Weekend Eats & Drinks 8/24/11

Thursday, Farley's East holds its monthly nonprofit happy hour from 5 to 9 P.M. Proceeds from the event will benefit Playworks Oakland/East Bay, a nonprofit organization that motivates children through sport and physical activity programming.

Friday, Vintage Berkeley in Elmwood hosts an all-star East Bay tasting from 8 to 8:30 P.M. of boutique wines from Oakland's urban wineries. A $10 ticket lets you taste from Urban Legend, Dashe, Aubin, Eno, and Blacksmith Cellars. Call (510) 549-9501 for reservations as space is limited.

Saturday and every Saturday until Sept. 17, the Off the Grid food truck phenomenon heads to Berkeley's Golden Gate Fields starting at 11 A.M. The trucks will be in the grandstand area, so the $6 admission to the race track is required - through

kids 17 and under are free. The lineup so far includes Hapa SF, 3-Sum Eats, Chairman Bao, CurryUpNow and Whisk on Wheels.

Downtown Berkeley caps its free summer screenings Saturday with the Big Lebowski. The movie starts at sundown, around 8:30 P.M., but arrive early to take advantage of al fresco dining on Center Street and a contest for the best Lebowski character-related costume.

Berkeley's famed Chez Panisse celebrates its 40th Anniversary this month with a series of events. Saturday, the UC Berkeley Art Museum will open free to the public (by reservation) to explore the restaraunts's educational legacy, from the Free Speech Movement to the Edible Schoolyard. The museum's gardens will host cooking stations, installations and classrooms for food education.


Farley's East
33 Grand Ave., Oakland
(510) 835-7898

Vintage Berkeley
2949 College Ave, Berkeley
(510) 549-9501

Off the Grid at Golden Gate Fields
1100 Eastshore Hwy., Berkeley
(510) 559-7300

Downtown Berkeley film screening
2219 Center St., Berkeley
(510) 549-2230 x11

Berkeley Art Museum
2626 Bancroft Way, Berkeley
(510) 642-0808

Weekend Eats & Drinks 8/17/11

Thursday, have your pick of two movie screenings in Oakland. Grease fans will want to head for 12th St. City Center for the singalong viewing, while comedy fans can see Dinner for Schmucks at Jack London Square. Admission is free with films starting around 7:30 P.M. but go early for prefestival activities like food stands and contests.

Also Thursday, the Cathedral of Christ in downtown Oakland hosts a nondenominational community event from 5 to 7:30 P.M. in the plaza. Admission is free with complimentary appetizers.

For a night out, Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto continues its Chef's dinner series Thursday. For $50 (excluding tip and tax), get 5 seasonal courses paired with wine. The menu: heirloom tomato salad with black pepper yogurt, Hobbs bacon, mesculn mix and a 2010 Rodney Strong Sauvignon Blanc; roasted green lip mussels with toasted garlic bread and a 2009 Kendall Jackson Chardonnay; rainbow trout with snow peas, horseradish mashed potatoes and a 2005 Palliser Pinot Noir (from New Zealand); lobster pot pie with pearl onions, baby carrots, grilled asparagus and a 2009 McManis Merlot; and black forest cake with chocolate cream and cherry flambé and a 2007 Aquinas Merlot. Reservations requested:(510) 845-7771.

Saturday, Rock Wall Wine in Alameda hosts an open house from 1 to 5 P.M. Taste over 50 wines from the Alameda Point Vintners co-op for $30 in advance online, or $45 at the door. Participating wineries include R&B Cellars, Rock Wall, Blacksmith Cellars, Carica Wines, Ehrenberg Cellars, John Robert Eppler Wines, Joseph Gary Cellars and Mercy Wines.

Also Saturday, downtown Berkeley screens Raiders of the Lost Ark as part of its summer film series in the Bank of America parking lot. Arrive early at 6 P.M. when all of Center Street between Shattuck and Oxford is closed to traffic and restaurants offer al fresco dining or participate in a costume contest for best safari attire. The movie starts at 7:30 and viewers are encourage to bring their own lawn chairs - or rent one for $5.

Sunday, Chop Bar holds its monthly summer pig roast at Linden Street Brewery. $20 gets you an all-you-can-eat pig roast and sides buffet with live music. Wine and beer will also be available for sale.

Jack London Square
66 Franklin St., Oakland
(510) 628-0718

12th Street City Center
1245 Broadway, Oakland

Cathedral of Christ
2121 Harrison St., Oakland
(510) 271-1928

Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto
1919 4th St., Berkeley
(510) 845-7771

Rock Wall Wines
2301 Monarch St., Alameda
(510) 522-5700

Bank of America
2219 Center St., Berkeley

Linden Street Brewery
95 Linden St. Oakland
510-834-CHOP

Weekend Eats & Drinks 8/11/11

Events are light this weekend, so get your foodie fix from Open Table and Savored. For $10, get 30% off your dining bill at select Open Table restaurants like Oakland's BayWolf, Hudson and Mezze and Berkeley's Meritage and Paragon at the Claremont.

[Updated 8/13/11] Downtown Berkeley screens the Pixar film Up in the Bank of America parking lot Saturday starting at 7:30 P.M. Come early at 6 P.M. when all of Center Street between Shattuck and Oxford is closed to traffic and restaurants offer al fresco dining. The movie is preceded by a costume contest.

Sunday, Pyramid Brewery celebrates Discord, its new dark IPA. Get $3 pints and $10 pitchers of it all day, while enjoying the outdoor grill and BBQ and Pyramid Pong.

Bank of America
2219 Center St., Berkeley

Pyramid Brewery
901 Gilman St., Berkeley
(510) 528-9880

Weekend Eats & Drinks 8/4/11

With the warmer weather and the beginning of school encroaching, more neighborhoods are hosting free summer movie screenings. Today at Jack London Square, catch the Pixar animated film Ratatouille at sundown. Arrive earlier for cooking demos, trivia and prizes, and food from local vendors.

Saturday, downtown Berkeley shows The Princess Bride at 7:30 P.M. in the Bank of America parking lot at 2219 Center St. Preshow activities include a costume contest with prizes and al fresco dining by Center Street restaurants, as Center Street between Shattuck and Oxford will be closed to cars.

Also Saturday, the 6th annual Urban Wine Xperience returns to the Jack London Square Pavilion from 2 to 5 P.M. Sample paired tastings from over 20 wineries with local restaurants or food vendors for $40. [UPDATED 8/5/11] Use discount code RBWC for $30 tickets.

Sunday, Kermit Lynch teams up with the American Grilled Cheese Kitchen at Vintage Berkeley for a griled cheese and rose wine pairing. Reservations are required, and tickets are $30 including gratuity.

If you can't get into the tasting, stop by nearby bakery Cinnaholic, celebrating its first anniversary. The vegan cinnamon roll makers are offering $1 Old Skool Rolls from noon to 4 P.M.

Lastly, Piedmont's Adesso - known for its charcuterie - hops onto the whole roast pig trend with its first spit-roasted porky from 2 to 6 P.M. A $25 ticket includes all-you-can-eat pig and sides.

For the rest of August, help local students get ready for school by donating new backpacks to the Berkeley Boosters/Police Activities League. For every new backpack dropped off at Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto in August, the restaurant will give away a $10 dining certificate.

Also in August, Moe's Books in Berkeley celebrates the 40th anniversary of Chez Panisse. Bring in any Chez Panisse dining receipt for 10% off all bookstore purchases. Additionally, 10% of those purchases will be donated to the Chez Panisse Foundation.

For early diners, Miss Pearl's Jam House at Oakland's Jack London Square will offer 50% off all food items from 5 to 6 P.M., Monday through Friday, for the month of August. Just say you saw the promotion in "Square Savings."

Jack London Square
66 Franklin St., Oakland
(510) 628-0718

Bank of America
2219 Center St., Berkeley

Vintage Berkeley
2113 Vine St., Berkeley
(510) 665-8600

Cinnaholic
2132 Oxford St., Berkeley
(510) 647-8684

Adesso
4395 Piedmont Ave., Oakland
(510) 601-0305

Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto
1919 4th St., Berkeley
(510) 845-7771

Moe's Bookstore
2476 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley
(510) 849-2087

Miss Pearl's Jam House
1 Broadway, Oakland
(510) 444-7171