All Week Long
Choose Cheddar at Central Market
From now until October 27, you can find specialty cheddar cheeses, cheddar items and cheddar recipes throughout Central Market at 3815 Westheimer. There will be international cheeses, cheddar pairing recommendations and new mac 'n' cheese samples around the store. If you're sharp, you'll take advantage of this slightly cheesy opportunity.
Monday, October 19
Bordeaux Trio Dinner
Bear Dalton of Spec's has two treats in store for vinophiles this week, and the first is this Bordeaux trio dinner, complete with a trio of Bordeaux experts to guide you through the wines. Several courses have multiple options for wine pairings, and the fare includes daikon lobster rolls, smoked duck breast and a grilled venison chop with blue corn grits. The dinner starts at 7 p.m. at the Houston Club, One Shell Plaza, and you can make your reservations by calling 713-854-7855. $185
Tuesday, October 20
2012 Bordeaux and Champagne Tasting
This deluxe wine event at the Crystal Ballroom, 909 Texas, features 30 Bordeaux and 17 champagnes for your tasting pleasure, all from the 2012 vintage. The event is reception-style and is complete with artisanal bread and cheese to cleanse your palate. Just because it's not a class doesn't mean you won't learn a thing or two; Spec's has wrangled a number of chateau owners, directors and winemakers for you to mingle with. Tickets are $80 cash, and you can reserve them by calling 713-854-7855. 4:30 to 8:30 p.m.
HOPS & HOGS at Saint Arnold
From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., you can hang out at Saint Arnold Brewery, 2000 Lyons, and enjoy food from established chefs, restaurants and local culinary students. The event is a benefit for these students, and two scholarships will be awarded to the winning schools, to be distributed to the students. There will be live music by the Cypress Creek Band, and your $35 ticket gets you plenty of booze and bites, plus voting slips for your winning selections. Get your tickets on the Professionals in Culinary Arts website.
Oyster Dinner at Prohibition Supperclub
Chefs Matt Wommack and Ben McPherson will be joined by chef Richie Nakano and Ryan Lachaine of Reef and Underbelly for an oyster dinner at Prohibition Supperclub & Bar, 1008 Prairie. The four-course meal is complete with wine pairings and an hors d'oeuvres reception from 7 to 8 p.m. Reservations are $75, and the meal begins at 8 p.m.
Wednesday, October 21
Lioco Wine Tasting at Sonoma
Matt Licklider, co-owner of Lioco Wines, will be at Sonoma Wine Bar, 801 Studewood, for this tasting event that features five wines from the 2013 vintage. The $20 tasting fee gets you five wine-and-cheese pairings, and there will be special retail discounts during the event, if you can't resist taking a bottle (or several) home with you. The event runs from 6 to 8 p.m., but Sonoma is offering by-the-glass specials, so come early, stay late or both! Make your reservations on the Sonoma website.
Thursday, October 22
Raw Food Weekend at Deer Lake Lodge
April Ree and Sabali Mpozi, raw food chefs at Deer Lake Lodge and Spa, will lead demonstrations for this weekend-long cleansing retreat that will teach you about raw food preparation and healthy eating. Yoga classes and spa treatments are also available at the resort, 10500 Deer Lake Lodge Road, and the weekend menu includes green curry kelp noodles, purple cabbage bowls with macadamia pâté and ginger carrot turmeric soup. Prices run from $200 for a day pass to $1,450 for Thursday through Sunday. Call 936-647-1383 for information and reservations.
Wine. Dine. Design.
Inside of four homes, you'll find top-notch chefs, alcohol experts and entertainment for this Wine. Dine. Design event, a benefit for Evelyn's Park Conservancy. Featured people include Arnaldo Richards of PIco's and Jamie Zelko of Zelko Bistro, and Saint Arnold, Deep Eddy and Katz Coffee are among the beverage providers. A shuttle will take event-goers from one house to the next, and each one is part of the 2015 Bellaire Fall Home Showcase. Find all the addresses and reserve your $100 tickets on the Evelyn's Park website.
Pop-Up Dinner at Glitter
This week's pop-up dinner at Glitter Karaoke, 2621 Milam, features chef Lisa Carnley of The Cajun Stop and chef Cuc Lam, a Feastly chef. The two have collaborated before, and Lam's Southern roots will mingle wonderfully with Carnley's cajun cooking. Visit the Facebook event for more details and possibly updates on the menu. 8 p.m.
Friday, October 23
Stand-Up Comedy at MKT BAR
Every Friday until the end of October, you can find the BETA Bracket stand-up comedy competition at MKT BAR in Phoenicia, 1001 Austin, and, as part of the audience, you can help select the winners. Ten local comedians (or people who think they're comedians) will perform in a five-minute round, then the competition will be thinned out to a ten-, then a 20-minute set, and the winners go home with lots of money. As in, the top prize is $3,000. Admission is free, and you can enjoy MKT BAR provisions while you laugh. 10 p.m.
Saturday, October 24
National Food Day
This day is a celebration of healthy eating and good food, as well as a discussion about the ways that the food industry and consumers can improve. Slow Food Houston wants you to come out to the Finca Tres Robles urban farm at 257 North Greenwood to enjoy a farmers' market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., then snacks and mingling from 1 to 1:30 p.m., at which point there will be a discussion entitled "Urban Farms, Young Farmers & You." The event is free, but donations are suggested, and you can RSVP by emailing Slow Food. Check out the Facebook event for more details.
Beats + BBQ + Brews at Lincoln Bar
From noon to 5 p.m., you can find all the smoked meats you desire at Lincoln Bar, 5110 Washington, during the club's bimonthly barbecue celebration that features Blood Bros. BBQ. This week's offerings include 44 Farms brontosaurus ribs and beef brisket, RC Specialty Meats smoked sausage and more. Alcohol specials include $5 Fireball or Jameson shots, $4 Buffalo Bayou beers, $4 Karbach brews and $5 frozen craft cocktails. DJ Seek and his friends will be providing the tunes, and there's no cover to join this party. Find more details on the Facebook event page.
Artist Reception at Urban Eats
Sharlene Bozeman, a Heights local, has had her paintings exhibited at Urban Eats, 3414 Washington, all month, and they will continue to decorate the popular eatery until December 31. From 3 to 5 p.m., Bozeman will be celebrated with a reception, which includes complimentary beer, wine, champagne and light bites, and these lighthearted paintings will lend a special charm to the occasion.
Our Tacolandia Festival (RESCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 14 DUE TO WEATHER CONCERNS)
Sunday, October 25
Blues and Brews at Brenner's
Every Sunday evening between now and November 29, you can catch live blues music on the patio at Brenner's on the Bayou, 1 Birdsall, plus featured cocktails and brews, such as $5 Stella Artois, $6 Cazadores Reposado margaritas and more. Small bites will also be available. For information, call 713-868-4444. Must be 21 or older. 3 to 6 p.m.
Boo 'N' Boo Fest
This beer-tasting extravaganza at Hughes Hangar, 2811 Washington, from 5 to 9 p.m. includes eight tastings per person and more than 30 brews to choose from. Ten breweries will be presenting their wares for your enjoyment, and the $30 tickets include a full meal from a food truck and access to live entertainment. Attendees can also buy additional tastings if those eight just aren't enough. Check out the details, including a brewery list, on Eventbrite, which is also where you can purchase your tickets.
