For non-Valentine things to do this weekend, I give you the following. It’s going to be a gorgeous one. Go out and have fun!
Thursday, February 10
Barbara Fairchild Booksigning & a Free Dessert Tasting
To celebrate former Bon Appetit editor in chief Barbara Fairchild’s new book Bon Appetit Desserts Larry Nicola, chef and owner of Nic?s Beverly Hills, is hosting a booksigning for the author as well as a free dessert tasting when Nic’s pastry chef Zak Means will recreate some of her favorite desserts from the book like Chocolate Caramel Slice and Vanilla Bean Marshmallows. There will also be a full happy hour bar food menu available and even a specialty cocktail called the Fairchild for $7.
- 5-7pm. Nic?s Beverly Hills, 453 North Cañon Drive, Beverly Hills (map). (310) 550-5707.
Friday, February 11
Double Feature at the Aero: The Princess Bride/The Notebook
Now, I usually prefer slasher movies for Valentine’s Day but these are two of my favorite lovey-dovey ones. Both revolve around twoo wuuuve. And The Princess Bride has romance, adventure, comedy, a sword fight and The Notebook has, well, Ryan Gosling. Swoon! You’ll laugh and you’ll cry. The Notebook gets me every time I see it. Every. Time.
Charity Wine Tasting for Mutts and Meows
Drink wine for a great cause: Molly’s Mutts and Meows which goes toward helping cats and dogs find homes. For $25, you get to taste three wines — Domaine Guindon Muscadet 2009, Para Silverlake 2007 Merlot-Cab mix, Earth First Malbec 2009 — and half of the proceeds go to the charity. There will also be food.
- 7-9pm. $25. Silverlake Wine, 2395 Glendale Boulevard, Los Angeles (map). (323) 662-9024.
Sunday, February 13
33rd Annual LA Chinatown Firecracker 5K/10K
This is called a fun run but it’s also an ass-kicker with its 1-mile uphill. Oy. Last year when I was in great shape I did the 10K, this year I’ll be happy if I can do that 5K. If anything, all 5K/10K finishers get a medal! Plus the entry fee includes a carbo load meal the night before. Online registration is closed but you can still register at the race.
- 6am registration. $37. Broadway and College Street, Chinatown (map).
Monday, February 14
Hophead Heaven Kickoff at Library Alehouse
You’re bitter about Valentine’s Day, embrace that bitterness at this Hophead Heaven hop-centric fest which features AleSmith’s My Bloody Valentine, a hoppy seasonal red, as well as Green Flash’s West Coast IPA, Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Black IPA and Sierra Nevada Hoptimum to name a few. $10 gets you the Alehouse logo tasting glass, $2 for 3.5-ounce pour.
- Library Alehouse, 2911 Main Street, Santa Monica (map). (310) 314-4855.
Tuesday, February 15
Russian River Brew Night at The Surly Goat
Here’s a beer night you won’t want to miss. Even the elusive Pliny the Younger will be on tap but get there early before it runs dry. Other Russian River beers on tap, some of which have never been on tap in LA before, include Pliny the Elder, Damnation, Redemption, Mortification…great names. If you miss the Younger here, there will be some available at sister bar, Verdugo Bar.
- 6pm-2am. The Surly Goat, 7929 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood (map).
Magnum Pop-up at Pal Cabron
Magnum pop-up part deux, featuring the food of Chef Joseph Mahon (Bastide) and wine pairings by David Haskell (Bin 8945), is going to be a blast, especially the late hours which will have a dj and even a pinata bashing. Whoever finds the Magnum condom that falls out of the pinata with the Mexican candy wins dinner for two at the next Magnum pop-up. Make your reservations asap as there are only a few spots left. Four courses for $48/eight courses $72, with pairings add $27/$48, bonus mescal and foie gras cemita pairing $20.
- Tuesday-Wednesday. Pal Cabron, 3337 1/2 W. 8th Street, Los Angeles (map). Reservations: (323) 798-4648 or magnumdh [at] gmail.com.