outdone by any of its neighbors, Long Beach has several fireworks shows including one from the Queen Mary and one near the Aquarium of the Pacific.  Both events include options for BBQ dining along with the oohs and aahs.  Fireworks from both shows can  be viewed from various locations through The Pike and Rainbow Harbor.
• http://www.queenmary.com/?page=fourthofjuly
• http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/newsevents/eventsdetail/4th_of_july

With all the things listed here, there’s still more going on!  Whatever you do to celebrate, have a safe and enjoyable Independence Day weekend!

Photo credit JohnKay.

Palm Lined Streets of Riviera Village in Redondo Beach.

This weekend you can get a generous dose of arts, crafts, food, and live music at Redondo Beach’s Riviera Festival.

Spanning two days — Saturday and Sunday, June 26-27 — this festival is centered in the Hollywood Riviera neighborhood of Redondo. The Riviera is home to many great restaurants and shops.  The prime location is just a few blocks away from stunning cliff-top views of beaches, the Palos Verdes peninsula, and Catalina Island (if skies are clear).

Check out the festival website for directions on where to park or how to get there via shuttle from Redondo Union High School.

I’ll be taking a closer look at the festival this weekend thanks to an invitation from the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce.  Stay tuned over the next couple of weeks as I report on some of the hot spots that make Redondo Beach a great vacation destination — for all you folks out of town — and a great place to live and hang out for the rest of us!

Riviera Village Summer Festival

http://www.rvsummerfestival.com
Saturday, June 26th & Sunday, June 27th
At the corner of Catalina and Avenue I in Redondo Beach.

So whether you’re getting up at 6 AM this Friday to watch Brazil play Portugal, or catching up with the late-night replays on Sports Center, there are many places to watch the game and experience some Wolrd Cup cuisine.  Some of the places are partnering with the LA Galaxy to put on viewing parties* with give aways (event tickets and genuine world cup soccer balls!) and apperances by Miss LA Galaxy.  Be sure to bring your vuvuzela!

I suggest starting in Pasadena and working your way south.  You’ve got until July 11!

World Cup Street Food at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena
http://pasadena.langhamhotels.com/restaurants/dining_special_offers.htm#world_cup
1401 South Oak Knoll Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106

LA "Dirty Dog" mini Kobe hot dogs...topped with bacon!

• On-going specials through out the tournament including chances for freebies.
• They didn’t pick sides at The Bar in the Langham Hotel of Pasadena.  Instead, they picked the best street foods from several of the participating countries and re-created them with a gourmet spin. They’ve made dishes from South Africa (semi-sweet millet puffs shaped like soccer balls), England (fish & chips fried in duck fat), and my favorite from USA: LA “dirty dogs” — kobe beef hot dogs on pretzel buns w/ Bacon, sweet peppers & onions. Different teams and their foods will be featured each week of the tournament. They’re also giving away some of their items for free. Check their website and follow @LanghamPasadena on twitter for details.

Ye Olde King’s Head British Pub
http://www.yeoldekingshead.com
116 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401

• LA Galaxy viewing party on Thursday, June 24; Saturday, July 3; and quarter-finals on Wednesday, July 7
• Get your “England” jerseys out and order a pint at Ye Olde King’s Head in Santa Monica.  They have enough draft beers on tap to keep you unthirtsy for an entire football match and then some.  In traditional pub-fare fashion, the eats are also covered nicely.  Go for the sampler platter.  With a taste of just about everything on the pub fare menu, you’ll have enough to share with the rest of the crowd…or plenty for yourself!

OB’s Pub and Grill
http://obsmb.com/
3610 Highland Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

• LA Galaxy viewing party on Friday, 6/25; Saturday, 6/26; Tuesday, 6/29; and quarter-finals on Friday, 7/2
• Right here in the South Bay, OB’s get’s the prize for being open as early as needed for all of your World Cup viewing.  On their website they say, “Come in for every game, no matter how early or late.”  If you’re there at the butt crack of dawn, wake up with a cup of coffee and the Pork Chops & Eggs — two chops served with 3 eggs and a choice of sides. In late? Stay up with a beer and OB’s Meatloaf, served with mashed potatoes, gravy, and steamed veggies .

Alpine Village
http://www.alpinevillagecenter.com/
833 W. Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90502

• LA Galaxy viewing party on Sunday, 6/27; Saturday, 7/3; and semi-finals on Wednesday, 7/7
• Another South Bay spot, Alpine Village will be showing all of the German matches…as well as those of the USA.  They’ll have beer specials and more men in  lederhosen than you can count!

K.C. Branaghan’s
http://www.kcbranaghans.com
5734 East 2nd St, Long Beach, CA 90803

• LA Galaxy viewing party on Thursday, 6/24; Monday, 6/28; Tuesday, 6/29; and semi-finals on Tuesday, 7/6
• You’ll need lots of enery to cheer your team on at 7 AM.  That means eating a breakfast that will stick with your for 90+ minutes of fast paced football action.  At K.C. Branaghan’s, you can get a breakfast that’s bigger than an Irishman’s heart! Their traditional Irish breakfast is served with eggs, banger, sausage, bacon, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes and soda bread.

The final match of the World Cup takes place on Sunday, July 11 at 11:30 AM.  Where will you be watching it?

*http://www.lagalaxy.com/worldcupviewingparties

(Photo courtesy of the Langham Hotel.  I took some, but mine turned out crappy! )

This summer, Shakespeare by the Sea — also known as SBTS — will be performing Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and Julius Caesar.  A complete schedule can be found on the non-profit organization’s website.  Fourteen of the 40 or so performances will take place in San Pedro’s Point Fermin Park.  The remaining performances will be held in parks as far north as La Crescenta and as far south as Laguna Neigel.

South Bay residents are fortunate to have several local performances with dates in Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Carson, Torrance, and two in Palos Verdes including a special engagement at the Terranea Resort. Check the list of locations to find out when they’ll be performing at a park in your neighborhood.

Shakespeare by the Sea's performance of Twelfth Night in San Pedro's Point Fermin Park.

If you want to kick off the season in a style that even Shakespeare himself would approve of, check out the Opening Toast on Saturday, June 12. While all performances are free, for $50 the “Decedent Dining” option offers reserved and cushioned seating, a gourmet picnic, and a signed commemorative program. Tickets can be purchased online at the SBTS website.

Shakespeare by the Sea

http://www.shakespearebythesea.org

Opening Toast – Saturday, June 12  at 7:15 PM (Performing Twelfth Night)

Point Fermin Park
807 Paseo del Mar
San Pedro, CA 90731

Seth Kunin, pouring a taste of Pape Star at Cafe Pierre during the Winemaker Social in May.

Last month, Seth Kunin of Kunin Wines kicked off the monthly series with tastes of Pape Star — a “light, vivid red” — and other wines from the Kunin library. Tasters were invited to ask questions to learn more about the wine making process and the care put into the craft.

Tonight’s winemaker is Fred Brander of Brander Vineyard. He’ll be pouring a selection of his world-class Sauvignon Blanc wines and small-batch handcrafted Bordeaux-style wines.

Cafe Pierre Winemaker Social

Thursday, June 3, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
$20 per person. Includes wine and appetizers.

317 Manhattan Beach Blvd.
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
310.545.5252
http://www.cafepierre.com

I stopped by to grab carry-out for lunch just a few days after they opened and the place was buzzing with customers.  My order — two fish tacos with rice and beans — was taken and filled quickly.  While I waited, I checked out the pleasant decor in the dining room and silently wished I had time to chill on their patio.

Inside the Dining Room.

Back in the office, I dug into the tasty Cajun grilled mahi tacos.  The fish was tender with good seasoning and evenly balanced with toppings.  I hate it when the fish in a fish taco is lacking or dry; these tacos passed that test easily.  Too much cabbage can also be a turn off but the amount was just right.

With California Fish Grill in El Segundo, I’m glad to have a location close to work and home.  But I’m wondering: Will the fresh fish market in El Segundo be over served?  Downtown has the rustic and time tested El Segundo Fish Company, and Malibu Fish Grill is coming soon to the Sepulveda and Grand intersection.

With all the offerings that California Fish Grill has — the tacos only scratch the surface — I’m sure they will do just fine.

California Fish Grill

http://www.cafishgrill.com

Plaza El Segundo
730-H Allied Way
El Segundo, California 90245
Phone: 310-322-1200

Gardena
1425 W. Artesia Boulevard
Gardena, California 90247
Phone: 310-225-2777

More than 40 vendors will be on hand to share products and information on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. That means free samples!  Be on the look out for Sketchers, Whole Foods, The Veggie Grill and more.

In addition to samples, its been reported that Murad will also be offering “free mini Inclusive Health Evaluations” at their booth.

The exam is “designed to evaluate every aspect of your health from the condition of your skin to your physical and emotional well being.”  I’ll take that before I sample any goodies on the sweeter side!

I’m a big fan of Growing Great. My experience with them is through the work they do in the Manhattan Beach schools where they sponsor programs that encouraging kids to exercise, plant gardens, and eat healthy snacks.

Thanks, Growing Great, for this event and everything else you do!

Growing Great’s Healthy Living Festival

http://growinggreat.org/about-us/healhty-living-festival/

Sunday, May 16, 2010, 12 Noon – 4 PM
At Morningside Dr & 13th Street
Manhattan Beach, CA