Weekend

Food + Wine Festival Palm Desert
The fifth annual Food + Wine Festival Palm Desert will create a culinary oasis in the desert with live cooking demos, wine seminars, and two days of Grand Tastings with samplings from over 50 restaurants and 80 premium wineries and spirits purveyors. The festival is introducing an all-female lineup for its annual James Beard Luncheon. Titled the “Salute to Women,” the four-course luncheon will feature several James Beard-recognized chefs, including Cat Cora, Gale Gand, Lulu Powers, and Brooke Williamson each serving a course. The chefs will also each host a live culinary demo, offering insight into how to recreate their recipe at home. The Food + Wine Festival Palm Desert will donate a portion of the luncheon proceeds—including from its live auction—to the Friends of James Beard Foundation, which raises scholarship funds for culinary students. The three-day festival is produced by Palm Springs Life magazine in conjunction with co-producers Tony Marchese and Dominic Peterson. $90/Grand Tasting, $125/VIP Grand Tasting tickets (early entrance to the festival; a caviar and champagne tasting; and an exclusive celebrity chef demo. $125-150/James Beard Luncheon; Friday-Sunday

Glow Yoga at exhale mind body spa
The Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows will observe Earth Hour and exhale will host its annual Glow Yoga event by candlelight. The hour long exhale Flow Yoga class will be held at the Santa Monica location on the Veranda Terrace of the Fairmont Hotel and will be complimentary. Each year, The Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows turns out the lights and operates by candlelight to welcome spring and honor the Earth with ‘Earth Hour’. All levels are welcome, so bring your mat and let’s Glow and Flow together! Free; Saturday, 8:30-9:30 pm; 101 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401; 310.576.7777

Chef Lawrence Monaco Presents A Four-Course Tasting Menu Frankie’s on Melrose
Frankie’s On Melrose, will be opening their kitchen to local Chef Lawrence Monaco for one elegant evening. An OC native and current neighbor of Frankie’s on Melrose, Monaco has over two decades of culinary experience cooking. Monaco will introduces his new spring four-course tasting menu with light and buoyant flavors. Dishes include Spring Salad of arugula, radicchio, fennel, pickled cipollini onion, house made ricotta, corn nuts, and sherry vinaigrette; Steak Tartare with prime beef, quail egg, Barolo wine and potato fried in beef fat; Rabbit Stew with Cerignola olives, creamy polenta and rosemary; Carrot Cake with a twist, showcasing the flavors of olive oil and molasses, served with black pepper gelato and caramel popcorn. Additionally, Monaco will be offering vegetarian including the Roasted Broccoli Rabe dusted with garlic, chili flakes and olive oil, as well as a creamy red Tomato Risotto mixed with fresh vegetables. $55; Sunday, 5-10 pm; 7228 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA 90038; 323.937.2801

Escala Beats & Eats One Year Anniversary
Happy one year to Escala K-Town. Known for their savory bites and tunes, during their Beats + Eats brunches, they are continuing it this weekend with DJ Rhettmatic, all-star special guests DJs, and delicious dishes by Chef Chris Oh. Sunday, 11:30 am-4 pm; 3451 W. 6th St., Los Angeles, CA 90020

Grand Park Downtown Bookfest
Grand Park is all about the authors this weekend. See, hear and read from the largest coalition of Los Angeles-based authors and publishers. Downtown Bookfest will feature a family pavilion from The Music Center’s Artizen Lab, pop-up bookshop in partnership with Writ Large Press, the opportunity to create your own five-word poem (to add it to an installation in the park) and the chance to paint with others to create one large piece of sheet music that will be interpreted and played live. Free; Saturday, Noon-5 pm; 200 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA

Simply Stylist
Get inside info in the fashion and beauty industry from industry experts, bloggers, stylists and celebrities, including model and fashion designer, Alessandra Ambrosio, host of E! News, Catt Sadler and many more. The day kicks off with a panel discussion, followed by breakout sessions and concluding with pampering and cocktails. Saturday, 10 am-6 pm; The Grove, 189 The Grove Dr., Los Angeles, CA

Community Yoga Class and Mini Trunk Show with Lululemon
Head to The Langham Huntington, Pasadena to relax during a complimentary yoga class on the Horseshoe Garden hosted by Lululemon Pasadena. Following the class, visit Chuan Spa for a Lululemon Trunk Show and enjoy complimentary demos of HydraFacial and massages until 3 pm. Call to reserve. Sunday, 12:30-1:30 pm; The Langham Huntington, Pasadena, 1401 South Oak Knoll Ave., Pasadena, 626.585.6414

Disco Brunch at Brix at The Shore
Disco isn’t dead on Sundays at Brix at The Shore in Long Beach. The neighborhood bistro and wine bar hosts “Studio 562” as a nod to the city’s area code. Sunday brunch at Brix includes a mirrored disco ball, music from the ‘70s disco era, and customers who come clad in disco garb—think bell bottoms, satin fabric, platform shoes, and macramé tops–receive a free glass of Champagne. Brix at The Shore features a menu of morning offerings, including breakfast plates named for New York City’s five boroughs, including The Staten Island – a classic bagel, lox and all the fixings. The Goomba is a breakfast sandwich featuring scrambled eggs, pastrami, melted Swiss cheese, Brix’s signature deli sauce served on rye bread. Latkes, traditional potato pancakes, are also available as well as breakfast burritos and a “Hair of the Dog” beverage menu. Sunday, 10 am-1 pm; 5362 E. Second St., Belmont Shore, Long Beach, CA; 562.343.5998

Hamburguesas Punta Cabras
This spot is soft open in DTLA and they are marinating beef in bacon fat and serving chorizo-cheese sauce with their fries. Owners Joshua Gil and Daniel Snuka have a full hamburger menu that can be found here. 633 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA

$3 Hennessy at Bludso’s
Kevin Bludso is turning 50, and is throwing a birthday bash at the La Brea location to celebrate. They are also celebrating Bludso’s Bar & Que’s second anniversary, so that means you get Kevin’s favorite drink, Hennessy, for $3. Friday, 9:30 pm; 609 N La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036; 323.931.2583

Samuel Monsour’s Antibellum Pop-Up
Former East Coast chef Samuel Monsour’s latest Los Angeles-based pop-up project is titled Antibellum, and will focus on pre-Civil War cuisine, with deep Southern roots and hints of the Caribbean, Spanish, and Native American influences from the era. You can choose either seven courses or five courses during the dinners that are going on every other weekend. $145 (runs three hours and includes tax, tip, and wine pairings); Friday & Saturday; Veranda Bar at the Hotel Figueroa; 939 S Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90015; 213.627.8971

Nasty Gal 3rd Street Promenade Opens
This new 9,000-square-foot, shop will include a denim bar and a different style than the Melrose boutique. Now westsiders can get their Nasty fix. Friday; 1254 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Café Gratitude Opens in DTLA
Located in DTLA’s Arts District, Executive Chef Dreux Ellis will debut a slew of dinner-specific dishes, along with the restaurant debut (also be available at Café Gratitude in Larchmont Village and Venice). The new Downtown digs will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, daily, as well as fresh pressed organic juices that are also available as part of the restaurant’s chef-curated cleanse program. Start your morning with dishes like the “Open-Hearted” buckwheat-flax pancakes or the”Bonita” breakfast taco plate, along with freshly baked gluten-free pastries, Stumptown coffee, house made almond milk tea lattes and nutrient-dense elixirs. Come lunch, order up the “Ecstatic” oven-roasted brussels sprouts with maple miso glaze, the “Celebrating” collard spring rolls, or the restaurant’s signature “Whole” macrobiotic grain bowl. During dinner, order up dishes like the “Abundant” Artisanal Antipasto Plate with cultured macadamia cheese with white truffle, the “Fresh” Grilled Asparagus with creamy hempseed hollandaise sauce, and the “Raw Enchiladas” with a spinach tortilla with pumpkin seed and walnut chorizo. There’s also a Prix Fixe Chef’s Tasting Menu and suggested wine pairings, spritzers or housemade sodas from Jason Eisner. Sunday, 8 am; 300 S Santa Fe Ave., Suite A, Los Angeles, CA, 90012; 213.929.5580

Ramen Championship
Celebrating both East and West and a 20-year partnership between Santa Anita Park and TCK, experience Tokyo City Cup! These noodle gurus are competing to win, which means you win (and eat). 7 U.S. ramen-ya are competing to be the first ramen champion at Santa Anita Park this weekend, so you can get your carb fix. Japanese cultural exhibitions, a two-day ramen festival in the Infield, and the best Thoroughbred racing, this is a one-of-a-kind race place tradition. Saturday 11 am-Sunday 7 pm; Santa Anita Park, 285 W Huntington Dr., Arcadia, CA 91007

Bourbon Steak Los Angeles at The Americana at Brand Turns One
In honor of this birthday, Chef Michael Mina has called on some of Mina Group’s chefs to help celebrate with a collaborative 5 course menu. For guests looking for a more intimate experience, tickets can be purchased for a dinner hosted by Chef Mina himself. Enjoy a cocktail reception in the private dining room, after which Chef Mina will saber a bottle of champagne to kick off the dinner. For diners who would like to enjoy a more casual celebration, a variation of the tasting menu will be offered in the main dining room as well. $195/dining and include a 5 course tasting menu with a selection of passed Canapés and wine/cocktail pairing, $145/5 course tasting menu with an optional wine/cocktail pairing available upon request; Friday, 6-7 pm; 237 S Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91210; Resys: 818.839.4130

Orangetheory Fitness Opens in Santa Monica
Orangetheory offers a total body, heart-rate monitored workout that have helped tens of thousands of members lose weight, get toned and meet fitness goals in a short amount of time. Orangetheory provides 60-minute, five-zone, heart-rate monitored interval training led by skilled personal trainers. Participants use a variety of equipment, including treadmills, rowing machines, TRX® suspension training and free weights, burning an average of 500-800 calories when combining the workout with the “after burn” – an increased metabolic rate for 24-36 hours after the workout. The result is the Orange Effect – increased muscle endurance, strength and power, and if desired, tremendous weight loss. 1431 2nd St., Santa Monica, CA, 90401; 310.730.1399

Copper Willow Intro To Letterpress Workshop
Up your arts and crafts game at El Segundo paper studio Copper Willow’s letterpress workshop. The hands-on class will teach you pressing basics, including how to prep and run a print. You’ll leave with your very own custom letterpress prints to show off. Saturday, 10 am-12 pm; Copper Willow, 349 Richmond St.; 310.836.6004

Cochon 555
This culinary competition returns to celebrate family farms, heritage breed pigs and today’s emerging chef community. Going on its seventh year, this event features five top chefs in a culinary competition featuring over 36 dishes prepared from locally-raised whole heritage breed pigs with endless wine, brews and spirits. This year’s chefs include Tony DiSalvo of CAST at the Viceroy Santa Monica, Ricardo Zarate of Chef Zarate, Walter Manzke of Republique, Kris Morningstar of Terrine, and Steven Fretz of The Church Key. Judges, led by Ray Garcia, 2014 King of Porc, and chef at soon to open Broken Spanish will help select LA’s “Prince of Porc.” The winner goes on to compete for the title of “King or Queen of Porc” at the tour finale, Grand Cochon at Snowmass/Aspen in June. The grand champion will be rewarded with a 4-day wine experience in Rioja, and the winner’s kitchen countertops will be resurfaced with Wilsonart® Quartz decorative surfacing. The event’s reception will have tastings from Wines of Germany and St. Francis Winery, a Petit Format Bar featuring a selection of half-bottles of wines, a tapas bar spotlighting Jared Levy of The Eveleigh, Bacon Hall of Fame presented by Maggy Hawk Vineyards, BBQ Traditions “Cuban Style” prepared by Chef Nikki Martin, Artisan Cheese Bar with DTLA Cheese and Beecher’s Handmade Cheese, Rappahannock Oyster Shelf, Prosciutto di Parma, Black River Caviar and the TarTare Bar featuring Creekstone Farms prepared by Mike Kahikina of Barrel and Ashes. The Whistle Pig Rye and the “Perfect Manhattan Experience” will feature Eagle Rare, Buffalo Trace, Breckenridge Bourbon and Hirsch finished with Luxardo cherries and topped with a special treat from Creminelli. VIP can enjoy samples from five of the city’s best barkeeps as they compete in Punch Kings, featuring Breckenridge Bourbon. You’ll receive a special departing gift from La Brea Bakery and you are invited to the Chef’s After Party at Cast. The weekend takeover starts with two nights of dinners hosted by last years winner of the Cochon555 US Tour. On Friday, the Chef’s Course dinner featuring five guest chefs including 2014 “King of Porc” Grand Cochon Winner Ray Garcia,“2010 King of Porc” David Varley of RN74 Seattle, Vartan Abgarya of Cliff’s Edge, Carlos Salgado of Taco Maria and Roxana Jullapat with a “Nose to Taco Reception” followed by five courses paired with the Wines of Germany at BS Taqueria. On Saturday, the festivities continue with Ray Garcia hosts a preview of Broken Spanish with Big Beef versus Heritage Pork in a “Large Format Feast” Dinner paired with St. Francis Winery, Hirsch & Old Potrero and Creekstone Farms. $125 (5 pm), $200/VIP (4 pm); Sunday, Viceroy Santa Monica, 1819 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90401