Wednesday, April 21: The NoHo Bistro
Wine Wednesdays. The wine and tapas change weekly, so come back regularly and bring your BFFs, blind dates, co-workers, boy/girlfriends or, hell, someone else’s boyfriend. $15 for two glasses of wine paired with two tapas. 1714 N. Armenia Ave., Tampa (813-514-0691)
Thursday, April 22: Florida Craftsmen Gallery
Feast for the Eyes. This is no run-of-the-mill pairing: tonight's tasting combines not only wine and tapas, but adds original local art to the mix, too. You'll sit at a one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted table, set with cutlery, dishes, and table art — all specially made by St. Pete craftspeople. And the meal's nothing to sneeze at, either. The artful menu, created by Chef Chris Greer of The Queens Head includes: a first course of pickled spring onion, morel, fried polenta disc and pea puree; a second course of pan fried rainbow trout, carmelized brussel sprouts, cherrywood bacon, and lemon chive crème fraiche; and a third course of seared duck breast, pickled gooseberries, vanilla mash, and sriracha. Everyone leaves with a handmade dining room object to create their own artful table. $75. 6-9 p.m., 501 Central Ave., St. Petersburg (727-821-7391)
April 22-25: Sarasota
Florida Winefest & Auction. For a long time, this event down in Sarasota was the biggest thing going on Florida’s Gulf Coast. It’s still a big deal and has an event schedule that makes the most out of the cozy, small-town setting. Start off with dozens of winemaker dinners at local restaurants that range from inexpensive to wallet-draining. The weekend seminars also take advantage of several local venues and cater to a wide range of budgets, and the final outdoor tasting is an absolute bargain at $15. The fest’s main attraction — a dinner at the Ritz-Carlton, including a stripped-down auction — is more of a stretch at $250, but remember that the proceeds are distributed to a grab-bag of local charities. Visit floridawinefest.org for complete schedule. –Brian Ries
Many more events after the break:
This article appears in Apr 21-27, 2010.