Weekend Docket: 12/2/11

It's beginning to look a lot like... a spectacular weekend for drinking! Where will you find me? Perhaps at Jaragua tonight, visiting old friends. Tomorrow, I'll be on the hunt for boozy clues in Hermosa. Sunday? Well people, it's Repeal Day! And the secret Bartender's Ball... Want to know more?  Follow me on twitter: @nicolemiizuka

All Weekend

Unique LA
Sat & Sun 11am-6pm
This Holiday Season Buy Local! UNIQUE LA is an exciting two-day shopping event that showcases fresh, hand-selected design talent. With no ‘middle man’ you’ll shop directly from the designers themselves, which means prices will be less then retail. Shop from over 325 designers & artists, support the local economy, join in community and have a blast! Only 1000 pre-sale tickets are available. General Admission gets you your very own collectible tote bag, exclusive-to-the-show and #5 in our series, free drinks (IZZE, Honest Tea, beer, wine and more!), unlimited re-entry for both days and access to giveaways all weekend long, and free workshops with crafty handmade activities and free gift-wrapping. From 11am – 6pm on both days. The cost is $10. The California Market Center 110 East Ninth Street, LA, CA 90079 http://stateofunique.com/unique-la/

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing Opens in Venice
Open tuesday - sunday
In lieu of Cloak & Dinner concocting a winter wonderland (we're too busy doing things like Pub Crawl Scavenger Hunts) I wanted to offer you an alternative for all your underground dining needs. Chefs Brian Dunsmoor (formerly of Axe) & Kris Tominaga (formerly of Joe's) have created a very unique 'pop-up' dining experience within the confines of Capri Restaurant on Abbot Kinney in Venice, Ca. Their mantra is to pursue gimmick free food that real people want to eat. Offering communal rustic country fare, the two young chefs focus on offering unpretentious food inspired by locally sourced ingredients. Plus, they have baked oysters with bacon and shrimp. Can't go wrong there! So if you're looking for somewhere fun to eat, check out Wolf in Sheep's Clothing at Capri, 1616 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice. www.wolfinsheepsclothingrestaurant.com

Friday, 12/2

"Uncork a Wish" Wine Tasting and Auction
6:30pm
This magical red carpet holiday extravaganza, a major fundraising event for the local Make-A-Wish chapter, is designed to raise critical funds to grant over 400 wishes this year for courageous children, ages 2.5 to 18 years old, who are fighting life-threatening medical conditions. Proceeds from this spectacular event will support heartfelt wishes which fall into one of four categories: I Wish To Go…I Wish To Meet…I Wish To Have…or I Wish To Be. It’s going to be an event unlike any other! Make-A-Wish volunteers, donors, along with other Los Angeles business and philanthropic leaders are coming out in support of our wish children. Everyone will be treated to a unique whimsical journey of gastronomic delights and wine tastings, wish-making fun, unique live and silent auctions, along with some very special surprises. Come meet Mario Lopez and help us raise dollars to grant more and more wishes! Tickets $200 Beverly Hilton, 9876 Wilshire Blvd Beverly Hills, CA www.wishla.org

LudoBites Truck: Foie Gras Friday
6pm - 9pm
The sexy and lickable Chef Ludo Lefebvre is back with even more foie gras, and this time he's mobile. Heard he's serving up a foie gras & corn soup, foie gras beignets and a foie gras terrine sandwich with celery root remoulade, apples, curry, diced fruit and crispy chicken skin. Wonder if he's also bringing back the foie ravioli from his now infamous foie gras pop-up at Animal? Domaine LA 6801 Melrose Ave [EaterWire]

Saturday, 12/3

ColLAboration Craft Beer Garden: Winter Wonderland

this event has sadly fallen prey to the winds & has been cancelled.
It's back!!! L.A.’s small-but-mighty craft beer scene is coming to a head. Some of the biggest names in L.A.’s acclaimed craft beer industry (Tony’s Darts Away, Verdugo Bar, 38 Degrees, Surly Goat, Blue Palms, and Mohawk Bend) are joining forces to bring you: COLLABORATION, a series of pop-up mobile craft beer gardens where true beer enthusiasts can gather and enjoy the best in brews under the warm California sun. And it's now time for a little Winter Wonderland themed. Golden Road Brewing 5410 N. San Fernando Rd West, Los Angeles, CA 90039 www.collaboration.la

Drink & Hunt: Show Me the Snow Hunt
2pm Start Time
Drink & Hunt combines the thrill of a live scavenger hunt and the fun of a pub crawl rolled together into our very own web-enhanced game accessed via your Internet enabled phone (iPhone, Android, Blackberry). Drink & Hunt provides an exciting social atmosphere that you can enjoy with your friends, family or co-workers. With 6 bars & an after party with prizes, this is sure to be an awesome time. Team Cloak & Dinner is hunting this time around, so we'll be sure to report back. If you want to join, entry is $30 and our team is McNuggetini (thanks A&G) Hennessey's, 8 Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 http://www.drinkandhunt.com

6th Annual Los Feliz Village Holiday Festival
6pm-10pm
Los Feliz Village's Eclectic Annual Holiday Festival Features lots of incredible Gifts, Cheer and Goodwill. Complimentary Trolley and Open Air Bus transport revelers around the Village's main streets of Hillhurst and Vermont Avenues and Hollywood Boulevard. Carolers, puppeteers and Santa himself create mirth and an unforgettable holiday experience. Admission is free to public. 1874 Hillhurst Avenue, Los Angeles, CA http://www.losfeliz.biz/directory/events

Irregular Wine Tasting
7pm
Get thee to the Echoplex, aka the Julius Shulman Memorial Hall, this night for the forty-third edition of Irregular Wine Tasting, an adult-beverage haiku about which Lt. Cheryl MacWillie of the Los Angeles County coroner’s office never said: “I’ve got nothing against her personally, but Flo, the fictional cashier in the regressive insurance TV commercials, was an a–hole as far as the A-bomb was concerned.” This evening we pair five wines from Planet Vagina with four suicides from Suicide Club, then segue seamlessly into SuicideGirls presents Summer Suicide, featuring “beautiful naked punk rock, goth & emo girls with tattoos & piercings.” $20/person The Echoplex 1154 Glendale Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90026 http://www.attheecho.com/2009/07/31/friday-08-07-09-irregular-wine-tasting-4-suicides-from-suicide-club-echoplex/

Sunday, 12/4

Pig & Pints
1pm to 4pm
Who said nothing eventful happens between Thanksgiving and Christmas? On December 4 from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., Food GPS presents a lazy Sunday at Biergarten that combines three of my favorite things: pork, craft beer and ice cream. The casual event features a whole Filipino-style roast pig from Neri’s Curbside Cravings, seasonal sides from Biergarten executive chef Eddie Hah. Attendees will also receive two pints of California craft beer – Ballast Point Sculpin IPA and The Lost Abbey Red Barn – plus a special flavor of Scoops ice cream involving a certain Belgian beer, crafted by ice cream wizard Tai Kim. $30/person Biergarten 206 N. Western Avenue http://www.foodgps.com/pig-pints-biergarten/

Cole’s Red Car Bar 103rd birthday
All Night
Remember when alcohol was illegal and you had to distill your own White Dog to catch a cool buzz? Of course you don’t! It’s been quite a long time since Prohibition was repealed, but to celebrate the anniversary of this glorious day we are throwing a bash that may go down in history. Starting at 9pm, Cole’s, in conjunction with its 103rd birthday, will be kicking off the evening with a Repeal Day for the masses. Not only will there be a life size ice bathtub filled with Gin, but a live 3 piece jazz band, cocktail competition and last but not least, free French Dip sandwiches for the first 200 guests. Get in here and have a toast to, well… being able to toast with alcohol. Cole's Downtown 118 East 6th Street
Los Angeles http://213nightlife.com/celebrate-repeal-day-with-us?id=December%204th,%202011&tt=9:00

Monday, 12/5

"Sip, Smoke, & Savor" Paul Marie et Fils Dinner Event
8pm - 10pm
Join us in celebration of life's finest pleasures at Hollywood's most enthralling and exclusive venue, La Descarga. We'll be joined by the incredible Nicolas Palazzi, Cognac's new golden boy. Mr. Palazzi is known for bucking the trend and beguiling his competitors. He has breathed new life into France's most prestigious and circumspect AOC. Nicolas is one of the only importers and bottlers of Cognac that is committed to selling brandies unadulterated by additives and produced by true artisan masters of the craft. Palazzi will lead a tasting of his finest imports including a Paul Beau VSOP Cocktail, the Paul Beau Hors d'Age ($130), Guillon Painturaud Hors d'Age ($300), Paul Marie "Faultline" K&L Exclusive ($129.99) Paul Marie "Devant La Porte" ($600, 98 points Robert Parker), and super rare vintage bottling yet to be announced, think pre-1930s and totally priceless. You're ticket will get you unlimited tacos and quesadilla from one of SoCal's best Taqueria. Finally, you'll be treated to two of La Descarga's finest custom hand rolled cigars, to be enjoyed with your cognac at their beautiful outdoor cigar bar. This will be a once in a lifetime oppurtunity to taste some of the world's finest brandies and celebrate life with great food and unique cigars. Space is incredibly limited. Tickets are $70 La Descarga 1159 North Western Avenue Los Angeles http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1080083