CREATE A GRAPH... or a pie chart of what foodies prefer to dine on? That truly depends on the day of the week, and whether they're at home or out, and if a bite-laden food festival is coming up. For as adventurous as some eaters claim to be, we humans still gravitate back to the grub that comforts us, that lights up our particular taste buds and cravings-filled brain, and the eats that we know will satisfy. This where that bite-laden food festival comes in, because, quite often, it is a cuisine-packed wonderland, and cuisine-packed wonderlands do have a rather admirable knack for pulling us all out of our go-to cravings and peckish patterns. If you've been stocking the pantry with the same condiments, crackers, and cereals, and need a bit of a stylish shake-up, ponder calling upon...
NEWPORT BEACH WINE & FOOD... for four days of foodie-based mind-broadening. Several acclaimed chefs, including Michael Mina, will be on the gourmet grounds, and the Grand Tasting will offer up a host of zazzy participants, including The Blind Rabbit on Saturday and boutique ice cream company Salt & Straw. It's year number five for this fall food-tacular, which means it has had the time to attract major stars. Doing the Grand Tasting? There's a ticket for that, so purchase yours, then make for the Newport Beach Civic Center on Saturday, Oct. 6 or Sunday, Oct. 7. No need to tie a napkin on before you arrive, or swear off dessert the night before, but know you'll be snacking on a sizable swath of beautifully made munchables.
THERE ARE OTHER EVENTS, and some are sold out, but if you're hanging around the NB for a day or two, best check out what demos, bubbly-yummy bashes, and other to-dos are available. It's a big foodie weekend, one that can shake anyone out of their day-to-day dinner doldrums with a roster of fresh tastes. The 2018 dates for the Newport Beach Wine & Food are Oct. 4 through 7, a Thursday through Sunday.
