Thursday, May 23, 2013

Upcoming Events: Alexandria Food and Wine Festival

Alexandria Food and Wine Festival - June 22: Sips, slurps, chomps, and laughter will fill the air in Old Town Alexandria in the Carlyle District (300 John Carlyle Street) as the local community gathers together to enjoy the diverse restaurants of Alexandria and Virginia’s wineries for the 1st Annual Alexandria Food and Wine Festival. Enjoy this new lively festival, complete with live entertainment, a children’s corner, food and wine tasting, a food demonstration showcase area and a VIP networking reception for our sponsors. Attendees will be able to sample food and wine from a variety of local restaurants and Virginia’s wineries. Cost: FREE; however tickets are needed to sample food and beverages. Hours: 12-7 p.m.

From now through Sunday, June 9thLegal Sea Foods presents the Chilean Wine Festival showcasing the distinctive regional wines of Chile by the glass or bottle for a limited time only.  Escape to the vineyards of Chile without hopping on a plane, and experience a wide range of varietals and unique wine blends while relaxing at one of Legal Sea Foods' four Washington area locations.  Prices range from $8.50 and $10.50 by the glass, and from $26 and $55 by the bottle.  Additionally, a red wine flight showcasing two-ounce pours of three wines, Pinot Noir, Emiliana “Novas” Gran Reserva; Carmenere, Santa Rita Reserva, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Emiliana “Novas” Gran Reserva, will also be available for $9.75.

Celebrate 50 years of James Bond at The Jefferson's third James Bond Dinner on Thursday, May 23, 2013. Each course on Executive Chef Chris Jakubiec's'  five-course prix-fixe menu is inspired by a  famous Bond Girl and will be paired with a wine selected by Wine Director Michael Scaffidi. The dinner will feature oysters, head cheese terrine, and veal Scallopini Milano. Also keep an eye out for a wine from a thousand-year-old vineyard, costumed geishas, and a glow-in-the-dark wine label. The dinner is $285 per person and will begin with a reception in The Jefferson’s Book Room before continuing in the elegant Wine Room. Reservations can me made by calling Plume at The Jefferson, DC: 202.448.2301 


Springtoberfest at Caucus Room Brasserie: This Memorial Day weekend, celebrate Springtoberfest with craft beer, spring delicacies and house made sausages at the Caucus Room Brasserie in the Westin Georgetown. On Sunday, May 26, 2013 from 2-6pm, guests will enjoy delicious tastes featuring the bounty of spring such as boudin blanc with pickled ramps, beet mayo and mustard greens, pork belly with quinoa, peas & raisins, and linguica sliders with cornichon relish and smoked onions. Craft beers will also be on tap from brewers like DC Brau, Flying Dog, and Ommegang. General admission tickets provide five food tickets and 10 six-ounce beer tickets for $50; VIP tickets feature early access, have unlimited food items, and get 12 six-ounce beer tickets for $75. Tickets can be purchased at springtoberfest2013.eventbright.com.

On May 29, 2013Bistro Vivant will host a premier Burgundy wine tasting and dinner featuring the Domaines et Saveurs Collection.  Celebrated owner, Jeanne-Maria de Champs, will host the dinner and will be on hand to pour award winning burgundies including Chiroubles, Raousset 2011; Bourgogne Aligote, Rapet 2011; Chassagne Montrachet ‘Les Encegnieres’, Marc Colin 2011; Bourgogne, Domaine Rene Leclerc 2009, as well as Gevrey Chambertin, Domaine Rene Leclerc 2010.   Chef de Cuisine Ed Hardy, will prepare a five-course meal for guests which will include Duck Breast - Frisee Salade, Smoked & Grilled Octopus, Alaskan Halibut, Suckling Pig Roulade and Vivant Cheese Plate. The event begins at 6:30 pm with a reception sampling of five Domaines et Saveurs' Burgundies and is followed by the five-course dinner and accompanying wine pairing at 7:00 pm.  It is priced at $75 per person (exclusive of tax and gratuity).  Bistro Vivant is located at 1394 Chain Bridge Road, McLean, Va.  Reservations may be made by calling (703) 356-1700.  Parking is complimentary.

Policy is hosting its third Annual Crab Festival on Sunday, May 26th from 12pm-5pm. For $35/person, indulge in a Memorial Day feast  with a summer cookout menu including all you can eat crabs, hushpuppies, corn on the cobs, wings,hot dogs at this family friendly event. Blue Moon is sponsoring the event and offering two exclusive (never sold or tasted in the US) craft beers. Policy will also have beer specials all day. Space is limited, visit www.policydc.com and click the shopping cart to purchase tickets in advance.  Limited tickets are available at the door. Contact 202-387-7654 for more information.

The 20th Annual Taste of Georgetown returns on Saturday, June 1, 2013 from 11:00 am – 4 pm.  Hosted once again by the Georgetown BID this year’s event benefits the Georgetown Ministry Center’s services supporting the homeless.  Over thirty of Washington, DC’s finest restaurants, culinary personalities and sixty delectable dishes will be onsite and ready to tease your palate; not to mention an expansive Craft Beer and Wine Pavilion and accompanying live entertainment.  One of the featured events will be the Iron Chef-style Competition that will pit Georgetown’s hottest chefs in a culinary challenge to test their skills and will be judged by DC’s top food experts and media.


'Dogs + 'Tails Fundraiser for City Dogs Rescue:  The U Street neighborhood restaurant Vinoteca will be hosting a 'Dogs + 'Tails charity promotion from June 2-9 to raise money for DC's City Dogs Rescue. During the week, Vinoteca will be serving housemade hot dogs such as classic frankfurters, DC-style half-smoke sausages, and spiced-up veggie dogs topped with a variety of garnishes offered with a special "Dog Days of Summer" punch made with gin, Montenegro Amaro, Dolin Dry Vermouth, fresh lemon juice and rosemary simple syrup.  A portion of the proceeds will be donated to City Dogs Rescue.  The week-long promotion will kick off with a Neighborhood Grill Out on Sunday, June 2 from 3-8pm with food, furry friends available for adoption, and a charity bocce tournament led by DC Bocce. Space is limited and teams/players should register in advance at www.dcbocce.com/home/VinotecaCharityTourney.aspx.  It’s the perfect way to kick off summer grilling for a good cause!

Doukénie Winery Hosts the Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon: Exercise, wine, music, and relaxation in Virginia’s wine country - nothing sounds healthier or well-balanced. Doukénie Winery in Purcellville, Va. will host the 3rd Annual Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon on Saturday, June 1, 2013. Produced by Destination Races and sponsored by Visit Loudoun and presenting sponsor Subaru, the popular event registration is already sold out. However, there is plenty of room for attendees to cheer the runners on and enjoy the vineyard landscapes and Doukénie’s Tasting Room. The 13.1 mile race begins and ends at Doukénie Winery, which also plays host to the post-race Wine and Music Festival. The event will feature 15 regional wineries, a local brewery as well as exhibitors and food vendors. The Short Hill Mountain Boys will be present to add their bluegrass stylings to the atmosphere. The Tastings portion is $20 (glass included) and open to the public this year. Last year, the Half Marathon and correlating events raised over $2 million for charities, including the Chrohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America through the Team Challenge program and the Loundoun County Special Olympics making this event a sure winner. 

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