Wednesday, July 20: Grand Kitchen & Bath
Watch Chef Elizabeth Dougherty from Food Nation Radio Network™ and guest chef Dr. LindaJoy Rose, author of Raw Fusion: Better Living Through Living Foods, perform a free raw food "un-cooking" demonstration at the Grand Kitchen & Bath Culinary Showroom. Guests will sample raw food creations such as Portobello Pesto Pizza, Goldenberry Vinaigrette Salad and Honey-Orange Blossom Fruit Parfait. Beer, wine and refreshments will also be served. Space is limited; call to RSVP. Free; 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. 2600 4th Street N., St. Pete, 727-327-3007, grandkitchen.com
Wednesday, July 20: Cru Cellars
$15 Wine Tasting Wednesday: Taste through five wines and then enjoy a glass of your favorite! Get a 10% discount on the featured wines. Email Jen at jen@crucellarstampa.com to RSVP or call 813-831-1117. $15; 6 p.m. 2506 S. MacDill Ave., Tampa. crucellarstampa.com
Thursday, July 21: ABC Fine Wine and Spirits – St. Pete
It's another installment of ABC's tastings featuring over 50 wine selections from around the globe and cigars. Each guest receives a souvenir wine glass and a coupon for $5 off any purchase the night of the event. $10, 5:30-7:30 p.m. 2855 66th St N, St. Pete, 727-345-6149, abcfws.com
Thursday, July 21: The Ale and the Witch
Celebrate the Bruery's three-year anniversary at The Ale and the Witch with tasty brews and drink specials. Enjoy drafts from this Placentia, CA, brewery like the Tradewinds, Autumn Maple and the very limited Cuir (clocking in at 14.5% ABV). Live music by Geri X at 9 p.m. Free; 6 p.m.-close; 111 2nd Ave NE, St. Pete, 727-821-ALE3, thealeandthewitch.com
Thursday, July 21: Total Wine & More – St. Pete
Napa Valley offers amazingly diverse climates and soils within its 30 mile stretch between Napa and Calistoga. Taste the difference between Stag's Leap, Diamond Mountain and Spring Mountain Districts at this exclusive wine tasting course. Class includes wine selections, tasting sheets, take home educational materials and discounts on the wine presented in class. Class size limited to 30 people; call to RSVP. $25; 6:30-8:30 p.m. 4880 Park Street N, St. Pete, 727-544-6018, totalwine.com
Thursday, July 21: Whole Foods Market
Learn the basics of cheese with WFM's cheese expert Erik Woody and sample a few wines paired with the cheeses to bring out their flavor and richness. RSVP required; Please register by the exit lobby or by emailing Maria.Gumina@wholefoods.com. Free; 6:30-7:30 p.m. 1548 North Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa. 813-874-9435, wholefoodsmarket.com
Thursday, July 21: Independent Bar and Cafe
Celebrate the anniversary of Belgian Independence at the Seminole Heights Indy Bar. They'll be serving several Belgian beers on draft and will give a discount on Belgian bottles. Pair those brews with the mussels and pomme frites menu special of the night. Free event; 7:30-10:30 p.m. 5016 N Florida Ave., Tampa, IndependentTampa.com
Friday, July 22: Total Wine & More – St. Pete
Summer Cocktail Tasting: Stop by for a refreshing tasting of some great ice cold summer cocktails, featuring: Ketel One Vodka, Captain Morgan Lime Bite, Jose Cuervo Authentic Light Margarita Ready-to-Serve. Free; 5-8 p.m. 4880 Park Street N., St. Pete, 727-544-6018, totalwine.com
Friday, July 22: Cafe Kili
Join Café Kili and national award-winning Intensity Academy hot sauce company for a saucy event that will leave your taste buds wanting more. Try the to-die-for Chai Tai meatballs, as well as other appetizers featuring Intensity Academy sauces, freshly-roasted coffee samplings, Kenyan Samosa and more. Enjoy live music by R.J. Kerker and get a chance to win raffle prizes throughout the night. Free; 6-9 p.m. 5731 E Fowler Ave., Tampa, 813-988-2879, cafekili.com
Friday, July 22: Peabody's Tampa
Head over to Peabody's Tampa First Annual 'Wine Around The World' wine fest and enjoy unlimited wine samples, complimentary hors d'oeuvres, raffle prizes, live music and more. $7 in advance, $10 at the door; 6-9 p.m. 15333 Amberly Dr., Tampa, 813-972-1725, peabodystampa.com
Friday, July 22: Vintage Wine Cellars
Revolutionary Reds tasting: Revel over 10 new red arrivals and raise a glass to their bold new originality. Selections to include: Robert Hall Rhone de Robles 2008, J. Lohr Valdigue 2009, Bell Wine Cellars Cabernet Blend 'Claret' 2007 and more. RSVP encouraged. $10 7-9 p.m. 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa, 813-879-2931, vintagewinecellars.net
Saturday, July 23: Whole Foods Market
Local-paloosa!: Join WFM as they invite the local artisans, growers, cheese-makers and fisherman whose products they carry to showcase their artisanal foods and homegrown stories. Food is their passion and they want to share it with you. Taste these local products for yourself at Local-paloosa! Free; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 1548 North Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa. 813-874-9435, wholefoodsmarket.com
Saturday, July 23: Safford House
Learn how to prepare regional cuisine of the Dodecanese Islands from Tarpon Springs community cooks. This Saturday, Nick Koulianos will prepare Greek meatballs (keftedes) and fish with
Vegetables (psari plaki). Registration required. $20; 12-2 p.m. 23 Parkin Court, Tarpon Springs, 727-942-5605, tarponarts.org
Saturday, July 23: The Fresh Market – Carrollwood and South Tampa
Stop by The Fresh Market to see and sample during this free cooking demo. Learn how to prepare Tropical Grilled Shrimp with Curried Yogurt Sauce and Zesty Lemon, Fennel and Feta Salad. Free; 3-6 p.m. 13147 N. Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, 813-964-8001; 3722 Henderson Blvd., Tampa, 813-875-7400, thefreshmarket.com
Saturday, July 23: St. Pete Coliseum
Tampa Bay beer lovers, here's yet another sudsy event to enjoy: the Cask Beer Expo! Taking place at the St. Pete Coliseum, the expo will offer an array of cask-conditioned beers — unfiltered and unpasteurized beer that's served straight from the cask without any added nitrogen or CO2. There will be over 25 breweries on hand to sample from both well-known and local craft breweries. In addition to tasting all of those specialty craft brews, the fest will also be offering free cheese plates to pair with the beers and live music by the State Road 64 bluegrass band. Regular admission is $35 and the special Golden Tickets, which are $60, get you into the expo two hours early (at 3 p.m.). Both can be purchased at certain local bars and restaurants (see expo website for list). Tickets are limited, so guests are encouraged to purchase them before the day of the event. 5-8 p.m. (for regular ticket holders). Visit the official site, craftbeerexpo.org for more information. 535 4th Ave. N., St. Pete.
Saturday, July 23: St. Pete Beach Community Center
The Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its 3rd Annual Sizzlin Summer Taste of the Beaches event this weekend. Festivities to include live and silent auctions, raffles, samples from over 20 restaurants, dancing, live music, beer, wine and more. RSVP required: Amanda Page, 727-360-6957 or Amanda@TampaBayBeaches.com. $20 for Chamber members, $30 for non-members; 6-9 p.m. 7701 Boca Ciega Drive, St. Pete Beach.
Sunday, July 24: Total Wine & More – Tampa
Summer Cocktail Tasting: Stop by for a refreshing tasting of some great ice cold summer cocktails, featuring: Ketel One Vodka, Captain Morgan Lime Bite, Jose Cuervo Authentic Light Margarita Ready-to-Serve. Free; 4:30-7:30 p.m. 1720 N. Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, 813-350-9601, totalwine.com
Thursday, July 28: Whole Foods Market
Learn to prepare easy vegetarian dishes that look and taste like they were prepared at a fine-dining restaurant. RSVP required; Please register by the exit lobby or by emailing Maria.Gumina@wholefoods.com. Free; 6:30-7:30 p.m. 1548 North Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa. 813-874-9435, wholefoodsmarket.com
Thursday, July 28: Pour House Tampa
For the Pour House's quarterly 'Drink Local' event they'll be featuring over 15 taps from local brewers, including Cigar City, Dunedin, Cold Storage, Saint Somewhere and Swamp Head. Guests will get a free Dunedin or Cigar City pint glass when the order a locally-made draft. Also featuring local wines from Keel and Curley in Plant City. Free event; 7:30-11:30 p.m. 1208 E. Kennedy Blvd. Suite #112, Tampa, pourhousetampa.com
Weekly Specials:
Weekdays: Wood Fired Pizza Wine Bar
Monday- College Night: 2-4-1 happy hour with college or faculty ID, 5 p.m.- close; Tuesday- Half-priced wine bottles, 5 p.m.- close; Wednesday- 2-4-1 glasses of wine. 5p.m.- close; Thursday- $12 unlimited drafts, 8-10 p.m. 2822 E. Bearss Ave., Tampa. 813-341-2900, wood-firedpizza.com
Mondays: Peabody’s
Penny pitchers! Buy one pitcher get the second for a penny, including well liquor pitchers and select draft beers. 15333 Amberly Dr., Tampa. 813-972-1725, peabodysbilliards.com
Tuesdays: Cafe Alma
Who needs a Friday or Saturday date night? Get out on a Tuesday to indulge half-priced bottles of wine and tapas all evening, starting at 4:30 p.m. Being frugal never tasted so good. 260 1st Avenue S., St. Pete. 727-502-5002
Tuesdays: Tampa Tap Room
Karaoke night! Half-priced burgers until 8 p.m., $5 domestic and $6 craft/import liters.
13150 N. Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, 813- 961-BEER, TampaTapRoom.com
Tuesdays: St. Pete Brasserie
Happy hour prices, prixe fixe deals and $5 apps all night! 539 Central Ave, St. Pete. 727-823-3700, stpetebrasserie.com
Wednesdays: World of Beer (all locations)
Half-off select drafts and, if you kill one of the kegs, you’ll be the lucky winner of a $10 gift card to spend on even more beer at WOB. Open-close. www.wobusa.com
Thursdays: Red Mesa Cantina
On "Ruleta Thursdays," bar patrons call the drink, spin the wheel and win that drink if their prediction is correct. Spin to win! 128 Third St. S., St. Pete, 727-896-8226, redmesacantina.com
Thursdays: Kon Tiki at The Tahitian Inn
$5 SKYY martinis and half-priced bottles of wine. 601 S. Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa. 800-876-1397, tahitianinn.com
Fridays: Taps Wine and Beer Eatery
Ladies receive $4 martinis from 5-10 p.m. 777 N. Ashley Dr., Tampa. 813-463-1968, www.tapswineandbeer.com
Image via Beer Review Dude.
This article appears in Jul 14-20, 2011.