Drink Up, Chow Down

I've said it to anyone who will listen — the  Wally's Wine  Grande Marque Champagne tasting is one of my favorite annual events in LA. And last week's fabulous event certainly lived up to that claim. They spread out a little more this year, using the pool area below the main deck, which was a great idea and meant one never felt crowded while sipping fine bubbles and nibbling decadent bites. (The good life...) And in spite of the proximity of the inviting pool to the even more inviting Champagne (and some killer high heels), all seemed on their best behavior. :) I discovered the NV Taittinger Prelude — which is an amazing NV bottle for around $80. It is delicate and refined and everything one wants in a bottle of Champagne, for an amazing value compared to vintage Champagne. Other notables were the glorious 2006 Cristal (and the amazing staff at the table who let me, ahem, sample more than once or twice...) as well as the mighty 2004 Dom Perignon . Thanks,...

Thanks to the fab folks at  Bite at the Beach  for inviting me to their first annual festival, featuring beer and food pairings from South Bay and beyond. A portion of the proceeds went to benefit the amazing  Surfrider Foundation . It was a fun (and decadently delicious) event, held on the Manhattan Beach Studios backlot — I'm looking forward to making this an annual tradition. I hope they spread out a little more next time and consider more seating options and perhaps a few non-alcoholic offerings (not for me, don't worry!) That said, it was run incredibly smoothly, and the VIP hour beforehand was a real treat. It was great to see so many South Bay restaurants and hotels showing up to pair their delights with some of the finest local and national brews out there. Keep on sipping! Cheers!

I used sodium citrate to create a perfectly smooth cheese sauce from some of my favorite cheeses. Thanks to Modernist Cuisine's simple recipe it was a pretty smooth process, too. plating I was cooking for six and wanted to have leftovers, so I doubled the recipe (to serve 10). I used a pound of cheese for the sauce, (half a pound of gorgonzola, a quarter pound of medium cheddar, a quarter pound of mild goat cheese). In doing so, I retained the delicious pungency of the blue without it becoming overwhelming. (I'd like to pair it with a fab gewurztraminer.) To contrast the blue, I tossed candied pecans into the pasta. I also added porcini mushrooms and topped the entire dish with black truffle shavings. I was thinking about salting the pasta with truffle salt but it really didn't need it. the ingredients I made the sauce the night before and had no trouble reheating it the following day. I microwaved it in small batches and drizzled it over the pasta. b...

I adore mixology... so when I heard that local Manhattan Beach/El Segundo hangout  Jackson's  was hosting a night with mixologist Joe Brooke, I headed on down. I was not disappointed. Kappa pisco Joe was mixing up cocktails with Kappa pisco (from the makers of Grand Marnier), my first time tasting pisco. I dabbled with his "shisocrazy" - which should win a medal for the name alone - and his "sour grapes". Shisocrazy was an absolute winner. A cousin of the mojito with a kiss of spice and a bold, round finish. I'd be curious to try mixing some kappa on my own... watch this space! shisocrazy sour grapes Thanks to Jackson's and  LAWonders  for inviting me. See you at the next one! Cheers!  twitter.com/LAWineGal instagram.com/LAWineGal

don't forget the bubbles... summer selections What's your favorite local bubbles and cheese spot? I'm always a fan of Marina del Rey's Le Cellier and Santa Monica's Wine Expo . The trendy Zinque in Venice also has some tasty offerings, if you're lucky enough to snag a table. (These photos were taken at the delicious Cucina Enoteca in Irvine.) Share your fave LA spots with me on Twitter @LAWineGal and I'll spread the word. Cheers! twitter.com/LAWineGal instagram.com/LAWineGal

'tis the summer sips season I've been absolutely loving the summer sips of the season. For the best Pimm's cup this side of the Atlantic, head to Bar Nineteen12  at the Beverly Hills Hotel. It ain't cheap, but it's fantastically mixed and includes just the right amount of old world reverence and new world flair. (You also cannot go wrong with the blueberry lavender fizz...) Cheers! the mighty Pimm's cup Cheers!  twitter.com/LAWineGal instagram.com/LAWineGal

It's time again for  dineLA  week. Oh happy day. green tea coconut cake Yesterday, I headed to  Paiche , Marina del Rey for the first time. None of the people in my party ended up ordering from the dineLA menu, but it looks like fairly good value, as most dineLA offers usually are. The yay: Great menu variety, brilliant sauces and seasoning, spectacular cocktails The boo: Tiny portions, overpriced menu The yum: Don't miss the stuffed baby squid The not-so-yum: Skip the sweet potato gnocchi grilled quail, ume plum wine dressing Cheers! twitter.com/LAWineGal instagram.com/LAWineGal